SurreyGirl
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Klassy. Can you PM me the address please as I would like to write in re similar.... thanks!
THR Diary of my journey to happy times
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Barbaraj
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Great work in getting the medical mountains to shift, even if a little bit, @Klassy. I agree that "normal" is a loaded concept in so many ways. I've had an excellent and easy recovery but fatigue, stiffness, inability to do many things I was able to do pre-surgery continue to keep my world much narrower than I'd like. Anyway, nice to know your message got through and there might be some changes made to reflect a more realistic view of recovery for most folks.
HertsHippy
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Klassy
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Day 65. Feeling quite spring-like so time to venture back into gardening. Nothing too strenuous, just working on the raised beds in the front garden, pulling out the spent petunias and replacing them with the bulbs I potted up pre op which are just beginning to flower. Plus a punnet of pansies and a couple of bowls of polyanthus for a splash of instant colour. I could have carried on all day, but remembering that can doesn’t mean should, I retreated indoors, away from temptation. There’s always tomorrow.
Mojo333
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
Good for you for advocating for all recovering hippies and making your concerns known.
And good for you for editing yourself with activity so you don't have to find the boundaries the hard way! (Done it myself a few times
)
Hope today is a Good Day
And good for you for editing yourself with activity so you don't have to find the boundaries the hard way! (Done it myself a few times
)Hope today is a Good Day
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Klassy
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Day 66: The lovely weather continues so I finished my tasks in the garden. There is so much more I would like to tackle, but I limited myself to light work like refreshing the containers. The sun was so warm I could work in short sleeves. You could almost see the crocuses opening.
A month ago I summarised my recovery at 10 day intervals. Time to update. I’ll copy the previous post so I have a full record here.
Day 6: lay in bed recovering from the previous day spent in A&E after a fall due to fainting. Constipated and uncomfortable, but relieved to be in one piece and not in great pain.
Day 16: very excited to have first outing in car. Felt every bump and turn in the road. Very very cautiously venturing for short walks outside. Sleeping about 5 hours a night. Appetite and digestion good. Still enduring the TED stockings, but off the self-injections. Pain meds 8 paracetamol and 2 codeine, watching the clock for enough time to pass to take next dose, but pain never too bad. Took my first tentative steps with one crutch, but not feeling secure.
Day 26: walking (slowly!) for half hour spells indoors with 2 crutches. Able to get around with one crutch so more independent, but still preferring 2 crutches. Tackled stairs for first time. Longer walks outside, hands sore from gripping crutches too much. Pain and insomnia had reduced in previous week but then increased again, possibly through overdoing it or because numbness round incision being replaced by sharp twinges. Pain meds back up from 4 paracetamol daily to 7 paracetamol 1 codeine.
Day 36: walking (slowly!) for half hour spells outside on 2 crutches on uneven ground. Car trips (as passenger) comfortable and able to get around unfamiliar places. Walking comfortably indoors with one crutch. Taking first steps indoors without aids. Gaining confidence on stairs. No pain meds required for last 3 days.
Day 46: Suddenly notice that I don’t feel like an invalid any more. Still a cripple, but not a sickly one! Dizzy spells gone at last. I have developed an apricot-sized lump in the incision area.
Day 56: I have finally made it up the stairs at home. I have recently started to do some housework: tidying, cleaning kitchen counters, laundry. I can walk 20 yards without aids, nervously. Had been off pain meds for about two weeks but have restarted to take paracetamol intermittently and very occasionally codeine to get to sleep.
Day 66: Walking confidently without aids at home most of the time, still using crutch on first getting up in the morning. Walk outside with one crutch, at 2 mph. Confidently using stairs at home, though not with alternate feet. Can put on socks without using aids. Have made first cautious return to bellringing and gardening. The lump is now about the size of a cherry. Sleep is still not great but can manage about an hour on non operated side. Not much pain but a lot of stiffness, still take pain meds occasionally.
A month ago I summarised my recovery at 10 day intervals. Time to update. I’ll copy the previous post so I have a full record here.
Day 6: lay in bed recovering from the previous day spent in A&E after a fall due to fainting. Constipated and uncomfortable, but relieved to be in one piece and not in great pain.
Day 16: very excited to have first outing in car. Felt every bump and turn in the road. Very very cautiously venturing for short walks outside. Sleeping about 5 hours a night. Appetite and digestion good. Still enduring the TED stockings, but off the self-injections. Pain meds 8 paracetamol and 2 codeine, watching the clock for enough time to pass to take next dose, but pain never too bad. Took my first tentative steps with one crutch, but not feeling secure.
Day 26: walking (slowly!) for half hour spells indoors with 2 crutches. Able to get around with one crutch so more independent, but still preferring 2 crutches. Tackled stairs for first time. Longer walks outside, hands sore from gripping crutches too much. Pain and insomnia had reduced in previous week but then increased again, possibly through overdoing it or because numbness round incision being replaced by sharp twinges. Pain meds back up from 4 paracetamol daily to 7 paracetamol 1 codeine.
Day 36: walking (slowly!) for half hour spells outside on 2 crutches on uneven ground. Car trips (as passenger) comfortable and able to get around unfamiliar places. Walking comfortably indoors with one crutch. Taking first steps indoors without aids. Gaining confidence on stairs. No pain meds required for last 3 days.
Day 46: Suddenly notice that I don’t feel like an invalid any more. Still a cripple, but not a sickly one! Dizzy spells gone at last. I have developed an apricot-sized lump in the incision area.
Day 56: I have finally made it up the stairs at home. I have recently started to do some housework: tidying, cleaning kitchen counters, laundry. I can walk 20 yards without aids, nervously. Had been off pain meds for about two weeks but have restarted to take paracetamol intermittently and very occasionally codeine to get to sleep.
Day 66: Walking confidently without aids at home most of the time, still using crutch on first getting up in the morning. Walk outside with one crutch, at 2 mph. Confidently using stairs at home, though not with alternate feet. Can put on socks without using aids. Have made first cautious return to bellringing and gardening. The lump is now about the size of a cherry. Sleep is still not great but can manage about an hour on non operated side. Not much pain but a lot of stiffness, still take pain meds occasionally.
Barbaraj
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Wow, very interesting, @Klassy, to see your progress spelled out in 10 day increments. I am betting you felt a lot of encouragement and confidence as you see where you started and where you are now. Are you at 100%? No, but you're heading in the right direction! That's great, and very inspiring to read. Sorry that good sleep is still proving elusive, but you'll get there, I'm sure. I am feeling unaccountably stiff and sore this morning, not sure why. I have a 3-1/2 hour drive ahead of me this afternoon so I need to do some exercises to loosen things up. And maybe you can send some warmer weather my way? I am tired of cold and snow although admittedly the snow is rapidly disappearing as we've had intermittent rain the past two days and predicted over the weekend, too. Cheers, and a happy Friday to you!
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Klassy
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Hi @Barbaraj , I hope you have a rewarding destination at the end of your drive!
It was Layla’s wise advice to look at progress on a weekly not daily basis. As I am in the slow lane, though heading for the same happy destination, I decided on 10 day intervals. It is indeed encouraging!
I have packed up some of our sunshine and put it in the post to you. It should get there some time in May.
It was Layla’s wise advice to look at progress on a weekly not daily basis. As I am in the slow lane, though heading for the same happy destination, I decided on 10 day intervals. It is indeed encouraging!
I have packed up some of our sunshine and put it in the post to you. It should get there some time in May.
HertsHippy
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Klassy
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Day 67. Walked by the sea in the sun, had a delicious Valentines Day dinner (one day late) cooked by husband.
Life is good.
Except for the stiffness thing.
Is there a 1 to 10 scale of stiffness, like the pain scale?
1 is yoga master, can frighten physiotherapist by demonstrating the pigeon pose. (I had to google that after it was mentioned by @SaraK on @Bone-obo ’s thread. Good grief! it would be easier to grow feathers and fly).
10 is occupying a plinth with a pigeon on one’s head.
Today I am a 7.
Life is good.
Except for the stiffness thing.
Is there a 1 to 10 scale of stiffness, like the pain scale?
1 is yoga master, can frighten physiotherapist by demonstrating the pigeon pose. (I had to google that after it was mentioned by @SaraK on @Bone-obo ’s thread. Good grief! it would be easier to grow feathers and fly).
10 is occupying a plinth with a pigeon on one’s head.
Today I am a 7.
HertsHippy
member
7 is good. I am 8 at best - not at all flexible. Pigeon is impossible as is crane. Flamingo is OK though as are downward dog and cat. And seal is fun.
We had two Valentines dinners!! One from Waitrose and one from M&S. Remarkable value.
We had two Valentines dinners!! One from Waitrose and one from M&S. Remarkable value.
Cathippy
member
Hi @Klassy glad you were able to draw some comfort on the day you got down.
Although it takes a year to fully recover remember you wont go from where you are now to being recovered on your 12 month anniversary
Each step in recovery over that time will bring new things we can do we couldnt before so our lives will gradually expand.
Amazing....
Been back at work 2 weeks but only doing half days and mainly catching up on mandatory training. Challenging my patience !
Here is wishing us both plenty of that.
Although it takes a year to fully recover remember you wont go from where you are now to being recovered on your 12 month anniversary
Each step in recovery over that time will bring new things we can do we couldnt before so our lives will gradually expand.
Amazing....
Been back at work 2 weeks but only doing half days and mainly catching up on mandatory training. Challenging my patience !
Here is wishing us both plenty of that.
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You seem content. You're doing well.
I'm happy for you. May it long continue.
Enjoy the weekend!
@Klassy
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Klassy
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Our Valentine’s dinner was M&S, and yes, great value. For information of nonUK readers, for £20 we got: a starter of two savoury tarts and a side of stuffed garlic mushrooms, which we ate together as a main meal one night, plus a main which was dinner the next night (we chose steaks which came with heartshaped pats of herb butter), plus dessert ( we chose profiteroles), a little box of 4 chocolates and a bottle of wine. All really delicious which M&S seem to achieve most times. Do supermarkets have these sorts of deals in other parts of the world?
I was thinking some more about the idea of a stiffness scale and I realise it isn’t possible to devise one like the pain scale. If someone is applying a thumbscrew, then that would be 10 on a pain scale (I assume!) even though only one thumb is affected. But a circus contortionist with one thumb in a splint would still be highly flexible.
Also there are different sorts of stiffness. (No, we are not going all Frankie Howard. Titter ye not.) There’s the stiffness from sitting that goes away with walking, and then there’s long lasting, perhaps permanent, reduced ROM. There’s stiffness in the operated leg and then there’s the rest of the body.
Nonetheless, @HertsHippy, if you can do any yoga poses at all I don’t reckon you score an 8 on any sort of scale!
I was thinking some more about the idea of a stiffness scale and I realise it isn’t possible to devise one like the pain scale. If someone is applying a thumbscrew, then that would be 10 on a pain scale (I assume!) even though only one thumb is affected. But a circus contortionist with one thumb in a splint would still be highly flexible.
Also there are different sorts of stiffness. (No, we are not going all Frankie Howard. Titter ye not.) There’s the stiffness from sitting that goes away with walking, and then there’s long lasting, perhaps permanent, reduced ROM. There’s stiffness in the operated leg and then there’s the rest of the body.
Nonetheless, @HertsHippy, if you can do any yoga poses at all I don’t reckon you score an 8 on any sort of scale!
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Your dinner sounds lovely! Your hubs sounds like a loving attentive partner.
In my area over the last year I've noticed Meal Kits in the grocery store more and more.
Basically all you need in one container / box, but you do the cooking. Most ingredients cut up and pre-measured making it easier to produce a decent meal in a short period of time, for those who are on the clock and not making it home from work until dinner time.
It's a great concept but it obviously costs more than buying it all separately and chopping and measuring it all on your own. I don't even recall this option being around when I went through my surgery and I live in a large metropolitan area. Had it been available I may have encouraged hubby to purchase a few while I was in my recliner whiling away those very early days of recovery.
Bittersweet memories.
Enjoy the evening! @Klassy
In my area over the last year I've noticed Meal Kits in the grocery store more and more.
Basically all you need in one container / box, but you do the cooking. Most ingredients cut up and pre-measured making it easier to produce a decent meal in a short period of time, for those who are on the clock and not making it home from work until dinner time.
It's a great concept but it obviously costs more than buying it all separately and chopping and measuring it all on your own. I don't even recall this option being around when I went through my surgery and I live in a large metropolitan area. Had it been available I may have encouraged hubby to purchase a few while I was in my recliner whiling away those very early days of recovery.
Bittersweet memories.
Enjoy the evening! @Klassy
HertsHippy
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@Klassy - glad to see we are not the only ones who don’t eat the whole meal deal in one sitting - there is a lot of food!! We had our first meal deal to relax after a very traumatic few mother-in-law weeks which thankfully have ended up with her regaining some stability and going into a care home in SE Kent which presumably is not too far from your part of the world.
