Diary of a Surgery: Six Weeks

Six weeks from getting sliced and diced and put back together with screws, rods and a little bubblegum and bailing wire to finish it off. Last week, we had my first follow-up exam, and everything seems to be on track and might even be a little ahead of normal. Now allowed to bend, twist, and lift up to fifteen pounds and can increase as I see fit and if it doesn’t hurt or feel uncomfortable. I got the clearance to drive even though I had been for a couple weeks. Heck, I even pulled the trailer to Louisiana for Mike and Cathy’s annual use. I also got the clearance to get on the lawn tractor and mow the lawn that is about four weeks overdue and in need of some attention and care.

I mowed for two days, breaking the job into two parts. Probably a good thing since it has taken a bit to recover from it. I have a new mower coming, it’s a sleek new zero-turn model with an automotive style seat from Cub Cadet. It will most certainly be better than the freebie left by the previous owners that I’ve spent a small fortune keeping running. Prior to my surgery, it was starting to die and every time I would accelerate, the power would bog down forcing me to feather the throttle just to move along and cut. In other words, it is long overdue to be replaced. Now if I could just get Home Depot to figure out how to deliver it to my house. It is sitting in Bullard waiting on a truck that can get into our neighborhood. I’m sure some stock boy will finally explain that they could just load one from the Tyler and store that has already been put together, heck I’d be willing to take the utility trailer there and have them load it. But more than likely they will continue with the delivery of the one from Tennessee that is in the crate.

After mowing, Jen and I got our spring ration of fertilizer and weed killer. After spreading both, I found that I discovered my limit. Now I’ve been sick with a low-grade fever for three days and although I’ve tried to do things, I am forced to do nothing today. Jen says that means nothing, which going to the garage to piddle around doesn’t seem to qualify as nothing. Writing does though and I was severely in need of doing just that and then I discovered the chair is too hard to sit in, so I’m breaking this up into separate writing times. Out of the blue, I started getting light-headed when standing. I though at first was only rising from the bed, but as the day as progressed, it is happening every time I stand up. Two days of that and as fast as it came on, it is gone. Now I’m back to writing and watching old westerns.

I bought a cane for the times that I’m on shaky ground and has already paid off. We went to a farm the other day that had a thousand acres full of daffodils, and I used the cane quite a bit. Now I plan to have it around more often as a just in case type item. All in all, I feel really good. No more tingling down my right leg and most all the newer numbness sensations are gone. I still have numbness that was a result of damage prior to my surgery thirteen years ago. So, the surgery was a success. Now it is just a matter of time before I can call myself fully healed. I certainly hold a lot more hope of the future and my ability to live life on my terms more and less on the terms of pain.

This is the last of the Dairy of a Surgery. I’m declaring all is well and I’m healed. Back on track to writing about other things like stupidity. It is all around us and seems to be like an epidemic.