Life hacks...

You see them quite often... these "life hack" videos... Well, my life hack? Sanitary pads. I had a box of gauze and box of the three inch tape on hand when I started. I had had the lower leg and thigh staples taken out the required time after surgery, and less than a week later, there was seepage on the bottom and leakage on the top. I am so glad that I had the gauze and tape on hand from years and years ago, but I soon had to buy three more boxes of gauze pads. Turns out they don't make gauze pads all the same, or of the same thickness and absorbency...  Sigh... 

So... what does a peri-menopausal or menopausal chick do? Well... check what else is on hand of course...  Sanitary pads of all shapes and sizes is what was to be had. Hmmm... can I use this? Can I cut this one and use both? Will this cover the leg wounds where needed? I used tape on each side, which worked well, but what I found is that the mini-pads were the perfect width and length... and... I could use one whole piece of the three inch gauze tape to cover the part of the pad that needed to be held in place. Sanitary, super-absorbent, sticky = perfect. I wish I had thought of it that third week. 

I am now just past my five week anniversary of surgery, and there is still some slight leakage and weeping of both a little blood and fluid, but the swelling on the foot and leg is down to almost nothing. Almost. I DID go out and walk to the store and back on my own this past week, which was wobbly, but still...  Feeling more steady as I go.

The funny thing is that I tend to have overlooked the fact that I had open heart surgery. The leg has been more troublesome. This may however be due to the fact that prior to this surgery, I walked everywhere, and that has had a huge impact on me during this time, not being able to just get out and walk anywhere. That of course, and not being able to fit my swollen foot into shoes or boots. 

Oh... and soon I will have to figure out what I am going to do with my life. Again.

I turned fifty this year. Yay me!