Thanks for encouraging words.
Well I was feeling pretty good at the end of Day 9. Then came Night 9. Probably my worst so far. I was hit with Restless Legs. Now this proves that I am a wimp, because I read on here that other THRs have them, and it is even a Syndrome that some poor folk have long term. And they live with it. I found it nigh on unbearable. It came on at 1am when I put a fresh ice brick near my op site and it was clearly too cold (was wrapped in towel but towel slipped). My thigh jerked, twitched, then things just wouldn’t settle. Good leg joined in the party. It went on for hours. I was clinging to the edge of control reciting to myself “This too shall pass” and watching the minutes crawl by on the clock as I willed time on to work its magic. Sometimes the time jumped a few minutes and I knew I had slept, but then the thrashing was back with a vengeance. My head began to ache and that worried me, because I had taken 2 paracetamol and 1 ibuprofen at 12.15 so I had no painkillers to fall back on (the ibuprofen had run out which is why I only took 1). The codeine were in the drawer but I am determined not to take them unless in severe pain for fear of constipation. Plus I wasn’t sure I could manage opening the drawer and really didn’t want to wake H who needed a good nights sleep himself. I kept drinking water in case I was dehydrated by all the turbulence in my innards, but checked and my urine was crystal clear and I began to worry about water overdose (first symptom is headache, great!). You can tell I’m a worrier. The least symptom and I think it’s fatal.
I searched this wonderful forum for tips. Tonic water, fine, we always keep bottles in stock. Search usual storage places with great difficulty, remember the G&T session a few weeks ago....sigh. Even if I had the heart to send H out, there are no 24hour places around here.
By about 6.30 am the restlessness seemed to ease off, I realised that I could hit the paracetamol again, the headache, probably caused by sleep deprivation, dwindled and I slipped away for over 2 hours of glorious sleep.
Feeling quite good now, mid afternoon. H fetched me tonic water. I thought about getting magnesium too, but after the rebound effect of my previous recourse to artificial stimulants ( cured the constipation, 2 days of diarrhoea) I am wary of putting any new ingredients into my system. It seems like all the foods I like are good sources so I’ll just tweak the diet a bit. Can of tuna and some Brazil nuts for lunch, sorted!
I’m taking it very easy today. I think my legs got quite enough exercise by themselves!