Category: Milestones

Shopping Adventure

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When I left my visit from work, I was very tired and my eyes and balance were bothering me, but I needed to run into Rite Aid and give them my new insurance info. Well, I suppose I didn’t NEED to go in, but I thought I’d give it a try since I need a few more items and thought it would be easier for me to go in and get them myself, rather than explain exactly what I needed to Dave. I wish I had!

The hairspray wasn’t difficult, but when I hit the toothpaste aisle….issues! I had trouble focusing. Had trouble concentrating on what items I needed to get. It was odd, frustrating and I got a little ill.

Once we got out of there, I was dizzy. I had to close my eyes on the way home and went right to bed when I got home. Still not feeling great, but I couldn’t get to sleep. I am just NOT a napper! LOL

So, that was my first test at going into a store. I guess I can’t do it just yet! Sorry Dave!

Visits

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I stopped in at work today for a visit. It was great to see everyone and strange to be there and not go to work, but
I’m just not ready yet. I need to feel good for a string of days, not just one or two here and there. I certainly can’t drive yet.

I think people were expecting to see me with a scarf on my head covering a scar of some kind. Most don’t realize my incision was through my groin and it was only a puncture wound. No hair loss or scalp removal….again, I was very lucky. So, I’m pretty sure they’re remarks that I looked good, was that they were expecting something a little more ghastly.

I was pooped when I left.

Update

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I’m on day 10 at home. I’m having a headache pretty much every morning. Some days much worse than others. I’m finding that if I do too much in the morning, which is when I feel the best after breakfast and a pain pill, I feel much worse around 1:00 and the rest of the afternoon. So, today I experimented and did nothing this morning. Literally nothing. I have felt much better this afternoon and just took a shower. I guess I might be overdoing it. I didn’t think so, but perhaps my head is telling me otherwise. Some days it’s an all-day headache that even the Vicadin won’t touch. I’ve been given permission from the Dr. to take Sudafed when I feel it’s a sinus issue, so that’s good.

I go for my follow-up MRI on Tuesday down in Scarborough (south of Portland), but do not get the results until my visit with Dr. Kwan the following Tuesday. A nurse is coming in twice a week and the occupational therapist is in one day a week to work with me. They’re both really nice.

I’m trying to bend down a bit more each day and continue walking in the house. I can’t move quickly as that throws my
balance off and bending completely over is a no-no just yet. I’m feeling a bit more stable when walking and standing, so I think the cane might be history soon. It’s more of a safety thing right now. If I SHOULD get dizzy, or I walk outside to get the mail on an uneven surface, I’d rather have it there, than not. I haven’t attempted the stairs yet. Laundry is piling up, so I fear I’ll need to soon but I won’t be able to lift the wet clothing.

I am sleeping very well though. I’ve never been much of a napper, so just laying down in the middle of the day isn’t
easy for me. Once I do, I always fall asleep, but it’s making myself do it that’s difficult.

Yesterday I unloaded and loaded the dishwasher (sitting on a chair) as well as sorted out and threw out magazines  and catalogs (threw them all on the floor and sat down) that
have accumulated throughout the house since I left on Oct. 5th. It took a lot out of me and I paid for it later in the day. Poor Dave came home to grumpy, whiny Heidi. She’s just so unattractive. I should have stopped after the dishwasher and called that my therapy for the day. But I felt good, so I pushed it. Bad Heidi, bad. I just fear I’ll become a couch potato, so I feel I HAVE to do something, but I can’t push it. A little at a time still. I just have to remind myself I’m recovering from brain surgery!

Set Free!

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I was awakened at 6:00 this morning to hear my nurse say these were my last two pills of Nomidipin. I said “Don’t toy with me” and she said she thought I was going home today. Well….THAT woke me up!

Shortly there after, Dr. D’angelo came into tell me the final word. I could go home today. YIPPEEE!!!!

I emailed and IM’d Dave immediately, as well as all my friends and family and it was all I could do to not put my clothes on, pack up and sit there, but I knew Dave needed to get some things down at home first, then he still had to drive down to Portland. He said he’d be there around 10:00. What to do…what to do!

I ate breakfast, changed my clothes slowly, picked up some things….slowly! LOL I didn’t want to get everything together and sit and wait. I did walk the 6th floor my last two times…mostly looking for Lisa, the physical therapist who had helped me out so much. I really felt, as did Dave, that I had a kindred soul there in Lisa.

She actually ended up finding me back in my room once she had heard I was being discharged and we had a nice moment of appreciation towards one another. I truly appreciated her kindness, understanding and friendship during my stay there.

My new room mate also told me she’d miss me! So sweet. We had only spend one night together and we had both slept well, so if I had had to stay another night in the hospital, her company would have been very welcome. I hope she got a new room mate who was kind and quiet.

Dave arrived, we got my walking papers and packed up. As I was wheeled down to the elevator, we saw several of the nurses who had helped me and s a couple of the Dr’s. I think them all and they all seemed quite please I was doing so well and could finally go home and wished me well.

Dave pulled the car around, I climbed in and that was it! Going home.

When the aneurysm happened, we were getting close to making some final decisions on the bathroom remodeling, but this obviously put everything on hold. Dave had stopped at a place in Saco, south of Portland, where he found the shower and a similar tub, so since we were right there, I decided I should take advantage of it and stop by.

Getting into the car and driving proved to be difficult. After looking at the same walls and hallway for three weeks, the stimili provided by passing cars, houses, etc. was a bit difficult. But tolerable.

We stopped at the bath place. As I was getting ready to carefully climb into the empty tub for a “dry fit”, we explained to the sales girl where we had just come from and what happened. She then told us of a story of her 47 year old aunt who had an aneurysm and died instantly…she had six kids. I could not get that out of my head and had an emotional time with it. Again, it made me realize just how lucky I was…just how lucky I was to be here at all and made me question why I was given the gift of life and she wasn’t? I will no doubt struggle with that for a time. Survivor’s guilt?

I wanted one thing before we got home…a Big Mac!!! So we stopped at McDonalds for the big meal…fries, soda and the Big Mac! It tasted VERY good!!

We arrived home an hour later. I was expecting to be more emotional when we pulled into the driveway. It was more a relief to be here than anything else.

Entering the house a wave of relief washed over me, then the kitties came to greet me at the door. Lexie ran right up, but Smokey was very hesitant. He’s so funny. Took him awhile to get use to ME being there! And Dave hasn’t been home during the day for three weeks either, so the two of us being there, really threw them I think. I got emotional then. I was with my family and I was home and I was alive.

Dave needed to get groceries, so he left a short time later to get us some food. I called my mother and sat down with a nice, hot pot of good tea! I had been craving that for weeks. It tasted fantastic.

While Dave was out, I walked around the house a bit and it was very odd. When I had left the house that morning for the emergency room, the leaves were turning and it was warm outside. Upon entering the house this day, it was like I was gone three months, or that time had stood still….there were now NOW leaves on the trees, it was VERY chilly outside, my calendar in my computer room was still on September and things I had planned to do the next day (Oct. 5th) were still sitting there waiting to be done.