Needed jeans already!!!

I had been holding off buying jeans until my open wound was all healed and the swelling had gone down. But with the cooler weather we have been having I couldn't wait any longer!! It was hard finding jeans that fit well all over, as quite often with pants, I find to get a waist that fits well, the leg is too small. Boy it will be good to have the skin taken from my legs!!!

Anyway, I managed to find a pair that weren't too expensive, and I am quite happy with them. I also gained a few nice comments about my butt in them too!!!! (Always like to hear that!!)

Well I am still having trouble with an open wound that is referred to now as my "hole". The GP took a swab that came back all clear, so that is good, no bacteria. But he decided that for it to heal properly from the inside out, it needed to be filled with packing gauze!!! He told me it could take up to 4 weeks to heal properly. I am in week 3 now and I am fed up!! I have another appointment to see him next week. The cavity has changed somewhat. It has had some improvement but the hole is quite deep and I am still able to fill it with quite a length of the ribbon gauze. I can't contain the ooze in the waterproof dressing that I put over the top of it. I get a terrible rash from the dressing, but the pharmacist helped out with that one and suggested a skin prep wipe that I put on my skin which then acts as a barrier, so my poor skin doesn't get ripped off every time I have to change the dressing. My skin even started bleeding for a while. The rash is much improved now though.

I still get very frustrated with the amount of swelling I get at the end of the day. It's not so bad if I am just going to bed, but when I am going out and want to wear closer fitting tops, I feel too self conscious about the swelling showing. Plus I still have some loose skin that needs to be taken care of with the next surgery.

I am trying to have some days of more intense exercise as I miss the jogging. I miss the feeling it gives me and how I feel after a good sweat!! But I can't do it too often as I still suffer for a few days afterwards of increased discomfort around the scar line and stiffness when bending or twisting. And of course it doesn't help the hole!!! It can get quite sore if I have been too active.

But, I am still surviving, and some days I feel quite good and hardly notice that I have had surgery.

Thanks to all of you who read my blog and give me such wonderful support and feedback. I suppose we all have to "hang in there" with some aspect of our lives!!!

Still waiting for full recovery..............

Well this isn't the best photo of my face!! I don't seem to be able to smile and not talk when a photo is being taken!!

I have been really enjoying the range of skirts that suit me now!! I used to have to stick to the skirts that pretty much just hung down! I am dressed for a day of client visits in this picture!

Well, I am still waiting to have the feeling of full recovery! I still have a dressing on a spot that is still oozing. I know the saying is better out than in, but it is driving me nuts!! My poor skin around the spot is not coping with the tape that has to be continually put on and ripped off. I still have swelling in that area and I still get swelling on my tummy at the end of the day. The level of soreness changes each day depending on what I have been doing. I am desperate to increase the intensity of my exercise, but when I do a decent jog or have a really big hill walk, I suffer for it for a few days. I am so fed up with that!!

I have been in communication with my surgeon's nurse, but they just give a sympathetic response and tell me to keep in touch particularly if the open wound site looks red and inflamed or if I become unwell. I am going to see my GP tomorrow and get him to have a good look at the wound and see what suggestions or help he can give me. It is approaching 4 months since surgery and I just didn't expect to still be having these troubles at this stage. This is the stage I was hoping to be considering the next stage of surgery. But that is way, way off at this stage. I still have days where I am quite emotional and low about the whole experience. One night I just wanted to scream to have the skin put back on me. That was a night that I couldn't even get relief from the tight and sore feeling while laying in bed.

I am disappointed that it is taking so long to recover, especially as I worked so hard pre surgery to be at my absolute fittest. We just can't predict what our bodies will do, or how it will respond to stress and trauma.

But on the positive side, I still get such lovely encouragement from people and I am loving the shopping and being able to go into what ever shop I like!! I have to be grateful that I am able to work full time again and that I can do some form of exercise daily. I am also pleased that I have maintained my change in what I eat. I can confidently say that I have made lifestyle changes that will last my life time to ensure that I don't put weight back on again. Of course I have treats like dark chocolate, but I had always incorporated treats into my diet. Lifestyle change isn't about depriving yourself of everything you enjoy!!

So, here's hoping for advances in my recovery....................