lgobrien
member
United StatesJust wanted to update all of you on my plane trip last week to St. Louis for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure...
At the time I planned this trip, I did not have my surgery scheduled yet. This trip was a very bittersweet trip to meet up with a group of cousins for the Race for the Cure with my cousin who is fighting a second and very serious bout of cancer. We all walked in support of her - although, my cousin and I were both in wheelchairs. What an awesome experience - there were almost 70,000 people all there for the same reason! To wipe out this horrible disease. We were there to support my cousin who has an inoperable cancer in her spine. Probably our last get together... lots of tears, but lots of laughter too!
Anyway, just wanted you to know that this was NOT a vacation and I will NEVER regret that I went so soon after my surgery. God must have been watching out for me because I became a "super woman" and was able to do SO MUCH on this trip!
Luckily, the flights were short (two 45 minute flights to get to St. Louis, MO). That was probably the most uncomfortable part of my trip. I used a cane at the airport and that was it. We had little "puddle jumper" planes and had to embark and debark on stairs on the tarmack. We carried on luggage, so I even had that, with my cane and with taking one step at a time! No one helped and I did fine!
I tried to get my physical therapy in while we were out there (for 4 days), but we were so busy most of the time that I only got it in maybe twice a day. Lots of walking (slowly), I even went shopping!!! My sister thought I needed to be building my endurance for "retail therapy" too!
I used Tylenol PM and ice on my knee at bedtime to sleep. I was afraid I would be tossing and turning all night because I didn't have a recliner to sneak away to... but it was a good exhaustion each night.
Now that I am back home, I thought possibly I lost some of my ROM, but what I gained was a new sense of energy. Before the trip I was so tired all the time that I spent time either doing my PT or resting. Now, I have a new lease on life... I even forgot my cane at the hotel in St. Louis (they are mailing it to me).
So, yesterday, I was 4 weeks post op, I still have constant pain, but have found that the busier I keep myself, the less I think about it. We live on a beautiful sandy lake and I'm going out for a "walk" in the lake this afternoon for part of my PT and hope to keep that up daily, weather permitting.
Enough about me, but just wanted you all to know that it just keeps getting better and better and I'm so glad I went on my memorable trip!
Laurie
At the time I planned this trip, I did not have my surgery scheduled yet. This trip was a very bittersweet trip to meet up with a group of cousins for the Race for the Cure with my cousin who is fighting a second and very serious bout of cancer. We all walked in support of her - although, my cousin and I were both in wheelchairs. What an awesome experience - there were almost 70,000 people all there for the same reason! To wipe out this horrible disease. We were there to support my cousin who has an inoperable cancer in her spine. Probably our last get together... lots of tears, but lots of laughter too!
Anyway, just wanted you to know that this was NOT a vacation and I will NEVER regret that I went so soon after my surgery. God must have been watching out for me because I became a "super woman" and was able to do SO MUCH on this trip!
Luckily, the flights were short (two 45 minute flights to get to St. Louis, MO). That was probably the most uncomfortable part of my trip. I used a cane at the airport and that was it. We had little "puddle jumper" planes and had to embark and debark on stairs on the tarmack. We carried on luggage, so I even had that, with my cane and with taking one step at a time! No one helped and I did fine!
I tried to get my physical therapy in while we were out there (for 4 days), but we were so busy most of the time that I only got it in maybe twice a day. Lots of walking (slowly), I even went shopping!!! My sister thought I needed to be building my endurance for "retail therapy" too!
I used Tylenol PM and ice on my knee at bedtime to sleep. I was afraid I would be tossing and turning all night because I didn't have a recliner to sneak away to... but it was a good exhaustion each night.
Now that I am back home, I thought possibly I lost some of my ROM, but what I gained was a new sense of energy. Before the trip I was so tired all the time that I spent time either doing my PT or resting. Now, I have a new lease on life... I even forgot my cane at the hotel in St. Louis (they are mailing it to me).
So, yesterday, I was 4 weeks post op, I still have constant pain, but have found that the busier I keep myself, the less I think about it. We live on a beautiful sandy lake and I'm going out for a "walk" in the lake this afternoon for part of my PT and hope to keep that up daily, weather permitting.
Enough about me, but just wanted you all to know that it just keeps getting better and better and I'm so glad I went on my memorable trip!
Laurie
