THR 1st Surgery has 2nd Surgery

[1stSurgery]

Thanks @Alitm and @Mojo333 - Been checking in with everyone today while there's a lull in the winds for one day and tomorrow they come back again, 50 mph from the NE. One friend who was evacuated snuck back to see if his house was still there and found it standing with 3 neighbor's houses burnt down, he said it was a war zone. Two others were evacuated and allowed to return today but may have to evacuate again tomorrow with the winds. The air is thick and sickly colored, heavy orange gray clouds hanging ominously over everything. Alitm, we are just NOW going to get help from other out of state fire jurisdictions - heard tonight there are 153 units coming to the rescue, thank God! But until now our CA firefighters have been at this on their own. And today we hear the President threatening to not send Federal aid to CA because we mismanage our forest lands.... our...cough.... Federally owned forest lands, think all but 2% are owned by the Feds. Cough cough. Lots of particles in the air.

You and hubby will have to be doing a waltz of alternating duties as you go through the two surgeries Alitm. You're lifting now and he can lift later, someone else will lift in between as well! Your countdown is really close, 6 days, almost 5 days. You will do just fine, I know.

Today I worked small weights to tone upper body and back and suddenly the whole frame feels like it wants to exercise, and explore just what it feels like to have moving parts again! But .... being careful, staying cautious. I'm thinking I will donate some of my tools and devices and walker to the Veteran's here in honor of Veteran's Day. Wonder if they'd want a cute pink shower chair?


Take care everyone, robust health and healing energy to all recovering hippys.

 

[Mojo333]

I'm thinking I will donate some of my tools and devices and walker to the Veteran's here in honor of Veteran's Day. Wonder if they'd want a cute pink shower chair?

That's a splendid idea...and I'm sure there as a woman veteran who would love it.

Praying for rain...

 

[Alitm]

@1stSurgery Thank goodness more help is on the way for the exhausted California firefighters. It is so awful I know. Our fire season is end of July, August and early September. My friend in Marin county is staying in touch with us. She is on red flag warning. Our daughter and my SIL were on evacuation alert in the Okanagan for weeks this summer. So stressful. I can't imagine what it is like to lose my home to fire.

Donating your medical equipment and tools etc. to the VA sounds like a wonderful idea

Praying you all get rain soonest . The winds you have are very scary, as they just stoke things up. It is really horrible living in a tinder box on high alert. Our pastures and grass were dry and dead in August, early September. The rain here finally started the day after my first surgery, Sept 15. My heart goes out to you all...

 

[Alitm]

@1stSurgery Thinking of you and praying you and your family are safe.....I can't imagine having to evacuate post THR. Hoping you don't have to. to watch over you all in California....

 

[1stSurgery]

Thanks @Alitm, we are not in the direct path of the fire - it's north and west of us, but we have several friends who lost everything - homes, studios, musical equipment, etc. I've been assembling clothing for one musician's wife - they only got out with the cat and the clothes on their back. She's very petite so digging up all the smaller sized things for her. Those we know in the zone whose homes didn't burn down have reported their neighbors homes are gone and they still can't go back to live at home, no idea when it will be safe. It's starting to be more contained now and the winds should die down soon per reports.

You are only 3 days away now, so let me wish you a super smooth and successful surgery day and a swift recovery. In case I don't get a chance to report back here before. One thing in your favor, that I found with my #2, is that once you get past the typical first week or 2 of response to the sheer trauma of the procedure.... I found the healing curve to be very steep and faster on #2 after the initial swollen yucky days. And those days are already a known entity since you've been there, done that. The reason, I think, is that when you get going on the walks this time... Your weight bearing split can be more evenly divided between both sides, and your other less-new hip, #1, is better equipped than a decrepit arthritic one to help in supporting your walking ...and thus.... Faster speed healing can take place. Hope that makes sense, I'm very tired and dropping into an early bed! I had that unusual pain episode up front on #2-- but that was an anomaly and most likely brought on by the Hulks handiwork! But after that was over... It zoomed right along and still, every day, I keep seeing it getting better! By the end of November ...I'll bet your going to be pleasantly surprised!

 

[Alitm]

Thanks so much @1stSurgery.....very encouraging words!! I'll just write off the first two weeks mentally now, as I did last time, and anything that is an improvement on that will be good!!! LOL! Glad you are OK!

 

[bickypeg]

Thanks @1stSurgery that's so reassuring. And kind of you when you're having such dreadful environmental issues to worry about. So many threads on here I daren't even look at because some must have had a dreadful time so it's great to hear the success stories. But people I know personally have said it will change your life, so here's hoping for a good outcome for all double hippies.

 

[Layla]

Thankfully you're not in harms way!
The photos are horrific, straight out of a Hollywood movie scene.
The devastation is heartbreaking. I'm happy you're safe.
Stay in touch, it's always nice to hear from you.
A great week to you and a Happy Thanksgiving if you don't visit us before then.
Big Hugs
@1stSurgery

 

[EL11]

Hello and sorry to be late in replying but have been consumed with the horrific fires here. We are safe but have friends and relatives who are evacuated -- there are currently 250,000 evacuees and that's likely to go much higher with more high winds forecast this weekend and the biggest fire being 0% contained. It's worse than I've ever seen here, just devastating. Much of the affected land is horse country so people are frantically trying to save animals, but in many cases they are forced to flee so fast it's not possible. One man in Malibu lost everything today, his house, car, etc ...but after that, he saved two horses from his neighbors stall by freeing them -opening the gate for them as the fires came swooping in, and they escaped to the beach area. The neighbors had already evacuated. One brave girl went back in to save 48 horses, most of them hers, but not all. And she nearly died trying to drive out her car surrounded by flames, she had her cell phone on showing what she drove through. So many houses burned, so many people who won't have a place to return to tomorrow. :(

This on the heels of the shooting in the same area as the fires. Most of the people said that the flames came up so fast, one area had nine houses go up in just minutes. Many were evacuated too late. The Santa Ana winds were gusting up to 50-55 mph. Many prayers for our wonderful but super fatigued fire crews and for all those affected. Hips... This does tie into hips. ... One fire broke out near the LA zoo today and the firemen could only access the fire area by climbing up this very steep rugged terrain with all their gear.... Very steep. So they really needed those flexors and abductors to be in strong healthy shape!

I lived in California more than half my life. It is beyond horrible. I have several friends who lost their homes. One woman who has a horse rescue and got all the horses to safety with herself at 2am while her husband, a firefighter, was out fighting one of the fires. A singer friend who lived on Malibou Lake and had been posting ecstatically about her new marriage, their house, and their gorgeous home studio the whole family was pitching in to finish. Lost everything. Of course not "everything" if human and animal residents got out safely, but it's indescribably awful.

Too bad about your car, darn. But great that all else is going so well. I still wake up achy in the middle of the night sometimes, but you know how healing is, not a straight line. My stride is practically normal. PT at St V. today. Just as I started feeling fine for a 30-minute walk, the temperature plunged and is currently 25!! I have a gym membership but am also planning to get a treadmill by year's end.

"Not pain exactly," that describes my usual state, and it makes sense with our surgeries so close together. I'm still adjusting to the fact that unlike taking a dance or aerobics class and being able to predict what muscles will be sore afterwards, I might up my exercise a bit, not think I'm stressing any part of my body and then pay for it the next day.

Wishing you continued great progress!

 

[1stSurgery]

@bickypeg and @Alitm - keeping you both in my thoughts for a perfect procedure and smooth sailing in the recovery of hip 2. I've been really stunned at how fast things moved once I figured out the initial pain inflammation issues. I attribute much of that to new hip #1 being able to play a much stronger supporting role for new hip#2 Much better than the way it worked in reverse when #1 had no other real "leg to stand on".

@Alitm you are tomorrow already! One day and counting but who's counting?! For the first sludge weeks your favorite word shall be "TEMPORARY". It's all temporary and even as you go through it it is in the process of becoming a memory, belonging to a past. Not to return! Stay calm and focused and keep up your meditation. See you on the other side point two.

 

[1stSurgery]

@EL11 I hear you on the fires and so sorry to hear about your friends losses but pleased they were able to get the horses and themselves out. We too know so many musicians lost their studios, instruments, gear..... It's ok to say lost "everything" in these cases since it implies every THING and not people and animals. We have another musician friend who had just bought his house in Malibu, his dream house, and fixed it all up, completed a month ago. Gone now. The keyboardist that I gave the clothing too for his wife teaches at Musicians Institute out here, do you recall that place in Hwd? He's keeping a good attitude about it and was so appreciative of our donations.

But yeah the Malibu residents in particular have been very angry and are claiming there were no firefighters sent there until it was too late and their homes were burnt down. Not sure if that story is being covered nationally but here the Malibu residents are up in arms angry claiming first responders didn't respond and there were no fire trucks in sight. I know they were so busy fighting raging infernos in several different locations and on the worst first days we had only our CA crews. I'm very surprised to hear what they're saying out there, just don't know if it's true.

We do seem to be on similar trajectories in the healing. I now see improvement every day and during the day am starting to enter that zone now where I forget I even had the surgeries. It's just not an issue. Then I remember ...that I forgot ...and that's the fun moment! Yesterday was very busy and I had no luxury of focusing on any hip leg foot stuff so curiously yesterday it all just seemed to vanish. I was active physically and loads of walking, stairs, driving... Even the car was not anything terrible or worthy of note. I'm so pleased with where I am now. At night you say you sometimes have aches and I can sometimes too, but it's very mild and less aches, but more like a tender tightness. Mild. Sorry you are in the sub freeze weather already. We are a single season town except for fire season. So at least I can always go to the track. 30 min walks are great though, I'm doing same! Loving it.

And of course Albert is so gorgeous!! Etta gives him another kiss, on his cheek of course. She's well bred.

Take care!

 

[1stSurgery]

@Layla I had a bit of your grocery store moment today. Did a big full shopping and it all went fine but at each turn and corner I was remembering how it was when in crippling pain. How I'd sit in the car for ten minutes before getting up to go in. Leaning on the cart' the whole time - unable to bend down to get things on low shelves, unable to get back up again if I did. Remembering how the long checkout line was so agonizing and then once the car was loaded up...the dreaded trip across the parking lot to return the cart when by that time my poor hips had been brutally aching from the shopping. That final cart return, so many times thinking...I can't do it. I just can't do it. And it wasn't even that far really.

What a difference today was! Maybe a little tired by the end but pain free and filled up the car with bags and thanksgiving items. Every day is like a fresh new miracle to behold lately! I'm very happy with the twins. It was worth the weeks / months of slush and grop to get to here. (**There may be some made up words in there)

First full market day with recovered hips is a delight. But man was it crowded!!

 

[Layla]

Aww, I love it! Thanks for sharing. It makes you so thankful to have that second chance.
To do it all again without the agonizing pain. I actually enjoyed grocery shopping for awhile....until I got sick of it again I'm still grateful for my new hip and I thank God each time I'm reminded of that pain, lack of flexibility and mobility I suffered. It truly is a gift in my opinion. Just think of what we have to be thankful for on Thanksgiving! I hope you have a wonderful holiday with all those you hold dear.
Big hugs to you
@1stSurgery

 

[1stSurgery]

Thank you @Layla and to you too! Yes, so much to be thankful for especially this year. Quite a rebirth moment. Hugs back!!

 

[EL11]

@EL11 I hear you on the fires and so sorry to hear about your friends losses but pleased they were able to get the horses and themselves out. We too know so many musicians lost their studios, instruments, gear..... It's ok to say lost "everything" in these cases since it implies every THING and not people and animals. We have another musician friend who had just bought his house in Malibu, his dream house, and fixed it all up, completed a month ago. Gone now. The keyboardist that I gave the clothing too for his wife teaches at Musicians Institute out here, do you recall that place in Hwd? He's keeping a good attitude about it and was so appreciative of our donations.

But yeah the Malibu residents in particular have been very angry and are claiming there were no firefighters sent there until it was too late and their homes were burnt down. Not sure if that story is being covered nationally but here the Malibu residents are up in arms angry claiming first responders didn't respond and there were no fire trucks in sight. I know they were so busy fighting raging infernos in several different locations and on the worst first days we had only our CA crews. I'm very surprised to hear what they're saying out there, just don't know if it's true.

We do seem to be on similar trajectories in the healing. I now see improvement every day and during the day am starting to enter that zone now where I forget I even had the surgeries. It's just not an issue. Then I remember ...that I forgot ...and that's the fun moment! Yesterday was very busy and I had no luxury of focusing on any hip leg foot stuff so curiously yesterday it all just seemed to vanish. I was active physically and loads of walking, stairs, driving... Even the car was not anything terrible or worthy of note. I'm so pleased with where I am now. At night you say you sometimes have aches and I can sometimes too, but it's very mild and less aches, but more like a tender tightness. Mild. Sorry you are in the sub freeze weather already. We are a single season town except for fire season. So at least I can always go to the track. 30 min walks are great though, I'm doing same! Loving it.

And of course Albert is so gorgeous!! Etta gives him another kiss, on his cheek of course. She's well bred.

Take care!

Well, for whatever reason, I heard from my best pal/colleague who lives in Somis that the firefighters were so taxed, saving lives was all they could concentrate on, not houses. So horrible and the AIR ...

I overdid it yesterday and my upper back was really hurting during the night. But it’s so great that all of a sudden I could climb stairs normally. You seem to be doing so well!!

Musicians’ Institute, yes I do ...

Albert returns the kiss and a little head-boop to beautiful Etta.

 

[1stSurgery]

Oh @EL11, no one loves and appreciates firefighters and first responders like I do! I get teased about it! I sometimes wish there was a Firefighter Political party instead of the two main parties we have here. I'd vote for their candidates.

But the issue was, I think, that we had so many fires going on in the state simultaneously, that were so severe, that we didn't have the resources to cover them all. And again, in a state that is the fifth largest economy in the world, or like its own country on an economic scale.... as well as a state known for its fire hazards... I'd just think we could manage to get that planning in better order, from a governmental perspective. Something's wrong with that picture and I don't believe the culpability comes from the fire departments. Other states' crews ladders and unit's didn't get here until after the main damages were done. Our state in general has been pretty poorly run for quite awhile. Hoping we can improve that going forward.

Congrats on the stairs graduation, that's a good milestone! For me, I broke into dancing in the kitchen today and it felt wonderful!! Yes it's all going very well this far. Won't take on the hiking until probably next year just to be safer, but for now I enjoy the track because it's so beautifully landscaped.. and only afew minutes from home!

Etta turns away and does a coy paw-lick move, pretending not to be interested in Albert. This is however a sign that she loves him dearly.

 

[EL11]

Haha! Etta is quite a beauty. I used to have a charcoal gray kitty when I was living in Laurel Canyon. His name was Roy (after Roy Scheider).

I love that feeling of suddenly being able to move without worrying. I realized when I was doing this and that around the house today and going from room to room a lot, that I was walking fast, as I used to.

That sounds smart, about the hiking.

I’m heartbroken about the air in CA for all my friends who are suffering with it. And why there is not help rushing in, is a disgrace.

 

[1stSurgery]

Roy is a cute cat name @EL11! We saw a sad post today of what looked like a baby Etta found in Malibu, looked like it could've been her daughter, so similar looking. She had that kitty frightened expression that you probably know. With the creases between the brows....worried look. You wish they could all find their humans and be reunited.

Keep up the walking progress!! This past week or so I've been leg crossing, side sleeping and doing more of. The exercises I used to do before OA. Still get the occasional zip zap and scar tissue formation pings sometimes. I expect a year of minor things like that is possible while bones are growing.

Oh...And Etta asked me to politely let you and Albert know that she is not actually a "gray" cat...but that she is a Russian Blue. (...Just between us, she IS gray - but there's sometimes a bluish cast to her fur, only in some lights...but she likes to think she is blue...and Russian... I don't dare argue the matter) She would also like to know if Albert prefers chicken or fish? Feeling out compatibility, I guess.

 

[EL11]

Roy is a cute cat name @EL11! We saw a sad post today of what looked like a baby Etta found in Malibu, looked like it could've been her daughter, so similar looking. She had that kitty frightened expression that you probably know. With the creases between the brows....worried look. You wish they could all find their humans and be reunited.

Keep up the walking progress!! This past week or so I've been leg crossing, side sleeping and doing more of. The exercises I used to do before OA. Still get the occasional zip zap and scar tissue formation pings sometimes. I expect a year of minor things like that is possible while bones are growing.

Oh...And Etta asked me to politely let you and Albert know that she is not actually a "gray" cat...but that she is a Russian Blue. (...Just between us, she IS gray - but there's sometimes a bluish cast to her fur, only in some lights...but she likes to think she is blue...and Russian... I don't dare argue the matter) She would also like to know if Albert prefers chicken or fish? Feeling out compatibility, I guess.

That is said about the poor kitten, but she will have a home now one way or the other. I hope they reunite her with her humans.

Yes, the way you describe it is right on the money, the occasional pings. I've been feeling guilty about not walking because of the sudden frigid temps and residual snow, but we have 15 steps from first floor to second and I use them a dozen times a day at least.Yesterday I did stretches, bridges, and used the "soft" roller to lie on and massage my back. I only woke up once, around 4am; got back to sleep quickly, and woke with virtually no pain. What a great feeling. I'm going to book a swimming lesson ...

So sorry, so sorry, Blue, apologies from us both. As a matter of fact, when I was trying various fixes for Albert's frequent barfing (not to gross out Etta), at one point I auditioned wet salmon cat food and he wouldn't touch it. He now eats kibble with a little Stage One baby food in the morning, and I'm using a different hairball remedy.

 

[1stSurgery]

Argh, I just found out another friend lost their house in Malibu totally burnt to the ground and I only learned of it last night. The clothes on their backs, 3 dogs, 2 kids and the computers is what they got out with and the one car. Another immediate evacuation story. All those I k ow who are just coming out of shock are now starting to recall all the things they lost, their sons first in utero ultra sound, sentimental items and also things we use and need in our lives. When I think of the stress levels on all these families now just getting back into living day to day without bearings or a home.... The story here is ongoing and awful. We are back in the closet to donate more clothes.

About Hips... Yesterday I did a mile at the track which isn't anything stellar ...but the good part for me was that there were no after effects, no pain or need to ice -- but I stopped just as I felt the first pangs of strain on the limbs, still adhering to the overly cautious approach! I've not yet tried doing floor exercises (and getting up from them) but most other movements and range of motions feel close to "normal" or where they were pre OA. I've also not dared test any of the major flexibility moves, no high kicks just yet. Lucky to have a really good track so close to home. Saving the mountain hiking for later when the bone builders are closer to finishing their major construction job.

@EL11 Etta eats Merricks chicken wet food and LOVES it, but, funnily ...she too doesn't like their salmon. I suspect it's farmed salmon and she knows better! Because she will eat fresh wild salmon when we have it at home. For the hair balls we have kitty grass for her and keep her in the kitchen after she's eaten it - tile floors, the mess is easier to clean up! And yes, hips....about hips..... It's a good thing she has such powerful hips that can thrust her all the way from the kitchen floor up to the counter where the grass is ...in one quick jump! I marvel at those feline hips.... Etta opens one eye from her curled up slumber pose to wink at Albert.