Hi everyone, I am doing much better. I want to thank all of you for the support you have given Jack and me since I had the surgery in 2002. While I didn't know you were supporting me in those early months, Jack told me how much your words meant to him as he waited for me to get better. Now it seems to me that it was a long time ago. It has been years, but my site is a tribute to all of you who came together in support of a fellow traveler who was not as fortunate as many of you.
I am still traveling that road to recovery. I began swimming laps awhile back and can do 20 laps by backstroke. I now walk with a cane or, for longer distances, with a walker. In the house I go it alone. The other day I took my first bath with no assistance in or out of the tub. This was a milestone for me. I have continued to maintain my original weight loss of ll5 lbs. and this with little exercise. What is holding me back in that department are my knees. Partial knee replacement is in my future. But first there are some other issues I must deal with.
I had cataract surgery recently and hope that my vision will have improved. When I get my new prescription, I hope to be able to pass my driver's test since my old license has expired. That will take a lot of the burden away from Jack although he says I'm a danger in the supermarket aisles with the electrical cart. He'll ask me, "Were you in aisle 3? I noticed some cracker boxes on the floor?" What could I say but, "Heck no! It must have been someone else."
So the best to all of you out there. To those of you who are just considering this surgery please do your research. It is not simple surgery. The statistics are changing from when I had the surgery and not for the better. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT ANYONE HAVING THIS SURGERY CONSIDER THE OPEN CUT METHOD. THIS GIVES THE SURGEON MORE ROOM TO OPERATE AND DOES NOT REQUIRE THE PATIENT TO BE UNDER THE ANESTHETIC FOR FIVE PLUS HOURS. In my opinion, the laproscopic method increases the chance for problems during surgery. This has been my experience.
Everyone have a good summer. I'll talk to you in the fall. Wanda Smart