Damaged Fence (Before)

        

Fixed Fence (After) 

Hunter (my cat) approves.  He supervised and “helped” you know.  He always does.

 

After taking the above “after” pictures, I fortified and straightened the waves out of the crumpled fences using miscellaneous garden stakes and tool handles we had on hand around here, so it’s pretty goat-proof now…

 

Additional Exercise — Plus a Surprise Find!

 

I ended up walking two miles later in the afternoon, during which I found a perfectly good elliptical exercise machine for free.  As soon as I got back from the walk, I asked Jackie to ride over with me to pick it up, hoping it would still be there.

 

It was!  Yippee!

 

 

Then Jackie decided she’d try riding her bike (for the first time in three years) to see if adjusting/pulling the handlebars toward her as far as possible would keep her hands from going numb and hurting, so she and I rode two miles around our neighborhood.  The handlebar fix seems to have done the trick, so now she’ll consider riding with us on the Orting Trail from time to time (or with her son and his family, since they don’t go past South Prairie from Orting when they go).

 

So, even though yesterday wasn’t a designated exercise day, I got in quite a bit of exercise due to “logging”, fence fixing, walking, biking and spending a few minutes on the elliptical to be sure it worked well (it does) and all its functions work (they do)!!!

 

The logging entailed getting out our chainsaw, starting it, and cutting the big branches (more like small trees) about ten times, most of them (all but three) just to cut branches into shorter lengths so they’ll fit inside our outdoor barbecue pit…

 

Today’s Exercise Plan

 

Lisa and I are going to take our 28-mile RT biking trek again today. We hope to do it at least three more times before I go “under the knife” on June 9th, because I will be out of commission for bike riding for at least four weeks after that, and probably more like six weeks, unless I heal in near-record time. (I usually do.  I recovered from the chest masculinization surgery pretty much in no time at all.)

 

The panniculectomy will be more extensive, though.  I’ll have an incision from hip to hip (maybe even farther around toward my back) and an incision from my breastbone down to my abdomen so they can remove from eight to 14 pounds of excess skin plus any underlying fat  they need to take out to be able to stitch me up again.

 

Last-Minute Consultations

 

When Brie, the gal at the hospital, called yesterday to confirm my medical history and prescription details, she told me she was amazed I’m biking as much as I am every week — just amazed —  I guess because I’m 70. (She knew this because another doctor called a few days ago and quizzed me, so she had my history before her when she called; she was in training and I was her guinea pig. She did great, by the way!)

 

She also said I will feel and look soooo much better after the surgery.  I assured her I knew that or I sure wouldn’t be having it done. The apron rashes and oozing sores that cause me grief especially during the summertime when it’s hot will cease to be an issue and I’ll look better than I have in 44 years, ever since I lost 125 pounds.

 

I won’t even recognize myself — and that will be a good thing. 

 

She said, “Be sure to take before pictures!”

 

I said, “I already have.”

 

But I’m not sure I’ll ever want to look at them again.

 

I have never looked at my pre-chest masculinization pictures again. I don’t WANT to remember what I looked like before then because what was on my chest wasn’t me!

 

Nor is the hanging skin me, and never was.  I was just saddled with it and thought I was doomed to wear it for the rest of my life until my skin started breaking down and wreaking havoc on my undercarriage under the apron a couple years ago. That’s when I discovered, thanks to my chest surgeon Dr. Goldsberry-Long (and the surgeon for this next procedure ’cause I LOVE her and her work!!!), that a panniculectomy for medical reasons is covered by insurance.

 

Now I just have to get through what is slated to be a few miserable days so I can look forward to lighter, happier days ahead!  I’m focused on the results, not the procedure, so that’s what’s keeping me smiling!

 

I asked Brie if I had to walk hunched over for at least two weeks. She said, “Oh, yes!  Absolutely. In a fetal position (?!!!); even when you sleep you want to have pillows under your legs so the incisions don’t get pulled and will heal properly and quickly!”

 

When she mentioned the fetal position, I got really nervous.  WTH?! 

 

So then I looked it up online (“how to walk after panniculectomy”) and saw people using walkers, just slightly bent forward at the hips.  If that’s all she meant, I’m good with that!

 

But to me, a fetal position means having my knees pulled up almost to my chin, and I just couldn’t really see myself ambulating in that position!   (Better to crawl on hands and knees!)  I’m glad she didn’t mean what I envisioned when she said “fetal position”!!!

 

As Long as I Can Still Write/Type, I’ll be fine!

 

I suppose sitting in a chair typing a blog post will be allowed.  I sure hope so.  I can go without doing almost anything for four to six weeks EXCEPT writing!  I need to write the way others need to breathe!  NOT writing simply isn’t an option for me.

 

It’s lucky I do what I do for a living.  If I had a physical labor job, I’d be laid up a lot longer after this upcoming procedure!