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THR Diary of my journey to happy times

Day 55, pretty good. I was full of energy this morning, on a roll from my victory over the magazines. I felt empowered, as if I was King Canute and the tide actually had obeyed my instructions. I was keen to give the kitchen the sorting out it needed. H however pointed out that it was a glorious day and suggested an outing. I was in kitchen rescue mission mode so reluctant, because an excursion takes all my energy and so going out meant that the kitchen wouldn’t get done. But I was persuaded by H’s argument that it might be the last fine weather for a while. Off to the coast we went.

H was right, it was beautiful by the sea. We walked, had lunch, walked some more including some rather tricky steps. I did have a pang in the hip at times but just standing still for a spell got rid of the pain.

Usual routine on coming home, lie down and ice then take it easy. But surprisingly my energy returned and I got onto the kitchen after all. I am a perfectionist about the look of my kitchen, always keep the wooden counter tops clear of clutter, and dry up any water immediately, and oil them regularly. It is silly but it has really lowered my spirits to see the counters getting ever more untidy, grubby, water damaged. Tonight everything is cleared away and they are clean, ready for oiling tomorrow. I fear that the water damage has gone a bit too far the wood to be restored to its full glory by oiling, but we’ll see. I am feeling much happier just to see them tidy and clean. I’m a dreadfully superficial person, of course what should matter is the food that is produced in the kitchen and the happy times spent sharing the food with others, but the reality is that the way the kitchen looks really matters to me.

We did quite a lot of walking so it’s not surprising that my hip is a bit sore. What was new today was a shooting pain in the outside of my right, ie non operated, ankle. It came on this morning when I was putting my sock on, wasn’t a problem during the walk but recurred during the car ride home. I’m noting it here so if it does develop into an ongoing problem I can date when it started. But I hope it was temporary.
 
I do hope your ankle is temporary. Do you think you twisted it? If it is bothering you on Monday, try icing. I would think with our rather awkward way of walking it could be easy to aggravate a joint without knowing how or when we did it.

A very productive day for you. I get you about the kitchen. My dream retirement home will have a beautiful white kitchen void of clutter!
 
So glad hubby talked you into some Vitamin D therapy and some salt air.:tada:
My kind of therapy!:SUNsmile:
New hip, new gait...new pains as we get more mobile.
Do make sure you are mindful of heel/toe walking but that in itself brought about some new aches for me. Apparently I was a toe walker/bouncer!
Investing in new shoes was a necessity for me as the old wear pattern was not helpful for recovery and my new walk!
And a clean kitchen!:yes!:
You are doing splendidly @Klassy
 
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Hi Klassy,
Your drives to the coast with walks by the sea followed by lunch sound lovely.
I'm glad you got out and still managed to get your kitchen back under control.

I completely understand your frustration. I'm an organized housekeeper, myself, and when things are out of place, I feel out of sorts. My hubs was a great caregiver just as yours is, BUT our home took a beating, especially the kitchen. He used the center island as Command Central and it was loaded with everything from my meds to any and everything he hauled out, or purchased during a run to the store. Dirty dishes piled high, teetering on the counter edge, all cabinet doors open, crumbs everywhere! I got a peek once and vowed I wouldn't look again or I'd go crazy. When female visitors stopped by and asked how they could help, he'd blurt out "you can clean the kitchen." It's a great feeling to slowly get back to our "normal". I often say, this surgery gives us a new appreciation in once again accomplishing the little things in life we took for granted until we could no longer do them.
I hope you're having a good Monday. :)
@Klassy
 
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Good morning, @Klassy, it is actually SNOWY in my neck of the world (Pacific Northwest of USA) and as a result, I'm pretty much staying inside. Well, maybe I will venture out at some point to make a few snow angels, but that's it. Folks pretty much freak out around here when it snows and I personally am a major snow weenie. So, it's going to be a quiet day of cocoa and reading, and maybe some PT exercises for my stiff hips. Hope you've still avoided snow and can get out for a walk, always a nice way to punctuate your day. Cheers.
 
8 weeks anniversary!
I’ll report, just for my record, that Night 55 was another in a recent series of poor sleeps. I feel lucky to be retired, otherwise I’d feel the pressure of needing to sleep to be alert the next day. I’ve resolutely avoided napping in the hopes of a better night tonight.

Day 56 was one of high satisfaction in the Klassy household. H had the satisfaction of being right in his call yesterday to Sieze the Sunshine, because today was rainy. I had the satisfaction of oiling the iroko kitchen counters. They look superb, except round the sink area. I wouldn’t choose wood there again. @Carriemay60 , my neighbour had a new white kitchen installed last year, with a white marble countertop that was truly exquisite. I’ll be interested to see how it stands up to time, and their 2 small children.

My ankle has been fine today, touch wood. I agree with your thinking about gait @Mojo333 . For some decades I’ve worn orthotic inserts particularly for my pronating right foot (updated from time to time by different podiatrists). My last physio, who finally persuaded me about THR, was not a fan of orthotics and urged me to do without. I tried for a few months but developed a sore right big toe from sliding onto that part of my foot, so I went back to using the orthotics until the surgery. I want to see how my feet settle post op, so I have been wearing a previously unworn pair of shoes without the orthotics. The big toe hasn’t become sore yet, but I am beginning to clock up some miles and my ankle may be missing the orthotics. I am thinking that once I am walking well without aids I will get someone to reassess my need to replace the orthotics or not.

Did you make your snow angels @Barbaraj ? I like the white stuff, but only for a day while it’s new and crisp and perfect. I hate it when it’s icy. We mostly don’t get too much snow, or ice, in this part of England, fine by me.

@Layla , my big little thing for today was stripping the bed, putting the sheets through the washer and dryer, and carrying the basket of clean sheets back to the bed. Right on track for the Bonesmart activity guide: week 8, change the bed! I did have H’s help to make the bed, but that’s normal. Fitted sheets are infuriating things to manage singlehanded. Yes, carrying the basket , both hands, no aids. After giving it a rest for a couple of days I’ve been testing my aids-free walk today. I can manage about 20 yards of slow tiny steps, nice controlled heel-and-toe and no lurching, without getting any twinge in my hip. The twinge did kick in at the 21st yard, but that’s ok. I’ve made a start.
 
Great job Klassy!!! I do hope carrying the laundry doesn't involve any stairs without holding on just yet though. I'm sensing a well deserved sense of pride in your recent accomplishments. Your thinking on your ankle makes good sense to me. I woke in the night wondering just how gorgeous your countertops must be so have just googled them. I would be green with envy but would have to install an ugly electric fence to keep my husband out of the kitchen. Besides which, he has done kitchen clean up for 31 years and I see no valid reason to change that!!! :heehee:

We had about 2 feet of snow here about 10 days ago and yesterday it suddenly warmed up. What an awful mess we have now! @Barbaraj , I have close friends in Kenmore and their 3 girls were thrilled to bits to get a "snow day" off school today :) Very unusual to get so much out your way! I haven't spoken with our daughter in Vancouver, WA yet but if they got the snow too, I know our grandson would be jumping for joy!
 
Happy Eight Week Anniversary, Klassy!
Great accomplishment on stripping the bed, washing sheets, CARRYING LAUNDRY WITHOUT ANY ASSISTANCE
Huge and Awesome! I remember that first bed stripping, sheet washing, one of those jobs I'm not super fond of but felt like such a rock star first time I accomplished it post op. :happydance:You're doing great. Taking it slow and continually making progress. You're getting there....Yay for you! :yay:
@Klassy
 
Would it help to experiment with the orthotics, like trying a walk once with and once without on successive days, maybe for a week? Not to rip on orthotics, but wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to have them?
 
Hi @Carriemay60 , you definitely don’t want to keep hubby with his 31 years of training away from his clear up duties!

You are picturing my laundry carrying as far more adventurous than the reality. I am sleeping downstairs so it only about 15 feet, level, from dryer to bed. Until just now I had only been upstairs once, but today I thought, why aren’t I practising the stairs? We have 11 steps up, last 3 no handrail, half landing, 3 more up. My phobia was about the long steep view down the 11 steps. So I went up ( easy bit), then multiple trips up and down the 3, then several practices on the 11: H backing down in front of me, H standing at the bottom, H out of sight but within earshot. All good. So the daily routine will now include a few stair climbs.

I think the answer to why not I hadn’t been since my first success was (a) dread of what I might find up there after 8 weeks of H’s solo residence plus the upstairs being a dumping ground for everything displaced from downstairs
(b) if I want to sleep up there the bed needs to be moved back up. I helped get it down, but I’m not recovered to pre op level yet, plus up is harder than down.

Worry (a) was unnecessary, I was maligning H. Not too bad at all considering.

(b) requires asking a neighbour to help. Deferred until I have made a bit more progress on the mess levels!
 
@Layla , nice to know I’m not the only one to be thrilled about changing the bed. Definitely the first time, and the last!
 
@ Klassy Stairs are a wonderful to get confident on again. I haven't managed that yet. I can do them but do not do one leg over the other. All of these bits you are getting up to are adding up to huge progress this last week!!

Well done you! :flwrysmile:
 
Thanks @Mojo333 , that’s a very helpful article.

When I’m chronicling the down days, it’s not just to have a whinge, though of course that’s always appealing. I also like to think that sometime in the future, another recovering hippie can read my thread and say, oh good, she too was struggling with this and it all turned out fine in the end.

Or at least, that unknown hippie can get a good night’s sleep by nodding off after a few pages.
 
Ah, stairs, @Klassy, they are always a challenge. I remember that first day home from the hospital post-surgery and thinking NO WAY was I going to manage getting up the stairs (a requirement, as our bedrooms are all on the second floor). But, holding onto the handrail, and doing it very slowly, I managed. Of course, I didn't come downstairs for a week (!) but now I'm easily able to go up and down. The days of "bounding" up the stairs are, I sadly fear, gone forever, but I don't fear stairs anymore. I agree that they are great for practice, building up confidence and becoming more comfortable with beautiful new hip. I smiled at your description of bed making as being a big step. I remember that as well, all that stooping and bending and trying to be very careful. Personally, I would LOVE if my husband took over that chore permanently and I didn't have to participate but somehow--imagine--I am able to do it again with no help from my spouse.
 
@Bone-obo , thank you for the thought, but I don’t think orthotics work that way. When you start wearing them, it feels worse at first till your legs adjust, which can take weeks. When I stopped, it felt better for a while, just not having hard plastic underfoot, but worse after some months.

I plan to ask my hip physio for her opinion when I see her tomorrow. At least it will distract her from giving me more exercises.
 
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