Hi, anyone, how does one reinvent your life after having major surgery, cannot work. I have to nap ever day. I cannot get my heart rate over 120 nor have my head lower then my knees, that leaves out most exercise. Friends are working, kids are grown. Any suggestions??????
Ivivi...almost a year since I failed to say "welcome"...when you were so new...
I always wish we could reinvent/reinvest our lives...even replace the lost years.. family/friends who we lost...(illness/death)...or have moved to another area/state...others who did not, do not, understand or care to learn...
Best suggestion I can "remember" and offer...I had the blessings of a tremendous investigative author...no, we did not meet (distance)...I was blessed w/several phone conversations...
She suggested...daily...to note in daily format (is that a diary...not diarrhea?)...thoughts at awakening, to thought changes during the day... to activities (for me...writing what I have researched/learned and/or found in my med records) for my own thoughts/ideas/troubling issues... to whatever else...like this morning...wondering why I was not in winter-warm weather...as I used to do...and, cannot afford...and, other mornings...when I am dancing on my toes...for success in finding/learning/doing...
I am skipping a lot here...to ask you...what do you want to do...to reinvent...or "invent"...totally new to you?
As we grow from childhood...mature thru life...we all want to "invent" or "achieve" that next change...we alike to think of as an advancement/success...going thru from the blessings to parent-hood...to numerous losses...from a job/position...to family/friends...from illness recovery and/or death...In other words, we always have the ups/downs...of something...and, have to "advance" to a new whatever...
I personally (have no expertise)...is to write your memories /interest...thoughts...what do you want and/or need to do to fill in your time and program / initiate your interests...and, what is available in your area....and, your travel to it? there are so many aspects...to each step of our way...
What a wonderful question! I tried to do what I did as hobbies - gardening, reading, woodworking. It takes longer and even though bending at the waist isn’t the best for me, I can work on my hands and knees. I don’t look for hours in the garden, but minutes. I’ve actually worked up to 15-20 minutes at a time before I have to rest. I walk with our dog. Not speed walk but a walk nonetheless. This past year I was able to walk a 5K in a little over 30 minutes. I brag on it because the first time I stood up in ICU, I had forgotten what my feet were for. I started moderating on here, which helps the helper in me stay fulfilled. I have researched things for friends and am currently looking up dogs and allergies.
What I guess I’m saying is stay as active as you are able, eat well, find a hobby, maybe volunteer an hour or more a week somewhere that you find important. Set short daily goals that can lead to bigger ones.
Hi Ivivi, I guess it depends. If your surgery was rather recent you may notice an improvement in what you can do. As for reinventing I think we 'wing' it. As the others mentioned, you find the things that might interest you and you try them. Perhaps even things you don't think interest you...you may discover a new passion or interest that leads to another. Less than a year after surgery I started volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity. I couldn't bend or do labor but I couldn't shut up so I figured I could make phone calls to request material donations. I love it. If you're able to go out maybe you volunteer somewhere. Or maybe you take a painting or drawing class. Or whatever it may be, you'll discover it little by little.
Thank you for all your suggestions
Ivivi...blessings and hope you will share with us the steps you have taken, what you achieve...what you may enjoy... parts that are new...the parts that are recovered...
My main blessing has been regaining my reading/comprehension...and, then the 'spatial' connection..
Those who have not lost things like that...do not understand...I have shred it...because first...it was so important to me..Tho it is not like switching on a light.. it still takes me hours to read what would have taken me minutes...
often, I have to add my own glossary of words I know I will not remember... my reading comprehension did not include long-term memory...
The few books (fiction and no-fiction) I had to type them... re-read / edit...yes, I had to type...because
often I cannot read my own hand-notes...written or printed...
Ivivi, what have you decided to start with? I thought of you when I looked at my Mom’s paper. Seems our local library has groups that get together for knitting and crochet which are free. They have various reading clubs as well. Also I know a woman whose daughter who works at a senior center in the next county. I wished I lived there, they always have things going on at prices that seniors can afford. Besides trips and movie night, they have dances, bingo, craft fairs where they sell what they’ve been working on (crochet, knitting, needle work, wood carvings and stuff, blankets, quilts). All the crafts are done with the group or taken home and worked on. My neighbor leads silver sneakers classes which are exercise classes dealing mostly with stretching. A local massage place has tai chi and yoga at very reasonable prices $10/hr but you pay less if you get a lot of sessions up front, if you miss a session they don’t charge you. And the local two year college offers extension classes covering art to pottery classes to Zen Tangle for a modest fee.