THR Celebrating one at a time, encore!

[Barbaraj]

Good morning, @Alitm, and happy Monday to you. Foggy and cold out there, but maybe some filtered sunshine later today. I hope you got what you wanted done this weekend, but also managed to find time to rest, particularly yesterday. I am beginning to think that every day should start with the mantra that this is a NEW DAY and ANOTHER chance to do things right. Waking up extra stiff and a bit sore this morning (including--yikes--my left hip!) I am resolved to try to be more gentle/patient with myself and start afresh. When we overdo things, I think the tendency is to spend too much (and any amount of time is too much) beating ourselves up about our foolishness. I'm not gonna do that! Today is another day, and another opportunity continue moving forward with recovery--onwards, and have a terrific day!

 

[Alitm]

Hi @Barbaraj, Foggy here this AM too with sun coming through. Rain starting tomorrow night....and that will be the end of Fall! We had such a good run of it.

Your mantra is spot on, no on yourself! I agree, we have to be more gentle/patient as we "learn our boundaries", which appear to be every changing!

Hope you had a wonderful day

 

[Barbaraj]

Thanks, @Alitm, I did have a good day--errands, actually made another trip to the gym (yes, did take it easy and wasn't stupid) and even made my first dinner ever tonight, first time since before surgery. Okay, it wasn't haute cuisine, but even preparation of a simple meal is gratifying. I am feeling a bit tired after my fairly active day, so after a few more thread checks and emails, I'll be changing into my bathrobe and slippers and plopping myself in bed shortly. Glad you like my mantra about not beating up on yourself if you overdo it--we already feel crummy when that happens, why waste precious energy flagellating ourselves about it after the fact?! Give yourself a break and move on!

 

[Alitm]

@Barbaraj and whoop whoop for making dinner!!! Put the whip away!!

 

[NanaKP]

@Alitm - ultrasound, CT scan, xray, MRI . . . they all run together after awhile, don't they? I can't quite remember, is your husband's appointment tomorrow? Were you successful in finding some help with the fur babies? I hope so, I'm sure it has been a worry. I am ready to turn in, too lazy to find my regular glass (or my cheaters) so I'm pretty sure this is full of typos. Please forgive those. I'm typing on my laptop as it's propped up on my stomach on a pillow as I lie in bed. Here I am 24 weeks out of my THR and I'm still figuring out placement of pillows.

You're such a joy popping in to cheer on so many others. I do hope you are paying mind to your own recovery as you are still fairly fresh out of it. Every day brings it's own challenges and successes. I hope tomorrow is a sunny day FULL of goodness for you!!

Kim

 

[Barbaraj]

Hey, good morning @Alitm. Hope your day is starting out well, which in recovery land means probably just uneventful, no new twinges or aches and just another day along the road. It's miserably foggy here again this morning, really tired of this although I know rain is coming tomorrow or Thursday and I'm sure I'll be whining about that when it happens. I am sure you probably have a busy day of it, seems like I recall your husband's appointment was sometime this week? You have so much going on in your life, it's truly amazing, and yet, as @NanaKP noted, you find time to check in here and post on so many other threads. Anyway, cheers and happy Tuesday.

 

[Alitm]

Hi @Barbaraj Love your cheery morning check in...I look forward to them! My last two days have been busy, so trying for a rest day today. How are you feeling today? Wishing you a good one

Yup, Ill be whining with you about the rain...not looking forward to it at all!

Hubs goes off for his ultra-sound this afternoon. I had GP pre op yesterday. Have to insert brain fog comment here. I was previously posting he was having a CT scan....had it all wrong...it is a ultrasound, and I do well know the difference UGH!!! I'm still doing weird thing like that...not as frequently thank goodness! My head will be finally clear and then I'll be back in the OR again

 

[Alitm]

@NanaKP Kim, you are so funny, and sound like me with the lap top on one's lap, being sleepy, not having glasses on (I can't get away with that one any more )! No typos that I can see, ha ha!

Hubby is having an ultra-sound this afternoon, and GP follow up on Thursday. My brain fog had me posting that it was a CT scan! Good grief, I want my brain back! The fog will probably clear just in time for second surgery !

I had GP pre-op yesterday, have OR pre-admission on Friday, and have six week post op check with OS on Monday.

Have another lead with help. The gal is coming over on Friday afternoon. Our son is doing Sundays and has half term holiday in a week and a half, so can relieve our amazing neighbour for a bit. Our daughter will be here on and off for a week and a half, so she can help too! As the weather turns, the horse care gets harder. Luckily our third horse is with a trainer friend until the end of January....

Today is a take-it -easy day for me...hoping nothing too exciting comes up! Have had a busy last two days.

Hoping you have an as comfortable a day as possible today

 

[Layla]

Hi there,
I hope hubs did well with the ultrasound.

You're having a decent recovery which is a blessing since you're coming up on Hip 2 pretty quickly. I'd had a laugh over all the pillow discussion a few posts back. Pillows do seem to be something we accumulate as we're aging. I know I have as my hip was deteriorating, plus I have a shoulder I can't sleep on etc. it's ridiculous. Gone are the days of one pillow only and a solid 8 hrs of sleep without waking. Sometimes I miss those days
Hope you have a great night and awesome Wednesday!
@Alitm

 

[Alitm]

Hi @Layla, You are so kind to check in! Hub's ultra-sound went well and we'll know more on Thursday at his GP's appointment.

I am pleased with my recovery. I can't thank you enough for the heel toe thing. It has helped me walk and stop going back to old foot-fall habits. Have to really think about it when I'm tired...but it works like magic! That and the hiking sticks have been the best thing since sliced bread!

I am amazed at how the body heals if we allow it to. It is tempting to do too much when one feels better, as you get that sense that one is further along than one is . With hub's health issues I feel the pressure to "get better faster" so I can do more...but I simply can't. Things will unfold as they will!

The pillows....hopefully eventually there won't have to be quite so many in our bed!!! .
Wishing you a good evening and Wednesday as well

 

[Mojo333]

hurry up and wait was never my forte either but great that you realize there is simply no way to make this thing go any quicker.
Certainly are ways to slow it down though...so stay the course dear @Alitm
Next year will be a Great Year!

 

[Alitm]

Thank you @Mojo333! Yes, I plan on reaping the rewards next spring and summer

I find it interesting, as soon as one walks without aids, or with minimal aids, the expectations of others, in regards to what we can do goes up big time. There is so much I can do now, but anything weight bearing is still way out of the question.

There is a misunderstanding by so many of the long term healing that still has to go on. I would love to find a better way to verbalize "three months is short term healing, six months is long term healing".... Ah ha, maybe we could design a positive but point making T shirt!! LOL!!

Love your inspirational photos!

Wishing you a wonderful day

 

[EL11]

I find it interesting, as soon as one walks without aids, or with minimal aids, the expectations of others, in regards to what we can do goes up big time. There is so much I can do now, but anything weight bearing is still way out of the question.

Yes, that's right. I'm walking without aids for the most part, but going foot over foot upstairs does not feel like a good idea yet. I can pick Albert, up but not as dead weight from the floor (I think he's gained a few ounces recently) and not to carry around.

I paged back till I found what your husband's surgery was for ... hernia! My dad had one of those, and an ex, and I remember them being on the grouchy and ouchy side during recovery, but it's one of those medical procedures that's low-risk with a high success rate, so that's a blessing.

 

[Barbaraj]

Hmmm, amazing to me, @Alitm, that your morning post is so spot on with how I'm feeling today. I am walking pretty well (still sort of have to steady myself a second or two after standing up and before taking my first step) but I'm actually doing great walking unaided. My husband is now refusing to use handicap parking, noting that so many other folks are in far worse shape than I am and even if there are a couple of spaces available, he parks in regular spots as "you can walk that". It is hard balancing expectations of others, as well as our own expectations of ourselves, when we're doing so well but clearly haven't gotten all of our strength and stamina back, and won't for a good while. As I said in another post just now, I think this phase of healing must be the toughest--doing good on the outside but so much healing yet to do, and, at least for me, I feel as if the process will be far, far slower than before when in early healing it seemed as if every day brought positive change.

I know your husband's ultra sound was yesterday, so I know you're both looking forward to hearing the results tomorrow and knowing the plan moving ahead, with the scheduling nightmare of his probable surgery plus your second hip coming up. I know it will all work out--no real choice with that--but I'm sure this is a stressful, overwhelming time for you both. Chins up, you're doing great!

 

[Alitm]

@EL11 My claim to carrying fame is a small watering can and small feed buckets! There is no way I could pick up Zenith as he is so big...and he stretches right out on the ground for a tummy rub, instead of arching up when I normally go to pick him up!

I can slowly walk down stairs normally, foot over foot, but not upstair yet. As I don't have to do stairs daily, I don't get as much practice, but I'm walking over uneven surfaces outside, like packed gravel and gravel driveways, so I feel that is helping my stabilizer muscles. Yesterday I brushed my horse and little pony...just cursory, but I did it. Today I am tired and haven't done either of my walks!

Yes, Hubby is already a bit testy due to the wait times here. He managed to circumnavigate the ultra-sound wait time by checking the bookings at all ultra-sound clinics within an hours radius and found the spot he got an hour away yesterday, and asked the doctor's office to redirect the requisition. Always good to be one's own advocate! He sees his doctor tomorrow so hopefully will get more info on the situation and surgical referral. We aren't sure of the wait time. As of today, Hubs is thinking he will wait to have his surgery until I am driving post op second surgery...which puts us at the end of December for his surgery. Unless the GP says otherwise, that will be the situation. We need one of us to be driving. He says he isn't too uncomfortable unless he does something he shouldn't! Sounds familiar!! LOL! I guess it will be a grumpy January!!

 

[Alitm]

Hi @Barbaraj. I think you should limp a little in a certain someone's presence!! You don't need a coach at the gym! I think we should take it as a complement in some ways, but in another, we are very vulnerable still...just not levelled on the couch 24/7! Yes, I believe we need some T shirts for this section of rehab!! There is still a lot of healing going on, and the pace will pick up, check out one of the charts..we go up a level a week at this point , or so it says! I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment...

when we're doing so well but clearly haven't gotten all of our strength and stamina back, and won't for a good while.

I posted this to respond to EL11's post re: scheduling. All subject to change...

Hubs sees his doctor tomorrow so hopefully will get more info on the situation and surgical referral. We aren't sure of the wait time. As of today, Hubs is thinking he will wait to have his surgery until I am driving post op second surgery...which puts us at the end of December for his surgery. Unless the GP says otherwise, that will be the situation. We need one of us to be driving. He says he isn't too uncomfortable unless he does something he shouldn't! Sounds familiar!! LOL! I guess it will be a grumpy January!!

At the moment I am fuming . My horse sitter has decided to charge a "deposit" for her coming for two weeks post second surgery. The "deposit" is actually asking for the full two weeks up front, three weeks in advance! It's her new "policy". There isn't anyone else that can deal with the situation, as I will be Dolly Dilaudid/Trixy Tramacet brain dead for the two weeks post op, and if a medical issues comes up with the horses (probably won't, but need to be prepared), I need someone with knowledge. UGH...sorry to vent! I did respond to her and tell her that she is actually asking to be paid three weeks in advance, what she is asking is NOT a deposit! I always pay her up front from the first day of the job too. I am interviewing someone else on Friday, so hopefully that will be a better situation. I'll keep to my word for the two weeks post op...but that is that. Drives me nuts as I horse sat all through my teens and early twenties for extra cash. I wouldn't have dreamed of asking that!

 

[Layla]

I'm sorry @Alitm
That's a tough one, I don't blame you for being disappointed.
It doesn't feel either fair, or reasonable.
I hope the interview on Friday brings you a new prospect.
Wishing you a peaceful evening....hope you had a nice day.

 

[EL11]

@Alitm - I hope the other person pans out too. You just don’t need to be fuming, irritated, tense during post-op.

My best gf, who is in LA, emailed me today that her husband (a musician I’ve worked with since before he met her decades ago) just got home from a hernia operation and is minimally sore for now. It sounds like you two are dealing with this challenge well, doesn’t make it fun though.

I can go downstairs fairly normally. Today I walked the loop around our block, which is lovely with 1920s houses nicely kept up and fall color in abundance now. There’s a bit of a hill and I was able to manage it all right. The cane is fine for me at this point, but easier to trip over than the crutch if one were careless.

 

[Alitm]

Hi @Layla You are so kind to stop by with a boost! Thank you!
It felt very unfair, so I returned with something fair, and it was agreed upon.
Hopefully Friday's interview will give more options. I'm thinking a woofer type set-up may be in our future.
I had a lovely relaxing day today. Had tested my physical boundaries the last two days, so needed a slow day!
Wishing you a restful night and a super day tomorrow

 

[Alitm]

Hi @EL11, I agree...no agro needed during post-op recovery.
Minimal soreness is good! We have lots of ice here, so we will be the cool couple for sure!!

Loved the pic of the fall colours and lovely old houses. I went for a short walk around the farm with my neighbour this afternoon. We decided Fall and Spring were the best seasons!