And Today Is??

I am three weeks into my six-week surgery recovery period. It didn't take long, without my daily routine to give structure to my days, for me to fall into the gray fog of limbo-land.

What day is today? Does it even matter? Let's look at the calendar of events. Hmmm. Walk the dog, morning and evening, and...  Ooh! Excitement! Today I go to the grocery store AND do laundry. Sure hope my energy will hold up! 

The sad part is that, many days, the above thrills do turn out to be about all I can handle. This surgery wasn't major. I am surprised at how much of my energy is still being directed to healing.

Doesn't help that, many nights, I haven't been sleeping well. I know exercise is a healthy addiction, but an addiction it is. And as with any addiction, cold turkey withdrawal can be brutal; my muscles start objecting in the middle of the night. It can take quite a while to get settled back down. It kinda sucks.

Lack of energy and poor rest have led to much brain fog. It frustrates me to have all this lovely free time on my hands, yet not be able to enjoy doing the things. Fortunately, I still have a couple more meals from the food fairies tucked away in the freezer - thaw and eat is much better than attempting to plan and cook.

Soon, I tell me. Soon, this, too, shall pass.

The good news part is, starting today, I got to go back to gentle easy stretchy yoga. The doc's office said I could and everything. I have a long list of restrictions, mostly centered around not using my chest muscles, i.e. no putting weight on my wrists, but that's OK - I've been doing classes long enough to know what alternative poses I can safely do. After this morning's class, my hips and thighs are definitely happier; here's hoping the effects last through the night.

It's already getting harder for me to follow the no-more-than-10-lbs rule. My chest doesn't hurt much at all, and without pain as a reminder, I keep forgetting I'm not allowed to do stuff. *sigh*

I am grateful I get to stretch, because the lymph cords have returned. Those things hurt. At least, this time, as long as I avoid a healing incision or two, I'm allowed to poke and stretch the cords. I hope early intervention will keep them from becoming lingering nuisances, like they did last winter. We shall see.

In the meantime, the world moves on. The sunlight has regained its energy, leaving behind the pallid light of winter. The days are long, the flowers are blooming.

And, this time, *GodWillin'AndTheCrickDon'tRise*, when I get better, I get to stay better. I hope. For a while, at least. 

One step at a time.