sas
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Good for you getting out of the house and walking. I can’t imagine better ingredients than Vermont countryside, autumn and recovery from THR to feel alive again. You had a rough patch there, but you overcame it and now nothing will stop you, not even the 50 feet of snow arriving shortly. Good to have friends that care.
I’m a little perplexed over the current pain medication management approach or the lack there of. As Josephine has stated numerous times, addiction has never been a real issue in THR, so why even bother going down that road and acting as if painkillers ought to be the determining factor in the recovery plan. It’s hard to wrap my brain around that logic.
We should not be forced to hoard pain pills for PT or any other reason; our physicians should take all our needs into account and prescribe enough analgesics so one should not need to worry a second. Good for you preparing yourself for the physical therapy. It’s going to facilitate your recovery, even though it’s initially tough and causes pain. But you’re a tough lady – you can take anything they’ll throw at you. I was about to emphasize that you need to keep on taking your painkillers, but you proved that to yourself with the PT experience. Good for you.
As to this recovery diary … I think you’re right. I recall how much the photo of shugaplum meant to me, and all those stories, positive and negative – especially the positive. It’s of utmost importance that we do not postpone the commencement of our pain free life for a second and posses a positive outlook as we enter the miracle making hospital. If my experience helps a single person to put her/his mind at ease, gives reassurance, or assist in the decision-making, I’m pleased. That is exactly what the BoneSmart is all about: good people helping out good people. The Team is us, everyone sharing their stories, worries, advice, and support.
Sas, I’m sorry; I’m trying real hard not to reveal any more information about myself than necessary, this is the Internet after all. I can’t even divulge the names of my dogs. I did mention earlier that I’m running my own business and described my daily task as “surfing the net.” I’m planning to get back in the saddle starting next week, initially for a few hours. I can hardly wait, because I prepared the company and myself for no less than a three-month vacation. Happy me.
Tweety
You’re one of the lucky ones (as I call us) having experienced the real Africa. I had a friend at the age of 11 who returned from Africa to start the middle school. Her parents were teachers as well, but in Belgian Congo (Zaire) where she had lived all her life. I could listen to her stories for hours, and she made the Congo Belge sound the best place on earth. I’ve never been to Uganda. I have traveled the continent from south to north, but know the north and west best. Watching Out of Africa, The Gorillas in the Mist, and other great movies alleviate the worst yearning for Africa, but I hear you, we need to get back to the sounds, scents and sights.
This site of ours assists and supports us in so many ways, one being the opportunity to have a dialogue with others. It could be our hip that hurts, but our minds require support too. Reading about the experiences of others and voicing our own concerns and opinions are all part of the process. I, personally, enjoy reading everybody’s posts.
Yes, Betsy, you will be one of us very soon. The waiting is the worst part of this affair. Once you enter the admission at the hospital the voyage is on and you don’t have to do anything except enjoy the ride. We all are eagerly waiting for you to join the People of the Other Side and hear your experiences.
Hippy Thanksgiving to you too, Tweety.
Josephine,
Thanks, that means a lot coming from you. I’m so delighted that I “figured it out,” but I must confess, it was the people that became before me that paved the way. I’m not certain if it was Tbone, MudPro or one of the others that discovered the only way for him to get back to life was to get up, exercise and push himself to the limits. It made so much sense to me, that adding all the knowledge found in BoneSmart (mostly provided by you), I began thinking, followed by experimenting. It works – at least with me it does.
I’m rather hesitant to provide detailed doses, medications, and schedule, because I don’t want anyone to get a wrong impression and start imitating my exact procedures without consulting a doctor for his/her individual needs. Suffice it to say that I’ve now decreased both the dose of Oxycontin and Percoset (following the exact instructions of my body), and have been able to add plenty of exercise (PT and walking) AFTER I first increased the doses to meet the requirements of my body – control the pain -- generated by the extra exercise that was needed to get the ball rolling.
It’s a balancing act.