I could have sworn I put up a post here after I’d been home from surgery, but I can’t find it.  🙁

Anyway, today is four weeks from surgery.  For those who don’t know, I had to have my aorta replaced because of scar tissue build-up all around it, in several places.  Original diagnosis was aneurysm, but it was so much more (and worse).  After the surgery, while in SICU, they discovered I was losing blood and had to take me back into surgery and patched up the leak and gave me 4 units of blood.   And there were some other complications over the first couple days.  Details aren’t necessary; suffice to say I wasn’t the typical aortic aneurysm case.

Prior to surgery, I had the naive belief that by this point 4 weeks later I’d be getting ready to start dyeing again.   Boy, was I mistaken!  I came home on the 9th day and have been recuperating ever since. My daughter has been a terrific help along the way (and several friends have also sent help from a distance), but I’m regaining my independence slowly.  Like, I had already discovered the miracle of DoorDash to bring me meals, but now I have also figured out getting groceries delivered from Kroger!

Outside there is a concrete pad, about 30 feet long alongside the mobile home.  Using a walker I have progressed to taking 2 laps of the pad twice a day, rebuilding my strength and endurance.  I also have to do some various leg motion exercises, at least twice a day.  It is exhausting!

Because of the complications, this ordeal seriously affected my ability to eat, as well as to process food after eating.  I’m down to about 150 pounds — since November I’ve lost almost 1/4 of my weight.  Thankfully, appetite and digestion are s-l-o-w-l-y getting back to normal, but it’s not like normal and won’t be for a long while.  I just have to keep remembering to eat on a somewhat normal routine, take small meals more frequently.  UGH

I have a long way to go before I can seriously consider start dyeing as I used to.  It takes 2 or 3 trips to the kitchen just to stand up long enough to complete washing a load of dishes.  I can’t even fathom standing up for a couple hours to dye a load of yarns.   BUT… in a few weeks I hope to at least try dyeing 2-3 skeins at a time and start rebuilding my strength and endurance.   And regain a normal appetite to rebuild my body.

I do my exercises, I try to eat as best I can, and then sit like a lump to rest in between efforts.  I’m getting there and doing my best to get ready to start working.  The doctors have strenuously warned me about over-doing things; the external incision is healing, but all the internal stuff is trying to mend, and over-doing things can lead to hernias and other troubles.  Fortunately (so far), my body readily tells me “enough is enough, just sit down”.  And I obey.

So, anyway, I wanted to post this so you know what’s happening.  I’m looking toward the end of March to have a load of Blog Reader Specials to show you.  It seems like forever from now, but I am working at it.