Hick's Day Out

Hick hitched a ride with day-off Pony on Tuesday, for a trip down to Bill-Paying Town for a blood draw unrelated to his surgery. The lab is in a storefront, so no long walk. The Pony waited in the car, and Hick took his walker. He is getting around SO MUCH BETTER now. Just uses the walker for balance. He moves around the house without it.

I cautioned Hick before he left at 9:45 that this trip might be tiring, since he had just been sitting around the house recuperating. And that he probably shouldn't try to push it and have lunch out with The Pony. Well. You know Hick...

When I hadn't heard from them by 12:15, I was getting concerned. Then I got a text from The Pony:

"Dad's in the pharmacy. Then home."

"That took a long time."

"We stopped by the Senior Center so he could eat and catch up, and I did Walmart shopping while he did that."

"Okay. Hope it wasn't too tiring for him."

"The Senior Center was his idea, and he seems fine. He's moving so much better."

Indeed. I think Hick was showing off! He said when he walked into the Senior Center, everyone was in awe of how much better he's walking now than he was before the surgery. And that his harem in the pharmacy was also impressed.

As for the "tiring" part... Hick said it was a little strenuous, but not too bad. Although he went to bed at 8:30 Tuesday night, and got up at 7:30 Wednesday. Then had a nap from 2:15 to 4:00. And went to bed at 7:30.

Hick has a follow-up appointment Thursday with his surgeon. I think he will get a good report. I took off his vacuum dressing, and the incision looks great. I'd share a picture, but that might not be everybody's cup of tea. He thinks he counted 22 stitches. It's 4-5 inches long. The skin seems well on its way to healing. Only a very slight ooze of plasma stuff the first day after un-patching, and now nothing.

Hick is hoping for permission to drive. He's not feeling much pain, though he just stopped the steroids two days ago. He's stretching his pain pills from the 4-hour prescribed dosage to 6 or 8 hours. Says his pain right now is about a 2/10.

I don't know who will be happier for Hick to resume his regular schedule...