A day of mistakes

Yesterday was a day full of mistakes. I had the best of intentions but as you know the road to hell is paved with good intentions. I started off by volunteering at the annual conference for the regional direct marketing association. I love to do it every year. I think this was my fourth year. I usually go on the Wednesday and stay through the evening dinner and then go back on Thursday morning early and stay for the day. I get to learn what is going on in the marketing world and talk a lot of people I rarely see. I made two mistakes. Mistake number one was to think that I could be up on my feet on Wednesday afternoon and then again on Thursday. Mistake number two was to have to leave to go to Walter's doctor appointment. So my back was very sore for trying to be on my feet (and be a normal person) and I missed the best parts of the conference.

From there, I met Walter at the hospital and went to his appointment with him. We then made a stop at my doctor's office where I made another mistake. I picked up the instructions for my back procedure next week. I am having a thoracic facet radiofrequency denervation. This includes the advice that after sedation 'each nerve will be heated and destroyed, but you will not really feel this, as we will numb each nerve first.' Please define 'not really feel'. This sounds like it might hurt a tiny bit.

We went out to lunch so Walter could eat some food after being on all liquids to prepare for his test. We also walked around the shopping center (another mistake). Then I went to my lymphedema appointment where I made the mistake of asking about doing exercises with my arm as I can't lift weights or anything. Now I have four more exercises to do ten sets of twice daily.

From there I went to the farm stand and finally back home. Then the next mistake was to go to Costco. Why was this a mistake? Because my back was really sore and I should not have been on my feet. By the end of the trip, both of us were crabby (because I was in pain and crabbier) and I had to take a pain pill and sit down for a couple of hours to recover.

See what happens when I try to be a normal person? I end up with more exercises, lots of pain, and nasty information about upcoming medical procedures.

However to update on both of our doctor appointments. Walter's doctor is pleased with his healing and says he doesn't need to come back until January where he gets to have another colonoscopy but everything looks good. The lymphedema clinic said that while my arm is larger than it was a month ago, its not uncommon for lymphedema to flare up and subside and I just have to deal with it. I am doing the right thing by wearing the (stupid) sleeve all day every day and doing my massage and exercises. However there is not much else that can be done. If it gets worse, I can go back for treatment which is wrapping and more compression, done daily for an hour or so for four weeks. How is that for fun?

So it was a day full of mistakes but Walter got some good news so we are both happy. Today I will do a lot less standing and go to work.