Monday, November 25, 2013

Sex, Menses, and Nudity

What's been going on since my last recovery post?  Not much, everything is going well.  I'm feeling close to normal.  I will point out a few things about my recovery that I didn't mention in previous posts, though.  The following can be considered private or touchy material which is why I originally didn't mention some of them.

1.  Although my libido is healthy and rarin' to go, my husband is scared of hurting me.  According to the doctor I was fine to have sex, as long as I felt up to it, as of two weeks post op.

2. I have always been a very vivid and active dreamer.  I always remember my dreams, but for almost a month after surgery I rarely remembered a dream.  This may have been because my sleep was so broken, but I'm not sure.

3. My November period was nearly two weeks late.  This is a common occurrence after major surgery.  Your hormones get all messed up and it can take some time for things to get back to normal.

4. For about three weeks after surgery, food tasted off, almost like it was going bad.  Not all food, just some things.  I'm not sure if this was because of some medication, or more likely because of the pinched occipital nerve in the back of my head which can cause some numbness of the right side of the face, which, I assume, can effect the taste buds on the right side of the tongue?

5. One of the main things I missed for over a month was the simple act of picking up my cat and cradling her in my arms like an infant as I walked around the house.  I wasn't allowed to pick up anything over five pounds for the first two weeks and anything over ten pounds until week twelve.  Although as of today I am only on week five, I started picking her up...she's not much more than ten pounds.  I only lift her up into my lap, I don't carry her around, yet.

6.  For about a week and a half after surgery I could see better without my glasses, but then my vision went back to the way at was before.  I have no idea why this happened.

7.  For the first three weeks post op, I had some random mood swings.  Most often when these happened it was a sudden burst into tears for apparently no reason.  Other times it was anger or, more accurately, frustration.  This is normal after major surgery and usually clears itself up within a few weeks.

8. One of my medications has manifested in me an annoying side effect, restless leg syndrome.  Thank goodness it is a mild version and only bothers me for up to two hours after I take my pill.  Another annoying side effect of one of my medications is a runny nose.  It is a very watery running and can happen suddenly at any given moment.  One minute I'm fine and the next it is like my faucet starts to drip!

9. I have found that I am one of those people who have no qualms about displaying my war wounds.  I am by no means proud of them, but I find no shame or embarrassment in them.  These scars are part of who I am, and if anything, they are a story for the whole world to see: "This woman has been through a lot, and now she is stronger for it."

10.  It is hard to stay down.  I am supposed to rest a lot. Yes, the doctor says I need to walk and get some very mild exercise (20 minutes a day of walking) but I need to rest a lot. I just can't sit on my ass all day!  I've got shit to do, man!  I may not be an athlete or super active, but I get way too antsy just sitting around "healing" all day. 

I see the doctor again on December 6th, we'll see what he thinks about how my healing is going.  In my opinion, I'm doing great.  I feel good, not near "normal" yet, but better than I was.




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