Another Update (8)

After admitting that I had overdone it on Saturday and Sunday, I really did not learn my lesson.  I thought I did.  I thought I balanced resting and not resting well enough on Monday, but apparently I did not!  By Monday night I was exhausted again, and I spent all day yesterday in the recliner.  All day.

To put into perspective what "overdoing it" looks like for me, here is all that I did.

• Upon awakening Monday morning, I rested until time to get ready for my doctor's appointment (plastic surgeon).
• 10:30--I showered and blew dry my hair.  Both washing and blow drying my hair are workouts.
• 11:30--I drove myself to the PS office.  This was my very first time to drive post-surgery, and I will admit it was hard and very tiring.  
• 12:30--drove myself home from PS office.  This visit was uneventful.  This was my first appointment with him post-surgery, and he just needed to check on me.  I was cleared to walk slowly and short distances without swinging my arms for exercise.  He also told me to start doing some arm exercises so I can get my range of motion back.  I go back to see him again next week.
• 1:00--rested in recliner.  My sweet friend who teaches my children piano, came to my house to pick them up for their lessons so that I could rest.  I rested.
• 3:10--drove Leah and Sam to XC practice (met Olivia, Julie, and Clay there).
• 3:30--walked one lap around the track.  That's 1/4 of a mile.  That's all I did.  Then I sat in a lawn chair until practice was over.
• 5:00--drove all the children home and basically rested until bedtime.

That tiny bit of activity combined with what I thought was adequate rest wore me out completely!  I slept poorly for the first time since my surgery.  I had more than discomfort, I had what I would consider pain, so I took tylenol, but still had a restless night.  

I did stay in the recliner all day yesterday hoping that I would feel better.  I felt pretty good as long as I was reclined, but whenever I walked around for a short period of time, I got pretty uncomfortable.  Last night I tried to sleep in the bed, but it just hurt too badly.  I got back in my recliner.  I guess I will be sleeping in the recliner for quite a while.  In fact, in the reading online I have been doing, that seems to be normal--recliner sleeping.  I had another restless, not able to sleep, feeling like I was being stabbed night.  

And this morning it dawned on me, why I couldn't sleep, and why I was so uncomfortable yesterday despite my resting.  I finished my twice a day Valium on Sunday.  I didn't realize how much that helped with the muscle discomfort (stabbings).  In fact, when the nurse in the hospital first gave me the Valium I told her that I did not need that.  My nerves and anxiety level were fine!  (I thought that was what Valium was for.)  She explained that it served as a muscle relaxer, and would aid my recovery.  She was right!  So this morning I took a non-drowsy muscle relaxer (not sure of the name), and I feel so much better.  I am definitely going to continue taking these before bedtime so I can get some rest in my recliner.

I walked 1/3 of a mile today on our driveway.  Very slowly.  And I did not swing my arms. 

Progress.  Slow, but progress.