Author: heiditea

Tea Lover

Just Happy to Be Here

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I survived another birthday on Friday. My 40ish-something birthday. I also survived my first “party” since my ruptured annie. Dave drove me in for the JSS holiday party, but not without letting me open a few gifts and cards at home. My family and friends back in NY & Canada had all sent me packages which I opened gladly. Frankly, I’m just happy to BE here for this birthday. And I was thrilled to be able to go to the party. They always do such fun activities during the Christmas season, and I missed being a part of that this year.

Apparently folks were warned to not “overwhelm” me at the luncheon which was good. Just going up the stairs, getting my food and sitting in a new, holiday setting, was different
and the festivities during the lunch were very enjoyable and funny that my head hurt from laughing at the end and I was quite tired, but overall, it went very well. I received a couple of very nice gifts from my coworkers as well as my boss and unwrapping and all the excitement got to me.

I was tired and had a headache when I got home, but a nap and a Vicadin later, I felt much better and Dave even went
in and picked up an order at The Olive Garden for my birthday dinner. Overall, it was a busy day, but a good day. I did a lot of things and wasn’t in too much pain at the end of the day. All the good meals helped!

Saturday, however, I was pretty wiped out and didn’t do much. No matter where I sat, I fell asleep. I didn’t feel bad, just VERY tired.

Stretch

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I have started doing my low-impact yoga in the mornings and doing neck stretches. I need both badly. Yes, I’ve been
resting, but it’s making me wider and stiffer. My joints and muscles are extremely tight. That was VERY evident the first time I did yoga. They’re very simple, very low-impact stretches and before the ruptured aneurysm, they were a breeze, but not now. That’s frustrating, but I know my body has been through an ordeal with being in the hospital for 20 days, then home bound for two months without very little exercise. I got out and walked more in the hospital than I do at home. No fun walking down the road by yourself, especially during hunting season when we’re in the woods.

I suppose I should start walking inside more. Get my sneakers on and MOVE. I’d love to start working on the water rower, but I think I need to get my balance and energy in line before I attempt that. Obviously, if wrapping gifts tires me out, then using my rowing machine could kill me! LOL I joke, but I know it would be too much…and that’s frustrating.

I can’t say I’m depressed because I can’t do things I used to do before the rupture, but it certainly is frustrating. I feel fine doing certain things, but more taxing activities are extremely draining. I’m still recovering that’s for sure, not matter how I look on the outside, I’m still struggling on the inside.

Ho, Ho, Frustrating

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I never would have thought that wrapping Christmas gifts would be so damn tiring. Two times I’ve sat on the floor and wrapped and got dizzy and exhausted. Who’da thunk unrolling wrapping paper, peeling a piece of scotch tape and folding wrapping paper around a box would  poop me out. Very frustrating.

A lot of things are frustrating me right now. I’m feeling frustrated because I just can’t DO everything the way I
used to. I’ve had to rethink or readjust ways I do laundry, ways I take a shower, dry my hair put on clothes, bend over to pick things up…..I’m justmnot normal…or my “new” normal will be completely different from now on. I can’t just pick up and do certain things like I used to and that’s very frustrating and I get snippy and there it is. I’d do it…if I felt I could do it safely and not get weak and dizzy. I can’t help it…it’s just the way I am now! i have to deal with….others will have to too. Merry freaking Christmas.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

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The Good
I finally got my car inspected on Monday afternoon. It was due in September, but with catalog work in full gear, I was taking the 30 grace period to the limit. Then with the hospital
stay…well, you get the picture. It was WAY over due and I really wanted to be legal before I got behind the wheel again. (oops…I drove the car on Sunday..shhhhhh…don’t tell anyone!)

So, Dave drove me to the dealership for the inspection and to have a tired checked out. All went well thankfully and we
were on our way. Dave’s truck had been in the shop for well over a week or two and it was ready to be picked up, so I agreed we’d stop to get it and I’d drive home by myself since it went so well on Sunday. This trip would mean a little
bit more traffic on some more tricky road patterns.

I did okay. By the time I got home, my eyes were bothering me and so was my head. It felt good to drive again though
and have my Christmas carols cranked up in the car. My favorite time of year!

But, instead of resting my eyes and my head when I got home, I jumped on the computer for a couple of hours and worked on some ads for work which lead to….

The Bad
My head continued to get worse and I continued to get more tired and weary. Right around dinner time I HAD to rest and lay down, then I went to bed quite early because I just did not feel good. I was paying for the activities today and it was my own fault for not resting when I got home. I have GOT to listen to my body more.

Tuesday morning I felt much better, but my eyes still felt like lead. Very weary, not painful, just horribly heavy. I did do some work on the computer, but not quite as much or at least I gave myself some more breaks. I did end up cooking a nice dinner.

The Ugly
I awoke Wednesday morning not feeling very hot. I didn’t get much sleep and then at around 8:30 I got a migraine. This time is really WAS one and it felt like it. Darn….I was hoping they would have decreased after the annie, but I guess not. I immediately whipped up some breakfast to get something in my stomach, then popped my Excedrin Migraine pills, which did help, but I still had some pretty severe head pain throughout the morning and afternoon. It came in waves.

I have no idea what triggered this one. I’m not under any stress at the moment. I haven’t been eating a lot of chocolate. I haven’t been drinking alcohol except an odd glass of wine. It’s not that “time of the month”.  I have almost completely cut out full caffeine tea opting for decaf and I haven’t been eating any peanuts…so all those so-called triggers can’t be blamed for this one. The only thing I can think of is the cheddar cheese omelets and processed meats I’ve been eating.

And now, because of the caffeine in the Excedrin migraine, it is now 12:18 on Thursday morning and I can’t sleep. Glad they help with the pain, but sometime’s that caffeine is a real pain.