THR A Bionic Octopus!

[octopus]

Oh those blues! Doesn't help that winter arrived today, cold, wet & extremely windy.

 

[Poppet]

Brrrrrr!!! Here also Diane... Minus 2C this morning still at 9 am... I am with you, detest the winter.

We need our friend 'lovegardening' and photos of her lovely flowers.

Be gentle with yourself, what tends to happen with a THR is that we make massive leaps and bounds of progress in the early weeks and months and then it plateaus. It is normal because the body is doing its job - deep, deep healing, and it is realigning..

It gets better my dear Kiwi friend, slow and steady... time to give yourself your favorite treat whatever that is for you.. Chocolate is my weakness.. I think I recall you like Cherry Ripe's and Whittakers choc.... buy yourself some and enjoy !

Hugs from across the ditch xx

 

[octopus]

Thanks for the encouragement Poppet! Eek, -2! It's not been that cold here, not sure it's even single figures yet, but I'm such a wimp. Oh yes, love chocolate! Am running low, time to go to the shops again.

 

[Poppet]

Yes, we get it very chilly where I live. Woken this morning to another minus ... Trying to get those last few moments snuggled in bed before the rush to work.. Take care my friend and yes, I think I will stock up on chocolate today... Mmmmm.. Now what to have is the question

 

[nerdgrrl]

I have to say, I am glad I had my surgery in our fall. I did most of the hard part of recovery in the winter and I am able to fully enjoy the taste of early summer we are having here. I am even considering trying stand up paddleboarding this weekend, although that plan may be go by the wayside depending on what my visiting aunt and uncle want to do. Get some chocolate and a sun lamp

 

[octopus]

nerdgrrl, a sun lamp sounds wonderful. I have a heat pump and a Kent fire. Just waiting for a professional to come and safety check it. Hope he comes soon, brrr!

I was happy to have mine at the end of summer, nice to be able to be out in the sun and not inside at work. The timing has been perfect, I'm just able to reach my foot and no more, enabling me to put on my socks and boots, just! Which I've needed to do for a week or so now.

Have you been doing any hiking lately?

 

[nerdgrrl]

Well, I have to say I was envious of that aspect of your recovery. I guess any time can be the right time

No hiking lately. My last hike was in March. April is a blur, we had a hike planned for one weekend and there was a high wind warning and storms, so we decided not to risk it. I will hike in the rain, but I draw the line at being out there when the trees might fall on me! Until this week it has been quite chilly and stormy and we have been busy on most weekends. Now it looks like all my May weekends are spoken for, although I might sneak in a hike next Friday, since I am taking the day off. The best I have been able to do is walking the trails at work on breaks and mapping them with my GPS. I am helping the fitness coordinator make some new trail maps, so folks know the distances they are walking/running. I also need to pull out the mountain bike and go for a ride. My knee is acting up, so it may be that this is more of a mountain biking summer than a hiking summer, but we will see.

I had to look up Kent fire. We would call it a wood stove (or gas). I have a wood stove, and my mom has a gas one. I have to say I sure like the convenience she has of being able to flick a switch and turn on the stove. That is so nice in the winter! A glass of wine and chocolate by the fire might be nice, too <- closest I could get to a wine smiley

 

[octopus]

nerdgrrl, I've had clicky knees since I've stopped using my crutches. It's not painful but feels & sounds creepy. Physio said that bike riding will help this as well as some other exercises. I'm gong to try to do 15 mins or so riding every day. Not today though, I feel achy and exhausted, this evening. I hope I'm not getting anything. I'm guessing that I might be in the "done too much" basket right now

 

[Vida]

Uh-oh Diane, yep you probably have! Never mind. Two months is still super early days. Sounds like you are still on track for a super recovery. How is the art going.... anything new to post...

 

[octopus]

Vida, I still feel well this morning, so I'm thinking its just plain tiredness. I'm going to take it easy this weekend. Being Saturday morning, I'm not yet out of bed, so am unsure about the muscles. I will be posting a couple of pics shortly. For some time I've been making artist trading cards with the group I go to. We make several of the same and swap them with each other. It's once a month so it gives me something to work towards. But I'm not sure what I've let myself in for, I've just joined two other monthly swap groups! Just need to take some pics. I hope your knee is not giving you too much trouble.

 

[Poppet]

You may find that you have a few more aches and pains with the cold weather Diane, I certainly find this myself. I try to do some gentle stretching ( the ones the PT gave me in hospital) in bed whilst I am still warm before launching out of bed, it helps

I am a whimp in winter, don't like the cold at all!

 

[octopus]

I am a whimp in winter, don't like the cold at all!

Oh, me too, Poppet! Thanks for the tip, will try and remember.

 

[Poppet]

 

[octopus]

Some pics of my artist trading cards and my THR journal.

Vida

From Jamie: I'm tagging Kelly skigirl because I think she also would enjoy seeing your work.

 

[Vida]

Ooh Diane, you are so talented. If you ever print up your own line, I would love to have some. X

 

[ByGosh]

octopus Hello there. Just popped over to your thread. How interesting that you are in the start of winter there and we are in spring here on the East Coast. Of course, you're on the other side of the world from me.
I have to say octopus, that your journals are very artistic and beautiful! I keep a journal, too, but they look nothing like yours. I just write and paste an occassional pic or something. Yours are more like scrap books. You've given me some inspiration to be a little more creative. It will certainly help with the boredom.

 

[octopus]

Thanks Vida!

& ByGosh! I've learnt pretty much by copying. I go to an art group once a month and sometimes classes. Google art journaling and you will find thousands of ideas and techniques. There's a whole world of 'how to' videos, which I really haven't touched, but know of, from friends who watch plenty. It's heaps of fun and what keeps me sane. If you are into Pinterest, there's plenty there too.

I'm feeling tired and a bit discouraged today. Just had a horrible thought that this could be as good as I'm going to get. Hopefully not, i have another physio appt next week and will discuss with him then. I mentioned to my boss that I was tired and she immediately said I could go early, (about an hour and a half). I'm relaxing in bed now

 

[ByGosh]

octopus First, thanks for the great info on art journaling. I didn't even know there was such a hobby. I will definitely look it up and hope for some inspiration.
Also, you're boss was very nice to let you go early! She must be an understanding person to know you need to get your rest still.
And no, it's too soon for you to be thinking that you can't improve! Gosh, it's not even 11 weeks and you're back at work already. I don't think I'll be able to go back anytime soon. That's a lot better than me. I haven't read your entire story so I don't know exactly how your doing, but your recovery is really just starting. I've read that full recovery takes at least a year, sometimes two. You have plenty more healing to do before you can say you're finished getting better. And more physical therapy to do to get you stronger. And more resting to do to get your energy back. Maybe you're discouraged because you're physically worn down and that's the energy drain. Also the blues can come and go, too. I had them badly on Sunday. I was ready to give up and throw in the towel. But it's too soon to do that! It's not over yet! You have to tell yourself that you will get better. Because you will!! I just know it. Your art work says there's a lot more to you than just a hip operation... Rest up and feel better now.

 

[octopus]

Thanks sooooo much ByGosh. Yes, feel very worn down today. Will have an early night and am thinking about asking if I can finish an hour earlier for a week or so to see if it helps.

 

[ByGosh]

Hello octopus How are you doing? It's a lovely day here on the East Coast US. Nice and sunny and warm, finally. I wondered if you paint the pages of your journal. What type of art medium do you use and what are the pages made of? They're very stunning and colorful!