End Nov 2015
Post Appendectomy (no exercise permitted)
Copyright Fiona C Yeo @ Cartoon Lagoon 2015
Total weight loss since mid July 2015
7 to 8 KG (15.4 to 17.6 lbs)
(Depending on where the wind blows!)
I am coming to the end of my 3 week medical leave from work and just had my first post surgery check up. The doctor wanted to extend my medical leave but I declined. I was thinking of the loose ends I need to tie up before I leave my workplace for good.
The external wounds look to be healing well. The doctor removed the 2 layers of adhesive tape (one being a water proof adhesive tape and the other being the surgical tape) from the 3 wounds. The 4th wound cannot be seen because the surgery was done laparoscopically. I felt really uneasy about it and so when I got home, I stuck on 2 waterproof plasters again. One over the naval and the other to the left of it. As for the one sitting right on top of my old C-section scar, I can't see where it it because my belly is hanging over that area! So anyway, I left it alone. My underwear does rub into the wound areas but what I am to do since I can't go about being underwearless!
For the pain, the irony is 2 days prior to my check up, I started to feel a dull ache right where my appendix had been. The pain stretched to my right thigh. The doctor warned me that even though I was healing well externally, that I should know from the pain, how far I could stretch myself in terms of movement and stress. He reminded me that the healing would take time. I asked when I could start exercising and sadly, he said I would require about a 6 week interval AND definitely no jumping. He suggested walking first. Oh well. That really, really ruins all my exercise plans. Anyway, I am to watch out for intense pain and fever to rule out any complications.
This is a life lesson. I had it all planned out nicely. I was going to up my exercise and diet game plan and really lose some weight before Christmas came around. One can plan all one wishes. Apparently, my plans were not to be.
I wonder if God intended for me to just rest. I haven't given much thought about my next job at all. I have just been trying to heal well and fast. I sleep a lot and I mean a lot. I find that my body heals best with a lot of rest. I have not received a clear direction from God about my next path but I am not stressing myself out.
I have been eating well and in fact, I hit another magic number early this week but because I have been eating so well and not exercising at all, that magic number has been elusive and I have not seen it again even though it is still a good reading. I can't aim for inch loss anymore with this surgery. I can only aim for weight loss. I can totally feel the flab coming back on the waist, hips and thighs. Even the arms!!! But I am not too sad. I will say drats to that but hey, as I said, one can only plan but life has other plans so I am just taking it all in my stride.
My appetite has been good and I try to snack on carrot sticks but I am back to eating rice. Not as much as before but I realised that eating the rice keeps me full and seems to help me keep my metabolic rate going. I guess I am not too concerned with my increased intake of carbohydrates because my weight loss is still at 7 or 8 kgs (if you count that latest magic number). Not too shabby if I may say so. I go back to work for a few days this week. We'll see how the diet goes or if it goes out the window!
Meanwhile, I had a few good friends pop by and I really appreciate their love. One really does not need many friends. One just needs a few good ones.
I've had to re-learn to do so many actions so that I am not feeling pain. I can't carry anything that is not light! Anything slightly weighty and I don't mean heavy, I can feel the strain and the pain. I feel tired after a while. I have tried walking to the grocery shop and cannot really carry anything in my hand so I need a trolley basket or if it's light, I need to put it in my backpack. I can't lift a whole basket onto the cashier's table so I've had to take out items one by one. I had to explain my slowmo actions to the cashiers. For a person who is used to walking home with 5 or 6 plastic bags of groceries, I do feel helpless now. I'm pushing my trolley basket to and fro at snail's pace too.
Hubs has helped me buy some groceries but he is the type who won't spend more than 10 minutes at the supermarket so I can't really make him buy everything I need. Besides, I find happiness walking the aisles of a supermarket, looking out for good bargains or buying what I may not really need but think I do!
I am cooking but I can't lift heavy pots and if I need to empty a pot, I need to scoop the liquid out bit by bit. It is torturous!
Oh well, when I tire myself out, I pop back into bed and rest. Sometimes I play catch up with my Korean dramas. Other times, I just snooze. I let my body decide where it wants to go!
Some people who have had their appendix taken out before will probably try to downplay the pain I am experiencing. I don't care to compare. Everyone is different. I've been cut open twice for my kids' births. It was no child's play. Maybe my insides are battered and will take longer to heal. Meanwhile, I will pace myself and not according to what others think!
Here's to a good week ahead, peeps!
No comments:
Post a Comment