I’m thankful for a beautiful day. We opened up the sliding doors because the temperature had dropped so much. I was able to sit outside in the sunshine for a bit and read, we ran a couple errands after which I needed a nap, and I had ice cream for dinner. Yay!

My mom went home today, so starting next week, I’m on my own while Patrick is teaching. I’m sure I’ll be fine. My biggest concern is keeping track of Cooper. He still has his bursts of puppy energy and hasn’t mastered the art of listening yet, so I’ll have to be on my toes. Thankfully, Patrick only has a couple of days where he’ll be gone a full day.

I’m grateful for my mom’s help the last couple of weeks. She got me through the hardest part, and if things go as they have been, I’ll be back to normal soon.

Friday! As if it matters since I haven’t been working. The days are blending into each other. I did see my oncologist this morning. My blood counts are low, presumably from the surgery. I also have another UTI, so he wants me to get my kidneys checked. He also wanted to give me another shot to shut down my ovaries since the 3-month dosage doesn’t seem to be working, but I asked to wait. The last shot in my arm hit a nerve and I couldn’t handle that today. I need to follow up in a month and we will reevaluate it then.

I’m thankful for an ok doctors’s appointment, a quick visit from my friend Ann, and for disappearing heat.

I had a follow up visit with my surgeon today. He’s very happy with how I’m healing, but he cautioned me to continue to take it easy. No lifting anything heavier than 10 lbs for 6 more weeks, no vacuuming, no walking the dogs, nothing that would strain my stomach muscles. Doing so risks a hernia, which I do not want. It’s also the reason I need to continue wearing a stomach binder. However, I was able to switch out the uncomfortable compression bra with Velcro that sticks to everything for a regular sports bra. AND I got the last drain out, which is so freeing. I no longer have to choose my clothes based on what will stretch over a tube coming out of my hip. I’m grateful for that!

Unfortunately, some of the transferred fat is already turning hard on my left side, so we also discussed the next “revision” surgery, which would correct that and anything else that pops up. Since my doctor’s schedule fills fast, he said they would get it scheduled now for a few months out. While I know tweaking after the fact is standard for diep flap, the thought of another surgery is exhausting. I don’t even want to think about it.

I also don’t want to think about the fact that Patrick got sideswiped in the clinic parking garage after dropping me off at the door. He missed my whole appointment. Thankfully, no one was hurt and he can still drive his car. I guess I’m also thankful it wasn’t his fault; it’s just a bummer that his door is scratched and dented and will need to be fixed.

I’m thankful for our working air conditioning on these extra hot days, for sleepy pups, for moving around more, less random nerve pain, and fresh tomatoes.

I’m thankful today for organizing my craft room a little bit, for a super quick nap, for friends and family still checking in on me, and pizza—at a restaurant!

We got a little more done in the garage today and sold some of the items we no longer needed on Facebook marketplace. Yay! I’m thankful for gaining some space and getting organized.

I’m also thankful for a visit from a friend this afternoon. I haven’t seen her since before my surgery, so it was good to hang out for a while and laugh, even if she and Patrick gang up on me. The pups love her so they were happy, too. And, as if a visit weren’t enough, she brought treats. Too sweet.

I’m thankful for my mom’s help today. We went through some totes of holiday decorations we have in the garage and got rid of ones I’m no longer using. We also cleaned up as we went along. Since I can’t lift anything over 10 pounds, or bend over, or twist, or pull, she did most of the work. Luckily, we had some nice weather early in the day so we got quite a bit done before it got too warm. And I got too tired. Hopefully we will find a day this week where we can finish up.

I’m thankful today for getting out of the house for a little bit. I was actually able to walk around a couple of stores without too much trouble. We picked up lunch, and I sat outside for a while this afternoon. It was our last cooler day before we get a heat wave coming though, so I took advantage of it. I

t’s amazing how just a couple hours of being active is tiring still. I probably could have napped this afternoon, but I didn’t. Instead, I watched a couple of Hallmark movies with my mom. I have to remind myself that it’s not even 2 full weeks since my surgery, so I have a lot of healing to do still. But I think I’m doing pretty good. I’m grateful to be making incremental improvements every day.