The gift opening was going to be saved for later at Jeff and Susan’s house. I was happy with my purchase of a mirrored vanity tray—very much like the one someone gave me at a bridal shower almost 60 years ago. I hope Katie can use it and remember her grandma for many years to come!
I was unsure if I would be able to make it to the shower with the back muscle spasms that have been bothering me this week. But I did it and managed to forget them for most of the time.
One was to coat the lining of my stomach to protect it from all the others. One was an anti-inflammatory drug. Two baby aspirin a day were to prevent blood clots. And then there was the Tylenol—three times a day with three 275 mg pills. Plus OxyContin which I did not take and an optional laxative.
I stopped the megadoses of the Tylenol a few weeks ago. I was not having pain and did not want to take so many of them. But I diligently took the other pills and recorded my doing so on a spread sheet lest I forget or overdose.
And ….finally the day has arrived. I am taking the last of the medications today. Tomorrow I can have a glass of wine again-or maybe even celebrate with an On the Border margarita later this week! In June, when I took the last of the 30 days of pills, my right hip started to hurt. Apparently it had been protected by the Celebrix. I have no more hips to be replaced. I hope the knees and shoulders don’t start aching! I am so glad this day has arrived!
I pushed the shopping cart which serves as a walker, but I was not in pain as I have been so many times shopping before surgery. I was very aware of my progress in recovery and very grateful.
Maybe soon I will be walking farther without the cane as I am doing in the apartment now. Maybe we can make that trip to the Princeton Art Museum that motivated me to face the surgery. Sometimes I just stop and think that I no longer have to dread the surgery—it is over and I am healing well. And I am thankful!
February 26: An important big step—literally and figuratively. I told Jennifer, my physical therapist, that today was my last day. At some point, I may get another scrip and work on my core to ease an aching back but for now, I am done with the waits and the copay which has doubled this time around and the busyness of that big facility. Jennifer is always cheerful and thanked me for allowing her to come along on my journey! The business plan for her is to have three or four patients going at one time and it seems hectic even though she is calm. I can do almost all the exercises at home with the exception of the recumbent bike. I can make sure I do some good walks outside the apartment each day. Jennifer suggested to keep hydrated and drink coconut water to prevent the RLS that continues to worry me. She said to mention magnesium to the doctor. I hope that issue will just go away and I won’t have to trouble Dr. Culp’s care team again.
I have 3 1/2 days of drugs left so that too is close to the end. The “year of the hip” is almost over!
I had my second outpatient PT session with Jennifer this morning. I have had three nights now without RLS (restless leg syndrome) and am hoping this means that whatever was causing that problem has healed. So I don’t have to contact Dr. Culp’s Care Team at POA for advice on what to do next. I am making progress in the 30 days worth of drugs—over half way through them.
Plus I have caught myself walking across the bathroom or kitchen without a cane and felt OK doing it. Jennifer checked my gait and said I could walk without the cane as long as I felt safe—better to use the cane than to be a “furniture walker.” I understand that term because I want to hang on to the counter or table when I walk without a cane.
We were not happy to learn that we owe $45 more each per month for our UHC Medicare Advantage plan. And now we have learned that our $25-40 copay has gone up to $50 copay. I mentioned this to Jennifer complaining that Trump has not cured inflation and she said not to go there and that he has done good things. I disagree completely but find it hard to understand that she must be a Trumper!
I will do another few weeks of PT although I feel I could do the exercises on my own and not have to go to that busy venue. I don’t like being there as kind and affirming as Jennifer is. I hope to cook a supper tonight for the first time really—except for the Valentine’s dinner of slow cooker lasagna that we did together. Probably I’ll ask for Jim’s help again tonight. We have had several meals from friends and family and leftovers from them as well as the slow cooker lasagna which made three meals.
I am so thankful that I got through the second surgery and am walking without pain. I was a bit haunted by the hard parts of it last night when I thought about going back and giving some suggestions to the nursing team on the survey I was asked to complete. Some nurses were very competent and kind, but in the middle of the night, two of them carried out a procedure without telling me how or why it was being done. I asked questions and was not given much of an answer except to say that no, it would not cause an infection. It was scary and I had a very hard time getting any sleep afterward.
Best to forget the traumatic parts of the operations and hospital stays and focus on the improvement—and hope there will be no need for repeat operations.
I had my last home PT appointment today and was given permission to graduate to a cane from the walker. Hoping to fall asleep a little better tonight, I decided to get some fresh air. I went down the 17 steps slowly and then walked back and forth outside our apartment on the sidewalk. Jim was right there and I took his arm for extra help.
I feel good to have made progress. I walked without pain. I didn’t hear that strange clicking in my hip as I went up and down the steps. Soon I hope to be walking without even a cane! Surgery is no small undertaking and I have had my issues but I hope we can say it was a great success.
February 14 I’ll add to this post that yesterday was another milestone. We went to Dollar Tree and I did some shopping. I am not up to a major grocery shopping trip yet; Jim did that today. But I made apple crisp for Valentine’s Day and we made slow cooker lasagna together for a special meal. I have no pain and have not even been tempted to take the OxyContin that is available to me. I do have issues with RLS—restless leg syndrome, sadly around 1 am, but hope as my body heals, that will improve too.
This morning I had my follow up appointment with Cory Weeks, one of Dr. Culp’s PAs. He asked if I had any questions and of course, I did. When I finished with them, he said, “Is that all?” Good! That didn’t make me feel bad for my concerns.
They took an x-ray and it looked good. I still don’t completely understand why the left hip was the one to hurt after surgery—something about how it was put in a stirrup and moved around when the right hip was repaired. The restless leg syndrome is because of the strain put on the muscles with surgery. I can keep taking the muscle relaxer I guess. Last night it was really a problem and I was not able to relax until it eased up—thanks to some drugs and a heating pad—borrowed from Jeff and Susan because ours died from overuse maybe!
So all good. Next appointment is April 13. So my goal is the “year of the hip” will be over by March 3. I may not be totally over all of this by that time but I am making progress.
I feel well enough to try to put out some inquiries about a way to celebrate our birthdays—they will be milestones this year.
