Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Bunion Blog 3
I apologize for not posting. You would think that being home and confined would give me tons of time to blog. And, it did, I had plenty of time, and plenty of boredom! Nothing was happening and blogging in a bored, drug induced haze didn't really appeal to me. I know, hold your shorts... I didn't have anything to talk about. I think in the past 2 weeks I have seen every episode of I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant, Holmes Inspection and House Hunters! I've watched 4 movies, read 3 books, FB stalked, played Words With Friends, negotiated medical bills down, made all necessary phone calls/changes for the move and shopped the internet. So there you have it - the content of my last 2 weeks. That didn't make for a very interesting blog post, did it?
As of today, however, I have been released to bathe, and not in the sink!! I can even shower, if I do it seated. After 13 days, it's not over indulgence to take a 45-minute shower, is it? I can also begin weight bearing for 1/2 hour increments a couple of times a day in my lovely walking shoe that has been beautifully decorated by my children. Bandages are off and my new splint is to be worn 24/7.
As of today, however, I have been released to bathe, and not in the sink!! I can even shower, if I do it seated. After 13 days, it's not over indulgence to take a 45-minute shower, is it? I can also begin weight bearing for 1/2 hour increments a couple of times a day in my lovely walking shoe that has been beautifully decorated by my children. Bandages are off and my new splint is to be worn 24/7.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Bunion Blog 2
I know I'm opening myself up to all kinds of wise cracks and jokes as I admit to my horribly deformed, 60-year old woman feet, but bring it. I'm feeling mightily invincible today. However, I do ask that you bear in mind that this post is being done under the influence of Vicodin and I will be able to see your comments when I sober up! Yesterday was good, but I've realized good is a relative term I was using prior to the local anesthetic wearing off! Surgery started at 12:30ish and lasted about 2 hours. Other than a blown vein and some i.v. difficulty, it went well. We got home about 5:00 and a wonderful dinner of homemade lasagna was delivered by some dear friends shortly thereafter. Today, I'm mostly grateful for the loss of numb, sausage toes!
Since my surgical anesthetic has worn off, I've quickly developed a love/hate relationship with my pain medicine. Vicodin just takes the edge off, which is the part I love (and would love more if it took away more than just the edge), but even after taking it, there is a level of pain that is constantly existent. The hate part comes during the first 45 minutes after I swallow it down, it makes me nauseated and loopy and very sleepy. I usually fall asleep for an hour and then am wide awake for about 3 hours. Not the most restful cycle! Who do I have to pay to get some of those lidocain shots for home administration?!?
So, at this point, I'm non-weight bearing for at least 14 days. Doc says I'm off work for 8 weeks, but I think we'll have to see about that! I go to my fabulous doc for my first bandage change on Monday. I'm anxious to see what my foot actually looks like, rather than just imagining it just based on what I'm feeling! I have 5 screws and a wire fixation, but she kept everything internal with this cool, fancy dancy new hardware. They will all dissolve in 2-3 years after the bone has regrown. Nifty, eh?
If you are curious, you can see an animation of what some of the procedures looked like here and here. The technical term for what I had done was an Austin bunionectomy, open reduction with internal fixation, and Tailor's bunionectomy. Basically that means, on the big toe side, they sawed off the bunion, cut my big toe bone and repositioned it and shortened the tendon on the top of my big toe. On the little toe side, they also sawed off the mini-bunion and repositioned my pinky toe.
Maybe it's the drugs giving me confidence, but here are some pictures thus far...
My extremely flat foot, hereditary and contributory to my foot problems
My before picture. Gross, I know.
My 2 i.v. sites, not nearly as yucky looking today.
First glimpse of my new foot...
Now, only the 2nd toe looks crooked!
Since my surgical anesthetic has worn off, I've quickly developed a love/hate relationship with my pain medicine. Vicodin just takes the edge off, which is the part I love (and would love more if it took away more than just the edge), but even after taking it, there is a level of pain that is constantly existent. The hate part comes during the first 45 minutes after I swallow it down, it makes me nauseated and loopy and very sleepy. I usually fall asleep for an hour and then am wide awake for about 3 hours. Not the most restful cycle! Who do I have to pay to get some of those lidocain shots for home administration?!?
So, at this point, I'm non-weight bearing for at least 14 days. Doc says I'm off work for 8 weeks, but I think we'll have to see about that! I go to my fabulous doc for my first bandage change on Monday. I'm anxious to see what my foot actually looks like, rather than just imagining it just based on what I'm feeling! I have 5 screws and a wire fixation, but she kept everything internal with this cool, fancy dancy new hardware. They will all dissolve in 2-3 years after the bone has regrown. Nifty, eh?
If you are curious, you can see an animation of what some of the procedures looked like here and here. The technical term for what I had done was an Austin bunionectomy, open reduction with internal fixation, and Tailor's bunionectomy. Basically that means, on the big toe side, they sawed off the bunion, cut my big toe bone and repositioned it and shortened the tendon on the top of my big toe. On the little toe side, they also sawed off the mini-bunion and repositioned my pinky toe.
Maybe it's the drugs giving me confidence, but here are some pictures thus far...
My extremely flat foot, hereditary and contributory to my foot problems
My before picture. Gross, I know.
My 2 i.v. sites, not nearly as yucky looking today.
First glimpse of my new foot...
Now, only the 2nd toe looks crooked!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Can I still say Baby Brother at age 25?!?
First of all, Happy Birthday to my baby brother!!! Hugs to you, across the miles... I miss you and I love you to the moon and back! I wanted to add an embarrassingly old picture of the two of us, but lucky for you, they're all packed up!
Speaking of packing, so I guess I kinda subtlely mentioned that we're moving in my last post :) We close on our current home AND on our new home on April 8. It's exciting and scary and crazy busy. It's amazing how much stuff you can accumulate in a small house over 7 years, and yet, there are still things I need! I've been packing some and have completed the living room and dining room. My goal is to get the boys' room done this weekend. But this morning the pod arrived and it kinda smacks you in the face that this is really happening and how much you have left to do! The best part will be the fact that in less than a week, I won't even be able to walk, let alone climb stairs to pack and move. For some that would be an awesome relief, to be able to sit back and be the foreman, directing the move, but dear readers, you probably all know by now that's not really my modus operandi. Ugh, I get a little nauseous just thinking about not getting my hands dirty and jumping in. Now seating Patience, party of one.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
My wallet hurts.
I'm sure this comes as a surprise to all of you, but I'm cheap. I like to have a set figure that I can aspire to when shopping, and the challenge of coming in below that figure is the most gratifying thing... almost as good as a piece of red velvet cheesecake. Mmmmm... so good... oh, sorry, I got distracted there.
I am finding it harder and harder to come in at or below my budget for groceries lately though. The cost of food and household supplies is outta control! Let me tell you I've watched these shows like Extreme Couponing and I'll admit those people are impressive, but they also don't usually work and spend hours each week searching, clipping, organizing, shopping and checking out. I don't think I can do that in my 1/2 hour of free time each day. I clip on Sundays, shop at 2 different stores, dependent on my list, and buy generic but I'm still struggling to come in at my $125 per week budget. My budget is for food, household supplies and pets. Since January, I've been consistently coming in at $150 per week for my family of five. I'd like to squarely place the blame on my bottomless pit of a pre-teen boy, but I think it's more accurately a rise in prices and smaller packages!
I started looking into it and it seems that, along with gas, this is a trend to continue. Stink.
"In the 12 months through January 2011, the official inflation rate in the U.S. was a benign-sounding 1.6 percent. Only problem is, that stat is just for a broad basket of all sorts of goods and services. Narrow it down to just the cost of food, and recent price trends are anything but benign. A smaller basket of meat, poultry, and fish cost 6 percent more this January compared to a year ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price data. Given that average wages grew less than 2 percent last year, the rise in food prices is indeed taking a bigger bite out of our wallets. Here’s a breakdown of some specific food prices that are rising a whole lot more than the general rate of inflation:
12-month price change in selected foods:
Butter + 19.6 percent
Lamb: +18.9
Bacon +11.3
Beef & Veal + 9.7
Potatoes + 6.0
Roast Coffee +5.6
Sugar +4.8
Eggs +4.8
Fresh Veggies + 3.7
Fresh Fruit +3.1
General Inflation: +1.6" - CBS moneywatch.com
So, what's your budget for food and household goods? Do I need to rethink mine? Am I way high or way low realistically for a family of 5? How are you planning to cope in the coming year?
Overheard at our house:
Mom - "You know, we didn't have iPods or even CDs for our music when I was your age."
Beebo - "I know. You just all sat around the radio and listened to movies, right?"
I am finding it harder and harder to come in at or below my budget for groceries lately though. The cost of food and household supplies is outta control! Let me tell you I've watched these shows like Extreme Couponing and I'll admit those people are impressive, but they also don't usually work and spend hours each week searching, clipping, organizing, shopping and checking out. I don't think I can do that in my 1/2 hour of free time each day. I clip on Sundays, shop at 2 different stores, dependent on my list, and buy generic but I'm still struggling to come in at my $125 per week budget. My budget is for food, household supplies and pets. Since January, I've been consistently coming in at $150 per week for my family of five. I'd like to squarely place the blame on my bottomless pit of a pre-teen boy, but I think it's more accurately a rise in prices and smaller packages!
I started looking into it and it seems that, along with gas, this is a trend to continue. Stink.
"In the 12 months through January 2011, the official inflation rate in the U.S. was a benign-sounding 1.6 percent. Only problem is, that stat is just for a broad basket of all sorts of goods and services. Narrow it down to just the cost of food, and recent price trends are anything but benign. A smaller basket of meat, poultry, and fish cost 6 percent more this January compared to a year ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price data. Given that average wages grew less than 2 percent last year, the rise in food prices is indeed taking a bigger bite out of our wallets. Here’s a breakdown of some specific food prices that are rising a whole lot more than the general rate of inflation:
12-month price change in selected foods:
Butter + 19.6 percent
Lamb: +18.9
Bacon +11.3
Beef & Veal + 9.7
Potatoes + 6.0
Roast Coffee +5.6
Sugar +4.8
Eggs +4.8
Fresh Veggies + 3.7
Fresh Fruit +3.1
General Inflation: +1.6" - CBS moneywatch.com
So, what's your budget for food and household goods? Do I need to rethink mine? Am I way high or way low realistically for a family of 5? How are you planning to cope in the coming year?
Overheard at our house:
Mom - "You know, we didn't have iPods or even CDs for our music when I was your age."
Beebo - "I know. You just all sat around the radio and listened to movies, right?"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)