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THR Cathy's Recovery<
- Thread starter VThereandnow
- Start date
United States
joydiver
junior member
Cathy, it's been a while but just stopped by to see how you're doing. First - VERY happy you had such a wonderful birthday surprise from Cheryl !! And secondly, I'm so sorry to read about your mother and brother - tough luck with so many medical problems occurring in your family all at once but hope they will improve.
Speaking of improving, happy 3 week anniversary of our surgeries [emoji106][emoji122][emoji3] ! Like you, I've had some ups and downs I kicked my cane out from under me the other day with my good leg - thankfully did not fall but jarred my operated leg quite badly, especially the knee. I felt very lucky it wasn't worse but the knee swelling and pain have been a new problem. It also caused me to be fearful of the cane - so I'm using the walker especially if I feel stiff or sore and the cane only when I feel stronger.
I'm glad we are having sunnier warm weather - your Vermont location sounds spectacular ! Even here in rural NJ (yes, there is such a place [emoji4]), we see Wood Ducks, Great Blue Herons and all the spring birds visiting our small pond. Helps to pass the time !
Take care and good healing thoughts for our recoveries !!
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
Speaking of improving, happy 3 week anniversary of our surgeries [emoji106][emoji122][emoji3] ! Like you, I've had some ups and downs I kicked my cane out from under me the other day with my good leg - thankfully did not fall but jarred my operated leg quite badly, especially the knee. I felt very lucky it wasn't worse but the knee swelling and pain have been a new problem. It also caused me to be fearful of the cane - so I'm using the walker especially if I feel stiff or sore and the cane only when I feel stronger.
I'm glad we are having sunnier warm weather - your Vermont location sounds spectacular ! Even here in rural NJ (yes, there is such a place [emoji4]), we see Wood Ducks, Great Blue Herons and all the spring birds visiting our small pond. Helps to pass the time !
Take care and good healing thoughts for our recoveries !!
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
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VThereandnow
graduate
Hey buddy @joydiver so good to hear from you. Dang I love Blue Heron. They are so prehistoric to me. Rural NJ huh? Haha. Thanks for stopping by, I have been wondering how you are doing, and yes, happy 3 weeks to us 
Sorry about the knee :/ I sent you a pm with a bit more detail. Our sunny, warm weather turned a bit cooler and windier and gloomier, but that's ok. That is what spring is always like, up and down and all around.
Sorry about the knee :/ I sent you a pm with a bit more detail. Our sunny, warm weather turned a bit cooler and windier and gloomier, but that's ok. That is what spring is always like, up and down and all around.
OP
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VThereandnow
graduate
Thanks for thoughts for my mom and bro. Bro holding steady and mom doing better. We all feel good that this time they will send her to rehab place first, before sending her home. She needs to strengthen up a bit. So glad she agrees.
Rain and gloom here, but flowers need rain so I am ok with that, but harder to keep the mood up. I think part of it is because it is hard to not be able to go home and help out, and part of it is the early recovery is over, and now the other part Is here. Still need self control to not do too much, but already tired of being in recovery and knowing it will be like this for a while
Last in home PT today, next Wed. surgeon follow up so maybe released to drive, which will be freeing. Have a good wknd everyone
Rain and gloom here, but flowers need rain so I am ok with that, but harder to keep the mood up. I think part of it is because it is hard to not be able to go home and help out, and part of it is the early recovery is over, and now the other part Is here. Still need self control to not do too much, but already tired of being in recovery and knowing it will be like this for a while
Last in home PT today, next Wed. surgeon follow up so maybe released to drive, which will be freeing. Have a good wknd everyone
@VThereandnow 
and 
and 
Soon the summer will be here, recuperation will be completed and you can get back to enjoying all that Vermont life has to offer. The 
does happen and will eventually stop happening.
and and Soon the summer will be here, recuperation will be completed and you can get back to enjoying all that Vermont life has to offer. The does happen and will eventually stop happening.
labanan
member
Cathy - So glad to hear positive news about your mum and brother. It is really hard to feel like you can't physically help someone you love but, of course, you do help.
Rain and gloom are tough on the psyche for sure. One thing I'll say for Labrador is that is a much sunnier place than I've lived in before. Spring in Nova Scotia flat out sucks! Here, when I get out to my chair I can see across the frozen bay to the Mealy Mountains. My darling step-dot is here - just finished her undergrad degree and full of talk and love. She's staying up the road at her father's cousin's house but will spend days down here with us. Perfecto!
Have a relaxing (what else) weekend!
Jan
Rain and gloom are tough on the psyche for sure. One thing I'll say for Labrador is that is a much sunnier place than I've lived in before. Spring in Nova Scotia flat out sucks! Here, when I get out to my chair I can see across the frozen bay to the Mealy Mountains. My darling step-dot is here - just finished her undergrad degree and full of talk and love. She's staying up the road at her father's cousin's house but will spend days down here with us. Perfecto!
Have a relaxing (what else) weekend!
Jan
OP
OP
VThereandnow
graduate
Inspired by some others posts I have been distancing myself from the dilaudid and just using Tylenol during the day. However, I have a pre-op script for tramadol and am taking that before bed. ...and if I have a painful spell and it interferes with progress, I am not above throwing a tramadol in . Just taking Tylenol and increasing my walking outside to two walks a day and a tad longer, has increased my back pain some. I do have some lidocaine patches I use for that, but have been having a some sciatica, 
which is a pain in the butt haha, and the patches don't really work with that, but this too shall pass. The path of recovery is not a straight one, this I know. It is that funny time of recovery for me where on some levels I am feeling good, mentally raring to go, yet physical limitations are preventing me from going. The reality of the "long haul" is presenting itself and I don't like it lol, especially because I wish I could just hop on a plane and be with my family to help out and support. Oh well, it is what it is, such an easy statement to say isn't it? ...and such a difficult one to accept. Inspired by Jan's painting, I had Cheryl bring my watercolors up from downstairs and perhaps I can get motivated to work at this new hobby hobby of mine. I took 2 classes and when I was in class, it was easy to stick with it. Now that I am on my own, not so easy, but going to try.
Hope everyone is having a good wknd. After rain and gloom, the sun came out today so the walks will be much more enjoyable
. Just taking Tylenol and increasing my walking outside to two walks a day and a tad longer, has increased my back pain some. I do have some lidocaine patches I use for that, but have been having a some sciatica, which is a pain in the butt haha, and the patches don't really work with that, but this too shall pass. The path of recovery is not a straight one, this I know. It is that funny time of recovery for me where on some levels I am feeling good, mentally raring to go, yet physical limitations are preventing me from going. The reality of the "long haul" is presenting itself and I don't like it lol, especially because I wish I could just hop on a plane and be with my family to help out and support. Oh well, it is what it is, such an easy statement to say isn't it? ...and such a difficult one to accept. Inspired by Jan's painting, I had Cheryl bring my watercolors up from downstairs and perhaps I can get motivated to work at this new hobby hobby of mine. I took 2 classes and when I was in class, it was easy to stick with it. Now that I am on my own, not so easy, but going to try.Hope everyone is having a good wknd. After rain and gloom, the sun came out today so the walks will be much more enjoyable
OP
OP
VThereandnow
graduate
She's not where she was
She's not where she's going
But she's on her way
:cool:
She's not where she's going
But she's on her way
:cool:
labanan
member
Hey kiddo - totally get you. This morning I shelved my big plan to go to the wake. I realized I wanted my first outing to be less fraught. Also, I'm having problems on the can (damn opioids!) so thought I should be nearer my john. Just doing that changed my whole mood. I'm going to be super selective how I spend my energy. On the very up side I haven't had my pain meds since 9 last night and I'm okay. Feel like l might take one in about an hour. Then my dose of 2 at 9. I don’t have lots left and don't see my doc until May 5th or something. Plus, I don’t like this terrible constipation!!
So I'm lying in bed with frequent short walks and drawing, reading, and netflicking (well, it should be a word).
The next week's lessons and so on come out tonight in Sketchbook Skool and I'm really looking forward to that. There seem to be about 400 people signed up so it's a but crazoo but I'm still oving it. So glad you got your paints out. By the way, the one I sent you was made digitally on an ap I use. I'll send you one I did of a caribou I'm proud of and an abstract one of our beach.
Totally fun.
Luv,
Jan
![[Bonesmart.org] Cathy's Recovery<](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/161218_133034-png.56957/ "[Bonesmart.org] Cathy's Recovery<")
![[Bonesmart.org] Cathy's Recovery<](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/fb_img_1484782769730-jpg.56958/ "[Bonesmart.org] Cathy's Recovery<")
So I'm lying in bed with frequent short walks and drawing, reading, and netflicking (well, it should be a word).
The next week's lessons and so on come out tonight in Sketchbook Skool and I'm really looking forward to that. There seem to be about 400 people signed up so it's a but crazoo but I'm still oving it. So glad you got your paints out. By the way, the one I sent you was made digitally on an ap I use. I'll send you one I did of a caribou I'm proud of and an abstract one of our beach.
Totally fun.
Luv,
Jan
Delphi
senior
Wow, you are talented , labanan. Great image of the reindeer ! PRunes and prune juice were the most helpful things I took to get things moving,
Diane x
Diane x
OP
OP
VThereandnow
graduate
Off the narcotics but forgot to take the stool softener out of the pill box the last few days, oops, interesting morning 
. (Opposite of you Jan)
Like both pictures but LOVE the beach-very cool indeed. ...and that's digital huh? Interesting. My problem is I can't draw. I am very early in learning watercolor so I am still looking at others stuff and trying to duplicate, which is ok, that's partly how I am learning.
I did not do this today but this is the last pic I did right before surgery.
![[Bonesmart.org] Cathy's Recovery<](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/image-jpeg.56977/ "[Bonesmart.org] Cathy's Recovery<")
. (Opposite of you Jan) Like both pictures but LOVE the beach-very cool indeed. ...and that's digital huh? Interesting. My problem is I can't draw. I am very early in learning watercolor so I am still looking at others stuff and trying to duplicate, which is ok, that's partly how I am learning.
I did not do this today but this is the last pic I did right before surgery.
labanan
member
Gorgeous! The colours are so great. So glad you've got the impetuous. You might not embrace your drawing side but you sure can paint!
I am one of those highly irritating folk who believe everyone can draw. I work with Innu (a First Nations tribe) youth - well families part of the time and youth and children the rest of the time. I'm the outreach counselor at a treatment centre on the reserve. I hang out at the school and talk to anyone who wants to talk -from kindergarteners, to clutches of teen girls, to the principal or maintenence guy. I always have a sketchbook with me and I carry some to hand out. I've been making **** since I was a bean sprout but drawing as a very regular practice for about five years. I often just sit with some kid the principal has sent me and we both draw. And talk.
I did the drawings on my android originally for a sketchbook skool assignment. I use my finger. I found that working that way cut the inner critic and freed me up. I did one nearly every day on fb with a line of text. I did it through the club attack in Florida, the meaness of the American election, our own struggle with NALCOR on the Muskrat Falls protest. It helped me not lose my mind. I eventually gave up fb as l was in a permanent rage that was unhealthy!
When I found out my surgery was postponed for a week l went a little crazy then I made three dolls. I gave one to the friend who so amazingly flew from Halifax to be with me for my surgery. I wrote little accordion books for them with their histories. I embroidered hearts on their right hips.
I guess my point (oh...she has a point?) is that making, drawing, writing... those things , as well as meditating, keep me from being a total whack job -especially when I can't walk like I want to. Here are the dollies the night before the surgery at the B&B.
![[Bonesmart.org] Cathy's Recovery<](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/20170405_202633-jpg.56987/ "[Bonesmart.org] Cathy's Recovery<")
I am one of those highly irritating folk who believe everyone can draw. I work with Innu (a First Nations tribe) youth - well families part of the time and youth and children the rest of the time. I'm the outreach counselor at a treatment centre on the reserve. I hang out at the school and talk to anyone who wants to talk -from kindergarteners, to clutches of teen girls, to the principal or maintenence guy. I always have a sketchbook with me and I carry some to hand out. I've been making **** since I was a bean sprout but drawing as a very regular practice for about five years. I often just sit with some kid the principal has sent me and we both draw. And talk.
I did the drawings on my android originally for a sketchbook skool assignment. I use my finger. I found that working that way cut the inner critic and freed me up. I did one nearly every day on fb with a line of text. I did it through the club attack in Florida, the meaness of the American election, our own struggle with NALCOR on the Muskrat Falls protest. It helped me not lose my mind. I eventually gave up fb as l was in a permanent rage that was unhealthy!
When I found out my surgery was postponed for a week l went a little crazy then I made three dolls. I gave one to the friend who so amazingly flew from Halifax to be with me for my surgery. I wrote little accordion books for them with their histories. I embroidered hearts on their right hips.
I guess my point (oh...she has a point?) is that making, drawing, writing... those things , as well as meditating, keep me from being a total whack job -especially when I can't walk like I want to. Here are the dollies the night before the surgery at the B&B.
joydiver
junior member
Ohmigosh Cathy & Jan - you are both wonderfully talented ! The eggplants are stunning, Cathy - love all the color variations. Jan, your caribou and abstract are great too - and love the 3 dolls ! I get your point about the benefits of having creative outlets in these difficult times - I rely on going to the theatre, movies, reading etc. I'm most relaxed when scuba diving so really looking forward to 2 weeks in Bonaire in Dec - it can't come fast enough !
Thanks to you both for sharing some of your work [emoji122][emoji122]
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
Thanks to you both for sharing some of your work [emoji122][emoji122]
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
OP
OP
VThereandnow
graduate
Yes Jan, been off the site for a few days. Wed. was my 4 wk follow up with surgeon, which we had to drive to New Hampshire (2hrs) for. Said I was coming along great and the additional pain in my thigh and tight IT band were due to him lengthening my leg (the last bit of evening out from my earlier screwed up stuff on other side) . He said it could last a few months while my muscle gets used to having to be longer. The best thing is I was released to drive and fly. I feel liberated and so less helpless. Now, if I feel I need to fly home I can feel ok doing so and driving ahhhh yes, freedom! So I have my appts made for next week with my regular physical therapist and I am sure she will get to work on helping me with these extra tight areas. ...and of course I HAD to drive somewhere today. Well, I actually drove several places but the first place I drove was the dump haha. We had some smelly garbage I wanted to get rid of. I think I might have done a little much for my first day of freedom but I could barely help myself. I am icing as I write. Really my only pain is from these tight areas, which I understand but where the IT band connects to the knee can be a killer, ouch. This too shall pass.
Mom now in a rehab place to try and get stronger before going home and having a hard time adjusting but doing ok. My brother still really struggling with an infection amid other things. This particular round of bone marrow transplant has really brought him to his knees. He is a trooper but he said a couple times he's been singing "knocking on heavens door" by Dylan, poor guy. Hopefully they have now found the correct antibiotic for his strain of infection.
For today I celebrate my recently found freedom!
Mom now in a rehab place to try and get stronger before going home and having a hard time adjusting but doing ok. My brother still really struggling with an infection amid other things. This particular round of bone marrow transplant has really brought him to his knees. He is a trooper but he said a couple times he's been singing "knocking on heavens door" by Dylan, poor guy. Hopefully they have now found the correct antibiotic for his strain of infection.
For today I celebrate my recently found freedom!
labanan
member
So very happy to see you here!
Freedom, huh? I still can't imagine driving, but that's okay as my engine was shipped out shortly after I was to be rebuilt. Have no idea how long that takes!
Glad your mother is on the mend, and very sorry that your brother is experiencing such a rough time. And glad that you are freed to fly so needn't feel held from going to them if need be.
Had to laugh that you had flight restrictions whereas I had to take s hellish flight four days after surgery. Makes one realize how arbitrary the whole thing is.
Again, so very glad to see you here. Feel you are a friend.
Jan
Freedom, huh? I still can't imagine driving, but that's okay as my engine was shipped out shortly after I was to be rebuilt. Have no idea how long that takes!
Glad your mother is on the mend, and very sorry that your brother is experiencing such a rough time. And glad that you are freed to fly so needn't feel held from going to them if need be.
Had to laugh that you had flight restrictions whereas I had to take s hellish flight four days after surgery. Makes one realize how arbitrary the whole thing is.
Again, so very glad to see you here. Feel you are a friend.
Jan
Congrats on getting off the "no drive" list!!! Heehee and of course the first thing that must be done is taking care if necessities like stinky garbage! Hope you also drove to get a sweet treat or at least something fun!
OP
OP
VThereandnow
graduate
Ok everybody, how'd the weekend go?
@joydiver @djklaugh @Nivea @Nohipwndr @Itzdor
My report: Oops, needing to relearn the difference between "released" and "knock yourself out and do whatever the heck you want" LOL. All in all a good wknd and yet kind of wiped myself out. Still needing to figure out how much is too much because I pay for it at night with pain down my leg, kind of a sciatica
Went to a lecture on Friday night, SLEPT IN MY OWN BED YAY!!!!!!!! supervised some yard work on sat. a.m. (had Cheryl doing some things But found myself bending down and pulling this or that up waaay too much while I was out there) Ran around with Cheryl doing errands, in and out of car many times, started in my own bed and had to go back to the spare room to give myself more space to toss and turn. Another lecture on Sunday and a little clothes shopping. By end of night had to resort to a pain pill as I definitely overdid it. Though I slept well I woke with pain and a deep knowing I need better balance. GOOD NEWS! Always something to learn from myself, and this one is a tough one for me, but "Cathy, why create more suffering for yourself"? Ahhh the 50,000 dollar question haha. Taking it easy today, starting back with my regular Pt at 3:30.
Let me know how you all are ok?
All in due time Cathy, all in due time haha
@joydiver @djklaugh @Nivea @Nohipwndr @Itzdor
My report: Oops, needing to relearn the difference between "released" and "knock yourself out and do whatever the heck you want" LOL. All in all a good wknd and yet kind of wiped myself out. Still needing to figure out how much is too much because I pay for it at night with pain down my leg, kind of a sciatica
Went to a lecture on Friday night, SLEPT IN MY OWN BED YAY!!!!!!!! supervised some yard work on sat. a.m. (had Cheryl doing some things But found myself bending down and pulling this or that up waaay too much while I was out there) Ran around with Cheryl doing errands, in and out of car many times, started in my own bed and had to go back to the spare room to give myself more space to toss and turn. Another lecture on Sunday and a little clothes shopping. By end of night had to resort to a pain pill as I definitely overdid it. Though I slept well I woke with pain and a deep knowing I need better balance. GOOD NEWS! Always something to learn from myself
, and this one is a tough one for me, but "Cathy, why create more suffering for yourself"? Ahhh the 50,000 dollar question haha. Taking it easy today, starting back with my regular Pt at 3:30.Let me know how you all are ok?
All in due time Cathy, all in due time haha
labanan
member
Much as like following your dance moves I really wished I hadn't this time. My downfall was a few games of rummy with the step-dot late last week. Bending to pick up cards off a coffee table - very bad. At least I think that was it so had a soso Saturday and a lousy Sunday. Last night I took two of my last three pain killers so had an okay sleep. I still feel ragged today - more like the old pain so I'm babying myself. PT for first time since hospital on Friday. Hmmm...
Later kiddo...
Jan
Later kiddo...
Jan
