Become an Insider

THR JB's (beachgal) Joyous Journey 7/25/14!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Day Eight. I spent two glorious, relaxed hours on this rainy Saturday morning having coffee in bed with hubby and dog, talking and thinking back over the past week. I've missed that ritual and it was SO nice to claim a bit of it back. With no scheduled PT today , I sorta felt like a bird out of a cage so I decided to do something totally wicked and take off my compression stockings for a few hours. Haha.

I also appreciate the lengthy discussion on my thread about addition and pain meds and decided I would take the time today while it's a quiet time and take a Tramadol so I can get a feel for what type relief it could provide and my side effects, if any. It's been about 1 1/2 hrs since I took it and I can honestly say it had decreased muscle pain noticeably and I don't have any of the other nutty feelings that were so crippling last week on the Percocet. This pleases me greatly. It means I have a "go to" pain med that should help me survive and prosper as PT intensifies.

I've been faithful to ice my hip, too. It has made a huge difference in the lack of swelling and bruising. It feels good. Keeping my leg elevated is my seated position of choice so I'm sure that has helped with the swelling as well. I'm concentrating on drinking plenty of water and since my eating habits are more normal, all the tummy and bathroom issues are an afterthought now.

I'm pretty happy. It's not where I am going but it's better than where I've been.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
@beachgal, I am jealous, one of the things I love about our Gulfport vacation home is the stormy weather, versus here in CA where we literally have no weather except sun; yes, I know people think I am crazy, but if I have to be laid up on a recliner, I want it to be windy and raining outside!

I have been online this afternoon looking for a solution to my painful arch. I believe it is related to nerve damage, but looking for something I can do to mitigate it.

I am still on Norco five times per day but can sleep with no pain meds usually. It makes the pain bearable . I would love a few Percocet to really take away all the pain, but that is not in the cards, seems silly to make a statement like that to my doctor, hey, I am going nuts by the end of the day in pain, is there something I can do or take? Of course, it all relates to the fact that I had to go back to work.
 
@LoyalD, we do enjoy the seasons and the changes in weather along the coast. I'm rehabbing in the Jackson area so it will be another month before I see the gulf. I've been practicing being in the moment and trying to be contented with where I am.

Sorry about the arch pain! I'm still fighting a muscle spasm that kicks in when I try to sleep in the bed. It's just above my waist. I've tried every imagineable combination of elevating heights, angles, etc and no position is comfortable. So I've been doing most of my sleeping in the recliner. If I could get that solved, my resting would improve.

I'm still cautiously experimenting with the pain med dosage. The Tramadol I took earlier performed as I hoped. My pain level in general is about a 2 and I hope it stays that way!




Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
@beachgal might want to try ice where you have the spasm. I was having spasms in my right leg... Started icing and while being iced I don't have spasms. Within 30-45 of no ice the spasms can start again.
 
@beachgal , tell me about the spasm above the waist? I have had one periodically and it seriously feels like I have a hernia sometimes. Mine is on the other side of the operated leg. I believe it is because of my waddling, poor walking.
 
hey @beachgal , glad i finally found you -
sorry i wasn't here for you for the digestion and pain and sleep discussions -

re: constipation - i was on colace and senna 3x/day for about 2-3 weeks also started prunes about 5 per day - that kept me regular - difficult in the beginning, but regular (a comfortable commode helps) -

re: pain - was on celebrex 1/day (stopped at 3 weeks), tramadol (allowed up to 6/day but mostly 1/day, never more than 3/day - stopped after 2 weeks), always took 2 extra str tyl with the tyl (dr's cocktail), and oxycodone as needed (only took 2 since i've been home (day 7 and day 11)) -
you already know this, but the only way to figure out what you really need and what works is to stop certain meds and then experiment -
my PT had a great description for me as to when to take pain meds (because i very rarely had any pain that was so sharp that i thought it was intolerable) - she said that when the pain is more constant and on your mind, take a pain med - that worked for me -
constant icing whenever you're sitting also relieves pain -

re: sleep - 1st couple of nites at home on my back i woke up with painful lower back spasms, then i tried the recliner (better, but not comfortable) then i went to a pile of pillows under my legs, that worked - and now i'm sleeping on my back pain free (but i was actually able to get on my side last nite - first time (day 29)) - i also listened to an mp3 player to help me sleep at times -

probably too late for all this now, but i hope it helps - (especially the prunes - )
glad to hear that you're taking it easy, that helps a lot -
and do that PT religiously -

good to reconnect - :)
 
@beachgal, wow, a couple of sprinkles here and cloudy; I see you have rain all day. Woke up and had to go back on my cane this morning, as usually I am able to at least hobble about the house, to grab water or got to the bathroom. Hmmmmm.

I am icing, as I am visibly more swollen below the incision.
 
Day Nine. We went for a ride this afternoon along the Natchez Trace by the Reservoir and saw the kids getting in their last weekend of summer fun since school here starts tomorrow. What a joy it was to be out of the house! Just a week ago I was released from the hospital and am so happy for the passage of the past seven days.

Very little pain today. I have relaxed and slept more today than other days but also had several visitors late this afternoon so I'm hoping I'll sleep well tonight. Not sure if it will be the bed or the recliner. Guess I'll find out.

I get my bandage off tomorrow. Yikes. I don't want to see my incision. In fact, with the posterior approach used, I may never have to look at it. Haha. Hubby saw it in the hospital when they changed my bandage to come home. He said it's not quite from my neck to my knees but almost. Such a kidder.

In house PT MWF this week. I'm up to three sessions of my exercises. No problems doing them yet. Hope that continues.

Anyone else rethinking the rest of their life? Haha. Boy, I sure am. This hip is not going to be wasted on anything that's not fun. Period.




Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
@beachgal - You are making good progress! Glad PT is going well and that you are finally getting your bandage off! I got mine off on day 11, but mine was literally just a large band-aid...so nothing traumatic for me. :) Hope you continue to make a great recovery. :yay:
 
glad you're feeling well -
love your outlook -
i feel sort of like i just got a baseball bat and glove for x-mas but i have to wait 6 months to use them . . .
on the other hand, i walked over 1/2 mile today outside in about 20 minutes without a cane -
the progress in just a month has been amazing -
wait a few weeks - you won't believe it -
 
Day Ten. Another semi-restless night of sleep but hubby greeted me with a hot cup of coffee and dog joined us for some quiet time being lazy in bed. I dressed for the day as I was unsure when my PT gal would arrive. Hubby peeled off my compression socks before he took dog for walk so I had a couple of hours of leg freedom again this morning.

Half a bagel with cream cheese and some orange slices were breakfast. Afterwards, I took up the task of cotton balls and polish remover to get the last dredges of adhesives off my arms, wrists, and stomach. Stubborn sticky stuff. Yuck.

I watched the clock with almost the same dread as I entered the hospital ten days ago. MY BANDAGE COMES OFF TODAY. I think I'd rather have my fingernails pulled out. Got the call
My PT gal would arrive by 1 pm.

She leads me back to our master bath and she knows I'm really freaking out about what's coming. She's so calm. She begins working with this covering that has been super - glued and suctioned over my incision and I tell me self to keep breathing although I'm seeing stars. Evidently my skin is such that is not overly moist or oily and the bandage has not moved or loosened a bit since I left the hospital. She uses alcohol and gauze to dissolve the adhesive stickiness but not near incision. The nurse at the hospital had covered my incision with steri strips before she locked down this bandage so now, it's all peeling off. And I'm buckling at the knees. She gets it all uncovered, reapplies fresh steri strips and covers it again with a lightweight clear bandage so it won't rub against my clothes. It feels wonderful to have that old one off. She took a pic of my incision and I looked at it! It's about 5" long and healing beautifully. Very little bruising, thanks to all the icing. Most of the discoloration is actually from the Betadine wash since that while leg is a tanned shade of orange !
PT exercises are getting a bit more challenging but almost feel good. I can tell the sleepy muscles are waking up.

She showed me how to sleep on my side but I'm not sure I'm ready to chance that yet. She also showed me how to wash my hair at the kitchen sink. We may try that later this afternoon.

I'm pleased. I feel like another speed bump has been crossed. Little victories. And I found out today that my niece is having a baby GIRL!!

A good day.






Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
@beachgal congrats on the new family member!

The bandage coming off has to be great. I'm looking forward to getting mine off too. The smaller incision is nice. With some proper care I bet it will fade to almost nothing.

With the side sleeping you are talking about non op side with pillows between your legs?
 
@rans0m00, yes on the non op side. I just don't think I'm ready to chance it yet. I think I'll know when I'm ready.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
@beachgal that's how I sleep sometimes but don't do anything till you are ready. I assume this his I how all people hurt themselves.... Just pushing it too far.
 
I haven't yet slept on either my tummy or my surgical leg. But thankfully, alternating between my back and my non-surgical side are allowing me to get some sleep. I still keep a pillow between my legs though...much more comfy that way. I expect in a week or so I'll try sleeping on my tummy - can't wait!
 
@Chessie don't we have to keep the pillow between our legs to avoid breaking hip precautions or did you make it out without any?
 
No I didn't have any specific restrictions, @rans0m00 , I just sorta figured that it made sense, and I wasn't comfortable without the pillow. I am sitting at my desk right now and my knees and ankles are completely together...touching. I don't see why that would cause any issues at all....it's more an issue of your legs crossing in the night I think...but I am already crossing my non-surgical leg over my other one - no issues for me as far as that goes.
 
@Chessie lucky. For me when my legs get really close it pulls on the outside of my hip. I can cross non op over the op leg. Unsure why it pulls but it does for me.
 
@rans0m00 , I meant to add, The real reason I used a pillow was that I wanted to elevate while on my side and so that made sense to me...beside simply being more comfortable. Are you doing knee raises to help with that tightness?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
@Chessie Ahh yeah I have to use it or else it pulls really uncomfortably. I have been doing my pt but thanks to the already irritated tissue in the area before surgery and then surgery made it worse... It takes a little extra time since I wasn't starting at zero... I was more starting at like -5. The leg lifts to all directions are happening along with a handful of other pt exercises. Where it feels so tight I would describe it more like an IT band pull... And the only way to stretch that is doing exercises that cross the leg over center... So I think I'm just stuck till she released me from the hip precautions.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 670 (members: 0, guests: 670)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom