It's been just under 4 months since my RTKR. Now that the pain has subsided to a manageable level, I'm even more aware of the exhaustion and the brain fog. Not being able to remember most things for more than 30 seconds is so frustrating and just seems to fuel my bad temper. My inability to concentrate/focus is also limiting my reading and interfering with my knitting. The worst of it is that I'm terrified it's not just a result of the surgery. My mother has advanced Alzheimer's and no matter now often I remind myself that it's probably not hereditary, I still go there in my mind. I think I just have too much time on my hands and the state of the world exacerbates every negative thought I have.
I am incorporating more things back into my life in the hope that being out and about will restore my good humor. I'm working 4 hours per day 1-2 days per week, volunteering at the local food closet 3 hours every 2nd & 4th Friday morning and volunteering at the local animal shelter 3-4 hours 1 time per week. I attend my 2 book clubs 1x per month and have managed to keep up with the reading in spite of the brain fog. The prospect of recovery taking up to 1 full year still makes me unhappy but I'm getting better at accepting it as a fact that I can't change.