I overdid it yesterday, but I’m recovering. I sat in a 2 hour seminar about social media and then dined out. In all, I was out of the house from 8:30 to 1. Mom came over for coffee at 1 and I didn’t have enough control to even pour.
Before my collapse, this would have brought me considerable and non-terminating pain. Now, by 9 pm last night, I had my muscles back in check, working again.
I’m sore as heck, and really tired, but I’m functional.
My current functional limitations:
- I can sit for about 1 1/2 hours before cramping.
- I can drive a car for about 20 minutes with minimal discomfort.
- I can ride as a passenger for about 45 minutes.
- I can walk without mobility aid for about 2000 steps.
- I can run my wife over with the electric buggies.
- I can program in 30-60 minutes spurts.
- I cannot stand for more than a few minutes without pain.
- I can prepare about 3/4 of a meal. I need help chopping. I can finish cooking the meal, but I need someone to take over in the middle to let me rest.
- I cannot sit in a chair/pew without a cushion.
- I cannot lift more than a gallon of milk (8 lbs) without pain.
- I cannot run or walk in heeled boots.
- Pushing buttons on a joystick hurt bad.
- When in pain, changing channels with a remote control is painful, so I’ll put on a movie that will be long so I don’t have to change anything.
- I cannot read a paper book. The movement of turning pages is too painful.
- When in pain, pouring and drinking a cup of liquid is impossible.
- 1/2 day of light activity requires 1 1/2 days recovery.
- I can purchase a grocery bill, but loading and unloading the groceries to/from the car is extremely painful (and exhausting).
- Taking a shower remains an exhausting task. The required movement of my muscles in unusual positions to wash/rinse/dry/clothe everything is daunting.
- I pay bills as they arrive as writing more than 3 checks becomes painful. Check #4 is barely legible.
In all, things are improving, but we still have a long way to go before I get to a point where I’m happy with my physical self.