Day 19 - Regressive Tendencies
In some ways the past 18 days are like watching a time-lapse movie of my toddler days as there is major accomplishment almost every day. (Ignoring the fact that I carry around my cough pillow like a cherished stuffed toy).
Toddler Milestones I have accomplished the last 18 days:
Day 3 - First stand up by myself.
Since what was coursing through my veins was half blood, half anesthesia and pain killers I thought this was quite an accomplishment to be upright.
Day 4 - First steps.
My world expanded from just my room to what the hallway outside of it looked like - a great day.
Day 6 - First steps without my oxygen tank coming with.
Okay this was humbling.
Day 8 - First shower.
This often promised, much anticipated small joy almost didn’t happen. Hospital maintenance was paged – stat! and ceiling tiles removed and a faulty check valve was repaired to restore the shower in my room to working order.
Day 11 - First day of rehab.
(carries the excitement of the first day of elementary school in that you wonder who will be in your class, what teacher you got, having a transport aide like a bus driver to bring you to your new life, etc,)
Day 17 – First bike ride.
The hopeful sign here was the 79 year old who basically lapped me on our electronic tour. I have a lot of room to the upside of my health.
Day 18 – I go in to a restaurant with Karen
(lately she just goes in to pick up a preorder leaving me in the car with the window cracked.
Day 25 – This toddler gets to drive again.
I am also exhibiting other toddler traits such as:
Oversharing:
Especially when it comes to the frequency of flatulence patterns and consistency of bowel movements. I keep telling Karen that I am only responding to a direct question from a care giver.
I also have to fight back the urge to tell everyone that I meet that I just had open heart surgery.
Becoming emotional for no obvious reason:
Now that I am home and someone puts my water glass on the wrong side of my bed I wonder if they “really” care about me.
When people ask me about my caregivers I still can’t talk about them without getting weepy.