Second Half Of November

As I wrote in my previous post, my girl is home! She has been home for 3 weeks now and it has been great having her here.

I'm sure you won't be shocked to know who has been getting the most of the love and attention from the college girl since she has been home...

 One day, Mei noticed herself in a mirror for the very first time. It was really funny...

A few days after Briana got home, she went to her best friend Mary's 18th birthday gathering. The girls painted pictures and enjoyed some (non-alcoholic) drinks...

Briana painted a lovely picture of a church on an autumn day.

I continued to walk with my boot for about a week after Bri got home. It was still really difficult for me to get things done lugging around a heavy boot - including cooking. So, Doug and Bri were great at keeping me fed.

 

Some of Doug's meals...

Briana's pasta meal...

Don't get me wrong, we have had our fair share of delivery and takeout since my surgery, but I have been lucky to have some really good home cooked meals.

 

I did get this fortune from Panda Express...

 

I am not sure if my sensitivity is always an asset though! It causes me so much anxiety and angst at times. It is a double-edge sword for sure!
 

Toward the middle of November, Doug decided to pull out both of our large Christmas trees (upstairs and downstairs) and just get them set up. We enjoyed them ornament free for a little while before we got them decorated...

On November 17th, I still had my boot on, but I ventured upstairs for the first time in two months. I took it very, very slow. Once I got up there, I sat on my bed. I started to cry. I couldn't believe I hadn't been upstairs in two months - it was emotional for me ...

I continued to sleep downstairs for another week because I still wasn't allowed to walk anywhere without my boot on. I did sleep in my boot for two weeks while I was still non weight-bearing (that was fun - NOT). When I finally got the ok to sleep without the boot, I still needed my scooter for when I got up at night (I didn't want to take my boot on and off during the night). The scooter was better suited for downstairs.

 

The last weekend I wore my boot, with the help of Doug and Briana, we got both of our large Christmas trees decorated...

 

I usually have a crystal garland wrapped around my downstairs tree, but it is very labor-intensive. I decided to ditch the garland this year and just put up ornaments. It is still very pretty. And I have bows on the upstairs tree.
 

The last night I wore my boot, Doug, Bri and I watched "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" together (our favorite Thanksgiving movie)...

I added these figurines to our Thanksgiving decor...

On November 25th, I got the ok to stop wearing the boot and slowly started shifting some of my things back upstairs. On November 26th, I finally slept back upstairs in my master bedroom. I took a shower upstairs as well - without a shower chair. It felt wonderful. 

 

Now, I still really struggle with heel discomfort - even today. But, I am able to do a lot more than I used to do.

I enjoyed WKRP in my bedroom the night before Thanksgiving...

I had hosted my family for Thanksgiving at my house for the past 11 years, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to do it this year. Not with my slow recovery. So, my sister hosted Thanksgiving this year at her house and it was so very nice. My sister has a new adorable doggie who is still getting used to her new home and meeting new people, so it all worked out beautifully with the family gathering at her house this year. 

 

Doug and I still provided the turkey (I get it all prepped and he gets up super early to stick it in the oven)...

 

 Briana posing for me before we headed out to my sister's house...

 

Wonderful Thanksgiving memories...

The Saturday on Thanksgiving weekend, Doug and Bri met friends Kira and Khalid for lunch and some pinball/video games at a nearby arcade. I wish I could have gone, but I would never have been able to stand that long...

And this might be cheating a little (since it happened December 1st), but I am going to include in this post a lovely dinner that Bri and I had with friends Amy, Valerie, Mary Lin and Amy's mom Mary who was in town visiting from FL for Thanksgiving. It was so good to see Amy's mom again - it had been many years since I had seen her last!

I am still struggling with discomfort in my heel/foot every day. There is no doubt I heal a bit slower than the average person (my incision site is STILL healing and I am 11.5 weeks post op). I was told by my doctor it could be 6-9 months before I feel "normal" again. Because of being non weight-bearing for 8 weeks and being in a boot for 4 weeks, I have messed up my back, hips and knees. It was impossible not to. So, I have decided to go to PT starting next week to try get myself straightened out again.

I have many moments when I feel like I am not healing fast as I would like to. Lately, I often feel like I am failing as a mom and a wife. I am not used to needing so much help on a daily basis. I hate not being able to drive yet. It is so hard not being able to do all the things I want/need to do - especially during the holiday season. 

 

My girl sent me this reel a couple of weeks ago (I snapped a screenshot)...

 

She made me feel really special! I really needed to hear this because I have my off days for sure. 

 

I am avoiding the mainstream media and as much political news as I can - that has been a bit helpful for my mood. I refuse to willfully partake in any of the insanity that is ensuing and will continue to ensue.

 

So, my next few posts will be all about Christmas. I am very, very behind when it comes to Christmas. I did get my house decorated for the most part and it took quite a while - but it is done. Still have LOTS to do.

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas season. I'll be back soon!