THR Take a deep breath! Jump in!

[Krista]

Yay, @gertie, my surgery triplet! You have listed many positive things, which is a good thing to do to help cope with sadness. I hope your increasing strength will help cheer you up. Yes, you will still have that energy drain that comes with having a THR. Remember the article about it? Energy drain for THRs I remember being SO tired after my THR over a year ago, even at 6 weeks out. I wasn't sleeping well at all either, then, until I could sleep on my side again.

I went out to dinner today with my husband and sister, my first outing since the surgery (except for follow-up doctor visit and my two week stint at the rehab facility), and it was delightful!

May you feel better and better as the days go on.

 

[BusterBeans]

@gertie Remember that the blues are a part of recovering from a major surgery and yours just happens to be hitting at a holiday. Luckily you'll be raring to go by Christmas and New Year's! You might even be up dancing on New Year's Eve. If you have enough champagne?

Last year at Thanksgiving I had just had my BTKR so my daughter and her fiance had me over to the house they had just bought. When I used their powder room and sat on the toilet, I realized how very, very low to the floor it was and had no idea how I could possibly get up. I grabbed onto their round sink and hoped I didn't rip it right out of the wall. So last week I invited them, his parents and my parents to our house for Thanksgiving cause I still have a handicapped toilet upstairs...

Hope you have many things -- especially that sexy new hip -- to be thankful for this Thursday!
BB


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum

 

[Sunny girl]

@gertie, I love the fact you've been focusing on the positive despite feeling sad. Sounds like you are doing really, really well. Driving again will make such a difference, hang in there, and take care.

 

[gertie]

Thank you all for your supportive responses! @Krista you are so lucky to have your sister next door! I wish mine weren't an ocean away. However, she also wasn't happy about not being with immediate family (me!) at Christmas--she's a widow and gets along well with her in-laws but...so she's decided to come here and in spite of it being last minute, got a good price on a ticket. So sadness has now morphed into mild panic as I look at my house, which is set up solely to accommodate my recovery needs, and think about how to make it more welcoming and comfortable for someone else--by 19th December!

I continue to slowly make progress. Had the last visit with in-home PT yesterday--she helped me think through how to put a clean fitted sheet on the bed w/o breaking precautions--tricky but doable. I have several outside the house social engagements in the next few weeks--since fatigue is still a big factor (along with 3 a.m. waking and difficulty getting back to sleep)--I've let everyone know that my attendance at these events is provisional and if I do come I will most likely leave early. But it's nice to have the option of getting out!

 

[Jaycey]

So sadness has now morphed into mild panic as I look at my house, which is set up solely to accommodate my recovery needs, and think about how to make it more welcoming and comfortable for someone else--by 19th December!

Please don't stress about this. I am sure your sister will love to help you now.

But it's nice to have the option of getting out!

Good stuff. It's very nice to have these events in the calendar. And every time you venture out it will get easier.

You are doing well!

 

[Krista]

I agree with Jaycey, @gertie. As you said, the house is set up for YOUR recovery needs. Everyone else should accept that and be able to live and work around those needs. She is coming to spend time with you, and presumably to help you, not to be entertained and taken care of. Let her be helpful to you - it makes people feel good to be supportive, so give her that opportunity. Your job is to heal! I say this as your surgery triplet. My husband and daughter are cooking the Thanksgiving meal this year for us, and I will be sitting down while they do it, healing!

 

[gertie]

Thanks all--but I was actually trying to be a bit humorous! Should use those emojis more. Yes, my sis can and will help out--that's a given. And I'm ready to have the house be a bit more normal looking for me as well as for her.

 

[Nana2-8]

Look at it this way @gertie ~ You've got three weeks + before your sister arrives! You will be absolutely amazed at the progress your healing takes by that time......PROVIDING you don't over-do and cause yourself a set-back. You have been doing so well up to this point, you're sure to continue in that vain. Concentrate on simply enjoying the company of your sibling.

 

[SwimGirl]

@gertie I am so happy that you have finally gotten out and about. It is depressing when you are isolated and having to entertain yourself. Today I actually went out to a store with hubby. It has been so long since I went out and about that I saw new buildings and I said when did that go up? Not just one place either! Have I been out of the loop or what?

Have to say that when you walk off and leave your cane somewhere it is a good sign that you are progressing nicely. It is so funny to get up and say to yourself now what did I do with that cane?

I know you are sad about being alone for Thanksgiving being that the drive to friends would be long and exhausting. Try to then plan how you want your Christmas holiday to be cheery. Start making a list of fun things to do when you are up and mobile. Decorate inside with mini lights, meet friends for lunch, buy something you don't really need like a Santa Claus toilet seat cover and rug. Big lots carry those and they are inexpensive!

Plan to have fun!! Very soon!!!

 

[gertie]

@SwimGirl It is nice to be getting out more but here's the funny thing--I'm actually on my own more now that I'm able to fend for myself--this is fine--not complaining, this is "normal" life--but in those first weeks I had PT, cat sitter, friends and neighbors dropping in.

I am sorry to miss the big T=giving gathering that I usually go to but will spend some time on the day with a couple of friends who live nearby and then see some of the folks from the big gathering over the weekend.

Had to laugh at the Santa Claus toilet seat cover!

Funny what you say about noticing new things when you're out and about--I'm usually the driver so sitting in the passenger seat gives me a whole new perspective on what's around me.

 

[gertie]

Woo-hoo! I drove today for the first time in a month. I was actually nervous about it--said that to a friend and she reminded me that I have been driving for many, many years--and yes, it did all seem quite natural once I got going. Getting in and out of the car isn't too bad but sitting in the car is not all that comfortable--but I've found that in my trips out as a passenger as well. I'll have to experiment with what cushion, if any, is most comfortable. I drove to a small nearby market and bought some groceries. Then went out again later for a short ride (testing out a different cushion) just because I could!

 

[Jaycey]

Woo-hoo! I drove today for the first time in a month.

Major milestone there! Try a very slight wedge cushion while driving. Any type of bucket seat is just very uncomfortable.

 

[gertie]

@Jaycey I've been using a wedge cushion as a passenger and it's helped "un-bucket" the seats but it wasn't so comfortable in my car. I have another cushion I'll try.

 

[Sunny girl]

Good news @gertie! Life is returning to normal! Woohoo - driving makes such a difference. I have also noticed the strange phenomenon of change ... new buildings appeared, old buildings coming down, road changes, new cafes, beautifully landscaped areas that weren't there before. Just shows us how we had to hibernate away at home with our poor old hips because it was all too difficult to drive - and then actually move about if we made it anywhere. Yes @SwimGirl, we have definitely been out of the loop! Big time. Life, here we come.

 

[SwimGirl]

@gertie Thinking of you on Thanksgiving day. Hope you at least got a pumpkin pie and cool whip to feast on.
I started watching Christmas movies. A good day to do it! Hugs!!!!

 

[gertie]

@SwimGirl Thanks for asking! My plan was to go have dinner with nearby friends--minimal driving, especially after dark. But I ended up being pretty tired today (because of my brief grocery shopping outing yesterday???) and I knew I wouldn't want to sit through appetizers and dinner and dessert and socializing...so I went over for appetizers and a brief visit mid-afternoon and then came home (and brought some dessert with me). I'm really ready for this energy drain to be gone! I have several potential social engagements next week and they're mostly late afternoon and evening, which is when I'm really feeling the energy drain so I think they're all up in the air, see how I feel type things.

On the plus side, I'm walking around the house a lot w/o the cane.

How was your T-giving?

 

[SwimGirl]

@gertie Nice and quiet really. Daughter and her husband came for 2 hours and then they went to his family gathering. After that just enjoyed the day and now watching Muppet Christmas Carol. No small kids around just like the show. Go figure!

 

[gertie]

I think I'm heading into that frustrating part of recovery where the spirit is willing but the body not so much--not because of hip pain, which continues to be minimal, but because of low energy. Lots of potential social engagements this coming week but I suspect I'll make it to very few and then just for a brief time.

I just had a chat with a friend who has had a few major surgeries (not orthopedic) using general anesthesia. She was told by her surgeon to expect a week of recovery from the general for each decade of age. So, to whatever extent that is true, I do the math and also factor in the info Josephine has put out about time needed for healing and...oh well, no wonder I'm plopped in my chair this morning!

 

[Tweetybrd]

Wow! I guess that would make sense. So you have a few more weeks.
And lots of healing to still do I am sure as well. I am sure those people at the functions that you have in the coming week will understand. And you have your sister coming to look forward to correct?

 

[gertie]

@Tweetybrd I do have my sister's visit to look forward to. I'm sure my friends understand but oh my am I getting tired of dragging!