July 6:

Wow. No comments. I guess you're all holding back on the whining comments! It's OK!!

Mom is doing well with the new, lighter and more mobile cast on. She can now pull up pants, which is a big plus in ease of dressing. Her next appt is next Weds, which I have bowed out of, because next Friday, July 18th, is my Board Re-Cert Exam....

Yes, yes, everyone says "you'll be fine!", but that's not how it feels. While virtually everyone says how "normal" my brain is (relatively speaking!), I know how many gaps there are. The stuff I know, cardiology and internal medicine, is fine. Took a little when I first came back, but I feel pretty up to snuff. What's terrifying is the stuff that I don't use, because frequently I just stare at it and have no memory of ever knowing it. So lots of time now being spent with review books, making up flashcards that have an over-abundance if information on them (because the important points need to have an explanation, because I don't remember!). Infectious diarrhea was a long topic to get through (and that I didn't really WANT to remember!), now moving on to pediatrics, which means childhood cancers, genetic abnormalities and immunization schedules. AHHHHH!!!!!

Hesitant to say this, but I'm actually feeling better. I can now work a full day at the office and leave feeling tired, but without the massive headache, nausea and lightheadedness. Then I get home, rest for a short while and can function at home until bedtime. This is very exciting, because I can picture being able to adjust to this. The current schedule of three days a week has become much more "do-able" now, again; I can work with this. Since I'm not as wiped out from work, I can do errands on my days off and still think about socializing a little. The pain is better, although present every day, and any deviation from the schedule gets me tired and back to the headache/nausea/lightheaded. But I seem to recover more quickly, although I definitely do better with one entire day at home over the three days off.

Saturday, July 12th, will be the one year anniversary of the third (and final) surgery. So, really, that's not a huge amount of time considering how close the second heart, thoracotomy and third heart all were to each other. Maybe I can even get a little more back? I don't want to get greedy, because earlier the goal was to be able to work the three days and be able to function. And for having achieved this goal I am very, very happy and grateful.

Thanks for checking in, Laurie