THR Rockin again

[nmscienceteacher]

Beginning of week two...my surgical leg has tiny red raised ITCHY dots all over it that developed yesterday morning. I tried Benadryl yesterday...didn't help. Am about to try some topical creams. Putting ice on the worst areas helps.
Lots of what we think is pain from an inflamed nerve in the calf. The pain goes the length of the leg and is worst when i go from sit to stand, or lying to sitting. it is enough to induce deep breathing and absolute stillness for half a minute till i can ease my weight onto the leg. My hubby, who is a PT, said, if they grabbed your leg this way to manipulate it...(and both places where his fingers rested were where my calf is killing me) than they could have caused inflammation in the nerve in the back of the lower leg as well as the swelling I have in a line just above my ankle. Doing some homeopathic tissue salts for nerves, resting, taking my meds by the clock, and icing the calf ...oh, and elevating also! For some reason my operated leg looks a bit like an overstuffed tire today. It is swollen from stem to stern...guess I accidentally overdid it yesterday and the swelling doesn't want to go down.
Decided I should have a slow day so I am cozied up with my animal guard (Tigger curled up on the foot of the bed and Roscoe, the Boston Terrorist, curled up on his bed at the foot of my bed.) chocolate covered coconut bits to munch, iced tea to drink and a geology text book to read. Feels like a total comfort squad day to me!
Mr. Tiggs is pretty sure he is the handsomest kitty around and the cutest too! I have to admit I tend to agree...he has wiggled his way pretty deeply into our hearts in the last 8 months and is my special joint replacement buddy...he helped me through my knee replacement also. Can't resist sharing his handsome self with my bonesmart friends....hopefully I have attached the thumbnails correctly. Never tried this before. hope you all have a good day. I am off to. Read about the interrelationships between the biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere and cryosphere. Or maybe take a zzzzzz nap.

 

[nmscienceteacher]

THANK GOD for THE HEAVENLY SWEET SMELL AND SOUND OF THE RAIN THAT IS FALLING ON ALBUQUERQUE NEW MEXICO RIGHT NOW. I pray that there is no lightening strike fire started in the mountains east of town, there are thousands of acres of tinder dry forest out there that would be a firestorm like the one Colorado Springs is dealing with right now if it ever got going.

 

[nmscienceteacher]

Left leg is still inflamed today but it doesn't seem as bad as yesterday. We steeped some calendula in boiling water last night and I am going to try that on my rash. Got me interested in making calendula tincture...when I researched it I found out I needed to get 100 proof alcohol to soak the flowers and stems in. Sounds like a good project that will produce some Christmas presents. Made the mistake this morning of taking my meds on an empty stomach...fuzzy head times 10! Will see how the day goes...hopefully I will have less pain than yesterday.

 

[Songlady]

Hi nmscienceteacher - I am glad for your rain! And your comfy nest with critters, books, and snacks! Sorry about the pain and the rash. I developed an itchy rash on my back - almost looked like chicken pox! My GP thought I was allergic to one of the meds. I started taking benedryl with the one I thought was the culprit. I still take that med occasionally when I've had a hard day, and there's no more rash - so am wondering if I'd had a delayed reaction to something they'd given me in the hospital. Anyway, I hope you figure it out! (And, more importantly, I hope it goes away soon!)
Your pictures of Tigger are great! Thanks for posting them! My avatar at the moment is PoohBear He and his almost identical sister, Midnight, are 17 years old ("old enough to drive" as I like to say!) Pooh is right now asleep in his favorite "safe place," right behind my computer monitor!

 

[zauberflöte]

nmscienceteacher I'm glad for your rain too I will send you as much of mine as I can manage...
You sound very on top of things, and to have a PT for a husband, oh the luxury!
When I saw your fuzzy Tigger, I reached for my camera that had been Right Here for days....but it's not now. Was going to take a pic of my Mango, who is obligingly bathing on the floor next to the couch. Soon he will be up on my shins. He is 9, so I guess we say that Tigger is a dead ringer for Mango!! We need to compare stripe numbers LOL.

 

[nmscienceteacher]

Post a pic when you get a chance...Tig seems to be a special soul. He is the replacement for our ancient Agent Alvin Orange (he defoliated all my house plants repeatedly as a kitten...hence the name) who we put down last September. I swear Tig has major parts of Alvin's personality, as well as his yowl. He nursed me through my knee replacement in November and is just as faithful this go round. Although dodging animals on my walker isn't always fun they do give lots of comfort and support!

 

[nmscienceteacher]

Had PT number two today. We went outside and hiked up four houses and back. She shifted me to standing exercises instead of the lying down ones and cleared me to navigate in the house with two canes instead of always being on the walker. The caveat for the sticks was that I need to feel rested enough to not need the added safety the walker gives. Feels as if I am making pretty good progress.
The trick now will be to be as successful as possible at juggling push it a tiny bit to get stronger and rest up plenty so I don't over do. Just checked and I am seven weeks and three days until I return to work full time. Phased return is out of the question for me unfortunately. At least I have 10 sick days to use judiciously this year. School starts early this year. Teachers report August 6 and the kids flood in on the 13th. Summer seems to get shorter every year.
Struggling with swelling in the left ankle/foot and leg too. Am icing and elevating but don't seem to be able to get ahead of it. Am also doing countless ankle pumps. Still have some of the nerve pain but it isn't as bad as yesterday by a long shot.my foot is elevated well above my hip, but not necessarily above my heart. Would I get better results if I had it above the heart too?

 

[zauberflöte]

nmscienceteacher good grief! I am 3 1/2 weeks and the farthest I've gotten is to the 6th house, and you went to #4 at a week?? Wow I am impressed I got lying, standing, and sitting exercises all at once, and by now I can do them all. Standing on the op leg was tricky/painful for a while. I could do it once, but not repeatedly, or I could do it for the first round of the day but not the 2nd or 3rd.
You should read Peaches recovery thread for how to pace yourself. She had to return to work, including public transit in NYC, at 6 weeks. Today is the end of her second work week. She progressed slow and steady all the time, and documented it well.
Re swelling-- are you wearing those TED stockings? Many here wore them for 6=8 weeks; I got to ditch them at 2 weeks, but was told if swelling came back, they would help. My experience with elevation was a little weird. I had bought one of those lovely swoop-shaped wedge cushions to have here on the couch. My swelling was very tight at the top of my leg (anterior approach, incision in front); my position was half-sitting, with legs up. So I intuited that perhaps the wedge was at fault, and took it away, so my feet were lower in relation to my heart/head, but feet not above hip. That must have been the problem, b/c the swelling went down right away. Or of course it could have been pure coincidence. The pics in the library of the elevation wedges show a person lying flat with feet/legs up-- maybe that's how they're supposed to be used properly? So for me, legs stuck straight out in front of me has been the MO. Also, you know, everybody's swelling is different, and maybe yours wants to hang around for awhile. I too did millions of ankle pumps, still do plenty. I got big-time leg and ankle swelling last night, from having not elevated for most of two days-- so today is iceandelevate day LOL.
Will work on cat pic. He's been between my shins since I last posted about him

 

[Peaches]

Hi, nmscienceteacher. So glad to hear you got rain out there. (Do you ever get tired of northeasterner's telling you "At least you've got a DRY heat?" Heat is heat. And it is HOT out there.) I'm sorry I can't shed light on the rashes, but the others here can. Walking to the fourth house sounds like a lot to me, too. My outside walks were and still are pretty slow and not terribly lengthy. And I just finished by eighth week. As for going back to work, I would think a litlte bit about the actual things you will have to do--standing? sitting? carrying a lot of things?--and without stressing out over it (easy for ME to say), trying to think of anything you can do now or in the upcoming final weeks at home to "practice" or do dry runs. That will eliminate a little of any fears you might have. And save your energy and stamina for doing the things you will have to do while at work. The mass transit I take to and from work is only a bus--no subway for me for a long time--so I put stairs on the back burner and concentrated on figuring out who to get on and off the bus. One thing for you to keep in mind, too, is if the restrictions will mostly e lifted by the time you return to work. If so (and I'm guessing they will), that will relieve some of the trepidation you might have.



Please keep us posted on how you are doing. Rash aside, which sounds like a horrible annoyance you do NOT need right now, it sounds to me like you are doing very well! Hang in there. Trite, but really turns out to be true. Recovery is like the weather in so many places (especially in these times): One day it's like this; the next day like that.

On second thought, nmscienceteacher and zauberflöte ... my slow-and-steady plan of action (or limited action) might not prove to be the best way to go, in the end. I guess I'm trying to say the jury is still out. I have no clue if I'm doing things the right way. The end of my second week at work wasn't a little less painful, it was a little more. Twinges here and there--including my so-called good hip (atop the hip area, where the top of the thigh is). I fear feeling or sounding like I've figured out how to traverse this journey back to normal life. I have not. But I will keep you posted--the good, bad, etc.

 

[zauberflöte]

Peaches ! I'd be willing to bet that your "more painful end of week" is just one of those things. Aren't there some kind of healing milestones at 8 weeks that can cause this? Or, you might unknowingly have overdone some little thing on Tuesday or Wed, and have to pay for it? And... maybe it's the concentration on the stairs? None of us seem to figure it out until after we've done it LOL....that's gonna be my excuse!

 

[Peaches]

Yes, zauberflöte, I certainly could have overdone something. I'm thinking the overloaded tote page being toted a few blocks home from work could do it. I am also rethinking my expectations. Is the recovery supposed to be totally pain free (other than the arthritic part that was taken care of during the surgery--THAT's what the OS gets the big bucks for), especially for a 60-year-old dame who wasn't fit in the first place (as I said elsewhere today, though I don't remember exactly where). It's tiresome, isn't it, to always be navel-gazing and taking one's temperature about every single ache, pain, twinge, etc.

 

[nmscienceteacher]

Four am...can't sleep. This is a familiar feeling from my knee replacement. So I load up my walker bag with my ice bag, my iPad, my journal, a percoset and a pen and slog dOwn to the kitchen followed by Roscoe, my trusty Boston Terrorist, and a sleepy Tigger, who is always ready for fun. Make myself a piece of peanutbutter/Nutella toast (if I have to be up at this ungodly hour at least I can have a fun snack!) pour a glass of kefir and settle in my recliner in the living room with my ice pack against my leg. Tigger is rattling around in the corners trying to annoy me enough so I will throw him out....got news for ya buddy it ain't gonna happen. The last time I put you out at this hour you got jumped by some big bad stray and little old Roscoe had to do a bark and dash rescue.
I had a.good day today...made banana muffins and beef stew. Cleaned a counter in the kitchen. Had a looong nap and, walked up three houses with my two canes in the evening. Not bad for the sixth day home and tenth day from surgery. It is a balancing act...push a tiny bit, rest a lot, push a tiny bit, rest some more. So far so good....the only issue seems to be that I can't get the swelling in my surgical leg under control even with the elevation and icing I am doing. Thinking I may look for some lymphatic drainage massage next week and see if that helps.
Time to start prepping for school a tiny bit each day so I have the first few units blocked out when we start. Anything I can do to get ready is a plus this year. (Tigger is rattling the blinds on the slider....let me out, he says) I think you are right, Peaches, slow and steady is the only way for me to survive this year.
Snack is done, percoset is kicking in...time to find something boring to read on my iPad and catch a few more zzzzzz's before dawn.

 

[Poppet]

The swelling can last for at least six months or longer for some folk. You are doing the right thing.

 

[Peaches]

Hi, nmscienceteacher ... your sleep patterns sound a bit like mine. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) I don't have Nutella around. You sound like you are really doing great. I don't think I was able to walk that much outside that soon. But brain-wise, you are doing great too. I was really unable to focus on anything productive mentally such as work till I went back to work two weeks ago. (Part of that is my inability to multitask and/or tendency to be one track.) Slow and steady works for me as I do better when I am not stressed out and pushed. I know this doesn't work for others necessarily..... I too worried about the swelling. Can you email or call your OS's assistant or nurse before going to the massage therapist? They might be your best bet. You sound overall like you are doing really great. I know back-to-school-time must seem like it's just around the corner, but honestly, you will see strides between now and then. They might not occur day-to-day ... but perhaps at week intervals. Hang in there. You are doing really well!

 

[nmscienceteacher]

Hip, hip hurray, got out into the hill garden this morning and trimmed up the basil so I can either dry it or freeze it. My hubby stood by to help me and commented my real pt would probably have a cow if she saw what I was doing...but I moved slowly and carefully with three points of contact at all times and honestly felt really good getting out into the garden. Will post some pics of it later to show you all my little slice of heaven. Gotta go process basil!

 

[zauberflöte]

Good grief nmscienceteacher you are a powerhouse! Beef stew at 10 days!?!! Working in the garden today?!? Can't wait to see pics!
And, you have brains to do lesson plans! My brains seem to be on sabbatical until I don't know when. I have cut back a fair amount from the last two weeks, just don't seem to have the energy. Maybe I will get some next week....meanwhile, PT only once a day, a walk or two (today may have three!!) up to the 3rd, 4th, or maybe 5th house...
Man, Tigger is well behaved. My current set of cats (pic coming, I promise!) includes 2 males who thing they are starving. Always. We lock the cats into part of the house at night, so we don't have to deal with them at 4am. Well behaved they are not. Sweet, yes....

 

[flowergirl]

note to self...get nutella on the 'easy reach shelf' thank you!!!!

 

[SeaSiren]

Well nmscienceteacher... just shy of 2 weeks and I think you're amazing!! ... Of course the Nutella has some medicinal benefits!! It stinks about the swelling. You didn't say if you have compression stockings? That's really helped me - lower swelling that is... my hips/thighs still look like elephant legs . Thank gawd for stretchy yoga pants... please share the best way to freeze basil... in ice cubes? Lets all share our purrr-kid picts! I have two calicos and a tuxedo that I'll try to get a group shot of

 

[nmscienceteacher]

The pleasant change in my life is that my husband has gotten excited about cooking and we are cooking together. When we made stew he cut and tenderized the meat, I cut veggies and sautéed the meat and veggies, he lifted the heavy pan and dumped it into the crock pot...which he got out from the bottom cupboard...so it was all a joint effort. It is fun to work together on meals. Of course, being a tool using fellow he has bought a set of new pans for the induction cooker, an ice cream maker ( both he and my father in law feel better being non dairy and we made our first batch of coconut vanilla ice cream tonight), a knife set, a sharpener...cause you gotta have one!, and a really nice teak cutting board...oh the lure of the kitchen equipment shelves at Costco and the lure of the local kitchen specialty shop. We are really having a good time working together and he makes sure I don't push myself too hard. Cooking on a walker is difficult at best.
I also think that I am reaping the reward of really working hard to get ready for the knee replacement I had in November last year. I spent a solid year working with a trainer almost every week to be ready for that surgery...it seems to have helped me get ready for the hip too. Now the ticket is to not push too much and not be over confident about what I can do. Slow and steady with lots of down time to rest seems to be the ticket. Today is the first day since surgery that I stayed awake all day. Tomorrow I plan on napping!

 

[zauberflöte]

nmscienceteacher I love your kitchen report-- we should all be so lucky I would have loved to be on that shopping trip...you're supposed to be cooking from a chair or stool, you know
I agree that your hard work for the knee is still paying off for your hip. I did about 6 months of what was basically an old 80's workout routine for lower body, and believe it's helped me. Also, I was not too badly off in terms of having to be rebuilt-- I believe it was very straightforward surgery. Again, you are right regarding slow and steady. I taught my hubby to say, "don't push yourself too hard!".
have a great nap today, it's very very early days