Cam's New Lease on Life Journal (comments welcome!)

[keenercam]

Cam - It is not cheating to try to make the nbest of a very hard situation. That's awesome! I worry that you have only eaten 1 thing all day. I know you're not burnign a lot, but be careful not to starve yourself or bring your metabolism down too much with too few calories. You are such an inspiration! Must look into Overcoming Overeating.

Thanks, Carrie! Jenn brought me a mini bag of popcorn and an apple for a late afternoon snack and then I was fine until dinner.

Cam it really sounds like you are doing great with your recovery and that is good news! And not surprising given your strength and determination. That is so sweet about your dog, I have a friend who just had major back surgery and her dog has been the same way. They are truly our best friends!

You amaze me with being able to work from home through this, I'd be popping the pills and passing out in front of the tube cause I am a baby!

We don't have Dunkin Donuts but the new Subway breakfast sandwiches have me intrigued. I may have to try one!

Amy -- If my flatbread had bacon on it, it woudl have been 410 calories. OUCH!!! I'm not sure how many calories the bacon would have been, but I figure the version I had was probably 300-350 calories.

Dinner was another splurge. We ordered from a pizza place. I am sure I could have made a smarter choice than I did, but I got an antipasto salad with no dressing. It is a HUGE green salad with a hard boiled egg, 4 kalamata olives, grape tomatoes, and italian lunch meats. I don't get any dressing or oil or anything like that. It also had 2 garlic knots. Delicious. Not the best choice but better than pizza or the strombolis the rest of my family ordered. I was seriously craving a huge green salad. I am used to having one at least 5x/week and have haven't had any since my surgery. If I don't make salad around here, it doesn't get made.

As for my recovery, yesterday and overnight were awful. I might have overdone it yesterday with the new exercises. Pain-wise, today I'm back where I was the first couple of days but I'm reluctant to take the Dilaudid at the frequency and dose I took then. Now I know why the doctor was so insistent yesterday on me having an ample supply for the next week. I should have taken his word for it and taken the pain meds every four hours. How can one small joint hurt so darn much?

To make matters worse, we realized this morning that my Disney Cruise Line tote bag that held the clothes I wore to the hospital and in which Howard put my drivers license and insurance card was left in my hospital room. I am so frustrated that this is one more complication to deal with and really upset that my license and insurance card are missing. Howard went to the hospital this morning and no one knows anything and no one found it. They are pursuing some possibilities, including that my roommate's family (Did I mention that situaiton here? My doctor wanted me to stay another night but my roommate's family was so loud and obnoxious and there were 5 people crowdiing the space, so I was sort of "forced" to leave a day early) might have picked it up by mistake. I am so unhappy. On top of how lousy I am feeling, it is just so much to deal with.

Oh, and I took on three new cases between the last 2 business days.

 

[toystoryduo]

Oh Cam,

Sweetie, I'm sorry that you are in pain right now. Please be sure and take it easy, my friend.

I hope they find your Disney Cruise Line bag soon! I hope your roommates at the hospital didn't take it!

Sending our love and prayers from Ohio...

 

[keenercam]

Thank you, Tracy.

 

[wtpclc]

Cam - That's awful about your roommmates. Didn't realize that's why you didn't stay the extra day. So sorry about your bag. I do hope you find it soon and nothing is missing. What ar eyou doing taking new cases on right now? (I know, you can't turn them down, but it seem slike someone else should be covering this)

 

[keenercam]

Well, it's been another on-track day for food, so far, and DH and DD went off to have dinner and to see a movie. They love their "Daddy/Daughter" time as Jenn (almost 22) refers to it.

B: coffee w/skim milk & bites of dry cereal (wasn't feeling well enough to eat)
L: LC panini
S: apple
D: grilled chicken strips; green beans

ETA: Jenn shared some of her leftovers with me from Olive garden. I had a few bites of her fettucine alfredo w/spinach and steak gorgonzola. And I had mini fat free salt free pretzels with mustard.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Cam, I am so sorry you are in pain and have had this tote bag and liscense and insurance card go missing. I hate it when myself or anyone I love doesn't have a private room at the hospital! That is awful you had to leave early but was probably the best thing all things considered. I had a roomate from he!! years ago when I had surgery and can still remember that woman over 15 years later!

Can they give you a different pain killer that maybe you feel more comfortable taking so often? I know its scary with that stuff, you don't want to get hooked but you don't want to hurt! Hang in there.

That is so neat your dd and husband still have their daddy daughter time!

 

[keenercam]

Can they give you a different pain killer that maybe you feel more comfortable taking so often? I know its scary with that stuff, you don't want to get hooked but you don't want to hurt! Hang in there.

That is so neat your dd and husband still have their daddy daughter time!

Amy -- Nothing else even touches the pain, so I won't take it if it doesn't help. I figure it is better to stick it out until I can take the Dilaudid. The last couple of nights it has really helped me to sleep.

I am convinced that Jenn and Howard have such a great relationship because he was so involved with her when she was little. I worked long hours so he was with her more than I was and I think they just bonded from the time she was born. I'm really glad that they have that relationship. He is an excellent male role model for her as she goes through this phase of her life where she is starting to think about long term relationships.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As for my weight loss efforts this week, I am DOWN 6.6 pounds!!!!

Jenn's immediate response was "Well, it's easy when you can't go to the fridge or the cabinet for food whenever you want." That kind of made me sad. I was thinking of all the times I wanted to have someone bring me all sorts of food or leave it on my end table and didn't. And all the times Jenn or Howard offered to stop for fast food on their way home. Or when Andrew asked what I wanted from Rita's. All those times I said "no." I have to keep telling myself that there is value in that.


Food today:
B: apple, coffee w/skim milk, bites of dry cereal
L: LC panini; fat free, unsalted mini pretzels
S: dry cap'n crunch cereal

 

[toystoryduo]

That is so sweet that your DH and your DD went out to dinner and a movie!

Way to go on the weight loss, Cam! How are you feeling today?

Sending prayers and your way. Have a nice weekend!

 

[keenercam]

Tracy - Thanks for asking. When I am sitting still the pain can be as bad as 5 or 6. When I try to move it or put any weight on it, it is at least an 8. Hoping to see marked improvement soon.

 

[toystoryduo]

Tracy - Thanks for asking. When I am sitting still the pain can be as bad as 5 or 6. When I try to move it or put any weight on it, it is at least an 8. Hoping to see marked improvement soon.

Cam. I hope you see lots of improvement soon too! Are you still scheduled to go back to work on Monday?

 

[keenercam]

Yes, though I am completely intimidated by how far I will have to go on crutches to get to the ladies room. Andrew is going to be working in my firm's law library, so I will at least have his help on Monday and maybe a few days after that. He will take me to and from my office in the wheelchair and then I'll use crutches to get around the office suite. I'll pack my lunch and snacks and bottled water so that I'll only have to get around to go to the ladies room.

 

[goldcupmom]

OMG, Cam! I can't believe that now you have to deal with losing all your stuff!

Can't believe the weight loss! FANTASTIC!!

Sorry the pain is still bad. I also can't believe that you are back in the office on Monday. You are really a trooper!

Hang in there. Praying things improve soon and you find your bag.

 

[keenercam]

Thanks, Julie. The only consolation is that I won't be able to drive again for several weeks so there is no real pressure to replace the driver's license right now.

I can't believe I've been out of my office 2 weeks as of today. At least I've been able to work from home using our firm's remote server since my first day home from the hospital, so my partners really only had to cover completely for me for 2 whole days. I've worked the other 8 business days and we stopped at the office on Wednesday for my secretary to bring a redweld of stuff out to the curb for me, which means my desk shouldn't be too messy, thank God.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Cam, that is great you lost so much weight in one week! It would have been very easy to have people bring you food, and when someone is sick, people always want to do that! But you didn't and yes, that is worth a great deal. Also, considering you couldn't exercise, you clearly ate so on target it paid off.

I am so sorry you have so much pain, I know that painkiller and its good stuff. If it helps you sleep, that is a huge thing.

I am saying prayers that tomorrow sees that pain scale going downwards!

 

[keenercam]

Soo much to report from this weekend!

I can't believe what happened Saturday. I happened to go in my closet to get something and saw my tote bag on the floor. Neither Howard nor I remember picking it up at the hospital, bringing it home, emptying it (except for the pockets), or putting it in the closet. I'd been praying it would be found. Now I'm praying that God will forgive me for thinking ill of my roommate's family or anyone else who I thought might have picked it up. So, now I don't have to worry about replacing my drivers license or reporting my insurance card missing. Howard and I still just cannot believe it turned up. We are both completely flabbergasted. God answers prayers.

I am in my office today. Howard dropped me and Andrew off sometime between 7:30 and 7:45 (forgot my watch). Getting in wasn't bad at all because Andrew pushed me and most of my stuff in the wheelchair and then I moved to my desk chair and will use crutches to get around the suite. Once Andrew helped me get settled, I sent him to my favorite coffee shop to get himself breakfast and to get me coffee. He won't be here tomorrow so it might be a bit harder to manage. Fortunately, I don't have to be in court until next Thursday, the 17th. Hopefully I will be getting around better by then.

Our friends and their 5 kids came to visit yesterday, which was really nice, though when they got there, we were in the middle of a power outage (the second since Thursday). Everyone was so considerate. Howard was grilling with Andrew running stuff in and out, and our friends got all the kids' plates made while Jenn worked on side dishes. I was so spoiled and never moved from an arm chair in the family room with my leg up on the ottoman. My BFF Jason made a plate up for me, complete with cutting up my turkey burger. He even bought Howard a birthday cake so we could all celebrate together, early.

It is so hard to be so dependent but I hope I have done all I could to minimize the imposition on every one.

Pain levels were extreme during last night and I ended up taking pain meds twice, but forced myself to wait the 4 hours between doses. I just think that as I try to use my knee more it is going to be painful. But I am hoping that I won’t have such a huge transition when I start physical therapy since I am doing more now.

As for tomorrow, I am hoping Howard will get me up to my office, but I am not sure of his schedule. Since I won't have anything to carry except a lunch bag and my purse, I could always put it in a backpack and crutch it up to my office, just taking frequent breaks. I will work from home Wednesday and Friday because I have a doctor appointment Wednesday that Patty is going to take me to and on Friday, Howard will be busy with Special Olympics Friday afternoon and evening, down by his office after working all day. So, I don't want him to have to pick me up from work. I am hoping he might run home and get me later in the evening to take me to opening ceremonies.

Food has been really good. I think I am really learning to eat only when I am hungry and not in large proportions. And I haven't been snacking a lot, even when the food is on my end table or in a cooler bag next to the bed.

 

[toystoryduo]

Woohoo!!! I am so glad that you found your bag with the insurance card and license in it!!!!!

I'm sorry to hear that your pain levels have been high again. Sending lots of prayers your way, my friend!

I hope work goes smoothly for you as the week goes on.

Have a nice evening!

 

[keenercam]

Thanks, Tracy!

I ate too few points yesterday and the scale was up a bit this morning. I'll try to be more careful today.

B: light yogurt with sliced almonds (2); coffee w/light creamer (1)
L: LC panini and green salad with light dressing (6)
S: apple (1)
D: whole wheat pasta w/rotel (5); london broil w/FF cheese on bialy (4.5); green salad (0)
S: pretzel crisps w/laughing cow cheese (4)

 

[wtpclc]

You are doing awesome, Cam!!!!

So glad you found your bag! Scott adn I giggled over that. So like somethign I would do!

 

[Amy&Dan]

Cam, isn't it funny how eating too little can make that scale go up? Your food looks awesome, you are doing so well and being so disciplined. Good job!

I am so sorry your pain was so high in the night, I hope and pray you get some relief soon.

And I am very proud of you for sitting in your arm chair with your leg up and letting your family and friends take care of you! They know (as we all do lol) that you would do the same. It can be really tough to take the help but in the long run, you are doing everyone including you a huge favor by allowing your body to heal.

Great news on the tote bag, God does indeed answer prayers! And your roommate's family will never know a thing about how their behavior caused you to be suspicious of them! Ignorance is bliss and it was only natural for you to wonder!

 

[keenercam]

Carrie - So happy to know you understand how that could happen.

Amy -- Thank you for making me feel better that the other family would never know. I hadn't thought of that, but it is one less thing to feel badly about.

Well, I ate a little too much last night as far as volume, though not over my points. I was too hungry when I got home and probably should have eaten salad or green beans to fill up a bit before eating anything else for dinner. Being more careful today.

B: coffee w/light creamer (1); light yogurt w/almonds (2)
L: whole wheat pasta w/rotel (4)
S: apple (1);noodles, peas & grilled chicken (4)
D: london broil (3); whole wheat wrap (2); chicken (2); light mayo, apple & walnuts (2)
S: turkey burger w/FF cheese (4.5)

Hmmm.... planning that out it is clear I can have more food. I am going to give some thought to what may be "missing" from the overall nutrition value and try to supplement.