THR SurreyGirls's 2nd THR Journey

[SurreyGirl]

Hi! Yes physically it is going well. Mentally not so much - I am rather in edge - but that is all to do with the “Fear of Returning to Work”… this is worth a chapter to itself so wondering how best to phrase it. I will diary this later but I am aware of the piles of stuff piling up because my Uni did not take me seriously when I said I needed adequate cover when away. The cover is not adequate and my clients are getting cross that I am not about!
Things are just being left until I get back and I am getting worried..

Anyway more of this later once I speak to HR on Monday..

I’ll get back to posting happy stuff… still eyeing those lovely boots I bought but I Must Resist! “Bootgate” is still making my friends laugh..

I’m Out with hubby and neighbours tonight. I am now at “Advanced Hippie Level” re getting in and out of cars - and am probably wearing out my plastic bin bag!

 

[SurreyGirl]

Backtracking here but a very real account of coming home!

Sunday 20th August
The Homecoming

After a safe travels from the HRH, Manager J having personally escorted me to the car and helped me in (!!) We arrive at our house.

The front is covered with grapevines - sone tangling around the front door and doorstep. They are heavy with grapes - and drunken wasps. I eye up this lot plus the “Doorstep from Hell”

I decide to Navigate around the side of the house to the back. So many trip hazards and I navigate them all. Uneven paving, bits of hosepipe etc.. . “I cut the grapevines) to the front enteance” Hubby says helpfully and not quite truthfully. .

But the entrance to the front has a “Big Step” of around 10 inches. I can do it as have practised it at the HFH but Hubby is worried about me navigating past his precious Timpani at the side of the hall in case I bash them with my crutches…. Maybe I will try this internally tomorrow as a form of internal circuit training..

By the conservatory door is a rubber mat with holes. Omg! Well at least I am stepping up! Thanking my “brand new Propets Shoes ” and their stability I Step up with my good foot followed by the bad and I’m “in the House!

 

[SurreyGirl]

My room downstairs (which I tidied before going into hospital) has one door leading to the hall which leads to a small downstairs shower room and loo. Too small to wield a Zimmer frame) . The other door of the room leads to a very cluttered conservatory and kitchen and a door to the outside back garden down the aforementioned step..

02:58 am first morning home.
First sojourn solo… Hubby asleep in his office next door (02:58) I wake up and flex and check all systems are go. Good, not too much pain. Toes and ankles flexing and swelling in ankle right down. No pins and needles.

Morphine bottle snugly fitting on bookshelf right by the bed (in case of emergency ) it reassures me to have it there…

I swing onto the side of the bed. Mentally Run Same checks. Crutches are near. And up I get.

Navigating around is a hazard but at least there is enough clearance room. Getting to the shower room is easy. Afterwards I plod through my room through the conservatory and into the kitchen. To no-ones surprise I am a bit hungry……..

 

[SurreyGirl]

An d then I survey the kitchen and my heart sinks. All surfaces still cluttered. In the draining rack is the bowl I use for porridge. Left there Pre-op.

By the washing machine is a pile of used tea towels - on the floor. They are actually obstructing a clear path to the kitchen . I could swear they were due for a wash 10 days ago and seem to have expanded..

I suddenly remember Hubby’s insistence to air everything by leaving upstairs windows and all doors downstairs open when I got back . My downstairs room had smelt musty..

And then it strikes me…. Has he even been here during the past 10 days? ?

Logic kicks in. I have dialled him at least once a day to the home number and he has always answered. I tell myself not to be stupid and after all, food takes priority. As always!

So I look around for the oatcakes. Can’t see any. There may be some in the below Cupboard but I’m not bending down. .

I have some marmite crackers so I open these. There is a large tub of peanut butter in the fridge…. Perfect.

Each little pack contains 4 biscuits. The side plates are either in the dishwasher or in the below the waist cupboards. So I use the small round cheeseboard and eat standing up…. I also have a glass of water.,Ankles looking good and no puffing or stiffness. Hip fine..- and I have not needed the extra paracetemol.. . .

 

[SurreyGirl]

When I went into hospital I left few “demands” but one of them was that a kitchen surface should be cleared of junk and a basic dinner plate and side plate available for Midnight Munchies by a Hungry insomniac Hippie

Another was that the conservatory table should be clear.

Fail on both counts.

Anyway I enjoy my snack and am disciplined enough to go and brush my teeth too!

Getting into bed using the crepe bandage is easy peasy. I make sure the crutches and grabber are within reach and rearranged the pillows re knees etc. I’ve got this!

Mentally plan to gently read the riot act tomorrow whilst trying not to upset my Carer/Hubby too much.

Briefly I Contemplate going to my Sisters or re-checking into the HRH! Oh well…”Tomorrow is Another Day”
And all that.

The forecast looking good and I have a garden to walk around and various gardening experiments to check on..

Also lots of friends to catch up with, excellent food to look forward to (Hubby is an excellent cook). No laundry to do as was up to date with this courtesy of the HRH.

Tomorrow is indeed “Another Day”” albeit this morning…

 

[Newhip_Pol]

I am aware of the piles of stuff piling up because my Uni did not take me seriously when I said I needed adequate cover when away.

Hi @SurreyGirl - Our universities seem to be very bad at this - years ago, when I was off for several months with a broken ankle (and before that with maternity leave) existing colleagues had to fill the gap - some work was left to pile up and there was some resentment from those who had never been off sick or had children!

 

[Psikey]

No concern going back to work. I was planning for this op to be due back half of 2023 (based on stated NHS wait times) so thanks to Covid-19 I'd been able to carry over holidays for two year and built a pot of about 30 which was needed as my employer only paid full pay for 1 week per year, then just SSP which I think is just over £100/week.

Then come end of March with 2 days notice they told me my department was being outsourced to an external contract and therefore made redundant after 17 years and at 56yo. Was only 2 week from being told to going!

Good thing financially is mortgage free, no debt and I got 3 months full notice pay (not having to work it), the 30 days full holiday pay, and 17 years Redundancy with most at 1.5wks pay/year due to age.

I'm not planning on thinking about work again until next year, and may even be able to potter on just pulling tax free lump sums off my private pension early to cover 57-67 age until state pension.

First time in my life I'm on benefits (UC & PIP and carers element (wife) for my Mum) so that currently covers about 80% of our regular, essential outgoings.

 

[Newhip_Pol]

An d then I survey the kitchen and my heart sinks. All surfaces still cluttered. In the draining rack is the bowl I use for porridge. Left there Pre-op.

By the washing machine is a pile of used tea towels - on the floor. They are actually obstructing a clear path to the kitchen . I could swear they were due for a wash 10 days ago and seem to have expanded..

I suddenly remember Hubby’s insistence to air everything by leaving upstairs windows and all doors downstairs open when I got back . My downstairs room had smelt musty..

Aargh! Glad you were able to get to your munchies despite everything. Hopefully you and Hubby are still on speaking terms

 

[SurreyGirl]

We are! He has done a great job of looking after me. It is important he stays sober as we have a hornets nest nearby and more than once he has had to capture one with a giant fishing net and escort it outside. They get attracted to our kitchen spotlight at dusk.

 

[SurreyGirl]

Well my Uni insisted we took all our holiday during lockdown when we couldn’t go anywhere! That did not impress anyone.

I am speaking to them early next week so but my union will back me up if there are any issues. . Hopefully there won’t be. I don’t see the Consultant until 9th October. And I won’t be cleared to drive as yet. Our OH (now external) are fairly sensible so fingers crossed. I am not asking for the moon!

Just 2 weeks extension from my initial 6 weeks. I have a GP fit note and she has recommended a months phased return after that…

Unless this is granted I can see myself going downhill rapidly. I may even resign.. enough is enough.

 

[Hippie Chick]

SurreyGirl- I am loving the journals. As an overachiever, I wore out both hips at the same time. Less than a week since surgery one, boss asks when my next surgery is planned. I told her I was taking one surgery at a time. I was ready to have surgery in July when school was out but the universe had other plans. I am doing my best not to think about it. Hopefully you will get your phased return which sounds lovely. Eagerly awaiting the next installment!

 

[Esmeralda]

I am very impressed with how reasonable you are being with your husband - I think I would have ended up having a meltdown in the middle of the kitchen, it doesn't take much to set me off at the moment.

Such a shame that you're having to worry about work, when you haven't even started back yet. Hopefully they will be understanding with your situation.

 

[Layla]

Good luck with your negotiations next week, SG. I hope you get your way.
@SurreyGirl

 

[SurreyGirl]

Thanks. Re Hubby. It isn’t easy but not elaborating much here but just to say he decided no more spirits in the house and he is moderating in the wine but it is a “daily negotiation” which adds strain to things … more stories to come..

 

[SurreyGirl]

Week 5. A little light hoovering!

 

[Newhip_Pol]

 

[SurreyGirl]

Recovering from the op and the Importance of Friends

It is at times like this that I realise the importance of friends, both those far away and those near me including neighbours.

During my time at the HFH I could not sleep between 3am to around 4:30am. I would walk around, drink tea and eat cheese and biscuits. And then my various friends in St Lucia and Canada would be on line. Many hilarious conversations occurred with a very wide range of topics.

During some of these conversations I was sent live videos of what they were up to. More of this later!

I was visited by friends and neighbours at the HFH and since home, have had regular zoom meetings with friends from the Slimpod club and neighbours popping around armed with roses and wine! Luckily the weather has been wonderful and I could not be luckier.

 

[SurreyGirl]

I have had a reunion with my string quartet at Pizza Express (note hard chairs - bring a cushion) , got a bottle of wine comped (unasked) when the waitress bashed my recovering leg. Great recovery from Pizza Express there! It was lovely to see my string-playing friends and we are getting started with rehearsals next month when, hopefully, I will be able to drive..

I have been for a girls lunch with a good friend who swapped her MX 5 for her husband’s car but acted like she was driving her own MX! As a fellow MX driver I Quite understood but had to ask her to slow down! We have a lot of potholes around here! We had a really lovely lunch although 3 hours on pub chairs was a bit much.

Last night we went out with neighbours to another pub where Hubby tracked down one of the only two cushions in the pub.

Great time had by all with lots of laughter and I almost forgot I had had an op - until I went into the loo and plonked myself on a normal seat not realising the height difference. - rather hard as I’m used to the raised-seat-over-the-loo at home. Ouch!

THAT reminded me forcefully I had a 12 inch scar and torn muscles to deal with..

I think I now have an “Advanced” Diploma in the art of getting in and out of cars…

 

[Esmeralda]

It's lovely to hear that you're able to get out and about and are having fun - it gives me hope that all the difficulties I'm going through at the moment won't last for much longer.

 

[SurreyGirl]

Oh Esmeralda I am rooting for you all the way. My hip is doing well into week six but the scar stings a lot and is raised and lumpy and doesn’t like much physio other than walking..

But the social side of things has really helped me feel “normal”…

However my brain is still not right . I get very tired and make lots of typing errors when using a computer. I’m not “worksafe” atm but happy to try a phased return in a few weeks time although will have to be wfh as not ready to drive as yet. Emergency stop could be an issue!