May 12, 2020, Wednesday

I do remember this from the last big ankle surgery. Once the body recovers from the assault of surgery, it feels to me as if it is time to do things and go places. And that's what is happening now. I want to go to the nursery and buy plants and dig in the garden. I want to go to the quilt store and putter around and come home with more fabric that I don't need. The list goes on. Maybe a trip to Whole Foods or Costco is in there someplace. Now, this is not the most reasonable way to be feeling, because if I do any of those things - in the wheelchair with someone helping, I would be exhausted within a short time. This simply has to wait. I suspect that in a couple of weeks such ventures will be more reasonable in the wheelchair.

It's hard for me to remember that I am less than three weeks post-op because most body parts are working really well. Only pain is that damn phantom stuff. I think I need to name the gone part of the leg - something that goes with being there but not there, so that when I talk to it I have something to call it. At the moment the phantom pain is a burning in the middle of the phantom foot. There certainly is less of this pain than there was, even a few days ago and it is less debilitating. But it isn't gone!!

Physical therapist was here yesterday and he had me hopping around using the walker.

Break for a visitor - my friend Johanna, then grandson on way home from school, then son to bring ghee to grandson. So, its a couple of hours later. And I gave son money to buy me chocolate. Nothing sweet left in house. (He did bring me two donuts for breakfast - and that was a real treat).

I believe that the hopping using walker is part of getting ready to walk with prosthesis. It is hard work. Certainly builds even more upper body strength. It's much easier to lie on bed and do leg lifts and such.

Johanna brought in two days worth of mail - lots of junk mail but lots of cards with good wishes. Probably time for a bit of a rest and a review of the mail. I think there are more cards than bills and that's good news.

Tomorrow is a busy day - a bit of work (by phone) - physical therapist coming back - and someone coming to my house to deal with pantry moths. I am so tired of trying to get rid of these pests, and now, I have an excuse to get help to do it. Maybe Friday I will try cutting out that quilt.

And mentioning help - the home health care nurse discharged me - said that I didn't need to see her. I discharged the home health aid that I had hired - told her I didn't need her help. So, I am a pretty darn independent new wheel chair user. I like that.