2008 - A new year, A new me???

Work update:

I am now back at work Full Time with my full client group. It has been so busy and I have put in extra hours to keep up with the work load. This makes me tired and I just can't be bothered getting on the computer at home in the evenings. But I am managing work and I am enjoying that adrenalin rush of 51 things happening at once!!! Something I'm not happy with is that at then end of a working day, my tummy swells up like a beach ball. One night Andrew commented I looked pregnant!!! (He did get away with that one as I thought the same!) Then by the next morning the swelling has all gone again. When I am in the office, I try not to be sitting at the computer for long periods and get up for a wander around. I still worry a bit when visiting clients that I have a seat that doesn't cause me discomfort. I still can't manage my couch unless I have heaps of pillows behind me. But all in all, it is good to be back at work and feeling like life is getting back to normal.


Scar line update:

It is almost 3 months since my surgery. I still have the feeling of tightness around my hips and across my front. I am not happy that I still have one little spot that I need a dressing on. I still have a bit of discharge from that area. That area still has swelling also, giving me a bit of a funny shape. I get an aching back when I have overdone it a bit but I am using anti-inflammatory cream which is helping. My movement is getting better. I can bend down easier and twist around easier, but it still gives me a bit of a pulling feeling. This past week though I feel like I haven't had any improvement in how I generally feel. It is hard to know if I am overdoing it, or something else is going on.

Exercise update:

I am exercising every day for around 30 - 40 minutes. I started jogging again and slowly built it up to 30 minute jog one day. But I then suffered for a couple of days for doing that much activity . So I have stuck to shorter bursts of jogging. But this past week when I have jogged, I have had too much discomfort for a few days, so I have decided to stick to walking again for a bit longer. I find the hills to walk so that I feel I have challenged myself.

Next surgery:

I see the surgeon again at the end of March. We will have more discussion then about my next surgery. I don't want to have it until I feel no ill affects from this first one. I just couldn't cope with more stress on my body. I have days of feeling very discouraged by how long it is taking to recover and start to doubt if I will ever feel ok. I couldn't start another recovery process before fully recovering this time.

Shopping update:

I am building up a new wardrobe. But pants I bought a month ago are too big now due to the swelling going down. So I have learnt how to put tucks in my pants!! It is hard to find clothes that suit my odd shape. (I feel it is odd, Andrew tells me it isn't!!). Some pants don't suit if the leg isn't wide enough. I have a small waist, but my legs still have the skin hanging off! I have learnt to look for low or mid rise pants with wide leg fit!!! It is a whole new experience being able to go into any of the clothes shops! I don't feel out of place anymore, like I did when I went shopping with friends or my sister.

I still try to stay positive about progress, it can't get any worse can it!!!!