Pretending I'm of Tougher Stock and the First Walk

Surgery is done and recovery on its way. Things unfolded in a mostly uneventful fashion. There was an amusing anesthesiologist who asserted that native Pacific Northwesterners, of which I'm one, are wimps especially compared to Midwesterners and Southerners. He suggested that I pretend that I was a blue-collar worker who lived at high altitude and was exposed to lots of sun and I'd be fine! This of course was after he read my chart and saw my multitude of health woes.

And, what's the deal with rambunctious nurses in the recovery room? After the third time of strutting back and forth by my ear and loudly imitating her five year old for the other nurses, I requested a tad more quiet. I was told I should toughen up as it would be noisier where I was going. It wasn't and folks were great and more professional at the next destination.

One of my fears has been that the anesthesia or basic stress of the the surgery will flare up the MS. I was alarmed when my left forearm was numb after surgery for a couple hours. It ended up being from the numbing shot for the hand IV. So far, so good.

My neck/throat pain was rather high on the wowity-zowie scale for the first couple of days. I said to my mom that I thought this hurt worse than my craniotomy. She scoffed and suggested that I suffered from memory failure about that event. I think she's right.

Took my first wee walk the other day down to the creek with my dad. The world felt big, bright and was moving around a bit. He grabbed my hand as we walked. Reminded me of my first walk last year after brain surgery. While I feel vulnerability on a daily basis about my body, this precariousness in relation to the world around me felt unfamiliar. It was nice to be supported. I don't take my parent's visit or help lightly.