One thing that is a common occurrence with Anterior Hip Replacement surgery , which they are very clear to tell you, is that there is a swath of numbness after the surgery, Mine for this first round is not at the incision site, rather to its left, starting about half an inch from the incision and about 3-4 inches wide, and starting about 3" above my knee and extending about 8-9' up toward my hip. It is odd, and sometimes it get a little bit frustrating,
If it is permanent, so be it - that is to me a fair exchange to have my life back.
So, I'll avoid sitting on radiators until and if it comes back.
But - I think it may be coming back. From my friend Christian's terrible nerve injury, I know it takes something like a good half an inch a month for nerves to grow back.
Not sure if that's what is happening, but I am getting few odd pains and sensations in places I haven't felt in three months. In the last day or two, there will come a rather intense small-ish pain now and again. Nothing dire, but I certainly notice it.
And it is a little exciting to feel *something* along that numb outer-though area swath. I keep massaging it and putting oil on it in hopes of stimulating those little nerves.
It would be nice to have the feeling back!
It's late, I'm nodding off and I keep having to delete nonsense phrases I type as I am falling asleep at my computer.
and so - boa noite!
-Martha
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Frankenstein
London's National Theatre has been showing encores of their live broadcast of Frankenstein, Directed by Danny Boyle and starring among other fine actors, Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller. The two actors traded the roles of Victor Frankenstein and The Creature ever other night.
I watched both versions. As an actor, it has been fascinating and wonderful to watch these two top-quality actors perform the two roles. Miller is very very good. Cumberbatch is a transcendent actor - head and shoulders above most, in his focus, integrity and dedication to creating the roles he plays.
The first 30 minutes of the piece is the Creature being "born", and learning how to use his body - as he has a full-grown brain, it is very fast to learn, but the body still needs to learn to move, sit up, walk, run, eat, learn what sun and rain and birds are... and just generally make his way in life, as he is immediately cast out, Frankenstein being terrified of his creation.
The play addresses a lot of issues - abandonment, loneliness, the need for human compassion, how we learn to love, hate, care for and scheme against each other.
And of course there is this poor Creature, ugly due to the great scares and stitches, his odd speech and gait... and this is when it really started to feel personal - universal.
In an interview, Miller said that he studied his 2-year old a lot, and how the child moved and interacted with the world. Cumberbatch studied recovering stroke victims, and peopel who recovering from accidents and war wounds, to see how they moved physically, but also the vulnerability which can be so heart-rending. It shows in his performance - he was not afraid to go to those places, where no human is comfortable to go. And it made me feel at once better-understood, as I learn to walk in a way tht I will never have been able to in my life (my hips having had birth defects no one knew about until my first replacement surgery). But it also reminded me that, even though my friends have been incredibly generous and kind and very very helpful, it has been a long time of asking them for help - with laundry. shopping, getting things up and down the stairs, other household chores which I simply don't have the strength or balance for, or too much pain to be able to do (I need both hands for rails to get down stairs, so I can't take the garbage down... etc).
At the terrible risk of sounding self-pitying, it has become harder and harder to find friends who can help me. They are getting busier now that summer is over (School is back in for students and teachers and the theatre seasons pick up, so more people are in rehearsals).
So = it feels more solitary. Ironically, I had a dozen people who had planned to perhaps come and see Frankenstein with me today and every one had to cancel. I understand on the one hand, but on the other - it felt lonely. I went on my own, and it was lovely. But - a little lonely.
THe pain I am still in does make be feel quite vulnerable, while at the same time working on how much independence I can exercise - some by necessity, some by desire.
And next weekend is the memorial celebration of one of my best friends, Deborah. We made final plans tonight, and I will rehearse one of my songs with the guitar player on Wednesday. Not sure how this fits in to the subject, but it was how my day ended. Vulnerable.
I watched both versions. As an actor, it has been fascinating and wonderful to watch these two top-quality actors perform the two roles. Miller is very very good. Cumberbatch is a transcendent actor - head and shoulders above most, in his focus, integrity and dedication to creating the roles he plays.
The first 30 minutes of the piece is the Creature being "born", and learning how to use his body - as he has a full-grown brain, it is very fast to learn, but the body still needs to learn to move, sit up, walk, run, eat, learn what sun and rain and birds are... and just generally make his way in life, as he is immediately cast out, Frankenstein being terrified of his creation.
The play addresses a lot of issues - abandonment, loneliness, the need for human compassion, how we learn to love, hate, care for and scheme against each other.
And of course there is this poor Creature, ugly due to the great scares and stitches, his odd speech and gait... and this is when it really started to feel personal - universal.
In an interview, Miller said that he studied his 2-year old a lot, and how the child moved and interacted with the world. Cumberbatch studied recovering stroke victims, and peopel who recovering from accidents and war wounds, to see how they moved physically, but also the vulnerability which can be so heart-rending. It shows in his performance - he was not afraid to go to those places, where no human is comfortable to go. And it made me feel at once better-understood, as I learn to walk in a way tht I will never have been able to in my life (my hips having had birth defects no one knew about until my first replacement surgery). But it also reminded me that, even though my friends have been incredibly generous and kind and very very helpful, it has been a long time of asking them for help - with laundry. shopping, getting things up and down the stairs, other household chores which I simply don't have the strength or balance for, or too much pain to be able to do (I need both hands for rails to get down stairs, so I can't take the garbage down... etc).
At the terrible risk of sounding self-pitying, it has become harder and harder to find friends who can help me. They are getting busier now that summer is over (School is back in for students and teachers and the theatre seasons pick up, so more people are in rehearsals).
So = it feels more solitary. Ironically, I had a dozen people who had planned to perhaps come and see Frankenstein with me today and every one had to cancel. I understand on the one hand, but on the other - it felt lonely. I went on my own, and it was lovely. But - a little lonely.
THe pain I am still in does make be feel quite vulnerable, while at the same time working on how much independence I can exercise - some by necessity, some by desire.
And next weekend is the memorial celebration of one of my best friends, Deborah. We made final plans tonight, and I will rehearse one of my songs with the guitar player on Wednesday. Not sure how this fits in to the subject, but it was how my day ended. Vulnerable.
Chronic pain, and our estimations about our own strengths or weaknesses...
This morning on Facebook, my friend Colleen, who has been going through a series of very serious health issues, one after the other, posted this status, and I am including a selection of the subsequent posts - most were kind thoughts about getting better soon, very nice. I am choosing the parts of the thread which I find relevant to my point here. Colleen lives a very busy life in a semi-rural neighborhood in my city. She and her husband are very much in love, she is bright and funny and very kind, They have a little menagerie of wonderful creatures they love very much in their lovely home and nice chunk of property - goats, fancy chickens, ducks, cats, doves - a place that makes them very happy.
This post is about our ability to endure pain, and even more, our self=perceptions when we ARE handling it like a boss, but we just don't realize it.
It's not that I think we are heroes or anything, but thinking of ourselves as weak, when in fact, we are actually stunningly strong, does no on any good.
Acknowledging that we are strong and tough is good for us - because sometimes we are enduring so much more that we ever thought we could, and that is worth noting.
I had a bit of an epiphany about this when I was first diagnosed with what was so much worse that the wrong call of "soft tissue Damage" in my hips, and they deteriorated to grindstones.
I hope this might help others dealing with pain issues. Remember to celebrate your Strength, and please don't downgrade your courage to self-depracation. It is important to KNOW how strong we are and that we are capable of getting ourselves better as time rolls forward into whatever course of action is required for our healing!!
Colleen:
"i have not posted much on Facebook lately except to hit "like" buttons. Seems i have fractured my left wrist and now i have a calcium deposit there that is causing a boat-load of pain. i managed to weasel my way into my orthopedic surgeon Friday who gave me a cortisone injection which helped a lot initially but now its back to super painful. i don't know what to do.
Will try to get into my Rhemetologist and see what he can do. i love him. If anyone can help me, it's him. If he can't help, i'm hacking my hand off at the wrist. Low threshold of pain. Gots to do what I have to do. All this was typed with one finger and took about half an hour."
-- many kind thoughts of healing here--
Colleen:
"I truly appreciate the sympathy and kind thoughts. I just really needed to complain last night. I'm kinda a big baby when it comes to pain."
Her friend Catherine:
"I don't care if you are a big baby or the toughest chick on the planet --You do what you need to do, and know that we are out here and want to help if we can. I live close enough that I can be of some help even if I am 4 eyed and 4 wheeled! I hate pain. It makes me grouchy. ((((Colleen))))) hugs."
Martha:
"You know, Colleen - I really thought I was a HUGE pain wimp, too. Always hurting, always creaky and cranky about it, feeling like such a complainer. And then three different doctors looked at the X-rays of my crumbled hips, and reacted almost identically: "You're - still able to walk or even stand up? At *all*??" and then, flipping through my chart, "and, wait... you're only taking ibuprofen for the pain???" .
And when the diagnosis was a clear "severe Osteoarthritis" and the conclusion was that it was advanced enough that there was really only one solution - two total hip replacements!!! - I realized that my "Pain wimp" thoughts were TOTALLY WRONG. I am a freaking studdette amazon, and I powered through life and performances when most people would have already been in a wheel chair. (To clarify - I am in NO WAY disparaging people who need a chair - I've been on a walker for six months now, and grateful for the support it affords me! Just saying that I was upright much longer than would have been expected by someone with crumbled hips). SO - my dear lady - I would submit - please don't diminish your strength. You've been going through a series of physical challenges, any two of which would have completely immobilized most of us.
We do what we have to do to live life in these chronic pain conditions, it's true - but, lady - you are an Amazon. Pain sucks a LOT. ANd I dearly hope you get relief and a big break from it, soon. "
This post is about our ability to endure pain, and even more, our self=perceptions when we ARE handling it like a boss, but we just don't realize it.
It's not that I think we are heroes or anything, but thinking of ourselves as weak, when in fact, we are actually stunningly strong, does no on any good.
Acknowledging that we are strong and tough is good for us - because sometimes we are enduring so much more that we ever thought we could, and that is worth noting.
I had a bit of an epiphany about this when I was first diagnosed with what was so much worse that the wrong call of "soft tissue Damage" in my hips, and they deteriorated to grindstones.
I hope this might help others dealing with pain issues. Remember to celebrate your Strength, and please don't downgrade your courage to self-depracation. It is important to KNOW how strong we are and that we are capable of getting ourselves better as time rolls forward into whatever course of action is required for our healing!!
Colleen:
"i have not posted much on Facebook lately except to hit "like" buttons. Seems i have fractured my left wrist and now i have a calcium deposit there that is causing a boat-load of pain. i managed to weasel my way into my orthopedic surgeon Friday who gave me a cortisone injection which helped a lot initially but now its back to super painful. i don't know what to do.
Will try to get into my Rhemetologist and see what he can do. i love him. If anyone can help me, it's him. If he can't help, i'm hacking my hand off at the wrist. Low threshold of pain. Gots to do what I have to do. All this was typed with one finger and took about half an hour."
-- many kind thoughts of healing here--
Colleen:
"I truly appreciate the sympathy and kind thoughts. I just really needed to complain last night. I'm kinda a big baby when it comes to pain."
Her friend Catherine:
"I don't care if you are a big baby or the toughest chick on the planet --You do what you need to do, and know that we are out here and want to help if we can. I live close enough that I can be of some help even if I am 4 eyed and 4 wheeled! I hate pain. It makes me grouchy. ((((Colleen))))) hugs."
Martha:
"You know, Colleen - I really thought I was a HUGE pain wimp, too. Always hurting, always creaky and cranky about it, feeling like such a complainer. And then three different doctors looked at the X-rays of my crumbled hips, and reacted almost identically: "You're - still able to walk or even stand up? At *all*??" and then, flipping through my chart, "and, wait... you're only taking ibuprofen for the pain???" .
And when the diagnosis was a clear "severe Osteoarthritis" and the conclusion was that it was advanced enough that there was really only one solution - two total hip replacements!!! - I realized that my "Pain wimp" thoughts were TOTALLY WRONG. I am a freaking studdette amazon, and I powered through life and performances when most people would have already been in a wheel chair. (To clarify - I am in NO WAY disparaging people who need a chair - I've been on a walker for six months now, and grateful for the support it affords me! Just saying that I was upright much longer than would have been expected by someone with crumbled hips). SO - my dear lady - I would submit - please don't diminish your strength. You've been going through a series of physical challenges, any two of which would have completely immobilized most of us.
We do what we have to do to live life in these chronic pain conditions, it's true - but, lady - you are an Amazon. Pain sucks a LOT. ANd I dearly hope you get relief and a big break from it, soon. "
Thursday, November 7, 2013
A bit TMI about bathroom issues... but worth addressing.
I always think of the subject I want to write about at work, tuck it away in my tired brain, and forget it.
I think today was something about - well, bowels.
I was thinking that today I'm running fairly smoothly. It's been a roller coaster.
post surgery, the combination of surgery and Norco really stopped my digestive track. I didn't quite realize how bad it was until about two days hom, maybe 5 days after surgery.
then it felt like a large, sharp rock was sitting just at my colon. And it was bad - and got worse.
Pushing and straining isn't great with one new hip and one still-bad one - but it wasn't happening.
I was on: Prune juice(Warmed for faster action), Collase stool softeners, Seneca laxative, eating lots of fruit, and drinking tons of water.
All of those are supposed to deal with constipation. It wasn't happening.
I spoke with my home care nurse, described my pain and straining.
He said, "It sounds like you're pretty close to a dangerous blockage, and that is bad. Blockage means surgery - you don't want that. First, wean off that Norco ASAP! Second, take your suppositories. Third, if you have to get an enema.
You may need - and I can do this or you can - to digitally extract the stool."
I really wished I'd accepted the "Sutter COcktail" in teh hospital - milk of magnesia and prune juice, I just didn't realize I needed it! I felt FINE.
He handed me a bag full of rubber gloves. This is also my first serious encounter with hemorrhoids - (I told you it was going to be nitty gritty, but I think you should know about this aspect of surgery - this is a common problem). Believe it or not, this was the VERy worst aspect of my first surgery.
I will NOT have it happen in the second one. I plan to take Metamucil 204 times a day from the moment I can have more than clear liquids in the hospital.
After the extremely painful "extraction" - it took about 4 hours for it to all finally descend and get cleared out - I felt MUCH better - the prelude was horrid. Painful, nauseating, with sweating, gut spasms... - I was still in a lot of pain. hemorrhoids are as bad as they say.
I had hemorrhoid cream - but then I developed a kind of diaper rash - awful red, painful, horrible itchy. I had my friend pick me up some Boudreaux's Butt Paste - diaper rash medicine.
For weeks it was bad enough to keep me awake at night. It would get better and worse - sitting for long periods could get bad.It also spread to my - erm - ladybits. Really more of an irritation than anything else. but damned if I could find the right combination of creams etc. to make it go away completely.
Digestion swung from normal ( I started Metamucal) to very loose and acidic (Not good on those rashy areas), and it has just dragged on.
I am ALMOST there now... hence my thoughts today on having pretty decent, almost normal conditions in the area.
I'm trying NOT to eat much white/refined sugar. It helps! I was doing great - then Hallowe'en happened. Not out of hand, but disappointing... the less I eat, the better my bowels and skin.
The hemorrhoids are receding - but there are two places where the skin is cracked and really not making enough effort to heal. Uncomfortable, but I NEED to be as wound-free as possible for surgery.
Sutter is VERY serious about their standing as having an exremely low post-op infection rate. I'm ALL for that!
SO - back to it tomorrow. BUt I ate well tonight - chicken and lots of broccoli... but a few Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. SO... I'm strong most of the time. Stoopit sugar.
-Martha
I think today was something about - well, bowels.
I was thinking that today I'm running fairly smoothly. It's been a roller coaster.
post surgery, the combination of surgery and Norco really stopped my digestive track. I didn't quite realize how bad it was until about two days hom, maybe 5 days after surgery.
then it felt like a large, sharp rock was sitting just at my colon. And it was bad - and got worse.
Pushing and straining isn't great with one new hip and one still-bad one - but it wasn't happening.
I was on: Prune juice(Warmed for faster action), Collase stool softeners, Seneca laxative, eating lots of fruit, and drinking tons of water.
All of those are supposed to deal with constipation. It wasn't happening.
I spoke with my home care nurse, described my pain and straining.
He said, "It sounds like you're pretty close to a dangerous blockage, and that is bad. Blockage means surgery - you don't want that. First, wean off that Norco ASAP! Second, take your suppositories. Third, if you have to get an enema.
You may need - and I can do this or you can - to digitally extract the stool."
I really wished I'd accepted the "Sutter COcktail" in teh hospital - milk of magnesia and prune juice, I just didn't realize I needed it! I felt FINE.
He handed me a bag full of rubber gloves. This is also my first serious encounter with hemorrhoids - (I told you it was going to be nitty gritty, but I think you should know about this aspect of surgery - this is a common problem). Believe it or not, this was the VERy worst aspect of my first surgery.
I will NOT have it happen in the second one. I plan to take Metamucil 204 times a day from the moment I can have more than clear liquids in the hospital.
After the extremely painful "extraction" - it took about 4 hours for it to all finally descend and get cleared out - I felt MUCH better - the prelude was horrid. Painful, nauseating, with sweating, gut spasms... - I was still in a lot of pain. hemorrhoids are as bad as they say.
I had hemorrhoid cream - but then I developed a kind of diaper rash - awful red, painful, horrible itchy. I had my friend pick me up some Boudreaux's Butt Paste - diaper rash medicine.
For weeks it was bad enough to keep me awake at night. It would get better and worse - sitting for long periods could get bad.It also spread to my - erm - ladybits. Really more of an irritation than anything else. but damned if I could find the right combination of creams etc. to make it go away completely.
Digestion swung from normal ( I started Metamucal) to very loose and acidic (Not good on those rashy areas), and it has just dragged on.
I am ALMOST there now... hence my thoughts today on having pretty decent, almost normal conditions in the area.
I'm trying NOT to eat much white/refined sugar. It helps! I was doing great - then Hallowe'en happened. Not out of hand, but disappointing... the less I eat, the better my bowels and skin.
The hemorrhoids are receding - but there are two places where the skin is cracked and really not making enough effort to heal. Uncomfortable, but I NEED to be as wound-free as possible for surgery.
Sutter is VERY serious about their standing as having an exremely low post-op infection rate. I'm ALL for that!
SO - back to it tomorrow. BUt I ate well tonight - chicken and lots of broccoli... but a few Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. SO... I'm strong most of the time. Stoopit sugar.
-Martha
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
A pretty good day.
Today started a bit fraught... justa slow and somewhat sore start...
but this evening has been pretty good.
I managed to get to Rite0Aid to pick up my BP Prescription ( Which I plan to wean from after surgery/chronic pain are gone and walking is back in my life.. lowest-level high BP came right along with the pain - I don't plan on taking chronic medication for no reason.)
Some good sun communication with friends, donner was good - relaxing.
I found my pink slip to get my new-to-me car (finally - two months late) registered... a GREAAT burden lifted... managed to give and receive a few good laughs and some sweet exchanges with loved ones.
Made a bit of progress planning my dear Deborah's "FUN-eral' ...
ANd if I can make it to bed in the next half hour, I'm doing OK for a night bird who needs more sleep that she normally gets.
It is four weeks from my surgery today. :)
but this evening has been pretty good.
I managed to get to Rite0Aid to pick up my BP Prescription ( Which I plan to wean from after surgery/chronic pain are gone and walking is back in my life.. lowest-level high BP came right along with the pain - I don't plan on taking chronic medication for no reason.)
Some good sun communication with friends, donner was good - relaxing.
I found my pink slip to get my new-to-me car (finally - two months late) registered... a GREAAT burden lifted... managed to give and receive a few good laughs and some sweet exchanges with loved ones.
Made a bit of progress planning my dear Deborah's "FUN-eral' ...
ANd if I can make it to bed in the next half hour, I'm doing OK for a night bird who needs more sleep that she normally gets.
It is four weeks from my surgery today. :)
Monday, November 4, 2013
Over-doing.. or not? 11/4/2013
This weekend I did some fun things.
I am trying so hard not to push myself too hard - to rest as much as possible... not overtax the still crumbling right hip and painful knee. But some thing are do it or miss it things.
I had a mostly good experience dealing with getting around disabled facilites...
Months ago, tickets went on sale for a concert my a favorite singer of mine, Portuguese Fado singer (Fadista), Mariza. My dear friend Nan and I are big fans, so I bought good tickets, the new Green Music Hall on the Sonoma State campus, in Rohnert Park. almost 2 hours' drive, but not to be missed.
Nan drove up from the Fresno area Saturday afternoon, we talked and caught up and visited, and then we were on the road )
Of course everything always takes a long time for me, but we really did get out of time in a decent amoutn of time. It took all day to plan, but it happened. There is little I dislike more than being late for a live performance, especially with my walker in tow at the moment - sneaking into a seat it not really possible when the ushers have to take and stash the walker, etc.
But - we made it into town, scoped out the hall location, grabbed a bit to eat and go to the hall about ten minutes to curtain.
Of course, I had to use the loo, and the handicapped parking spaces were, as is too often the case, prety far away from the building. The walk was really pretty taxing. Nan offered to drop me nearer to the door, and I probably should have let her, but I was concerned that she would arrive late, and that woudl be awful. So, the longer that it looked walk... then into the loo - several open stalls, and of course I had to wait for someone who was not disabled to vacate the disabled stall.
She came out, looked down at my walker and gave me that sheepish, "Oh, sorry!" look. I have lots my ability to be friendly about this particular thing. I just pursed my lips and looked at her. Perhaps it was uncomfortable enough for her to re-soncider using the stall when she has the other option. Clearly, people with chairs and walkers and other variants on limited mobility do not.
That dealt with, when we got to the lobby, we made a beeline for an usher - who happened to be the cheerful and respectful head of disabled seating services or some such! She efficiently and kindly got us to our (excellent!) seats, all the while telling us how lucky she felt to work at their beautiful (and it really is STUNNING!) hall. The seats are all wooden(With a small inserted cushion in the seat) - but incredibly comfortable! I nearly never sit for more than an hour without need some kind of stretch (whether I can get one or not). These were amazing.
Great (Amazing!) concert, and then time to go. Nan went to get her car, and the traffic directors showed her where she could drive right up to the building - designed just for handicapped pickup! Excellent!
I had though to bring a freezer pack of ice packs, and on the way home it was good to use them. It was a lot of walking and extended sitting in teh car and hall, and I was really feeling it. Getting home, I was really sore. But I slept well, being pretty worn out.
Sunday, I saw the second of three time seeing the National Theatre Live encore of Frankenstein. It is really brilliant. The two leads trade the lead roles of Victor Frankenstein and The Creature, and I wanted to see both - plus Benedict Cumberbatch is a tour de force in the role of he Creature, so I'm seeing it again next weekend. Again, a lot of sitting, but I gave myself tons of time to get there early and get a decent spot . it was worth it. I am pleased that today at work I wasn't suffering too badly.
It can't be ALL bad ;) - tonight I posted this as my Facebook Status: "Well, the kitchen has been melt-down free this evening! I made mashed cauliflower with garlic earlier with dinner - seriously delicious. Making a batch of banana paleo breakfast muffins in my new silicone muffin baking cups - they stand alone! Kinda cool. And -tasty breaky treats for a while! http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2012/04/banana-muffins-wbanana-chocolate-chip-option.html "
My concern is always, "Am I going to feel any better when the right leg gets worse? and, am I doing my left new hip damage, or just a bit of strain, when it gets sore from my overdoing,and it has to take the brunt of my weight with the weakness of the right?
It seems that the pain in the right can still come and go - yes, it is still deteriorating because it is still crumbling, but some days it's just sore, and it can improve from that. Ice still helps... heat still helps. Tylenol does too. I think I'll be able to get through this pre-op time so much better than the first.
I had been replying on Ibuprofen, and in the week before surgery, when all NSAIDS and supplements have to be cut out, Tylenol wasn't doing the trick.
Thank goodness it does, now, and I'll be able to take it up to the night before surgery. I won't have to resort to a few Norco tablets before surgery as I did last time.
Having the left hip done and just wonderful is probably 2/3 reduction in the previous pain levels.
Sometimes I have a hard time remembering/believing how terrible that previous pain level was. Especially on a bad right hip day.
But it is NEVER as bad any more.
I am at three weeks and 5 days to Surgery #2. Still stuff to do... Thanksgiving with my sister, brother, sister in law, niece and her husband and baby, and SIL's daughter and her husband and two kids shoudl be just lovely! ANd nice way to go into surgery this time - plus, there will be two holiday days (Thanksgiving). I had to take those last two days off as vacation the first time, my pain level was too uncomfortable to sit at a desk and work all day.
Patience... and needing to get some things done, like help plan and sing for my dear Deborah's memorial celebration - her "FUN-eral" as she called it. :)
moving forward.
-MK
I am trying so hard not to push myself too hard - to rest as much as possible... not overtax the still crumbling right hip and painful knee. But some thing are do it or miss it things.
I had a mostly good experience dealing with getting around disabled facilites...
Months ago, tickets went on sale for a concert my a favorite singer of mine, Portuguese Fado singer (Fadista), Mariza. My dear friend Nan and I are big fans, so I bought good tickets, the new Green Music Hall on the Sonoma State campus, in Rohnert Park. almost 2 hours' drive, but not to be missed.
Nan drove up from the Fresno area Saturday afternoon, we talked and caught up and visited, and then we were on the road )
Of course everything always takes a long time for me, but we really did get out of time in a decent amoutn of time. It took all day to plan, but it happened. There is little I dislike more than being late for a live performance, especially with my walker in tow at the moment - sneaking into a seat it not really possible when the ushers have to take and stash the walker, etc.
But - we made it into town, scoped out the hall location, grabbed a bit to eat and go to the hall about ten minutes to curtain.
Of course, I had to use the loo, and the handicapped parking spaces were, as is too often the case, prety far away from the building. The walk was really pretty taxing. Nan offered to drop me nearer to the door, and I probably should have let her, but I was concerned that she would arrive late, and that woudl be awful. So, the longer that it looked walk... then into the loo - several open stalls, and of course I had to wait for someone who was not disabled to vacate the disabled stall.
She came out, looked down at my walker and gave me that sheepish, "Oh, sorry!" look. I have lots my ability to be friendly about this particular thing. I just pursed my lips and looked at her. Perhaps it was uncomfortable enough for her to re-soncider using the stall when she has the other option. Clearly, people with chairs and walkers and other variants on limited mobility do not.
That dealt with, when we got to the lobby, we made a beeline for an usher - who happened to be the cheerful and respectful head of disabled seating services or some such! She efficiently and kindly got us to our (excellent!) seats, all the while telling us how lucky she felt to work at their beautiful (and it really is STUNNING!) hall. The seats are all wooden(With a small inserted cushion in the seat) - but incredibly comfortable! I nearly never sit for more than an hour without need some kind of stretch (whether I can get one or not). These were amazing.
Great (Amazing!) concert, and then time to go. Nan went to get her car, and the traffic directors showed her where she could drive right up to the building - designed just for handicapped pickup! Excellent!
I had though to bring a freezer pack of ice packs, and on the way home it was good to use them. It was a lot of walking and extended sitting in teh car and hall, and I was really feeling it. Getting home, I was really sore. But I slept well, being pretty worn out.
Sunday, I saw the second of three time seeing the National Theatre Live encore of Frankenstein. It is really brilliant. The two leads trade the lead roles of Victor Frankenstein and The Creature, and I wanted to see both - plus Benedict Cumberbatch is a tour de force in the role of he Creature, so I'm seeing it again next weekend. Again, a lot of sitting, but I gave myself tons of time to get there early and get a decent spot . it was worth it. I am pleased that today at work I wasn't suffering too badly.
It can't be ALL bad ;) - tonight I posted this as my Facebook Status: "Well, the kitchen has been melt-down free this evening! I made mashed cauliflower with garlic earlier with dinner - seriously delicious. Making a batch of banana paleo breakfast muffins in my new silicone muffin baking cups - they stand alone! Kinda cool. And -tasty breaky treats for a while! http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2012/04/banana-muffins-wbanana-chocolate-chip-option.html "
My concern is always, "Am I going to feel any better when the right leg gets worse? and, am I doing my left new hip damage, or just a bit of strain, when it gets sore from my overdoing,and it has to take the brunt of my weight with the weakness of the right?
It seems that the pain in the right can still come and go - yes, it is still deteriorating because it is still crumbling, but some days it's just sore, and it can improve from that. Ice still helps... heat still helps. Tylenol does too. I think I'll be able to get through this pre-op time so much better than the first.
I had been replying on Ibuprofen, and in the week before surgery, when all NSAIDS and supplements have to be cut out, Tylenol wasn't doing the trick.
Thank goodness it does, now, and I'll be able to take it up to the night before surgery. I won't have to resort to a few Norco tablets before surgery as I did last time.
Having the left hip done and just wonderful is probably 2/3 reduction in the previous pain levels.
Sometimes I have a hard time remembering/believing how terrible that previous pain level was. Especially on a bad right hip day.
But it is NEVER as bad any more.
I am at three weeks and 5 days to Surgery #2. Still stuff to do... Thanksgiving with my sister, brother, sister in law, niece and her husband and baby, and SIL's daughter and her husband and two kids shoudl be just lovely! ANd nice way to go into surgery this time - plus, there will be two holiday days (Thanksgiving). I had to take those last two days off as vacation the first time, my pain level was too uncomfortable to sit at a desk and work all day.
Patience... and needing to get some things done, like help plan and sing for my dear Deborah's memorial celebration - her "FUN-eral" as she called it. :)
moving forward.
-MK
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Halowe'en 2013
Today was Hallowe'en. At work, a goodly percentage of people dress for the occasion, and we have a potluck and a costume contest... as mentioned previously, I didn't intend to dress up. But I do get razzed a bit if I don't participate, so I though, "I'll take the advice I give others who want to dress up a little but don't have time etc... wear your pajamas! it's different that daily work wear and you'll be comfy!"
I did just that - wore a long pretty red sleep shirt I purchased for surgery #2 (As it will be during cold weather) with a satin collar and the iconic 60's "LOVE" image by Rover Indiana and ruffled sleeves, and slippers. Cute, cozy, and totally pointless.
I didn't go downstairs for the potluck - all I need right now is a gluten bomb - and I was really not feeling the "Getting around a crowded room with a walker " thing. Also, I realized, catching sight of myself in the full-length mirror, that I looked far too close too my own Post-op self. I had inadvertently costumed myself as a post-op hip replacement patient. Not my intention. No shame in it, but - too close to home-ish.
I did mention to a co-worker that, had I felt more able to get about and get crafty supplies I could have dress up the walker as something fun - he suggested a Chariot! Brilliant! My props maker's mind went to work - two stick horses attached to the front, a piece of poster board painted yellow with a fancy red border on the front, perhaps, and dressed as a Roman in a toga?
Well... Perhaps next year, if I can even stomach the idea of bringing the damn thing out when I absolutely do not need it at all any more! (Also, it is borrowed.)
 | |||
| The good news... the works pals I sit nearest love to dress up, | and they do a really good job of it! A Gypsy Fortune Teller, two Anime characters and a Killer Bee! |
So much for Hallowe'en.
I had a great night out to see the London National Theatre's live broadcast encore of "Frankenstein" with friends... Benedict Cumberbatch as the Creature, and Johnny Lee Miller as Victor Frankenstein. A brilliant telling of this classic story made fresh and new - absolutely stellar production, every inch of it, and Cumberbatch's performance is a master class in acting. Went with a big theatre group and it was splendid. A bite to eat out afterward next door, and then home by 11... but it was a little taxing.
One must choose the social over the domestic, sometimes, or just go a little bonkers staying at home. This will be a big weekend, I just have to pace myself. More on that after the fact.
Good news is, I slept pretty well, having forgotten to add a half-dose of OTC sleeping aid to my evening Tylenol/Cal-mag and amino acid dosage. Realized it as I was getting into bed, but I was feeling legitimately sleepy, so decided to go without, I slept better than I have in a while, even getting to bed late. On the way to work, I thought, "What's different?... hmmm ... eyes aren't stinging ... OH! I feel a bit rested! Well hooray for me!"
Digestion has been off for several days so I backed off added Magnesium (Taking it for bone growth, but it has the added effect of being laxative. :/ ) Seems improved.
Crossing my fingers that my pre-op bad right leg (Hip to ankle hurts most of the time, all radiant pain from the deformed/deteriorated hip) will hold out enough to get me to December 3 (Four weeks, Four days!!) still decently rested.
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