THR second time easier (so far)

[Peaches]

Songlady: That is terrific news! Don't you just love discovering "cause and effect"? I do. And boy, I am familiar with those too-high beds, as I had one myself. So glad you have figured out the problem and a solution. Do try to find a stable stepper to get in and out of bed. I did that until I got a bed "just the right height." I had one that was too low prior to that. Just call me Goldilocks. Look around your house and see what you can find that is stable and big enough to step onto and if you can find the right thing, it will make a big difference. Obviously keep your ane by your side when getting in and out of bed. Keep us posted!!

Hi, to sharonslp! I'm glad I found you. I tagged a "Sharon" earlier, thinking it was you, but it clearly was not.
I recall seeing where you have recommended some exercises (recommended to you by another BS forum person) that you said helped you a lot with lower back pain. Would you be able to post them again? They seem very similar to ones I have been doing all along (from my hospital) but possibly a little different. Mine have not helped my lower back pain, so I want to compare them with yours. Many thanks, Sharon!

 

[sharonslp]

Songlady sure thing:

1. Lying in bed turn the feet outwards and moved, them slowly inwards rotating the whole leg.
2. Move the feet up and down as if pushing down on pedals.
3. Butt clenches.
4. Roll up a small towel, place it under one knee at a time and push down hard.
5.Raise left knee and using left leg and shoulder, lift butt as far off the mattress as possible. (Or right...whichever is opposite your operated hip. Or both, if you're far enough along.)

Sharon

 

[ByGosh]

Songlady Yes, I'll bet not twisting your torso is a good idea. I was told by my first PT that it's a movement we should avoid. If there's no pain involved with the movement and only the noise, I would guess it's OK. If anything's loose, I'm under the impression that it hurts. I use a net sponge on a plastic handle to put lotion on my back. It works great - you can get them anywhere, the dollar store, Walmart, the drugstore. I also use one in the shower to wash my feet - less bending.
I'm glad you figured out the back! You must be inadvertantly straining it by trying to maneuver yourself up on that sky high bed of yours. (I bet your bed is comfortable once you're in it, though! ) Yes, a little foot stool may help. My husband put one of our cheap plastic lawn chairs in my bedroom so I'd have something extra to sit on if I needed it.

 

[zauberflöte]

Symphysis pubis!

Thank you Josephine !!! My PT was never firm on how to say it, and being slightly dyslexic would say it differently every time. I never bothered to look it up, bad little student me. I will remember it by reverse alphabetical order of starting letters.

 

[zauberflöte]

Man @buttmassagepeeps I am SO jealous that you can do that. I've been told, don't massage any part of your leg. The hypothetical clot might hypothetically move up the hypothetical leg. So, every day now this pain has been getting worse and worse, and icing seems to aggravate it, while walking relaxes it but makes the swelling worse Arrrggghhh!

 

[ByGosh]

zauberflöte How about trying some heat on the crampy calf? Are you doing those leg pumps, like pushing on pedals that sharonslp mentioned above? If it's your butt that's sore, I would think you could massage that without being worried about a clot. Mine was really sore and stiff from lying flat on my back, and I'd do those gluteus clenches and wiggle around to rub it on the sheets, and actually massage it a little. I hope it feels better soon!

 

[Songlady]

ByGosh, I like your massage techniques! lol I sure squirm around to help relieve the stiffness of sitting still. The hospital gave me a flat-ish air pillow, and I have that on my recliner (covered in a pillowcase so it isn't sweaty.) That does help fanny fatigue also!
Peaches, the back spasm has gone away... or at least has been absent the last two mornings! Yay (I say cautiously...)
and hi, sandybeach, LeeApril26, Elosarabrab and TeeEm...(I can't remember who else had added comments in my thread.... but we forgive each other our spaciness here, right?)..... I did walk 1/2 block yesterday to Main St in our town for our Memorial Day parade. My husband lugged up one of our molded resin picnic chairs for me to sit in - it's really sturdy and has good arms. Then I supervised while he weeded and mulched around my flowers. OOOOOOHH, my goodness! Last night when I fell into bed, (and when I woke at 4 am for the bathroom) I felt as if I was aware of EVERY muscle in my body, as if I'd run a marathon! Or at least as if I'd been out all day on the town shopping! lol I am so unused to being outdoors for so many hours!
And then today (husband had to go into NYC for part of the day) I drove the 4 miles to the rehab center where my mom is still recovering, and had a visit with her All By Myself (I've seen her every few days since she was discharged to the rehab, but dear patient husband has taken me.) So..... I can't say I did any of these activities with grace, but I did'em, and with less pain than pre-surgery!

 

[LeeApril26]

Songlady. Wow! You've been busy. Yesterday was lovely here-I assume it was the same in CT. A good day to spend outdoors.

 

[ByGosh]

Songlady I bought one of those 'as seen on TV' comfort cushions at Bed Bath and Beyond. It's ok - but without straps to tie it, I find that it slips off of the chair, or moves when I sit. I should just sew some straps on it because I think it would be comfy otherwise, although it's a bit high. It has gel, and foam and a fake lambs wool cover. Sometimes my most comfortable position is laying down, I'm sorry to say. That's pretty hard to pull off if I'm not at home, though!
That's a big accomplishment, driving yourself and visiting your Mom! How is she, by the way? And walking to the parade. Good for you. You're doing lots at 4 weeks.

 

[Peaches]

So happy the back spasms have gone away, Songlady, and hope they stay that way. Lots of activity for you lately; you sound like you're doing okay. Hope your mother is well? Yes, walking and seeing a parade, driving and visiting. That's a lot of stuff, but the stuff we want to do, isn't it. I could not do all of that now, 6 weeks, much less 4. You are doing great.

Thanks, ByGosh, for the lotion tip! My skin on my calf on the operated side is incredibly flakey. Don't know why. The other leg is fine. Could NOT figure out how to get lotion on it. Now I know, thanks to you. I wonder what pillow from TV you mean. I feel i have perused a million products, but not that one. I have twisted my torso a lot as I constantly forget I shouldn't, and I never feel any pain. I hope I am not creating problems I don't yet know about.

 

[Elosarabrab]

Songlady it sounds like you are keeping really busy. Driving yourself too. No wonder you had aches.
I hope your Mother continues to improve.

 

[ByGosh]

Hi Peaches The cushion I bought is called Forever Comfy and it's 19.99 on line. It's just ok, too heavy to carry around, that's for sure. You can google it. It's part gel and part foam. It slips around, though when you go to sit on it. And it gets a little compressed when you're sitting on it awhile. I'm not that thrilled with it, really. But it's better than our hard wooden kitchen chairs.
Songlady I'm so glad your back spasm has improved! That's a big deal. Nothing like less pain.
I saw my OS today, and will post on my own thread about it. But bottom line is he found the xrays to be fine, ROM great, leg strength great, walking great, no need for anymore PT. The pain? Well, he still thinks it's "soft tissue inflammation" and will go away in time...I'll explain more about this later when I have the energy to tell the whole story! But I'm glad you feel better!

 

[Songlady]

Hi ByGosh, Peaches, LeeApril26, zauberflöte.... and so, having reported my activity, can I mention how sore I still am today.....? You'd think I would learn?! Ho well.
I hurt so today, and walked around the house stiffly, REALLY leaning on the cane, and after supper my husband asked if 'd like to walk around the block..... and after walking a bit I found I felt much better! Go figure. But then of course we kept walking...... and found ourselves at the ice cream shop.......and all that was a bit much, so I'm exhausted and ready for
Thanks for asking about Mom, ByGosh. It was a month ago today she started feeling ill, and she's at the rehab. She is really congested, and maybe that's "just" (ugh!) a new stage of her COPD?! And she has been almost blacking out; they think she should wait longer after her nebulizer treatments before going to PT and that might help. But while I was in there yesterday a nurse came to take vitals and was happy that her BP was 105/53....? Might low BP cause her to feel faint while exercising.....? Sigh. I need to assert myself and find out more about what is being done for her. I am usually her advocate.

Today I went to my OS' office with Husband because he is seeing the shoulder/neck specialist there: he has disc degeneration causing pain in his arm that wakes him each night. He's tried meds and PT; the options now are to try an injection or call a spinal surgeon...... O, what fun......
Tomorrow I see my OS! I am making up my list of questions for him.

 

[LeeApril26]

Songlady. Sorry to hear you are sore, but you are doing lots of activity. Re your mom's low blood pressure. mine was quite low a after surgery and I got dizzy and saw spots when I was on the walker. It improved on day three, but certainly sounds likely for your mom.

 

[zauberflöte]

Songlady wow Meg you really have been busy! OS gonna be impressed I find if I'm all stiff, that walking warms it up and can make me feel better. Certainly not around any blocks tho!! I walked up and down the driveway before supper, that was nice. I stopped before I was ready to, and felt virtuous
Your poor hubby-- spine is the worst. And sleeping "in the bathtub"( I know, he wasn't really) cannot have helped, nor all that wheelchairing.

My skin on my calf on the operated side is incredibly flakey. Don't know why.

When I first came on here I ran across a discussion of dry skin-- several people bemoaning exactly what you have, and saying maybe it was the GA that caused it. FWIW

Might low BP cause her to feel faint while exercising.....?

Oh yes you are right, it will indeed! My m-i-l has had several falls and many near-misses from that BP drop on getting up. She takes a med for it but it's not perfect. The congestion might be allergic to the rehab place? Or the start of something you really don't want?

 

[ByGosh]

Songlady If she gets a drop in her BP when she gets up (orthostatic hypotension) it could make her light-headed and dizzy, or even cause her to faint. Is her fluid intake enough? Does she pee light colored urine or is it concentrated and darker? I don't know anything about her medical problems, but if she's on a salt restricted diet, and/or her fluid intake is low, it could contribute to lower volume in her blood and lower blood pressure. Maybe she has heart problems and she can't drink alot, I don't know. They can check her BP laying, sitting, then standing and see the difference and tell if it drops when she gets up.
Your poor hubby! If it's not one thing, it's another, am I right? He'll have to figure it out so he can get some sleep. It's terrible waking up with pain. What does he do then? Change position, or be in pain?
Good luck tomorrow with your OS. I'm sure the report is going to be good. You're doing great!

 

[LeeApril26]

Songlady. Hope your appointment went well.

 

[Songlady]

Hi ByGosh, Elosarabrab, sandybeach,Littlejem, LeeApril26, Peaches, and zauberflöte (and anyone I missed...!!)
My 6 week OS appointment (at 5 1/2 weeks out.) I had Xrays, and the technician apologized constantly for making me get on the table and lay on my back, but none of that hurt at all! Then I saw the OS, who grinned ear to ear and said the X rays looked great. Well, good! lol He tested ROM and said it was excellent. I asked about the toilet riser: he said I "didn't need it." I asked if I could sleep on my side: "yes." Need a pillow between my legs? "no." Can I reach down for things; pick flowers? Can I cross my feet...? He said: "yes! Do it now!" (I did, at the ankle.) He said: "Now cross them the other way!" (no problem.)"Yes." RIDE MY BICYCLE? "Sure!"

I told him that, although he said I was great at 2 weeks out, I feel as if I've stalled. I'm having some pain and stiffness either if I'm still for a long time or if I overdo walking. He said that I pushed so much those first 2 weeks that my healing is just playing "catch up." He looked at my chart and said in fact I'm doing better than last time.
I asked him about the popping noises I'd heard while putting on lotion. He asked if I could make it happen again; I couldn't, no matter what I did. He said that what I heard might have been scar tissue moving or breaking apart, or also, that he had put in some big sutures inside on various muscles and fascia, and maybe I'd broken them. (I thought, yeah, that's EXACTLY what the sound had been like! Hmm.)So I see him again in 6 weeks.

Mom is now having dry heaves, which she's had periods of on and off for a year or more. I do think she's dehydrated. I urged her to drink more. And... because some of the meds in the hospital had caused some issue, she's been on a medication for HIGH B/P!!!! They took her off that. (To my knowledge she has not been on a salt restricted diet; and until the steroid-induced issue at hosp a few weeks ago, "cardiac" has not been on our radar screen. BUT with COPD......) They're doing blood tests tomorrow, so hopefully we'll have some clues. Thanks for all your support - dealing with my own issue is enough, but then to worry about her and NOT to be as active as I've been in her care..... not happy. I mean, I actually think I'm balancing it all pretty well, but... this is NOT how I'd hoped the Spring would play out.

 

[LeeApril26]

Songlady. Sounds like an excellent report overall, though the notion that you may have popped some interior stitches is scary. Great that you can get rid of the dreadful toilet seat and pillow.
I'm sorry your mom is so uncomfortable and Ill. There are so many stories about over medicated elders. Hope she does better soon. You have been doing all that you can.

 

[Songlady]

LeeApril26, he wasn't worried about the possible popped stitches - he said they'd be about at the point of starting to disintegrate anyway.
Thanks for the well-wishes re Mom. I figured that some day we'd be dealing with this sort of issues, but... somehow one never thinks "someday" will come, I've found!