THR complications due to dysplasia - who else?

[Sooty]

bellaroma I did get a bit enthousiastic using the stairs yesterday and am paying for it today. Resting up now!

 

[Poppet]

Sooty - Ah Aussie girl sorry you overdid it, caution and patience not to push is still the name of the game for you honey

Just try to focus on your trip back to OZ this year..

That is your goal, to be walking standing tall, with no limp and no pain.. The more patient you are now, the better in the long term.

 

[Damn!]

I understand the need to be able to push the boundaries once you get the green light. However, let me caution you to take it slow and easy. Experience talking!!!

You can massage your own calf without breaking the 90 degree rule. Lie on your back and bend your knee, sliding the foot up toward you. You should be able to reach down and massage the back of your leg.

Hope this helps.
Tammy

 

[badgerfan]

Talking about massage, I had my first out patient PT today and the PT said my IT band in my thigh on the operated leg was really tight. She used a tool called "The Stick" on it to loosen it up. She suggested i purchase one because the only other way to stretch this muscle i would have to break the 90' rule which my OS has me on until the end of the month. Any one else heard or used one of these Sticks......

 

[Damn!]

My PT place has one that looks like this:


It reaches all kinds of places and feels wonderful.

 

[Damn!]

 

[Sooty]

Damn! & badgerfan thanks! I did try doing it your way Tammy, it works! But a bit of a strain and I get worried about bending too far forward, even though I'm not. I'm now using a hot water bottle, see how the calf is tomorrow. My next PT is Moday, will ask about The Stick.

 

[Damn!]

Happy to hear that it works for you. It will do in a pinch. Not the most comfortable way to reach your calf. In this position, you can also put lotion on your own leg, scratch your own shin, etc.

How is the calf today?

 

[Sooty]

Well....... I put a hot water bottle under it and massaged it with oil last night, this morning it's a bit scalded from a too-hot water bottle which is a typical action for me = always over the top! Massaged it again this morning, have been walking around a bit at home on the crutches, now and then I feel it pinch and pull back. The other calf is starting to complain as well. I'll check with PT tomorrow, cause when the calves start cramping there's no walking possible! And that means no progress and a cranky, frustrated patient

 

[C Mac]

Are you able to do a little seated stretch like this for your calves?


Also, what about doing the point and flex of your feet with your legs straight -- it's one of those movements that we are often told to begin doing prior to surgery and then they ask us to begin them as we are in the recovery area.

Like this only with your toes relaxed:



Careful with that hot water bottle girl!!
Take care,
Cardie

 

[Sooty]

C Mac Even the stretches set off my calves... I literally can't take a step at the moment, am wallowing in self pity, home alone Have never been less mobile than this! And I'm 7 weeks post op. Sure hope tomorrow's a better day?

 

[Vida]

Sooty, that's awful. Sending big hugs from North America. Are you able to draw? I write for a living (and for pleasure) but I haven't done a thing for several months. This journey seems to require a blank period involving staring at moronic TV, doing crosswords and reading light stuff, that is when not walking or exercising. Maybe its the same for an artist? Sometimes I wish I could draw the pain/discomfort that comes roaring in every two days, no matter how I reduce PT or rest. I bet it would look like a massive ball of red, orange and yellow string. I try to visualize unraveling it very slowly. I get the sense that the new word I am learning in my recovery is slow.

 

[Sooty]

Vida that's the funny thing - able but not willing! I am an artist-turned-art teacher, teach high school art as well as art college (university). I have a studio at home and a couple of projects going and was planning to use the rehabilitation time to get back into my own artwork. I am normally an extremely busy, motivated and inspired person but I have done nothing! Been too tired/preoccupied? I don't know. I also have a pile of great books and (wonderful) garbage magazines next to my bed, I haven't read one word. I don't even watch much TV. I have some correction work to do as well for school, haven't felt up to that either. Had no idea I'd zone out the way I have! Somehow the whole recovery seems to demand a certain 'quietness' in your life/routine? I have had lots of visitors which has been great, that's kind of filled up all the attention space I have (in a good way). And I've spent lots of time perusing this forum which has helped SO MUCH!

I do sometimes feel jealous of those without complications, I'd assumed I'd be in the group 'quickly recovered' and thought I'd be back at work in Feb. I'll be lucky at this rate if it's April. And today I'm less mobile than I've been since the week in hospital, after 7 weeks. I'm alone at home and just getting to the kitchen to put a frozen (self made) dinner in the microwave is tempting calf-spasm fate! My muscles don't like what I've been doing the past few days, which is in my opinion practically nothing = walking a bit around the house on crutches (max 200m per day) and doing the stairs 4x instead of 1x per day. It's seriously NOTHING but my operated leg is not happy and letting me know, the other leg is also not so happy at the moment. I'm not happy with either of my legs so we have a domestic argument and I'm glad PT is coming tomorrow to mediate.

I think I AM a little better at dealing with setbacks than I was a month ago, just let myself have a good cry and let things be the way they are, but it's just so frustrating hey? Sometimes I think the self-pity is worse than any physical discomfort?

 

[Vida]

Yes, because conversation always seems to focus on us and our recovery and I am not someone who likes attention. It seems to be a time of isolation, without the luxury of reflection and it tends to kill all thoughts of creativity. And I find myself getting weepy and/or snarly for no reason. I also think recovery -- even though we logically know its going in a positive direction -- can bring out the worst in people like me who are not patient and hate any sort of dependence! Thanks for inviting me to you (brief) pity party, I'll take my party hat off now and do some exercises.

 

[Debowma]

I found myself getting moody and weepy quite often. It seems to be much better (just for me) now that I'm off the narcotics. Sooty, I thought when reading your post, that I felt the same way - I had all of these plans to quilt, to redo the curriculum for the program I work in, to do some research - but the surgery seems to have drained the energy away from my brain in order to heal. It sounds like you need to rest, rest, and rest. I have been trying to do things that are uplifting for me and to accept the quietness, which is sometimes hard. I wonder what your legs and calf are trying to tell you?

 

[Sooty]

Debowma yes, I think I can hear. Just having trouble listening sometimes...

 

[Debowma]

Oh, and about that self-pity? It IS painful to be in self-pity and easier to be in surrender. Having said that, sometimes we just feel tired, cranky and miserable and that's the way it is and that's ok. So, go for whatever is soothing to you at those times. For me, it can be music, a candle, a talk with a friend, reading something inspiring - whatever works for you. You've had a challenging recovery and need to be good to yourself. You'll get through it, you know that, it's just frustrating at times and none of us can keep a good attitude 100%.

 

[C Mac]

Even the stretches set off my calves... I literally can't take a step at the moment, am wallowing in self pity, home alone Have never been less mobile than this! And I'm 7 weeks post op. Sure hope tomorrow's a better day?

Well, I do hope that today is a bit better. Let's tag alexthecat and ask if she has any ideas for what to do to help with the spasming calves combined with the 50% weight bearing restrictions to get you more comfortable. How do you get the calves to be less reactive, Alex??

Take care,
Cardie

 

[Debowma]

I don't know how anyone feels about this, but I have used a small dose of a muscle relaxer when I have had spasms, especially at night when I couldn't otherwise sleep. Is that something you could consider? Hope today is a better day.

Deb

 

[bellaroma]

Sooty, hope today has your calves in a better place. I had the 50% weight bearing, but fortuntely i did not get calf spasms that made me unable to walk. Have you called the doc?