6 weeks in - a bit of humour

Posted , 21 users are following.

This discussion has been locked due to a period of inactivity.

Six weeks on from having a part of my body sawn off and taken out to be replaced forcefully by items from the periodic table I'm doing OK but as my teacher once said (OK not once, every school report) could do better.

It's almost 3am and here I am again replying to posts on this forum, most of which won't see the light of day due to either the site being rubbish or my iPad deciding that because it's older than four years it has to stop working and shut itself off to remind me that Apple products are not for life, just a few Christmases then it's time to replace.

When I'm not on this forum I'm playing games meant for six year olds, my fave at the moment it AlphaBetty - a "fun" spelling game for really little kids.  Well I'm on level 25 and can't get past it.  Some words it actually accepts even though I'm sure they don't exist but it makes me smile as it does accept all forms of swear words so I try to do as many of those as possible just to humour myself until the iPad crashes again.

I cannot get comfy in bed.  My geriatric Persian cat who has not once sat on my lap voluntarily in the 15+ years we have had her has decided that she needs to be near my scar at all times day and night.  Very sweet apart from the fact that she takes up a fair bit of room as she has to lay at a certain angle and as she's my only child I cannot possibly move her or wake her.  When I'm laying on the sofa she gets on top of my operated hip and her full 14lb weight will contentedly purr away, again a bit sore but can't move my baby so hint at daddy having sweets for her and as she's greedy after a while she will seek him out.  Most of the time she wants to kill him and he regularly has a bitten or scratched hand/face, although to be fair he does deserve it most of the time (shouldn't cuddle so tight).

Went for a walk around town with my mum today, first time out without any walking aid and it was great for half an hour then I started doing the Pengiun walk and got a bit sore.  I'm surprised no one threw fish at me,  I do rather a good impersonation.  We then met my sister for lunch which was lovely as the sun was shining (so we had to sit in the shade because of my mums "tropical moments"wink.  I was looking forward to getting some sun on my lily white legs as they have been incased in the bloomin stockings for the last six weeks.   Anyway lunch was lovely but sitting on wooden slats didn't do me much good as when we left I had changed my walk to monkey.  I was glad to get home and rest.

That's another thing - "rest".  The week or so following my op the other half was fairly good at helping out, you know - warming up a ready meal and acting like he made Christmas dinner from scratch.  Washing up (how does it take him 35 mins to do what I can in five ?), hoovering (scaring the cat so she will take a swipe at next available opportunity) and changing my stockings.  Yep he did ALL that and still managed to do his day job.  Well now I'm doing everything again, cooking, cleaning, washing, dressing myself and I'm meant to be resting.  It's like he had an out of body experience that won't be repeated.  I'm sure he has vision that doesn't see dirt.  As I couldn't get in the bath I thought I would wait and see how long it took him before he cleaned it - well let's just say I did it around the three week mark as you could have done graffiti in the mark around the side.  Now I'm able to get in the bath again it's bliss - I won't take that for granted for at least a month.

So I'm "resting" my pain in the a*** and my aching leg in between my zoo impression walks and yes it's getting better day by day.  I now have some sleeping tablets to take to try and break the cycle of being awake at this hour playing crappy games that make me feel thick (not taking them until Monday though - it's the weekend and I prefer wine to sleep).  This forum and the amazing people have helped immensely and I couldn't imagine going through it without the support.

Anyway I know what you're all thinking - how have I managed to type such a long post ?  Well I type it into Notes then Cut and Paste into here.  Wish I'd thought about that ages ago so that I could have offered more support and a friendly ear.  Honestly the witty remarks you have all missed because of the technology crashing are such a waste.

I will put the money I'm saving by not travelling to and from work towards another overpriced iPad - oh no I won't, sorry wine, I will put it towards wine.  See can do better biggrin

Sarah X X 

15 likes, 120 replies

120 Replies

Next
  • Posted

    OG Sarah,  it is 11:30 pm here, I am sad as my 13.5 yr old dog is not doing well but your note was not for naught. You made me smile and LOL truly LOL and forget my woes for a bit. I thank you, I see you as a penguin walking, you hae made my night, you are one funny lady.  I have a thougght, get more pain pills, forget the wine and buy a new tablet, you are too funny to miss out one! xoxo thank you for the entertainent!!  Annette wishing you ( and I) some sleep.  Too funny!!razz I needed that!

    • Posted

      p.s this MAC keyboard sucks
  • Posted

    Laughter is good medicine, thanks for giving me my done for the day. Truly, the pain will get better-took me a full 3 months to feel human and walk like a homo sapien! Get a new iPad. Drink only good wine. Love those you have been given!
  • Posted

    Its just gone 6am here in England and I'm wide awake due to the heat, I'm 3&1/2 weeks post complex rthr with bone grafting (lateral) doing really well. Thank you for making me chuckle

  • Posted

    Hilarious post

    I love the parts describing husbands

    I have found that if i rest after work and stay upstairs mine will rinse a few dishes and take dogs out

    Even though we had the surgery the hubs tells all my friends when they visit how hard it is for him to make dinners

    Soooo funny

    Yes i am cleaning cooking and carrying down laundry myself

    At one month

    All the best

    Jozie

  • Posted

    Hi Sarah,

    Absolutely loved your post.Made me lol especially the bit about your other half.Mine was a real rock for 3, weeks until I started to do more.then priorities swung towards the computer and bike rides again!

    Loved to hear your positivity but also admit to aches and pains.

    Keep up the good work.Thank you.

    Janet x

  • Posted

    Oh sarah you have such a talent with words. What a brilliant piece! Such a insight into your life.

    Love to you, your poor hard done by husband 😁, your wonderful moggy and please keep them coming. Obviously you do your best work in the middle of the night so I hope you are able to get more sleep as time goes on!

    xx

  • Posted

    Sarah thank you for making me laugh, that was something I needed at the moment as I'm sitting here laid-up in chronic nerve and back pain since i had my LTHR done 3yrs ago then needed to have the Abductor and Sowas tendons cut in my groin to help improve my movement. I seem to be in more pain now and even less movement than before my LTHR, I'm so over this nerve pain from waist down to my feet it's so depressing as i was a very active woman before my accident and having the LTHR I've tried so many different medications but i react to most tho I'm still on 80mgs of Oxynorm and 400mgs of Palexia a day with minimal relief. Im 48yo and i honestly don't wanna live like this i'm so bad i need crutches to walk I'm honestly at the point that i don't wanna live anymore as the specialist say there's nothing they can do for me anymore...

    Now another Rehab specialist wants to put a Nerve Stimulating device in my back to see if that helps with the server chronic nerve pain tho his only worry is infection as now my body doesn't seem to take surgeries or medications to well my body rejects foreign things and most medications as i now have Steven Johnsons Syndrome caused by all the medications they have tried me on, so there worried about my body rejecting the device and infections. I swear i can't win nothing ever goes straight forward for me.

    Has anyone in here have the Nerve stimulating device implant surgery ?

    XOXOXO to you all

    • Posted

      So sorry to hear this, I do hope they can sort you out.  It's probably worth starting a new post to ask for advice on the nerve device.  Good luck x x x 

       

    • Posted

      Hi Sue

      Read your post and really feel for you, I have popliteal nerves damaged as a result of THR and this means lower leg and foot on same side now paralysed, originally no sensor nerves, no motor nerves. This meant also problems with walking which is the best way forward for rehab of hip, so everything slowed up considerably.

      My Spanish Surgeon had the guts to face me four days after the op to apologise and tell me about the 2% chance of this op giving nerve damage, and then said that it would take time, no idea how long, and that recovery could be full or partial or none and it would be permanent.  He emphasised that the way forward was intense physio.  I was going to sue but now as the weeks have passed, realise I admire him more for admitting the error straight away and giving me the prognosis and way forward, so although I could sue on this not being an informed decision when I signed all the Spanish forms, and being dosed up on morphine, in emergency area, I will not.  

      However, this does not mean that the pain was any less than what you are experiencing, whether it was the pain of the nerves which I cannot count how many types of pain you can get, from people touching you and you think they are smearing broken glass over you, to pins and needles, to ants in your pants, to being on fire, to being  tasered without at least the candy of a man in uniform doing it - to the best bits when the physio gets hold of you!!!

      However I am seeing tremendous improvements, although still no balance on the toes, but hopeful – had an EGM and seeing orthopaedic surgeon for explanation early September.  I cannot relate to your experience over 3 years and presume you have explored perhaps cutting the nerve if that is possible, or other drastic action.  Right now hope is keeping me going, being positivo as my physio says but in three years if I still had this pain I feel I would be right with you thinking can I go any further on this journey.  

      I think at that point you would have to say what can I do now, is my life good in other ways, different ways, does that life make me overcome the pain sometimes and in those times do I still enjoy life? Only you can answer that.

      Unfortunately, you do sound suicidal and I feel you should see your Neurologist Consultant, check he is the best you can get hold of – if not search the internet for the best and ask for 2nd opinion from him, and tell him how you feel, and ask him if there is anything he can do to stop the nerve pain, other than with pills that either have horrendous side effects or do not work.    Do not get railroaded into being someone’s guinea pig if you are the first person they have carried out the surgery on.  You need the best and, unfortunately, I believe the best could well be In London area, the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital where  they all gather different relevant specialities to do with THR and nerve damage.  You could always write to the head man there, amongst the Doctors, and ask if he would see you as a special case with all you have gone through.  My Gran always said ‘don’t ask, don’t get….. mind you when I did ask she said ‘no because you asked’  You gotta love your Grans…………

      Regards Dot

    • Posted

      Wishing u all the best

      Track your progress with us

      My smiles to u

      Jozie

    • Posted

      Sounds awful - I hope you continue to see improvements with the Physio X X 
  • Posted

    Oh Sarah loved your humorous post cheered me up specially the comments re cat lying near your scar, I am only eleven days post hip op only had those awful steel staples removed last night, relief I only have to wear the white socks for four weeks here in uk. And that's bad enough.  As for lack of sleep have been getting up at three am to make cup of tea, my pug dog wondering what's going on has my mum gone crazy. More amusing comments please. Ann

  • Posted

    Wonderful post Sarah. Even though I'm now nearly 12 weeks post-op I can relate to everything you mentioned! Best wishes on your recovery x

  • Posted

    Sarah,

    Love your post!  You are a wonderful writer ... maybe you should pen a memoir about this experience?  I'd buy it!

    Sue

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.