THR That wasn't so bad!!!

[Jaycey]

Well done on the weight loss! That happened to me as well. I'll bet the pounds keep falling off as you get more and more active.

You are turning the corner in recovery. At about the 4 week mark I too felt like I wasn't progressing. But you really are! Read back in your recovery thread - it does help to see where you have been.

Let us know how your appointment goes. Fingers crossed on the restrictions being lifted!

 

[haldox]

Still looking good in the recovery phase!!!

Also wanted to mention that a dentist can fit your husband with a mouth guard for the snoring. Help keeps the jaw in the proper position for optimal breathing. My husband has to use the CPAP for sleep apnea.

 

[Jamie]

Don't let yourself be in a rush to head back to work. This is important "ME" time and you need to stay focused on that right now.

 

[DallasSarah]

Jaycey and Jamie are so right about be gentle on yourself it's still so early!

Hi Judy,

I feel like its been forever in checking in on your thread sorry! You sound great we really are pacing at a similar path. I remember feeling that my recovery was slow mine started to pick up just after Christmas, and yes when Miles came home he almost forced me to be more active which has been a good thing. Your time will come probably this week you will see a shift, I'm sure your OS will be happy for you and my fingers are crossed he lifts all restrictions and stops the coumadin. Congratulations on the weight loss!! Since stopping the coumadin I feel like I'm eating a little heathier us with the walking. The Coumadin had opposite effect on me I was eating everything yikes! Wish I could change your weather for you, sorry!! Glad you have treadmill. Hope also he let's you drive. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and look forward to the update from OS visit

Sending lots of xxooxx

 

[plinej]

Good news and a little frustration! No TEDs, no Cuomadin , driving privileges granted, no cane! I was a little disappointed in the appointment though. OS laughed (in a good way!) when I walked in with the cane and wasn't surprised at all to hear that I had done away with it days ago! He asked about my pain meds, showed me the xrays and that was about it! No measurements or added exercises, etc. He said I should concentrate on getting back to a normal life and focus on treadmill, elliptical, swimming, etc. for exercise and he didn't really care about other exercises. I was told he is very conservative - no exercises with any bending, twisting, etc for a few more months, so no yoga, pilates or anything like that for a while. I don't know what he thinks my "normal" life is because it sounds like a while before that is going to happen! So I focus on upping my walking, and get on with the routine of daily living.

Question on driving! I think I will be ok driving - it is the getting in and out that has me a little uneasy. As a passenger, I have the seat all the way back and use the grab bar to easy myself up and in (we have a Jeep and I am very short). To drive I would need the seat all the way forward with no grab bar and not sure how easy this will be - I will try it probably on Fri. when I have my women's study group (a 3mi. drive). Husband will be out of town from Thurs - Mon. so I will have to figure it out by then. I think I have to go to our school on Saturday and manage staff while he is gone.

Judy

 

[DallasSarah]

WooooHooo congratulations Judy!

No more TEDS and coumadin thats great news!!

Getting in and out of teh drivers side is pretty straight forward, treat it the same as sitting on a couch....back up to the door, sit down, then swivel around. I find the hardest part is getting my knee to bend its improved last few days, apart from that...ummmm im long legged so my chair is pushed all the way back. Im babbling now and realized you said about the bar part, can you not adjust the seat at all while sitting inside the car? i find there is no twisting needed, its just the bedn the knees to get the legs in the car is a pain sometimes.

Im so gratfeul for my PT gal she did a test run with me before I went into the dr's if you get worried could you go to your dr's office and ask nurse to show you, im such a glutton for seeing an example first!!

The daily routine part is good, ive been saying all my little daily routines have been a majoy part of my recovery and builing strength, flexibility. Sorry for now you are not going to do yoga and pilates however im sure in a few more months you can go back to that. Its still very early just builidng your confidence in driving, running the basic errands will be a huge accomplishment!!

Sending you lots of love!

xxooxx

 

[lisanewmc]

You're not alone feeling a bit disappointed with your follow up visit, I think it's quite common. The surgeon wants to check his handiwork is good and isn't to involved in all the little details, like whether we've managed to shave our legs etc :th_heehee:

We celebrate all those milestones together on here and share so much because we can all relate. I suppose at the clinic it's routine and just another day at work.

Sounds like you're doing great - good luck with the driving.

 

[plinej]

Well, got to take my little bit of frustration out on a nice walk! A rare beautiful mid-winter day with temps in the 40's and lots of sunshine. Used my cane to get to the top of the driveway (drive still icy but the edges were melted). Left my cane by the mail box and took a 1/2 mile walk along the woods - felt great although I noticed I have a hard time relaxing so my stride is a little short. Picked up my cane and carefully manoeuvred down the drive back to the house. May have one more nice day then back to the snow and cold for the weekend Did a mile on the treadmill this morning also -outside is so much nicer! My hip definitely feels tired so may go easy on the exercises today.

 

[djklaugh]

Judy - I too am very short and worried about getting into the driver's seat of my car - but it turned out to be a non issue :th_heehee: Even with the seat pulled up to my normal driving position I had plenty of leg room to grab the grab bar, lean back, swivel into the seat and ease my leg under the steering column. If swiveling was a problem in the passenger seat try putting down a clean plastic garbage bag on the seat - it will help you swivel into position more easily And now that you have your restrictions lifted you don't have to worry so much about the 90 degree rule :biggrin:

As for your surgeon - he probably has no idea what your "normal" life is like - even if you told him a dozen times! In my experience the more specialized the doc, the less they know about the other aspects of their patients lives that lie out side of their area of expertise. And there are a lot of doctors - maybe particularly surgeons - who seem to have flunked Bedside Manner 101 :th_heehee: - but if they are really good at what they do (and your surgeon certainly seems to be!) then I guess we just need to get information we need for "normal" life from the nurse, or assistant, or PT, or BoneSmart :wink1:

Hope your return to work goes smoothly and easily for you!!

 

[girlienerd]

Congratulations on having all of the restrictions removed. Your normal life will be back in place before you know it!

I'm jealous of your walk today, we are just rainy rainy rainy down south! It's so depressing, I would love to get out for a walk.

Good luck getting back to work, hope to follow you shortly!

Take care,
Buffi

 

[plinej]

Buffi, don't be too jealous - we still have 3 more months of winter!!! I am lucky we own our own business so my work is when I feel like it. I can probably get back to teaching private lessons soon as long as I don't have to demonstrate - I only do it on Wednesday nights and all other work I do is mostly office.

 

[goatram]

Good for you Judy on your restriction lift. Go out and Buy a New Ford with the Auto Seat and Pedal Switch for two persons. Have the Hubby sit in it and program it for him than do your program. Then when you need to drive the car push his button #2 and the Pedals and seat will retract allowing you easy access to the seat. Get in and press #1 and the seat and pedals will move to fit you.

Whats a new car payment for anyway?:wink1::biggrin:

Your husband will only be upset once a month any how:hissyfit::skeptical:

Glad to help

 

[plinej]

Goatram, Ha, Ha!! That is so funny!!

A day of Firsts!!! First drive - went well , getting in was easier than I thought but getting out I have to drop down to the ground and lean a little on my incision which was a little uncomfortable but not too bad.

First day back at work (our school). Felt good to be there and see some faces I had really been missing. Did a couple hours of filing, data entry, and of course chit chat!! I have to go back Saturday morning while Hubby is out of town for the whole morning so the trial run went well.

Last nice day before the snow so I went for a walk. Visited our chickens first before walking up the hill to the road (noticed where even a slight incline caused me pain pre-op I had no pain!) Hens had laid eggs so I had a very careful walk with eggs in my pockets - broke no eggs:th_heehee:.

Feels so good to be getting somewhat functional again. Only sad note for me was all the students asking when I would be back to martial arts. I know that will be such a long time But I am thankful for what I can do.

 

[DallasSarah]

Yay Judy!

Fabulous news about getting in the car and driving, I knew it would be easy for you! Glad also you got to go up to your school...I'm sure it all feels good!

Congratulations on not breaking the eggs hehehehehe!! I love the part where you said it didnt hurt, unlike before the surgery YAY! The weather part you have to deal with is icky that would be a little discouraging, hopefully it will be a short winter my fingers are crossed for you!!

Enjoy your new freedom...isn't it the best!

xxooxx

 

[girlienerd]

Sounds like an awesome day of firsts! That first trip in the car is a little scary but then it all falls into place so quickly. Glad to hear you had no pain from the walk to the chickens, that is the most amazing feeling or lack of feeling :biggrin:

Take care and keep on racking up those firsts!!

 

[plinej]

Sarah, our winters are icky! but a January thaw does make it more bearable. It was a beautiful day today, and when I got home a clear, starry night! We probably won't see spring until mid-April but when it comes do we appreciate it! Summers are absolutely glorious here so well worth the wait.

 

[Anitawants2tango]

Judy,
Congratulations on all of the firsts! All those small ways of getting back to your usual life will really help you to be patient with the long term recovery. I think it was Jamie several posts back who suggested rereading your thread to have a reminder of just how far you've come - I did just that last week when i was feeling particularly frustrated with the pace of improvement. You know that I sympathize with your eagerness to do a high kick, but for now we need to content ourselves with small advances - like not breaking the eggs, or for me, stepping up a curb with my operated leg. Glad you had a window of nice weather to enjoy the outdoors.
Regarding the attitude of your OS I agree with what has already been said - they can be very narrowly focused. Hopefully soon you will be feeling confident enough to experiment with what your body can do and that will be another tremendous morale booster.

 

[Poppet]

Hi Judy

It sure feels good doesn't it to get normality back into our lives even if it is for short periods. It is the promise of what is to come... Soon xx

 

[plinej]

Sandy, I miss your wonderful beach reports! I was looking forward to driving to my ladies group today with my driving privileges granted but alas, all the schools are closed and we are in the middle of a snow storm. I normally would venture out anyway (we have 4-wheel drive) but with Hubby out of town I do not want to take a chance. Also, not looking forward to the ordeal of cleaning the snow off the car (Hubby and son have filled the garage with guy stuff so no room for car!) I must make it out tomorrow to work so glad to hear that the weather will be better by then and hopefully can get son to make my car ready!

Judy

 

[plinej]

My 5 week report!

First the good things! Pretty much can do everything around the house -laundry, cleaning, etc. no vacuuming yet or major grocery shopping. Can drive ok. Exercises, such as they are, are going well (I only had 4 PT sessions which ended a few weeks ago so I haven't added any since early, just the bed ones and a few standing exercises) I am doing a mile on the treadmill (weather to nasty for outdoor walking). I know I don't walk enough but working on trying to get out and about more. I am going into our school a couple days a week and able to help in classes as long as I don't demonstrate, basically do office and front counter work and assist as needed. So, general life is getting back to normal. Also, I can go up and down stairs normally again (need the railing for support going up but can do it with no pain!)

Now, the frustrations. I still am having groin/ inner thigh issues at night and during the leg raise exercises. Not super bad but not improving the last week or two. I know these were the muscles that gave me grief pre-op so I expect it will take time (I watched a youtube video of the surgery and was amazed at how they really yank your leg around to test the joint during surgery - not recommended for pre-op viewing!!!)

Questions: restrictions - for how long and which if any are permanent. I had minimally invasive posterior approach. I am getting so frustrated at not being able to put my shoes and socks on or dress with out a tool to assist. I am also having terrible nights sleep from being on my back all night - my leg is so uncomfortable by morning from laying in one position all night ( I do flex and straighten my leg which helps some). I do not have enough confidence to try side sleeping with a pillow.

I have my next appointment with OS in 2 weeks and I am definitely asking for PT. I was pretty disappointed with my last visit so this one I will come with a list of question as it will be my last appointment with him until my year anniversary. I guess I am having some doubts as to what is better and what is worse after the surgery. I can walk with no or little pain, handle stairs better but am very limited on what I can do for exercise without violating restrictions - OS ruled out adding more exercises yet - said elliptical, treadmill, etc. ok. I really miss Pilates, Yoga, martial arts, jogging and am wondering if I will ever return to the things I enjoyed the most .

Must be the bad weather as you can see I am getting that post op blue feeling! Someone send me warm weather wishes and dreams!!!