well, ladies. it's like this. i've known for a long time that there had been a tremendous amount of support on this board during my unfortunate incarceration, but until now, i didn't have the courage to read the threads. it was just all too close for me to handle.
but now, i've read most of them, and all i can say is THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART
i always had the sense that i wasn't in control of the healing, and now i know why... it was all those prayers, warm thoughts, hugs, everything, from all of you. too many to name individually.
when i was admitted to the hospital, i couldn't walk two steps. or stand for more than 10 seconds. even with the cane
when i left the hospital, i could walk about 15 feet with oxygen and the cane
when i left the nursing home, i could walk down the 40 foot driveway without oxygen but with the cane
on november 6, the first weigh in since leaving the hospital, i had lost 75 pounds. and was wandering around without oxygen, but with the cane. could walk about 50 feet, but could stop and catch my breath standing up, rather than sitting down.
right after thanksgiving, the pulmonologist said i didn't need oxygen
and now, i use the cane for reaching for things, not for walking, unless it's late at night and my leg is swollen, or i have to walk a long distance, like a mall. or get the dog's attention.
and i've been doing 45 minutes of raul every morning this week. and doing laundry, and groceries and all kinds of other stuff.
if it hadn't been for your support, i doubt that i would be doing this well...
my next official weigh in is april 17. it'll be at least a total of 180 pounds.
oh, and for the record, welbutrin and zyban are the same thing. the generic name is buproprion. it's a dopamine reuptake inhibitor, which is one part of the complex serotonin cascade, kind of on the other end of the process. it acts very much like prozac, except that it's active on dopamine.
it's been helpful in getting people to stop smoking [nicotine binds the dopamine in your brain; the zyban/welbutrin unhooks it and you no longer crave the nicotine, since you finally have some dopamine available to you. does it make sense that you're making your dopamine levels worse by using nicotine? it's the same principle of craving carbs...]. it's been theorized that there will be some long-term applicability to other addictions, like FOOD.
now, all i need is a job.
oh. and one more thing [yes, i could just keep going like this]. i noticed that peachie didn't tell ya'll about her own adventures in the nursing home [unless i missed it.] she was in the elevator on her way to see me, with her new painting projects. unfortunately, the head of the arts and crafts dept was on the elevator as well, and oohed and aaahhed over peachie's efforts. and then tried to recruit her into helping the residents paint!!
Of course it was a typo! I meant to put an f in front of arts!!!
