Goin Solo

In approximately thirty minutes I'll be single again.  My nephew was with me at the hospital, my niece was with me for a week when I got out of the hospital and my sister came for four days and leaves in minutes.  Hard to believe I had hip replacement surgery just 12 days ago.  And now everyone is gone and I'll be tackling everything on my own.

So you're wondering am I able to take care of myself???  YEP - I'm doing really well and the only thing I can't do is pick up anything I drop on the floor.  I've rearranged everything I need high enough to reach.  I have two grabbers and if I can't pick it up with the grabber it will just have to sit on the floor.  Ring ring, Ring ring . . . "Hi Mary, can you come over and pick up some stuff off the floor me me?!"  LOL!

I'm still using my walker for outside, but I'm using a cane in the house.  My PT is progressing from 10 reps to 20 reps.  I can stand up from a seated position with no assistance and without pushing off, and my new challenge is stepping up a stair with the "bad" (surgery leg) first without using arm strength.  I'm starting to go up the stairs forward instead of sideways and I continue to have my daily walk to get the mail.  I've been out to CVS/Walgreens and the grocery store over the past three days.  And NO I did not use the handicap scooter.  I refuse to use that scooter.  Sorry, but every person I ever see in that scooter looks pretty sad/bad and I don't want that image. 

I do have pictures of the femoral head they cut out and incision photos.  So if you want to see them you'll have to email a request.  I won't be posting those pictures online.  I do have to continue to wear compression pantyhose for a while and the picture with my cane was taken today.

Alrighty then, I guess it's time to see if I can manage all by myself.  I'm feeling good and I have my follow-up appointment with the doctor on Monday.  Thanks again for the prayers :-)

Wednesday - Hump Day

I'm not sure where the expression Hump Day came from, but it feel's like a hump day to me.  I've been trotting along almost like a rabbit and today I'm feeling like a turtle.  I'm hoping that after I take a good nap I'll wake up ready to trot around again.  As for how I'm doing, I'll start with the negative and end with the positive.

By Saturday, I should have had a dry incision area.  By Sunday I still had heavy bleeding so I called my interim nurse who contacted my doctor's office.  I was told to stop taking Lovonox, the blood thinning medication.  Monday afternoon I got up out of the chair and saw I was bleeding through my clothes.  I still didn't think I should still be bleeding to that degree.  I called the doctor's office and they told me to come in.  I got right in and they took x-rays and I was completely redressed.  It can take up to two days for the Lovonox to stop working and the bleeding will eventually slow down and stop.  To date, it hasn't stopped but the bleeding has slowed down.  The only other issue I've had is water blisters.  I've acquired a few from the the dressing tapes.  I've tried a few different types and think I found a tape that doesn't hurt to much when you pull it off my skin and hasn't caused any additional blisters.  And I didn't realize how expensive bandages, gauze, dressing tape etc. can be and I'm having to use more because I'm still bleeding.  Today's task is to search online for a medical supply to buy some items in bulk.  In the interim, I need to continue moving.  Movement is the best medicine!

I've definitely been moving.  I have a series of PT exercises I go through twice a day and yesterday I took my first walk outside to the mailbox and a little down the street.  I definitely feel my legs getting stronger and if I keep up this pace I don't see why I'm not using a cane by the weekend and off the walker.

My niece had to fly back home yesterday, but my sister flew in right before she left.  My niece was a great asset to have and she definitely made sure I did what I needed to do and what I couldn't handle, she picked up the slack.  It's a different ball game now with my sister here because I'm able to do much more on my own.  So far today the only thing my sister had to do was change my dressing, do a load of laundry and place my breakfast items on the table.  I did everything else myself.  I even made my bed :-) yeah me!!! 

I'm working through my pain and feeling better.  Today I just feel tighter and I'm sure that's just because I worked more of my muscles yesterday.   I'm not zoning out as quickly and staying awake longer.  Look, I'm actually blogging LOL!  Since being home I haven't been on Facebook more than 5 minutes, seen an entire episode of any show or watched a movie from start to finish - I'm also behind on all my Words with Friends games.  Hopefully today I can start to turn that around.

Til next time . . .

First week down . . .

It's been a week since I've had my surgery and there are some things I'm surprised I can do, while there are other things I haven't been able to do - but I'm getting there.  The best way to explain is to go through my day:

I wake up around 5:30-6am and managed to get myself out the bed and up on the walker to the restroom.  I don't need any assistance in the restroom.  In the restroom I have a raised toilet seat, grabber and everything I would need to use within hands reach.  I'm so glad I have so many 31 bags, because I've been using them all around the house.  After my morning cleaning, I grab some clothes out the closet and make my way to the bed where I get dressed, take my morning medicine and give myself Lovonox - the blood thinner shot.  Yes, I have to give myself a shot in the stomach every morning.  I do have to look at my piece of paper to see if it's the proper time for my pain medication.  I realized I was forgetting when I took it last, so I guess I'm getting old and I'm subjected to writing it down :-)  At this point its anywhere from 8:15-8:30am and my niece walks in and asks if I need help with anything.  I usually have her get me a snack - apple sauce or fruit cocktail before breakfast to ease my stomach from the meds.  All of these activities are on a good morning.  On a bad morning I go through the same motions, but with assistance.  After all this I'm ready for PT and its probably 9:30am.  I get back into the bed and start PT exercises.  My niece doesn't let me count a leg extension as two moves - one out and two in . . . ugh!   PT is done and I scope the room for anything I need to take downstairs.  Yep, I'm a stair master LOL!  I am able to go downstairs one step at a time and sideways - good leg first up and bad leg first down.  Once I'm down I either go to the recliner, to the restroom again or the kitchen table.  My daily routine is basically recliner, restroom, kitchen table, walker around the room and additional PT during the day.  And we can't forget the instant naps when you're eyes just won't stay open and you wake up right in the end of a tv show or movie and you've missed everything.  That happens a lot - LOL!  I'm typically more alert after 3pm  - correction.  I'm typically more alert from 3pm to 5pm LOL.  And on most days I stay downstairs until around 10pm. 

So all in all, I'm getting around and feeling better each day.  My in-house PT assistant arrives tomorrow and I'm sure I'll be learning/doing more next week.  Maybe I'll be off the walker and using a cane by the end of the week.  Sounds unbelievable to me, but I'm finding nothing is impossible - just wait and see.

I haven't talked about the pain.  Well everyone's pain tolerance is different and I have my good days and bad days also.  I've been prescribed hydrocodone and I'm still taking pain meds.  I feel better during the day and have my biggest discomfort when I first try to get to sleep in the bed in the evenings.  I am hopeful each night I'm going to sleep soundly, but that hasn't happened yet.  Last night I was sooo happy we finally got rain in the the City, but the storm wasn't my friend.  The temperature got cooler and when I get cold I get the chills really bad and my body usually starts trembling, teeth chattering and all that body movement makes me hurt.  Not to mention, do you know how hard it is to control your bladder when you having body chivers?!  No fun!  There's no waiting to visit the restroom, because it takes me a lot longer to get there now a days :-(

All in all I'm adapting to all these changes and embracing them as well as I can.  My niece can be a hard task master, but I know she loves me to death.  I called on her to help me through recovery and like me, she's sticking to the plan.  When I really need to rest she lets me.  But you know how it is, sometimes you don't want to rest - sometimes you just want your way!!!  I'm not winning a lot of those battles LOL!

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, prayers, comments, calls, messages and visits!  I'm so thankful for my family and friends.  Let's see what I can accomplish over the next couple of days . . . I'll update then.

I've been released!

I was released today, but not after I got a complete workout.  Busy, busy day today.  I woke up going to the ladies room and back to the bed to await breakfast.  Surprise - PT is knocking at the door before breakfast to take me out for a walk.  Everyone didn't lie, each step gets better - just tiring.  After the walk they set me back up in the chair and I had breakfast.  The food still doesn't take great, but even if it was great I don't have a much of an appetite.  Surprise - PT came back after breakfast to get me walking on a stair.  I'm feeling like I'm getting the cram session.  Going up and down the one step wasn't that difficult - up with the good, down with the bad.  It's not even 10 a.m. and I'm feeling pretty tired.  Well now its time to take advantage of this beautiful handicap friendly bathroom before I go home and have to maneuver around my bathroom.  Ahhh, I feel good and refreshed.  I finally get to sit back in the bed, eat lunch and hopefully get a good nap before PT comes back again.  Surprise - lunch wasn't as good as dinner.  A mistake was definitely made somewhere because this lunch was back to being bland and awful.  I ate was much as I could and here comes PT for another walk.  A successful walk and I've been given the all clear to discharge.  I didn't get to nap as I went back to the room, changed into my clothes, my IV cap was taken out and a cart rolled in for my belongings.  I was out the door and tucked in my car before I could say ice cream LOL!  The overall visit at the hospital was great and I surprise myself each day with my improvements.  Now it's all of me - go home and have a healthy, speedy recovery.

It's good to be home.  My niece made me a flavorful, delicious meal:  baked chicken, rice & gravy and broccoli.  I still didn't eat much, but what I consumed was delicious :-)

We have liftoff!

Day three post-op and I finally did it. I was able to walk without getting dizzy and almost fainting. I was getting a little worried, but I was assured this happens sometimes and I'm doing great. I the morning I took a short walk around the room and came back to sit in the chair. I sat in the chair for a good five hours and then had PT again. I made it down the hall and back and into the bed. Surprise my walking wasn't over - I had to get up again and go to the ladies room. I've been totally disconnected from all aids and have to do everything on my own. I must admit I liked the bag, not having to get up and go to the restroom and not even knowing when u went - LOL! Back to reality and time to get to work. Each time I do get up I feel better, so I need to keep getting up. The plan is for me to learn some more tricks today (stairs) and then I'll be released. Am I ready? We'll see by the end of the day. Til then . . .

Day 1 & 2 after surgery

Day 1 - I had a successful surgery. Doctor said the replacement fit perfect and my leg is solid. I was givin morphine directly in my back (spinal) so I came out of recovery pretty alert. I had an all liquid lunch and by dinner time I was eating solids. Didn't have much of an appetite, but I tried. As for pain I wasn't moving much, so I was doing ok. I was strapped to an A shaped wedge between my legs to prevent movement. I was given fluids and antibiotics through my IV and a plug to push morphine every 10 minutes. I started hitting the button a little after midnight. No standing or walking today.

Day 2 - I woke up in a lot of pain. I believe I started the morphine too late and my pain was ahead if me. Breakfast wasn't too successful, still not much of an appetite. PT came in at 9 to get me up and moving. That wasn't successful either - a lot of pain but I was working through it. I got to the end of the bed sitting position and then finally standing with a walker. I became dizzy, lightheaded and my blood pressure dropped very low. They sat me down quickly before I fainted and back in the bed I went. Visits from the doctor and PA again gave me good reports other than I really needed to get walking in the afternoon. I was able to eat more for lunch and shortly after I was taken off my antibiotics, fluids and morphine. I know take pain orally. PT came back about 3 and we started with bed exercises. Very good, pain wasn't near as bad as in the morning. We took my blood pressure before moving and after I got to the end of the bed and stood up at the walker, same thing - blood pressure dropped drastically. Back to the bed I go. No more PT for the rest of the day. I guess tomorrow will be a better day and I'll actually walk. Doesn't look good, but we will see.

On a positive note, I've had many visitors and lots of flowers :-)

Twas the night before

Twas the night before surgery and all through the house not a creature was stirring and definitely not a mouse.  I'm patiently waiting for my nephew to care and reading over notes so I'll be aware.  My backpack is ready to depart out the door and everything is moved so I won't trip on the floor.   Today I've had a little anxiety, but now I am calm and I'm assured I'll arrive without sweaty palm.  I've received lots of luck and there's not much more to say.  You'll read more from me on another day!