I have been wondering how to summarize the last 6 months in my blog and what I really should say. Do I give a status report? Do I ramble on? Should I have some huge epiphany to share?
Well, I do not have a huge epiphany to share, but I can do the first two. To start, I can not believe it has been 6 months since I last wrote to this blog. When I think about it, though, it really is not all that surprising. Way back when I was first thinking about having this surgery and trying to find the best time of year to have it, I very deliberately chose Spring. The Fall seems to fly by as we settle into school and activities. Then the holidays roll around and those are all consuming. Winter and the New Year usually sees alot of colds. So by the Spring we have our routine down, all the holiday craziness is behind us, and hopefully none of us are sick. So here we are, Spring is in full swing here in CA and I will take a moment to reflect.
How am I doing?
I think I am doing incredibly well. I go about my life at full steam. I have my usual energy. I hardly think about the fact that a year ago I had a hole drilled into my head. My sciatica flares once in awhile, especially on long car trips or after particularly tough work outs. My balance seems pretty normal, though I can still dip my head in different directions and make the world spin. I also seem to have trouble when I get too tired, then my brain just can not keep up.
The hearing in my right ear really is completely gone. There is nothing registering
over there. Be as loud as you want on my right side, I can't hear you. I do, however,
still have tinnitus over there. This is definitely annoying. I had hoped for just completely silence over there. But, no, my crazy brain thinks my nerves are sending some sort of sound message. Come on, brain, figure it out. All that garbage is just garbage, please turn it off.
Fun thoughts and events
I have managed to pass a few milestones that made me think I should write a blog post. I found I did not have enough to say about each one, so I did not bother:
ANA support meeting at UCSF
I had always wanted to go to an Acoustic Neuroma Assosication support meeting at UCSF. I managed to make one at the end of October. I met Lady C for dinner, then we walked over to the meeting. I am glad I went, but wow it was really small compared to the Stanford meetings. I remember we mostly talked about making a treatment decision and encouraging the newly diagnosed to just relax and take some time!Return to UCSF
My dad had knee replacement surgery just before Thanksgiving. He had the surgery at UCSF. I was not sure how I would react being there, waiting for my dad in that same hospital. Turns out it was rather un-eventful. I found I was confident I knew the routine there and glad I knew what I was doing. I also found it was not as familiar as I thought it would be. After surgery, I spent most of my time with my eyes closed and without my glasses on. My memories of the hospital are fuzzy due to, well, everything: drugs, general nausea, eyes bouncing around, glasses off. I mainly remember the hospital pre-op, so not much emotion there. My dad's surgery was a success and he is recovering, slowly. I think my recovery was easier than his!Relapse? No, just sick...
In December I got really sick. I was in bed with a fever for about three days. Greg had to manage everything, of course he did just fine. I found I started feeling reminiscent of the time just after surgery. My sciatica started to flare up, I was loving on my heating pad just a little too much. That only lasted about a day, then I started to feel better.Work it!
I have avoided the gym for quite awhile. I really wanted to get back to kick/boxing. But, with feeling better and being functional came Greg traveling more. Making it to a kickboxing class was impossible. I also just did not think my body was ready. Just going for a 1 mile run would stiffen me up and flare up my sciatica. Finally, however, a little over a month ago I returned to the gym. I went to Ironwill Fitness on a Saturday morning, for Beastmode's class. Here's the workout:Skill: 100 sit ups for time (I only did about 60)
WOD: "crazy 8's": 5 rounds for time
8 kb swings
8 goblet squats
8 lunges
8 push ups
8 mountain climbers
8 v-ups
8 supermans
8 side bends
The kb swings and goblet squats I did with a 10 lb kettle bell! I think I substituted leg lifts for v-ups and did not use weight for the side bends. I made it through the workout, no throwing up involved. It was not pretty and there was a lot of cheating going on. Since then I have been going about once a week with running in between when I can. This past weekend I manged this workout Rx:
20 minute AMRAP of:
400 meter run
15 SDHP (12k kettle bell)
10 russian twist (12k kettle bell)
5 jump squats
I finished 5 rounds and ahead of the other three people that were in the class. I feel my physical strength coming back.
So thankful
I am thankful for my amazing family, my friends and of course for my health. My husband has proven time and again he can manage anything. He can take care of the kids, me and the household when I can not. I am glad that I have been able to return the favor and take care of him now that I am recovered.
My mom and dad helped so much and continue to constantly be there for me if I need them. My mom's food she made for me when I got out of the hospital sustained me through those first few tough weeks. I am glad I am recovered and can in turn help take care of them. My kids through all of this have been so grown up. I thrive in their unconditional love; it gets me up every morning. They are so understanding and always willing to help. Yes, they are still kids and have their antics too!
My friends really helped me feel loved and supported through my recovery. I hope that I am able to support them as they go through their battles in life.
I am so thankful for my health. I am thankful I can function on a daily basis as I do without pain. I am thankful I can push my body and it grows stronger. I am thankful I do not have to rely on drugs just to get out of bed. I am thankful my body is healed and I can move on.
