Become an Insider

THR On the other side and now in the right forum

Status
Not open for further replies.
How lovely that you will be visiting Yorkshire later on in the year Fran. The patience thing is a must I'm afraid and the positivity will hold you in good stead in the next few weeks/months. It is good to try and envisage the final outcome, yes, it is a bit of a struggle along the way but slow and steady is really the way to go. Your body decides the pace unfortunately not your mind. :)
 
Maeve Fran, you sound like you will do just fine :) I'm having trouble giving up control too... and I haven't even had a new hip yet! :wink:
 
Yes Chris I think Fran is going to be a star patient. :)

How are you today Fran, hope it is going well at the rehab unit.

Take care

Ann.
 
Hi@Anniepops and@zauberflöte,
I am feeling much more together today. Think I'm about to get off the roller coaster and onto a more serene ride....fingers crossed.
Have moved down to Rehab and have a very nice, spacious sunny room. Staff are great. Actually I'm in the rehab area with a smallish gym and go down one level to the main rehab area where there is a larger gym and pool. I am thanking my lucky stars I'm in this area rather than the main part. A walk through there today with some friends who visited was a reminder of One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest in its decor and depressing feel.lots of people hobbling up the hall greeting each other with grimaces of pain......ughhh.
As you can tell I don't do hospitals or any institution well!
So...lucky me! I am looking forward to some productive work learning to walk properly again. Gym at 8.30 am and pool at 3pm.
Very grateful for your support and encouragement.,thank you :thankyou: .
 
Hi@Anniepops and@zauberflöte,
I am feeling much more together today. Think I'm about to get off the roller coaster and onto a more serene ride....fingers crossed.
Have moved down to Rehab and have a very nice, spacious sunny room. Staff are great. Actually I'm in the rehab area with a smallish gym and go down one level to the main rehab area where there is a larger gym and pool. I am thanking my lucky stars I'm in this area rather than the main part. A walk through there today with some friends who visited was a reminder of One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest in its decor and depressing feel.lots of people hobbling up the hall greeting each other with grimaces of pain......ughhh.
As you can tell I don't do hospitals or any institution well!
So...lucky me! I am looking forward to some productive work learning to walk properly again. Gym at 8.30 am and pool at 3pm.
Very grateful for your support and encouragement.,thank you.
 
Fran, great to hear you sounding so chirpy,I'm pleased that you are happy with the rehab unit, lucky you getting a lovely room, they obviously realised you deserve the very best of what they have to offer :)

One flew over the cuckoos nest, now that was a brilliant film but I always cried when I watched it.

Hope the PT goes well, remember if it hurts a lot then don't do it.

Take care

Ann
 
Hi Anniepops,
Your posts are so motivating!thank you.
I did my control thing yesterday....AGAIN.....when will I learn.
New area, new Dr , review of meds- standard procedure. And a discussion with the patient.
I advised that as I had no real pain I would like the oxycontin cut back to 5 mgs x2 daily, endone x2times daily- before each PT session and panadol at all other times.
Lovely young Dr thought this seemed reasonable but asked if I thought starting extensive PT might test my high pain threshold. I thought not. So off he went to write it up. Not before he cheeerily asked if I had any questions.
Well my husband who had been an observer/listener laughed incredulously and said " You're a brave man asking that"! With that we all had a good laugh.
BUT! All the walking and exercising done yesterday had not taken their toll when I breezily requested meds cut backs and I didn't then what I know now.
That I would wake in the middle of the night so stiff and sore I needed assistance to go to the loo! SO might need to revert to the original cocktail.!
 
Uh-oh Fran, don't worry about that, it is all very much trial and error and sometimes a little bit more error.lol. Good you realised early on that the pain meds are necessary because of the PT. It is a lot different lying in the bed and a little tootle to the bathroom now and again to having PT that can be quite a shock for that new hip of yours. In the beginning this is all so very new for most of us, we have all been there, don't think you are alone in thinking you are superwoman.haha.

I promise you it does get better and you will get to reduce those meds in time. It is amazing how time flies by when going through recovery.

Take care, hope tonights sleep is much more comfortable

Ann
 
Maeve
Hi dear
Im so glad to read that you are over with the difficult part and heading to recovery now.
The most important thing is to see that the surgeon is content with what he has done.
Bonesmart mantra is important (ice, elevate, pain control and rest) and being patient is the most difficult part!
Dont get surprised if you suddenly find yourself crying without any reason. It happened to me in the first 1-2 weeks!
Keep well
 
Thanks sansabosa
It certainly is a rollercoaster. You're very right. If I stick to the bonesmart mantra I will get through this.
Crying is certainly happening from time to time. I put it down to frustration and of course the meds.
I realise my efforts are best spent in staying positive and recognising the little improvements each day. I'm in a very supportive rehab environment and close enough to home for friends to drop by and bring a coffee and a laugh between the times when I am either doing PT in the gym or the pool. Both are hard and exhausting but obviously the only way to get moving again. Tell my how you are at this point. Are you needing any meds? How is your mobility? Pain?
.
 
Well,bad decision again this morning. No oxycontin. Of course, the inevitable....found the gym session very hard and painful so could only put in about 70% effort!!
I'm a slow learner. Gave myself yet ANOTHER good talking to..." You are lucky enough to be in a first class rehab facility and if, through your own stubborn approach to meds, you don't maximise the opportunity and work at 100% it will be a wasted opportunity"
So I went back to my room, rang the buzzer and said I would like to take the oxycontin!
Of course the afternoon pool session was great. I worked hard and will now take the oxycontin every day while I'm here. Should see much improvement by Wednesday and go home on a walking stick with a positive confidence, used to my new gait and ready to get bavk to real life. Such a learning curve! :martini:
 
Maeve I think most of us have made the mistake of trying to come off the pain meds too soon We live and learn and as you say you want to be able to take full benefit of the fantastic rehab facilities while you can and the only way is by controlling the pain The other mistake most of us seem to make is overdoing it so I want to add take things slow and steady to the advice of patience that Clifford already gave you. You are right recovery is a real roller coaster and I think accepting that helps too. By the way you are doing so well.
 
Hi Fran, how fab that your friends can visit you in the rehab unit. That will keep your spirits up I'm sure. Don't beat yourself up about the medication issues. As you see from Barbara and Kims posts it is a very common thing for us hippies to do in the beginning. Keep up the great work. :) Just keep thinking of all those lovely new shoes you can buy!!!

Take care

Ann
 
Worried! My temperature has been between 37.4 and 37.8 for the last 48 hours.6am (here) temp check just now has it at 37.7.
What could it be? How can I get rid of it?? :hissy:
 
Maeve That may not be as bad as you think-- two separate doctors have told me, on separate occasions, that you are not running a fever until you hit 100.5F=38.06C. Who's taking your temp? A nurse? if there was a concern, I imagine they'd tell you. :) It may just be your immune system ramping up ! :) If you keep on being worried, ask a higher-up staff member about it :) How was all your therapy today?
 
Hi Fran, many of us get a high temp after surgery, I am sure it is nothing to worry about but as Chris suggests, maybe a word with one of the staff can put your mind at ease :)
 
Maeve, I'm yet to go through it - 5 days to go - but from what I have learned, a slightly high temperature is nothing to worry about. It's a common after surgery. Worrying about it is probably worse for you than the temp itself. You have been an inspiration to me with your positive attitude - don't change now! :SUNsmile:
 
Thank you@zauberflöte,Anniepops and@mondo_caine,
I think you are all very right on this question...promise I won 't lose my mojo mondo_caine!,you will do it on your ear! That's a bit of aussie slang...and I have no idea where it originated, nor for that matter how it suddenly popped onto my head!......think I'll blame the meds that always works! Not long now! :yay:
Rehab is hard yards but worth the effort!
My plan is to fix my gait before I leave here. Prior to the op my leg was more than 3cms shorter than it is now and I walked with a tilted pelvis and short strides. Now I need to keep my pelvis straight and walk normally! Bit hard for a hippie who has had this since birth and never walked properly.Plus in order to achieve the extra 3 cms I now have, the OS had to lengthen muscles and stretch nerves and they don't like it.
I am doing well in the pool and also with a frame but the young physio this afternoon says he wants me to walk with just a cane ASAP. i feel he is rushing me and If I go onto the stick/ cane I will revert to the old gait. I need the stability of the frame to keep erect, bum in and larger strides with knee straight.
I have thought about it and talked to my husband and a friend who agreed I should do it my way! What is the view of my hippie friends at Bonesmart? :scratch:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

  • Jockette
    Jockette
    Staff member since March 18, 2018
  • djklaugh
    djklaugh
    Staff member since December 30, 2020
  • Jamie
    Jamie
    Staff member since Feb, 2009

Members online

Total: 2,041 (members: 3, guests: 2,038)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom