One week post-op: Almost back to normal?

7 days of almost the same exact daily routine, punctuated by fluxuating medication levels and I feel lucky to be doing so well. Now that I'm down to 1 & 1/2 Vicodin a day, the longevity of the recovery process is sinking in. The one thing about the initial, acute phase is that there are so many things to deal with the time passes pretty quickly. Now that I'm almost pain-free and the only thing left to deal with is the nuisance of the neck brace, I think this is where the real challenge begins. Since I'm no Dr. House, I don't have a ready supply of intriguing medical mysteries to solve. The only puzzle I want to solve is what I can do for the next 2 to 5 (oh my gosh don't let it be 5) weeks before I'm released to go back to work.

I don't want to compare my current condition condition to that of those who have permanent, disabling impairments, but this process has put the plight of the truly disabled in mind. I'm so pleased with myself for having nailed the showering with the neck brace routine but I think I'm handling that well only because I know its temporary. I never understood the mental impact of having to struggle every day of your life to do small things like put on a shirt, brush your hair or pick something up off the floor. Managing to keep your wits about you when you have to devote so much mental energy to simply getting through the day takes some serious inner strength. My hat is off to those who do and do it with grace.