Thursday I go in for carpal tunnel surgery on my left hand. Last year, about this time, it was my right hand. It all started in my early 20's when I worked at fish processing in Alaska the summer before my final year of college. I guess considering it took 20+ years to get bad enough to do something about, that's not so bad. I have been fortunate to rarely have pain, only numbness. Last year's surgery went very well and I have been pleased with the results. My surgeon retired, so this hand will be done by a different doctor. Hopefully, the results will be equal to or better than the last surgery.
I am right-handed, so I expect that the non-then-limited use of my left hand will not be nearly as difficult as the right hand was. I have already been visualizing my days and thinking of the ways that I use my left hand. It is probably no surprise that it gets used a lot. Just imagine simple things like getting dressed or cooking a meal withone one of your hands. Tricky, right?
Truthfully, I am not very concerned. Vicki took excellent care of me last year - helping me whenever needed - and trying to get me not to push myself too hard. She is wonderful! I am only planning on taking Friday and Monday off of work. I'll see how it goes after that. If I am careful, I can still do my job with one hand - much of my job is done on the computer, or in meetings. I really don't want to use vacation time recovering. I should look into short-term disability, shouldn't I? Hmmmm........
Anyway, last year we went to Bremerton for my recovery. Figured since I had to use vacation time, we should visit someplace pretty - took a ferry there and back, stayed in a place with a nice view, had some great meals. This year, we have decided to enjoy some downtime at home. I can sleep in my own bed, have lots of icepacks handy, and still have a beautiful view. Not a bad recovery plan. :)
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
Friday, October 05, 2012
Life is Good :)
The summer flew by and in some ways it hardly seems possible it is already fall! I have been wondering if I should just shut this blog down since I write so infrequently, but I just never know when the blog bug might hit again! It seems for a number of us formerly frequent bloggers, short updates on Facebook have taken over some of the communication we used to do on our blog. I know I really still enjoy opening up a friend's blog and reading in depth about what is going on in her life, so maybe I should also be more willing to share myself. :)
For those who have been following my life for a long time - here is the family update:
Kids are doing great in their new schools! Kelton recently got his results from the state standardized tests he took at the end of last year (4th grade) - and he is (was then) reading at the end of 8th grade level, and doing 6th grade math. I am so proud of him! Kaylen is doing very well in school and has taken up soccer this season. She is a natural athlete and has caught onto the game very quickly! It is fun going to see her play every Saturday! Each Saturday varies as to who all is cheering her on, but it has been various combinations of Vicki, me, Kelton, Casey, Stephanie and her son, Andrew (who usually has his own games). Casey and I both almost have all of our stuff out of the old house, and into our new homes. Since the market is so bad right now, I plan to rent it out, and hope to get renters in by November, if at all possible. It will be good to get that done and in the hands of a property management company. I am ready to really move forward in my new life in a new home with Vicki and the kids, and I know Casey is, too. We all only live about 5 minutes from each other now, which is great!
Vicki and I are mostly unpacked other than some boxes in the garage, but have not started decorating, hanging pictures, that sort of thing yet. Putting holes in freshly painted walls seems so.....daunting somehow....like what if I don't like it there once I put it up? I know, silly stuff, and ultimately, no one is really concerned that it hasn't been done yet. Vicki and I are enjoying our time together, both alone, and with the kids. We focus a lot more on enjoying life than what the house looks like, aside from really loving the space and the park-like setting we are fortunate enough to live in. Our days are filled with working, reading, spending time on our iPads, going to movies, going to soccer games, finding food for us and the kids - a challenge finding acceptable options for us all sometimes, and recently - tai chi. Vicki and I have started both tai chi and tai chi cane. I have only been to one class, and can say I definitely felt very energized and loose when it was over. The kids have expressed interest in karate and Vicki found what looks like a good school. She has two black belts in different karate forms, and knows what to look for. Kelton took karate a couple years back, but they really pushed hard, classes were two days per week, and they were always wanting us to purchase more gear so he could participate in whatever new thing was being taught. If he missed a class, he fell behind. Apparently good schools do not operate that way. If the kids continue their interest, we'll probably get them signed up to try it out, as long as Casey has no objections. I think there is a lot to be learned from martial arts, even if it is not something I pursued myself.
Life feels pretty good right now. All of us love the new house and are falling into new routines. The pool is no longer a recreational option, so we'll have to find other activities, especially to do with the kids as an alternate to iPad games and TV, as we get into the cooler months. I am taking CLE's (Continue Legal Education classes) online, mostly via MP3 recordings that I listen to on my way to and from work. Vicki is taking classes via iTunesU. We're both focusing on getting up and moving more. After two and a half years of being together in vacation mode - too much eating out, lots of play time, exploring Portland, and such - we are starting to pursue individual interests again, developing some shared pursuits, and are generally working on getting our minds and bodies healthy. Yup - life is good!
For those who have been following my life for a long time - here is the family update:
Kids are doing great in their new schools! Kelton recently got his results from the state standardized tests he took at the end of last year (4th grade) - and he is (was then) reading at the end of 8th grade level, and doing 6th grade math. I am so proud of him! Kaylen is doing very well in school and has taken up soccer this season. She is a natural athlete and has caught onto the game very quickly! It is fun going to see her play every Saturday! Each Saturday varies as to who all is cheering her on, but it has been various combinations of Vicki, me, Kelton, Casey, Stephanie and her son, Andrew (who usually has his own games). Casey and I both almost have all of our stuff out of the old house, and into our new homes. Since the market is so bad right now, I plan to rent it out, and hope to get renters in by November, if at all possible. It will be good to get that done and in the hands of a property management company. I am ready to really move forward in my new life in a new home with Vicki and the kids, and I know Casey is, too. We all only live about 5 minutes from each other now, which is great!
Vicki and I are mostly unpacked other than some boxes in the garage, but have not started decorating, hanging pictures, that sort of thing yet. Putting holes in freshly painted walls seems so.....daunting somehow....like what if I don't like it there once I put it up? I know, silly stuff, and ultimately, no one is really concerned that it hasn't been done yet. Vicki and I are enjoying our time together, both alone, and with the kids. We focus a lot more on enjoying life than what the house looks like, aside from really loving the space and the park-like setting we are fortunate enough to live in. Our days are filled with working, reading, spending time on our iPads, going to movies, going to soccer games, finding food for us and the kids - a challenge finding acceptable options for us all sometimes, and recently - tai chi. Vicki and I have started both tai chi and tai chi cane. I have only been to one class, and can say I definitely felt very energized and loose when it was over. The kids have expressed interest in karate and Vicki found what looks like a good school. She has two black belts in different karate forms, and knows what to look for. Kelton took karate a couple years back, but they really pushed hard, classes were two days per week, and they were always wanting us to purchase more gear so he could participate in whatever new thing was being taught. If he missed a class, he fell behind. Apparently good schools do not operate that way. If the kids continue their interest, we'll probably get them signed up to try it out, as long as Casey has no objections. I think there is a lot to be learned from martial arts, even if it is not something I pursued myself.
Life feels pretty good right now. All of us love the new house and are falling into new routines. The pool is no longer a recreational option, so we'll have to find other activities, especially to do with the kids as an alternate to iPad games and TV, as we get into the cooler months. I am taking CLE's (Continue Legal Education classes) online, mostly via MP3 recordings that I listen to on my way to and from work. Vicki is taking classes via iTunesU. We're both focusing on getting up and moving more. After two and a half years of being together in vacation mode - too much eating out, lots of play time, exploring Portland, and such - we are starting to pursue individual interests again, developing some shared pursuits, and are generally working on getting our minds and bodies healthy. Yup - life is good!
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