THR A Bionic Octopus!

[Audball]

Wow an earthquake! Closest i've been to one is a sneaky man in the bath. ...Do you get them a lot in New Zealand?

 

[octopus]

lovegardening Hi Diane, good to hear from you I had posterior as well. I had the staples out today, each one felt like a tiny sting. There were 19 of them. I'm so forgetful, I was going to ask how long the incision is. It's now all bandaged over again so I'll have to wait. it needed some steri-strips over the wound in one place, just to be safe. The bandage is supposed to last 4 weeks but I give it a week, the tape is starting to peel off already. Were you really hungry all the time? I seem to need to eat every couple of hours. I still feel a bit shaky all the time. So how's everything? What have you been up to? Have you been creative and started your journal? After the doctor we went to a couple of craft shops, where I couldn't help myself and had to buy some more supplies. It was nice to be in the real world for a bit, everything still feels a bit surreal. Mum is cooking a roast chicken and vegetables for dinner tonight, it's smelling gorgeous.

Hi Audball, earthquakes are very common in NZ (just not so much in Auckland). NZ sits on what is called the Pacific Ring of Fire. We have a lot of volcanoes and fault lines. Two years ago one of our major cities was devasted by a few large earthquakes, the second of which was 6.3 and killed 185 people. Rebuilding is still in progress. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Christchurch_earthquake (if you are interested )

 

[nerdgrrl]

Hee,hee, when folks start talking about the ring of fire, I always want to burst out into the Johnny Cash song by the same name.

Seattle is on the ring of fire, too, well the entire West coast of North and South America is. But we don t get that many earthquakes up here either (as opposed to say, California) not ones you can feel anyway. However, we are "overdue" for a big one, so it is always a worry in the back of my mind.

On the appetite question, as with everything about recovery, everyone is different, but I found I needed to snack a lot. Your body is doing a lot of healing and that takes energy.

Have a great week!

 

[lovegardening]

Hi Diane Staples out then - another step on the way! I do envy you browsing round craft shops - no such thing here on the Isle of Mull - I need to go to Glasgow for that! The journal is still evolving but still in my head - I carry on taking the photos but have yet to assemble anything but 'm working on a silhouette project for my photography club using the outline of my hip implant as a basis - sounds weird I know!
I wouldn't worry about feeling shaky - it's still very early days for you and it's only now that I am beginning to feel more normal. That's been helped by the fact that I have put all my various aids to one side now and the house looks normal again. We went out for a meal and a glass of wine to celebrate - first time since the op! Still doing 'first times' at ten weeks makes me realize just what an unnatural way of life I have been living - no wonder you feel shaky! And as for feeling hungry all the time - oh yes I'm with you there - don't fight it, you need the energy for the healing and roast chicken sounds just the ticket!
Take care my friend xxxxxxxxx

nerdgrrl you'll like this then!

 

[octopus]

lovegardening I can't wait to take up my photography again. I used to belong to a club and did well in some of the competitions. Since I have moved areas, I'll see if I can find one closer to home. My cousin lives not far from me and goes to one, so will have to pick his brains. I'm loving the sound of your silhouette project. Would love to see it sometime.

 

[octopus]

Love the ring of fire video!

 

[BarbaraR]

octopus, I have days when I could eat everything in the house and days when I have no appetite. All part of healing I suppose. I'm glad you're doing so well.

 

[Audball]

I love gardening I'm 5 minutes away from Glasgow, but I seem to attract old drunken men. Lol. I'm close to Glasgow Fort, but the big craft shop is too dear.

 

[nerdgrrl]

OMG! lovegardening, that is perfect! Even better since I was a geologist in my past life. I am going to have to share this with my grad school buddies. Plus you just started an ear worm at my house.

 

[octopus]

Had a dressing drama this morning, so off to the nurse again today. Yesterday when the staples were removed, the dr recommended a certain breathable tape, but the nurse decided to use some sterile square pads of some kind, covered by some tape. A couple of times in the process I questioned whether this was waterproof or not and was told yes. So I showered this morning, patted the dressing to remove as much water as I could, and used the hair dyer on it. I could not stand for long to do this so had to leave it damp. It continued to wet my clothing. I blot it with paper towels. At this stage I'm concerned it will never dry, especially next to the skin and possibly cause bacteria to grow under there, so I ph the dr and go in again. (Right now I know I sound like a hypochondriac). I was hoping to see a different nurse, but get the same one again! She replaces the dressing with two different ones, because one is not long enough, assuring me that both are waterproof. One can be cut to the correct length, and one is a standard size, but not long enough. Confused at this point, I ask why the two dressings and not just the one that can be cut to the correct length, and is breathable, which is what the dr wanted done yesterday anyway. I was given some explanation, but I'm not the medical expert, I don't know what's best, that's why I'm at the dr, so I lay down in frustration and it's all I can do not to cry, and allow her to do whatever she sees fit. She then seems to come to her senses and replaces the standard not quite big enough one with the same breathable stuff (hypafix) that's on the rest of the wound, apologisng that she should have done it like that in the beginning. ???!! Felt wrung out after that, but have come home with an extra length, to apply when this one comes off.

Week 2 update

Can sit in a chair for an hour to watch tv, this is more to do with energy levels, than any discomfort
10 to 15 min walks
Sleeping all night, waking only for toilet or change of position
Eating often
2 paracetamol twice daily
Have enough energy to shower myself!
Can sit to do a bit in my journal
Having the odd day sleep (when earthquakes don't wake me)
Not enough icing and too much sitting leads to a bunched muscle feeling at the back of my hip

 

[bottomshollow]

Sorry about all that drama over a dressing. You'd certainly think she'd done enough of them to know exactly what to do the first time. Your run down of where you are at two weeks is looking very good. Just keep up the good work and follow the mantra, and your next update will be even better.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[octopus]

Thanks bottomshollow

 

[C Mac]

It sounds like you are doing great, with that two week progress report!! Glad you got the staples out but sorry about the band-aid drama -- good grief, maybe that nurse was just having a brain fade moment???

The roast chicken sounded like a great meal to help with the healing process and I do hope you are trying to get on to the ice pack a bit more frequently to help the muscles some. Try taking an ice pack to bed with you and changing it when you get up for the bathroom trip in the night too.

Please do continue to take it easy at home, 2 weeks out is still very very early and that may be why you are feeling a bit shakey. Comfy clothes and plenty of naps with fewer earthquakes...

Take care,
Cardie

 

[Firebrand]

Hi octopus. It's hard isn't it when things like the wrong dressing feels like such a set back. But the recovery sounds like it is going well, and you will get stronger little by little every day.

 

[octopus]

Thanks C Mac & Firebrand! I'm doing fantastic, much better than I thought I would be at this stage. Will try to remember the ice packs a little more frequently, and to have rests a bit more.

 

[Vida]

Keep up the good work Diane, your 'ability' list is very recognizable. You are perfectly on track to the new, improved, even more creative you! x

 

[sansabosa]

octopus
Hi Dİane,
Glad to read your 2 weeks report.
İ'm sure your scar will be ok pretty soon.
Take care
Selin

 

[octopus]

sansabosa

Hi Selin, I'm really pleased at where I'm at in recovery. Thanks again to Bonesmart, it really helps being informed. I've found the activity progression article useful at the moment. I'm not up to doing much at not quite three weeks, even though this frustrates me, it's good to know its to be expected. I had lunch out on Thursday but 2 hours was too much to sit in a cafe just yet. I also went to the supermarket to pick up my favourite spread which was on the shelves again after some time, due to the factory being destroyed in the earthquake 2 years ago. I certainly couldn't buy much and carry it, but a quick trip was ok.

 

[nerdgrrl]

Ah, yes, the great marmite shortage even made the news here I visited with semi-distant British relatives a couple years ago and they had some, so I tried it. I actually liked it. But I like salty things in general.

Regarding going out, one thing I did was take a pillow with me to go to restaurants and such. It made the seats softer, and raised me up a bit so it was easier to get up and down. Also, at three weeks, I found an hour of sitting was the most I could do, although getting up to walk around periodically helps. Good for you for getting out a little bit! I think at three weeks I was still just doing some walking in my neighborhood. That was plenty!

 

[octopus]

Thanks nerdgrrl, I'm finding I need these little trips out to break the boredom a bit, and the monotony of seeing the same surroundings all the time.