How Can I Help?
One of the most common questions I'm asked as I'm closing in on my surgery date is, "What can I do to help you?" And to be quite honest, I'm really terrible about giving an answer to it. I am really quite bad at accepting help. I love to help others but for some reason, I feel immense guilt about receiving any kind of help from others. I guess I feel like I'm putting people out or making their already busy lives even crazier. Usually, I redirect and avoid answering the question. If I answer the question at all, it's always something easy. I never suggest the difficult things and in doing so, I feel more at ease.
Interestingly enough, when I offer to help others, I do not find it off-putting or inconvenient. It actually gives me some joy to do it. I truly enjoy making someone else's life a little brighter. I value helping others very much. Sometimes I question myself about why I give myself permission to give yet refuse to give myself permission to receive in light of knowing the joy it brings to the giver? In a weird way, I'm actually stealing joy from those who offer!
So in an uncharacteristic change of behavior, I'm actually going to answer the question even if it makes me uncomfortable. Part of me wants to clarify that I don't actually expect anyone to do any of this but then I wonder if saying that then defeats the purpose of doing this activity. Oh, the dilemma!!!
I made a variation of the curried zucchini soup from the board and it turned out pretty good :)
1. Walking Buddies! Each week, I'll be walking progressively longer. This helps with scar tissue reduction and overall healing. I need to be up to 5 miles w/in 24 days so I can fulfil my goal of doing the Turkey Trot every year of my 30s. I managed to run it after the laparotomy (open abdominal surgery) at 8 weeks post-op so I should be able to at least manage walking it.
2. Drivers! This round, I'm doing PT on day 3 post-op. Scar tissue forms within 24 hours typically and you have about 10 days to successfully break it up. So we are trying an aggressive approach to breaking it up. Usually, surgeons suggest waiting 8 weeks before starting PT, but given that by then my scar tissue is so firmly entrenched, we decided to try something totally different. I'll have a couple of appointments each week. Additionally, I may need help driving up to Westerville on Nov 8. My aunt has graciously committed to taking me to multiple appointments, but hopefully, she can share the burden.
3. Dog Walkers! This probably won't be a regular thing but I may need some help while we are at the hospital as well as occasionally post-op. I will check with a dog walker though so it may be a non-issue. Pupper is going to be at the kennel for a week so it would just be the Huskies.
4. I'll think of something else...
Interestingly enough, when I offer to help others, I do not find it off-putting or inconvenient. It actually gives me some joy to do it. I truly enjoy making someone else's life a little brighter. I value helping others very much. Sometimes I question myself about why I give myself permission to give yet refuse to give myself permission to receive in light of knowing the joy it brings to the giver? In a weird way, I'm actually stealing joy from those who offer!So in an uncharacteristic change of behavior, I'm actually going to answer the question even if it makes me uncomfortable. Part of me wants to clarify that I don't actually expect anyone to do any of this but then I wonder if saying that then defeats the purpose of doing this activity. Oh, the dilemma!!!
FOOD!!
First off...after abdominal surgery, food is kind of an issue. Well for me, food is an issue all the time, but post-op, I have to be really careful about what I eat. After they cut off all the disease on my intestines, they are pretty inflamed and unhappy for months afterwards. I put together a Pinterest Board with meal ideas. The goal with the board is to have really easy to digest food - primarily low FODMAP foods. I'm even more difficult to cook for because I avoid dairy, soy, meat, gluten, raw vegetables, fruits (w/the exception of blueberries and apples), etc.I made a variation of the curried zucchini soup from the board and it turned out pretty good :)
Post-Surgery
1. Walking Buddies! Each week, I'll be walking progressively longer. This helps with scar tissue reduction and overall healing. I need to be up to 5 miles w/in 24 days so I can fulfil my goal of doing the Turkey Trot every year of my 30s. I managed to run it after the laparotomy (open abdominal surgery) at 8 weeks post-op so I should be able to at least manage walking it.
2. Drivers! This round, I'm doing PT on day 3 post-op. Scar tissue forms within 24 hours typically and you have about 10 days to successfully break it up. So we are trying an aggressive approach to breaking it up. Usually, surgeons suggest waiting 8 weeks before starting PT, but given that by then my scar tissue is so firmly entrenched, we decided to try something totally different. I'll have a couple of appointments each week. Additionally, I may need help driving up to Westerville on Nov 8. My aunt has graciously committed to taking me to multiple appointments, but hopefully, she can share the burden.3. Dog Walkers! This probably won't be a regular thing but I may need some help while we are at the hospital as well as occasionally post-op. I will check with a dog walker though so it may be a non-issue. Pupper is going to be at the kennel for a week so it would just be the Huskies.
4. I'll think of something else...
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