Thanks everybody. I'm hanging in. I am taking advil and trying not to take too much percocet. I just hate being in pain and trying to live "normal". I have too much to do. I am letting little things go, which is fine. The house is not immaculate, laundry not all put away.

We had a great block party last night so I got to kind of forget it all. About 100 people. They had a huge inflatable movie screen that they projected the movie The Incredibles on. Very cool. DJ, lots of food, egg toss and kids games. We do it every year and it is alot of fun.

Don't worry about the house, worry about yourself. Take care of you because if you don't who will?

I used to clean all the time and everything had it's place. But as I slowly adapted like to paper plates and plastic cups, I also just quit making the bed. Who cares anyway, we just get back in later. Laundry gets put away when it gets put away. I have a series of laundry baskets, it was easier for my hubby to see what a load is. When it's full he takes it down or I kick the basket over and kick it to the basement and he takes care of it from there. I used to fold my sheets but slowly again adapted to not doing it and now my DH is happy as a clam, he just shoves them in the closet for there next use.

Seriously, if they want something done then they can do it. Cook? Here's the take out menu...pick what you want since U can't help with cooking! Now he cooks too. His favorites but I'm not complaining, tacos, burgers, steak, shake N bake, chili and grilled cheese. He thinks he's awesome to when he makes dinner and i thank him so he continues to do it oh so well. We go to BJ's wholesale club and he picks out stuff that he can do,w/supervision. His new favorite stuffed shells...open a jar of sauce! Magic.

We buy fruit already cut up because it would rot before he did it and I'm not supposed to so I'm trying to adjust. It's more expensive but ...I'm worth it.
Mashed potatoes are already made in the refrigerator section, just nuke them. Salad in a bag, shredded carrots...you should see him go. Sometimes he gets fancy on me and puts feta cheese on the salad!!! I still have to tell him what goes together and when to put stuff on for timing but what a 360 after he went to my appointment.






Take him to one of your appointments and let him hear it for himself, that's what worked for me/us.

After reading all the things we are not to do, I realized that I have not been doing most of them for some time. It is time to return to the many limitations I guess. The hair blower thing is a "biggy" for me too. Used to wear a wig to eliminate the pain and now I think I'll go back to that.

I live in Las Vegas by the way. There really aren't any qualified TOS surgeons. Several years ago, when surgery was recommended bilaterally, I did ago to a thoracic surgeon who said "I have little bit of TOS in my pinky sometimes." I went back a little later and asked his receptionist how many TOS surgeries he had done, and she replied "one or two. I'm sure you all understand why I opted out of that one. Also had a GP tell me the cure for my problem was to "cut your head off."

Oh well, another day is in progress and I hope all of us will make the best of it.

Sharon-
LA is not so far away, maybe you could visit one of the TOS surgeons here? Sounds like maybe even coming once a month to see Dr Saxton or Jordan would be a hug step up...
?!?

maybe that GP of yours could go cut his own head off.

oh yeah...and definitely true about taking hubby to the appts...took DH to my first botox injections and Dr jordan told him i wasn't supposed to spend more than 2 hrs on computer each day, forever.... (i had just been dx'ed so it was big news to me as well)

my hubby would not have believed it if i just went home and told him...but bc dr jordan told him, he was really on board when i had to stop working.

frankly, everything would be so much easier if there weren't kids to worry about. (don't get me wrong, would NOT trade the little buggers!!!) but I practically feel like i am back to my full time job already, even though i am just at home. no rip on my hubby, here, there is no way either one of us could od it all alone, even completely healthy. Kids just have a lot of needs.

i guess the option is we could all be dead, so i'l keep what i've got I just hope that the surgery helps me to be able to function at least at 75%.....i'll be really happy if I can get that much.

and what is it about laundry...i HATE putting laundry away. wow...something about getting through folding everyone's stuff, and putting the little kids' away, by the time i get to my own, it just sits in the basket till i wear stuff again...i swear i have about two baskets worth of clothes that i wear regularly....and they just rotate in and out of the clean and dirty baskets maybe i could get rid of my dresser

ah well, go to go get everyone ready for 14yo's soccer game....see you later today, maybe. gentle hugs to all!!!

"always thought he just listened better when i yelled louder...still not 100% sure who is right"
Jo Kat you sooooo have it right on the money here!!! I think he dosn't listen until i start to yell then he thinks it's serious. So I have to yell to feel like he gets what I am saying or I say are u listening to me??? then make him turn off the tv and get rid of distractions and tell him what I was going to say if I can remember by then....lol.....

Thanks for that one!!!!

love and hugs,
Victoria

I'll have to admit I very rarely fold anything unless I'm feeling really good
- I cram it or roll it and into the drawers it goes- if wrinkled when I want to wear it I toss into dryer to fluff it.

When i was working the 4-10 hr days {5:30am - 4pm}{ counting drive time -50 minutes a day} and if stopping for groceries on the way home {add 30 minutes approx}
- we lived out of our laundry baskets for years LOL.
Those kind of hrs really leaves you with little time for family & other things. On the Friday off it was try to recuperate.

If company came we would hide all the clutter them in our bedroom and shut the door.
I'm telling all my horrible house keeping secrets now

gone by the wayside I am afraid!!

I have a spare room that has so much laundry to be ironed it is hillarious....door stays closed so I can walk past without guilt..need something I will iron it if needed if not too bad......I have a lot of cotton things so dryer would shrink them ...boo hoo....for me.

dirty little secrets....you should see the cat hair tumbleweed at my house you could knit a sweater with it I guess there is a little of nmine there too...lol

love and hugs,
Victoria

hahaha...everyone in my house has very thick very long hair, including my husband until about 2 mo ago.....our bathroom always looks like we have a big shaggy dog...but it's all our own hair!!!!!


on the screaming again- i think it is true that sometimes if i am holding back, when i start yelling and screaming i do explain myself more clearly ('cause i am not holding back anymore), so i think there is something to be said for my hubby's point of view...but other times i know i have said the exact same words 5 times in a calm voice and he just didn't feel like listening to them.... like most things, i think it can go both ways.

ah men. i did get him to take the oldest to her game and i got to stay home w/the baby. better for me, no hour long car ride each way!

You guys are so funny and so true! As I've said my 4 year old sleeps with us so her room is the laundry sorting room. I do so much laundry and can't put it away. Kids are big enough and I am trying to get them to atleast put it away. I should only deal with mine and 4 year olds! Tomorrow all will be in school. I would not trade them for the world but happy all will be in school tomorrow. I have such paper work to do and haven't taken care of which causes alot of stress.

As much as we say this is a life sentence, I guess we have to realize, it is our life and do what we can to make it the best we can. I wish we could all meet. Like a major TOS conference. Maybe by Sharon in Las Vegas. Since, what happens if Vegas, stays in Vegas!!

Linda