Chapter 10. I Suck at This.

No question about it.  I am not a nurse.  I’m not even a caregiver. I have no tolerance for pain or discussion of bathrooms.  GB has a long haul ahead of him.  His head hurts.  His neck hurts.  He’s dizzy.  He’s tired. He can’t hear anything. This is normal after surgery like this but let’s face it, he’s a man.  

Men should spend two months in a woman’s body.  Then they’d know something about pain.

So, when I ask him to put a number to his pain, he says 3 maybe 4.  Wow!  He thinks that’s a high pain level.  That’s my body on a good day.

Ok.  Not about me.  About him.  Well, it’s about both of us because he’s recovering from brain surgery, and he’s stuck with me as nurse.

On the bright side, I managed to get GB to do his exercises twice today.  They’re chair exercises and I did them with him.  Then I too a walk.  Then he needed medicine, so I drove out to Kaiser in Aurora and picked it up.  Then I made dinner.  We watched an episode of Lioness  and All Creatures Great and Small.  He’s back in bed.  I did the dishes.  

This is boring and now I’m writing a boring blog.

Bottom line for today: His body has to heal and it will take a few weeks, perhaps months before we’ll see the effects of the surgery.

So, for those of you who read this and pray, put in a word or two for me.  Find me some patience.  Some empathy.  Some minimal level of human kindness. Help me fill my days with projects that have meaning.  Help me relax and accept this unwelcome change in my life.


Comments

3 responses to “Chapter 10. I Suck at This.”

  1. zany4fa63a00ae0 Avatar
    zany4fa63a00ae0

    Felicia, you’ve been a remarkable caregiver for Gene (learning something new each day). You’ve also been Gene’s advocate. It’s important, however, to take care of yourself, too.

    Like

  2. agile43fab5842c Avatar
    agile43fab5842c

    Felicia, I have done this and it is the very hardest…be kind to yourself (I wasn’t) and it took a toll

    Like

    1. Thank you. This blog is my outlet.

      Like

Leave a comment