I’ve slowly been catching up on about ten week’s worth of the Colour Me Positive challenge on Facebook. Here’s the first five that I have completed. I’ve used stencils – including StencilGirl and Tim Holtz, Dina Wakley and Dyan Reavley paints, Tim Holtz distress paints and various metallics.
I sort of can’t believe it’s two months since I updated my blog – that tells you just how sick I have been because I love social media. I’ve hardly Tweeted either really. Here’s the short version.
Last time I blogged I’d been off work for three weeks and thought I was coming right. Umm, no! I’ve had almost 7 weeks off work, been in Base Hospital and generally felt totally lousy and bone tired. None of this is the surgeon’s fault, it’s just been cumulative problems due to the surgery and a bad reaction to some of the drugs. They think it could be another couple of months before I feel really better because it’s been so rough.
My sister Ailsa ended up going back to the surgeon in Wellington with me for a checkup then staying with us for over a week nursing me – thanks Ailsa. Tony has been his usual patient self – for once it’s me getting the nursing. I now know what he did for his patients for all those years on the ambulance!
Anyway, I’m still very tired, but gradually getting there. The up side is that I have lost around 35kg so far, so past the half way mark now. Here’s a recent photo:
I have been off work for 3 weeks but have done very little art; I have been sleeping a lot as I heal. I’ve managed weeks 37 and 38 of #colourmepositive and the latest LisTEN for my unplanner. Dylusions paints, stencils, collage, Fude ball pen, gesso.
Last time I posted I thought the anti-nausea pills had me sorted. I was wrong. I’m now taking some they use for cancer patients, and life is a lot better, but it’s been pretty rough getting sorted. I drank nothing but flat ginger beer for a week! In the last couple of days, I have managed a couple of flat Berocca and a few glasses of water with diet lime flavouring. So, a huge improvement but liquids still make me feel a bit sick.
Oddly enough, food is fine; this week the plan adds things like a 1-egg omelette (I can eat about 1/3-1/2), thinly sliced beef with 2 teaspoons each of mashed broccoli & lite cream cheese, or mashed egg rolled in ham. Although I often don’t eat quite as much as they recommend, I am coping fine with the tastes and textures.
As the surgeon said, most people can drink but not eat, so your case in unusual! Terrific…
In the meantime, Tony continues to be his usual patient self, helping me prepare meals, getting my breakfast ready, making me laugh with appallingly inappropriate comments. (don’t ask lol)
Someone obliquely asked me if I regret the surgery. Hell no. This is a hiccup on the way to a whole new life. What’s to regret?
Last week I was sailing through the post-surgery recovery, feeling great. On Saturday the nausea kicked in with a vengeance – food was ok, but trying to drink water was almost impossible. The only way I could manage it was tepid water with a little diet lime flavouring. I went from drinking 1.5ltrs a day to well under a litre, feeling sick constantly.
Anti-nausea pills have it pretty much sorted but the combination of too little to drink and a (teeny) high protein diet induced the worst Gout I’ve had in years. Yesterday I had to use my walker and even then I was barely mobile. The nurse at the weight loss clinic said to get whatever meds I needed down me, and rely on the Losec to protect my tummy. I spent all day yesterday sleeping off the meds and today am walking with just my walking stick.
I’m still a bit nauseous – one sip of water can be one to many – but am clearly on the up again.
On the flip side I have lost just over 10kg since the surgery 12 days ago and am 200gm off 20kg since the pre-op diet began at the start of August. My body doesn’t feel a lot different, although I am wearing clothes I haven’t worn for a couple of years, but my face us changing.
Cath Sheard Art 