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THR Onward, forward for NextStep

NextStep said:
Good news, the toe appears no worse today.
I'll head out for routine labs today. First time driving, first independent outing (beyond my yard) since surgery. Then tomorrow I have a routine appointment with my doctor, so if today goes well I'll do that one on my own too.
This seems quick, just under three weeks since surgery! Thankfully I'll only get in and out of the car once while out, each day.
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Wow, 3 weeks and you can drive? My dr said no driving until 6 weeks. Period. I wonder if he's just being extra cautious.
 
NextStep said:
About the labs...the car won't start so I suppose that won't happen as planned.
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Maybe it's a sign that you should not be driving yet. As I said in another post, my dr said no driving for 6 weeks. I can't even imagine bending my knee enough to get in and drive. I had to "ride" to the dr on Friday to get my bandage removed and steri-strips put on and that was bad enough. Maybe I'm just a slow healer. I'm definitely a wimp about this stuff. :(
 
I was instructed to remove my Aquacel bandages after 7 days. The steri strips were already in place underneath the bandages. I was told not to wash the incisions but to let the shower water just roll over them. And to let the steri strips fall off naturally, which seemed to take about 3 weeks.
 
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He said he is allowing driving when I feel ready, since it is left hip, not right. And getting in that side is easier for me!
 
Well, although the pharmacy notified me they have something ready, I think it can wait till tomorrow when I'm headed out to an appointment. Loading a walker in and out of the car (3 or 4 times, I lost count), plus a walk down the block, plus getting in and out of the car at least five times (long story...jumping off the battery with a jumper box thingy, plus multiple tries with smaller cables and finally monster size cables)...I've earned a chance to rest this afternoon!
 
Today marks 3 weeks. Hard to believe. Had a routine appointment at my PCP's office where my PA seemed quite pleased, even a little surprised at my progress. Diabetes is even in better control than it was around a month before surgery, though we had needed to drop one diabetes med around five weeks ago on at least a temporary basis. That surprised us both.
I came home and was tired so laid down for a nap. Somehow I either moved wrong which caused a spasm and a memory, or an incidental spasm caused a memory to surface while sleeping...or a dream prompted any of the above. Not sure it matters in the end, really, all I know is that somehow I awoke with a jerk, in pain, and with sudden understanding of a couple of the hip precautions due to what "feels like a memory" of how my hip must have been dislocated during surgery.
I realize that sounds a little odd when I have no conscious memory of the surgery, yet that is the sense I had when I woke up today...with moderate accompanying hip, leg and back pain. (Thankfully it was not as severe as the first couple days after surgery!)
I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience?
 
@NextStep I am glad to say I haven’t had a similar experience. From the description I’ve had of what the OS had to do to my leg to get the old out before putting in the new, I hope I don’t!

I think it is entirely possible to have a mrmory of something that is not a conscious memory. I think everything makes an imprint.
 
Can't say that I've had that happen but what I do know is that some days are better than others.
Had a very busy weekend and yesterday I was sore. Where my incision is was pinching and overall just felt sore.
I rubbed some arnicare gel on incision, took tylenol and rested in afternoon.
I had stripped my bed in AM and pulled all the towels out of the bathroom to wash.
Made two pies, pasta salad when I came home from dog kennel. Cleaned up the kitchen and decided time to rest.
Before I had this surgery I never would have left one chore undone but it's a new me and late afternoon I made up the bed and put other load of laundry on to dry. Cleaned bathroom and replaced with clean towels.
Went to bed at 9 last night and today I feel totally fine. I just go with the flow!
 
For sure... night time with the lack of distractions can certainly cause us to focus on every twinge and throb.
I had a hard time getting an all-night sleep the first months post-op.
I experimented with trying not to watch TV or go Bonesmarting in an effort to will myself back to sleep... and that is when discomfort seemed more prevalent.
I finally just relented.... watched TV and wandered about when necessary and let daily power naps replenish my sleep time.
:bored:
All Temporary friend.
 
NextStep said:
It seems harder to ignore pain overnight than during the daytime. Just sayin'.
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It is always this way. As Mojo mentioned, there are no distractions that the daylight hours bring and pain does seem minimized when our minds and bodies are occupied. The darkness of night can also make one feel more alone, like you’re the only one awake while everyone else is blissfully in la-la land. I agree with getting up and doing something to occupy your mind. That‘s if you have the luxury, and ability, to nap during the day in these early weeks. I found that difficult because I’m not now and never was a napper. I’m envious of nappers! :tantrum2: Lol.
Hang in there, it is early days and all will get better.
 
I think I may have just realized something in my last post, something that is not particularly easy to swallow. It's easy ...shall I say easier...to ignore pain during the day, and thus perhaps easier for me at least to overestimate how far along this path I've come.
Getting my lab work done Monday was much more involved than I'd planned for, what with getting the car jumped off, etc. An hour errand turned into three or more.
Tuesday was good, but once again involved getting the walker in and out of the car for an appointment.
Since those expeditions had gone well, yesterday I went into the office for 2 or 3 hours, and that involved the longest drive yet. Not really counting the cost, I ran to pick up aspirin last night at the pharmacy, making my first trek without the walker in tow. (Getting it in and out of the car, up and down the steps to the house...just more than I felt was worth it for the "quick trip" in and out. I'd navigated home okay with only the cane, after all.)
Perhaps I've been ignoring subtle signs to slow down? Having PT with the elbow was like having brakes..."no, not yet"...this hip thing is so variable for each individual, it is sometimes hard to know when to apply the brakes, especially when the doc says "proceed as you feel ready."
 
Yes, I’d say it’s too much activity at only three weeks post op. Cut yourself some slack, give yourself a break, ice, elevate and put your feet up for a few days, engaging in normal activities of daily living only and I bet you’ll notice your pain decrease.

For me, long drives were killers for several months post op. I’m talking drives over 30 minutes. I’d want to scream! :hairpulling: I could not get comfortable, I felt confined with the inability to move freely and having experienced the posterior approach, the seat belt landed too close to my incision adding more frustration to the already existing discomfort. To remedy that I’d bring an ice pack to place between the belt buckle and my incision and it seemed to help, even if only serving as a distraction. :shrug:

We tend to go on these errands envisioning ourself at our destination without a lot of consideration of what we may go through just getting there. You’ve had a rough couple of days and I agree with your thoughts on slowing down. I think a few days of rest will do your body good. Put your feet up and give yourself the TLC you deserve. :wink:
@NextStep
 
Thanks @Layla . It didn't feel like too much, until last night. (And to think that yesterday after supper I was looking at the yard, wondering, dare I cut the grass? Holding onto the mower isn't all that much different than a walker, right? Whew, glad I slept on that one!)
 
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