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THR Sissie's recovery

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Hi Sissy

Been reading through your thread and you really are pushing yourself, please be careful and do the sensible thing. It can be dull and boring taking things to easy but good things comes to those who are patient.

Billy
 
None the worse for wear this morning after my kayaking yesterday. It was a very easy paddle, in my own backyard with a friend in case I needed help, which I didn't. Physically, it didn't hurt me, and psychologically, it was just what I needed.
 
Hi Sissy,

You give me hope that I will be back in my kayak soon, Just had LTHR on Friday and unfortunately my femur fractured in the surgery, so hearing about you on you yak makes me very happy. Can not tell by the picture, but do you have a Hobie? I have a Wilderness system tapon with rudder, as I also fish with it in the current. To me there is nothing more peaceful than you the water and your kayak.Thanks
 
Hi Beth,

I'm so sorry to hear about your fracture. That doesn't seem to be all that uncommon; hopefully it won't set you back much if at all. What does your surgeon say? Do they have to do any additional treatment or surgery for that?

The little blue SOT in the picture is my Hurricane Phoenix 120, and I also have a kevlar solo pack canoe. I volunteer for river patrol at a nearby state park, and we use Tarpon 100s for that. I love the Tarpons, but they're heavy, so for my personal boats I like lighter weight ones that are easier for me to load onto my car when I'm going by myself. The Phoenix 120 weighs 38 lbs; my pack canoe only 25 lbs.

I see you are in Massachusetts, so for sure you'll be ready to paddle by the time your paddling season arrives. I'm paddling the Wekiva River tomorrow---will hold a good thought for you.

Sissy
 
On top of the world! No pain meds today, and I went hiking for over two hours pain-free. That's the farthest I've walked in several years. I used one of my trekking poles instead of the cane. Of course, by the time I drove home, I was stiff and sore----that seems to happen any time I sit for very long, but walking around a bit resolves it.
Going for my first real post-op bike ride tomorrow.
I am delighted with how this is going. A little less than 6 weeks post-op.
 
Sissy, you are either one of our Amazing Recovery stories, or you will be nursing a sore hip in a few weeks due to too much too soon. I am putting my money on the first.....but if the second comes to pass, I'll just remind you to slow down, rest, ice, and treat pain. You know your body....but keep common sense firmly in mind too. And bottle up some of that energy and send it to me, please. I could use it. :)

Sharon
 
Sharon, you have my permission to holler at me if I come back whining, but really, this is with my surgeon's blessing. Everything I asked him---when can I kayak, when can I bike, when can I walk a couple of miles---he said 4-6 weeks.

I'm not all that energetic yet, but it is coming back.
 
Wowzer! I'm impressed. If I go around the house and throw in a little shopping, I'm back on the cane the next day. You're doing so well.
 
Cookie, I'd be in bed for a week if I babysat two young'uns for 3 hours, so I'm impressed with your progress, too!
 
sissy46 said:
On top of the world! No pain meds today, and I went hiking for over two hours pain-free. That's the farthest I've walked in several years. I used one of my trekking poles instead of the cane. Of course, by the time I drove home, I was stiff and sore----that seems to happen any time I sit for very long, but walking around a bit resolves it.
Going for my first real post-op bike ride tomorrow.
I am delighted with how this is going. A little less than 6 weeks post-op.
Click to expand...

Well Sissy, I am seriously jealous about the bike ride tomorrow!! Enjoy yourself. I keep peddling my bike and can't get it off my verandah...

Let us know how you go please.

Cheers

Mike
 
I am jealous Sissy, You've got A nice place to hike and kayak. Glad you are doing so well. Will post pictures if-ever get to my second floor:)
 
Bike ride today was great! We rode a little less than 12 miles total, stopped several times to walk a bit and stretch. My hip felt normal---unlike the last time I rode, two days before surgery, when I was in so much pain.

After driving home, I'm a little stiff, but nothing to warrant a pain pill.

Will stretch out with an ice pack and read for a while. Finished the first 4 books of A Song of Ice and Fire, now reading Gone Girl.

So far everything my surgeon told me has been accurate. He said I'd be able to kayak, ride my bike, and walk a mile or more without pain between 4-6 weeks after surgery. Tomorrow will be 6 weeks, and I did the kayaking at 4 weeks and the walking at less than 5 weeks. I think he's brilliant.
 
I had a great week, with another bike ride on dirt trails on Wednesday, with no ill effects. Friday was a terrific day; left home at 0745 and didn't get home until 1730. Several others and I paddled 9 miles, first on a creek that flows into the Wekiva River, then into the St. Johns River. There was only one place to get out and stretch, and we shuttled cars down the take-out so there was a fair amount of driving involved and. Anyway, a fun day and not a bit of pain while I was doing it----but oh, Saturday morning! Stiff and limping and reaching for ibuprofen and ice pack. Very upset, I thought I'd destroyed all my progress.

So I took it easy on Saturday---no choice. Depressed and kicking myself mentally. Yesterday, I was fine again, no pain. I went to lunch and a matinee opera (Marriage of Figaro, oh fantastic!) and even wore boots with a medium heel. Fair amount of walking, no pain.

Today, I'm going to the beach, an hour away but a friend is driving, and I'll have a good walk on the beach a nice lunch at a fish camp on the lagoon.

I have cancelled my plans to drive two hours on Wednesday and sleep in a tent and then paddle 10 miles on Thursday and drive back home. Too much, too soon, I decided.

It is beyond my understanding how I can be so perfectly okay one day, and painfully limping the next. I took ibuprofen 400mg twice on Saturday, and again yesterday morning, prophylactically, but nothing since. This morning I'm my typical slightly stiff and sore on first walking that gets better with each step I take, and don't plan to take any meds for that.

Does this all sound normal? I will be 7 weeks post-op tomorrow.
 
It sounds superwoman-ish to me! I don't do anything like what you do, but my hip reacts the same way yours does -- if I do too much (for me, not you) one day, it hurts the next and I'm limping and hunting for my cane.
 
Thanks, Cookie, that's reassuring. Another thing: even on my best days, if I've been sitting for a while, the first few steps I take really hurt (not always the same pain, sometimes outer thigh, sometimes above knee) but then when I keep moving, it quickly resolves. Much better, though, than what I had before surgery, when I'd get up in the morning pain free and after walking a short distance, it would get worse and worse...and worse, until I could only walk with my left leg stiff and out to the side. This I can live with! but, wondering if and when that will go away.
 
Sissy, I am stiff when I get up after sitting...always. And it is usually gone after 10 steps or so. As long as it resolves right away, it is pretty normal (we ARE in our 60s....unbelieveable as that is!) and not a concern. I'm not expecting that will ever change, although it would certainly be nice. But it's a minor issue in the giant scheme of things.

Do remember that it's more than bones and muscles that were affected by your surgery. There's lots of soft tissue...ligaments and tendons and assorted other stuff...that have to heal. Your activity level is quite high. You may not feel it at the time, but the strains on that soft tissue show up sooner or later. A lot of it is trial and error...if you see that you pay for certain activities, then cut back on those for a while. And giving yourself plenty of rest time after strenuous activity is important and it sounds like you are already doing that. Although your idea of rest time is a lot busier than most of us I suspect. :)

Sharon
 
Thanks, Sharon. I hope that stiffness will resolve after a while (for both of us,) but it is more of a nuisance than a real pain.

I think for the rest of this week I will try to keep my paddling or biking or walking to just a couple of hours instead of longer, as I think that's what did me in on Friday and set me back----that busy 10 hour day.

Our poor beaches took such a beating from Sandy, the erosion has made the beach very slanted, even at low tide, so certainly not good for me to do a long walk today and I didn't risk it. But the salt air and scenery were wonderful, and so was lunch.
 
Sissy,

You are amazing, are you trying to kayak for the both of us?:) You will still have some rough days, but what you able to do is amazing. Glad you put off the beach walk, the sand can be a killer. You go girl!:egypdance:
 
Sissy, aren't we Floridians experiencing some beautiful weather right now. Low humidity, mid-80's and gorgeous. I'm so envious of your activity level. I'm sure you are enjoying just being outside and enjoying life right now.

Take care and take a spin around the water for me :)

Tammy
 
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