Week 1 Post Op Update

Hi everyone!! Thank you so much for your continued support and encouragement! My recovery is going well so far. My biggest challenge every day is getting in and out of bed. It's difficult because I'm not able to engage my front abdominal muscles and must rely on my arms, legs, and side abs to help me get in and out of bed. It's also difficult for me to stay upright for long periods of time (2+hrs) including sitting and walking because my back gets tired. So, I do spend quite a bit of time in bed. However, I can feel my range of motion and strength improving each day. The highlight of my days has been having visitors drop by to feed me and/or spend quality time with me. It helps to have something to look forward to every day. One of the biggest life style changes I've made is to send my dog, Mustard, off with Erwin back to SoCal. They both left on Wednesday. My decision for doing this is so that I can focus on my recovery and also for Mustard to have a better quality of life. In SoCal, he would stay with Erwin's mom, stepfather, and grandfather. All of whom are at home during the day and can dote on him and take him for walks. Though I'm sad to see my Mustard go, I know he's in good hands and will be well taken care of. Once I recover, Mustard will come back home! So, more motivation for me to get well soon! Let me know if you guys have any tips and/or advice for (1) activities to do in bed or sitting, (2) shows to watch on NetFlix or Hulu, (3) simple exercises I can do to stay active and build strength without engaging my core. With love, - Teri PS if anyone has a pregnancy pillow I can borrow, please msg me!!

https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/team-teri/journal/view/id/59ea45eb8a13885568d75142