New here and terrified

[Poppet]

Butterfly, still have a way to go with this winter flu.... Thank you for asking, missed all my peeps x

 

[ByGosh]

Hi Butterfly I'm sorry, I haven't been getting any alerts that you've posted to me, or I would have responded sooner! I think it would be beneficial to touch base with your primary care doctor about your pain. If you're doing everything you can as far as icing, resting, ibuprofen and the pain pills, and still in severe pain, I would think your primary should at least be made aware of your level of pain, and he can decide with you what to do.

You know, with constant severe pain, it's no wonder you're anxious and thinking about things all of the time. It's nearly impossible not to. Pain can overtake the strongest will - it's not your fault. You have documented bone on bone arthritis, no one can fault you for being in pain. But hang in as best you can, and check with your primary - he should advise you. Try some deep breathing and positive imagery. Did I tell you I downloaded a pain meditation CD by Belleruth Naperstek? It helps and can relax you, too. Try to stay off of your legs and ice the painful area as much as you can. There's recipes online to make your own icepacks using water and alcohol that are cheap and supposed to work just as well as store bought ones. Try a nice hot bath, too.

I'm sorry you're in so much pain Butterfly. I understand how you're suffering and I really hope for your sake you can get some relief and maybe a sooner surgery date. (finger's crossed!)

Good luck and keep us posted on how your doing.

 

[Butterfly]

ByGosh Thanks for the response and for your caring. I guess I'll just grit my teeth and make it through until the end of February. No luck so far with the earlier surgery date.

I'm going to order that Belleruth Naperstek CD. Right now one thing that really helps is knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm looking forward to Christmas and hoping I will be feeling much better by then.

Being connected on this website really helps, too. Wonderful to be in touch with other people who understand and care, not just paying lip service as many do who have no idea what this hip stuff involves. My old boss pretty much thought I was exaggerating the whole problem and made sure I knew that. I am SOO glad to be out of there. I plan to just stay retired after the surgeries.

Thank you again for caring.

How are YOU doing these days?

Peace and love to you.

 

[Butterfly]

Red Shoe How are you doing, cyber chum? Haven't heard a peep out of you in a few days. Are you OK?

Love and peace to you.

 

[Runaround Sue]

Butterfly How are YOU doing? You are always so helpful and caring to others even through your pain and depression. You are truly a wonderful person to overcome that pain and depression to focus on helping others

 

[Butterfly]

@By Gosh I made a big fat oops in my post to you -- I said the end of February, it should be the end of September! That's what I get for posting at 1:00 in the morning, I guess.

 

[Butterfly]

didoan Your post brought little tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for your kind words. Anything I can do to help I am grateful to be able to do. We all have to hang in and help each other on this struggle to get better. If I can do anything further to help you get the right info from Medicare, don't hesitate to let me know. I used to do a lot of that at my work, so I have some experience figuring out what the gobbledygook means and where to go to find answers. I'm glad to try to help -- it gives me some purpose and I'm happy to do it.

I'm just so grateful for this forum and the group of supportive and caring new friends I've found on here -- I don't know what I'd have done without it. Probably be in a padded room by now . I wasn't doing very well until I landed here, I was just so scared. I haven't found anywhere else where a person could get real-life answers and guidance and encouragement and caring. It's been a real sanity-saver.

Thank you again, and best wishes and prayers as you get ready to get your hip fixed. I envy you your early date! Have fun with that new laptop. Do you have trouble with that little built in mouse pad thingy? I could never get the hang of it. I don't have a laptop of my own.

Peace and love.

 

[Red Shoe]

Butterfly your a special person, hip buddy. I've just been busy with music stuff, won't be long and we will be pain free

 

[Butterfly]

Well,music stuff has got to be a lot better than hip stuff, that's for sure! I'm not doing much, here, just mostly laying around.

Good to hear from you.

 

[Red Shoe]

And you angel, I'm just sorting out gigs for next year and rehearsals. How's the doggies and what's the weather like your side of the pond? We finally have rain here so I don't have to water our garden

 

[Butterfly]

didoan Did you get all the info you need from Medicare re the SNF???

 

[cornishhedge]

Hi butterfly,

Thank you for your post.
Sorry I've not replied before.
Have had the most awful week. I had four yes! Four migraines in one week.
It's still hanging round and making me feel rough.
Unbelievable how can one person have four in a week. Tut.

I saw the hypnotherapist yesterday, I feel great and positive while I'm with her ( apart from my poorly head) but it only takes a nights sleep and all the anxiety is right there again. I must say its good because she explores other things with me, like why I have so much anxiety.

I know you told me you are then same, it's horrid I know. I'm the same as you. Have suffered with anxiety since I was young.
We both need all the help we can get with our anxiety levels once the operation gets nearer.
I'm not so sure that itsis worry about the operation that's caused these migraines.

I wake up thinking about it and go to sleep thinking about it. Do you ?

When I read BeckyR she really does amaze me and she gives me hope for the future.

Anyway butterfly am off to see my mum, she isn't too good again. More worry!!!!!!

Take care

Angie

 

[Butterfly]

Hi, Angie, good to hear from you. Yes, I do go to sleep thinking about it and wake up thinking about it. Of course, the pain and stiffness and general lack of mobility keeps it right at the forefront of my brain -- hard to get away from pain and completely focus on anything else. I'm trying to do some "mindfulness" stuff where you try to focus on the present moment and so on, but not having too much success with that, either. I need to work on that more. I guess.

I mean I truly know that worry and anxiety does absolutely nothing to change the outcome of what you are worrying about, except possibly make it worse, but I've never been able to completely control the anxiety. When I was a young woman, I had real, honest-to-God panic attacks, which scared me to death. I was convinced I was having a heart attack or stroke or some other terrible thing, but doctors convinced me (finally) that it was anxiety and that anxiety can have profound effects on the body. I would get dizzy, hyperventilate, tremble, heart would race, and the whole thing. Fortunately, I haven't had a full blown panic attack in years, not since my doc prescribed an antidepressant for me. And I've gotten better at squashing them down if I feel one is coming on. But I still suffer from the anxiety and racing thoughts and the "awfulizing." And, as I'm sure you know, you develop of fear of the anxiety itself, which of course turns it into a vicious circle. I have absolutely no clue about what caused all this, I mean it wasn't triggered by a traumatic event or anything like that.

I would not be surprised if the anxiety has indeed caused your bunch of migraines. I've felt in the last week that I had one coming on (the aura thing), but fortunately one hasn't materialized. Seems like it might be reasonable that anxiety is causing it because migraines are vascular, I understand, and anxiety does cause changes in your vascular activity. I just don't know, and doctors don't really seem to know what triggers a migraine, either, at least in most people. With two notable exceptions, my migraines have never seemed to be nearly as bad as other people's, for which I am very grateful.

I do hope your mom gets to feeling better. That added strain can't be helping you. Did you ever get clearance to go ahead with the surgery? Do you need both hips fixed, or just one? I need both done. My daughter in law is helping me out, like helping me with shopping and so on. She is also going to help me after the surgery and actually stay with me for a few nights. I don't know what I would do without her. My son helps, too, with a lot of things that need doing around the house, but he travels much of the time, so a lot of it falls to my daughter in law. They have 3 sons, and the oldest one (17) is going to stay in my house and look after my dogs while I am in the hospital. I am so grateful for that, because I was worried about what to do about my dogs. They are elderly labrador retrievers, set in their ways, and would hate to be put in a kennel. They are both rescue dogs and they would fear they were being abandoned again. A time or two when one or the other of them has had to stay in the hospital overnight, they have become very distraught, so I'm glad they can just stay in the home.

Sorry I've rambled on so. We just have to hang in there and I'm sure we will both get through this in one piece.

Peace and love to you, and to your mother.

Milli

 

[Runaround Sue]

Butterfly, only saying what's true I wish I could somehow help you as you have helped me. I hope you can find an activity that will require your undivided attention and make the time go swiftly for you.

I am glad you have someone to help you after the surgery and your grandson will stay with the dogs while you are away. I know what a stress it can be to worry about the welfare of our fur families. Please take care and PLEASE try not to worry, everything will be fine

 

[Butterfly]

BIG IMPORTANT QUESTION:

Does anyone know of a place (probably online, shopping is too hard for me now) where I could order a swimsuit that is suitable for a 67 year old woman to be seen in in public? I"m not a prude or anything, but I have always felt self-conscious in a bathing suit and I've got varicose veins and some crepey skin and all that goes with being my age. I DON'T want an itsy bitsy teeny weenie yellow polka dot bikini, but nothing that looks like a 1930s suit either. Most of what I've seen on line is for twenty-somethings with a super slim figure, and I'm neither. Not a plus size, but certainly not model slim either and my muscle tone is not so great from being stove up for so long.

I haven't had a swimsuit in years, but walking in a pool has been suggested to me and I know I'll want to do some swimming stuff after the surgery, too. Anybody got any ideas? Do swimsuit sizes run true to size? Maybe something with what they call "boy shorts" or something like that??

Thanks.

 

[Butterfly]

Poppet Thanks for your reply about natural pain reliever. I was hoping you'd know of some miracle remedy or something like that. I have a great faith in alternative medicine and have used it a lot in my life, with sometimes amazing results. I had bad carpal tunnel in my left wrist several years ago, and it looked like surgery was on the horizon, but an oriental medicine practitioner gave me some concoction that actually cleared it up -- not instantly, of course, but it did clear it up; I've had good luck with stomach remedy stuff too, and colds and some flu. I've been searching for something to help borderline blood pressure, but haven't had luck with that yet. Still looking.

Peace and love to you.

 

[Runaround Sue]

Butterfly I'm sorry I missed that post with the question about Medicare earlier. I didn't find anything conclusive on the site but I think they will be able to answer that question at the hospital just a few days from now. Thanks again for helping me!

I'm sorry I can't offer much help with the bathing suit. I haven't used one since the early '80s when I had a navy blue polka dotted bikini and baked myself silly in the sun. But you might find something you like here in the one piece suit selection on Macys.com

 

[Butterfly]

didoan If It were I, I'd call Medicare. I dont necessarily trust what hospitals tell me about Medicare benefits. Sometimes they get it right, sometimes they don't. I've called Medicare many times, don't have to hold long unless it is Monday morning, and you get reliable information.

The whole idea of appearing in a bathing suit makes me queasy.

 

[bottomshollow]

Butterfly, if this is the type of swim suit you're looking for try www.Blair.com I shop with them all the time. They have very nice, well made clothing.

 

[Runaround Sue]

Butterfly I called Medicare, after a 10 minute wait the agent read to me everything regarding skilled nursing facilities and qualification for them despite my telling her I already read and knew all of that information. The only thing I was able to learn was if I leave the SNF against doctor's orders the facility will be able to bill Medicare for the entire length of the doctor's prescribed care.

I admit to being a bona fide prude. The thought of anyone seeing my gorgeous (sarcasm intented) 68 year old body outside of anything but full street clothes makes me nauseous. That is one of the things that causes me anxiety about the surgery.