Got out of the house today!

There’s this very cool apparatus we were given by the insurance company called a Hoyer lift. It literally lifts me out of bed and into the wheel chair. I love the feeling of dangling in the air and try for all the dangle time I can get ) We think that it’s possible that using the van for non dr. related trips could screw up our ability to get in home therapy, pt, nurses visits etc. so have to find out about that, soooooo we’re really not supposed to stop at Target on the way home (got that?). My dad is paying for the actual rental of the van so that is not affected but someone at the hospital rehab (I think the social worker) told him this info. We have another social worker now so we need to ask her.

When we got home we got the gel cushion for the wheelchair, which I put on top of the cushion (memory foam) that we got with it, it was an extra $65 or so and well worth it. I used it during and after dinner tonight and got a good 5 plus hours I think with much less pain than usual, Yeah! The more I can sit up the better it is for everything, digestion in particular, and also frame of mind. So something right is happening and I am happy.

I had my acupuncture session today (something we are paying for ourselves, we found a guy who is starting an in home service). I think he is great. Today I had my session slept through the whole thing, so relaxing, and had very little pain today, my digestion, which started off today with burning and had been so bad the day and night before that I had thrown up (and still didn’t feel better) was very good today. I am hopeful this will continue and last longer as we go along (right now we’re doing once a week. Another good tool in the arsenal!! Plus I like the guy, I think he’s compassionate and knowledgable (and will research what he doesn’t know). In fact my aunt is going to get some sessions too for her vertigo. Next we have to find out more about the services that the palliative program offers, we have heard massage which I would LOVE!, but I don’t know when and what else.

So pain dr. appt. went well, I’m to use the onsolis which is the fast acting fentanyl lozenge thing I put in my mouth and got better instructions onto how and when, I can use another dilaudid when I take it, which may help it work. I truly have an opiod tolerance with all I have taken over the months so can handle more than someone in the same surgical situation without all that history, and having been seeing my pain dr. for so long he knows my tolerance abilities.

So on the fun side I did some clothes shopping tonight. Wearing clothes is a whole different thing these days. First of all, no underwear, not worth all the extra flipping back and forth to get it on, however I wear and open (not sealed up the sides) disposable diaper to catch any pee (it often escapes overnight without my knowing it. During the day after washing (something I participate in but I need help with, this has become one of my auntie C.’s jobs. One of the things we’d like to do is call my hair dresser and see if she’ll come and cut my hair, she can also use the no rinse shampoo and conditioner I bought. I never did get my shower in the hospital because we were going to do it the last day and I was soooo sick that day I knew just turning my head would make me sick. They did weigh me though with some contraption. I don’t remember exactly but I did lose some weight, I think maybe 8 to 10 pounds. So clothing I need loose stretchy cropped pants of which I already have some. I am ordering some oversized ones to go with them so the laundry doesn’t need to be done so early. I have a fair amount of stretchy big tee shirts but I ordered a couple more , and also ordered the same idea in 3/4 and long sleeves. I tend to be cooler than everyone else and at night I take off the Pants (well, with help of course) and just stay in the shirts, no bra, again more trouble than it’s worth, in fact I think it would be pain ful. I don’t wear shoes but should so today, when I am in my chair I am wearing Z.’s crocs but I ordered a pair of my own, slightly bigger sized in what color would you think? Why purple of course!

Got a really nice card from Tricia on my mom’s group (she signs her full first name on comments so I figure it’s okay to say it. I really enjoyed the card and what she wrote on the card, and especially the upcycle bookmark she enclosed. I haven’t shown it to Z. yet but I know she will love it as it has a Japanese woman and theme on it. Thanks Tricia!

And one last thing I ordered was a resin recorder for Z. She took lessons at school in 3rd grade and is back to playing it, but my old recorder is wood and I don’t know if it’s warped but it’s not playing well and I know she is better than the squeaks it produces. Worth the $15 to try it out. I’m having a ball getting to shop online. I always loved shopping and had been feeling cut out of it even before the surgery. thank goodness for online and amazon and lands end!!

So lousy day yesterday but ended up being a good day today. Cross your fingers for another good one tomorrow. I’ve got pt and the nurse coming tomorrow. This weekend my IL’s are coming (with some more matzah ball soup, yum!)

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