It had been many years since I visited downtown Bellingham but I had heard stories about the quaint town and the interesting shops. Last week my sister and I drove her new Tesla across the border and down to Bellingham for an exploration.
Unfortunately the museum was closed on Thursdays but we wandered through the streets and alleyways.
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On Friday I was the victim of a SCAM. The screen of my iPad said that it had been corrupted and I should call APPLE Support at the number on my screen. Foolishly...I did. That began a cycle that was carefully orchestrated by the perps. They were just convincing enough to make me follow along with their instructions while I continually questioned them. Their answers always made enough sense.
The end result, after many hours, was that the tone of his voice and his instructions alerted a survival mechanism that sent me directly to the RCMP. My phone continued to ring repeatedly while I was driving to the detachment. I ignored it.
During a visit to my bank later in the day I discovered that they had manipulated funds. My accounts are now frozen. Credit cards have been cancelled. Yes, they did attempt to put through some fraudulent charges. Apparently, according to the RCMP officer, I was much luckier than others in the past week who lost $60,000 and $80,000. My loss so far is $500 which I hope will be reimbursed by the bank.
My computers have been cleaned by a verified APPLE Support Technician. New credit cards will arrive soon and the bank will unfreeze my funds once they have evidence that my computers are cleared of any fraudulent activity.
It was like I spent the day in an alternative reality, acknowledging the possibility of fraud while mentally willing myself to believe the person on the other end of the phone. They are very good!
Daily walks are more comfortable since I have been able to lace up my supportive athletic shoes. It is not easy and the right shoe is not secured as tightly as I would like but it makes a world of difference to walk in good shoes again. The daily goal is 10,000 steps on one excursion. So far I am able to accomplish around 9,000 steps in two outings but could probably do more with a little effort. Early morning is the best time to avoid this heat wave that is impacting us right now.
Sleeping has improved also with a combination of two pillows between my legs resulting in fewer wakeups and more comfort overall. I have been a bit impatient for my body to fully recover but, considering my age, it has been good.
I have followed my mantra of "one day at a time" and recovery has progressed smoothly. Sleep has been an ongoing issue and it has been a struggle to feel rested during the day while sleeping on my back in 2 hour segments.
Two nights ago I returned to my side of the bed (leaving John's side to his memory) and lay on my side with two pillows between my knees. There was no discomfort and I slept for 4 hours before waking to a slight ache. A visit to the washroom, a glug of water and back to the same position with pillows secured between my knees and back to sleep for another 3 hours. What a relief to be able to sleep on my side again!
A slow return to work at the Thrift store has gone well. Today I will extend my shift to 3 hours. Walks have increased to almost 10,000 steps managed in two daily walks around the neighborhood. There is still some discomfort but not enough to require pain medication.
On May 3rd I had hip replacement surgery with spinal anesthetic and sedation. Thankfully, I was totally unaware of the procedure and woke up in recovery some time later. My leg was an unmovable limb with no feeling. The nurse used a catheter to drain my bladder and I was transferred to a room for the usual overnight stay.
It was obvious the next day that the pain medication as administered did not address the pain that I was experiencing so adjustments were made and the decision to keep me an extra night in hospital.
My sister took me to her home on May 5th and we embarked on a routine of exercises, pain control and seemingly endless trips to the bathroom. A telephone consult with my doctor ended with a requisition for urine and stool analysis and an antibiotic prescription for potential infection.
Meanwhile I was not getting much sleep due to hourly bathroom visits through the nights. The biggest challenge was repeatedly wrenching myself out of bed with a leg that had lost muscle control. Upper body strength was critical and shoulders ached. Hydromorphone muddled me and by May 8th I stopped taking it, resorting to a combination of tylenol and ibuprofen.
Naps became essential in between exercises. My sister was a goddess throughout this time and I gradually regained strength under her care. Electrolytes and probiotics helped to maintain a balance. With stool results showing negative infection, the doctor switched antibiotics to address a UTI. My gut was reeling from all of the foreign substances it was enduring...spinal injection, sedation, hydromorphone, celecoxib, Tylenol, ibuprofen.
On May 23rd I finally returned home after a second physio appointment. The walker and crutches are no longer necessary...just a cane when I feel the need. Exercises are ongoing for quite a while but I was happy to settle into my own home and forever grateful for the care and attention from my sister. I could not have done it without her support.
Since returning home I have enjoyed visits from my friend Arlene, son Adrian and little grandson Frankie. Sleeping has been better with longer intervals between waking. Diligent sessions of stretching and exercising are improving muscle control. My mantra continues to be "One day at a time".
My sister returned from Arizona to host Christmas dinner this year. The decision was made to enjoy a meal of lasagnas and salad instead of a traditional turkey dinner. I decided to incorporate turkey in my lasagna creation along with sausage, mushrooms, zucchini and the usual tomato sauce with herbs. Unfortunately it was a tasteless, dry dish...but... fortunately my niece brought her huge casserole of delicious lasagna!
My brother-in-law's parents, aged 94 & 95 were unable to join us because of illness. There were ten of us around the table this year including my one year old grandson. Despite suffering from pink eye and a cough he was in good spirits and high energy throughout the visit.
