I’m Ready to Get my Life Back!

 

My “support person” and “coach” who has been 
Wonderful through this whole process!

I called United Health Care this morning and learned that I have unlimited physical therapy appointments available with a $25 copay.  So that will not be a reason to end PT!  But I felt yesterday that I was able to do almost everything at home without having to go in to the busy site two or three times a week.  So tomorrow I will talk to Jennifer about a plan going forward.  My suggestion will be to check in once a week for a while and I will see what she has to say.

Plus I am counting down the number of pills I have to take daily.  There are five days worth left of the anti-inflammation pill.  There are about the same of the 81 mg aspirin for clot prevention.   I have cut back on Tylenol taking two at night only instead of the nine originally recommended. So I have felt free to have a small glass of wine again with supper or happy hour.  

I am walking with the walker in the house but beginning to walk without it.  I have figured out how to avoid the early morning deep pain in my hip by getting out of bed and walking around a few times during the night—a few trips to the bathroom or kitchen has been enough for the last three mornings.  May it continue!  I had to figure that out on my own—when the PA offered another opioid (which I have successfully avoided!) and PT agreed that I needed to cut back on the exercise when it was making things worse.

My life has been consumed with this surgery since March 3 when I asked Dr. Delacruz what to do and he sent me for the x-rays which were diagnosed as “severe arthritis in left hip.”  I am eager for a more normal life!

May 29. Jennifer thought once a week check-in would be great for PT so that is what I will do from now on.  Progress!  

May 30. And more progress!  We went to Target together and got all our favorite Target bargains.  It was no harder than usual pushing a shopping cart.  I was glad to be home again but I always am after a big shopping trip.  And it was one more big step towards our normal lives.  

May 31 And another step forward.  I shopped at McCaffrey’s with Jim today—our regular Saturday shopping trip and I did it.  Always happy to be back in car sitting down again but we did it together.  Not sending Jim alone.  Hooray!

June 3. No more morning and evening drugs to take and record.  Progress!  Jim says I am “bustling about in the kitchen” more—not a lot but taking charge of meals more.  

June 12. It has been six weeks since surgery so I no longer have to sleep on my back which I did not do or keep a pillow between my legs if I sleep on my side.  I substituted a rolled up blanket but will be so glad not to do that any more either—always readjusting it if I turned over.

  The bad part about no more drugs (including Celebrex) is that my right hip started hurting and I can’t bear the thought of another surgery.  I am taking two Aleve a day and hope that helps.  I fell two days ago again—for no good reason which also concerns me.  I was plugging in my phone and found myself on the floor.  With difficulty Jim got me sitting in a chair and then up and around again.  I need to do those chair exercises and strengthen my legs! 

July 4 I have celecoxib to take once a day and I was cautiously optimistic for three days and now not so much again.  I dread the idea of another surgery but that may be the answer.  No decision needs to be made tonight!  

July 14 I had a two month follow up appointment at Princeton Orthopedics today.  I had told them earlier and gotten an OK that I would also ask about my right hip.  Cory, the PA, checked my mobility and said yes, the left hip was great and the right hip was not.  He went to check my x-rays and get Dr. Culp.  We felt good about the care and advice we got which was to try a cortisone shot and if that doesn’t work, then consider surgery again.  The risk for me is that cortisone is a problem when one is pre-diabetic which I am but Dr. Culp said that was less risky than long term use of the Celebrex.  He said to get the shot and then be real careful about diet for a while.  So that is the plan for now.  July 22 will be the next appointment for the cortisone shot with a different doctor in the same office.  I am glad to do something because my mobility is not good and I would like to walk with greater ease again.  

July 16. A very strange thing is that I have become aware that I do not need a hair cut two months after my last one.  I googled surgery and hair growth and yes, the trauma of surgery can stop hair growth.  This concerns me a lot, but at least it is not falling out or thinning.  I guess I am saving money but it is scary how one thing can affect another.  I hope it returns to normal soon.  If not, I am not sure who to ask for help.  Guess I would start with my primary care practice.  One more reason to be glad I don’t have another surgery scheduled..  

Dr. Katie Vanderkam

 We celebrated Katie’s graduation with a cookout at Jeff and Susan’s place today.  There were more than 20 of us with all of the VK family, Susan’s dad and sister, and good friends Michael and Roxanne and their children.  And Katie’s partner Eli and Michael’s friend Allie were there too.  It was so nice that Dan and Alex and all seven of the Conways made the effort to come to honor Katie.

Susan made one of her beautiful cakes and Jeff fixed chicken, burgers, and brats.  We contributed deviled eggs (Jim and I boiled and peeled 8 eggs) and some beer.  There was room for all of us on their spacious deck.  

We watched the hooding ceremony from our own living room.  That was far easier for me than parking a car and walking a long way.  Closer to bathrooms too!  We were thrilled to hear Katie’s name and see her honored.  

Then last night Jeff and Susan treated 12 of us to dinner at Metro North.  It meant a bit of a wait but Susan asked for a chair for me—as always, taking care of us!  I had the idea of toasting Jeff and Susan so Jeff quieted everyone down enough for my “speech.”  And I did it—and was happy to do it in front of their children, Eli’s parents, and Charles and Leigh.  I think it went over just fine!  

Three Princeton PhDs

26 years ago!

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Three Weeks Post-Surgery

 

After four weeks of abstinence!

Today is a milestone of sorts.  It has been three weeks since my hip replacement surgery and I am glad these three weeks are over.  I had another PT session with Jennifer at the outpatient site today and have three more scheduled for next week.  I may have to call United Health Care to see how many more they will pay for.  

Jennifer is so glad I had the surgery.  She remembers me being in more pain than I remember.  I do know that I could not even get my left foot into the pedal on the bicycle and now I have cycled for five minutes and the five minutes did not seem endless.  She stressed that recovery is a process and is not to be hurried.  She says my gait is so much better with the walker and it is best to continue to use it for now.  The pain I had in the early mornings was probably a result of doing too many exercises.  The best exercise is walking she said and I hope to take the walker outside again—if it ever stops raining.

I am learning that one gets mixed advice.  Shilpa said to put away the walker and the cane and get back to normalcy.  Jennifer says not to rush the process.  Monica said do not use the heating pad for relief of pain.  Jennifer says at this point, whatever helps is fine—and the cool pack was just too cold in the early morning hours.  It is a relief not to have to wear the compression stockings and to use the Spirometer several times a day.  I think I am past the concern for clots and pneumonia and infection.  

I have a three month appointment with Dr. Culp on July 14.  I have about ten days left of the many drugs I was assigned and will be very glad not to have to be checking them off every morning and evening.  I have not needed the OxyContin or at least I resisted taking it.  I have cut back on the Tylenol and thus have felt freer to have a small glass of wine with supper the last few nights.  I hate to think of all the medications my body has had to tolerate.

I am supposed to sleep with a pillow between my legs for six weeks.  We have substituted a rolled up blanket which is not as thick.  I find this uncomfortable and will be glad to have the freedom to sleep in whatever pose feels right at night—or in the wee hours of the morning.  

Jim has helped me with dressing—particularly getting socks on—and has helped me get in and out of the shower.  I have not needed the shower seat and will return that to Jeff and Susan.  Jim continues to help with household tasks and has taken the lead in many of them.  

I have been grateful for Jim’s kind and patient help.  I have been grateful for friends who have expressed concern and brought food and flowers.  I feel more a part of our church as staff and friends there have been in touch.  Dr. Culp said a full recovery would take three months and when I feel a bit discouraged, I have to remember I have made a lot of progress. 

We have several celebrations to enjoy next week with Katie’s graduation from Princeton with her PhD.  I have said on campus events may be too much for met yet but we will happily participate in a cookout and a restaurant dinner.  

May 24. Another major milestone.  I went grocery shopping with Jim today at Trader Joe’s and did well.  It was no more overwhelming than it usually is and we left with almost $150 worth of our bargains and favorite TJ items—coffee, almond coffee cake, a few new frozen items, not a lot of wine with my post-surgical abstinence, graduation cards, gluten free muffins to host the Moorheads for coffee, cheeses, etc. 

A note on the big margarita!  I had ordered a smaller one and the waiter said he would just charge us for that.  So I had to resist drinking the whole thing and I did.  The waiter asked if we wanted a to go cup.  I was amazed that was possible and so agreed to it!  It did not taste as good the next night!

May 27. I went to PT today and felt like it is time to quit that too.  Jennifer has so many clients at the same time.  I think I could do my exercises at home just fine except for the bike.  I will call United Health Care to see how many they are willing to pay for and that may give me a quitting motivation. 

Plus, through trial and error, I think I have found the answer to my early morning pain.  Two nights ago I made a few trips to the bathroom and the kitchen, and had no pain in the morning.  So last night, I I intentionally made a few outings from the bedroom and again, had no pain this morning.  If that is all it takes, I can do that.  I am restless enough at night.  I went right back to sleep each time.  And it was such a relief not to call Jim for the cool pack and to take more Tylenol.  Maybe I am getting ready for life post-surgery more and more!  

Recovery Continues

Again TMI for my readers, but it is good for us to remember this weeks-long process.

 Last night was the first night in a week that I did not call Jim to the guest bedroom to get me a cool pack for my intense hip pain.  It has been happening anytime from 3 am to 6 am.  I eventually go back to sleep after using the cool pack and taking Tylenol but it was quite painful.  I hope that this means whatever was happening is healed and will not happen night after night.

I am trying to walk in the apartment without the walker or a cane—and getting back to normalcy as Shilpa, my home PT, suggested.  But I am very uneasy after a year of using the cane and several weeks with the walker.  Shilpa pointed out that I had walked 78 years without assistance and it was time to go back to that.  She even had me walking outside—going down our 17 steps normally too—not one at a time.  Shilpa is tough!   But I can see after these five sessions with her that she had a plan of each time gradually getting me to stop using my aids and moving on my own.  I do wonder however if my skipping exercises yesterday was the reason I had no pain last night.  I will give myself today too—Sunday—as a day of rest and see if it is another pain free night

Then back to Jennifer, my PT at the outpatient facility,  on Monday.  It will be interesting to see what she has me do.  I wonder if I will be able to do the bicycle that I absolutely could not do pre-surgery.  

I just looked over the long list of medication printouts that were in the Meds to Beds bag we were sent home with from the hospital.  There are so many possible side effects but I have had none.  We are supposed to get rid of the OxyContin in a safe way—I am glad I avoided using it.  They charged Jim $38 for the whole bag of drugs—reasonable enough and very convenient to avoid having to make trips to CVS right away.  

Yesterday Jim dropped me off at the entrance to the library, parked the car in the parking deck, and joined me to help me find several books on the shelves along with the requested book they had for me.  He had previously said that if that was enough of an outing, he would bring me home and get groceries on his own.  It was enough!  I was glad to go home and rest.  It is a process of re-entering the world from the confines of a hospital room and then our lovely apartment.  

May 19. I am home after my outpatient physical therapy visit with Jennifer.  I am pleased that I was able to do the bicycle for the five minutes set on the timer so that is progress.  I had trouble getting my left foot even on the pedal pre-surgery.  However, Jennifer said my gait is much better with the walker and that once you develop a limp, it is hard to get rid of it.  So.. back to the walker.  And no assigned exercises because my early morning pain was non-existent when I gave myself Saturday and Sunday off from the exercises and longer walks.  She said I needed to give my body more time to heal.  Fine with me if I can avoid that early morning pain and any opioids. Right now I am very tired from the effort of getting to physical therapy and doing what she suggested.  

We got a statement from the cardiologist’s yesterday.  We owed $40 co-pay but the entire bill was $7884!  Between insurance coverage and adjustments that was all we owed.  I hope the surgeon’s bill, the hospital bill, and the anaesthesia  bills are similar.

May 20. Jim reminded me that Dr. Culp said recovery from surgery takes three months.  I am not even one month into that yet.  Most of the pills are for 33 days so I have 13 days to go there and will be very glad to not be taking so many each day and recording them.  I did not wake up with early morning pain—for the three days now so that is very good. Even though I used the bike and did some exercises at PT yesterday.   I can be patient about using the walker.  Eventually I will walk without aid and if not, so be it!  

A Reminder to be Thankful!

I am reminding myself that two weeks ago I was dreading surgery and now it is over and I am recovering well enough.  I am ready for a life that is not measured by medication recording and physical therapy exercises.  But except for early morning pain (very early—5:30 or 6:30 am) I have had little pain and I am walking with a cane not a walker. 

I have written before how thankful I am for Jim’s patient and loving care.  I am also thankful for friends who have brought food and called and stopped by.  We moved here almost six years ago and it is no small blessing to have made new friends here when we left so many friends back in South Bend.  A friend brought me chocolates.  Another friend made us the best chicken soup I have ever had—and it was enough for two meals.  Other friends came by yesterday to visit and brought wonderful scones and flowers. Still other friends from years ago with whom we were able to renew friendship brought a chicken pot pie from McCaffery’s —again enough for two meals.

We left a small church in South Bend where we knew everyone and knew we would be cared for by them.  But this week has been one in which two staff people from our large congregation here in Princeton have called to see how I was dong—and I have received a few cards.  We have found a church home here too.

Plus Jeff and Susan always make us feel welcome in Princeton.  They brought Olive Garden take out for Mother’s Day and that too made two meals.

I am weary from not sleeping all that well and from knowing I have to meet up with my home physical therapist’s standards this afternoon.  I am tired of choking down so many pills and still have 20 days to go for most of them.  But I need to remind myself to be thankful for progress and for people who have helped and encouraged me along the way.  

May 15 I left a message at Dr. Culp’s office about my early morning pain.  The PA tried to call me back but my phone sent it to voice mail as an unknown caller.  Jim googled in Safari as to how to fix that and I hope we did.  I left messages back for the PA twice but have no answers.  That is frustrating and I hope for a better night tonight—it was a wake-up at 3 am with pain that made the rest of the night difficult.

But on a positive note, Shilpa, my home PT, said to put the walker away and walk without the cane.  She had me doing 8 laps around the dining room table without an aid.  She also had me going up and down the 17 steps in a normal fashion—not one step at a time.  I feel very uncertain about the walking and will have to build confidence.  The steps were really OK—hanging on to a railing makes that secure.  

May 16. Cory, the PA at Princeton Orthopedics, called back this morning and reassured me that my pain is normal—after exercise all day and putting weight on that leg when I lie down and rest, the pain occurs.  I could get a stronger pain medication if I wish but I will hold off on that.  I feel at peace about his call.    Although I do not feel as much at peace when my hip hurts deep inside the bone at 4:30 am!  It is as if it is telling me to get that artificial joint out of there!  But I have no pain all day long so that is so good.

The Routine of Recovery

 

Chicken soup from friends!

I lay in bed this morning and thought about my day realizing that my only task was to do my hourly exercises and my twice a day exercises.  It was not a thought that made me bounce out of bed!  Plus taking morning, noon, and nighttime medications.  And making the effort of taking a shower sitting on the shower seat and knowing it is past time for a shampoo—which I think I will do at the kitchen sink.

Yesterday, Shilpa, my home physical therapist for two weeks, came and did my first session.  She adjusted my walker, gave me lots of work to do, and was not easy on me!  But that is her job.  She will come back later this week.  My work with children with learning disabilities has made me think about skills like auditory and visual memory.  I have realized that I don’t have the skill of a good motor memory.  It is hard for me to remember exercises so when she comes again, I will need correction I am sure.

Jim and I had our first date 63 years ago.  And now it has come to his getting my compression stockings on in the morning and helping me take my shower and get dressed.  How thankful I am for his help.  He has been so patient and loving and I am grateful!  

Home Again!

Again, this post is TMI for my readers but it is my way of remembering events in our lives.  And hip replacement surgery has been the major event in my life since March 3 when I asked my primary care provider what I could do for my arthritic hip—and the journey started with an x-ray that afternoon. 

We were awake early on Thursday—I slept very little—so we got to the hospital early and were ready for the 10:20 surgery easily.  Being wheeled into the operating room was the one moment I felt a bit of panic.  It was cold and large and I felt like a piece of meat put on a slab to be cut up.  I don’t remember anything of the anesthetic and woke up in recovery where there was a very kind nurse Kathy and many beeping machines. I didn’t have a lot of pain but that was the one time they gave me OxyContin.    I could see a bit of blue sky and that comforted me.  I was very eager to see Jim and it wasn’t long before they wheeled me to Room 207 where we could be together.  Dr. Culp was in the hall and walked with us there.  He said everything had gone well and that he had done some extra work for my hip bone to prevent breakage. I asked how many surgeries he did that day—and it was six!  

My cheeseburger tasted great for supper.  Jim stayed with me until almost 9 pm.  The night nurse Sydney was very kind and allowed me to stop the compression stockings which were driving me crazy with their off and on modes.  A physical therapist got me up and walking a bit but I was quite dizzy.   It was a long and uncomfortable night knowing that I was supposed to be on my back which is not my way to sleep ever!  Eventually I disobeyed and turned to my side and got a little bit of sleep.  

There were endless pills to take and “vitals” to be checked.  On Friday morning a physical therapist came again and walked me down the hall with my walker to make sure I could do steps and get in and out of a car.  That was not difficult for me to my relief.  An occupational therapist came also to teach me how to safely get dressed and put on socks and shoes without bending over.  The sock gadget that came with the hip kit (from Amazon) was tricky so I tried it twice with her guidance—but I still am not sure I can do it on my own. Jim helped me this morning instead—putting on compression stockings to prevent blood clots 

There were some problems for me with urinary retention due to the spinal anaesthetic.  The nurses did several bladder scans but eventually they decided the issue was not bad enough to keep me at the hospital or need a catheter.  Thank goodness!  The last hour was endless as we were ready to go and there was some delay in processing the forms.  But finally the wheel chair arrived and John wheeled me out.  And Jim was waiting at the hospital entrance. 

Home!  To watch Washington Week  and the Mets.  We had a simple supper of bacon and cheese on English muslins and fruit.   I was not hungry.  I had a better night of sleep in which I called Jim twice on the phone from our second bedroom to supervise my bathroom trips.  

I have made a sheet of pill monitoring because there are so many to take for the next 30 days. No alcohol for 30 days either.  I hope to avoid the really strong pain medication of OxyContin and so far I think I can.  Jim helped me with my shower using a shower seat that came from Jeff and Susan’s attic.  

Jim will go to get groceries by himself as I will continue to rest and ice my poor hip.  I was somewhat uncomfortable during the night and at times in some pain but it could be a lot worse.  It’s a different pain than pre-surgery pain.  

It’s over!  I was so apprehensive and I hope I will not have to do it again for the right hip which is also arthritic but not as bad.  Almost without exception, the medical staff and support staff were kind.  Just one person was abrupt with my fumbling attempts to get in and out of bed and using the toilet.  She also was hard on her aide trainee.

Ah, there is joy in using the toilet without someone waiting to help me walk to and from the bed.  There is joy in brushing one’s teeth and just now taking a shower.  The joy of being home again and thankful that the 17 steps to our apartment were not difficult.  I hope and pray the recovery will proceed normally with no danger of infection or blood clots or a lot of pain.  I hope this will all be worthwhile if I can walk without a walker or cane and enjoy less arthritic pain and more mobility.  

One Day to S Day!

 I hope and pray that tomorrow at this time I will be in my private room at the hospital having gotten through the surgery and starting my recovery.  Maybe I will have gotten on my feet and walked to a bathroom.  Maybe I will get a meal.  I hope I will be not in a lot of pain and I hope I will be lucid!  I hope Jim will be at my bedside.  So I just need to get through the next 24 hours!

I was very happy to get a phone call from the hospital even before the 12-6 time slot when they said they would call with the time of surgery.  That had worried me.  What if it got to be 6 pm and I didn’t hear from anyone?  Then what?  But the time is 10:20 with arrival at 8:20.  This is good—not too early and not so late that fasting will be difficult.

We decided to make a trial run to the hospital to find the East Entrance and the P1 Parking Lot.  We did so easily.  

Now for a shower and the anti-biotic wipes we have to use all over my body.  There are six of them and six illustrations of which body parts are for each one.  Apparently one feels sticky afterwards.  I am not looking forward to this and wonder why this is needed.  But I will comply.  Then I will pack a bag and as that always stresses me when I travel, I wonder too what I must have with me.  I am making a list and adding to it as I think of things—ear plugs, for example!  

No food after midnight.  Drink lots until 6:20 and then no more.  I don’t think I will stay awake to drink.  I hope I get some sleep tonight in spite of my stress but if I don’t, they will put me to sleep in the operating room.

I have been thankful for my friends who are praying for me and for a couple of friends who have offered meals.  I thought of a friend who went through chemotherapy and surgery and said she envisioned all those who were praying for her standing in the room as she went through each procedure.  I hope I can do the same.  That should be encouraging.

I wrote a note to Joe, the owner of the salon, who cut my hair for me.  A good haircut makes me feel confident going into the hospital-