Hi Kim,
The blog is so informative - great idea. Glad you could actually write on it today. I was wondering if you were out yet. Looks like maybe tomorrow?
I'm so glad that it seems like your facial weakness has not seemed to be as much of a problem. But am sorry to hear about the questions in how to link your diabetes treatment with the AN treatment.
I agree with what you said about some of the seemingly 'little things' that are annoying. I was so sick of the IV things. They way they positioned them, they were always painful and so they'd change the arms / locations, and i finally got them out, but they still feel bruised. Getting much better though.
I was whisked off to MRI's and CT scans at all hours of the night (initially) because the thought I had a blood clot that bothered one of the docs. All seems well with that now.
I was also in ICU longer (almost my whole 6 day stay) because a room didn't open up. Every time i got up to go to the restroom (if there was a new nurse on duty) they would freak out because i was standing up and walking (slowly).
When I got out of the hospital, after a few days I started feeling better. So started overdoing a bit! Watch out for that!!!! Sometimes I get these headaches (incision site) where it feels like the filler 'fat' they put back in my head is just swelling up and really hurting. this has been one of the worst things to deal with. That and the facial thing. Anyway, when i get one of those headaches, I have to take it easy, sometimes for hours!
I have been going on walks. One was by a creek by our house. Much muddier than i thought - it started getting dark - i realized - gee this is really stupid of me or maybe good practice for my balance! I had my whole family with me plus a walking stick at least.
Am regaining some facial movement on my left. When i would read people's posts about how this affects your eye closing, i just never realized what a pain that could be. doesn't hurt so much anymore (because i've been using a good lube) but it's hard to either not keep eye open, or it's blurry. As a result, i type in incomplete sentences that probably don't make much sense!
I'm glad you havne't had to do too much pain med either. I try to back off, but every once in a while take a percocet. then i feel a bit drunk into the next day. am trying to keep it to tylenol and advil.
Also, when you get out and start feeling better.... don't feel too bad if you have a couple of off days too in there. That happened to me last week and was so discouraging. but it seems to happen to many. I am getting way more rest that i've ever gotten, but can still do more than i thought i would be doing. (like back to doing laundry - yuck!)
On my sister's last night here (friday; she came to help out for a week), we decided to drive down to DC (silly us)! She's never drivien in DC, but i couldn't drive. we got a late start so didn't get down until 10:30pm! It was beautiful too see the memorials at night, and we climbed up to the Lincoln. Then i got us a bit lost on the way home (we almost hit a limo coming out of the capitol!) it was fun, but the 'killer' aspect was going to bed at midnight and having to get up at 4:30am to get her to dulles by 5:30! the rest of my day was shot and half of today! but i'm back to resting resting and am starting to feel normal-ish again.
sorry for all the rambling and advice (no night time hikes!!! no midnight visits to DC!!!)
I hope you're able to get out of the hospital soon and your feel progress everyday.
Keri
