TKR Thesoutherncook's Second Time Around!

[sistersinhim]

 

[Canada35]

Sounds like a lovely day and if you don't have to pay ODIC dues then all the better! Congratulations on a "normal" day!

 

[Thesoutherncook]

For all who cannot sleep....I copied and pasted this to see if it will work for TKR Smarties!


1. Before you begin, place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth just above your teeth and keep it there throughout the exercise.

2. Exhale completely through your mouth quite forcefully so you make a "whoosh" sound.

3. Close your mouth and inhale quietly and softly through your nose for a mental count of four.

4. Hold your breath and count to seven.

5. Next, exhale completely through your mouth, making another whoosh sound for eight seconds in one large breath.

6. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three times for a total of four breaths.

Remember: All inhaling breaths must be quiet and through your nose and all exhaling breaths must be loud and through your mouth.

How does it help?

• It takes on more oxygen, relaxes the parasympathetic nervous system and promotes a state of calmness.
• It helps rebalance the nervous system which can become over stimulated during times of stress.
• It helps you connect with your body and your breathing and distract you from everyday thoughts that can prevent you from sleeping.

Will you give it a go tonight?


From: Good Housekeeping UK

 

[Thesoutherncook]

I've been AWOL....resting in the ODIC Lounge....the BUSY week caught up with me! I slept for almost 12 hours and feel MUCH better! Yes, iced and elevated, too.

Two nice occurances today....my general orthopedics dr ( NOT OS) called from ATL just to check on me
And.... ( drumroll, please @Pheebs52 ) I walked down stairs foot over foot...ok, just 3 steps, but it was a start!

 

[Pheebs52]

Wowza, Helen, I'm definitely banging the drum for you! You're a real early-bird for the stair trick! I think you're going to leave all of us in the dust, lol! Now, who will be making your badge? I cannot sew, but surely there must be another sewer here somewhere?

I'm sorry you were at "The Club," but realistically, can any of us avoid it? Nah! I just hope it was something fun that landed you there? I'm sure it was.

Congratulations on the major snooze-fest! We really do need those deep zzzz's, don't we?

What a sweet doc to call you just to check in with you. You must be an ace patient. Yes, I'm sure that's it!

 

[Thesoutherncook]

@Pheebs52 I saw a tshirt on the web for TKR .... I've asked my daughter to make me one similar.
I'll wear it rather than badges. Never did like those sashes! Besides, I've not earned nearly as many badges as you and the rest of our Smarties!

My orthopedic doc and I are great friends...she treated this knee for 7 yrs, 45 Supartz injections, multiple cortizone and lots of hair pulling over the decision to finally have not one, but 2 TKR! I baked cookies for her team each week of the awful injections and I make homemade marshmallows for her annual ski trip! But, she IS not only a competent, caring doc, shes a genuinely nice person. Win! Win! If only they all were like her.

 

[Canada35]

Maybe all Doctors would be sweeter if they had patients like you! Not all of them deserve cookies or anything else by the reports of some of them from our BS friends. It is a win - win situation when they are genuinely nice people!

 

[Pheebs52]

@Thesoutherncook, I knew it, I just knew you'd done some fabulous baking for your wonderful orthopedic doc! What a treasure she is, eh? Win/win is right! I can't believe you treated those nasty knees for seven l-o-n-g years; yikes! Well, actually I can believe it, but I personally wouldn't have been able to go that route....shots didn't help me, but I guess they do help some of us, eh?

Why am I not surprised your daughter sews and you found an online T-shirt for tkrs? You're just too much, lol!

Pssst: I saw a very gossipy story in the news this morning about your tiny town; OMG!!!

 

[Polkadot]

@Thesoutherncook, your breathwork exercise is interesting! I just tried it sitting here in my recliner, and I have to say that keeping the tongue on the roof of the mouth throughout the entire exercise is quite difficult, as is remembering the steps! (Maybe if I were younger...). Otherwise, it reminds me of pursed-lip breathing, which we teach to children with asthma as a way of releasing the trapped air in their lungs, interrupting a cycle of shortness of breath, and calming their systems down. I do it myself when I'm stressed! I'll have to try it tonight when in bed...

So for those of you who think a bit of calming breath might work to help you go to sleep, but who can't quite follow directions well (like me), here's a simplified version:

Pursed-Lip Breathing: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/pursed-lip-breathing

Thanks, Helen! I think you're onto something!

 

[Fire wolf]

keeping the tongue on the roof of the mouth throughout the entire exercise is quite difficult

It is my understanding, though this is not by any means *expert* advice, that placing your tongue on the roof of your mouth creates a calming response. I have seen people suggest it to kids who have test anxiety, or have them suck on lollipops as it applies pressure to the same area.

 

[Fire wolf]

Helen, so glad to see that you are doing so well!!

 

[Thesoutherncook]

@Fire wolf Thanks! I have spent my share of time in the ODIC "Lounge"! Tonite is one of those....we had a big funeral at our church today and I am on the committee to set up and serve a reception for family and those attending. I sat down for a while but worked probably too hard/long. Ice! Ice! Ice! And that's OK, because both Auburn and UGA games are on tonite! Southern " girls" love their college football!

 

[Canada35]

Good that you are taking it easy tonight Helen! You don't want to stay in the lounge too long. Just a little resting place! You did quite a lot today but I am sure the family appreciated it.

 

[Polkadot]

Yeah, @Fire wolf, I believe you're right about the tongue thing. It's a yoga thing, too.

 

[Polkadot]

@Thesoutherncook, we're about to watch the Michigan State/Notre Dame game here. (It started at 8, but we tape it so we can skip the commercials and halftime). I think I'll yell, in your honor, "Ice 'em! Ice 'em! Rah! Rah! Rah!" Here's hoping your teams do well!

 

[Thesoutherncook]

Whew! Where are the weeks going? They seem to suddenly be flying by.....
10 weeks yesterday! I have nothing significant to report except more returning to " normal" life.
I did go down a few stairs foot over foot this week. Nothing spectacular, but good to know its coming! And my PT thinks I'm ready to " graduate"!

Today, DH and I made applesauce and apple butter. And this weekend we are going to my daughter's for the girls ( 2 Moms, 2 7yr olds and ME) to see Beauty and the Beast Ballet then out to eat. That should be a work out for this new knee! Thankfully, I'll have next week to rest before house guests start coming. We have 3 groups scheduled for Oct!! But, they are all relatives and will help out!

 

[VW54]

Just caught up with your thread. Good reports for the most part, yay!
Saw that breathing exercise posted on a psychology blog I follow just yesterday. It works so well for calming anyone down, and it helps to use this as a efore falling asleep ritual. You can use it anywhere, needs no equipment. Can even come in handy to do one set before lashing out at anyone...or to think of a good answer to some silly comment regarding the knee op.

 

[Canada35]

I'm impressed Helen that you are already going down some stairs foot over foot. I have only recently been able to do it with any consistency and it's still a bit ouchy and I am almost 5 months along. We do have to celebrate even small successes and so I applaud you!
Have fun at the ballet. I love doing things like that with my grandkids! It should be really special with two 7 year olds!

 

[Pheebs52]

Helen, have a fabulous time this weekend with the girls! It sounds like so much fun and I just know your knees will do you proud! Pssst: Don't forget the ice!

 

[Thesoutherncook]

Big day out! We drove to Atlanta ( 2 hrs with one get out and walk around the car stop), Beauty and the Beast ballet with my favorite Grand Girl, out to dinner and now at my daughter's house overnight! Knee is doing well...I've already iced and elevated! And my daughter made me a really cool TKR t-shirt! Great day!