Longwalker1961
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Last Activity: 07-27-2008 05:39 PM
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Hi Friends,
My one year anniversary is coming up on May 18 and I have just added a new album under my profile pebitpeb, "My Journey". I have photos taken over the past 5 years of my life and if you click on any photo there is a caption attached.
It is hard to believe that only one year ago I was preparring to go into a hospital in Pisa, Italy and receive an operation that would give me a wonderful new life. Getting the surgery had become something that I had given up on when still living in the USA, however when I moved to Italy 2 years ago, it became attainable. Who would have ever thought living in Italy and having gastric bypass, abdominoplasty and getting my hip replaced all in 1year. It really is appropriate though as moving to Italy, new language, new culture, new experiences, new person and a terrific new life.
I give thanks for the support I have received here and look forward to continuing this journey as part of this great TT family.
Paul -
Ciao Amici,
Come stai? Qui tutto é posto. Ho fatto terapia ogni giorno alla Don Nocchi terapia ospedale. La mia nuova anca é meglio ogni giorno. Ok, basta italiano lezione per oggi.
Hello Friends,
How are you? Here everything is good. I make therapy every day at the Don Nocchi therapy hospital. My new hip is better every day. Ok enough Italian lesson for today.
I and my partner have given our deposit for the cruise and we are hoping that we will get to meet you fabulous friends from the site here. I spoke to Claire this week as some of the Italian folks are interested in joining us on our Cruise, they have a forum here that Bernardo, my partner is involved in on my behalf, because I am not so brave to post in the Italian language yet. But I am thinking this could really be fun for our two groups to meet and a great way to make new friends from Italia.
I am hoping that everyone is feeling well, enjoying the new spring and if you are still cold that soon the sun will be warming you up.
Si sentiamo presto. (Talk to you soon)
Take good care.
Paul -
Happy Easter, our easter day is ending at 6pm, I have posted some new photos of our day and weekend. Check out under my site and also under the photos thread. Have a happy easter.
Hugs and Love
Paul e Bernardo -
Tanti Auguri per una buona Pasqua. Many wishes for a great Easter.
Couldn't sleep anymore this morning so here I am at just before 6am on the computer. I can hear the birds singing outside, have already had several rushes of the cats with their morning energy and trying to stay quiet as a mouse to let Bernardo stay asleep.
Tomorrow for Easter we will be with his family(Papa, Mamma, sister, brother in law and neice) for a traditional Pasqua Pranzo(Easter lunch) It will begin with antipasta (procutto, salami, pancetta, parma ham and maybe some sardenes, first dish with be tordelli in brodo(little ravioli's in broth), then come the fried zucchini, fried artichoke, lamb and probably veal, oven roasted patatoes, insalata, tomatoes, then Easter cake from the one of the many local bakeries served with spumante rosse dolci. Of coarse the wine hand made from his Papa will be served throughout the meal. All deliciously made my Mamma.
The first day of Spring here was wet and cold, hoping to get to see my friendly sun man soon so hopefully my body will start warming up.
Went to see the Physiotherapist Doctoressa yesterday and she set my schedule in place for one hour a day of therapy for my leg with the new hip, one hour of pool and one hour of exercise, due to beurocratic stuff there could be another one week to 10 days of waiting, however regardless I will continue the process I do each day and that is the exercises and toning for the new hip and toning for my upper body and of coarse my walking routine of 45-90 minutes of walking around the beautiful city here, the doctoressa told me that I am doing very well with the leg and to be careful as I must not over due.
Hoping you all have a wonderful holiday weekend with the special people in your lifes.
Tanti Abbracci(Many Hugs)
Paul -
Una Nuova Vita, Sono Felice-
"A New Life, I am HAPPY!!!!!
Dear Family and Friends,
I wanted to send you a short not this afternoon to tell you about my morning.
After an hour of physical therapy this morning that showed me in a week I have added some muscle to my new hip and leg. The therapist gave me a good work out and stretching, the leg hasn't been moved this way in at least four years, it is truely amazing, I am very grateful.....
Afterward I being Monday there is a large street market around Central Historic Carrara near our flat. So I got my self dressed, including putting on my own shoes and even tied them, first time since operation. The morning was crisp with many people out enjoying the street market. I stopped to see people along the way that like a Dr who had treated my hematoma and my back throught the summer months after the initial gastric bypass and he was so happy to see me, also was amazed at my appearance as he had not seen me since the abdominoplasty .
Then a bit further down the street popped in to say buon giorno to a sweet woman(Franca) who operates a pizzaria/sandwich which Bernardo has frequented for 30 years or more, she was excited to see me, warning to go slowly. Then I went shopping looking at many of the vender stands around the city, some good deals and some junk, but I got a few things.
I ran into friends, who I hadn't seen for months and some more recently, got to use the Italian I know and did well with it. Walked through the park where there were more venders and then to another little pasticeria(has been operating for 120 years in the same family) where we often go to visit or have a bite or something to drink at breakfast and la seniora(Trudy) was thrilled to see me come in alone. Had some grapefruit juice and bought a pastry for Bernardo's lunch, she wouldn't let me pay.(too kind)
Then I set off to make my return home and ran into more people I knew who had not seen me for a while, Sarah a young woman(student in Pisa) who worked at La Cava for several months when Bernardo and I were still working there in the evening, a couple who were frequest customer's of the restaurant who we befriended and he has lived in England so knows English and his GF who has learned it a little too, we used a mixture of both languages, it was good practice for me, then I saw one of the Pizza makers and one of the kitchen helpers from the restaurant and chatted in Italian with them.
My next stop was a vendor selling dishes, really nice heavy stonewear and I commented to a lady and her daughter on what they were buying, telling them the bowls were bello(beautiful), they spoke to me and the Mothers(AnnaMaria) told me her daughter(Jana) had been born in NYC, she was curious of where I was from in the States and what I was doing in Carrara and ended up asking for my telephone number to get together sometime for caffe.
Loving plants I found the plant vendors, but realized I had already spent some money and had my hands full as it was, also then realized I had been out walking around for 2 hours and it was time I get home as Bernardo was coming home for lunch, so I stopped at one more vendor and bought a roasted chicken for lunch(was range grown and grilled fresh on the fire there at the stand-delicious!!!.
Afterward I made my way home.
It was all wonderful, I cant explain the feeling I had inside to be able to walk by myself(with my crutches), see people, realize that I am in Carrara, Italy and that I dont have pain in my hip or a heavy load on my body. I felt like someone who had been set free and was in a wonderful new place.
I still have therapy ahead of me starting next week at an official rehab center, however I believe I have had a good start with doing the exercises the therapists in the hospital and the private therapist here at home have given me to do daily. I am also working on toning up the areas where I still have loose skin and in the past week have lost another 8 lbs, so I am very near my goal, with about 13 lbs to go.
I wanted to share these good feelings with you all and let you know that things continue to go forward. Looking forward to May and June when we will get to see each other again.
Speriamo tutti é posti e tanti auguri per una buona Pasqua. (We hope everyone is well and many wishes for a nice Easter).
Hugs and much Love.
Paul and Bernardo.
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Stop sweetie, you dont repeat yourself too much. I think sometimes that I do this.
Today is a beautiful day here in Carrara, the sun has been out most of the morning and still is at 1:30pm, we are still not in daylight savings time until March 29. I took a little more sun today for an hours, the rays are still not super intense, but the warmth felt good. I made my exercises for my hip today and will keep it up. We still are awaiting the appointments at the rehab center to begin, but like many things in Italy it is slow going and takes time and patience.
Hope you have great day.
Abbracci(hugs)
Paul -
Buona Giornata Amici,
Good Day Friends,
Just wanted to send a little update and let you know the current status. Had my first private physical therapy yesterday, it was good to add some new exercises for the hip and the therapist said that I was doing good for 2 weeks after the surgery. We decided to higher a private therapist as we await our call to start at the rehab center, they told us we would get our start date tomorrow, I want to be able to walk perfectly when I come to the States in May.
Today the sun was shining and felt warm, so I took a little sun and went for a short walk in my neighborhood, wearing my pajamas and a hoody jacket and my Nikes.
We have not yet moved into Daylight Saving time here and wont until March 29, but I like the days to be longer.
Have been doing a little gardening this week with some Spring flowers to brighten up the our corte/patio and soon it'll be bright and full of our favorite flowers and colors, hopefully I can keep our cats out of the plants a little better this year.
Bernardo's Papa and Mamma visited this afternoon, his Papa is always working on our remodeling projects and his Mamma looking for laundry to take away to wash, hang out and iron. They are really the sweet Italian old world Papa and Mamma. I feel so fortunate that they have made me part of their family.
I have started working on toning my new body a little this past week and for now taking it slowly. I still have problems with eating and exiting, mostly due to the ferro I must take to strengthen my blood, however, the Dr. has a new calcium pill I am trying so for now have stopped the medication for building up the hemoglobin level. I also think I might add to the problem as I usually have something like water or acqua tonic to drink while I eat, I'll take any suggestions about that. hint hint......
I know I have done alot in the 10 months since having the lap. gastr bypass and my body is a little bit tired and slow to get back to normal energy level.
I am anxiously awaiting to hear some news about the cruise as right now is the best time for us to by our airline tickets for flying in December before the airlines go into the summer pricing.
Well its a long read, but wanted to greet you all and update you.
Take good care.
Abbracci
Paul
pebitpeb -
Wonderful news, and the support group will be great to get involved in. Keep talking to the people here too my dear as the support you will receive will be valuable over the next weeks and months your are coming to.
I have not heard of "hell week" before, since I did everything to do with my surgeries here in Italy where I am not fluent in the language and depend a great deal on my partner or others translations, the hell week was not part of the processes I was ever told about. Maybe it is a USA thing.
The sun is out here today. I am going to go out in about 20 minutes and take a little sun today. I try not to miss out when it is sunny as in it directly makes me feel like it is beginning to become summer.
Have a great day, talk soon.
Paul -
You are on my list and I am on yours. You did good. Are you a cat lover also? We have two cats Simon and Yucky(orange tabby and grey, black and white tabby), Simon has been the name of all my Orange tabbies and Yucky was Bernardo's idea, being Italian he thought that American slang word for gross was cute so now our little honary female is Yucky, poor baby, under the section socialize there was a posting of pets and I put Simon and Yucky there. Today is going pretty good, the head Dr told me Thursday I can go home. This was music to my ears, if it really happens I will be thrilled, the physical therapist said the Dr is not the therapist, I will get a little insistant if they try and delay me from leaving, there 10 minute a day routine is not a big help as I can do what they have shown me all on my own so far, they have some rule that you must be able to descend the stairs with crutches on your own before they release a person, I will see what tomorrow brings, honestly I am burnt out on being in hospital even though they have given me my life back, I will try to stay positive and meditate today so I stay away from getting my hopes up too high. Or I could through a royal temper tantrum and be really dramatic if someone tries to prevent me from leaving Thursday, I have mastered this in the hospitals here, as if the nurses are not friendly I insist they not come around me and send them packing. Then I feel guilty a little later and try to win them over with love. Well my dear have a great day, I imagine it will be a full one.
Talk to you soon Babs(Babs is the character in John Waters' Pink Flamingoes that said Im just itchin to get a little. heeheehee
Paul -
If you'd like to become a friend I welcome it, the new Hairspray is more Broadway like, which I loved when I was in NYC 4 summers ago. IK think it would be worth seeing or renting as well as renting Desperate Living with a wide open mind to craziness of John Waters, it would be given an X rating I am sure as it is shocking and a little disturbing, but the rat on he plate is in the opener of the movie, you'd see other roadkill on plates too though. Its all for humor in my opinion, you gotta laugh laugh laugh, even at the warped. I am not really so strange, just had a period when I loved early John Waters movies and watched some of them many times as I couldn't beleive my eyes(Desperate Living, Female Trouble, Mondo Trasho, Pink Flamingoes, Polyester.........the list goes on and on.... Cry Baby with Johnny Depp was a bit of a let down, but, not every movie can be a winner. Chat soon, stay positive and keep that "itchin" feelin..... Paul
About Me
- About Longwalker1961
- Biography
- I'm a composer/artist who is the mother of a 24 year old son.
- Location
- I live in the Washington Metropolitan area
- Interests
- I love music and movies
- Occupation
- Composer
- Surgeon
- Dr. Moazzez
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- pebitpeb
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I have gone to a seminar and to a support group. I see my doc for initial consult on April 2. I can't wait! I have already made a lot of changes in preparation for the surgery. I did slip and have some diet coke yesterday. I needed the caffeine desperately. Usually I can get by without it though. I know I can't have diet coke after the surgery, and that's okay. Except for yesterday, I have been going without. I figure the less I have to adjust to after surgery, the better!
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