One of my biggest challenges every week is to manage my energy needs. Every Sunday, I review the upcoming week. If it is clear, a rare event, I go to rehab everyday, run errands, do more yard work, clean closets or other projects.
If I have a doctor’s appointment, I prepare by going to rehab the day before but nothing else. I do not go to rehab on the day of a doctor’s appointment and I need a day to recover afterwards by only going to rehab and nothing else. Michael will also make dinner those nights.
The hardest times to manage are holidays and company. My mom and son are currently the only people we allow to stay with us. I just can’t manage it without getting sick.
My mom lives 100 miles away. She used to drive herself in and back home again. Now that she is 81-years old, Michael thinks that we should not expect her to make the trek. She usually comes in one day, stays two more days then we take her home the next morning. Just enough. She and I are usually hoarse by then from talking the entire time!
With experience, we discovered that I do best by having Michael drive out to pick her up by himself while I go to rehab. I will not be exhausted by the drive and will have much more energy in which to enjoy her visit.
The last two visits, Michael had appointments so I had to drive her home. The first time, I got sick. It was just too much. The last time was just a few days ago. That evening. I told Michael that I was so tired that I felt ill then slept for 10 hours. I did not go to rehab the next day and tried to take it easy. It may take another day to recover.
Sometimes the schedule, like this week for Thanksgiving, is just so packed that I take a pretty good hit. I try not to panic, go to rehab and fit the rest in somehow. I do end up paying for it for days afterwards and will spend weekends never leaving the house. It is how it is.
I think energy conservation will be the constant struggle as we go forward. I need to constantly adjust to stay as active as possible. Staying active, my friends, is the secret to living well with a bad diagnosis.
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