So you had a bad day
#32
#33
What's interesting about meeting these long time friends, once a month or so, is finding out how many 'bad' days we've each had since the last time. Honestly, I always feel like my life is great after hearing and sharing stories.
#34
The key is to make things manageable for you. My mother is not supposed to lift anything more than 10 pounds because of her back. So if she has groceries, for example, she breaks things up into more bags. It can be frustrating, I'm sure, but it makes doing things possible where they might not otherwise be.
John, I recall you had a long time shoulder recovery yourself and I'm sure you made modifications as to how you did things then. I recall an encouraging PM or two from you when I had my shoulder surgeries. Keep that in mind this time around and I'd bet you can get creative with tasks, so that you can do them yourself. Val's ideas for toting heavy items sounds like a good one.
#35
Originally Posted by silvershadow' timestamp='1358836851' post='22282508
I consider myself enlightened but I have to say that getting my wife to carry the salt bag was a real hit to the ego, and sent me off on a bad day.
What's interesting about meeting these long time friends, once a month or so, is finding out how many 'bad' days we've each had since the last time. Honestly, I always feel like my life is great after hearing and sharing stories.
#36
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Originally Posted by silvershadow' timestamp='1358836851' post='22282508
I consider myself enlightened but I have to say that getting my wife to carry the salt bag was a real hit to the ego, and sent me off on a bad day.
What's interesting about meeting these long time friends, once a month or so, is finding out how many 'bad' days we've each had since the last time. Honestly, I always feel like my life is great after hearing and sharing stories.
I agree that having lunch/drinks, etc, with friends usually makes me feel much better as well. If I start to get too self-absorbed, I hook up with a friend, or ex co-worker, and before you know it I'm feeling pretty good about my life.
Physical limitations are very hard to deal with...especially for a guy. When you've been taken down to "ground zero" by an illness or surgery, it's a long, hard road back. Once you finally regain your health and fitness, you never take it for granted again. I recall, while lying in the hospital bed after my quadruple bypass surgery nearly nine years ago, the thing I wanted most was to take a hike or bike ride. The freedom...the sun on my back...the wind in my face...the smell of the dirt and leaves...the sound of the birds...the simple pleasures of life.
#37
Physical limitations are very hard to deal with...especially for a guy. When you've been taken down to "ground zero" by an illness or surgery, it's a long, hard road back. Once you finally regain your health and fitness, you never take it for granted again. I recall, while lying in the hospital bed after my quadruple bypass surgery nearly nine years ago, the thing I wanted most was to take a hike or bike ride. The freedom...the sun on my back...the wind in my face...the smell of the dirt and leaves...the sound of the birds...the simple pleasures of life.
PS- Donna keeps in such good condition for horse back riding, she's in better shape than me. I would never let her do it if it were otherwise.
#38
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#39
Thread Starter
I try not to have bad days, but with the health issues last fall and my continuing recovery, I have a bad day every once in awhile. It is mainly centered around things I can't do. For example, we have a water softener that takes salt for regeneration. My wife buys 40 pound bags of salt. I used to carry two bags from the car to the softener. She bought one bag a few days ago. I went to take it out of the car and couldn't budge it.
I consider myself enlightened but I have to say that getting my wife to carry the salt bag was a real hit to the ego, and sent me off on a bad day. Everyone says that they are amazed at the progress I am making, but I get frustrated with things like the above example. Then I have crises of confidence - what if I don't get better, why is it taking so long for me to walk again, how long is it going to take before I have a semblance of my normal life before this happened and how much work is it going to take. These are the kinds of thoughts that send me off to having a bad day.
I try and keep a sense of humor and a positive attitude about my plight, but sometimes I just can't.
I consider myself enlightened but I have to say that getting my wife to carry the salt bag was a real hit to the ego, and sent me off on a bad day. Everyone says that they are amazed at the progress I am making, but I get frustrated with things like the above example. Then I have crises of confidence - what if I don't get better, why is it taking so long for me to walk again, how long is it going to take before I have a semblance of my normal life before this happened and how much work is it going to take. These are the kinds of thoughts that send me off to having a bad day.
I try and keep a sense of humor and a positive attitude about my plight, but sometimes I just can't.
Yeah, that's hard stuff John. Is physical therapy a solution?
#40