I have been working with my plastic breathing exerciser this week. As I mentioned before, I was up to 2,250 ml and had been stuck there for a while. Today I was determined to get to 2,500. I've been at it off and on all day and managed to get there just one time. That's better than not at all but still a little frustrating. I go back to the surgeon tomorrow for my first follow-up appointment. I'm curious to see if 2,250 is a reasonable level or if I should have been able to achieve better than that at this point.
Today I got a little stir crazy from being at home. I have some visitors coming this afternoon (yippee!) and so I decided to sweep the front walk to clear away the needles from the spruce tree. It's not a long stretch. Nevertheless, I'm a little sore now that it's over with. Evidently my broom movements involved things they had to slice through to perform the surgery. I just stretched things, though. I didn't pull open a seam or anything. Audra keeps telling me not to overdo. Now she's right and I'm NOT happy! It'll go away, though. And probably good for me in the long run.
Surgeon appointment at 8:00 tomorrow. I'm going to continue to strive for 2,500 ml until then.
About this blog
I had a lung carcinoid tumor. It was removed, along with the lower and middle lobes of my right lung, on November 6, 2007. This is a slow growing form of a malignant tumor. I considered the title "malignant me" but that seemed too negative. I locked in on "Not by myself" since that captured how I have felt during this whole, long run. I have set up this blog for people who want to know how things are going. I'll update it regularly, I hope. I'll probably be posting all sorts of things in here. Please check the Category List below to find posts on a particular topic. 
3 comments:
Keep up the heavy breathing-- but not TOO heavy! And though it will be wonderful to see you back in your office, please don't rush it--take advantage of rest time for YOU! You won't have the opportunity again until you retire... L,sw
your recovery from this surgery has been great so far, all the things that we worried about haven't happened, and you are improving daily at an impressive rate, you (and we) are really lucky. But as great as it has been so far, your body is recovering from a major trauma, and it will take a long time to get over it. Try to be patient, don't get discouraged, or try too much too soon.
Hopefully this morning's visit to the doc will give you info on what to expect next, what to do (and not do) so that the recovery will end with the best possible outcome in the long run.
WOW! I am impressed 2,250 is my personal best on the incentive spirometer and that's without surgery. That's just being bored in a hospital room while visiting. You're doing great!!!
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