Today was the first day I really felt “back.” I gave it my best shot Friday, but towards evening my body felt like it was ravaged inside by a storm. I was resting in the recliner, doing some reading, when I felt my neck become extremely stiff. Within a span of ten minutes, I went from feeling comfortable in a t-shirt and shorts to wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Chills broke out and I cowered under the sheets, shivering. I tossed and turned all night, my pulse racing in my ears.
My body apparently has a way of reacting to infection, or stress, or something unknown, by breaking out in a full-body rash. It doesn’t itch, but it can knock me over from the temperature changes it creates. Right now my skin looks like I’ve got sunburn. None of my doctors have been able to figure out what causes it. Fortunately, it doesn’t happen often.
Today was a better day, in spite of my lack of sleep. Hallie was still not feeling well herself, so she presented a challenge to us. She could not understand why she would be refused when she said “pick up Hallie” in front of her Daddy. I’ve been limited in what I can lift, which means not lifting Hallie. It breaks my heart to see her cry when I can’t pick her up; she is such a Daddy’s girl.
We went to the park for a bit around noon, but the sun was quite hot: above 80 degrees. Hallie’s still running a fever, so she quickly overheated, which didn’t help her mood any. We retreated to the cool of the house, where our attitudes improved. We napped some until Hallie’s sleep was interrupted by a coughing fit. I tried to coax Hallie into watching basketball with me but she was elusive. After a pre-dinner walk to the park, though, she seemed to be feeling better. In fact, we all were. I felt well enough to cook dinner for us: scrambled eggs and grits (anything beats Ensure).
I’m now feeling rested and full. Of the changes I’ve already felt, one is my ability to lie down without my throat getting irritated. I never realized what effect my stomach had on this until it was patched up. I can also lie on my stomach with no problem, too, which is something I avoided for the longest time and for the same reason. My stomach stays closed now, which is how it should be. Very cool.
Also, my sneezing is different. I sneezed twice today, which is about one-fifth of my typical daily quota! When I did, my sneezing felt solid. I don’t know if this is from the esophageal swelling or if it’s a permanent change. Just different.
I can also still belch, though I was told that this might not come easy. Again, this is not something I aspire to do, but nice to have the choice. 🙂
So I’m starting to feel somewhat normal again, and starting to notice the benefits of the surgery. The only pain I’ve felt today has been the pain of hunger, as a soft diet doesn’t take me too far. Still, that’s a welcome change for me, as I’ve been concerned for years that my lack of hunger pangs was a sign of my broken stomach.
One of my biggest challenges now is resisting the urge to get active right away. With the warm weather, I’ve been fighting the urge to get out and go biking. Just a few more days, I suppose.