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THR Celebrating one at a time, encore!

@Layla Thank you for the anniversary greetings! I can't believe I'm four and two months...it is amazing to see the light on the horizon now and to start to feel stronger now. Thank you for all your support, kind words and advice along the way :roseshwr:.

I thought I had posted this last night...apparently not!!
 
Hi @Jaycey, a full float on Tuesday sorted everything out teeth wise with the young horse. Had time beforehand to have a lovely visit with him and groom him, and I waited around also while the sedation wore off. Stood for about 2 1/2 hours...couldn't have done that last summer, without sitting down, holding up a wall or the like! All these great things coming back on line....feeling very fortunate and gives me the patience still needed for ongoing recovery! :)
 
Good morning, @Alitm. I have just been able to squeeze my lower half into yoga leggings (very much the sausage casing effect, although it does make my legs look very long and slender, so the huffing and puffing was sort of worth it) as I'll be heading off to my first Pilates class this morning with a friend. I really liked this class before surgery, although I wasn't able to do exercises that put too much pressure on my right hip. But I loved all the stretching involved and I'm hoping to get back some of my flexibility and strength from the class. My fingers are crossed that I won't do something stupid and end up aching. My sore lower back is still a bit twingy, and I am concerned about my slightly wonky left hip, but I am feeling much better than the weekend and know I've been improving every day since. I am excited to be going to the class again.

Ugh, no fun about your husband's irregular heartbeat, but sounds like the doctors aren't overly concerned if they are still moving ahead with his surgery, albeit with reasonable precautions. I am sure, to some extent, you have to view this as just a continuation of all the varying issues you've been dealing with (successfully, of course) and you guys will roll with the punches.

Rain is back this morning, and I'm missing the glorious pink and blue sunrises of the past few days. But it's been predicted for a number of days now ("don't get too used to this nice weather, people") so no surprise. So far this morning no actual rain, although the pavement was wet when I hustled outside at 6:30 this morning to grab the newspaper from the driveway. I am sure by midday the rains will have started up again.

Hope the low sodium issue is successfully dealt with, and your brother's course of antibiotic and physio treatment is also going to have an encouraging outcome. Sending positive thoughts your way--and have a good Thursday. Cheers!
 
Hiya @Barbaraj, So exciting to be heading back to Pilates. Take it carefully as I know you will. I bet the Pilates will help your back. I found the more Pilates I did, the better my back was. Let me know how it goes! Loved the sausage description re: yoga leggings!! I hardly believe it as you are lovely and slender!

I have finally been able to figure out how to get my sneakers on, with the elastic laces, to do my physio walking....which means I'm one step closer to the elliptical machine!

Will get Hubby's kick off time for tomorrow at some point today. I'm "running away" this afternoon to have coffee/tea/hot chocolate with two girlfriends and then go to have a pedicure. I go to a small hair salon near me that also does manis and pedis. The owner's partner is paraplegic so the owner uses medical grade disinfectants all her tools and soaking tubs (they are cute....kinda of industrial farm looking, and she uses stones at the bottom...everything gets thoroughly disinfected between clients), as she really understands the infection risks for us hippies. I see the owner which is nice. She also cuts hair for a Bda friend of mine who lives in the area!

We are featuring grey here and rain coming. The sun is trying to come out without much success....blah!

Thinking of you at Pilates! :spin:
 
"Stuttering steps"......I wanted to share something I discovered that worked for me with regard to stuttering steps when I first walk off from sitting in a chair, or getting up from bed in the AM in the early months of recovery, particularly if you have had bilateral or close together THR surgery. You may think I'm nuts, but I tried swinging my arms forwards and back, before taking a step, and it is almost like "priming the pump"! The stutter steps are almost non existent! I was thinking about the somatic work and the physio's help with the walking. I was also considering what I used to do when I did a lot of long distance running in my thirties. I ran a lot with a nurse friend, who had run several marathons and she advised me to "attack" the hills by using my arms. When running distance, and when the legs are tired, focusing on pumping your arms to get over the hill really helps. The biomechanics make your legs do the job of attacking the hill, but you are thinking about your arms. I wondered, perhaps moving my arms first when I stood up, swinging them forward and back a few times, before taking my first step, if that would help, and it did, so wanted to share the experience!
 
Good morning, @Alitm. Hope your toes are looking colorful and glossy. I love getting wacky colors on my toes although I go with a pale pink on my fingernails, except for the Christmas holidays when I'm all about fire engine red! But toes call out for purple or magenta, all with a coat of glitter, of course. I only do pedicures in the summer, however, so now it's just a manicure every other week. I hope you had a nice visit with your friends, too, over hot chocolate which on a cold and miserable day sounds like the perfect "drink du jour". Looks like another dreary day out there this morning, but I'm off to the gym with a friend shortly so no dilly dallying around for me. Have a great day!
 
Hi @Barbaraj, I loved my afternoon yesterday doing normal stuff! My toes look great. I'm not sure if it is a hangover from living in the semi-tropics, but I like having my feet looking good, despite being under cover for the winter :heehee:. The pedis require one to walk up into a loft type space, and I can do the stairs normally, my hips are doing well! My hands....having a manicure is a waste of money when one has horses! I will do for very special occasions only.

We are expecting another windstorm late tonight and early morning tomorrow UGH! The hurricane force winds are going north of us supposedly, but after the last storm, which was the worst ever recorded on the Island apparently, we are all quite twitchy about any mention of wind! Our daughter is supposed to fly in tonight at 9:20, having travelled all day from seeing MIL in Bda.

Today was spent back and forth at hospital with hubby. We just got home 45 mins ago. The surgery ran late as the lab that did his blood work and ECG had not posted ECG electronically, so the hospital had to redo it. With the irregular heartbeat issue, the anaesthesiologist wanted to have a look at it. Hubby is so dizzy, groggy and if he doesn't pass urine by nine pm I have to take him back to emerg. Seriously, I think I was in better shape when I came home same day from second hip surgery! They should have kept him longer IMO. He is sound asleep on the couch and I'm sitting in my chair with lovely warm packs on my quads! He has one of my ice packs strategically place, poor guy. I should have kept the walker for him, had I known he'd be so dizzy and sleepy. I just returned all that hip related stuff to the Red Cross two days ago. Our son will be home to oversee Dad later, while I head out to pick up our daughter at the airport, if in fact she can fly over to the island from Vancouver. Several of the nurses in pre-op remembered me from my hips surgery, so it was like old home week! I was so proud of my walking around the pre-op like a relatively normal person with my new hips! The two physio appointments and stretching exercises have really helped my gait.

Hopefully we have a calm night in every respect. I've been meditating every day again with the Insight Timer Ap that @stellaluna told me about back in August! Even ten mins is helpful!!

:martini: for me tonight!
 
@Alitm Sending hubby healing vibes! Hope he recovers quickly. Stay safe in all that windstorm!
 
Hi @Jaycey, We "weathered the storm" (sorry couldn't resist:heehee:) in every way, thank goodness!! No re-visits to the hospital and daughter's flight landed last night, hubby alert, icing and relatively comfortable today, no tree debris on the farm that I can see thus far...it is all good. Hips a little stiff this AM from all the prancing around in the pre-op showing them off to the nurses. Iced this AM and all is well.

Wishing you a relaxing weekend :) :-) (:
 
Good morning, @Alitm. I hope the weekend went well with your husband's return home and your daughter's arrival. I hope with her there you'll be able to share some of the responsibilities of home and hearth, and manage to get some rest in between all the chores. I trust your husband is feeling reasonably comfortable, and that he'll be up and around before long--and then, dare I say it, you'll all be good to go! You are doing so splendidly with your own measured and steady recovery so in another month or so you'll perhaps only rarely think about this past year full of surgeries. It is truly a new beginning, and being able to get back on your horses is a real goal that must seem very close at this point. Have a great day!
 
Good Evening @Barbaraj. Hubby is doing well. He also has the propensity to join the ODC, but has been behaving. He can't lift anything over ten lbs for six weeks, so I'm wondering when the grumpies are going to set in. Thankfully it is going to rain again tomorrow! Our daughter has been so helpful and it will be sad to see her head out on Sunday. My energy is returning, finally, and I'm enjoying doing more, but not over doing it! I was really good about not doing the barn work, but now am ready to and am easing back to it. I've lead Tall and Small out to the pasture on the nice weather days for a couple of weeks. I've taken over the late afternoon routine in the barn and all being well will be back to my normal routine next Monday. I do have my great barn help person (the new gal) on speed dial and she has assured me if all goes south to you-know-where, she can come back. Nice to have a back up plan! Taking the time to do my stretching/strengthening, walking and somatics has been money in the bank. I do my little routine in the AM before I get going. I have another physio session tomorrow. The psoas release has been THE most helpful. There is still so much more healing etc. to go, but I feel like I'm making good progress. I'm going to pop over to your thread to see how you are doing!
 
Good morning, @Alitm. As always, impressed with your positive, deliberative approach to your daily routine. As I don't live in a rural environment and have no "barn/horse chores", I have few requirements to actually set a schedule and work the way you do. I am quite content with where I live, but as an effete suburbanite my daily activities obviously don't use the same strength and agility that yours require, so I have to try to get to the gym regularly and be diligent about my PT exercises. Big chores for me are loading and unloading the dishwasher, doing laundry, making beds, etc. I undoubtedly spend too much time reading and lolling about!

Glad to read that you feel your healing is going well and that you're feeling positive about the eventual outcome. Last year was a tough one for you, but you can heave a sigh of relief that you will, within a few months, be completely healed and ready to do whatever you like (within reason, of course) and that your husband also will be recovered and doing whatever he wants and needs to do. Your story is such an inspiring one to follow--may we all have your discipline and positive attitude! Cheers, and happy Tuesday!
 
Good morning, @Alitm. Hope the sunshine is holding for you--still grey and overcast skies in my neighborhood. But several activities today (rescheduled Pilates class in late morning, granddaughter's ballet lesson this afternoon) so I'll be distracted, and not a lot of time lolling about and feeling sorry for myself. Hope this week has gone well for you, and you're spending lots of time with your daughter, mindful of her departure this weekend. I feel blessed to have my children all living nearby so no sad departures. They are all living their own busy lives so we don't see them all that often. But they are a phone call or short car ride away if I need a "fix". I hope your husband's recovery is going well, and he's been able to pace himself and isn't too grumpy despite all of the restrictions he's under. Having seen you go through two surgeries and a slow, moderate and sensible recovery, he has a good role model and let's hope he looks to you for guidance on how to Do It Right! Happy Thursday!
 
Happy Friday Evening @Barbaraj Hope you had a great Pilates class and that Grand Daughter's Ballet class was fun :) So nice to have your kids close by, albeit with busy lives...which is a good thing....but you have easy access, which must be nice in those times of a needed "fix" and over the holidays! I find it hard having our older son in Bda. Our daughter is on Vancouver Island again, but still three plus hours away...and not an easy drive! I am thankful for technology!
Hope you had some sunshine today...it was a stunner here today.
Hope you are relaxing....not much longer now for that accompanying "beverage"!!
 
Crazy week at the Alitm household. Husband is recovering well and his Mum is doing well again too.
I've been on the go since Hubb's surgery a week ago. However I think I'm catching up a bit now. I am sleeping REALLY well LOL, as in hit-the-pillow asleep! I'm also sleeping on both sides. It is pretty funny, as I don't stay on either side for too long...and I still use a pillow between my knees, although have been cleared to go without, and I can turn from one side to another with the pillow, or get it under the back of my knees...it's my new circus act :heehee: I am quite impressed with where my surgeon placed my incisions. I have been able to find the comfy spots.
I have seen the physio weekly. He has worked on "releasing" the tight muscles, and then gets me to stretch. Honestly he finds muscles I don't remember every using! I feel like a million bucks when I leave, and it is lasting longer and longer, as there is no underlying skeletal problem any more! The stretching exercises he has given me are paying off. He was pretty happy on Tuesday with my progress. I feel fitter and stronger. My gait is coming along, but when I'm tired, or am trying to keep up with my seventeen year old 6'5" son, I do revert to the side to side penguin walk! :happyfeet:I always take the hiking poles in the car with me, but I am not using them. They are there for back up! If one more person asks me when I'm going to start riding again (not until 6 mths post op I don't think), I'm going to swat them. It is so hard to explain how long it takes to get fit again.
I still am taking Tylenol (2 reg) when I get up and some time between 5 - 9 PM. I was asking my physio about that and he said given my left hip is just over two months, and the right just over four, to not worry in the least. There is so much still going on. Lefty is coming along quite well for how "young" she is. Righty still complains about having to take up the slack, but the complaining is waning! Things are slowly balancing out. :bored:
I'm icing twice a day. I'm now using the big ice packs I bought ages ago, before surgeries. I sit on half and the other halves come up around the incisions. Then I use hot packs on the tops of my thighs twice a day as well.
If I've been on my feet all day, I will put my legs up on the elevation pillow on our bed for a bit, that really helps.
Hope all recovering hippies are comfortable and being patient in their recoveries.
 
What a grand update, @Alitm! So nice to read that you are doing so well, getting high fives from your physio and that sleep, always such a problem for many pre-surgery and frankly post surgery as well, isn't an issue. Now, once that husband of yours is fully healed, your household will be back to it's usual crazy busy routine but with fully functioning adults running the place.

We did get sunshine yesterday, and more forecast today. In fact, as I'm writing this I can see sunlight spilling over lawns and rooftops. Sure, it's a bit chilly I'm sure, but I LOVE having sunshine on a winter day, so pleasant. I survived Pilates on Thursday, remarkably well considering I found it harder than I did the first class or maybe I pushed myself harder. But yesterday and today I was feeling it a bit--sore hips and butt but not enough to slow me down. I had lunch at a friend's house yesterday and did find myself twitching on the chair after about 30 minutes, constantly shifting around to find a comfortable spot, but I consider this as something I'll just have to put up with as I continue with Pilates and continue to strengthen and stretch musculature that has been recovering from my pre-surgical guarding and poor gait. Of course, I expect the discomfort to ease--if it doesn't then I know I've been stupid and will need to ease up more at the next session. The key is to keep doing SOMETHING, I'm convinced.

Spent several hours in late afternoon at the movie theatre, "Aquaman" which was a truly silly, popcorn movie. But we had our pick of seats so a great viewing spot, and the seats were comfy and slightly reclining so no problems sitting in one spot--although I'd guzzled so much water at lunch that I had to get up midway and hustle to the restroom! Today I'm back to the gym for a light workout, followed by my PT exercises, and then lunch with a friend. I hope we'll sit close to the window at the restaurant so we can get some sunshine.

Have a great Saturday.
 
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