March 30 2014 Farmer's Market, Retiring Equipment

This morning I got to sleep in a bit - I'm feeling a *LITTLE* more rested... 

Then Mariam invited me to the Farmer's Market in our neighborhood. It was another First - I used to love going the Farmer's Market regularly every Sunday - but it has been too daunting and painful trying to walk there. This morning, I didn't even worry. We got there toward the end of the market's day (they close at noon) and found lots of lovely produce, and a lot of it on end-of-the-day clearance ( buck a bag - such a deal!). 

And I walked all over the place for at least half an hour. I brought the cane and used it some, and some not. Came home and made a delicious spring onion, asparagus and fresh dill scramble. 

We even stopped at the grocery store for a few non-Farmer's Market Items. It was *great* - easy! 

For rehearsal, I forgot my cane at home (FORGOT MY CANE AT HOME! That's when it gets very real!), and didn't worry (I have a wooden backup in the car in case of unforeseen need) - but we were having a music rehearsal and that involves a lot of sitting, so a full rehearsal with no cane - and I'm doing *great*! 

Today I used ibuprofen, but not a ton of it. 

I really am not sore almost at all... another first - AND - I have removed the frame with the lifter-arms from around my toilet! I just do not need it any more to get up from the toilet and it was in the way, crowding the bathroom and too easy to stub toes on. It served its purpose well for about nine months, but is no longer needed! Hurray!! I love retiring the Equipment, one piece at a time! 

I actually like the shower bench - it makes it easier to wash my hair, shave legs, etc. There may come a time when I am just tired of it, but especially with the hand-held shower, it's convenient. It and the cane are about the only vestiges of disabled NEED I have any more. Oh, and I still have my disabled placard, to save over-doing steps when otherwise I would be parked very far way, but if I find a close space, I won't use as a rule. 

Steps... changes... improvements... they make for happy days! 

3/29/2014 Rest and Relaxation and a Little Theatre and Walking

Today- I slept in very late... it was great. Got in a bit of work on the most complex song in my show, but really relaxed, too. 

I made an odd eggy flourless "bread " recipe (Eggs, cream cheese, salt and baking powder) - I need to try it again - it turned out like a cross between a dry omelette and a thick crepe - I think it's supposed to be thicket. But it was interesting! Easy and inexpensive. 

Took a nap too! I was awakened by the sound of the TV in the other room - an emergency alert for a Tornado Warning on Tahema county not far from here. Oh, climate change. 

Off to the theatre to see a friend's play with my pal Craig - we had a great time. Lots of friends in the cast and we went out for a drink afterward. 

I was easily able to walk to and from the theatre about a block - at first I was concerned, but I realized there was no fatigue or problem - it's a BLOCK! I can and do walk much further than that daily now. I'm having to re-calibrate the idea of how able I am - it's more than I think, and it is important for me to DO what I CAN do. Build strength, balance and flexibility and keep increasing! 

I am very sleepy even after all that rest! thankful that tomorrow I also get to sleep in. afternoon with Mariam and rehearsal in the evening. 

3/28/2014 First Weekend After Closing cannery Row, and - a Little Dancing!

My facebook status this evening: 
"It's funny to to have an evening off to rest (and maybe work on a song or two) but feel antsy, too - of course, that is the normal "Friday after closing" feeling. I usually plan something that following week so I don't feel the end of a show so acutely, but I really needed the night down. 
Also - um - I may have danced a few dance steps in the women's room today at work (No one else was in there- a nice smooth floor, and I just needed to see...)! I got in a couple of good ol' box steps, a few *little* hop-steps, a couple of waltz combos and even a turn! Gently. The turn might have been a little much, but it wasn't *bad*. One finds one's limits in such things. So - that happened!"

That pretty much sums it up! 

It felt fantastic after a day that was pretty pain-free, with only two Tylenol in the morning, to take those few little dance steps. I feel the things I think I can do coming on... I gingerly try them, and if I can't quite do them yet, I try again in a few days. Usually that's when they come. I'll take to my Physical Therapist Monday. I still have that barked shin - it's healing more every day, but it was deeper in the center than I realized. the foot is still swelling, but I THINK maybe a bit less. 

But - it looks like I'll be ready for that dance party I'm throwing in late May! Might get in a few practice steps with my dancer friend first, if he's game - and he's pretty much game to dance any time!

I have frittered away my evening - made and ate some dinner, and farted around. 
That's an evening off - and I haven't have a single one in weeks. Well - those Sundays during the run of the show that we closed last weekend, but they were after matinees. 

I made very sure to keep my mornings free this weekend so I can sleep as long as possible. I really, REALLY need it. 
The activities I do have planned are relaxing and fun - seeing a friends show tomorrow night, meeting Mariam for a late lunch Sunday - and then rehearsal Sunday evening.

3/27/2014 A Quiet Day

Not a hugely eventful day, but the wheels roll on.

I was able to sneak in a 20 minute nap after work - really needed it.

Rehearsal was choreography for a song I only sing in, but it was good to see what happens in it - but I went home early. It was good to sing through it with the others and set some of the tight jazz harmonies a little more solidly. I didn't use my cane at all even though I didn't do a lot of running around.

I am practically narcoleptic right now - nodding off at my desk, working to stay awake driving - that is NOT GOOD. I've carefully made no plans in the morning Saturday or Sunday, so I can sleep as long as possible, and as long as I need. Perhaps that will re-set me a bit.

Sorry - not a lot of scintillating insights today... but they can't all be epiphanies! :D

I should look at some more lyrics... Miles to go, lots to learn. yet... but I'll sleep soon.

3/26/2014 Tornadoes; Stage Sets

Today was a rainy day - and then we had tornadoes! At least two touched down early this evening - Northern California traditionally is devoid of tornadoes - but in the last several years, they have become a regular thing - about 5 per year. thy are little ones - small twisters - barely rating F1 - but the skies get exciting and wild, and ther is that odd shade of green to it that only comes with tornadoes. It was exciting! I mean, if the news told me it was hitting my neighborhood and to take shelter, I'd get away from the windows and hunker down in the bathroom for a bit - we get a few roof tiles blown away, a tree or two down and some broken wondows in the area when they show up - but they are mostly exciting, 

As one friend posted, "Now the crack team of local tv new reporters are driving around chasing rainbows." 

Global climate change: it's a thing. For real. Don't be a fool. 

And I was not the least bit hindered or bothered by getting around in the wet weather. Barely used my cane until rehearsal - I had a good massage today, but I was a bit sore a couple of hours later. I have to go up and down three stairs on the set, but they have promised me a rail will be added. I am really hoping to be able to get up and down those steps with more alacrity before we open. If not, I will just have to take my time and we'll have to make it work - a little vamping, perhaps. I will NOT put myself in jeopardy, and they are not asking me to, which is good! 

My goodness! I'm getting to bed before ONE! I *desparately* need it. 

That's about all I've got tonight. Later, friends!

3/25/2014 a mini-post - tonight - I ran!

I surprised myself in rehearsal tonight!
I was hustling to get across the stage to my spot to re-start a musical number - and I broke into a little run! Five steps - pop, pop, pop, pop, POP! I got there and suddenly realized it and just broke out laughing! I HAD to share it with everyone quickly. Even got a high five from my friend Mike! :)

I won't be doing much of that quite yet, but it seems i'm kind of ready for it! It makes me feel MUCH less earth-bound! It was really pretty great.

I'll 'run" it by my PT next week and see what she thinks. :)

Another pretty big First  - and I think it's been at least - three?? - years since I took any running steps. Maybe 4. Wow.


Go, me! (and go YOU! When you're ready!)

3/25/2014 This is a practical, TMI bodily functions kind of post.

There is a thing that *can* happen with surgery. It doesn't seem to happen to everyone, but it happened to me. Perhaps because my digestive system is already hinky (Coeliac disease) - I don't know. I DO know that Norco (Hydrocodone with Tylenol) is the culprit. It serves a purpose, but it is also evil. Most narcotic / opioid pain killers pull the moisture from your system and make aeverything dry up and stop. Hideous.

But  - both kinds of elimination were effected.

I've talked about bowels - the Norco started a chain reaction that is staying with me today. Extremely severe constipation, dealt with in an rather extreme fashion - even after prune juice, stool softeners and Senikot laxative. "Digital extraction". We're not talking about electronic devices. Digit means, in this case your finger. Or your nurse's. It's embarrassing or, whether your nurse does it, of hands you a bag of rubber gloves to deal with it yourself (I chose the latter) to do it yourself, really uncomfortable - no = REALLY PAINFUL, followed by REALLY PAINFUL pushing. Repeat as needed. Peristalsis (the natural movement of your bowels) is also effected - it was really awful. And the end result ( did I really just make that terrible pun? Yes. Yes I did) is - sorry - but a realllly wicked case of hemorrhoids, and a companion of a nasty, itching and stinging rash. That comes and goes, still today. I go through copious amounts of creams and unguents. Sitzbaths are supposed to help - but lordy they take time, and the water sloshes all over the bathroom. So I try to stay properly fed and hydrated and well-regular (including Metamucil once a day, now), so - less pushing, less irritation, less losing of sleep due to burning and wretched itching.

For my second surgery I was SUPER vigilant about this - taking Metamucil three times a day in the hospital and for weeks after. It's just good ol' fiber, ad for me, had to be gluten free, so this was the choice. But I was still a little bound up after surgery #2, so I chose to stop it in it's tracks when I realized I was pushing harder than was comfortable, called the nurse in and asked her to glove up. This time, it was MUCH less painful, as I had not let it get so far advanced. It was quick, and handled the issue. After that every movement was wryly celebrated. It all sounds gross and embarrassing and sort of taboo - but you just don't realize until you deal with this how wretched it is.
So I thought it would be a good idea to just lay the cards on the table and share it.

You can also get some urinary issues - you are weakened from the surgery and being prone even for a bit, and not being to move as strongly for the first few weeks - while pain is relatively minimal after surgery, there is still some pain and weakness. ALL of this is handled by your faithful devotion to your physical therapy - always. Always. Never skip it. Get in the habit and stay in it, no matter what you have to do.
No one reading this is busier than I. I don't get enough sleep, I hustle to work, jet home, grab and scarf  (home cooked in advance) food, zoom off to rehearsal and come home beat, but have to wind down after rehearsal - no sleep happens immediately.


BUT - I do my physical therapy in bed before I get up, I do toe lifts and leg lifts to the side at the bathroom sink brushing my teeth, other standing stretches and balance exercise at my work desk, stretch through the day, and do my routine again after I lie down at night. If it's 1:30 am, I'll be turning out the lights at 1:30 - AFTER PT. Even if the kitty wants to snuggle - I snuggle her while I do my routine.
And - putting your abs and deep breathing/Kiegels into it (I learned this with Pilates Physical Therapy before I knew I needed new hips) will bring back the muscle tone in your bladder and ladyparts. Or, manparts! I usually speak from the feminine POV as I am in fact a woman - but I'm certainly not sexist, and these issues can be universal!

In the last few weeks, I have noticed that what had been reduced to a pathetic tinkle after surgery (and some occasional incontinence issues, due to moving slowly) has returned to a strong stream - meaning the muscles around my bladder are good and strong again, and all is working like gangbusters! One key is, not waiting. If you feel the urge, stop what you're doing and go to the loo. The only exception I must make is when I'm on stage. I go thoroughly before the show and at intermission... it would be bad form to make an unscheduled exit. No more incontinence, either(I am grateful this was short-lived and mild). 

So - I hope this little down-to-the-nitty-gritty post has been of help. If it is offensive - I think that might be your own issue, as these are all completely natural body functions - I apologize for offending. But I don't apologize for sharing good information, as delicately put as I could.

Fiber is your Friend! 

Good luck, fellow travelers!