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THR Grannyhippy's Recovery Thread

I also have Coeliac Disease which means I am allergic to gluten. I was diagnosed mid 2003. I am very careful to avoid gluten but have eaten it by accident. I always know when I have eaten it these days as my body rejects it and I soon vomit. Every time a person with Coeliac Disease eats gluten it damages the lining of the small intestine and they can suffer with malabsorption problems. The body does heal itself if one sticks to a gluten free diet but if gluten is eaten damage can be done without symptoms or very few symptoms showing. I originally found out because I had become very anaemic and did not know it. I started to get a lot of heart palpitations and became very light headed. First time really worried me as I was driving to work when it happened and I had to pull over. Lots of tests showed nothing. Friends at work said get another opinion so I changed doctors. I told him about all the tests I had had and he started from scratch, found out I was anaemic, gave me iron tablets and told me to come back in a couple of months for another blood test. When I had the next blood test my iron was lower still that is when I was sent off to a gastroenteroligist and had a colonoscopy and gastroscopy and was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease. The first lot of iron tablets my GP gave me contained gluten as a filler and he had to change to Fefol iron tablets with folate after my diagnosis.

I think when we are working and indoors a lot we don't get enough sunshine to help our bodies make vitamin D. Also as we age our bodies are not as efficient at making vitamin D and as you said also not as efficient in absorbing nutrients.

Wow! You have been a busy bee in the past.

That 88 year old neighbour I mentioned in a previous post has to have vitamin B injections and so did my mother for a while but that was anaemia caused through other means.
 
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My mum had bad arthritis and really need two knee replacements but the surgeon said she was too old and it was a bit operation and she could die on the table. He said he would not even perform that surgery on his mother because of her age and health. He was just giving an example at the time. Although she was never diagnosed with osteoporosis she was bent over. One Christmas when she was 83 the walker moved away from her and she fell and broke her femer. It was a clean break but she needed a pin in it. She picked up cellulitis from the hospital and it took some time to clear up.
 
Copsham you are doing it tough. I hope the uplifter helps. So sorry to hear about your mother. That is sad and must be so hard on you. She is lucky to have survived the septicaemia. It is a pity you cannot get down to play with your grandson. Young children don't really understand why.
 
Oh my @copsham! "Stop pretending!" Out of the mouths of babes....that is hilarious but obviously it shows how much you were able to do before. I had mentioned that I had not been shopping in ages and my granddaughter said that she could tell I had not been shopping because of the clothes I was wearing. I guess my style is not modern enough for her. I laughed and laughed about that.
Do you worry about dementia? I sure do. Oops We are threadjacking Grannyhippy's thread. Sorry!
 
Copsham and Grannyhippy, I don't mind if you threadjack my thread. I have probably done the same to you. I am still getting used to how to use this forum. It is the first forum I have ever participated in for anything. Sometimes I am not sure whether to reply through my own thread or go to your thread to reply.
 
This is how we like it - comments regarding your own recovery go in your own recovery thread.
Comments to another member about their recovery go in their recovery thread.
Think of this as being rather like your hospitals notes, okay?
 
@Grannyhippy
Wow, I just finished reading your thread and am amazed at the gift you've been given with writing (no need to worry about your sharp mind)!

I'm also amazed at the strength you've shown during your recovery. You've been through so much and still plod away with so many difficult chores...makes me feel a bit guilty!

I'm praying you see a steady improvement and an uneventful recovery from here onward.

Btw...if you put the @ sign right before a members name (as I've done with yours), the member will be alerted that you've mentioned them or replied to them.

Take care and please keep us updated on your progress. :-)
 
@Cynthia777

Thank you so much Cynthia. Just survived an unexpected episode of baby sitting my 17 month old Grandson with my husband's help.

I may have given you the impression from one of my posts about the past that I am still working but I am now retired and have time on my hands so I am not a superwoman.
 
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Well today I survived having to baby sit my 17 month old grandson, with the help of my husband to do most of the lifting. He has a cold and a bit of a chesty cough and could not go to day care. Luckily he is a very well behaved child and easy to look after but, I almost forgot how tiring it is keeping a toddler occupied and amused. I was feeling quite sore by the end of the day. I had realized around 2:00 pm when I went to take some Panadol that I had forgotten to take any medication this morning because everything was thrown into turmoil when my son rang and asked my husband if we could babysit. We have all the equipment set up at our house and our son brought our grandson over to us. My son gave me strict instructions to let my husband do the lifting and for me just to care for our grandson as he was worried I would damage my hip. After my daughter-in-law picked up our grandson late this afternoon I rested for an hour or so while my husband cooked dinner. I felt much better until I started cleaning up and packing the dishwasher after our meal. Then I started to hurt again so I have showered now and will take it easy for the rest of the night. I have just taken my painkillers.
 
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My grandson is now five and so rewarding to look after but pre hip op, when he was 2-3 yrs old, it was so, so tiring. I used to love looking after him but paid for it later. Post hip op I had a couple of months when I could be myself. I took him for walks down the lane to see the horses, took him swimming still tiring but do-able. Now I am back in the everything is tiring stage but grandson loves his "Nanny Karen" and we have such fun. BUT that exhaustion - you really pay for it. Hope your Grandson gets better soon and you for that matter. Wonderful and tiring at the same time?!
 
@copsham,

Yes I can relate to what you say as I volunteered to look after my grandson when my daughter-in-law went back to work three days a week at the beginning of this year. Her parents also wanted to mind him on one of those days so my husband and I did the other two. We did mind him for the three days a week when her parents went overseas for six weeks a few months ago. He now attends day care four days a week as his mother went back to work full time last week. I baby sat him right up until two days before my surgery. I do love caring for him but it is truly exhausting. This is the first time since my surgery.
 
Yesterday my husband and I went to a friend's place for a barbeque and one of the guests was a retired doctor who asked me why I was getting around like the walking wounded. He is an aquaintance whom we see on these occasions. He did know that I had, had a total hip replacement and he feels that there may be a possibility that I will need further surgery down the track to correct the problem. He said I need to ask my orthopaedic surgeon more questions about what is happening with my hip. This person also had a hip replacement 20 years ago and said that when his hip was first done it dislocated several times. I am not aware of any dislocation with my hip but it often feels as if it will give way when I am walking.

My physiotherapist whom I have only seen twice so far also asked me when I was going back to see my OS and when I gave her the date she said that it would be interesting to see what he has to say. She had also instructed me to use the crutch to prevent a fall. I cannot seem to use a cane as it wobbles when I walk and I have almost tripped over it several times because of my erratic walk. Using a crutch certainly helps but I am still walking around the house both with and without it as I am trying to build up strength in my muscles. My range of motion had improved from one physiotherapy visit to the next a fortnight later. She also told me to cut back on the number of reps with some of my exercises as I said I was sore after doing them. I think sometimes I am a little overenthusiastic.

I do have a referral to have an x-ray on the day of my consultation and I am to take that x-ray back to the specialist. On the referral he had written the word "subsidence". I don't go back to see him for another three weeks.

I also have a tight feeling on the right hand side of my spine in the lumbar region and over my hip and also on the right side of my right calf. Sometimes I get that feeling or pins and needles across the top of my foot or the front of my ankle. I feel that maybe my back is contributing to these symptoms. Wish I knew the answers to my problems.
 
I'm so sorry you are having difficulties with your recovery...it must be very disheartening! Hopefully the specialist can figure out what's wrong once he/she sees your x-rays! Well wishes sent your way @Grannyhippy!
 
@Cynthia777

Hi Cynthia, Thank you for your well wishes. I have been wondering how your recovery is going as I only seem to see the posts you send to other people. I cannot seem to pick up on your thread. I think I am making progress with my physiotherapy.
 
I have been very diligent doing my physiotherapy exercises to strengthen my hip muscles and finally I think it may be starting to pay off as I am getting better with each exercise.
 
Hi @Grannyhippy!

Thank you for asking, I appreciate it. I have put my THR off once again. I've been going to physical therapy (2 to 3 times a week) in hopes of strengthening the hip and thus avoiding surgery. My pain levels and limp had improved so much since last May, that I just couldn't justify having it now. Since my surgeon had said to wait until my pain got to a point that I couldn't take it anymore. He said, sometimes, although rare, AVN can halt its progression. I've also learned that I have a torn labrum to boot. So, my plan is to reevaluate my surgery decision once I complete my physical therapy (if nothing else, I will be in better shape for recovery).

I'm so very happy that your PT seems to be paying off! I guess this journey is so unpredictable, one can feel so bad one day and suddenly turn a corner and its uphill from there. I'm praying your journey has turned that corner!!! Hugs, well wishes and prayers sent!

Ps....So, it looks as though you and I are hitting the gym to get these old hog jaws strengthened! ;-)
 
@Cynthia777 It looks like it is going to be a long journey for both of us. It must be costing you a fortune for the physiotherapy. I was lucky enough to find out that physiotherapy is free at the local hospital if one has had recent surgery. I wish I knew about that when I had my physiotherapy post shoulder surgery years ago.

By the way you look really young for your age. That is a lovely profile photo.
 
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