I was actually able to pay the bills on day 8 this time around. But, I had written out the amounts for each one before the surgery, except one or two that were't available yet, so I didn't have to go to my email bill section and look at each one, we only have like 8 things I pay each month, and since I pay our bills online through our bank, it was easy. Of course, I had a clear fog-less brain since I wasn't on narcotics, which may have helped. If I had had to open envelopes (which I never do as all our bills are paperless) and all that comes with paper bills, I doubt I'd have been able to manage it. Planning ahead as much as possible for this surgery has really paid off. (I should write a book with all I've learned about planning ahead; what to do and what not to do)
But you should only be doing what you are able to do. If your brain is too foggy to concentrate on bills right now, you should wait until you are able; otherwise you may pay the wrong amounts to the wrong companies, and that would not be good. But, if your bills can't wait, can you have someone help you? I don't remember if you're married, but if you are maybe he could pay them? Or could you have a family member or friend sit with you and make sure every bill is done correctly? I always pay our bills, but we had planned on my husband paying them if I wasn't able to do so this month.
As for generally feeling like you're not doing enough, you will do more as you feel like doing more. Some of us do things after surgery more slowly, and some faster. I remember my first TKR and how it took forever to start doing anything, other than be ill. But, when I felt well enough I was able to do more and soon after that I was back to being busy every day. I don't remember the exact time frame, although it's in my thread, but I know I felt that others who had surgeries at the same time were doing a lot more than me. But they weren't as ill as I was, so I just concentrated on me and stopped comparing. This time I am moving at a faster clip than before, but I'm not on narcotics at all; and that was a major contributing factor to being so very ill after every other surgery. My knee is still stiff and will swell if I do too much, so I still spend hours and hours every day icing and elevating, but am doing a little more each day.
You're only at 12 days, so should still be resting, icing and elevating all day, walking to the toilet and kitchen, and taking short trips around the house 4 or 5 times a day. I'm still not able to sit up for very long as my knee will protest. Yesterday I had it propped up on the doctor's stool until he came in, and then let him sit there.
In the car I had it sort of up, and in the restaurant it was up on the bench seat. Plus, when I got home from each place I went straight to my ice machine and LD, so I didn't overdo. But I'm also at five weeks, so it does make a difference. But that was my very first real trip anywhere, so I was tired last night, but my knee is fine.
United States
A hearty Oreo milkshake from Nifty Fifty's two weeks post-surgery, delivered by the deeply intuitive Mr. Shoes, helped put me on the road to a lovely, self-indulgent and thoroughly satisfying recovery. I too rationalized that it had protein. And it tasted good. Enough said.
