THR Boofit's recovery in Hong Kong

[Mojo333]

Didn't realize the leg cramps were a pre-op issue...
My father struggled with the leg cramps much the same and smuggled his RLS meds into the hospital too
Always worried that there would be some medicine interaction that they wouldn't be aware of as he had heart issues ....but he really suffered with them.

I respect that you know what you need to do to get back to your happy healthy life.
Hope your weekend is sweet also.

 

[Zoebichon]

I’ve had a few excruciating inner thigh cramps (before my surgery, after long, hard hikes). Sometimes foot cramps, too. A big glass of water and about 1/3rd cup of pickle juice gave me quick relief.

I’m not sure if you have the same type of pickles we have. They are cucumber pickles. Something in the liquid helps!

 

[Boofit]

I’m not sure if you have the same type of pickles we have. They are cucumber pickles. Something in the liquid helps!

Hi @Zoebichon , we have supermarkets selling US products here, including cucumber pickles and gherkins (which happen to be what my husband like, so I get them for him). I am guessing maybe it is the vinegar in the liquid?
Am thinking that maybe I should make a bedtime drink of apple cider vinegar and honey in water and see if it helps with my cramps

By the way, are gherkins similar to cucumber pickles? They taste similar.... In Hong Kong, I have seen the sliced cucumber pickles as well as gherkins. I usually buy gherkins and hubby consumes them as a snack (not in a hotdog!)
The Koreans also have pickled cucumber, but it tastes different, saltier.

 

[myglasshalffull]

I’m not sure if you have the same type of pickles we have. They are cucumber pickles. Something in the liquid helps!

By the way, are gherkins similar to cucumber pickles? They taste similar.... In Hong Kong, I have seen the sliced cucumber pickles as well as gherkins. I usually buy gherkins and hubby consumes them as a snack (not in a hotdog!)
The Koreans also have pickled cucumber, but it tastes different, saltier.

Pickles are my partners go to snack! At his childhood home no dinner was complete w/o pickles and olives on the table. We only did that on holidays!!!
We go through tons of pickles here.

 

[Zoebichon]

I’ve read that the calcium chloride and vinegar in pickle juice helps aid absorption of sodium and potassium, which is also in pickle juice! So basically salt, not just vinegar is needed to replace electrolytes.

Yes, gherkins are our pickles.

 

[Boofit]

It is referred to as spitting a stitch, or a spitting suture. Rest easy, It doesn't require any special care, one day soon you'll notice it's gone.

Hi @Layla

You were absolutely right! My spitting stitch appeared about 10 days ago. It did seem to protrude a little bit more over the first week. 3 days ago (after reading your reply) I decided to apply antibiotic cream and place a bandaid over it. Strangely, it seemed to get smaller and, this morning when I went to shower, it seems to have disappeared! I don't know whether it has fallen off or been re-absorbed but it's gone!!

 

[Boofit]

On Sunday I went for a 5km walk on an easy hike (paved trail but with slopes) using a single crutch. This is the longest distance I have attempted since my surgery.
There are some wild cats who come out early in the morning on this trail and over the years I have gotten to become friends with a few of them (one - a calico - even led me to her babies last year, I have a video showing her LEADING me to them. It runs for about 4 minutes, she went along the paved section in front of me, never going into the bushes on the side of the trail, turning her head to make sure I was following her and calling me every now and then until we reached the spot where her babies were.) I have missed my untamed friends and have not seen them for over 2.5 months.

I only walked to the spot where my calico friend was before turning back (was starting to feel tired and felt it would be too much to continue on). Initially she did not recognise me and might have been startled by the crutch I was using. She started to run upwards on some steps when I approached, then paused after 3 steps, then turned to look at me and did not run anymore. Just stood there watching me. Ever since she was about a couple of months old, we would "chat" meaning I would call her and she would respond and other regular morning hikers used to joking say she was only chatty with me because she seldom "spoke" at all. This time she did not chat but just sat there quietly looking at me (Perhaps somehow she realised that there was something wrong with me and I would not be able to follow her up the steps with that crutch, who knows? ). She used to eat snacks out of my hand, but I decided it was too early to do this.

Met quite a number of "regulars" on this trail, and many stopped to chat. So my 5km walk with a single crutch took 108 minutes!!!

Came home and iced. Felt ok yesterday, my muscles (especially my calves) ached, but it felt so good to have done it! Am hoping to do it again maybe tomorrow or the day after, if all feels well, and hope to gradually build up to a longer distance (to see my other cat friends).

 

[CricketHip]

Sounds like a fun day! I hope you can do it again, soon. I love when kitties "talk" like that.
Congratulations on accomplishing a nice long walk.

 

[Snoopy55]

What a wonderful day you had! And what a great feeling to have walked all that way and seen your little friend! So happy for you! I had a great day yesterday myself too as I had a massage with hot stones and the lady really worked my hip so It felt nice and loose. I hadn't had a massage is so long. I highly recommend it when you feel up to it. I'm sure there are some good places in Hong Kong! Just to celebrate feeling better heehee.

 

[Layla]

Thumbs up on the wayward stitch and the walk.
Happy Two Month Anniversary!
Enjoy the week!
@Boofit

 

[Boofit]

I hadn't had a massage is so long. I highly recommend it when you feel up to it. I'm sure there are some good places in Hong Kong! Just to celebrate feeling better heehee.

Oh @Snoopy55 , I am SO pleased you are feeling better!!!

Yes, there are many massage places in Hong Kong, but because the COVID cases are rising (it is the 5th wave here in Hong Kong), I don't think I will try going to those places for the time being. What I do have are some TENS machines, and your post has reminded me that I should get them out and start using them! Thanks!

 

[Boofit]

I am going to have lunch at my favourite Italian restaurant in the Conrad. This is with a friend who recently returned from the UK, she was supposed to be back earlier, but caught COVID just before boarding the plane back. Her husband has knee problems so I think I will recommend this site to him.

I have been avoiding eating out much for the last few months largely because I was afraid of catching COVID before my surgery and then having it delayed. Then after the surgery I was concerned it might interrupt with my healing process. Now I am beginning to sort of relax, largely because so many people I know have caught it (some with lingering effects and the majority apparently without). That said, I am still worried because although I have had all 4 shots, I still don't feel totally comfortable about these vaccines and the virus and what they may do to the human body.

 

[Snoopy55]

Oh @Snoopy55 , I am SO pleased you are feeling better!!!

Thank you so much! I do feel great and I know you are too. So grateful for the support on this forum. It made this recovery so much more bearable.

 

[Boofit]

I got up at 5am today and went to my usual paved hiking trail. Used a single crutch (don't think I am ready to use just the cane on this trail yet, as there are slopes and the distance I plan on doing would be tiring for me at this stage in my recovery). The longest distance I have done since my surgery was on Sunday when I did 5km and I felt tired but okay afterwards.
I did shorter walks for the following 3 days and decided to repeat my 5km walk today.

The plan was to walk up to my cat-friend Calico's spot. When I did this walk 4 days ago on Sunday, Calico did not recognise me at first.

Initially she did not recognise me and might have been startled by the crutch I was using. She started to run upwards on some steps when I approached, then paused after 3 steps, then turned to look at me and did not run anymore. Just stood there watching me

Today, since it was early and the trail was sort of deserted, I started calling to her before I got to her spot, and lo and behold, she came bouncing down the steps and running down the paved trail towards me!!! My oh my, I felt somewhat teary when I saw that - she is known to be fearful of humans (and wild dogs and wild boars), but here she was, greeting me as an old friend. She came up to me and then turned to lead the way back to the steps where she came down from, stopping every few paces to turn back and give me a meow.

I felt she wanted me to go up the steps with her, and I am guessing that is where her litter is (other regulars on this trail text me every now and then to tell me news of our feline friends on this trail, and although Calico has given birth about a month ago, no one has seen her kitties yet) , but I could not manage those steps (we have a number one typhoon signal hoisted since last night, and there have been some heavy rain). So I stopped at the base, and she backtracked towards me and we stood there talking to each other for a couple of minutes. I then left her with some treats which she began eating. Steps on a hiking trail still present a challenge to me, and I would not try to attempt these before I am confident and ready because the last thing I want is to jeopardise my recovery by a fall!

My friend Calico is an undomesticated cat, and one that I only see when I go on my walks on this trail (which had been fairly regular for about 2 years before my surgery), but she does make me happy. AND she is an incentive for me to strengthen my muscles and retrain my balance so that I will be able to walk for longer distances and resume my daily visits.

 

[Snoopy55]

Wow I love it. Getting motivation from an animal friend is so beautiful. I love that you brought her treats too! She clearly trusts you now and probably looks as forward to your visits as you do! 5k is a very good walk and that you are doing it with a crutch is very difficult. I wonder if you are ready to use your cane yet but your brain is still telling you to be careful. Why did you wake up so early? Or do you wake up that early always? I hope that means you are sleeping better @Boofit !

 

[Boofit]

@Snoopy55

I use a crutch because using a cane for longer distances causes pain in my shoulder. The crutch I use is an axillary (under-arm) one and I prefer this to an elbow crutch or cane because I have weaker balance and upper body strength. I use a cane for shorter distances, and when in my apartment I usually walk unaided.

Why did you wake up so early? Or do you wake up that early always?

If I am not going on this particular walk, I wake up at around 7 to 8 am. But if I plan on doing it, I try to set my alarm for 5am.
I started doing this easy hike in around March 2020, and I started going early because there are not many people on this (rather wide) trail at that hour (Covid times) and the added bonus is that the cats are still out. In the winter months, I had to use a torch for the early part of the hike!! In the summer months, it gets brighter earlier and the weather gets hot around mid morning, hence I prefer to have my daily walk completed before this time..

I believe these walks are beneficial to my recovery (they certainly were in my pre-op training). I do hope I will be able to do longer distances soon to go see a few of my other friends..

 

[Klassy]

How sweet that Calico cat comes to you. I hope her kittens are doing well and you will get to meet them in due course.

A friend was telling me yesterday about the seven feral cats that have adopted her. She now has to keep a full cupboard of a variety of cat foods, because the kitties have become very fussy eaters. Cats eh, you have to admire their attitude.

 

[CricketHip]

She now has to keep a full cupboard of a variety of cat foods, because the kitties have become very fussy eaters. Cats eh, you have to admire their attitude.

This describes my homeless kitty that we adopted over 7 years ago! So very picky and demanding. We have nicknamed her "My Queen."

We currently are helping a black kitty who roams our neighborhood, leaving food out and hoping to trap him/her and see if it needs neutering.. we would like to either buy or make a shelter for him for the upcoming winter months.

What a great incentive for your lovely walks @Boofit ! I think walking on uneven ground is one of the hardest things to do while recovering, but it sounds like you are doing it well.

 

[Snoopy55]

I believe these walks are beneficial to my recovery

Absolutely! I did two walks this weekend and a swim. Tomorrow is another walk day. On a side note my brother is in town (he had the same injury as me-skiing- and broke his femoral neck bone in the same exact place on the right side too a year and half ago and he has two pins and I have 3) and he is now a year and half post op and he is doing great AND he is 8 years older than me! So definitely light at the end of the tunnel. Hugs to you @Boofit. Say hi to the kitty if you see her again.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Our rescue received a huge donation of cat food, we do not adopt out cats, rarely, we've had a few come in but mainly dogs.
So my GF works at local university here and maintenance guys and gals feed the "ferals" on the property. Many students get a kitten then leave to go home and that cat now becomes a part of the landscape. Sad and heartbreaking.
We donated the cat food to them because they were buying with their own $$ plus they built shelters for them. They have trapped, neutered or spayed and re-released.
Today we are off to friend's house that live on the lake, they have a boat, amazing backyard filled with flowers and archways of flowers, coy pond, etc.
We will snack, boat and grill later. We take our chairs and put them right in the water and just sit submerged, 95 today and high humidity so place to be.
My son came for breakfast yesterday after his overnight shift at ER, he said "wow, you are walking so good"
Yes I am, thank you very much!
And yesterday I took a chill day after helping at the kennel because we had a busy Saturday. I've been balancing my busy days with a rest day in between, seems to be working.
Have a nice day everyone.