Feeling GREAT, (re)building fitness

No matter what you plan for surgeries, sometimes there are things that throw a wrench into the works.
Carpal tunnel surgery for the right hand was at the end of March. I was expecting six weeks of low activity with the right hand.
I prepped food, diced and froze onions for easy meal prep, and more.

What I didn't take into consideration was:
1:     Having a horrid reaction to something topical post surgery. Six days post surgery and the reaction kept building, and we went to the ER when swelling at my left eye lid occurred.   ER Phy. Asst took one look and said essentially 'oh yes, you need Prednisone'. 

I happened to have an appt with a dermatologist at the University Hospitals the next day and the ER doc said to definitely keep that.  The experienced dermatologist took a look at it and said "pine resin allergy"  "Colophony"!  I am excited I have a name for it. The bad part is , in can be in pretty much anything: makeup, surgical prep wash, adhesive bandages (hence steri strip issues). He recommended Domeboro for soaking on the blister rash (mix, submerge washcloth, put washcloth on forearm) and then cover with a prednisone ointment as well.

Three weeks post surgery, the reaction is still visible but not scary to view

I thought the hard part of the surgery recovery was going to be the waiting to do stuff, but it was the trying not to scratch off my arm! 

2.    Not having enough food prepped. Seriously, not sure what I was thinking, but I look back and wonder how a week's worth of food was suppose to help for a month!  We do not even have that much freezer space! 

3.   Working out. Somehow I was thinking that since my wrist was going to be tied up/bound, that I would still be able to go do stuff.
Um, that didn't work out. Not being able to use the wrist meant tying shoes was a no-go, putting on a sports bra was a no-go, and washing my hair was a no-go. So even if I had gotten up with The Mike, and he had dressed me in female sports attire, I wouldn't have been able to get the thing off, and I wouldn't have been able to clean up by myself either.

4. The length of time it took for the forearm to completely heal. (sigh, that was three weeks of rash/soak/ointment/binding).

What I had taken into consideration:  Making weekly appointments for hair wash/style. The Mike may have been able to wash my hair, but I wasn't going to ask him to blow dry and straighten it for me! 

After a few weeks of going stir crazy, going to the grocery store and getting gluten free/soy free frozen meals (SO thankful they exist in 2019!), making a date night to the custard/ice cream store, I felt like I could do stuff, but my wound and doctor said no.

I found the UDIs Mug Cakes at a store about an hour from me. I thought they were a nice treat, but not something I'd have every day. Each individual package has directions on them too, so I think they'd be great for travel/hotels! 

 My first day back working out was a walk down to the river. 

Did I mention there was flooding in March?
It left yuck in so many places.  It isn't as bad as those in Western Iowa  or Nebraska have had though! 
There there is this tree that makes me laugh. The park is off the bottom and is only held together in this section due to the dastardly Virginia Creeper! 

The Mike volunteered at a bike race in April, and registration was at a winery!  It was a gorgeous day and I had to capture the gorgeous Spring day in the sky/clouds, and the pattern of the grape vine fencing. 

Who can have a bad day when the sky looks like this?
(and when it is not a drought!)

Yes, we brought home some wine too!  

Giant victories for me post surgery:  

1. I was able to finally use this again. The hand pain (post car collision) that kept me from using it for three years is gone post carpal tunnel surgery!  

I am working my way up. First three minutes was a hard and now I'm at six minutes.
It may not be Olympic level, but I'm getting back fitness. 

2. I am able to knock off /drop the weights that the jerks leave on the leg press machine. I haven't been able to do this for three years and is the main reason I stopped going to the gym :(  Regardless of the signs posted to have courtesy and remove weights from machines, this guy never did. He still doesn't.

I figure if the guy doesn't care enough to stack the weights where they belong, then apparently it shouldn't matter if they drop two feet onto the mat? Those big weights are 100# plates. I might have been able to lift 100# before my injury, but not now :(  

3. Leg press, and then toe extensions with the weight.

Along with some exercises still for the Plantar Fasciitis which rears its head every so often, and ab work, that's what I'm doing for the gym.  I've been trying for the weights 3 x a week, and then five miles 2x a week. After today's five, I think I'm ready to take it to three days a week for mileage!  

I still cannot place my hand flat on the floor, as for some yoga poses.  I'm working on it!