Today I had therapy. I have been looking forward to today's session because we were visiting the lap pool. My therapist asked during my initial consultation if I was interested in pool therapy. I whole-heartedly said "yes". Even though I almost drown at a young age I love the water. I can swim, I just don't do well on my front. Partially due to a fear of not being able to breath.
I made the appointment weeks ago and looked forward to it since. The therapy wasn't anything too exciting. I was just happy to be in the pool. My therapist wants me to work out in the water 1-2 times weekly for 30-45mins per visit. I was actually surprised that I wasn't all that tired after swimming a few laps. I was however pretty worn out by the time that I put on my clothes to leave. For the first time in days I felt like I needed my walker.
My therapist said that I looked good using my cane and that I was walking better. She also said that if I practice walking in the pool without "waddling" my limp should go away faster. So I continue to be encouraged at therapy. Each week I gain strength and walking stamina. Soon I will be among the walking again.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Book Report of the Day
Since I have been off I have read A LOT!! By the time I have finished the stack of books my co-workers have brought me I will have read over 2 dozen books. So I decided to do a book report on a recent book that I have read. Which I think that is my new favorite book! If you have a chance READ IT!
The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer.
It is a story of a young woman named Carrie Bell. Carrie was born and raised in Madison. She attended UW-Madison and stayed in Madison after graduation. Carrie is lost as to where her life is headed. She still works the job that she had during college and lives in a small campus apartment. Carrie is engaged to her high school sweetheart,but was no longer happy. Only after her fiance's horrible accident is she able to decide where her life is headed. An abrupt conversation with a stranger makes her realize that she is stuck in a rut. Carrie has to decide to either leave her now handicapped fiance or stay by his side. Carrie is torn as to whether she should live in her past (with her same high school friends/fiance) or blaze her own trail into the future. I think that the neatest part of the book is the fact that it is based half in Madison and half in New York City. The author really captures the essence of Madison from the Farmer's Market, to the Paddle and Portage, to the wackiness of State Street. The author also writes in a manner that is very easy to relate to. The reader feels the same emotions that Carrie feels, you are really pulling for Carrie. It is hard to put the book down because you want to see what happens next. You want to know what Carrie's decisions are. Why she made them. Like I said if you have a chance read it!!!
The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer.
It is a story of a young woman named Carrie Bell. Carrie was born and raised in Madison. She attended UW-Madison and stayed in Madison after graduation. Carrie is lost as to where her life is headed. She still works the job that she had during college and lives in a small campus apartment. Carrie is engaged to her high school sweetheart,but was no longer happy. Only after her fiance's horrible accident is she able to decide where her life is headed. An abrupt conversation with a stranger makes her realize that she is stuck in a rut. Carrie has to decide to either leave her now handicapped fiance or stay by his side. Carrie is torn as to whether she should live in her past (with her same high school friends/fiance) or blaze her own trail into the future. I think that the neatest part of the book is the fact that it is based half in Madison and half in New York City. The author really captures the essence of Madison from the Farmer's Market, to the Paddle and Portage, to the wackiness of State Street. The author also writes in a manner that is very easy to relate to. The reader feels the same emotions that Carrie feels, you are really pulling for Carrie. It is hard to put the book down because you want to see what happens next. You want to know what Carrie's decisions are. Why she made them. Like I said if you have a chance read it!!!
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Houseguest
So our friend Matthew has moved in with us for the time being. Matt recently decided to change careers from law enforcement to a Customer Service Rep for US Cellular. Josh and Matt met freshman year. Matt lived on Josh's floor. He is one of the guys! Since Matt has changed jobs and areas to live he needed a place to stay until he finds an apartment. It is nice and fun to have someone that you don't get to see very often come and stay with you. I know that Josh really likes having him around. SO I am glad that he is here. I love Matt to death but sometimes I just want to scream. I forgot how when you start living with someone things start to bother you. Josh is a quiet person. He doesn't talk much. Matt talks, and talks and talks. Talks about love, sex, work, his job change, his feelings, his ex, the army, talks during movies, you name it he talks about it. Now like I said I love him to death but, sometimes a girl needs a little peace and quiet.
Friday, December 09, 2005
Bored at Home
This being stuck at home thing isn't all that it has cracked up to be. I am
5, almost weeks post-op. I have worked my way through a lot of my projects. I have started doing some Christmas shopping online. I have almost all of the Christmas Cards done. The truth is the first 3 weeks at home I was still taking naps and resting. The past two weeks I have been starting to go stir crazy. I have knitted and read. I have watched 5, count them 5 seasons of The Soprano's! I am on season 5 of Sex and the City. I have 4 episodes left and then I will have to rent the 6th and final season. After the Christmas shopping is done and I have all the presents wrapped I will pull out the One Stroke Painting. I have been a little nervous about that because I don't have the best fine motor skills. I am worried that it will come out all screwed up! I will try though and practice makes perfect. Hope that I have enough to keep me busy here. After the 19th I will have a better idea of how long my mini vacation will be.
5, almost weeks post-op. I have worked my way through a lot of my projects. I have started doing some Christmas shopping online. I have almost all of the Christmas Cards done. The truth is the first 3 weeks at home I was still taking naps and resting. The past two weeks I have been starting to go stir crazy. I have knitted and read. I have watched 5, count them 5 seasons of The Soprano's! I am on season 5 of Sex and the City. I have 4 episodes left and then I will have to rent the 6th and final season. After the Christmas shopping is done and I have all the presents wrapped I will pull out the One Stroke Painting. I have been a little nervous about that because I don't have the best fine motor skills. I am worried that it will come out all screwed up! I will try though and practice makes perfect. Hope that I have enough to keep me busy here. After the 19th I will have a better idea of how long my mini vacation will be.
Friday, December 02, 2005
A Catholic Pastime?
I know I have been a bad blogger. My mother brought that to my attention last night. The funny thing is my mother can send me packing on a guilt trip without warning. Maybe that is why I have become such a responsible person. The fact that if I don't follow through I am riddled with guilt. Or if I say the wrong thing I feel guilty about it. I don't only feel guilt right then and there, it recurs every time I think of that conversation. In fact I had a bought of guilt last night over an e-mail I wrote to some co-workers last night.
I checked my work e-mail before I went to bed. There was an e-mail from our department head about not following through with a protocol. The e-mail was sent as a reminder of the recent change in protocol and that one of my GPCR group (there are 5, soon to be 6 of us) had deviated from the protocol. The general demeanor of our group is supportive, but we tend to pick on each other. When a mistake is made it is common to joke about the mistake. Never in a negative connotation, but jokingly. We all have a thick skin about it and know when to stop. So, naturally when this e-mail is sent about one of us making a mistake I send this e-mail to the group. I poked fun at the mistake and then continued to write them to let them know what was up with me. When I originally wrote the e-mail I meant to send it to the 3 guys in the group. At the bottom of the e-mail I said that I hadn't heard from any of them since I had left. I added my supervisor as an after thought so that she could hear how I was doing too.
The guilt kicks in because I didn't want my supervisor to think that this comment was about her. She came to see me in the hospital and has written. She has been wonderful about the whole thing. I tossed and turned over it for a while. I thought about sending her a separate e-mail. In the end I fell asleep. I got an e-mail from her today telling me about work and another inviting me to lunch with the group next Wednesday. I am SO happy to be getting out of the house to see them! My guilt washed away and I didn't even think twice about it all day.
I also had an e-mail from one of the guys. To be honest the guy that I least expected to hear from. It was pleasant and funny and made me smile. The thing that has gotten me thinking is this: He first said that I must have been raised Catholic because Catholics are good at sending people on guilt trips. He said he knew I meant that those jerk guys didn't care how I was. The funny thing is I sent him on a guilt trip without even realizing it. All that I wanted was someone to write to me. I am getting VERY lonely. It is hard to spend day after day in a 1200 sq ft apartment without feeling like the walls are closing in.
So I guess that I have learned either a famous woman or Catholic trait across the way. What do you think? Do Catholics pass along the guilt that the church makes them feel onto others? Or is it something we woman have honed across the years to get what we want? Either way, is this something that can become so subconscious that we don't even realize that we are doing it anymore?
I checked my work e-mail before I went to bed. There was an e-mail from our department head about not following through with a protocol. The e-mail was sent as a reminder of the recent change in protocol and that one of my GPCR group (there are 5, soon to be 6 of us) had deviated from the protocol. The general demeanor of our group is supportive, but we tend to pick on each other. When a mistake is made it is common to joke about the mistake. Never in a negative connotation, but jokingly. We all have a thick skin about it and know when to stop. So, naturally when this e-mail is sent about one of us making a mistake I send this e-mail to the group. I poked fun at the mistake and then continued to write them to let them know what was up with me. When I originally wrote the e-mail I meant to send it to the 3 guys in the group. At the bottom of the e-mail I said that I hadn't heard from any of them since I had left. I added my supervisor as an after thought so that she could hear how I was doing too.
The guilt kicks in because I didn't want my supervisor to think that this comment was about her. She came to see me in the hospital and has written. She has been wonderful about the whole thing. I tossed and turned over it for a while. I thought about sending her a separate e-mail. In the end I fell asleep. I got an e-mail from her today telling me about work and another inviting me to lunch with the group next Wednesday. I am SO happy to be getting out of the house to see them! My guilt washed away and I didn't even think twice about it all day.
I also had an e-mail from one of the guys. To be honest the guy that I least expected to hear from. It was pleasant and funny and made me smile. The thing that has gotten me thinking is this: He first said that I must have been raised Catholic because Catholics are good at sending people on guilt trips. He said he knew I meant that those jerk guys didn't care how I was. The funny thing is I sent him on a guilt trip without even realizing it. All that I wanted was someone to write to me. I am getting VERY lonely. It is hard to spend day after day in a 1200 sq ft apartment without feeling like the walls are closing in.
So I guess that I have learned either a famous woman or Catholic trait across the way. What do you think? Do Catholics pass along the guilt that the church makes them feel onto others? Or is it something we woman have honed across the years to get what we want? Either way, is this something that can become so subconscious that we don't even realize that we are doing it anymore?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)