Recovery Mode

Since my two c-sections comprise my experience with major surgery, my anxiety about surgery is rather heightened.  So I was relieved to experience that the recovery from laparoscopy really is easier than abdominal surgery.  As long as I was diligent with my schedule of painkillers, I was actually in far less pain post-surgery than I was pre-surgery.  Unlike after a c-section, it didn't taken ten minutes and a few tears just to get out of bed!  And I didn't have a newborn to nurse numerous times a night! 

I spent the three and a half days since being released from the hospital taking very seriously doctor's orders, which meant no housework, no cooking and no childcare.  I honestly spent most of the time sprawled out on my couch watching reruns of Friday Night Lights on Netflix.  I was super exhausted, whether that was a side effect of surgery, the blood loss, the cold I caught from Soren or some combination thereof, so I happily vegged out until I got bored.  Watching TV was about all I could do because I was supposed to stay off my feet and I had discovered a strange side effect of pain medications I'd never experienced before - blurry vision.  Unable to comfortably read the newspaper or anything within arm's length, I called the doctor thinking I had become far-sighted  overnight. Luckily by Sunday, my vision problems started to subside and I could happily read the People magazines my mother-in-law had dropped off for me. 

The hardest part of recovery continues to be trying to take it easy when I really am feeling so much better.  I know I pushed myself too hard after Soren's birth and I'm afraid of repeating that this time around.  When you have tons of people around you taking care of you, it sounds easy in theory to literally not do anything.  But the kids wanted to climb up on the couch and cuddle with me, sunny weather beckoned me outside and dirty dishes and toys strewn about the living room taunted me.  Even though Chris was on full-time kid-duty this weekend, it was so helpful when his parents took the kids overnight, because it took away some temptation and allowed me to do what I was supposed to do - absolutely nothing - without feeling guilty. 

I'm keeping my fingers crossed this latest round of recovery will be the last.  I'm ready to move on with my life.  I want to return to tending my garden, enjoying the summer weather and running after my two energetic little boys.