Pat Sawtelle

Week Twenty-two! When I started this journey, it sounded like a long time for my Type-A self to be limited, but with a little progress and a lot of exercises, it did pass pretty quickly.   This week marked my “graduation” from weekly PT visits. Am I 100%? No. But I’ve moved into the next phase. My last step is to get the arm behind my back, reaching up so I can scratch that itch! My doctor and PT reminded me that the last little bit will take time, work, and a bit of get

Smile, because you can. Laugh, for someone who can't. Hold out your hand for someone who needs help. Magical or Human, life is a...

Week Fourteen! Without the sling, the people who orbit your life are forgetting that you still have some limits in movement and lifting....

Week Nine! Only a day away from ending my ninth week, and I’m reminded of the saying from Joyce Meyer that “Patience is not simply the...

Week Six! This week is over. I found it the most frustrating as I knew I was so close to being able to take off the sling, but couldn’t....

Week Five. Wow, I can see the end of the sling phase approaching. I’m excited but also a little nervous. I know the PT is going to become...

Week Four. Wow, I’m in the 4th week now. I must say that time has not been passing slowly, which is something I worried about. For all of...

My favorite movie, Clue, has a few oddities that tickle my brain. Getting from the conservatory on one side of the house to the study on...

Week three.  As week three began, I found some of the same old brain challenges were still there. If I’m not paying close attention, my...

Week two.   As the end of week two nears, I’ve learned a few more things. If you’re bending over to wrap a towel around your hair or...

Week one. Plan to spend the next few days eating on time and keeping up your fluids. Hydration is very important. Three meals a day...

Surgery day. Of course, one of the challenges on surgery day is that there is no eating or drinking after midnight. For those of us...

Preparing a few things to keep you busy.   As you begin to think about things you want to do during the first six to eight weeks...

Prepare For Sleeping.   Yes, you need to think about how you’re going to sleep. There’s no rolling over on your side or stomach,...

Personal Care.   Reaching your toothbrush, shaving, styling your hair, applying makeup, putting on jewelry, and even reaching for...

Planning what to wear. Do some online and YouTube searching for videos on how to dress and undress. There are a lot of sites by...

Staying Connected and Working.   Not everyone can work during this recovery, so if you can, figure out your options before setting...

Let’s start at the beginning .  Preparation. One of the best ways to prepare for this surgery is to have a “pretend” day. Pretend...

I am moving through this “fun” process and want to share things I’ve learned along the way. I hope you find some of it helpful. Important...

As we start 2025, let's think about the things we like and don't like about our world and make a plan to take a baby step each month to...