THR Hopefully Hippy Recovery

[DuncanWA]

Thanks everyone. Have been in and out of bed twice today. Dreading X-ray but insisting on chair to bed method rather than rolling as that would kill me right now. Very woozy so can tell meds are up. Managing quite well with standing and sitting. Walking Hamburg’s and I still need help to get in and out of bed.

Men look away now.
My HrT patch was removed during surgery and with the recent weather I had to add hot flashes. Period started this morning but manageable. But I have been on hrt for five years!

When it rains, it POURS (the men look away part? Yeah - we're men because we rarely follow directions)! Been following your struggle and you're finally getting the better of it. The first days can be agonizingly SLOW and it all comes back when it's ready to. I was a tad too rambunctious last Friday and Saturday and am now just getting caught up. Everything the mods say about recovery is the GOSPEL! And it just so happens many of us are hip recovery sinners... There's a song about laughing with the sinners and crying with the saints but I DO think it's the other way around with our hips.

Progress will come with fits and starts.

 

[Yokesgirl]

@SurreyGirl welcome. How are you recovering?

 

[SurreyGirl]

Hi everyone. A bit behind in my updates so will try to catch up todayZ I have one special chapter for you that should have you all giggling! All good now.. hoping to transefer to the private home complete with 5 day’s of unwashed hair. Thanks for following me. I promised to say exactly how it is and certainly not all bad..

 

[SurreyGirl]

Ok. Here goes. I might make you all wait for the fun part!

Monday 30 June 2018

After the night of the lost iPod, Mina comes round with my morning meds. Bless her she is now calling out exactly what I am having... I note the sickness pill is not there. Apparently I now have it on demand up to three times a day. This was also the dosage yesterday. As I thought yesterday’s morning sickness pill (no NOT that one) was the only one to take all day it explains why I was feeling so sick after the morphine yesterday. grrgh! Mina is a bit put out. It must be frustrating for her to have a patient like me and I also sense she is frustrated on my behalf...

The day roles on. This mornings Master Torturer is lovely James, Suzie having a well earned 2 days off. He arrives and I am not even dressed! I smile and ask him to come back later so I can have some Olamorph. Duly washed and as fragrant as can be with rubbish hair james arrives and we proceed down the corridor with him waving people away so that I can make my state,y slow progress. It is slightly terrifying as rush hour at the hospital. It occurs to me that all I need is a “Standard Millenial Issue with latest IPhone” blindly stumbling into me and I have had it. I realise for the first time how vulnerable older people must feel. And I have joined them.

We have a successful parambulation but I am really tired. James offers to put me to bed and watches me with the strap on the log leg. Because I have been a good girl and been practising my ankle slides I can now bend my knee. This helps a lot and makes it easier. Less lucky moments too. He is very pleased. This afternoon it is car door time. Can’t wait.

At this point I should say that the tight muscles in the buttock are getting much better and to be fair to the physios the damage was more likely in the operation than caused by them.

 

[SurreyGirl]

I make a decision. I am going to try the final Physio without the Orlamorph. I have a nice lipunch. Mina has cheered up and we are all happy, except no poo as yet and my hair is now resembling something out of the Hammer House of Horror...

After lunch I am visited by two senior doctors. The lovely morning staff nurse had reported back on the sickness pill mix up. They want to talk to me about the whole saga, in particular the first two days. The lady doctor is taking notes. Hmmmm.
I should point out that Bxn, the other doctor looks straight out of central casting for hero doctors. Tall with sandy hair, a tan and beautiful blue gree eyes he is VERY charming. I of course am looking like sh@t nd probably smell of built up poo...
They ask me if I wish to refer to any notes I have taken. Determined to convince them that I am both sane and not brain fogged I recite the entire thing from memory with times and dates. I am careful to emphasise that not one member of the recovery team is to blame apart from the one that wrote out the medication in the first place and that all the team were friendly and as helpful as they could be.
They say I have a case. I have three choices, agree to the notes that are being written up and leave it at that, write formally to the ward, or use the Patients Liaison service to make it all get legal.

I say that my concern is to find out why it happened and to make sure it doesn’t happen again to anyone else so probably 2. They are happy with that and leave.

I also geta visit from my Consultants team and the X-ray is fine and they are very happy with the outcome and so am I. The leg feels very stable. I have even found myself moving around in tight spaces with one crutch in my right hand.

I decide to go for a walk myself. It is so much nicer on my poor bottom getting up every hour and walking about. The corridor is quiet. James happens to be there and smiles approvingly...

And the car door thingy to look forward to, and I don’t feel sick. Things are looking up...

 

[SurreyGirl]

I am visited by a young lady doctor level SY1. She is moving to an SY2 level post tomorrow. At another hospital. She apologised for the mix up over the meds and takes me thtough my discharge meds... she wants to make sure I am happy and agrees I can have some morphine to take with me. We discuss the mixup. Seems once a year there is a huge changeover day where doctors move to their next posts on the junior doctor training scheme. My Doctor Niece had described it as several days of total chaos as ward staff get used to new teams and newly promoted doctors find their feet... I wonder if my poor med chart got mixed up in all of this. Afetrr all I remember poor Charlie, one of the assistants telling me she was going to wheel me into chemo the day after my op! Hmmm.

And so to the final Physio with Lovely James. He asks to look at my wound. There is very little bruising. We both wonder if it is down to early icing. And give each other smug looks.

The car door moment seems fine. And then the surprise. stairs. Ooh. I am feeling fine and have not had the morphine. I give it a go. There are 5 steps. I do it, and then ask to do it again.. James is gobsmacked. I do it again and am still smiling....there is a reason

My favourite beach in the world has 92 steps down to it. My mind is thinking 184/10. Ok a long way to go but that will be my target...and I have a mental image of me doing it.

Ok enough from me by now. But feeling good and pain under control.. now about those drafted bowels.... time for another banana...

 

[Jaycey]

Sounds like things have really turned around for you. Well done! Ask for stool softener. Med play havoc with your whole system.

Good luck on your transfer today. Hope all goes well.

 

[Mojo333]

You will get there.

I realise for the first time how vulnerable older people must feel. And I have joined them.

I too had this thought.
Glad the hospital seems to want to follow up so that these situations can be corrected.
You are doing great...those 184 steps will come...some more baby steps will be required it get there.
I think you are doing wonderfully for early days.
Onward

 

[Apricot]

Movicol taken at night will probably unblock you the next morning. Prunes a couple a day. Advise avoiding Lactulose May well give you crippling abdominal cramps and no result.

I imagine the two doctors think you have a legal case for malpractise/incompetence. Hence their smiles. I think staff in charge of you should have immediately queried medication with a pain specialist. It took too long for prescribing to be resolved. However there appears to be an ongoing dispensing issue that hasn’t changed eg nausea medication. I would check the prescription they give you on discharge and the goody bag contents before you leave. Sorry if I am being too harsh.

You are doing very well now. I was surprised how much easier stairs are compared to walking upright with a good gait. The car will be a giggle. Good luck at the hip hotel.

 

[SurreyGirl]

Thank you! Some more drama to come and that is where I lost it and not discharged yet.

But first, this mornings blog up to 11am, when it all changed.

Tuesday 31 July 05:40 am

I wake up slowly and sniff the morning air. Ugh! Someone in the next bed has passed gas - how revolting. Then my befuddled brain clears and I remember I was lucky enough to get a private room. So the nasty smell is purely “Eau de Surrey Girl”. The concrated version. Don’t think I will be marketing that brand any time soon.

I feel sick -again

I press the call button and along come Monika -a young charming lady who is half Polish and half German

She was on the medical check round already. I sit on the bed and she checks me. All fine.

I am still feeling very sick. At the inevitable “have you opened your bowels yet” I reply “no but it won’t be long”


She has some time and we sit and chat for a while. We discuss grapes, apples, bananas and other natural ways of producing the required effect. She is a lovely person. Eventually she goes off to do the other ward patients.


I sit there and my stomach starts bubbling like a sulphur pool.


So I sit on the loo and think of Isaac Newton and wondered how he really discovered gravity!


I take my time. And then it happens. Slowly, surely and rather painfully. I feel like jumping up and shouting “Eureka”! But that was a different type of water displacement


Now sitting back in the bed wondering if it is ethical to ring the bell and broadcast my news......oh, and I have blocked the loo. Well at least I have the evidence...

 

[SurreyGirl]

Movicol taken at night will probably unblock you the next morning. Prunes a couple a day. Advise avoiding Lactulose May well give you crippling abdominal cramps and no result.

I imagine the two doctors think you have a legal case for malpractise/incompetence. Hence their smiles. I think staff in charge of you should have immediately queried medication with a pain specialist. It took too long for prescribing to be resolved. However there appears to be an ongoing dispensing issue that hasn’t changed eg nausea medication. I would check the prescription they give you on discharge and the goody bag contents before you leave. Sorry if I am being too harsh.

You are doing very well now. I was surprised how much easier stairs are compared to walking upright with a good gait. The car will be a giggle. Good luck at the hip hotel.

Thanks Apricot. I have sent you a pm about something else that bapoened.

 

[Mojo333]

Someone in the next bed has passed gas - how revolting. Then my befuddled brain clears and I remember I was lucky enough to get a private room. So the nasty smell is purely “Eau de Surrey Girl”. The concrated version. Don’t think I will be marketing that brand any time soon.

After all you have going on (oh yeah...thank goodness you have it going now), you have an incredibly wonderful sense of humor.
Oh my stars...my Eureka moment was just as "relieving" so here's hoping it keeps getting better and better!

 

[EmEm]

@SurreyGirl I don't think you need to broadcast your news. I realised I'm only about 40 miles away and there is a sulphurous cloud in the sky in your direction.

Thank you for a very entertaining thread!

 

[DuncanWA]

Ok enough from me by now. But feeling good and pain under control.. now about those drafted bowels.... time for another banana...

You might be using the banana incorrectly... ;)

It took me until day 4 to have a satisfying completion and that was after max dosing the stool softener and the metamucil.

BTW - I LOVE how you've documented your process displaying an outstanding attitude even with all that has happened. I'm no "new age" guy but do think positive thoughts can assist in positive results!

 

[SurreyGirl]

Very briefly. More saga re discharge and I will blog that separately but now at the recovery place.
Check in was busy with introductions, questions etc. I have told them of the issues I have had as have to admit to being pretty stressed out.
But, first check out with physio went well. Turns out I can shower -and apparently could all along :-(((( Room lovely and near a roof garden. Wine, gin, Campari available within reason. Laundry included. Yay!

Staff seem competent BUT I have decided to self medicate as I need to get this right for the future. . Nurse giving the blood thinner injection. Light dinner with WINE. Very strange after 4 weeks abstinence. Not sure I liked it so am going to ask for the wine list..

Having help from the carers to unpack my suitcases, arrange the room as I desire and water and ice packs available 24/7

So As I type this I have bed elevated a tad, two ice packs on my LH side, 1 over my ankle. And,dare I say it?!!!

NO PAIN!!

Thanks for all your comments and support. And Night night.

Surrey Girl

 

[Mojo333]

So happy you are being treated well and comfortable!
Rest well friend.

(Really wine? Are you sure.., got nothing like that over here)
Be careful with that and the meds...and remember, No Falling.
Against the rules!

 

[Alitm]

So great to see your sense of humour through all your trials. Wonderful that things have "happened" for you in every way and that you are finally comfortable. Yes! Hope that your hip hotel stay gets you even further down the rehab road, in comfort and cleanliness (!).

 

[Apricot]

Sounds fabulous. You will do really well now with the considerate care you deserve.

I think that might have been a good idea but never knew such things existed in England. Of course in France and Italy you go to rehab for two weeks.

 

[Windsong]

Yay! So glad you finally made it to your hippie hotel! Sounds like a great place to recover. How nice to not be feeling any pain.

 

[Bone-obo]

my hair is now resembling something out of the Hammer House of Horror...

Now, that's evocative writing! (Although it added a certain sinister connotation to your lengthy hospital stay, possibly appropriate, considering.)

You might be using the banana incorrectly... ;)

Oh, man, wish I'd said that!

Happy you're finally out of the House of Whacks, and in safer hands! And great posts, by the way!