whenever a healthcare provider moves into the patient role

French toast with blueberries and sausage is a very good breakfast when your body is knitting itself back together. It sends a message to new parts, that are getting acquainted with older parts, that the boss (you) are going to be treating them right. Plus, French toast is known to encourage the production of endorphins. 

I sliced the bread extra thick but neglected to take that into account when soaking it in the custard before baking. It was still quite acceptable on the deliciousness scale. 

The calendar tells me it has been 19 days since surgery. These are the thoughts that run through my mind in no particular order:
Will I be ready to go back to work in 10 days?
Should walking still be somewhat uncomfortable?
Why does it feel like I still need this cane?
Maybe I should use more pain pills?
And of course, the inevitable middle of the night, "hey what's that and why does it hurt?"

I am reporting on all of this because we humans just want to be sure we are "on track" don't we? We like to be sure that we are having a "normal" recovery. We change our expectations from having the fastest recovery ever in the history of this particular surgery, to being  in the "acceptable" range. 

Whenever a healthcare provider moves into the "patient" role, all our words of support, encouragement, and sound advice regarding how hard to push it and when to use analgesics play around in our heads. Chris asked me the other day if going through this will change anything I do as a part of my work. The answer is a resounding YES! What I will do a better job of is educating patients and their families about how they are going to second guess themselves at every single turn, driving themselves crazy with all of the uncertainty and expectations. Then I will hand them a card that says "You are YOU, different from anyone else that has ever had this done, YOU are going to recover at YOUR pace and no one else's, and when you start thinking differently, send me an email and I am going to lovingly remind you of this". There will also likely be a hug involved, depending on our relationship. 

I will then tell them that French toast with blueberries, sausage, and syrup can have a very soothing effect on whatever ails them.

Comments

[jacki long]

Sound like you are right on track, Carol. I do remember when I started walking the first day, it felt like they had inserted a extra heavy cement block, which got smaller as they days went on.I'd say keep the cane but don't use it, maybe use as a baton leading a parade/

[Chris Oliveira]

Oh, how I wish I could eat that, but eggs and I do not get along well when they’re a main attraction. As always over all the years I have been reading your blog, your words resonate with me. My post op PT starts today, and I am so anxious to start. I have no worries about returning to work, as I am retired, but I haven’t driven a car since early October. If you are ready in 10 days, awesome. If not, I hope you take care of yourself and keep that promise to your new hip. You doing you has always been pretty awesome from what I can see. We’ve got this!