Hi, Suz (et al.) 

I am alive and well (or as well as I can be at this point). The healing/recuperation process is taking longer than I thought it would. I was so focused (or as focused as I could be with a brain that wouldn't focus) on getting my surgery, I somehow thought that once it happened, I would be instantly cured. It seems funny now, but that's more or less what I thought.

I am making progress, but it is slow. I think for every step and 1/3 I take, I go back a step. One day I'll feel particularly good and think I can conquer the world, then after a few hours of trying, I realize I overdid it and spend the next few days trying to recover. The weekend was a case in point. On Saturday, I did laundry, swept my driveway, and started tidying my kitchen. I was exhausted by the time I was done. my back and arms were aching, and I felt worse than I did before the surgery. I went to bed early and didn't get up until 8:30 the next morning. By the time I had enough energy to drive to see my mother, it was 11:15. I got there at 1:30 and left at 5 PM to drive home again. getting there at 7:30 or thereabouts. I didn't go for my walk either night.

I've beern paying for it since, but I didn't learn my lesson. I've continued to push it because I have so much to do. I haven't done as much since Sunday, but the hour of walking does me in if nothing else does first. At any rate, I'm trying to make myself slow down, but it doesn't always work.

I am noticing small improvements in my symptoms as time passes. Each day I feel a little better physically, although there are days I feel worse. Still, the progression to better physical health is there. I have no idea how far it will go as I've been warned by just about every doctor I've seem that "it (the surgery) may not make you feel better".

Dr. P. told me that some people's brains don't recover at all after surgery, but I don't trust her. She co-authored a paper in 2009 saying that parathyroid surgery is beneficial to almost everyone who has the disease in regards to both physical health and brain function. Dr. C has shared some information with me about her that would help explain why I got treated the way I did when I last saw her and her lack of response in the follow up period after my missing gland showed up on the CT scan. He said it doesn't excuse her behaviour, but helped explain it.

At any rate, I think there is already some improvement, even though my Arctic son told me that although I "sound more energetic", my brain doesn't seem any better. (Thanks, kid!) Admittedly, regaining whatever I'm going to gain in terms of mental focus and short-term memory can/will take several months, so we'll see. However, I feel more alert and am even thinking I need to get back to writing my book. I haven't started writing again, but I feel like it. I think it will take a bit more time, though, before I actually do.

I saw Dr. C on Monday afternoon. The incisions are healing well, my calcium has remained in the normal range since the day after surgery. My PTH level was tested on Friday for the first time since the surgery. It was in the normal range. So, as long as those two stay where they should be, the extra tissue in my arm will stay there, too. 

The doctor and I discussed going back to work. Dr. C had said not before the beginning of June, or possibly July. He told me it was up to me because only I knew how I felt.  I kept wanting to say June, but I finally said July because I was afraid my brain wouldn't have recuperated enough by June. Then, on the way home (and after Dr. C had written the note), I changed my mind. Sigh. By the time I got home, though, it was too late to call the doctor's office and say so. That may have been a good thing.

I phoned the insurance company the next morning and got a return call this morning. I told my case manager, Anna, that I would like to do either a full-time trial work period in June to see if my brain could handle it, or possibly start part-time in June and go full time a few weeks later rather than waiting until July and going back full-time then. 

Surprisingly, she didn't want me to do that. She wanted to have a plan in place and the paperwork done before we discussed it with management at my job. I was flabbergasted because her  (i.e., the insurance company's) plan will actually give me more total time off.  She wants me to wait until after my tests in early June, then if the results are okay, I will start a graduated return to work starting the week of June 24th. I will work three half days that week, four half days the next, and so on until I'm up to full time -- which will be the week of August 12th.

I suspect there's a reason for the slow return to work. I think the quick return strategy has bitten them in the past because too many people had relapses and ended up going back on disability. Whether that's the real reason or not, I don't know, but I'm not arguing. They will continue to pay me, but gradually reduce their portion as I increase my work time and until I'm working full-time.  

So, that's about it. I'll likely think of more later, but it's late and I'm tired again.

Jak