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THR Done, Dusted & Determined!

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Mums, in particular, are habitual multi-taskers so it comes hard not to be able to manage everything postOp. It simply isn't possible to have a sensible recovery whilst cooking for an army, juggling the 3-piece suite and relandscaping the garden ...... It takes a bit of re-thinking to make some necessary adjustments (albeit temporary) to allow time for the body to recover.
 
Oh, there ya go again, @Miss Muffet .....making common sense! Okay, okay....I'll skip the re landscaping of the garden....(we don't have a garden!). But, you're right, just cooking for DH and I would, in my mind, be like 'cooking for an army'! I'm still holding out on the meals I prepared in advance of surgery.....for when I'm the one back in charge. So far, DH has settled comfortably into that role.....and I'm not about to dent his ego!

On a celebratory note.....we went to the club for dinner last night!!! Whoo-hoo!!! Used my cane. It was pasta night. I ate half my pasta.....BUT.....I drank my whole drink!!!
 
@Nana2-8 Yay! Glad you got to go out! I saw you had mentioned in another post about having your favorite drink at your club. What kind is it? hehe Looks like you have gotten the hang of the cane. :)
I'm so glad you got the green light for driving and sleeping on your side. Let us know how that goes.

My hubby is getting well practiced in "hoovering" now as I have not been able to do it the last 6 weeks or so. I will just let him do it as long as I can. LOL
I'm going to attempt my first homemade ice packs today. ( I have store bought ones I have used for years on my back) Did you find the gallon or quart sized ones were a better fit?
 
Nana2-8 said:
DH has settled comfortably into that role.
Click to expand...
Well Mr Muffet got very sniffy about his role as my personal slave. When I foolishly said I felt I was able to start dealing with things he got all defensive as self-appointed Commander In Chief of (Hip) Operations - and the mortal sin I commited was when I interfered with the washing/drying. So I was forced to step back .... Hard isn't it? :heehee:
@Tweetybrd - and all my other US buddies - am so amused that "hoovering" makes you smile .... Funny because it was an American, William Henry Hoover, who invented it (I had to check all that bumph on Google, as I'm not naturally that knowledgeable) - I used to lovingly call mine J. Edgar.
You clever lot making your own ice packs - I was far too lazy and just ordered mine from Amazon. They also worked well in the picnic bag I packed up for an outing with the 3 Grandferals on Monday. A long and exhausing day. Took me till today to (nearly) get over it - or rather my hips did. Came straight home and applied for my Blue Badge as a result. Any unneccessary walking is a killer. Will most probably move from my stick (you call them canes) to crutches before Op day.
@Nana2-8 - aren't outings great when you've been cabin crazy for a while. It really lifted my mood. Glad you made it.
 
@Nana2-8 - well done on getting out for dinner! So glad you managed to finish your drink.:heehee: Great news on the housework front as well. Keep it up as long as you can! We have been having some building work done and trying to prepare for our trip to Cornwall at the same time. The down side of being this far on in my recovery and appearing almost "normal" is that my husband seems to think I might be able to join in with clearing up after the builders! Luckily my PT came to my rescue. She said absolutely no heavy housework and I should concentrate on the holiday preparations. She also said that if I felt I needed to go and buy some new clothes to take with me, that would be perfect exercise and she would fully endorse it - she really is my new best friend:yahoo:
 
Oh my goodness, @BizzyLizzy , your PT is the BEST!!! - @Miss Muffet , I actually had the best canister Hoover vacuum when we first got married. It finally got to the point that I couldn't get the bags for it......so I knew (and love) your naming it.
@Tweetybrd - my drink of choice is Southern Comfort on the rocks, with two splashes of bitters. Yup....finished the whole thing.....slept like a rock....until potty call! As to the ice packs, home-made....I had three quart-size ones....2 neon green, one neon blue. the green were thinner and had their special use....tho thinner didn't retain their chill as long. The blue was thicker...again, specific placement, and I tended to request that one at night since it stayed colder longer. The one that got the most use initially was the gallon size bag, which we affectionately referred to as the "pork tenderloin" (since it was mauve in color). It was thick, large, and 'foldable" so I placed that one along the outside of my thigh and snuggled it in by tucking the covering hand towel under my hip....allowing the excess of the towel to be doubled so my arm wasn't getting cold in the process. The good news about these is that they are nice and soft.....you don't want lumps to lay on near your incision.
 
It was three weeks post-op on Thursday and since dinner at the club went so well on Wednesday....we did it again with our usual Friday night gang! Such fun. And, yes....another drink! Then, today, Saturday....just to keep the streak going......I DROVE!!! Not alone....with DH. But, now that I've done it, I know I can. Not that I'd know where to go...or what to do once I'm there....but at least I know I can get there! I don't feel up to going grocery shopping just yet.....and we've been having our share of rain lately, and the last thing I'd want to do is slip. - - Haven't attempted to sleep on my side yet.....too chicken. I only feel comfortable sleeping on my left side....and that's where my cute little incision is. Think I'll be nice to it a while longer.
 
Such good news! You're doing so well! I remember being in awe at how easy driving was the first time I tried it. It sure feels good getting back out there in the world, doesn't it? I still feel shopping to be a bit intimidating (especially huge stores like Home Depot), so DH still does it for me. Oh, can you send some of that rain to my part of the country? :-)
 
Het @Cynthia777 - it's exactly 4 weeks ago this morning that I became a " hippie"!!! In my mind, I'm ahead of the recovery schedule....which is no race, but is good for my attitude. I was prepared for all aspects of this to have taken a larger toll, and am so grateful for all forward progress. Yesterday, I felt like such a "big girl" when I took a shower all alone!!!! (Wait a minute.....y'all know what I mean.....right.). I was nervous about it....had my cell phone nearby....made sure access door was unlocked (for emergency response team....OMG!!!) ....and I'm finding that various things seem to be be completed in SLOW MOTION. Today, I have a destination....of dire importance....NOTHING would be cause for cancellation.....I will be "visiting my roots"!!! Luckily, my hairdresser has steps and a ramp, and it will be a dry afternoon....(rain this morning...always worry about slipping). I'm finding that when I worry about things over which I have no control, somehow they seem to work themselves out. "Someone's" listening!!

QUESTION: could someone explain the precaution of sleeping on ones side...and why the need for a pillow between the legs? Is it so that the top leg doesn't slip forward? Would that apply if I were to sleep on the operated side? Would it still matter if my 'good' leg were to slide forward? What is it that I should be trying to avoid?

We're invited to a small house party Saturday night...very casual...dear friends....and my hippie friends will understand my question to the hostess...."Do you have an elevated toilet on the first floor?" Oh my, how my priorities have shifted!!! It once was, "Shall I bring my own Southern Comfort?" They not only have the 'proper' toilet, but since all their family room furniture is low, cushy leather, they are bringing in a higher, firmer chair...just for "moi"!!! And they have no dog which might trip me up! So, I'll be "kick in' up my heels' Saturday night!!! (Which really means, I'll be clutching my hurricane!!!)
 
@Nana2-8 Have a wonderful time at your party --what lovely hosts to look after you that way.
Did you see the note on my thread about taking Magnesium for the zippiness .... will let you know how it goes.
I went on an adventure today with hubby to Target -- pushed the cart around the food section then he took us out to lunch. Lovely to be out and about. Now I'm icing and elevating and may even have a nap :yawn:
 
Thanks, Jen. You're right...these friends are so thoughtful and I'm sure a good time will be had by all! Seems "the guys" won a case of wine at an auction...need I say more? So, even in my condition, I'll bet I'll be the designated driver when we head home!! -- Do let me know how the magnesium works. When I looked at that prior to surgery, I was thinking along the line of .....Milk of Mag....and figured I had a prescription for something stronger....so didn't get it. Wonder how long it takes to kick in and feel any results. Do report back.
 
The only thing I could find online about side sleeping and why the pillows is so your affected leg does not cross over the midline of your body.
 
I know I'm always in for a chuckle or two when I'm going to read your posts, Kathy! So happy you got to finally "visit your roots!" :heehee: (How did you handle the chairs at the hairdresser's? I find that now one of my greatest worries about going anywhere! Well, that, and the toilet issue! As far as sitting as restaurants, etc., I'm tempted to pull out one of my largest purses and see if I can fit a decent bottom-sized cushion inside, just in case I need the extra height for keeping my hips above my knees. It's a bit challenging because I have long legs.)
Side-sleeping - everything I read said it was all about what Cindy said! You don't want your operated leg to accidentally slip past midline. My physical therapist said is was about not letting that operated leg falling forward while you're sleeping. As far as sleeping on your operated side - did your OS clear you for that? I might send in a quick call or email to get some clarification for that. You also asked what you should be trying to avoid. I saw a great YouTube on hip precautions, and it shows ALL the different things you want to be mindful of, day and night. (It's all about not allowing the freshly operated and healing joint to get out of correct alignment, which could make us vulnerable to dislocation.) (But I'm guessing you knew that already! ;-)
Be safe this weekend - have fun at your friends' house party!!
(So happy you'll have TWO thrones of correct height to keep you safe and comfortable!!!:loll:)
 
@DizzyBlond - You're too much....with my "two thrones". - You'd have thought, with all my "white lab coat" advanced research, I would have know what I should be avoiding.....but you would have been incorrect!!! Guess I have to google some more! As to my OS giving me clearance, he said I could, with a small pillow between my legs, "whenever I felt ready"......but I still haven't tried! Maybe next week.....when I'm in my 5th week.
 
Hey, girl... you're cleared for landing - I say give it a go!!!!!! (Of course, when you're comfortable with the thought!) I see my OS on Tuesday and will be quite interested to hear what he has to say about precautions at this point, but my PT said I was definitely OK for my un-operated side WITH a pillow. Really didn't like it the first time I tried it - I don't think the pillow was large enough. Last night I tried a fluffier, down pillow, and it was great.
Well, the good news is that sooner or later we'll be doing WHATEVER we want!!!!! (Within reason... :heehee:)
 
I'm not kidding, @Cynthia777, I could analyze this entire recovery thing for hours on end and never stop!! Even now, John's left to go to a speaking engagement, and I could be sitting comfortably in the front room watching anything I wanted (without his on-going "Let me check the Dodgers' score" or "Let's take a quick look at the Angel game!"), yet here I am, still laying in bed and looking things up about - 3 guesses - YEP! THR recovery! Time to let it all go for now, grab a new ice bag and distract myself with something else!!! xoxox
 
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