My week

The Princess and the Pea

That's how I feel when I sleep. 

http://hca.gilead.org.il/princess.html

I'm think I need a vacation.  I've wasted the past few months and cleared my calendar of all events and living in a bubble.   A few I have in mind is the Colorado WAF association reunion in August and/or Poland trip in October with the church group.  www.goldenfrontier.org.  I'd like to visit family too but would like to have my sons along if they can find the time off and dog sitters.

This was clipped from the AMVETS newspaper from March.

 

Do you see the grit teeth?  That's a forced spondy pain smile.
http://www.ilamvets.org/Portals/0/Newspapers/April2017web.pdf

Wednesday I had a closure appointment with "home occupational therapist".  Iris from our American Legion gave me a rare Midge doll and her birthday flowers which she won't be able to enjoy since she's going on a trip.  Those flowers will be enjoyed twice.  Then my son took me to the Chatham Cafe for our AMVETS meeting.  At last month's meeting I wasn't sure if I could go this month.  When the meeting was over and he brought me home, there was a rain storm that poured buckets.  Sean notified me that he pulled off the road on his way home as I watched from my sun room.

Thursday the highlight was light but I did finish hemming a dress.

Friday I washed two loads of laundry....using the help of my grabber.  In the afternoon, Sean drove me to my appointment to have my stitches taken out. My latest trend is perfume and lipstick and head held high when I go out. First there was the x-ray.

Then the cold alcohol swab and the stitches being pulled out.  I feared my stuffing coming out.  But everything is moving as planned.  I told PA Doug that I don't take many pain pills except when needed which is usually night time.  Wednesday-Thursday night was a 2 pill night.  Thursday-Friday was no pill night.  Oh I still had to get up to pee but the problem is re-situating in a comfortable position to go back to sleep.  The physician assistant was happy with my answer.  He let me openly take the photo on the monitor.   On the way home we stopped at Bed Bath and Beyond to get another grabber.  This one is cool.  I could pick up a hair pin on the bathroom floor.   However, nothing seems to help with the dog bowl.   Later, Mary Ann came to help with cleaning.  She made my bed too which I was shy to ask.  I knew I could get the sheets off to wash but putting the clean ones on would violate the BLT (bending, lifting, twisting) rule.   Actually, I know I'm incapable do perform with this rule.

Saturday was my first driving experience and I went to a DAR picnic for the veterans nearby.  I also had my first shower since the surgery and I have a follow-up on June 16 which I hope should release me from the BLT restrictions.  I returned the borrowed toilet seat riser as I prepare to go out into the normal world.  I stopped by to return a toilet seat riser that I borrowed from Joan.  She just had gallbladder surgery and not in the best shape.  Now that I'm getting out I should use a regular toilet again. 

I watched a western:  Ned Blessings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA67yF-PIyY

Katy shared a picture for Mother's Day on Facebook.  Thanks Katy.  It's grandma Mae (Frank's mother as expressed to my sons) sitting in a rocker that I am currently sitting in during my recovery.  My jaw dropped.  It seems this rocker has been easier to stand up from than my power recliner.  I think the recliner has a long seat base for such a short person causing my back to bend where it shouldn't whereas the rocker minimizes this.

I do think of her whenever I see this chair and hope to pass it on to my son or better yet rock my own grandchild in this chair. My blessed prayer shawl covers the back.  How sentimental.

I went to my regular 8AM Mass instead of the 10:30 service that I went pre-op due to morning pain.   The church seemed more crowded than I remembered.  Father gave the mothers a pin and a special blessing.  

When the collection basket was passed, I slid it down the pew to the next person rather than carried it.  Ha!  It worked.  One of the parish nurses thought I was pushing it but I told her I'm moving right along with the doctor's orders.  The chuckle of the day was when I passed the basket with a shove down the pew.  My Dr always said I could drive as long as it's short and no drugs. Well I waited till the stitches came out.  It's still hard getting into the drivers seat.

My sons came over to celebrate Mothers Day.  We had BBQ, pie, macaroni salad and Hawaiian rolls.
I got flowers, perfume and the biggest card in the world.  Most of all, their services.  I got my grass cut, the milkweed taken care of, the Yamaha started, and the air compressor  blew out  the loose stuff in my garage out.

Before the boys (men), left, we had our traditional dog walk but this time a shorter walk because of my limitations.  I enjoy all of us walking the dogs together.