THR VSlowLife's Recovery Thread

[VSlowLife]

Hooray! The new pain med worked well enough to help me sleep better through the night pains. I can ice enough during the day and rest enough not to need it during the day. I still use my walker exclusively at night, especially because the new pain medicine makes me fuzzy.

My stride is getting longer using the walker. Still feel a bit of restraint where my incision is, but I am sure that will ease with time. Sleeping in the recliner helps me have less groin pain, compared to sleeping in my bed.

It’s a gorgeous day. I hope to go for a small walk outdoors today, on level ground, with my trekking poles.

 

[Layla]

Happy Saturday @VSlowLife
You're doing great! Enjoy your walk in the sunshine.

 

[leejaa]

Enjoy the sunshine. Great for mood and some natural Vit D. So glad to hear you had a good night's sleep.

 

[VSlowLife]

You're doing great! Enjoy your walk in the sunshine.

Thank you! I think it will be a good day today.

 

[VSlowLife]

Enjoy the sunshine. Great for mood and some natural Vit D. So glad to hear you had a good night's sleep.

Thank you! Absolutely!

 

[Jobaby]

So encouraging to hear! Hope your walk was wonderful!

 

[VSlowLife]

So encouraging to hear! Hope your walk was wonderful!

Yes, it was great to be in the sun and fresh air. It is winter here. I found the trekking poles worked well, but were less supportive than the walker, so I was using my surgical side muscles more than I had used them with the walker.

The advice from Bonesmarties was to be aware, not to walk too far.... mindful of getting fatigued on the walk back, for the hospital PT walk, and I kept that in mind.

I did not walk enough to cause swelling or extra pain, hooray!

 

[leejaa]

Great job gauging your ability to walk without pain. Always tricky when one gets sun shined and eager. I hope you can enjoy another walk today and the sun shines for your. It is sunny at my house and I am enjoying it so much. Plan on taking my hiking poles out to the back fields even though snow covered. My dog will be ecstatic to have me along with my husband. He (Riley my dog) really likes having his whole pack with him. My husband likes having me along too though I think Riley likes it more.

Have a sunny peaceful day.

 

[VSlowLife]

Always tricky when one gets sun shined and eager. I hope you can enjoy another walk today and the sun shines for your.

Yes, this is true. Feel like I am getting a cold. Will nap and see if I can get out again. It’s near 50 and sunny.

Sounds like a perfect day for you to get out with your lovely dogs, and husband. Enjoy! Yes our dedicated dogs love to see us getting outside with them. They miss it when we are not doing well.

Snow cover makes it even brighter! Unfortunately we have only had about 1” of snow this year. Very strange. I do miss it.

 

[VSlowLife]

My cold is feeling better today! Going up and down the stairs, once, to do a little laundry, per PT precautions and directions, has become easier and is not causing any extra pains, day or night. Caught myself moving my leg in a direction it could not move before surgery, last night. That was a nice surprise!

I have to wait for my OS to tell me when I can move it more. It will be delightful when hopefully, both legs can move the same way, one day. Very hopeful.

 

[leejaa]

It is so wonderful to notice these changes that we could not do before. They give us such a lift and a peak at what is to come. Another sunny day here - another thing to celebrate. I hope some of the sun is at your house also. Have a great day.

 

[VSlowLife]

Yes!

It is so wonderful to notice these changes that we could not do before. They give us such a lift and a peak at what is to come.

Partial sun, but I will take it. Thank you, you too.

 

[CricketHip]

Ahh a nice walk in the sunshine,, had to be so uplifting for you. Then to maybe be coming down with a cold! Glad you are feeling better today, maybe it was allergies from your walk outside? I so hope so. Not that I am wishing allergies onto you.. But hopefully you know what I mean.

 

[VSlowLife]

But hopefully you know what I mean.

Yes I do
Another walk today, with PT this time, using my cane and we walked on the grass, too, today. I wore a mask, not to get her sick.

So wonderful to get outside of the house and walk. I am not ready to drive yet, PT said. Not sure if my OS will extend home PT, another week.

 

[VSlowLife]

My appetite is off. Just realized I did not eat lunch. I am not very hungry. Thinking this is more of a cold than an allergy.

 

[Fit4Family]

Hurray for walking in the sunshine and with your cane! @VSlowLife Sorry you have a cold brewing. Take it easy. Hope your appetite returns soon. Feel better.

 

[Jobaby]

@VSlowLife how are you feeling today?

 

[VSlowLife]

@Jobaby A little bit like a Petri dish, I am afraid. Thank you for asking. My food order was delivered with a few tissue boxes. My cold has slowed me down.

Took a 2 1/2 hour nap this afternoon. I had to put away half my food order this morning, then get ready to take a taxi to my podiatrist. She is only five minutes away. I am not quite ready to drive yet, per my PT person. Hopefully next week?

My visiting nurse came and said I am entitled to 4 more weeks but I could ask my OS if he thought I was doing well enough to stop.

PT at home will end this week unless My OS wishes to extend it.

I honestly do not feel well enough to make the 3 plus hour trip into the big city, by private bus, for my 4 week check up. I was told to e-mail my OS when I called his office today.

If a 4 week x-ray is crucial, I offered to have it done at my local hospital. They can send it to him. Also offered to send a picture of my excellent healing main incision and two little ones the robotic surgery required.

My little brother in California told me that is what he has done when his wife was not well, to be sent to the main doctors up in LA.

The good news is I slept from 9:30 pm - 7:30 am and was able to get back to sleep easily, no pain medicine needed, no ice needed, and I did a longer walk yesterday with PT, to boot! Catch up sleep, I suppose.

This fourth week is going well, minus the cold. I can turn my cars over and drive them a bit in my driveway, but PT does not want me on the road just yet. I still have some tightness.

One car I babysit for my daughter.

My heart rate seems elevated today. The nurse clocked me at 91, and I passed it off as rushing to the door, but I just checked it now and it is 80 while I am in the recliner. It is usually 66. My blood pressure is fine. Lungs are clear. Can’t explain it. I have one of those automatic blood pressure machines. Just a stuffy head. My oxygen levels were 98.5 today.

My dog seems to think I am much better. He is not watching over me as much as he first did. Oh the funny expression of concern when he first saw me using the walker was priceless!

I can rarely tell I am part bionic at this point. Once in a blue moon a certain move feels odd, but I am sure that will ease with use.

Wish I was recuperating in warm and sunny Australia, in a bathing suit on a lounge chair, with you, lol. Summer will be here soon enough. I will jump over to your thread and see how you are doing.

 

[leejaa]

I hope your cold is easing up some. Such a bother when your hip is being so good. Glad to hear you had some really good sleep. I hope your doctor lets you send him the images. That is really a long trip for just a quick check up and x-ray. Wishing you more healing sleep.

 

[Laskyd]

@VSlowLife
Were you able to send xrays and incision photos to your OS and save yourself a trip to NY? Hope you can do that !!
I think your cold is probably increasing your heart rate. Mine was in the 80s when I was ill.
Glad to hear your hip is recovering nicely, driving in the driveway, sleeping well and walking better. By spring we should be almost completely healed and able to enjoy the warm weather and flowers!!
Funny how dogs and cats cuddle next to us when we are ill. They have a special sense of knowing how we feel and wanting to comfort us. My cat ( who died a few months ago at 20) hovered around my husband after his stroke and then around me after my fall. Miss her a lot!!
Wishing you a great week and continued quick recovery!