Re: Surgery update/Annette

[Guest guest]

Annette,

You sound like you are doing great. I well remember standing in my

bedroom wondering if I was ever going to be able to get my

underpants on without making it into a huge event. My buddies here

all assured me it would happen...so I just kept plodding along, and

slowly, but surely, it became possible!

The whole year after surgery I tried many many methods to attend to

my feet, shaving...and still find that getting easier and better. I

guess it just takes a long, long time to stretch out what needs to

be stretched in order to attend to these " low spots " . Not being

allowed to even think about trying for 6-7 months after surgery...I

just resigned myself to pedicures and leg waxings for the first

year....but now I have been able to reclaim this part of my " beauty "

routine!

Generally speaking....if something is 2-3 " off the floor I can reach

down for it now if my grabber is not handy. Sometimes I have to use

my feet and kind of kick something up a little bit so that it is

within reach...but if it is not worth the effort, or a grabber isn't

around....heck..I still just leave it.

I will guess it will be at least a year until you have an easy

ability to get things down low or deep in a cabinet...so if that is

bothering you, find some help in pulling your cabinets and drawers

apart and re-ordering them now to suit whatever feels right. You can

always rearrange it next year...but you will find it easier and less

frustrating if you just " give over to it " a little. Otherwise you

are just constantly reminding yourself of what you can not do...and

that will get a little depressing. It is going to take some time

until you feel at home in your new body and have the strength you

need to get through your days. But you will get there eventually!

I was looking at my calender from 2005 the other day, and I had

written down my meds from the post surgical period. (I think it was

Martha that was asking about that?). Anyway...was on the lowest dose

of Endocet (percocet/tylenol) and started to transiton off them

(with doctors permission/guidance) around 7 weeks post-op...stopped

the narcotics aorund 8 weeks post op. in order to resume driving and

be able to return to work..(narcotics were not permitted in my work

environment). Hopefully you will find you can fulfill your wish as

well....but everyone is different, healing takes time and you

shouldn't rush it.

Please keep us all updated as you heal!

Take Care, Cam