Author Topic: Wendy's Surgery Update (Read 23463 times)

Jim Scott · « **Reply #90 on:** August 03, 2008, 04:27:43 pm »

Wendy:

I'm way late on this and apologize but - welcome home! I'm so pleased to learn of your progress. The fatigue is perfectly normal and will lessen, in time. You already know about patience. I'll just hope and pray for your continued healing.

Jim

Kaybo · « **Reply #91 on:** August 03, 2008, 07:01:01 pm »

Thank you Lori for clarifying that I am the YOUNGEST - but no matter how much you wish it, I will never catch up to you!! Good golly guys, I AM ONLY 38!!! (Dave is the old one! He is 10.5 years older than I am!). I guess I am the only blondie too - I guess that makes me the VERY favorite...

BTW, Wendy~
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad you are home - hope all is well!

K

Lamsue23 · « **Reply #92 on:** August 03, 2008, 08:32:40 pm »

Wendy, so glad you're on your way to recovery. My turn next, Wednesday Aug 6th, and since Steve can't knit that fast I may need those bunny slippers.......

SueL/NH

leapyrtwins · « **Reply #93 on:** August 03, 2008, 11:12:24 pm »

Wendy -

Sue might need the scarf, too

Kaybo -

38?! You are just a child

Jan

wendysig · « **Reply #94 on:** August 04, 2008, 03:05:49 am »

Hi all,
Sorry my posting has been so irratic -- these darned backaches have been keeping me away from the computer. My sister lent me her electric body massager and Dr. Choe suggested the Chinese char massagers they have in the malls. Truly a man after my own heart to suggest a trip to the mall. Toimorrow I am going to start checking out physicla therapy facilities in my area and hope I can start soon. I'm sure it will help everything including my back, which has just been killing me. I just can't get comfortable which is why I am up at this ungodly hour. I am doing everything I can to avoid housework and have been teaching the kids to do laundry and vacuuming. I can get them to fold all the clothes, which at this point still seems like fun to them -- I'm sure this won't last long, getting them to put everything away is another subject though. Luckily, they also seem to enjoy Swiffering Yesterday was my oldest daughter's birthday and we had our first outing to a restaurant since I've been home. Since I am now completely SSD it was not hte best experience I've ever had. The restaurant seemed very noisy to me, although Rob and the girls thought it was pretty quiet compared to most restaurants. I can see this is going to take some getting used to. I have to say the girls were a great help. The restaurant had a salad bar which presented me mwith a unique problem -- I really need my cane to keep from walking into things and carrying a plate, using a cane and doing the self-serve thing wer a challenge. The girls solved the problem for me by taking my plate and just having me point at the things I wanted and getting them for me. Do I have great kids or what? Good thing too, since at one point I wasn't paying close enough attention to where I was going and almost tripped over the lady in front of me. It actually looked like a comedy routine, but I guess you would have had to be there to apprecite it.

That's about it for now. I will check on as many of you as I can until my back demands that I lay down again. Hope you are all doing great.

Wendy

MAlegant · « **Reply #95 on:** August 04, 2008, 05:57:49 am »

Wow, Wendy, you went out to eat? I'm scared to death to do that. I keep spilling food on my numb chin and though I'm not SSD, something is definitely wonky with my hearing that wasn't there before surgery so noise has been a problem. It's funny to feel like you've lost hearing and yet things seem noisy, but when my dogs bark I have to cover my AN ear. Perhaps we'll venture out to eat tomorrow after my doctor's appointment. You give me courage....
Marci

Omaschwannoma · « **Reply #96 on:** August 04, 2008, 06:12:53 am »

Wow you went out to eat already!? Proud of you and it will only get better from here on out even though your hearing is more sensitive, with the balance not there yet. Hope you are doing vestibular exercises as they really do help and try using an ear plug (I have muscician's earplug) in restaurants as it cuts out most of the background noise making it a little easier to hear those at the table. I remember all of what you are going through and trust me it does get better as long as you continue to push your limits like you are!

I have posted balance exercises along with a few other people (names escape me) and many of us practice Tai Chi or yoga for better balance too! Hope you are feeling good today!

Kaybo · « **Reply #97 on:** August 04, 2008, 06:41:18 am »

Wendy~
So proud of you for going out to eat. My doctor always told me that the more "normal" things I would do, the better I would get. Of course, not all in one day - I think he just really wanted me to get out & try things. I would then come home & nap, but I did LOTS of stuff. The main thing that I did was go to my friend's son's HS basketball games - I remember climbing all those steps of the bleachers each time with David on one side and my Daddy on the other!
Keep up the good work - hope the headaches get better.

K

Debbi · « **Reply #98 on:** August 04, 2008, 09:20:41 am »

Wendy-

Good for you for going out to eat already! Yes, it does feel weird, and a bit scary, doesn't it? It does get easier, though, I promise. I think that part of what is going on right now is that your brain is trying to compensate for a lot of "new" things and that makes the background noise in public places harder to cope with. The first few times I went out were not pleasant, but now I am surprised at how well I do in restaurants. Give yourself some time to adjust to everything. Also, since you are having some balance challenges, your brain is working overtime right now!

I hope you find a good place for vestibular rehab - that should make a big difference. Although I have "wobbly" days, my balance has never been really bad so I can only imagine how frustrating it is.

However, trust you to put a positive spin on it by staging your own comedy routine in the buffet line, Wendy!

You rock!

Debbi (and, can you send your daughters over here to fold my laundry?)

lori67 · « **Reply #99 on:** August 04, 2008, 09:29:04 am »

It's amazing what kids will find entertaining, if only for a short time. My two little ones love to clean windows. Granted, only the bottom part gets clean, but coincidentally, that's the only part that usually gets really dirty. Odd, huh?

And they love the Swiffer too. I wonder if the person who created that thing ever imagined it would be used as a toy?

I went out to a restaurant at about 2 weeks post-op. It was to a place called the Rainforest Cafe. I don't know if any of you have been there, but it's dark, noisy, crowded... all bad things for a newly SSD person with eye gel in her eye and balance issues. Needless to say, I haven't been back there since. Wendy, I give you a lot of credit for even attempting the buffet line! I'll bet that lady you almost fell over kept her distance the rest of the time there, huh?

Lori

leapyrtwins · « **Reply #100 on:** August 04, 2008, 11:27:23 am »

Wendy -

kudos to you! Getting the kids to do housework AND going out to eat - truly wonderful events

Lori -

Rainforest Cafe. Know it well - pricey but fun - one of my kids' favorite places! In fact, I'm a member (please ooh and ahh accordingly). There are actually 2 Rainforests near me - one at a huge suburban mall and one in downtown Chicago. If you want to relive that wonderful, dark, noisy, crowded restaurant experience, we can go during the 2009 ANA Symposium. We can even take sister Wendy and sister Kay - sounds like a couple of nuns LOL

Jan

Cheryl R · « **Reply #101 on:** August 04, 2008, 11:39:27 am »

There is a Rainforest at the Mall of America too. Same scenario with the thunder and misty rain. My girls don't go with us anymore the occ time we do make it up there so don't have to go to it anymore. My thrill is the Ikea just north of the mall now.
Cheryl R

Kaybo · « **Reply #102 on:** August 04, 2008, 12:00:18 pm »

Would that be Sister MARY Kay and Sister MARY Wendy? Can nuns wear make-up??

K

Debbi · « **Reply #103 on:** August 04, 2008, 12:11:49 pm »

Can I just be the goofy aunt? I was single for WAY too many years to qualify for any sort of nun-hood ...

Rainforest - the mere thought of it sends a shiver down my spine .. yep, I've been there. And, no, it is not on my list of places to revisit anytime soon. I do NYC, so I don't have to do Rainforest...

Hey, Lori, when Wendy's girls are done with my folding, can your kids come over the clean the windows??? Mine have little kitty and collie nose prints all over them. And spider poop. (don't ask...)

Wendy, are you tottering about today?

Debbi

Kaybo · « **Reply #104 on:** August 04, 2008, 12:13:44 pm »

Deb~
What, pray tell, does spider poop look like?

K

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