Janis update Monday night

[JudyR]

Well, our girl had a rough weekend. Apparently she decided that since it had been 18 or 19 days since the surgery, she was perfectly capable of going out to breakfast with Pat (a half hour drive each way,) running a bunch of errands, then driving herself to UPS to drop off a merch order.
Of course, it all caught up with her that night (Saturday,) and she was up and down for an hour, then finally went back on the Percoset and Flexeril and slept at last.
Sunday she confessed that she'd done too much too soon, and Pat convinced her to just take it light for the entire day.
I spoke with her a few hours ago, and she seems better now, though back on the painkiller at night and the anti-spasm drug through the day.
What an idiot! (I can say that, because it's exactly what I said to her on the phone.) I just told her "Look. If you'd been in an accident, cracked your neck, ruptured a disc, then had surgery to repair all of that, you wouldn't expect to be driving yet!!! let alone thinking you'd be healed in less than 3 months!!"
I just wanted to throttle her, really I did. But she assured me that she'd learned her lesson. She bit the bullet and called her friend Cyndi (from Alaska, Hobo Jim's wife - I'm sure you all remember her?) and asked if Cyndi really had the time to drive her around. Cyndi picked her up this morning so she could have a meeting with her business manager. Then they went to a place in Nashville that specializes in touring artists, so she could order some custom cases for all her equipment next year when she's touring again. They ran errands for another couple hours, ate Japanese food, then Janis bit the bullet again and confessed she was exhausted.
I mean, she's a great songwriter, but she's not superwoman!!
Anyhow, I spoke with Pat afterwards, who says "two steps forward, one step back" and promised me Janis truly did learn her lesson. At least, for now.

[Rickster]

Janis,Janis,Janis, You are doing too much too soon! You better relax! The holidays are coming...and you are going to be in bed if you don't stop! Please take my advice. Ahem...Judy, Thanks for the update.:)

[Randy & Betty in Pa]

Judy...

Thanks for keeping us all updated... I have a funny feeling that Janis might not be thrilled that your spilling the beans but so be it... We all appreciate it...

I have no idea how intense the holiday sale needs are during December but with the workload you all have, both Betty and I would be willing to come down and check into a hotel for a couple days and volunteer our services to you all and the Foundation if it would be helpful... I have no doubt that there are many other friends of the foundation on this website that would be willing to as well... Just so you know you have extra resources available if needed so Janis can rest and/or get ready for the tour season or just tie up other loose ends that are piling up in the office... No doubt stress is not a friend after being laid up for so long...

Janis and Pat, our prayers and best wishes go out not only to you during this time of recovery but those that have to hide from you on those rough days ;)
Feel free to let us know if there is anything we can do to help the Foundation...

Best to everyone...

R. from Pa

[lucille]

If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times -

DON'T BE A HERO

Even the anaesthetic takes a toll, and doesn't leave the body for a long time

NAG NAG NAG NAG NAG NAG

[Bat]

Hmph.:rolleyes:

[Judy]

Well, you can't really know what you can or cannot do until you step out and do it...so now she knows. As long as no damage was done (or surgery undone) then here's hoping that all continues to heal as it should.
Thanks for the update, Judy.
Judy

[invsbl_wife]

I'm glad to hear that Janis is starting to learn that doctors give instructions for patients for a reason. Seems as though everyone has to learn this the hard way. We learned that it's better to stick with the instructions than to do too much too soon and risk some serious setbacks!

Hang in there, Janis. Take the time you need to heal. We'd like to have you around for a very long time!

[Agnes]

:eek: Please don't do that again, Janis...

Thanks for the update, Judy.. We'll double the Rudie Vibes ;)

[stardust]

Well, I for one, can really sympathize with how difficult it is to remain inactive for an extended period of time, no matter how bad you feel. It has been a real trial for me, and I was never anywhere near as active and hard working as Janis. Sometimes it is the hardest part of recovering. And Judy is right, you have to push the limits to find out where the limits are, then back off as much as needed.
Best wishes to you, Janis.
Judy, thanks for the update.

[DaveM]

Knowing your limits is the first step to overcoming them....

That said, I hope whoever receives that merchandise order appreciates what was involved in shipping it....me be thinkin' it be one of the less savory pirates.

Pat, if Janis tries that again, sit on her. But NO tickling!

[mixtymotions]

To keep her from running amuck, put all of her shoes/boots/sandals etc. on a moderately high shelf - she'll never be able to get to them without assistance :p

[Dee]

Dear Ms Ian,

Rivers can’t be pushed. Patience is a virtue. Rome wasn’t built in a day. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. And by the way, learning things the hard way is my gig! Don’t make me call my lawyers!

Seriously tho, we don't want you landing back in the hospital for another round of surgery.

[Mimi]

To keep her from running amuck, put all of her shoes/boots/sandals etc. on a moderately high shelf - she'll never be able to get to them without assistance :p

Mixty, your suggestion is just what I was thinking before reading your post... let's ask Eva to keep Janis' shoes for a while, just for her security.

MIMI:D

BTW: Love your cool new avatar!

[david uk]

Janis, now you BEHAVE please or we shall spank you (once you are better :p )

[Manchester]

Grrrrrrrrr!

(Plus what everyone else said!)

Anne
x

[MARILYN/GEMINI]

Awww.......Janis,,,,,,please take care......I wish you a very speedy recovery !!

[Rickster]

To keep her from running amuck, put all of her shoes/boots/sandals etc. on a moderately high shelf - she'll never be able to get to them without assistance :p



Mixty, You are way too funny lol! Janis, Please feel better!

[Kathleen Brogan]

Thanks god I decided NOT to send her any of my special coffee this fall! Yikes! Take it easy!!!!

Don't Rush the River!!!! :)

[RedjackRyan]

Don't make me bring the pirate fleet down there Janis! Please take it easy and give yourself time to heal properly.

hard headed.. thats probably why i like ya so much.:D

[Marcia Drummergal]

It really didn't surprise me to read that Janis did too much too soon. Hard to keep a good gal down, as it were.

We KNOW you'll be taking better care of yourself now Janis.....right?!?

Marcia ;)

[aabram]

I'm ALWAYS doing too much too soon. For those who don't know about the gash in my right knee.... I still feel a mixture of pain and numbness but just take statutory painkillers when I need them now..... I always know when I've overdone things because I take my stick with me when I need to. I've only had to do that once this year. I remember in 2005 going to the Leuchars Air Show. We walked for miles but I took my stick with me and I was sore but OK. I walk a little further each day and I'm nearly up to par now. That was 3 and a half years ago.

Janis it is NOT a good idea to overdo things this early. Been there, done that, read the book, seen the film and regretted it the morning after :p . We want you back TOURING.....not in a wheelchair..... Shame on you!!!!!

Annabel

[Amy in Vermont]

Flexeril is my friend.

I can't take the ususal NSAID painkiller/anti-inflammtories because I am alllergic to them.

I don't do well with codeine type narcotics either.

So when I am hurting, its tylenol and Flexeril for me, Ultram if its really bad.

I've convinced my doc to keep me well supplied with Flexeril.. 5 mg helps, and at night I'll take 10.

[DaveM]

Amy--you're the first other person I've encountered for whom codeine does not do the trick. Supposedly, up to 10% of the populace cannot metabolize the stuff, and so get no effect from it. I've had medical people try to push Tylenol 3's on me a number of times and have the very devil of a time convincing them that there's no point. Fortunately, they usually give in and give me ibuprofen eventually, which works almost as well.

Perhaps if Janis got some of the GOOD medications, she wouldn't be so tempted to overdo it. Then again, it is possible to reach that dangerous level of being stoned where you come to believe you can do anything....

I like the idea of shipping all of her shoes to Eva for the duration--Eva, mind, must promise to return them. Between that and Pat sitting on her (which, after all, might be fun), all should be well.

[hoops]

aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! no no no... you're dealing with your spine here, you know that thing that houses your spinal cords, your pathways of your nervous system. that's all i'm gonna say about that. Please janis take CARE of yourself. cause i KNOW you don;t want to be stuck in a wheel chair unbale to do the things you enjoy, ever again.
peace
hoops

[Anna from Dublin]

Poor Janis. Hugs to you!!

[hoops]

Janis,
forgive me for my harshness, i certainly am no one to talk and you are a big girl and you know what you're doing. i guess it just scares me to think... well... i just worry. please forgive me.
peace
hoops

[SongDragon]

I won't even say anything. Or shouldn't. But of course I will.

Gentle hug to Janis.

I think we've all overdone it at some point or another. Tried to go back to school/work a day or two early and learned it just wasn't going to happen.

Flew to Japan a week after a tonsilectomy. That was probably the most painful flight of my life.

Didn't try meds together because the only one you thought might affect you didn't. Try them both together and you get so flushed you look like a lobster, though nothing else untoward happens, it's just cosmetics, thank goodness.

But the good thing is, at the end of the day, when you say, "I really shouldn't have done that," we do all learn our lesson. I think.

Take care, Janis!!!

And Judy, we'll rely on you and Pat to throttle her if she somehow HASN'T learned her lesson.

*runs, ducks, hides*

~Song

[DaveM]

Ah, Song, if only you didn't have to go back to school, you could volunteer to help out at the Janis Shelter.

[aabram]

I'm just a little embarrassed at yesterday's rebuke to Janis too. :o I'm sure she knows we all have her best interests at heart and that doing too much too soon is never wise. I wouldn't want Janis to be sitting in that 'wheelchair with no horn' I was run over by when I was led willinglly back to Janis's music at the back end of 2005:D

Annabel

[marjan]

There is only one thing I can say ..
I did too much too quick after my surgery at the end of 2004 and it ended up in having another one last summer .. and after learning the hard way I listened to the docters this time
Wishing you will have a good recovery Janis, but take your time

[Eva]

Please, be gentle to you Janis.
Rudie vibes are coming your way.

Eva

[Dougster]

Janis,

You Behave!

That is all,

Dougster

[SongDragon]

DaveM,

:eek:

*hides*

No, no... Me working with humans is not so good.

Haha, besides, I would not have been much help. I could have just taken up the official job of scolding her mildly when she overdid herself? Yikies, nope.

And a human bite is as bad as a cat... If not worse considering the human is bigger. Then again in Janis' case...

*ducks and runs, again*

~Song