One month down!

I know full well that there is no normal. There are no true milestones to look towards. There is no way to compare my progress to anyone else's to see how my adaptability and recovery measure up to others who have had this surgery. But it doesn't stop me from doing just that.

One young man returned to his office job on a part time basis after only three weeks while I've heard of others who are considered permanently disabled and unable to work; so I guess I'm doing okay. One woman jumped back in to her usual workouts on an elliptical trainer and strength training after only one month, while others are barely able to consume enough calories to muster the energy to walk to the refrigerator to get something to eat, so I guess I'm somewhere around average or normal.

I'm contantly re-reading the abandoned "gastrectomy" blogs of those who came before to see what I should be doing, what I should be capable of at any particular point in time. Laps around the whole floor the day after surgery? I only ever did half a lap in the hospital and that was a full week post-op. Well, it must have been a tiny hospital those others were in, right? What about that goo that I may find myself gagging up? That happened to him at five weeks and her at about two months. When will it happen to me, if it even does?!

I realize that the body adapting to not having a major organ is no competition, but still, I'd like to at least place. At least be in the middle. I guess for now I am. Sometimes on the lower end of middle, or "less adjusted" if you will. I realize things could be better. As long as I don't start to think they should be better. And I'm thankful every day that they are not worse. Because things can be a whole lot worse!

I took a drive on Friday with my son; my first excursion behind the wheel for a little over a month. At my appointment on the 3rd of August, my surgeon did not give me clearance to drive. And that was fine because I didn't feel up to it at all. She said to just make sure I felt okay, wasn't nauseous or taking pain meeds, duh, and that I could turn around okay and perform all of the functions a driver does without feeling uncomfortable before I tried to drive.

I spent a large part of the day listening to the township crew resurface our road and then listening to the dogs bark at the guys when they were right out front. As early evening approached, I decided to take my son out for some food and ended up running into town and getting some pizza after stopping at the bank. It was a nice, short trip that actually did tire me a bit; so I had to rest when I got home.

So that's another milestone I have accomplished. And I did it right around the same time my niece took her first drive, so I'm right on target. Comparatively speaking!