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Thursday, August 12, 2021

Ups and downs this week but thankful anyway

On Monday I passed my foot x-Ray and no longer need to use the walking boot, knee walker or sleep with the compression stocking on. Major progress. On Tuesday I found out there are no open PT appointments for over two weeks. I scheduled them but darn!

We still haven’t made a decision about what to do now that our health system including the local hospital and Anthem Blue Cross (secondary insurance for us) have parted ways. Darn!

Since we gathered at a relatives home last week I have been trying to come up with better ways to respond to their insistence on bad mouthing another relative over not doing even more than was humanly possible while his wife was dying and he was working and raising small children. I really struggle with the insistence of anyone on judging and constantly revisiting perceived shortcomings of others from the distant past. In my view we all do the best we can at the time and if it wasn’t right or otherwise could have been better then all we can do is learn and do better in the next situation.

On the plus side, I am back to being able to do some cooking and made our favorite blueberry muffins, chili, 

Also a plus is that I know how to make progress with flexibly and walking while waiting for PT to start. It’s also a plus that PT is right next to our favorite brewery which has great pizza so I scheduled a couple of sessions to end in time to go enjoy both outside.

I’ve persisted with the arm exercises and am making progress. Also making progress walking in regular shoes.

9 comments:

  1. Congrats on achieving the last step on your way to full recovery! I am sure ditching the compression sock feels wonderful. I especially like the place where PT is :)

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    1. Haha. My husband was happier about probably having to drive me to PT at least initially when I mentioned he could wait at the brewery!

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  2. Sound like a mostly positive week. I wouldn't worry too much over not starting PT right away. Just normal life without the boot is a good work out right now and they rarely give you much if you start right away anyway,

    As for responding to the bad mouthing, that's a tough one. Unless it's ongoing criticism and the person doing it seems to be looking for others to support his or her view, I'd probably let it go. But if I was in the right mood and it's a reoccurring theme I might ask that person what he/she did specifically to help the guy during that critical time. When a spouse is dying over a period of weeks---been there, done that---some people offered wonderful support in the form of doing laundry, walking my dog, running errands, bringing me picnic lunches at the hospital, being the point person to keep others informed. Everyone handles grief and loss differently and trust me you start grieving the life style and person you're losing before they're actually gone.

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    1. You are right about grieving and this terminal illness lasted many years while the children grew from very young to high school age. I just refuse to second guess decisions people made in the past and get so frustrated with this family dredging up old grievances. Got to work on my reaction!

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  3. Great news about getting rid of the boot, scooter and compression stockings. Slow and stead progress.

    Isn't it amazing how some will always find something to complain about. I bet he made the best decisions possible at the time and dredging up old grievances does not help things in the least. People need to just back off, what is past is past.

    God bless.

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    1. Thank you and I so agree about the past. I try to only visit the past to learn something to help with the present or future but know I could learn more compassion for those who are stuck in a painful past memory.

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  4. It had to be very disappointing to hear that you couldn't start PT right away, but I'm so happy for all of your good news! Getting rid of the walker, boot and stocking has to feel so freeing to you. Love that you have a fun place to go hang out and eat following therapy (when it does start). You're right about not judging others when they're grieving. No one ever fully understands what another person/couple/family are experiencing. Since this happened a while back, I can't help but wonder what is motivating the negative person. Your positive attitude might help much more than you even know!

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  5. I appreciate your sweet heart. I am sure the family member that was criticized and discussed did the very best they could under difficult circumstances. We never know how we would react in the same situation.
    Glad for your progress with the foot. Both of us lost our PCPs this summer and I called today to try to get in with the new people assigned us and it will be the end of September for me, and early September for PC. Guess that will be here before we know it. So difficult to have to start all over again with someone new.

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    1. Sorry you are having to change doctors. We got a reprieve as the med group that runs the two closest hospitals and our primary car finally reached a contract with Blue Cross.

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