My third day home after a quick trip to visit family is challenging. Saying “challenging” is just a polite way of saying that I can’t stand the pain. Riding in the car for over 1400 miles in less than a week’s time causes swelling and severe pain. Having to go up and down a huge staircase many times each day just makes my pain level increase.
Normally after a trip, I rest for about three days before I do anything. After this trip, we have to get on a packing schedule to move. So, as soon as we arrived there was nothing but work. I’m going room by room and organizing and packing what doesn’t look good. I guess you could call my work “staging” because everything needs to appear neat for selling the house.
My first project was to sit on the bathroom floor and de-clutter everything in the drawers and cabinets. What a job! It took me an entire day because I had to stop and rest so many times. At least I wasn’t standing on my swollen ankles.
Tuesday was the day to get the master bedroom ready. Unfortunately I needed to stand more to tackle all the scattered areas. The pain grew and the swelling did, too. It was a day that forced me into the wheelchair, because of the pain in my feet. Every break was spent with my heat-pack placed behind my lower back.
Today, I need to finish my bedroom. Mentally, I just can’t seem to get started. Chronic illness can bring so many emotions and feelings. There are times when I may feel depressed. But, right now, I just am mentally numb. It’s obvious to me that this level of pain has made me numb. I. Just. Can’t.
Today will be more breaks and less work, but if I can do a little it will be better than nothing.
@2019, copyright Lisa Ehrman
