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THR My 'Everything Will Be Alright' Recovery recap - THR on 30 July 2014
- Thread starter grnplatebrd
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grnplatebrd
senior
@beachgal @muckingabout @MajorHeidi thanks for sharing about your dogs. They all sound like fantastic companions. I will be interesting when our dog is back at home with us
HerbM
senior
That's great about your big Golden Retriever -- we also have a big 'un; Trooper is 85lbs which as you know is pretty much a giant among Goldens. These Goldens are just SO FULL OF LOVE and they immediately seem to sense when it is time for love instead of rough housing and play.
The 'puppy', our 7 month old Great Pyrenees is a lover too. Sugar just made 75lbs this week, and will likely pass Trooper in another month.
Enjoy your therapy (dog) and keep on improving!
The 'puppy', our 7 month old Great Pyrenees is a lover too. Sugar just made 75lbs this week, and will likely pass Trooper in another month.
Enjoy your therapy (dog) and keep on improving!
fulafoto
supremo
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Hi again John, I have a funny story related to low BP. After my surgery I went for a walk and did pretty good so the nurse suggested i have a shower which I jumped at. After soaping up the dizziness hit me and I slumped into the bath chair, covered in soap calling for the nurse, hanging onto the chair with as much energy as I could muster trying not to slip onto the floor. Not funy at the time but the nurse and I had a good laugh about it later.
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grnplatebrd
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grnplatebrd
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grnplatebrd
senior
Yesterday had a few firsts.
It was Day 10. 1st REAL shower, until now it has been sponges and wash cloths. I have short hair, so that is not an issue and my wife has keep the rest of my body acceptably clean. I used the shower seat to keep it easy. I just eased myself down and had enough room to keep the leg under 90 degrees without a problem. As mentioned by many, it is a pretty nice sensation just to be soaked in warm water again. Washing hair proved to be a little bit harder, but really not an issue. I think I will use the seat for a few more, we do have a built in rail, so that has been helpful. Been in the shower for 15+ years and never gave it a 2nd glance, now it feels like an accidental blessing.
Second 1st was a walk around the block. All my walking has been doing inside house loops and amount to about .25 mile when I add them up. The walker barely fits through a couple doors. Our house is set on a small hill with 15 steps leading up, so I need another person to help me get to street level. The walk went fine, I estimate that it was a similar distance, but I did it with one crutch instead of the walker. The whole process went very well and 1/2 way I stopped once for a few minutes, not needed, but I just did not want to overdo anything the 1st time and just let the body be relaxed. We continued and it was nice to have a conversation with a neighbor and change my scenery.
I continued with my normal exercises for the day and have been doing more sitting in a chair instead of the bed set up. In the evening I felt a bit more sore than the previous days and woke during the night with aches and pains. I will take that as a sign that I pushed myself...hopefully in a good way. I just medicated accordingly, oddly, elevating my legs made the pain a bit stronger.
I am starting to use a cane for shorter walks in the house. It feels more natural for flow and I want to keep myself from treating the walker like a crutch. I feel I have some degree of mental block going on as I am trying to relearn how to walk evenly without a limp. Break the habits I have formed over the years by compensating and managing the pain.
We also had a visit yesterday and as I was having a goodbye conversation, I turned an looked at my wife, she laughed and asked me if I was missing something...the walker was about 6 feet away from me and I was standing by the door on my own. So at some point, I forgot about the aide and just walked to the door. Once I was looking at the walker at a distance, I wondered how I did it without any thought.
We plan for a 2nd walk outside today and see how it goes again. Thunderstorms are expected for tomorrow, so I might be confined again.
Hope everyone is well in their own recovery
It was Day 10. 1st REAL shower, until now it has been sponges and wash cloths. I have short hair, so that is not an issue and my wife has keep the rest of my body acceptably clean. I used the shower seat to keep it easy. I just eased myself down and had enough room to keep the leg under 90 degrees without a problem. As mentioned by many, it is a pretty nice sensation just to be soaked in warm water again. Washing hair proved to be a little bit harder, but really not an issue. I think I will use the seat for a few more, we do have a built in rail, so that has been helpful. Been in the shower for 15+ years and never gave it a 2nd glance, now it feels like an accidental blessing.
Second 1st was a walk around the block. All my walking has been doing inside house loops and amount to about .25 mile when I add them up. The walker barely fits through a couple doors. Our house is set on a small hill with 15 steps leading up, so I need another person to help me get to street level. The walk went fine, I estimate that it was a similar distance, but I did it with one crutch instead of the walker. The whole process went very well and 1/2 way I stopped once for a few minutes, not needed, but I just did not want to overdo anything the 1st time and just let the body be relaxed. We continued and it was nice to have a conversation with a neighbor and change my scenery.
I continued with my normal exercises for the day and have been doing more sitting in a chair instead of the bed set up. In the evening I felt a bit more sore than the previous days and woke during the night with aches and pains. I will take that as a sign that I pushed myself...hopefully in a good way. I just medicated accordingly, oddly, elevating my legs made the pain a bit stronger.
I am starting to use a cane for shorter walks in the house. It feels more natural for flow and I want to keep myself from treating the walker like a crutch. I feel I have some degree of mental block going on as I am trying to relearn how to walk evenly without a limp. Break the habits I have formed over the years by compensating and managing the pain.
We also had a visit yesterday and as I was having a goodbye conversation, I turned an looked at my wife, she laughed and asked me if I was missing something...the walker was about 6 feet away from me and I was standing by the door on my own. So at some point, I forgot about the aide and just walked to the door. Once I was looking at the walker at a distance, I wondered how I did it without any thought.
We plan for a 2nd walk outside today and see how it goes again. Thunderstorms are expected for tomorrow, so I might be confined again.
Hope everyone is well in their own recovery
@grnplatebrd , sounds like your recovery is progressing very well. That forgetting the walking aid is the natural progression to another one or (in the end) moving on your own. Be sure and use a walking aid if you are tired. That's when the limping usually starts.
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grnplatebrd
senior
fulafoto
supremo
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- Australia
@grnplatebrd - well done on your walk around the block - that really is a terrific effort and forgetting your walker is another milestone for sure!
It really is lovely to get outdoors again isn't it and that first shower feels like heaven. Since my journey commenced last December I am amazed at the everyday things that I took for granted which now seem special.
It really is lovely to get outdoors again isn't it and that first shower feels like heaven. Since my journey commenced last December I am amazed at the everyday things that I took for granted which now seem special.
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grnplatebrd
senior
@fulafoto
Cheers Bill. I hope I can show the same amount of wisdom and gratitude for the world that you have observed.
It is summer here, and Oregon is a bit like parts of New Zealand from photos I have seen. There is a mental game I am playing with myself to keep from missing what I would normaly be doing. I know, we all do, but with any luck I will grow from this. I feel I am keeping it positive and others here help feed that I think
Cheers Bill. I hope I can show the same amount of wisdom and gratitude for the world that you have observed.
It is summer here, and Oregon is a bit like parts of New Zealand from photos I have seen. There is a mental game I am playing with myself to keep from missing what I would normaly be doing. I know, we all do, but with any luck I will grow from this. I feel I am keeping it positive and others here help feed that I think
muckingabout
senior
Sounds like you're doing great @grnplatebrd! I also had a shower today, day 5. My doc allows them day 3. I think it was like 3 minutes total.
Sounds like you are doing a lot of walking!
Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
Sounds like you are doing a lot of walking!
Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
HerbM
senior
@grnplatebrd , Huskys are beautiful dogs -- love them. And yes, Sugar (BEAR) is very beautiful when she is clean and snow white -- but she loves to dig so having a white dog in Texas is a lot like having a white carpet. 
Trooper the Golden Retriever is also a "handsome thang" as our 8 year old grand daughter said.
So glad to hear about your recovery steps and milestones (literally).
And not just for YOUR benefit. That is exactly the kind of information that will help me in the next couple of weeks.
My recovery will NOT be your recovery, but hearing of other people's preparations, successes, issues, and how they avoid or overcome the issues is very important to our mental preparation and ultimate success.
Thank you so much for sharing your story @grnplatebrd
Trooper the Golden Retriever is also a "handsome thang" as our 8 year old grand daughter said.
So glad to hear about your recovery steps and milestones (literally).
And not just for YOUR benefit. That is exactly the kind of information that will help me in the next couple of weeks.
My recovery will NOT be your recovery, but hearing of other people's preparations, successes, issues, and how they avoid or overcome the issues is very important to our mental preparation and ultimate success.
Thank you so much for sharing your story @grnplatebrd
MajorHeidi
big-cheese
Cheering you on!
You are coming along nicely.... Yay you!
Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart®
You are coming along nicely.... Yay you!
Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart®
muckingabout
senior
Are you guys walking outside with your walker? I haven't tried it yet. Not sure how it will do on the sidewalk, it's been pretty hot, I'm not sure how far I can go and of course, vanity!
Carriemay60
post-grad
Well done on your recovery! Our surgery dates are very close together but you are quite ahead on your walking etc. I really look forward to doing some walking outside once we can get the broken leg coordinated with the hip rehab. I certainly will follow your journal with interest and be pulling up the rear!
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grnplatebrd
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@muckingabout
Glad you had a shower, I think that is a great marker to reach for all of us. Not only do we feel good afterwards, but it feels like a good confidence builder. At 5 days did you have to do anything special to keep water away from the incision or was that okay to get wet?
Glad you had a shower, I think that is a great marker to reach for all of us. Not only do we feel good afterwards, but it feels like a good confidence builder. At 5 days did you have to do anything special to keep water away from the incision or was that okay to get wet?
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grnplatebrd
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@ HerbM
Sounds like some great dogs you have. I can only imagine the white fur brings its own consequences. Our dog tends to clean herself a lot, like she is part cat. She was raised with 2 cats, so maybe she picked up on their practices
You have a great attitude about your procedure and I am happy that any words might matter. A few months before my surgery I had not found this site yet and was having a hard time finding some good 1st hand accounts of the process. I ended up speaking with a few local guys with a very similar situation, their input was invaluable to me at the time and I am very happy to pass along my story if it helps at all.
Sounds like some great dogs you have. I can only imagine the white fur brings its own consequences. Our dog tends to clean herself a lot, like she is part cat. She was raised with 2 cats, so maybe she picked up on their practices
You have a great attitude about your procedure and I am happy that any words might matter. A few months before my surgery I had not found this site yet and was having a hard time finding some good 1st hand accounts of the process. I ended up speaking with a few local guys with a very similar situation, their input was invaluable to me at the time and I am very happy to pass along my story if it helps at all.
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grnplatebrd
senior
@MajorHeidi
Thanks for the support. I do feel like I happy with how things are going. I do feel I need to keep myself on the steady path with out overdoing it right now. Not get too comfortable and slip up. How is your recovery going?
Thanks for the support. I do feel like I happy with how things are going. I do feel I need to keep myself on the steady path with out overdoing it right now. Not get too comfortable and slip up. How is your recovery going?
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