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THR AussieMike returns

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Hey Poppet

Brekkie is about 7.30am. My breakfast consists of stewed peaches, porridge, poached egg, grilled tomato and multigran toast. In addition I brought my own herbal tea (lemon and ginger). We are so spoilt here!!

Hugs back

Mike
 
Mike,


So glad you're up and about after the initial shock you experienced! Yay, the dreaded gown is gone!

Thanks for keping us posted. It gives all of us pre-op folks a great expectation of what's to come. Wishing you continuing good progress.

Dede62
 
Hi Mike

Some of us still have to stay at work to pick up for you.... Hehehehehe! 6:21 pm, still here!

So pleased to read of your great progress, but....... Like Jo said on bigoozie9er's thread, don't go over doing it.. Very easy to do in the early days/weeks.. It is almost like being in a state of euphoria with no significant pain and all this new mobility.. But there is a long way to go mate in the scheme of recovery.... Remember what was done internally during surgery... It all takes time to heal, my good friend :)
 
Hi Mike,
Great update, you are progressing nicely I read. Lovely to find another lover of the infusion lemon and ginger tea.
Twinnings brew, yes? I also enjoy it and its great for digestion and heartburn probs as well.
Keep up the R & R and will check back on your recoup. tomorrow.
cheers Sue
 
Hi Sue and Poppet,

Thanks for your posts. Day 3 post op has been very satisfying. My sleep patterns remain somewhat disrupted. So I did some walking at 2am and 3am. My first PT session of the day was just after 10am and introduced me to my crutches for the first time. I found them easier and more natural to use than the walking frame. We walked for around 15 mins stopping every so often do stretches for my hip flexor and abductor muscles.

During the afternoon session introduced the staircase which consisted of three stairs leading up to a platform and three stairs on the way down. The staircase also had handrails on both sides. I was shown how to walk up and down protecting my operated leg.

As the afternoon continued on, I had several groups of visitors and took the opportunity to take leisurely stroll with each group using my crutches. By the evening my lady arrived and we again did a circuit around the ward.

Overall its been a very productive day. My only concern at this point is my difficult to have a bowel movement. Despite the doses of medicines we are waiting for this to happen. (Please don't mention the E word).

Cheers

Mike
 
Mike, in the olden days, they never let you go home until you had "performed" and they made sure you would by giving you Ducolax. With this last surgery, I went home the next day. Five days later, I was still under-performing so I scarfed up three Ds in the morning. By evening....ahhhhh, sweet relief. So give those meds some time....and get plenty of liquids in you too. Good luck....our bodies have so many ways to mess with us!

Sharon
 
Mike--I took the dulcolax 3 nights in a row without success...then tried a dose of Milk of Magnesia and all was well the next morning. I'm taking the stool softener docusate (Colace) too--twice a day and have added fiber capsules daily. Be sure to drink your liquids and eat plenty of roughage too. Remember...this too shall pass!
 
Thanks Annie for your advice. I know that my nurses here have a few other things to try before the more direct intervention. Figures crossed they work
 
Good Friday morning Mike

Prunes, prune juice, lots of fruit and fibre, lots and lots of water.......

Then when all fails, get them to give you the tiny microlax enema, this is the normal protocol in OZ. You don't want to let it go too long and you are in your fifth day now. The microlax is very, very gentle and effective without being too drastic.

We don't have the same drugs here in Australia and the US. But they would have you on a stool softener, I would imagine?

I am absolutely thrilled for you with your progress... Sorry you had a bit of a sleepless night and was wandering the ward.. This happens. Great that you are finding the crutches easier, and that you have done the mini stairs.... I had the same set of three with the platform at the top.. You get quite used to the stair mantra... I guess you didn't get the hot choc last night?... different shift of nurses on maybe :)

Yippee! We are on leave now for 10 days... So I didn't have to write a note for the two of us today! No sleep in for us either though, woke up at normal time.. Different though, that frenetic rush to get ready for work is not there..

Looking forward to hearing more news..
 
Yep I have been getting lots of fruit at each meal. Last night I had stewed plums - yum. I have been consciously drinking lots of water but it tends to pass straight through me at the moment.

Thanks for the name of the enema medication - I think we are headed there later this morning.

I hate to brag but I got another hot chocolate at 10pm last night. Its all about who you know ...lol.

All my roomies are going home today and that will be a little lonely. Its a quiet time here as its school holidays and many of the OS take time off to spend their kids.

On the positive side, I will have a great nurse to patient ratio!!

More time in the OT gym this morning for practice on the stairs and another bunch of work colleagues are expect to descend at lunchtime. My lady will be back in the evening and they allow me to order her a three course dinner for the very modest price of $12.
 
Enema cancelled!..... Whew close call though, the nurses told me they had it ready!

Good one Mike, you will feel heaps better... Do keep up all previous suggestions though whilst on the narcotics, it is a bit of an ongoing issue..

What a shocking day... Not going to the coast, bad weather to cross over the mountain road.. Early start tomorrow! So we will relax and unwind from a frenetic week for us.....

Nurse, where is my hot chocolate please? p.s. hubby wants his hot choc as well!

Hugs
 
Hi Poppet

Thanks for making me aware of the ongoing dietary needs and the reason behind them - I thought it was the GA rather than the narcotics. So that is good to know.

It is a day to snuggle up and sip your hot chocolate. Your husband is a man of great taste.

Cheers

Mike
 
Hi Mike

Also meant to mention that you may find you are going to the loo more frequently passing lots of urine, this is quite normal following surgery, once again due to the drugs given during surgery etc..

Do you have much swelling or bruising?

I am starting to think you are in a 5 star hotel..... Mmmmmm! :)

I think with all your charm and humour the nurses were always going to want to be visiting your room :)
 
Hi Poppet

The loo and I are well-aquainted. Seems we overdid things avoiding the Enema. And I do have to say there is nothing worse that a wet sock...

Very little bruising at this point but significant swelling from hip to knee. Its a little down on what it was yesterday so heading in the right direction. My main challenge right now is nerve pain in the upper left glute, outer left quad and left shin.

As for the 5 star hotel - I have never been in a hospital like it. The level of attention and service all round the clock is excellent. The way that the staff speak to each other and to their patients is just lovely without exception. But yeah the food is hard to take - today's lunch was two mushroom soup, rogan josh vegetarian curry with rice and green vegetables and I ordered a mandarin for dessert, some apple juice and couldn't find space for the tea and coffee service.

Overall the nurses are just lovely. they are well drilled, consistent in practice, pleasant and personable and heck they even laugh at some of my jokes.

Cheers

Mike
 
Oh my! I wouldn't want to leave with all that wonderful food and attention.

What does your OS say about the nerve pain?

Keep the ice packs on the swelling - all down.. Ask for more than one.. It takes a while for the swelling to go down, but the ice is key :)
 
Hi Mike, sounds like you are doing great! Don't worry about the constipation - it takes a few days for your system to start working again. Prunes are great. And the water buildup is all the fluids they pumped into you before, during and just after the op. Some people complain of weight gain from it all!

I had the same experience with crutches. I was much more comfortable with them and only used a walker once. Glad to hear you are doing your laps about the ward. Keep up the good work!
 
Mike, You sound like your doing great. Its so great that you are in a excellent hospital for the surgrey and recover. Please don't rush it, take a easy and keep the swelling down. I made the mistake with my first knee and it took forever to get it down. Take care and remember ice, ice and more ice. Tashia
 
annie1234 said:
Mike--I took the dulcolax 3 nights in a row without success...then tried a dose of Milk of Magnesia and all was well the next morning. I'm taking the stool softener docusate (Colace) too--twice a day and have added fiber capsules daily. Be sure to drink your liquids and eat plenty of roughage too. Remember...this too shall pass!
Click to expand...

Oh Dear Annie

We achieved success in avoiding the need for an enema but things have swung too much the other way. I am trying to convince the nurses that my current walking speed is less than my current running need. This particular nurse seems to lack confidence to change anything and there is only a skeleton staff over the long weekend.


Cheers


Mike
 
Skeleton staff or not, if they don't have a great deal of patients due to school holidays Mike, there is no excuse for the nurse to not understand your bathroom needs.. You have the power of a buzzer my friend :)
 
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