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THR AussieMike returns

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I can't get pass the first two level. I am so envious to say the least. Tashia
 
Drop by my thread.. Party day :)
 
We are back in Sydney again after our two night cruise to nowhere aboard Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas. My lady and I together with two friends had a great time. There is always so much to see and do. A few of our highlights included:

1. Dinner in the American steakhouse restaurant Chops Grille - their steaks are great and the Creme Brulee is to die for.
2. A cabaret show called Piano Man featuring the music of Elton John, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, etc.
3. My first game of golf since the THR (sadly only putt-putt). I lost.
4. Pre-dinner drinks and Hors d'oeuvres in the Diamond Club.
5. Made some new friends called Ashley and Simon - international cabin crew for Qantas
6. Teaching my friend Kevin how to play Blackjack. He was so excited when he turned $20 into $180.
7. Dancing at the piano bar.
8. The sing-a-long in the English pub complete with the audience playing percussion.

My hip stood up to all this activity day and night, fairly well. Yes, it still got tired. Yes I had to choose when to sit down for a while. Yes, it kept me awake at night in bed. But overall, it was entirely manageable.

By the time our next cruise (Norway and the Arctic Circle) rocks around in June 2013 I will be ready to climb the rock wall on the ship!!
 
Mike I have been on that ship. It is something and very big. Glad you had a good time and most important your hip held out. You next cruise looks very interesting and fun. I hope you took a easy for a couple of days so the hip will stop hurting. take care. tashia
 
Welcome back to dry land Mike :)

What a wonderful little break and much fun and merriment was had by all ! It was a dry run for June next year and yes you will be well and truly recovered :)

Good to have you back - missed you... truth be known, SO and I were envious.. whilst we were slogging away, hehe!
 
Poppet said:
Welcome back to dry land Mike :)

What a wonderful little break and much fun and merriment was had by all ! It was a dry run for June next year and yes you will be well and truly recovered :)

Good to have you back - missed you... truth be known, SO and I were envious.. whilst we were slogging away, hehe!
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Hi Poppet,

Thanks for keeping the economy moving while I escaped. I do have to confess to being a travel and cruise tragic. Must say I read your account of your surgery on your anniversary and was pretty shocked. Your experience has been so different to my own. How is your back holding up?

Cheers

Mike
 
Hi again Mike :)

I have been 'babying' my back and although it is still giving (probably always will) me significant pain, some days I can put it to the back of my mind.. other days - well what can I say! - I just go ahead and have a 'pity party'.

Thanks for asking :)

p.s. I have no memory of the five days in ICU, but SO is not keen for me to have the other hip done... I think he lives in the hope medicine will come up with 'the non surgical cure'.
 
Mike, it is so nice to read about your cruise. Dancing and golf, oh wow---! Our September surgeries are beginning to seem like a distant memory aren't they? And so much to look forward to. Happy for you!
 
sissy46 said:
Mike, it is so nice to read about your cruise. Dancing and golf, oh wow---! Our September surgeries are beginning to seem like a distant memory aren't they? And so much to look forward to. Happy for you!
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Hi Sissy

Thanks for your support - much appreciated. I am looking to put some further runs on the board this coming week. I plan to do another light gym session on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Each session should be around 45-50 mins in duration.

Then next weekend I plan to put my golf clubs in the car and head to the driving range at Moore Park in Sydney's city centre. Hopefully I can get through a bucket of 80 balls using short irons (clubs) which require less body rotation. This should give me a good idea of where things are at.

Aside from that there is the 40 min early morning walk before breakfast. It might sound like a lot but it all has periods of rest and recovery after each activity.

Fingers crossed.

Mike
 
AussieMike said:
Another busy day in the office. My need for pain medication continues to decrease. The NSAID called Voltarin works particularly well for me. Thanks again to Jaycey for her advise on this.
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You are more than welcome Mike. Glad you found what works for you! Your cruise sounds like a great get away! Well done - even dancing!
 
I have a question or two...

If you have reached 8 weeks post op and beyond, I would be very interested in your experience. I am getting to the point where taking any pain medication is quite irregular. For instance, its 9.36pm and I have not needed any medication today until now. When my operated leg gets fatigued, it is always specific muscles that ache and cramp. For me, its the hamstring and calf muscles. Obviously they are weakest and probably quite short compared to their counterparts in my other leg.

So I was wondering, is this normal?

Do other people find this happens to them?

Is it the same muscles or different ones?
 
Yes and yes to the first two questions Mike, no to the third for me.. I found and still find that a muscle will suddenly make itself known to me with a different activity or movement and stretch.. All normal, part of recovery :)
 
Hi Mike, since about 6 weeks out from my op I have been doing hamstring stretches several times per day. I started as I was getting major muscle cramps shooting from the butt down the back of my leg. A hamstring stretch seemed to ease this. Now when I sit at my desk at work or at my computer at home I do hamstring stretches all the time.

It took years for your muscles to weaken due to that bad hip. Even before you had any major pain your body was compensating for the weak joint. Muscles shorten as well. It may take some time for things to return to "normal". Just keep working on strengthening - and take meds when you need them.
 
Jaycey, Thank you for writing this, I to Jim am having some problems. Now I know thats to your question. I hope you had a good weekend. Tashia
 
I did another gym session this evening and things are getting easier and I can notice small improvements in cardiovascular fitness.

I thought I would mention to those of you who are suffering from tightness in the thigh or hip flexor muscles that there are some great static stretches you can do with a swiss (fitness) ball as soon as your 90 degree restriction is removed.

Swiss balls are a fantastic and inexpensive piece of equipment for stretching and rebuilding core strength.

A couple of useful exercises here.

[Bonesmart.org] AussieMike returns


[Bonesmart.org] AussieMike returns
 
I am so glad you are working out the gym. I think that is great. On the news its showing lots of rain and hail storms. I hope that all is well in your neighborhood. Take care and do have a good week. Tasia
 
tashia said:
I am so glad you are working out the gym. I think that is great. On the news its showing lots of rain and hail storms. I hope that all is well in your neighborhood. Take care and do have a good week. Tasia
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Hi Tashia

The gym is good but now without some sore muscles today. The storms you saw were in a northern state called Queensland. Both Poppet and I are in New South Wales about 600 miles away. But thanks for your concern.

Cheers

Mike
 
A restless night with little sleep. If you are following my journey please note that going back to the gym at 7-8 weeks post op does come at a price. I could be pain free and drug free if I wasn't challenging myself to improve at this time.
 
Mike, it looks like you're venturing into the "no pain, no gain" territory. Or should that be "no pain, no loss"? :what:

Coincidentally, I'm developing various aches and pains in other parts of my body, not the hip, including my lower back pain is coming back as my level of activity increases.
 
AussieMike, I have not used the gym for at least 10 years, but plan to start when my recovery reaches 6 weeks or so. I think core strengthening and upper-body strengthening will help my overall recovery. But I plan to take it easy.

It's encouraging and inspiring to read of your recovery. Please continue to keep us updated.
 
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