May 20, 2026
The day after surgery (May 7), I continued to follow the doctor’s pain management medication instructions. I was alternating between Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen every three hours. At night, I when I had to wake up to take my pills, I would walk around the house and go back to sleep.
I was not told how to avoid using my core muscles. The first few times I got up hurt very badly. I had to reach back in my memory on how to get up and down from Bruce’s surgery 20 years ago. That was a serious lack of information on what to do after surgery.
When I got up in the morning, I did a lot of walking around Blackberry Homestead.
I walked to the orchard in the back of the property. I was exhausted. I felt like I overdid it. After resting, I would walk around the house. Later in the day, I walked down to the mailbox. I was exhausted from walking up the hill. Bruce walked with me. I decided again that I was overdoing it.
I wasn’t very hungry, so beef broth, herbal tea, and some Jello dealt with my hunger. Since I had to walk around, I heated the broth in the microwave, used the electric kettle to make herbal tea, and took the Jello out of the fridge. Bruce made herbal tea for me throughout the day.
On the afternoon, Bruce asked me if I needed anything. I told him I was going to take a nap. Bruce headed out to do some speed mowing. The red-shouldered hawk was sitting on the wires, so Bruce snapped a picture and sent it to me.
It rained some more later in the day.
I was just so tired, I went to sleep and slept until it was time to take a pill. Bruce had an alarm set on his phone and he gave me the pills.
Being woken up from my nap, I got up and walked onto the front porch. The sunset was spectacular.
Blackberry Homestead 