Guest viewing is limited

THR Shrinkette Has Arrived!

Status
Not open for further replies.
hi ellen @shrinkette. thanks so much for thinking of me now. @MajorHeidi too. all i can say is i sure am glad i did the surgery when i did and I'm feeling good. two grandchildren later, one born right before the war here started. i was with my kids, and when the sirens sounded we grabbed the newborn and 2 year old and ran into the stairwell and down a few flights till we heard the booms and returned home. sometimes at 3 am. couldn't have done that so easily before. i have a lot to say about the "situation", as it's called here, but this is probably not the place. anyway. I'm home right now, which is in the north of the country, where it's basically quiet. there have been amazing miracles. may they continue.

ellen. sorry to hear it's still such an uphill struggle. wishing that you feel so much better before too long. i remember all kinds of fears, and i guess when the recovery takes so long, a person can really begin to feel hopeless. but i trust you will summon your good humor and optimism when you really need it. only good news. devorah
 
Hey shrinkette sorry to hear of your troubles but it's good to hear you are pregressing. I pray the Lord continue to heal you and your husband and that your friend be encouraged in the Lord. In Jesus Name . AMEN

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
 
@shrinkette, it's said that the size of our challenges in life is commensurate to the size of our heart. My dear, you are obviously off the chart. There are tremendous blessings ahead for you through this struggle and you are earning them daily. When there is nowhere else to turn, our Lord God asks is to give Him our load and He will give us rest. I claim that promise for you right now as I type these words in the precious name of Jesus. Prayers and comfort. Be encouraged to persevere.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
Sending a big hug to @shrinkette from OZ - we miss you girl. I know you are doing it tough, but we are here for you x
 
Yes Ellen - thinking of you too.. It is a struggle for you and the only time you are defeated is when you don't get up again - I know that there are 1,000's of get up's left in you and we are here helping and supporting you all the way.....
 
Ellen @shrinkette I really appreciated your kind and sensible words in my pre-op thread do I can only wish you the best in getting through this difficult period. Thinking of you and sending you lots of hugs and good thoughts!
 
Hi Shrinkette, so so sorry to hear you are struggling through a bad phase. Wish I had the words that would take the pain and frustrations away, but no one does. But you have been a such a source of encouragement to soooo many of us here and you have made so many friends. We are all here for you when you need a shoulder. Keep going, one day at a time and as the saying goes " this too shall pass". Stay strong!


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
@GabsJL, @jebrig3164, @fulafoto, @Rhonda K, @Poppet, @beachgal, & @dianehelen
Thanks you all so much for your recent words of encouragement & interest. I've been giving BS a rest for a little while.

So: I had competed 14 sessions of out-patient PT, mostly for balance, transitioning to a cane , gait, etc. As you may recall, this normal process & progress was slowed by nerve damage to the foot on my op side, causing numbness & other sensations, which has made me feel unsteady. Anyway, somewhere along the line at PT, I developed intense fear & anxiety when asked to walk with the cane or do certain balancing exercises without holding onto something. It became too much... I could physically walk with the cane with a good gait, but was terrified & insecure. I DREADED PT-day, & emerged from it like a wet rag. I was having meltdowns -- crying, sweat pouring down my face, panting, the works. So... I decided to give myself a break & stop -- just STOP! There wasn't much progress, anyway -- just increased angst, depression, shame for not doing better, & anxiety.

I also made another decision: To see a psychotherapist in the hopes of finding the source of this anxiety. The PT felt this was a good move & was empathetic. She said I'd continue to do fine at home; she literally didn't know how to relieve me. Turns out I AM doing better! Apparently, taking the pressure off has had a beneficial effect; I'm walking around the house more using the cane WITHOUT the anxiety! I've also seen a lovely psychotherapist twice, the chemistry is good, & I felt better on some level even when I saw her the first time. I'm feeling more hopeful, more 'in control' (a big piece of the problem), & far less depressed. I plan to continue with her because it seems beneficial & feels right. Short-term goals are to go somewhere by myself & to start using the cane outside. I feel like I'm slowly clawing my way out of a weird abyss. I'm encouraged.

Diane, so happy your pain is less. As to your stiff hip, that's one problem I don't have, so I'll let others address it. At least you also sound encouraged. All you other guys seems to be doing quite well, unless I missed something, & I do hope everyone else in the recovery process has smooth sailing.

It's been awfully hot this summer here in South Florida (I think I say that every year!), but you won't hear me complaining in January!! Love you all.
 
I am so, so happy for you Ellen. It is all about finding what works for you and kudos to you for working it out. It was difficult for me to have confidence walking without my walker post - that was why I hung onto it for 10 weeks. Now you are in control and it will get better... Don't be a stranger (for too long) we are family you know! X
 
@shrinkette I am happy to hear that you are doing better. I have a suggestion to help in improving your confidence and gait which helped me enormously. If you have access to a pool, get in to the shallow end and walk horizontally across the shallow end. At the beginning you can just walk next to the shallow end wall so you can grab it. The first time I could only do it for 5 minutes, and I am a swimmer. The water supports you without the cane, and it helps develop the muscles that weakened during your prolonged recovery. I didn't have the challenges you do in my recovery, but I had a very hard time walking on NYC streets with bikers, scooters, dogs, crowds, etc and was extremely nervous. Being in the water was a huge help. Good luck.
 
@shrinkette Ellen, so good to hear that you are feeling more positive, and moving around with your cane.
I agree with @LeeApril26 above about pool therapy, it feels so good, and I think it helps me with my PT
exercises. Or at least makes them more pleasant to do. Haha!
I am still stiff on standing. ugh. You are lucky not to have that! All the best!!!
 
@LeeApril26 & @MajorHeidi
Thanks to you both for your suggestion about water therapy. It's been mentioned before &, while pretty generally recommended as part of the rehab process, I'm kind of afraid of it. It sounds like it would feel really good, though. Problem is I'm one of the very few Floridian home owners who don't have a pool. My husband does belong to a gym with a big indoor pool, but my fear is of slipping on the wet deck. If I could get over that, as well of being seen in a bathing suit, I'd be in business. Believe me, it's really the slipping issue.

Lenora, I was born & bred in NYC, so I know what you mean about the busy streets. Now THAT'S a challenge! And taking the subway!? Yikes!

Claire, so sorry you still have that stiffness. Must be annoying, but maybe your muscles are still trying to adjust to their new prosthetic friend. What does doc say?

@Poppet, lovely as always to hear from you. Gives me a warm feeling knowing you're there.
 
@shrinkette I felt same as you the first time I went to the pool....I used my crutches up to the steps and then clung onto the steps for dear life.....but once I was in it felt soooo good. It gave me such a confidence boost afterwards....go on...give it a try it will certainly help those muscles. I've given up on worrying about being seen in a bathing suit ....too old to worry now.
Do hope your psychotherapy helps to relieve that anxiety.....I've found I've had such high levels of anxiety during this recovery & I've had nothing like the problems you've had to deal with......thinking of you....Chrissie x


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart®
 
@shrinkette - thank you for your kind words.

I use special water slip on shoes that have a grip sole. I too tend to feel that my wet bare feet can be dangerous, the shoes work really well and give me confidence to just walk in the water. My OS said for me to walk at chest height as that would give me sufficient resistance and build strength, both in muscles and cardio.
 
@shrinkette I shared your worry about slipping on the pool deck, and last December I was terrified of NYC's first snow. In both cases I was totally safe in my trusty Crocs. For the pool I work Croc clogs with the strap, and used my cane to go right to the steps to walk down into the water. And, Crocs have a full, fleece lined clog that worked well in the snow. @Poppet suggests water shoes and they also work well. It took me some time to find those.
As for bathing suits, just don't look! No one else will. The water helps so much. Hope it works out for you.

Where were you live in NYC? I am in Brooklyn, born and bred, with a ten year hiatus in Manhattan.
 
The only thing I would caution with Crocs is that they be relatively new so the soles are not worn. My trusty old Crocs are fairly worn and smooth and are LETHAL on wet surfaces or when I come in from the rain on a ceramic tile floor. Just sayin'.......
 
I found some water shoes at LL Bean that worked great in the pool.
I do want to say that I understand your hesitancy with slipping.....
I stood atop the stairs of the pool the first day I wanted to get in, and totally freaked and could not go
down them.
The next day I willed myself to just do it, and I went down the stairs holding on to the rails slowly into the
water. whew! How scary that was.... but, when I did it, I realized it wasn't going to hurt me.

The pool walking is really pleasant. You should consider adding it at some point. Best!
 
@Jamie Good advice, thanks. Mine are now more than a year old so will check my soles. I don't want to slide across the pool deck! Maybe the water shoes are a better idea. I just couldn't get them off and on when I returned to the pool after surgery.
 
Dear @shrinkette, I've been shamefully absent from the board for such a long time, but I've just been catching up with your thread and so happy to hear you sound a whole lot better than the last time I looked! I am just writing to second the water thing. I cannot say enough good about water therapy. Before my surgery and before my hip got so bad, I was very macha and attending water aerobics, three times a week for an hour each time. These exercises are not for sissies ;) But for the last few months before my surgery and since it, I have really not been up for the aerobics. My hip could take them now, but I still don't have the stamina I used to. I do attend what they call Aqua Therapy at my local Y and it's spectacularly good for me. It consists of a bunch of older women (usually between 15 and 20 of us) doing mostly stretches in the water. It feels sooooo good! If I lose my balance, it totally doesn't matter - I'm in the water. Nobody cares how we look in our bathing suits, we all have the age related issues. Many of my pool buddies have also had hip surgeries and we often compare recovery stories. If you feel less than secure in the water, the pool should have noodles (ride one like a horse, it's surprisingly effective) or flotation belts. I hope you do give it a try and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. In the water, for me nothing hurts and I hardly weigh anything. Also, I never get too hot and sweaty - it's all good. Good luck my dear.
 
@shrinkette Ellen, so glad to hear that things are progressing for you. And to the grocery store as well, now that is progress!! I have always admired your humor and how you seem to help others with the way you look at things. It has been helpful to me on more than one occasion I can assure you!! Hope things continue to go at a smooth pace for you. As always you are in my prayers!! Love and hugs sent your way!!:prayer::praying: :hugzz:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Corganics CBD

Staff online

Members online

Total: 1,107 (members: 1, guests: 1,106)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom