Thursday, August 27, 2020 – POSTED: August 29, 2020
Sleeping is an important part of the healing process. About three years ago, I got rid of my bed and switched to a Japanese style fold-up mattress. With my back troubles, that helps keep my back in place, plus gives me a multi-use room.
The big draw-back is that one has to stay above the GRAVITY FED drain tube between the catheter and the urine collection bag. So my normal mode of sleeping is out until the catheter comes out.
This was not to be an issue. I slept two nights in the recliner downstairs. This is not a big comfy one. This is one that belonged to my ex-wife’s grandmother. It is comfortable, but not great after all the years of use after a couple of nights.
OK, so I’ll use the fold up recliner I got last year. I folded up a comforter for padding, I used a pillow to cover the tube that digs into my ankles. It’s better for a nap, than a full night’s sleep. I made it work, but only slept about five hours.
So now, I’ll have to use the futon. My fear is that when I’m dead asleep, that my son’s big dog will want to join me and step on me or accidentally jump on me. He acts like he’s worried about me and has to keep sticking his nose between my legs of he sits too close so I can recline. He’s a big lovable baby, but he doesn’t always realize how his bulk is often a bulldozer.
Then there’s the cat. I dread it jumping on my abdomen. It didn’t when I slept in the recliner in the living room, so maybe I’m good.
Since I’m Awake
I get up and decide to take a shower before the house is all hot from the heat of the day. It felt wonderful.
For some reason, the site of the drain tube is still not scabbed over. So after my shower, I put a new gauze pad on it. Naively, I only used one and it soaked through my clean shorts.
So I changed it and used two gauze pads and pulled the waist of the diaper over it.
It’s not like puss, it has the look of iodine. It also doesn’t seem hot to the touch, or angry red, or swollen. All the signs of infection I was advised to watch for. I’ll message the surgeon and see if there’s any concern that it’s still not closed up.
Trash Day
Thursday is trash day. I’m able to take care of all the little trash cans in my room, the living room, and the bathroom. The kitchen trash will have to wait for my son to get home, and then he can wheel out the dumpster. The trash services around here use wheeled carts and have robotic arms on the sides of their trucks, so they move very fast.
Clean Dishes
My daughter-in-law washed the dishes that had built up over a few days last night, so I put away the flatware and other kitchen utensils. I also washed and dried my dishes from breakfast.
Busy Work
I turned on the computer and published today’s article manually. I need to set them all to auto-publish and take the manual step out of the mix. I then started outlining my day.
I’m not sure if I’ll keep going into detail now that I’m blogging my day as it goes. I like the idea of a record of things, yet I fear it is too much detail for some.
My brain runs faster than I can type, so I often lose ideas because I can’t type them up fast enough. I am far from a slow typist. I type everyday for work and then regularly for hobbies.
Desk Chair
I need a new desk chair. I really need to spend some coin and get a good one. The one I have is probably 3 years old, but is having issues. I should have ordered one before surgery, but again, I didn’t want to buy something I wouldn’t need if I was dead. This thing is so close to being a decent chair. I can’t find what adjustment would keep it from wobbling. Something about the way it sits on the base must be worn out.
I’m reminded of this every time I sit down for work, or to do something on my personal computer. I like this chair except for the way it’s not sitting right on the base. It’s comfortable, good on my back, etc.
Low Energy
I did far too much yesterday and got too little sleep last night. I crashed hard for a couple hours in the recliner. The trick is to be active instead of just sitting and doing nothing, and not going past your limit. I felt fine when I went to sleep and thought I’d get as much done today.
I should have known better from my car accident recovery. I’m not as sleepy and exhausted as that ordeal, but I just kept going as long as I felt good. I should have stopped a couple hours earlier than I did.
Rest
I had a nap in the living room recliner. It helped but I was still worn out. I did some more stuff on the computer. Supper was late, but I revived a bit from it. I dozed off in my desk chair waiting for my granddaughter to finish reading a book to her mom. I slept on the futon in the living room.
Men's Health in My Perspective 