Wake up later than I would like, but have a very good day. I take my walks, I do a little Pilates, then I take one more walk, because tomorrow, it's back to work, and the end of this surgery thread (I presume). I'm cleared to take my first run on Saturday—that should be interesting.
What I Learned
During the diagnosis process, there were many times I was utterly frustrated. The couple friends I told about my situation never failed to encourage me in pushing for a diagnosis, and then to get it resolved. Beloved was obviously wonderful, but I also need to shout-out to my friend Betsy. We take long walks on Sunday mornings (unless one of us is out of town) and Pilates on Tuesdays (unless one—or both--of us skips). Betsy heard about my plight in real time, and showed incredible patience, understanding, and never stopped reassuring me that I was doing the right thing by being aggressive in finding out what was happening.
Advice
If you are having an recurring ache or problem, remember that your doctors—wonderful though they may be—do not care as much about your health as you do. As in financial matters, you must be your own best advocate. There were many times I had to remind my doctor(s) where we were in the process and what they recommended for next steps. Take notes. Follow up. In my case, I never "knew" something was wrong, I just had an idea that maybe something wasn't quite right I often felt silly or pushy…and worried pretty much the whole time that I might be making a meal out of something that wasn't a big deal.
Why Plans are a Bad Idea
There were many plans I had to put off during these past months, and that was frustrating—the last of which is that I now cannot take tomorrow off as I had long planned in order to watch the wedding (and if you don't know what wedding I mean, you are hopeless). Even so, I am so grateful!
Why I'm Grateful
· I have good insurance.
· I have good doctors.
· I have a job where I can take time off and still get paid.
· I live in a safe neighborhood so I could walk whenever, wherever.
· It is absolutely beautiful this time of year, and I got to see spring!
· I learned to have more patience, with myself and others.
· National! Public! Radio!
· Most of all, my fabulous friends and wonderful family. Calls, emails, surprise visits, surprise packages, flowers…even a snuggie!
What Surprised Me
· I did not finish all my back-logged New Yorker magazines. I decided that if I couldn't find the time during my convalescence, I never would—so out they went (to recycling).
· I did not watch any of the movies I ordered from Netflix. I barely got through Downton Abbey (through instant streaming), which I had already watched a lot of before my convalescence.
· All my mental preparation for when my healing slowed down turned out to be useless…possibly because, as I realize in hindsight, my entire preparation was composed of "I hope that doesn't happen."
· I did not bounce back as quickly as I'd hoped. No amount of willpower will help sometimes. Just roll with it.
· I can walk for long periods of time without worrying about catching up on my podcasts; instead, I AM constitutionally able to just walk and enjoy my surroundings.
· I already knew that this world has a lot of sadness in it. Because I had time to read the paper so thoroughly every day, I now know it's even worse than I thought. Even so, most people are trying to be productive, and trying to make this world a better place.
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