The Hospital Chronicles - Episode 5: A Way Over Yonder

One of the very most important aspects of getting better and thus, getting OUT of the hospital is walking. As I told you, the staff made me get up on the side of the bed my very first night after surgery and "dangle" (that's a real medical term boys). So after considering my future in the hospital, I decided that I would just have to start walking as far and as often as I could stand it.

Saturday was a hard day because the doctor said I could possibly go home that day. Then after some blood tests and such, he decided that maybe I should stay just one more day to make sure everything was going to be okay before he sent me home to Marshalltown. It was then I decided that I would just show that doctor that I was ready to go home.

I typically had been walking to Room 4 and back (I was in Room 2 so no big journey). Then I walked around the entire ICU and out into the hall, down the hall a short ways, and back through the double doors. It was kind of fun because there were those handicapped buttons that you puch and both doors magically open. So every time I entered the ICU from the hallway jaunt, I made an entrance. And as we all know, all I want is to be the center of attention.

After a few of those walks, it became easier. I would make sure I had a pain pill before I went on a serious walk, because it did still hurt. After a while I was taking my own tray out to the cart and such. I did walk halfway to the shower (which is quite a ways away from ICU) but I had to ride back in the wheelchair. Then later that night I walked alone to the ICU waiting room for visitors. They have leather couches in there!! So I made some phone calls and then walked a short ways down to see the birdies in the aviary. That was neat. So walking became my way to get healing faster and to make me tired enough to sleep maybe 4 hours in a row at night.

When I was released on Sunday I didn't walk much when I got home because I was a little tired. But then Anita took me one day to Walgreens and Hollywood Video and I walked around there. It was good but it still tired me out. I guess I'm just surprised that the fact that all the energy in your body is constantly working on healing whatever it is, that you can tire so easily. But believe me, it's the best exercize you can do after this surgery. Especially if you have had a massive hernia fixed. Probably Pilates is not the first thing on your list to get done. Actually the ability to wipe my own ass was the first thing on my list, but walking was right up there...