It’s hard to believe that it’s only been a week since Rich’s hip replacement.  He’s walking without his crutches and already causing problems for me.  I need to tie him down or he might end up in big trouble.  Today, after lunch, my girlfriend and I were going to run errands for an hour or so.  I reminded Rich he needed to get back in bed or I wouldn’t leave and he promised he would.  When I got home, he told me he had decided he needed to run the sweeper since it’s impossible for me to do effectively.  I know I should have been grateful, but instead, I was so angry and frustrated at the risk he had taken.  After all, this morning we took off his bandage for the first time and he got lightheaded, so it’s not like I was over reacting.  He wanted to ease my anxiety over dog-hairy carpets, and instead, made me freak out because I’d left him unattended and he took such a foolish risk.  I don’t think he’ll do that again, but I’m sure in the next two weeks, when he’s supposed to be resting, that he’ll find something else to do that will make me lose my mind.  The doctor warned me that Rich would do this….In fact, he said I should basically tie Rich in place, so he doesn’t overdo it….  I honestly thought he would listen to the doctor, but I guess he thinks he knows best.  Yikes….It’s going to be a long couple of weeks.  Don’t worry, I’ll keep you all in the loop when he tries his next stunt.

I know many of you are thinking I should have appreciated the fact that he wanted to help me….but if he falls and has to have this hip re-replaced, then how do I handle it?

Since we’ve been married, I’ve been the patient and not the nurse, and this roll reversal is taxing, to say the least.  Some parts of it are almost physically impossible for me (like putting on compression socks without his help.)  He’s supposed to have his ice bag on his hip as much of the day as possible, so I’ve been changing ice packs like a mad woman, and trying to stay on top of all of the rest of the household jobs, and making sure he has his meds four times a day and eight different prescriptions.  The dogs have been losing their minds with all of the upheaval, so they’ve been causing problems, jumping on Rich, asking to go outside more often than usual, and terrorizing visitors.

I hope with each passing day that things go more smoothly, and that I can catch my breath….The best I can say at this point, is I haven’t lost my mind…much…

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