THR Are We There Yet?

[Barbaraj]

Hi, @SurreyGirl, I love the "soldier on" comment--that's what we're all doing these days. I get not wanting to make a formal complaint about the denial of your working from home request--it might finally get approved if you raise a stink, but it takes so much emotional/mental stress to follow through on this sort of thing, and one risks being labeled, as you note, a "whiner" or "moan-er". It shouldn't be that way, but that is reality. Like me, and perhaps all of us, you do need to get up and stretch, walk around, bend, whatever it takes to get our creaky joints lubricated. Fingers crossed that your ECG comes back with positive results, and incident a few week ago was truly just a fluke.

Cheers, @bickypeg, I agree that the blues can overtake one at any time, without rhyme or reason. I think moods are impacted with how we're feeling physically (and not sleeping well does take its toll) and all the other day to day stresses that are perhaps magnified when we are still recovering and not sleeping well. I think we just have to continue moving ahead as best we can, recognizing that the blues will hit us and coming up with strategies for coping with that (baking something indulgent is a good for me in this regard, although having to deal with a pan of brownies after I've eaten one is a pain). And, hey, I slept with a heating pad for a lot of time before surgery and I think if it helps you at all, you should definitely curl up with a hot water bottle or pad at night. Anything and everything that helps is a good thing!

 

[Barbaraj]

Good morning, Bonesmart Land! Feeling pretty good this morning, considering a lot of exercise (relatively speaking) yesterday morning, and too much time plopped in a chair and stiffening up by late afternoon. Nothing on my agenda today until late afternoon when we're taking my granddaughter to her ballet lesson, so an entire morning and early afternoon to fritter away doing nothing. While my granddaughter is at her lesson, my husband and I will be swinging down to the restaurant a few blocks away, and once again indulging in a happy hour cocktail and those delicious truffle fries! I justify this by pointing to the "exercise" afforded by walking the three blocks to and from the restaurant. This happy hour "meal" is usually enough to tide me over the dinner hour (yes, it is a terrible meal choice but, no, I don't care for one day a week) but I'll need to check with my husband. If he wants something for dinner other than cold cereal, I may need to figure something out (although the petulant part of me says why can't HE figure a meal out and prepare it?!!) We are now on day three of beef barley soup which is tasty but really needs to be frozen and brought out after a break. Even good soup gets boring after awhile.

So, off to do my daily PT exercises and then may head out for a bit of retail therapy--which will, I protest, involving a lot of walking around stores. Husband, allegedly retired, is off to the office this morning again so I'm running solo here at home. Rainy, cold day so perfect for doing very little.

 

[Barbaraj]

A sunny Monday, mid-morning here in the PNW. I've already been out and gotten a manicure this morning, then home to bake brownies, bread and make up salad dressing and spaghetti sauce. My youngest son and his girlfriend are coming for dinner tonight--so she can look at baby pictures! Ah, young love, when you truly care about such things or can fake it really well! I had a good weekend, although feeling tired and achy this morning. I woke up in the middle of the night--ugh--with a stiff neck and upper back, plus that troubling dull ache in my left hip which isn't painful but means I have a hard time finding a comfortable position in my bed. I was probably awake for about an hour and a half, and woke up feeling cranky but resolved to do my PT exercises this morning so that, I hope, I'll feel better. During the day, for the most part, I actually feel pretty good--not noticing any limping (and others haven't commented on it) and the dull ache I have in the morning generally dissipates throughout the day. But, it is a grim reminder that this left hip isn't going to get better and some day, I hope many, many months from now, I am sure I'll be back in my surgeon's office and whining. In the meantime, all I can do is try to strengthen my core and muscles around my hips, and trust that being vigilant will mean I can put a second replacement off as long as possible.

 

[Layla]

Happy Monday and Thanksgiving week!
Hope your stiff neck and backache ease soon.
Enjoy the day and your dinner later with loved ones.
We have spaghetti on the menu for tonight also. Buon appetito!
@Barbaraj

 

[Ginny12]

@Barbaraj

Just caught up with your thread and i am so sorry that things are a bit challenging at the moment. You really are doing all that is humanly possible to improve things hip wise. As you have said to others in your lovely kind and generous way, just look how far you have come already recovery wise.

Sending you love and healing vibes in buckets. x

 

[Barbaraj]

Ah, midafternoon already--what happened to my day?! I made it to the gym today for another slow slog, and then home to prepare lunch for friends--that beef barley soup made another reappearance, along with salad and some homemade bread. Guests brought dessert. All cleaned up now and backache is feeling better but sitting at a table, despite the padded chair, has made my hip ache. If I were really virtuous I'd do some more PT exercise to stretch things out but feeling tired and not in the mood. And thank you for the kind words, @Ginny12, I am not sure I've done everything possible for this silly hip, but I am certainly trying to do what I can (cue: need to do PT exercises today!) with the hope I can put off surgery on hip #2 for a chunk of time. Husband left for an errand so I'm home by myself. Really feeling like a nap this afternoon, but worried that will mean wakefulness at midnight. Guess I'd better just tough it out.

 

[bickypeg]

Poor @Barbaraj but you do such a lot with your day! Gym, cooking, entertaining! All I've done was a trip to the charity shop when I stayed in the car anyway! I feel that as soon as I get dressed it's time to think about putting the pyjamas on again. The short gloomy days don't help here. It was almost dark at 3.30! How do they cope in Scandinavia? But only a few weeks until the shortest day. My dad always raised a glass then as a winter hater.
I just had an accidental nap so prepared for wakefulness later. But a few nice things coming up so I guess it doesn't matter too much if I've had a lost day.

 

[Barbaraj]

Hi, @bickypeg, I totally agree with your dad about hating these short, cold and gray days that define winter, at least in my neck of the woods. I feel thankful that we don't get the awful weather that folks suffer through on the east coast or Midwest, as we seldom get snow around here, but it is undeniably gloomy and overcast for days on end, and those short, grim days with darkness falling at 3:30 or so, are awful. I managed to avoid a nap yesterday afternoon so fell asleep around 11:00 and got a decent night's sleep. I know you've said your sleep is pretty wretched these days, so maybe napping is the way to go. I'm off to run errands this morning after I bestir myself to put on some clothes, brush my teeth and get dressed! My husband went up to our local Starbucks this morning and I foolishly asked for a flavored latte AND a cranberry bliss bar (basically, dessert for breakfast) so I need to get my chores done before the sugar crash hits later this morning. Cheers, and hope you have a reasonably good day. PS I admit to having days where I never get out of my PJs if I have no out of the house chores--those days, as slothful and guilty as I feel, are pretty darn fabulous!

 

[Barbaraj]

Wednesday morning, day before Thanksgiving and a few chores to get accomplished this morning before I head down this afternoon to help a friend set up her house for a big Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Feeling bloated and foolish with my bad breakfast choice this morning (too much fat and sugar--reminiscent of my Krispy Kreme doughnut morning--ugh) but I know once I bestir myself, get dressed and get moving I'll feel better. Surprisingly, hips not aching too badly this morning, maybe yesterday's exercise helped--who knows. Anyway, the day before the Big Feast, so need to get moving! Happy Hump Day!

 

[Barbaraj]

Well, I'm up--alarm set for 6:30 AM but woke up around 6:00, having a dreadful dream about having to clean up a the disgusting bathroom used by my younger daughter and son. I am sure there is some heavy duty Freudian meaning to this dream, but I was glad to wake up and not actually have to do any cleaning. I staggered downstairs, feeling pretty good hip-wise, so I could start my roll recipe. I did that speedily, so I could make that ever-so-essential morning latte and collapse with the morning newspaper. With Thanksgiving today and "Black Friday" tomorrow, the newspaper was full of shopping advertisements, so after dumping those in the recycle bin, it was just the usual morning paper which I can breeze through quickly. If I can get my rolls done in another hour or two, I may try to hustle to the gym for a workout this morning (trying to go every other day). Cardio is important today as I know I'll be eating too much and feeling grumpy and bloated by day's end. But I am also looking forward to a nice, luxurious shower so hard to know if I should just bag exercise and shower or be virtuous and exercise first with nice shower afterwards. I know which one I SHOULD do but we'll see. Happy Thanksgiving to those who are celebrating today.

 

[Alitm]

Good Morning @Barbaraj Hope you had a lovely day yesterday and are not too tired today from all the festivities, driving etc. Did you make it to the gym yesterday? Sounded like a Super Woman activities to me (who was lolling on ice in the recliner!), to get the salad made, rolls baked, enjoy the news paper and your latte, shower and drive over the river and through the woods to the festivities location! Phew!! Either way, a great day I'm sure. Hubby and I Netflix binged on "Shetland". Perfect weather for the bing....it rained all day here. We enjoyed our restful time. I was naughty and had another piece of chocolate cake, that my friend had baked and dropped off the day before!

Sun is out for a bit today. Farrier is here seeing to my big retired horse's monthly trim. I can't go and visit as it is too far to walk just yet...over all that uneven ground!

Wishing you a great day!

 

[Barbaraj]

Well, it's the day after the "Great Stuffing" and I survived. The morning was a DISASTER, as it turned out, as my first batch of rolls was a wet, sopping, bubbling mess! It was 6:30 in the morning when I made the dough, using my trusty bread machine, and I walked away after putting in all the ingredients--big mistake! I came back and immediately panicked, and "poured" my roll batter onto a countertop and threw handfuls of flour on it, trying to knead some into the dough to bring it to its proper roll consistency. Very much crazed at this point (and still in my bathrobe which was now completely covered in front with flour) I immediately pulled out my stand mixer nd started another batch of dough, using a new recipe. Made other dough into rolls and packed the pan, and then formed the other pan. Between various rising times and baking, it was almost noon when I frantically flew upstairs to shower and get ready to leave. The first, reconstituted batch ended up turning out pretty well (a bit tough but edible), so I brought those to dinner. The other ones (and who knows if it was the recipe's fault or operator error) turned out--but rather hard, dry biscuit-y blobs, not at all the light and fluffy rolls pictured in my cookbook. These went immediately into the yard waste bin.

Okay, to get this topic back to hip recovery, I must say I was on my feet and rushing around like a mad woman yesterday morning and my hips, both of 'em, were aching by the time I got into the car for the long drive south. I put on the seat warmers (love those things!) and the achiness eased up somewhat, and once arrived I grabbed a glass of wine and sat for the rest of the day. Again, wasn't the best decision as a combination of sitting and movement every hour clearly is best for recovering hips, or at least for mine. Seat warmers on the way home helped, but I was exhausted last night and fell asleep, doddering halfway through the 10:00 news!

I should have had a wretched night's sleep after a bad day, but slept surprisingly well and did virtuously get up and go to the gym this morning. I've been baking again (party in a few hours) but so far the results seem to be good. I ate three of the cookies I baked to make sure! Need to do my PT exercises and then shower before this next event. But I will brag that yesterday everyone was in amazement at how well I was doing (not that I was doing much, other than getting up occasionally to fill my plate or wine glass), and I tried to look modest and gratified. Hope those who celebrated the big holiday yesterday had a good day with friends and family. Y'all probably overate unless you are incredibly disciplined (not me) so take it slow today, recover and get moving if you're able. Onwards!

PS @Alitm, if anyone is entitled to a lounging day of binge watching, it would be YOU! And worrying about that extra piece of chocolate cake at one week out from surgery is silly, you deserve that and another one whenever you feel like it.

 

[Alitm]

Hi @Barbaraj Hoping you are having a great Sunday what ever you are up to. Our daughter is coming to visit this evening and staying over through tomorrow.

We are getting a wind and rain storm coming off the ocean and have heavy rainfall warnings. The weather is pretty gross....so I imagine you must be getting some of this? I'm sort of getting cabin fever , but have no desire to suit up and walk in the rain, as I would do to ride . I have to say, regarding hip recovery....I'm not suffering any hip aches from OA!!! Yay!! Hope your op hip is feeling great, and the other hip is being kept quiet by the exercises you are doing!
Have a lovely evening

 

[Barbaraj]

Hi, there, @Alitm, just popped on the site now, and saw a new alert from you. Yes, I am doing well--just returned from the gym, I did 40 very slow minutes on the elliptical and so far no ill effects. My back is really tired as I again spent all morning and into the early afternoon on another marathon baking session, this time holiday cut out and decorated cookies. We have four dear friends coming for dinner tomorrow so I bestirred myself and baked cookies which, now that the frosting has set, are in two colorful jars along with some holiday candy and a pretty bow, as gifts for each couple. I was on my feet practically the entire time and was so tired by the time I finally cleaned off the kitchen countertops (confectioner's icing is HORRIBLE--turns into instant cement when you're a slobby baker like I am) and even damp mopped the kitchen floor--ouf! I nearly gave up and didn't go to the gym, but then my conscience lectured me, reminding me that it is essential for me to keep moving, both for cardio but also to keep these hips from acting up. But after my workout I sat in the sauna for awhile and just vegged out. Feeling a little better now, thinking a heating pad and a book are my next afternoon venture.

Glad to hear that your hips (both of them, right?) are doing okay, with first replacement settling in more comfortably and the road to recovery on #2 steady if slow. With this icky weather (rainy today here, too, although not a lot of wind thankfully) I think you're smart to slap that cabin fever down and be a sensible girl. Walks around the house are sufficient right now--barely one week out, can you believe it? But you seem to be doing well and here's to continued, forward motion with recovery. Cheers!

 

[Barbaraj]

A soggy morning here in the PNW, and I'm moving slowly today--still in my ratty bathrobe and slippers. Beef cut up for tonight's stew, and laundry churning away in the dryer so I've not been a complete slouch. Husband decided to get up at 5:45 AM this morning and despite wanting to drift back for a little more sleep, I finally hauled my carcass out of bed shortly before 6:30, as I heard our garage door close, signifying he'd driven off and the house was all mine.

Hips feeling--knock on wood--pretty unremarkable this morning. I'll do some PT exercises at some point, but we've got dinner guests tonight and the stew, a loaf of homemade bread and an apple crisp for dessert have still to be produced. We are entering the holiday season with lots of stuff I need to get done, and a number of events every week leading up to Christmas. Hoping this amazingly good hip surgery continues as I'll need to stay strong and mobile every day, and here's hoping hip #2 behaves itself as well. Cheers, everyone--happy Monday!

 

[An54]

Good morning @Barbaraj , I haven't been posting much these days except for some updates on my own thread, but I want to offer you kudos for your caring, attentive and supportive posts on so many Hippy threads.

You, @Alitm , and I are facing a very soggy, rainy day today here in your Pacific Northwest, which I suppose is our Pacific Southwest (although I've never heard that latter term used). November is not the easiest month, as we sink deeper into the dark and rain. Good to read that you are approaching the festive season with enthusiasm, what with the decorating, cooking and baking. I'm not a particularly domestic creature when it comes to the household stuff; if I never had to prepare another meal in my life--I'd be good with that-- especially big turkey dinners! I wish that I could recapture some of that childhood enthusiasm for Christmas, but that feeling has eluded me for some decades. One positive benefit I have had by way of the THR surgery was that I find myself owning up to more things truthfully now, staring them in the face as it were, rather than pretending and going through the motions. I said out loud that I wanted to escape the Christmas crush. I am doing just that this year and am looking forward to a quirky adventure that has long been on my bucket list--to take the train clear across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax, in winter. Hub said he wasn't interested in such a trip, but he encouraged me to go for it (he is a sweetheart!), so I am doing just that. And I refuse to feel guilty about it. Now when I look ahead to Christmas day, I smile to myself.

Hope you have a great week, and continue to recover apace.

 

[Alitm]

Good morning (late) to you @Barbaraj! Sounds like you are on your way for the day and dinner party tonight. This weather is so gross, I'm still in slouchy PJ's, enjoy a lovely coffee with our daughter, who has just finished her third sommelier level exams in Vancouver this past weekend, one more level to go. Chatting about that. So interesting. I'm yeast intolerant, so thus my preference for G & T's. I love the taste of wine, but sadly except for the rare occasional glass, it is a thing of the past. She is heading back to work tomorrow afternoon, so loving her company while she is here.

Your prep will keep you busy today. Enjoy your company tonight...back to normal life...awesome!

 

[Barbaraj]

Good morning, @An54 and @Alitm. Sounds like we're all of us in the midst of ugly weather. But, unlike the east coast of the US, no frightening blizzards or snow coming our way, just the usual rain, overcast skies and gloom. But, having nowhere to go today and just house chores to keep me occupied, it's not that bad really. Although my dinner prep chores and laundry will punctuate my day, it's not nonstop activity, and I envision turning on our gas fireplace at some point, putting on some relaxing music on our CD player (yeah, we're old school--no streaming for this dinosaur household!) and curling up with an old mystery.

@An54, I am very envious of your holiday plans which sound so different and, most appealing, exactly what YOU want to do. One feels pushed and pulled in so many ways during the holiday season that although I try very hard not to turn into a grouchy old lady, I confess by the time Christmas evening rolls around, the guests are gone and I'm collapsed into a chair with a glass of wine, all I can think of is, "good riddance" to the holiday season. I'd love to do that cross Canada rail trip, and my husband and I definitely have it on our list of possible future trips. I am not sure I need to go on a trip by myself, but I'd love to have the demands of four children, three brothers, four in-laws and a lot of friends, simply disappear and allow me to do nothing on Christmas Day except potter around in my PJs and do absolutely nothing. I suspect that is one of those "yeah, right--you'd be so bored by 10 AM" kind of wishes, but like most fantasies, it is appealing throughout the holiday season. And thanks for the compliment, I am not sure I'm particularly caring or supportive, but I am so appreciative of anyone who has bothered to stop by thread and make cheerful comments that I feel I need to do that for others as well. By the way, I posted another poem on the social site--a cheery one for a gloomy day! Have a good day.

@Alitm, glad to hear you're loitering around your house today still in your PJs. Of course, you have an absolutely good reason for this, as you're just one week out from Round #2. I have no such excuses--it's almost noon and STILL in my ratty bathrobe and slippers. Glad your daughter is there to keep you company and presumably supportive of you whatever your attire. Bummer about yeast intolerance--so no wine AND no homemade yeast bread?!! I would struggle with that if it were me, but I suppose if the side effects of yeast consumption were too unpleasant I'd be forced to come to terms with it. Fortunately, I have no allergies at all. I don't eat certain things because I consider them revolting (the whole bi-valve kingdom comes to mind) but that is personal preference and not because I can't eat them. Have a relaxing day, just vegging out.

 

[An54]

I don't eat certain things because I consider them revolting

That's been my attitude towards meat since I was about 17 years old. People seem to think I have exercised great self-restraint and control over the decades, tearing myself away from burgers and steaks. Nope. Ick!

Well, it takes all kinds.... have a great day!

 

[Alitm]

Bummer about yeast intolerance--so no wine AND no homemade yeast bread?!! I would struggle with that if it were me, but I suppose if the side effects of yeast consumption were too unpleasant I'd be forced to come to terms with it.

It is the unpleasant side effects that keep me from indulging. The intolerance started after my pregnancy with the twins, and became worse after our third child's birth. It really is too bad, as I love the taste of good wine and the smell of freshly baked bread.