“Things” are much better tonite – not perfect, but better. I only had a small taste of vanilla ice cream and some vanilla yogurt today but was told not to really eat until the gas issue had been resolved.
I’ve walked at least 4 times today, the last walk was 25 minutes – round and round the floor with a podium walker. There has been no mention of dismissal yet – hopefully somebody will say something tomorrow.
Becky has been doing my chores faithfully – it got very cold since I left and adjustments had to be made. Chores will be a challenge when I get home.
For a person who washes their hair every single day, this hair is a torture! I washed it last Tuesday morning – and I was not supposed to use any spray or mousse on it before surgery. It’s more uncomfortable than my incision, I think.
Speaking of incisions, I won’t post the picture because it’s just too gross but it goes from my breast bone to my pubic bone. Did it really have to be that big?
I’m not sure I can organize the photos I’ve received from you but maybe tomorrow. And if not I’ll post them when I get home.
Nurses here are excellent but there isn’t enough of them. And some nurses are better than others – that’s all I’ll say. I also want to do more than they have time for and they don’t want me to walk the halls alone.
So I’m pretty bored – I loved your messages – gave me something to read.
P.S. I brought my own doggie nightshirt, my own robe, my own slippers to slide into and my own insulated handled cup! Just a little bit of home!
Hi Mary, glad to know your abdomen feels better. I’ve had my gall bladder removed, and definitely can recall that awful discomfort from the gas they fill you up with. I’m just hoping that you aren’t released too soon because it’s so hard for you to not be working. Sure hope you can find a new cleaning person, and not feel as if you have to do it all yourself! Although you must miss your critters, and I’m sure they miss you.
I think I replied to this in the previous post, since I couldn’t find a comment box. Now I have a space, so I will comment again.
I hope you are now able to eat a little more and found someone to help with your hair.
Our high is 45 and dreary, not very nice for our fourth football playoff game. We are playing Chicago Christian on our home field. We are a small rural community of abt 2,200, so the football players have opposite lifestyles. We were out east of town this AM going to the apple orchard, when we met the Chicago bus on its way to town. Our local fans played up the Farmington Farmers theme by lining the roads near the school with farm tractors. We are listening to the game on the radio soon.
Take Care/Love you, Mary 🥰
Mary, so glad things are better! As everyone says, take things easy when you get home & don’t overdo! We’ve had a bit of snow here, but because the ground is still warm, it melted quickly. Yesterday it rained off & on most of the day. Ron & I traveled 1.5 hrs to attend the funeral of my HS best friend’s husband. He was a retired Navel officer (24 yrs) & I was extremely impressed with the Honor Guard in this tiny little village in SE Ohio. 21 gun salute & taps + the folding of the flag & presentation to his wife. Very impressive on a very cold,rainy, blustery day! But it’s always impressive…this was just very special! Ron was so impressed with all the cars that pulled to the side of the road for the funeral procession (20 mi). I told him this is just how it’s done in the country!! The ladies at the church had a lovely meal & sent everyone home with food. Both of us were happy to finally be home & sit in front of my warm cozy fireplace! Needless to say, no quilting got done yesterday! I have borders to mark & quilt + putting the binding on my latest quilt. Mary, if you ask they can help you with your hair. There’s a shower type cap that they put in the microwave & warm. It has a type of shampoo in it & it does a pretty decent job of cleaning your hair. I requested it for my husband during his hospital stays. You just have to ask for it. They may also have dry shampoo, too. Hope you have an update on going home soon. Prayers you continue to heal well.
Good Morning Mary. I noticed that my post didn’t show up so I am trying againl. I apologize in advance if you end up with 2 nearly the same posts from me. I am happy that you are recovering nicely. We are getting much needed rain here in NH. It has been a long while since we have gotten a good soaking rain.
Yesterday a friend posted on FaceBook that they Hurkle-Durkled. Never having heard of that, I of course had to look it up to see what I was missing. I found that Hurkle -Durkle refers to a Scottish morning ritual of lounging in bed long after your alarm goes off. Have you heard of that phrase? I never had but I love that treasured bit of time has a name!
Wishing you continued progress on your healing journey. One step at a time.
Praying that each day is getting a little easier to get out of bed and that your “plumbing” is beginning to work. God bless Becky for pitching in at home even though she is fighting off Covid. She must be almost as tough and determined as you are. You both have good genes. I bet your Mom was the same way. Chilly here in Co. But no snow in our part of the state.
My daughter and I have been fighting off colds and coughs for the last two weeks. I’ve spent most of the time cutting strips and working on a new log cabin quilt for a friend back in Iowa. Had forgotten how many strips it takes to make a queen sized quilt. What was I thinking when I started yet another quilt at my age? But I am making progress. Have 50 blocks done and 22 to go. Then the leftover print strips will be set into three staggered brick like rows for the outer border. Most prints are Thimbleberries fabrics, one of my favorite fabric lines. I wish there were still places you could buy it cause I’ve used up some of my favorite pieces and can’t replace them.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving everyone. Hoping you are well enough that you can go home soon, Mary. But do try to take it easy when you go home. You need to give yourself time to heal. I’d love to see a video of Hazel and the other pets when you come home. They will be so excited. Sending hugs, Jeanne in Co.
Does the hospital have dry shampoo? I know what you mean about your hair driving you nuts. It sounds like you are making good progress. Keep it up!
I decided to volunteer at a memory care facility and had my first session this week with four women interested in quilting. I thought a crumb quilt — with big crumbs would be easy— but I can see that it could take a long time to finish even one. Next week I think I will bring partially done pieces to have the women work on. I have tons of scraps so the effort will been a benefit to me too!
Wonderful news on your recovery, walking and feeling better is all positive. I totally understand about the shortage of nurses, they are needed and not many young folks are going into the profession. I suspect it will only get worse. We woke to a dusting of snow and cold temps, then the rain lasted for the rest of day. I will take rain over snow any day. Had two full days of quilting, one with my guild (sit n sew day) and then a day at my Laura Heine class. Enjoyed both days but now I’m pooped. It’s a lot of packing stuff up and hauling it in and out. Hope we have better weather this weekend, would love to get a bike ride in. Thank you for not sharing your incision, it sounds awful.
I’m so glad you were able to have the surgery as planned. The initial recovery process sounds uncomfortable, but it’s good you are already doing a little better. Keep walking, as much as you are allowed. I’ll bet it hurts though, with that very long incision. Ouch!
Sam and Becky are such godsends! Becky is a real trooper doing your chores, even though she’s sick with Covid. I hope she feels better soon too!
It was a beautiful warm day here in the SoCal desert, where I stay in the winter. DH and I had a fun outing to a vintage market and an antique “mall” in the mountain town about an hour away. Beautiful drive, with the oak trees turning a lovely golden yellow on all the hillsides. I was happy to find a smallish old wooden trunk that can serve as a coffee table, replacing the too- large coffee table we had. No more bumping my shins trying to get into my comfy chair.
I understand you’re anxious to get home; home is always most comfortable. But please stay in the hospital and enjoy the rest and recovery as long as the doctors say you need to.
So glad to hear of progress. Slow and steady wins the race. The last two days I’ve had lunch with a friend,
Thursday with a co-worker for many years at the elementary school., and today with a friend from childhood who just returned from a trip to see the Northern Lights in Norway above the Arctic Circle. It didn’t turn out as she’d hoped. I guess taking pictures with your cell phone shows brighter colors. However, not nearly as spectacular as you see advertised. Anyway, a good chat both days. No, we didn’t have any “ice teas”. 🙂
Currently I’m reading a book on Eleanor Roosevelt. Picked up two books at the library today – one written by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll, Jr, the other a book called Wrapped up in Christmas by Janice Lynn I’d read before and decided to revisit.
Yes, use the time to relax and let your body heal.
Jan
What a coincidence I was just thinking about rereading Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (2005) by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It has been a few years and I remember I liked it very much.
Just rest when you get home. Be very careful not to let Hazel jump up into your lap, even the cats.
hi mary. being in the hospital isn’t fun. being away from home, husband and pets is not fun. but…it is better than going home too soon, doing too much too soon and being rushed back to the e.r. that is definitely not fun!
we ventured out today to the heart doc. as long as we were in the sun i was fine. mr ed actually wore his sweater. he gets cold lots faster than me. seems that my shortness of breath is probably my lungs getting worse and not getting enough oxygen to my heart. not what i wanted to hear. however, we will carry on and do what we can when we can. we never quit! but we will pay better attention. more smaller meals more often. heck i don’t have the energy to make a meal much less eat one six times a day. these people can be nuts sometimes. who knows what we will do for thanksgiving. we will be thankful that we are well and at home. that is a big thank you.
hope to start on bonnie hunter’s mystery. think i have decided on colors finally. thinking of going with turquoise, orange and a deep rich brown plus all my neutrals. am also pulling pieces for a quilt top with reds/greens and white stars – maybe white stars. we’ll see what i end up with. will have to cut for reds or else raid the 6″ squares for reds and cut them down. it will use them and that is good. plus i enjoy looking through all those squares.
take advantage of being waited on in the hospital. you don’t plan to go back so enjoy now. then you can really enjoy being home again. lots of prayers and gentle hugs, patti in florida
Hi Mary – keep up the walking as much as you can. I totally understand about the nursing staff. I think that’s become typical of hospitals everywhere. The staff do the best they can, but they’re spread too thin. Anyway, still no snow in my neck of the woods. The hubby and I are babysitting our five-year-old granddaughter for the day and overnight. She’s so much fun to have around. I hope tomorrow is a better day for you.
Hi Mary! Good to hear from you. You are going to need time to heal so don’t push it. I think you already know that but it doesn’t hurt to state it again. LOL I’m glad you have some home comforts with you. We had snow here yesterday. It was more of a dusting in the morning. It melted then we got another dose of snow and it was a bit more. Today lots of misting rain since it warmed up a few degrees from yesterday. I hope you get good news about going home soon. Hugs from me to you.
It’s good to know things are better today. The shortage of nurses is in many places. Keep on walking as much as they allow.
We’ve had a gray drizzly day in SW OH, currently 43 out, but damp and windy. Tomorrow is to be dry, still cloudy, and a little warmer.
Two of us went shopping today for toys for the Christmas project. We got lucky and found a clearance shelf which let us get more than we planned.
Mary I had to comment on the fact that you brought your own favorite night ware! Those hospital gowns are drafty in the back 😝 I was only in the hospital one night so I put up with those drafty things. Ugh!
I just went to town to get a few things, mainly wrapping paper for a shower gift for tomorrow, our grandson is getting married so the showers are starting. Came home and the garage door wouldn’t open…grrr. I went to the back door. The spring broke! Sure, company coming and they park in the garage! We have a new garage door guy locally and he will come Monday! Yippee.
Rest up Mary! We all know we feel better in the hospital , bt when you get home and you have to everything yourself, it’s not as easy. Try to soak in all this rest so your body can heal. I’m sure there will be plenty of chair/couch snuggles when you get home. Yes, it’s colder outside in Iowa now! Our morning walks have been full on winter clothes – with the wind being the worst! We’ve spent the last 2 days watching high school football playoffs. So fun, but we hate to see anyone lose at this stage of the game. I’m almost done making myself a new flannel shirt. It should be warm. Then I can get back to the quilting. Your nurse comments were so right on. I roomed with 4 nurses in Rochester when I went to tech school there and some of the stories they told – oh my. Continued prayers for you as you recover and for Becky as she navigates the chores. I’m sure Rick needs our prayers too, worrying about you.
Sounds like wonderful progress today. Good for you.
I stopped at Sam’s after gym group this morning. Got 2 huge poinsettias. Half were gone already. So, I can’t wait till after Thanksgiving.
I had 3 beautiful deer in the back this morning. 2 were still asleep. It’s a good day to water…very warm and no wind.
Try big, tall steps with your walker. Hopefully you can toot all the way around the floor.
Hi Mary – I ready your post this morning but there was nowhere to comment. The Leave a Reply box was not at the bottom of the post. Now at 1:45 p.m., it is here, so yay! I was hoping this would not be a problem for you again.
We went to Ottumwa this morning. Needed to get a few things, and made a stop at Aldi. We ate at Culver’s, our favorite place to eat when we are in a city that has one. Our favorite one is in Pella.
So happy to hear from you again, and that you are improving. Keep doing what you need to do to get better.
I got another quilt top sewn together yesterday from the last of my 5″ squares that my sister matched together when she was here this summer from MN. I think this is the 10th quilt from those squares. They will go to the local hospital, most to the infusion center, but also some to the Hospice House.
The wind wasn’t as bad today as yesterday, so that was a good thing!
Take care.
Hope your day is a bit better. Sure am glad the nurses walk with you. They should know how important walking is toward your recovery. HUGS!!!
We are north of Dayton, Ohio. They had a winter advisory for last night. Was surprised to wake up and see only a dusting. Expected 4 to 6 inches like we would see in Minnesota. Schools close here when they have 3 inches.
Tonite we are going out to eat and a few “ice teas”. Saturday we are going to the Amish country for the day. It is a 3 hour drive so will be leaving early. Know there are quilt shops to go to.
Could watch the traffic out your window for something to keep you entertained.
Glad to hear the surgery did happen and Covid wasn’t an issue. It sounds like you are ready to head home, but don’t make it too soon. Sometimes it is nice to stay a little longer, get more help, and someone is there to answer questions. Good news here. X-ray this week showed that my foot bone is healing after surgery and I can ditch the knee scooter. Doc says I can walk on two feet with a boot, but my body doesn’t say that yet. Each day it seems I am relying less on the walker. In 3 weeks he thought I would be able to go back to my regular shoe. I have been sewing so I now have a stack to press. I may try to get to the ironing board today. I couldn’t reach it with the knee scooter. Praying that the surgery was successful and you heal quickly. I got rid of the scooter just in time. 4 inches of snow in mid north Indiana this week. I won’t have to maneuver that scooter through the snow!
I am glad you are making good progress. Your chores may still have to be delegated or shared so you do not overdo and set yourself back. Right now healing will be your main job and it is hard work. I am certain your dogs are missing you and will be happy to have you back in a few days. Please give yourself the grace to rest and recuperate.
Glad that things are improving. I think it’s good that the nurses insist that you not walk alone. But, I’m sure you’d like to walk even more. I hope you hear more about their discharge plans today. It’s 52 degrees and we had a lot of rain yesterday, yay! Supposed to get more tonight and some tomorrow. Too bad for all of the Christmas Fairs that are planned but so good for our drought situation. I saw someone at the quilt show in Rochester, NH that was demonstrating wool applique and Sue Spargo’s techniques. Wow, I was blown away by all of the colors and beautiful threads. I remembered that I had her first book somewhere, found it and have been putting together some wools and threads to try my hand at it. The nice thing is that my sister in law was with me and she wants to try it too so it will be nice to have someone to learn with. Take care, Mary. We’re all praying for you! Jan in MA
You just rest Mary, pictures can come when you are home and have your feet up in your chair to do it then. You know we love seeing them but right now my main concern is for you to feel better so you can be discharged. It’s been nice hearing from you. We finally got rain here.
Really glad to hear things are better today. My bikini days were over some time ago, now yours are too. Hope they are all surviving at home without you. You must have taught Rick how to get the chickens in the barn. Thinking of you often as you move through this part of life. As they say, this too will pass (but never fast enough).
Good to hear it’s a little better!
We r listening to The West Lyon vs Spirit Lake. Start of the 4th quarter the score is 28 to 7 with WL ahead!
Have a good day today!
Your incision sounds like a real doozy!! No more bikini for you!! Sounds like you are making some progress and will be able to be discharged soon.
Keep smiling and know that we are all praying for you and rapid healing.
HUGS
Hi Mary, glad to hear that things are resolving. Bless Becky’s heart. Take it easy and heal well. Thank you for keeping us updated. The winds here have been awful and we’ve had a lot of rain. We’re thankful for the rain though because we’ve been in a drought for so long. Our temperatures are unusually warm though, especially at night. Mostly just in the 30s. I can’t complain about that, I walk the dogs and prefer not to freeze my tushy off!
Follow the doctor’s orders and don’t over-do. I know it’s hard, I’d be the same way. As hard as it is to be away from home, things will keep there. Rest and heal! Lots of prayers being raised on your behalf as you recover. ❤️ PS- thanks for not sharing pics! 😊