Finally Reporting & Rambling

I got home Monday evening around 6:00.  I had to wait for the results of the echocardiogram before I could leave. Everything looked good.  Relief!  Brian brought me home and stayed until Wednesday.  Tuesday we got some things done around the house and then went out to eat and to Kroger, so I could stock up on food for the week.  I'm glad he was here to take the groceries to and from the car and put them up.  And drive!

My microwave died the day before I went to the hospital, so we had to get a new one.  Unfortunately, that mean Walmart.  I still don't have the intricacies worked out about operating this new microwave.  It reheats food too hot on the reheat setting.  Learning curve here.  After some of the lifting, pushing, pulling, etc, that I'm not supposed to do and Brian did, he went home. 

I've been here by myself since then doing fine.  I need help with several things but don't need a caretaker.  I'm not allowed to drive until after I see my surgeon September 20 and won't start cardiac rehab until after that.  Gotta make sure that bone has healed.  Basically, I have a broken bone in my chest that can't have a cast on it.  So changing the litter box, taking and returning the trash can to the curb, changing beds, vacuuming, and such as that are jobs for others for a while. 

I've been divorced 37 years and haven't lived with another adult since then.  The first 12 years were devoted to bringing up Brian and taking care of him.  Then the last 25 have been just me.  No, I don't get lonely.  I've dated, have friends and family, and can entertain myself.  I've also been teaching most of those years which will keep anyone busy!  So I need some solitude.  Have to have it.  Married people ask who is staying with me.  Single ones don't. 

Next week are some appointments, so it works out really well that my roommate from college and my daughter will be here at different times to take me.  Both live out of town and will stay a few nights.  Some friends have brought food, which is generous and thoughtful and appreciated. 

My cousin Sally and five other friends were lifesavers.  They came in and decluttered and cleaned my house before I went to the hospital.  They worked themselves so hard and accomplished so much!  No way could I have come home to my house the way it was and gotten better!  I am so grateful to them and appreciate them tremendously! 

I'm doing better than I expected and get stronger every day.  The surgery worked because I can take a shower now, dry my hair, put on makeup, and get dressed all in a row without getting out of breath and needing to rest a couple of times.  I walked out to get the mail and came back in without having to rest, too.  Not so before the surgery.  I felt worse than I realized I did. 

I do have to rest several times a day but not the way I did before.  This is recovery from surgery resting.  It will be good when the soreness and pain go away, but Tylenol helps.  I don't do pain pills well at all, so thank goodness that works. 

Those first four days in the hospital were brutal.  Glad that's over.  It's getting better and heading in the right direction.