8 Weeks Post-op

Answered prayer - coming back to life

scrappy hair

Can't believe it's been 8 weeks since my surgery! It has taken a long time to recover and it's been quite a bit harder than I expected. I'm surely not 100% yet. It's been so good that I haven't had to push myself though since I am not going back to work and Bob is so patient with me. I have been back to exercising at the gym for the past three weeks. I could only walk on the treadmill for a half hour for the first week. The second week I started on the elliptical machine for 15 to 30 minutes. It really wasn't that hard, but then later I felt very nauseous. Now I am able to go 30 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes walking! My legs are quite stiff later on in the afternoon and evening. It's amazing how weak my legs and knees are after about 5 weeks of being pretty inactive except for my walks around the neighborhood. I've sure been able to get so much done at home also.

The bigger news is that the last 3 days are the first in over a year that the nerves in my face have calmed down! It seems like 8 weeks is a big turning point for me; I can barely notice any sign of the nerve issues I was feeling before. I am hoping that it will all continue to improve. Just a few days ago I was feeling a bit discouraged when the nerves felt worse in my face and shoulder after exercising and when I was tired. So, my symptoms overall seem like they are greatly improved. I still think I have a ways to go for a total recovery. Also, as those who have Chiari know, symptoms can come and go. So, I don't know what to expect, but it all seems to be moving in the right direction. My stamina has greatly improved. I went out to do some big shopping at BJ's yesterday and was able to walk through the store and come home without feeling totally wiped out like I would previously when shopping. My neck muscles are also much stronger and as I exercise I also work on stretches with my neck. Since starting to use Mederma my incision scar has smoothed out and diminished.

8 weeks post-op

Now...what to do with my hair??? For now I am happy to not be blow drying, letting it dry on it's own and clipping back the long parts. I have one long section in the back at the crown that covers my scar and short hair. Then I have two long bits of hair on each side with no long hair in the back; it's pretty well camouflaging that I had surgery. I usually just wear a scarf when I go out so it's not noticeable that my hair is all wacky in the back. Let's see how long I can go without cutting it. For now I'm just cutting my bangs as needed.

This morning when I was waking up I was thinking about how God has answered my prayers for healing. It's so nice to wake up feeling good. Over the years I have prayed for answers to what was going on with my body. For God to reveal it or for my symptoms to just go away. Of course this past year I became even more urgent for an answer to be revealed. This morning as I was thinking about it all, I thought about how God must have chosen just the right time in my life to expose things. I really don't know the answer to why now, but that's how I'm thinking about it right now. I know that God has his own timing and he knows what's best for us; we just need to trust it since it doesn't always appear that way. I just feel so blessed to be retired and not to feel all the daily pressures of work, so it has been a great time for me to have a surgery and recover. We're so blessed that Bob has an incredible career that allows for me to be home and that our insurance through his work has paid for nearly all of my surgery expenses. We're so blessed to have such dear friends that have helped us through this time. So grateful!