You can just never get quite clean enough with a sponge bath, in my humble opinion. You feel good for a few minutes, then afterwards you feel like something isn’t quite right, like you missed something, you know? But that is what I must do for the next few days.
Yesterday, my legs looked like this:
You know what? I like my knees. They look like they’re smiling.
Today, my legs look like this:
Yesterday I had a phlebectomy done on the veins of my upper right thigh and Endovenous Ablation was done on my lower right leg. Both procedures will mostly eliminate the bulging veins as well as the pain I sometimes feel in that leg, at least for now. I had something similar done about 10 years ago, so I may have to have it done again. Sadly, my left leg will continue to look like hell until sometime this fall or even next year. My legs may never look good at the same time, but damn it, they will look good! How can they not with those smiling knees? 😉
Now that 24 hours have passed since the procedure, the pain is mostly manageable. Standing up still hurts and I tend to yelp a bit. Sleeping is pretty difficult, still, and I can’t take a damn shower until Friday!! Getting undressed and dressed is still a bit tricky. My husband had to put my wool socks on my feet last night, but I wouldn’t let him help me get dressed today. I waited until he went to work, then by golly, I got those panties on and off all by myself. TRIUMPHANT!!!
I have to say that being able to get dressed by myself today when I wasn’t able to yesterday? The satisfaction I feel is just as great as when I ran my first race two years ago. It’s amazing how insufficient I felt, or unable, or just really how annoyed and frustrated it made me having to depend on someone for just one day. It made me realize how lucky I really am. I have to remember this when I start whining about how achy my body feels in the morning or how difficult and painful that last long run was.
At least I was able to do it.
Remember this, Holly. Don’t forget how fortunate you feel right at this moment. Even when you screech as you get off the toilet because the stitches in your groin are pulling. Remember that you will have your ass out on the road in two weeks, running. Running very slowly and possibly with some pain, but running nonetheless.
Something besides pulling up your own panties will make you feel triumphant again!!!
See Holly Run 
It’s like me going through my stress test yesterday. I was fearful of having a heart problem when it came to the part where I had to get on the treadmill, as I hadn’t dared to walk anywhere in two months, because of palpitations and fatigue ,shortness of breath when I walked. I was pleasantly surprised that I managed to stay on long enough to reach the heart rate they wanted. I was exhausted the second half of the day, but lived through it. Even though I went to sleep with some palpitations, I thought how some people can’t stand, let alone walk. I’m determined to start walking a little further each day, while going through physical therapy, as I have the ability. No matter how it makes me feel, I know I will feel better knowing I achieved it. Thanks Holly.