Prior to doing my rehab today, I was scheduled for my first rehab evaluation since my valve repair open heart surgery. Now I'm thinking that this evaluation would be about my progress on the various exercise machines, what I think about the New Heart Rehabilitation Program, how well I think I'm doing in rehab and things like that, right?
No, no, no! This was not the case at all; my appointment was with the house "Shrink". It came as a complete surprise to me that my appointment was with a therapist. I'm expecting to talk repetitions and ask if I can start upper body exercises while she is wanting to know about my history of insomnia and how I'm doing emotionally since my chest was cracked open.
For the last couple of days, ever since Dr. Levy, the surgeon, told me that my healing was going to take time ( rest, relax, and don't get greedy), and that I was still in mild congestive heart failure (I hate that term), my emotions have been right under the surface.
Well, you can guess what happened. The water works opened up and continued until almost a whole box of her kleenex had disappeared. Dr. Levy, the surgeon tends to give you the hard bare bones facts, while Dr. Blake, my cardiologist, tends to hold her cards close to her chest, giving you the facts only in tiny increments which are heavily dosed with sunny optimism. As the therapist pointed out, the real truth is probably in the middle.
I'm the type of person that likes to know what I'm letting myself in for. I certainly don't fancy expecting the unexpected. What in God's name are these heart surgery people talking about anyway? Who wants to turn a corner and slam into a brick wall? I would like it if all these medical people could just be up front with what to really expect after open heart surgery. They could at least tell you about the more common complications and what to do about them.
I'm still a little bummed out, can you tell?
Kathy and Judy, our precious friends from South Carolina, are leaving tomorrow in the early a.m. They have been wonderful to hang out with. Judy spoiled me almost every single day with a Star Bucks Mocha Frappe. She is a Star Bucks junkie and she pretty darn near made one out of me while she was here.
Kathy will be 60 years old in August, so we (Judy, Connie, Lynn and I) decided to have a little early birthday celebration for her here in New Mexico. We went to the El Pinto Restaurant for dinner. El Pinto has only average Mexican food, but it does have a delightful one-of-a-kind vine covered outdoor dining area. The patio is spectacular with its enormous old elm trees, and trumpet vines. We even had some odd-sounding Mexican bongo music as a bonus.
After dinner, we came home for desert and presents. Lynn and Judy had put their heads together earlier, and somehow came up with a birthday cake decorated like a Navajo blanket. Kathy was both surprised and elated. It was the perfect ending to a perfect visit. I'll miss those two amazing people very much.
Tomorrow, I'll be alone again and no more company in sight. Guess I'll have to cowgirl up won't I?
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