THR The fun part

[Barbaraj]

Good morning, @Bone-obo. You are right, I am being judgmental--nothing wrong with peanut butter ice cream for YOU, if not me. And while I can't imagine it in ice cream, I am "old school" in that I still love "ants on a log", that old kiddy treat of celery smeared with peanut butter and peppered all over with raisins. My husband is appalled at this, so clearly approval is definitely in the mouth of the taster. Your holiday expeditions do sound nice, although having spent so much time in local malls recently I am not sure I could stomach going anytime soon, even if crowds were thinned and people are cheery. A couple of hours until noon, so maybe I'll make myself a greyhound for lunch...errr, WITH lunch. We have a big stainless steel and quite powerful juicer which I love. Sorry to hear you're feeling a bit despondent today--that doesn't sound fun, although if you've been getting wretched sleep, I can certainly understand why. A daily nap perhaps to offset the bad nights?

 

[NanaKP]

Happy 9 days out @Bone-obo! Sounds like you are chugging right along with the recovery of the left hip!!! I imagine that your outdoor malls are a bit like ours here although to this day, I will never figure out why in a state with snow (& ice), they thought they would go over so well? If I were a young mom (and thank goodness, I'm NOT), I wouldn't consider going to an outdoor mall this time of year dealing with jackets, strollers, in and out of stores in the cold. Ugh. I'm old fashioned and remember being exhausted at just getting the stroller out of the car and the child strapped in so I could go WALK through the mall to help get rid of the winter blahs. I digress though.

I have done a tiny bit of venturing into the holiday madness but majority of my shopping was done online (thank you Amazon)! I went out and about yesterday (delivering gift cards to my surgeon's office and the surgical center staff) and I thought I was going to lose my good humor about 2 hours into it. The traffic was HIDEOUS and though we are having warm weather (50's-60's) which means dry pavement, people obviously are challenged staying in their own lanes . . . I must have gone past a dozen accidents in those few hours.

I headed for home as soon as I could and parked myself in the recliner with two icepacks, one for each side. I keep forgetting that my right hip is a mere toddler (6 weeks old). My zippers on both sides are looking better as each day goes although the left is still very fresh and has decided to turn black and blue in several places. Lovely.

Good to hear that you're doing well being a double-hippy!! I too think that the Great Ones who have done them at the same time (that's you @Mojo333) are INCREDIBLE and I bow before them whenever I get to whining.

Merry Christmas to you and yours (that includes both hips)!!

 

[dogchick]

Hey there @Bone-obo Glad to see that you came through surgery and are doing well. I've been MIA lately, but remembered your surgery and wanted to see how you were doing. Just here to cheer you on.

 

[Mojo333]

The sleep thing
So sorry...but I was very delayed on that front so I can only sympathize and pray it's not almost 3 1/2 months...else you will beat my record for no more than 3 hours sleep at night!

Nap when you can..might take some sensory deprivation to make it happen...turn TV way down and Rest your Eyes.

Hope tonight is a better night.

 

[Bone-obo]

Other than the sleep thing, not a bad day. Walking with the cane is improving - I don't feel like I have to squeeze the cane so tight, and I'm putting less weight on it. Walked one lap of the outdoor mall (.3 miles). Tonight's flavor was eggnog.

celery smeared with peanut butter and peppered all over with raisins

Actually, that sounds pretty good! Peanut butter and raisins are already a natural match, and with the celery adding that fun crunch? Oooo, yeah!

A daily nap perhaps to offset the bad nights?

I took an hour nap, and it helped - I no longer feel like a character in a Chekov play. I checked my diary for last time, and I was having trouble sleeping 2nd week then, too. It'll. Clear. Up. Soon.

I wouldn't consider going to an outdoor mall this time of year dealing with jackets, strollers, in and out of stores in the cold. Ugh.

Exactly why we go! Only the hardy venture out, which means the crowds are limited, and the people who are there make for great people watching! (I'm not huge on crowds. Scratch that. I'm actively averse to crowds.)

I've been MIA lately, but remembered your surgery and wanted to see how you were doing. Just here to cheer you on.

You are so sweet! You're just off living the dream, aren't ya? At least I hope so!

I can only sympathize and pray it's not almost 3 1/2 months...else you will beat my record for no more than 3 hours sleep at night!

3 hours?!? for 3 1/2 months!??!!!?!1*@!//? That's hard core - for the surgery outcome to be worth that is saying something!

 

[Mojo333]

worth it for sure.
Might have been the fact I wasn't able to sleep properly for almost two years with bad hips..my circadian rhythm was most certainly askew and backsleeping didn't help.
Hope you had a better night...

 

[SaraK]

It will get better. I've used the baby analogy before but this is just one more example. One day you'll wake up and realize the baby hip slept through the night. Unlike a real baby, though, you won't need to go in and make sure the baby's still breathing!

Have a great Christmas!

 

[Bone-obo]

Unlike a real baby, though, you won't need to go in and make sure the baby's still breathing!

In this case, it'll be a lot scarier if the baby is breathing!

By the way, I may be a trfile late to St. Louis....

Standard 2nd week day - same old same old. Had a little trouble getting comfortable last night, so I set up on a midnight ramble thru the house, trying out all the chairs and sofas, and settled on a couch in the living room, because it was the coldest room in the house, and I thrive on sleeping in the cold, bundled up in blankets. That did the trick!

Today was both Cold Moon day (did you see that moon?! whoa!) and Movie Day with friends - we went to see Spider in the Spiderverse - waaaay better than I expected, and I expected it to be good!

 

[Layla]

Your night wandering reminds me of Goldilocks and The Three Bears.
One bed was too soft, the next was too hard, but the last was just right.

Glad you enjoyed the movie. After Christmas, while my granddaughter is still on vacation from school I'll be taking her to see Mary Poppins. I'm anxious to see it, but mildly disappointed they re-made it. I hope I love it.

Wishing you a great Sunday, Bone-obo. We have one family celebration tomorrow, then a one day reprieve with a quiet Christmas Eve, then back at it again on Tuesday. I hope yours is all you want it to be.

:box: :treestar:
@Bone-obo

 

[SaraK]

Cold moon day? Coming from a hippie in recovery (and particularly you), I'm a little scared to ask for clarification!

Have a great Christmas and I look forward to seeing you in STL, even if you are a day or 2 late!

 

[Mojo333]

(did you see that moon?! whoa!)

Hey...what a coincidence...we had a full moon in Georgia too!!!
It was awesome. Beautiful, I watched it come up over a pond in the country.
Moon over the pines in sky
Moon under the pines in water

I do remember my night stalker period...annoying for sure!
Hope your Sunday is Sweet.

 

[Bone-obo]

I'm anxious to see it, but mildly disappointed they re-made it. I hope I love it.

I’ve heard if you’ve seen the original that it’s a pale reflection. Speaking of pale reflections,,,

Cold moon day? Coming from a hippie in recovery (and particularly you), I'm a little scared to ask for clarification!

Oh, you! It’s an actual thing, though: last full moon of the year! Last night’s was a corker!

I do remember my night stalker period...annoying for sure!

Considering some of the other side effects of surgery I could be suffering instead, I’ll take it and shut up. But the amazing thing to me, Mojo, is that you seem to have every possible symptom of recovery from this beast, some of them for months!!! I’m glad you’re back to break dancing now but dang, girl! My heart just got in a DeLorean to go out to past you!

 

[Mojo333]

, is that you seem to have every possible symptom of recovery from this beast, some of them for months!!

Since I wasn't sure I'd have a leg to stand on..began rethinking the bilateral thing the morning after surgery...I actually didn't "suffer" for being a night stalker either.
Not a good choice of words, you are right!
Just happy to be able to stalk!

I unloaded 15 barrels off truck yesterday, did 3 hours of shoppingand then attempted to learn how to drive a bulldozer the rest of the day at BIL's farm.
Lots of climbing and I am short so can't believe how far I can bend and stretch now.
Hip surgery and recovery so not fun...So worth it!

You might be able to catch Santa if you are up anyways..:reindeersleigh

 

[Bone-obo]

Lots of climbing and I am short so can't believe how far I can bend and stretch now.

Were you flexible when you were young? I’ve never been, but my doctor thinks I’ve always had asymptotic dysplasia, since I’ve had OA since I was 45, so the two things might be related. It’s hard to believe I’ll recover as much ROM as you did, considering I never had much to begin with. (Can you tell I’m fishing for hope?)

 

[Barbaraj]

Good morning, @Bone-obo, although it's still fairly early as I'm writing this and for you it's close to noon. It's dreary rain here, but inside it's cozy and our gas fireplace is on, and the Christmas tree lights are on. I hope perhaps that last night's sleep was a bit better, not getting good sleep is definitely a huge drag--I feel lucky that I actually slept pretty well post-surgery right away. I am sure the night time drugs had something to do with that as well as being able--hallelujah--to sleep on my side. Like many folks, I struggle to sleep on my back so that when they allowed me to roll over onto my non-operated side that night in the hospital, I was so excited!

My husband is off to a football game with our son this afternoon (ugh, football in an outdoor stadium, with rain in the forecast--no thank you!) while I'll be home and relaxing. With holiday shopping done (groceries for Christmas day purchased yesterday) it's the lull before the storm and I intend to take full advantage. I may do a bit of food prep but mostly it's just resting up (well, I do need to go to the gym today) and steeling myself for the exhaustion that is Christmas Day entertaining where I will be on my feet an unconscionable amount of time--wearying in past years, of course, but this year will be a test of true grit.

Cheers, and have a good Sunday--one day further along on your recovery journey.

 

[Mojo333]

I actually was very flexible...I often wondered if I wore my hips out because of that.
I guess we all look for reasons.
I could do the Chinese splits!
Don't care to try that now though.
Good with walking well, being active and healthy...
It's okay if you can't either!

Merry Christmas, friend :tree:

 

[Bone-obo]

Another bog-standard 2nd week plateau day. As predictable as the phases of the moon, my knees are a little sore today, just like they were about this time last go-round.

Went to see "Bumblebee". it was ... good, in terms of story-telling and character, although the whole Autobot backstory is profoundly stupid. Between parking lots and the traditional evening mall lap (1), I walked a ton - come and get me, ODIC.

Custard flavor du jour: rum raisin. Swoon!

I hope perhaps that last night's sleep was a bit better, not getting good sleep is definitely a huge drag--I feel lucky that I actually slept pretty well post-surgery right away.

I've kind of made my peace with it - post-surgery insomnia is a Thing that can last a few weeks, and as long as I get enough deep sleep, I can usually doze during the day to make up for any lost REM sleep, so it's not interfering with my life.

mostly it's just resting up (well, I do need to go to the gym today) and steeling myself for the exhaustion that is Christmas Day entertaining where I will be on my feet an unconscionable amount of time--wearying in past years, of course, but this year will be a test of true grit.

I feel for you! Christmas is stressful! But I'll bet you do it up proud!

I actually was very flexible...I often wondered if I wore my hips out because of that.
I guess we all look for reasons.

Exactly! We do the best to make sense of our lives to tell our story to ourselves, but sometimes things just happen. I'd love to be to ride an upright bike again (just to try it), and I'd love to have enough flexibility and strength to roll a kayak, but honestly, if I can get back to what I could do 2 weeks ago and maybe do a little more, I'm good.

I could do the Chinese splits!

 

[Barbaraj]

Hey, there, @Bone-obo. Last post before the holidays, and I wanted to wish you a relaxing and comfortable day tomorrow. You've already been given a true "gift" with that new hip of yours, so whatever else happens tomorrow I hope you have a smile on your face despite the long, wearying and sleepless recovery journey. And just think, the new year is just a week away and then you have the wonderful prospect of a full recovery with two new bionic hips and a new, stronger hip world of opportunity awaits! Cheers!

 

[Bone-obo]

Thanks, @Barbaraj! And the same to you - I know tomorrow's going to be hectic in the, uh, J household, but you strike me as the kind of woman who's going to make this holiday memorable and awesome for your whole family! Salut!

As for me, there are signs the long week 2 plateau is about to break: this afternoon I found I'd gotten the alpha release of the Free Walking feature (no more cane). It's still in early development, so I tested it around the house in safe areas - it's okay in the kitchen and the bathroom, but useless on stairs - I get the gumby-leg at the most inopportune times.

Saw "The Favorite", a period film where everyone is truly awful to everyone else, so of course I thought my wife would love it. (She thought so, too.) Did lots more walking - parking lots, pacing around Target while she picked up a couple of things (amazing crowd in the wrapping department!!), then doing a couple of laps at the outdoor shopping center.

Custard flavor of the day: noh, as in noh custard. Must be a Japanese flavor....

 

[Mojo333]

Merry Christmas, friend..and Sit Down!:reindeerlights: