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THR On the other side and now in the right forum

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I agree, Maeve, that two full hours of the pt/hydrotherapy is a lot at one time. But you seem to managing it well, and you are staying attuned to what your body needs. What you are doing seems to be working well for you...therefore....keep doing it. If something changes, you can re-assess what you need.

Insomnia...not much good fighting it, is there. I still have one or two nights a week when I just can't fall asleep and then I'm up till a ridiculous time. Fortunately I don't have to get up and go to work, so once I fall asleep, I can still get in a good stretch. At this point, I can't blame it on surgery....I'm sure there are a variety of factors in play. I'm really very grateful for the five or six good nights each week. :)

Keep reporting progress. It's great to hear how well you're doing.
Sharon
 
Chamomile tea... maybe consider trying it sharonslp and Maeve.. It has been used since the days of ancient Egypt to promote calmness and as a mild sedative. I add a peppermint tea bag, chamomile acts on the Vagus nerve and if I have eaten something spicey which I know may make it more difficult to get to sleep, the peppermint helps settle the tum, tum :) also, I am not a fan of straight chamomile, so even when drinking it during the day, I add a different type of herbal tea bag... like lemon myrtle...

So what is the vagus nerve... well it runs from the brainstem to the organs of the chest and abdomen, sends and receives messages to control the functioning of the digestive system, heart, lungs, and some glands. The longest nerve in the cranium, it has multiple branches that influence many organs. Sensory receptors relay vital information through this nerve from the organs and the ear to the brain. Nerve impulses from the brain control muscle contractions in the digestive organs, lungs, and heart as part of the autonomic nervous system. This nerve is also called cranial nerve X, as it is the tenth of the 12 pairs of cranial nerves.

Many aspects of digestion are controlled by the vagus nerve. It is first stimulated by the smell, sight, and taste of the food as it enters the mouth. This sets in motion the release of stomach acids and digestive juices. Branches of the nerve influence swallowing, while others control peristalsis, the contraction of muscles in the digestive system that move food along. Excretion of wastes is influenced by the branches of the nerve that reach the colon and kidneys.
 
Thanks@Poppet
A cup of Chamomile is part of my nightly routine.
On a lighter note, perhaps the OS stretched my vagus nerve while he was at it!
 
Jolly good, maybe use two chamomile tea bags :)

Hope not.. Doubt it.. We do have a surgeon plastered all over our front page for cutting the sciatica nerve of a patient.... we have much to be grateful for, me thinks :)

Are you well into planning your itinerary for your trip?
 
Not just yet Poppet,
Just adjusting to being at home this week and sorting mail, bills etc..general office work catch up. My husband has been great but that is not his preferred activity so lots of envelopes piled up. We also run our own Self Managed Superannuation Fund so investments need monitoring and tweaking!
Plus of course the PT/ Rehab sessions and the resting up.
Hope to have more energy and focus next week. Have booked most flights and accomodation in Venice, Rome. Shortlisted Madrid, Barcelona so half way there. Love Booking.com and Skyscanner as well as Trip Advisor for reviews.
Beautiful weather we are having today in Sydney. That cheers the soul a little!
 
Well! A major breakthrough today. Almost miraculous. I have been doing lots of PT...hydro, gym, home and feeling groin sore and with muscles still grabbing on the leg and very tight quads...Today I was very assertivevand saidvthat the general hip exercises they give...without specific tailoring were not working for me. I explained I needed stretching and balance/ strength to give stability to the operated hip...not the general stuff. I needed to havevexercises that would stop the muscle grabbing. Although that was obviously long term helpful it was notmeeting my specific tightness issues. The PT listened, thought about it, asked somevquestions, got me to demonstrate my ROM and voila! A set of exercises that really started to do the trick. Great stretches, good balance exercises, great glute work. Suddenly the muscles felt like they were beginning to uncoil. I followed up with thevsame explanation to the young PT in the hyrdro pool. First time he has taken that session but he gave me one on one in the surgical ward and understands the challenges of lengthened muscles. So again he gave me some challenging strengthening/ balancing workmin the pool and some very long strong stretches using light weights.
Tonight I feel much freerer movement, no grabbing pains, lots more ROM. Couldn't bebhappier. So now I have a set of exercises to workmon every day and I believe my progress will be much better.
Lots of hard work ahead but it's the right work.
Also booked for a deep,tissue massage on Monday and finall.....the icing on the cake....when I rang the OS Practice manager to check the massage was OK she also said I could remove the TED stockings! Oh the freedom!
It's greatnto have an"up" day! I know there will be many obstacles to come but tonight I'll take what I've got and go to bed happy! :cheers:
 
Must try to post at least once without typos. It's the ipad's fault!
 
Hey there Aussie girl Maeve... Fantastic, so important to say no, that is not working for me.. What a great result.. That is a very good example of being your own recovery advocate... Well and truly on the right path now.. Happy for you :)
 
Maeve, :happydance:Go Maeve. I am so pleased for you. Standing up for yourself and getting what you need. You should be so proud of yourself. Added bonus no more TED's. Great to have a good report.
Happy Healing Barbara
 
Thank you@Poppet!
Your positivity and advice is so encouraging!
I'm pretty happy to be running my own show again.
Of course we all know how misguided that strategy has been for me from time to time.....meds being the prime example, but this time it's the right approach! :)
 
Maeve said:
Must try to post at least once without typos. It's the ipad's fault!
Click to expand...

I have the same problem all the time, as I mainly post on my iPad. Even though I have autofill turned off, it still seems to have a mind of its own and displays the wrong words... Grrrrrr!!!
 
Well, the massage was changed to today insteadvof Monday. Not deep tissue exactly but remedial. What a skilled masseur. She explained that muscles need to strengthen by contracting but also must relax and too much heavy strengthening work will be detrimental without the muscles relaxing. She understands the need to aim for fluid movement.
She is fantastic and spot on in her evaluation and treatment so now I will add massage twice a week to my PT schedule as well as ensuring that i only do the right exercises at rehab. Felt so much looser after the hour treatment. :angel: :SUNsmile:
Very happy. Feel I'm on the right trajectory.
 
Week 2 of Day Patient Physio today. Two hours back to back followed by a massage. Still on two crutches. Seems my stretched muscles are not liking some of the exercises or it could also be that my glutes are so weak there is a knock on effect and the other muscles-are grabbing. I'm walking OK but no fluidity in the movements as the hip/ muscles tend to catch (if that makes any sense). Quite frustrating as I really thought I would be on a cane by now. Don't know what more I can do to ensure the muscles begin to work more naturally?
Had a day out on Monday....or rather a couple of hours. Went to Sydney Rowing Club right on the water for lunch. We live nearby so just a short car trip....five minutes! It was a perfect autumn day. Lovely lunch of baked barramundi and a couple of glasses of Chardonnay. Almost felt normal and that I had my life back but I flagged quickly. Took my cushions but sitting still at a restaurant table for two hours was enough! I was exhausted...so frustrating. A reality check I guess on where I am in the recovery process!
 
Forgot to whinge about the sleep bit! Lol. Might as well whinge to my fellow hippies who understand!
Bed at 10.30, awake at 11.30. Ipad/iview TV documentaries 11.39 to 1am. Dozing 1am to 3am. Up, toilet trip, ice pack, back to internet surfing. 4-5 am dozing. 5.30up, cup of tea and a snack. Read a book, listen to the radio ( it stays on all night). 7.15 husband surfaces and gets my muesli, yoghurt and coffee.
Spend most of the night moving pillows, shifting my bum. No comfort to be found.
Roll on the six week check on May 17. Hopefully back into my very comfortable water bed and sleeping on my side! :sigh:
 
Hey Maeve sounds about right to me. It will soon be over. We sound pretty similar except I was just a left. I am also trying to make my mind up about my right knee. Its funny how the hip pain takes precedence and when that's better -- you can focus on other pain. Re. sleeping positions, I cheated, put a king-size pillow between my legs after my 2 week checkup and slept on my good side. Made all the difference. Take care and happy healing.
 
Maeve, patience, they say, is a virtue. I get the feeling that the great progress you have been making is causing you you forget that recovery is not a smooth road. There will be ups and downs and small things like the muscles catching pale into insignificance compared to being able to go out to enjoy a good meal and a few glasses of wine.
And I'm not preaching from a distant pulpit. I'm in week 2 also and although I am pretty happy with my progress, I know how disheartening the small things can be. Right now I wonder if I will ever be able to get used to sleeping on my back with the pillow between my legs.
 
Hi mondo_caine,
Seems like we are having the same little niggling issues. The sleep bit is the worst! I actually dread going to bed as I know it will be another sleepless night.
BUT the good news is that there is probably only x2 more weeks of sleeping on my back as the x6 week check with the OS should give the all clear and you should only be 10 days behind me! Hang in there!
Funny, last night I was exhausted after 2 hours PT and a 1 hour massage but still no sleep!
 
A small question for my fellow hippies:
Is a heat pad any use for after exercise/ stretching? To relax the muscles?
I ice all the time but a couple of friends have mentioned heat.
 
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