The Grass is not Greener on the Other Side

I've been home almost 3 days.  Coming home was difficult.  While in the hospital, I fantasized about how easier some things would be, and how happy I would be to be home.  It's a whole lot harder;  I've had more pain.  The actual trip-- preparation, leaving, and getting into the house were hard. I was thoroughly exhausted and having more pain than I had expected.  Even though I have great help at home, I am doing a bit more for myself and covering more territory than I did in the hospital.  I figure that contributes to my increased pain. It is hard to make myself do my exercises, but I can plan for my coordinating my pain pills and exercises better.  The day after going home, I went to physical therapy.  I was a bit apprehensive since this would be my first male therapist.  But after Slayer, this guy was quite manageable.  He even massaged my knees, which helped loosen things up in there so much!  After therapy, I was focused on how much time had to pass before I could take more pain medicine, and totally forgot that ice would have given me much relief.  I may have to resort to posting notes around to remind me about pain relief.  Things that I know just don't come to mind when I am in pain! 


Since I have to be on the CPM machine to bend my knees for so many hours, I spend a lot of time in my bed, rather isolated. Last night I went TV shopping online to buy a small TV to help pass the time while on CPM.  It was a planned purchase to be done before my surgery, but it just didn't happen.  I decided that I did not have to thoroughly research this purchase--it was not like I was spending a ton of money for a decision that I might regret.  So I made the purchase at Best Buy, and because of Christmas, they were open until 11PM,  and I sent my guys out to pick it up.  Easy as that.


Before leaving the hospital, the doctor told me that getting back in the water would be the best thing I could do, and it would speed up my progress.  I've decided to continue to be recovering from 2 major surgeries the remainder of the week-end, then go back to the pool and machines next week.  Just getting there will require more energy than I have now, much less exerting energy to do the work.  I may just be talking big.