Day Eighteen

Given that today is a national holiday, like most people we just took it easy. I had another night of good sleep, and managed to stay awake all day today except for a brief 10 minute nap in the afternoon. I was much more active today, helping with cooking, cleaning, unpacking, etc. Yes, I did this all without violating my six week "No BLT" restrictions - no Bending, Lifting or Twisting.

Though the pain levels continue to remain the same, I really felt the urge to get out of the house and to also see my parents, since I hadn't seen them since they were in Maryland. So for dinner we met them in Fairlawn at a restaurant called Pad Thai and had a nice dinner; it was really good to see them again.

I managed the car trip and the time at the restaurant just fine, absolutely no issues. However, Brad and I made a quick trip to Wal-Mart down the street afterwards, and that proved to be a bit much. I wanted to pick up a small "tv tray table" and to see if I could find something to rig up a foot stool for when I sit on the couch. There are always a few odd things you end up purchasing for surgical recouperation and comfort, and these are the items I wanted this time around. While we succeeded in finding what we needed, 30 minutes of walking around the store and being on my feet, after a day where I had already been quite active around the house, was pretty exhausting. I was glad when we were finally back home.

In regards to Brad's mom, she is continuing blood transfusions and dialysis. There is still no known date for when she'll be released from the hospital. Today Brad got to speak with her, for the first time in a few days; it's been hard to connect with her in between treatments, tests and her trying to get sleep. His mom sounds tired but better than she has in previous days, and while she has suffered from some confusion recently, her mind was clear enough where she was able to recite Brad's cell number from memory. She is one smart lady with a sharp mind.