THR All Done

[Littlejem]

I'm not sure you want to care for your plant, your japonica, if it's been doing so well with you just looking at it..

LeeApril26 Zauber is not far wrong there!! It normally thrives on neglect, we used to cut ours back in Autumn quite vigorously every couple of years which also does it the world of good. All this talk of bed bugs and cockroaches

 

[LeeApril26]

Songlady Peaches zauberflöte ByGosh Poppet Littlejem sqwerlie Kim22 and others who are visiting. Please comment/advise:

I just had a weird experience. I went to drop off a prescription at a new pharmacy, and when I went inside the prescription department was downstairs, reachable only by an escalator. I froze. I could not bring myself to get on the escalator. The prescription is still in my bag. I feel like an idiot, but it seemed to be moving so quickly. Any advice, comments? I am really concerned about how to get to past this.

 

[Songlady]

@LeeApril Songlady Peaches zauberflöte ByGosh Poppet Littlejem sqwerlie Kim22
YES!! I actually went to a store with my son a few days ago, and the store had an escalator. I stood there, and I wiggled one foot in the air as if I were going to get on... and then I stood...... and it was only my son standing at the bottom saying, "MOM! Come on!" that helped me to simply NOT think about it and get on the darned thing!

My feeling was that I've become so aware of foot placement and every step, and here the steps MOVE before one can think....! So I had to convince myself that I've been doing this for decades and could still handle it. But I do appreciate your not "taking that step" to get on!

 

[LeeApril26]

Oh, thank you Songlady. I felt like I was nuts. Maybe your son would like to come to the pharmacy with me? It's true that if one of my kids was with me I would have done it, mostly so not to horrify them. And, you are right. I am so aware of every bump in the sidewalk, and exactly where I am putting my feet. Nothing feels natural right now.

 

[zauberflöte]

@LeeApril Songlady Peaches zauberflöte ByGosh Poppet Littlejem sqwerlie Kim22

Lenora, can't help. All the stores I ever go in are one-story, handicap accessible don't you know. Older malls do have escalators, but I don't go malling often anyway. I'm trying to place myself at the top of an escalator, scarier than at the bottom I always thought, but I can't get into the situation well enough. Maybe you can beg some really awful looking teenage boy, who will turn out to be a Boy Scout and sweet as pie, to be your son for a minute? You need that prescription!

 

[Poppet]

LeeApril26, Songlady,

I had an experience with an escalator early in my recovery. Went to get on it with hubby and suddenly realized it wasn't working! There were heaps of people behind us trying to push to walk past us down them. I froze! Eventually, I edged down each step and got to the bottom, but didn't like the experience!

Songlady, you are so right about being so conscious some days of where to place one's feet. I am still aware of it when I cross the street, I pause for a split second and practice in my head which leg down, which leg up the curb.. I think it is ingrained in us to be cautious!

 

[LeeApril26]

Poppet Thank you. I can't imagine how you got down the out of service escalator. The pitch is so difficult I had a hard time with that before my hip went.
I just couldn't visualize how to approach the moving escalator. Maybe going up would be easier.
zauberflöte If necessary, I can try it with my son next week, as he is coming in for a visit on 6/29. I have lots of pharmacies to select from-this is the closest from that chain, and with my new MedicareRx plan, it makes sense to switch. There is another right next to PT.

 

[Poppet]

You will be fine if you are with someone LeeApril26... best way to try it first time

 

[Poppet]

p,s, LeeApril26, the pitch of the escalator is the same as our fire stairs..

 

[ByGosh]

You will be fine if you are with someone LeeApril26... best way to try it first time

I agree. You just need someone with you.
I think escalators are a little frightening anyway, never mind with a new hip and a new walk, a cane in hand, and worries about feet and toes....but once you do it again, you'll get over that little fear, and you'll be fine.
Too bad they can't be stopped, so we can load ourselves on, and then get started up again. That would be a lot easier! But logistically that wouldn't work. Too many stops and starts..

 

[Peaches]

LeeApril26, wow, just the other day I too was confronted with The Dreaded Escalator! And it was moving fast. And I did not go on it. I wouldn't have cared if I'd have embarrassed a child or companion, either. So I empathize completely. I know you/we'll have to tackle it someday, but till then, can you call the pharmacy and have the prescription transferred to another, non-escalating one? Or buy it mail-order? The only other solution I can think of is that it will be more doable if you don't have a cane. That's what I thought I'd try. But I have always been scared of any escalator that is even remotely fast--and I feel most of them are too fast. Right now, they seem almost impossible. Please just be careful. I too think all the time about where I am putting my feet. Just today almost turned an ankle in a pothole in the street I did not see.

 

[LeeApril26]

Poppet I think your fire stairs must be very difficult. No wonder you are not supposed to go down all those flights! I liked the look of that chair someone posted-can't remember whom. It looked secure.
ByGosh I probably would have been more at ease if I was with someone, and as Peaches said without the cane. Then I could have used both hands. I just couldn't figure out where to put my foot. Peaches, I can go to another branch of the same pharmacy. Will do it tomorrow before PT.

 

[Poppet]

LeeApril26, it is not so much that I probably can't walk down the stairs, (although, I haven't tried that many stairs as stairs are not a part of my daily living) but when you have hundreds of people coming from the floors above and below, it becomes a hazard for everyone else and myself if I am moving very slowly and cautiously. Lots of people use the fire stairs during the day, but apparently that is not ok, because if there are lifts installed and someone uses the fire stairs in preference to the lift it maybe an OH&S issue.. In the event of a full on fire, I will be safe up to four hours, so am not the slightest bit worried.

 

[LeeApril26]

Poppet. The staircase will be the safest place, but I hope you don't have to experience it. Te crowds rushing down on top of you would be pretty bad. That's why I am avoiding the subways for now.

 

[Poppet]

Sounds very sensible Lenora

 

[LeeApril26]

Here I am at week eight. It's been a busy week:
I learned that doing PT three times in one week is too much.
It was hard to go for longer walks on the days I went to PT. Too tired.
On non-PT days I took bus trips, which were fine.
Not ready for escalators.
Met a friend for coffee and last night returned to Book Group. It was great.
Today I cut my toenails on my operated foot. Yeah!!!
And, tonight I am going to a play. Icing like crazy at the moment, because I had a PT appointment this afternoon. Bought these tickets ages ago and was hoping I would be able to attend the performance. Very excited. Will drive there and back, and hopefully the seats won't be hideously uncomfortable.
That's it. On to week nine.

 

[Kim22]

Well done on your 8 week report Lenora I hope you enjoy the play this evening I think a night out will do you good.With regards to the frequency of the PT I have found planning how much is ok to do the hardest thing as let's face it we don't know that we have done too much until we have done too much and then we pay the price Added to that is the fact that each recovery is unique to us and what is too much to one person is fine for another.Its a case of doing what you have just done listen to the hip and adjusting activity as necessary.Well done

 

[LeeApril26]

Thanks, Kim22. I feel like I am walking the PT tightrope. And, except for swimming or walking I would much rather be home reading a book.

 

[zauberflöte]

LeeApril26 short and sweet, love it! So, a play, eh? Tell all please, after you recover and have melted bucket of ice on your burning hip LOL. I've decided to keep my feet up and tuchus iced all day tomorrow, and to take a whole percocet before my movie starts tomorrow evening. Take that, pain!

 

[LeeApril26]

zauberflöte Oh boy, I should have thought of the percocet. The play, Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike, with David Hyde Pierce, was hilarious and touching. But whatever made me think I was ready for the Times Square area at the height of the tourist season? It's a miracle I didn't fall, or crack and whack someone with the cane. Though we drove in, I had a two block walk alone through this insanity while my husband parked. People everywhere. Had to walk in traffic because the lines to get into the theaters were so long. (My big NYC peeve-why make a line, people? You have reserved seats! You can just show up after 7:30 and walk right in!!!) So, after climbing over all these people I get into the theater, and there is no handicapped restroom on the main floor. If I don't want to do two steep flights of stairs I have to go back out into the crowds to the theater next door. I do the stairs down, and there were at least 40 women on the line. No line for the men's room, of course. Finally got into my seat and loved the show. Very happy we bought those tickets before it became a hit. End of show, repeat walk with crowds, but this time I stayed with my husband and hiked to the parking lot. Longest walk since the surgery.
The show was worth it, but I am surrounded by ice and plan to stay this way. Also had PT this afternoon. Yikes.
Aren't you glad you asked?
Hope your trip to the movies is a little less insane.