Good night's sleep and woke feeling really full of energy! Had morning tea and did some deep thinking about now my first week of 6 off work is complete and how best to handle the structure of the next 5!
I decided that I had been too reliant on the pills I came home with - without advice I had taken 2 paracetamol and 2 codeine 4 times a day - I mean without advise on when to take and whether to take both - and found myself feeling sleepy and unmotivated. At first I put this down to my body adjusting to the trauma of the operation, but once I thought about it, my custom had been to wake up at 6 and immediately take both painkillers, just as I thought I had been given in hospital. Then,instead of getting up as planned and getting myself a nicely thought out breakfast, I just fell back to sleep again and dozed till late morning. The other problem was looking forward to a meal (I do love food!) I would take a timed dose of painkillers and then feel nauseous and not want anything. This happened particularly before breakfast when I had obviously taken the paracetamol etc on an empty stomach.
It had taken 4 days of being home to work out the above I am afraid!!
So today I took nothing until I had eaten and it worked perfectly. Also decided just to take what was needed in terms of pain instead of medicating at regular intervals all day as I thought I was supposed to. I think the nurse who handed over the bag of pills to me assumed I would know to do that - she was wrong. A printed out do and don't sheet would have been so good to refer to.
My New Daily Plan also involves getting ready for the day just as if I was going to work, although about an hour later. So I have to be up washed, dressed, make up on and hair done and be downstairs between 8 and 8.30 for breakfast. I will report on how this works, but I feel a schedule will be a million times better than just wafting around in PJ bottoms and a T shirt! Plus, I am leaning heavily on my partner for all the stuff I cant do whilst trying not to nag about housework, so the least I can do is look fragrant at breakfast for him! Especially as we are not even sleeping together due to bed height issues. He really does not like doing the feet washing and stocking application activity, bless him! I read today that sexual intercourse can be resumed after 6 weeks, carefully! We shall see, although I dont think that is an area I will cover in my blog!
After breakfast I plan some light pottering, I can vacuum with one crutch, I can iron, and I can mop (if someone else sorts out the bucket) and I can dust. So I will do these things and not just sit about looking at them as I was doing. We dont have a cleaner as we cant afford one, if we did it would be a godsend as a couple of hours a day would keep everything just perfect. But on the other hand I would then have Nothing To Do at all, so may be not so good! This way I can be on my feet, strengthening my muscles and occupying myself and burning calories as well. Win Win!
I also suspect the beginnings of a pressure sore on the heel of the operated leg and think that is due to slothful lolling around, so the more time spent out of bed the better really
I will have a feet up rest late morning with a skinny latte, but not sleep. Maybe make calls or lists or read. Then lunch, then a walk out with both crutches, gradually extending the distance each day. Plan supper, make shopping list and then put feet up and watch Rosemary and Thyme from 4 till 5. Then go for a walk together, first with two crutches and then with just the LH one and his arm for support. No pain, not tired, really good.
So all in all a successful day and a positive mindset! Summary of pill taking: 2 paracetamol with breakfast, 2 codeine at 2pm and 2 paracetamol at bedtime. Not in any noticeable pain. Took other medication as prescribed for bowels and blood clots. But I think in view of the reduced codeine intake the senokot pills could probably be dropped unless indications show otherwise! (Nurses are always obsessed with bowel opening I found.)
No comments:
Post a Comment