6 weeks in - a bit of humour

1.4 urban miles today around the small town I live in - with my walking pole and done in thirty minutes which I am really pleased with as part of the walk has a steep incline.  Leg ache afterwards but to be expected.  It's amazing what you miss around your own neighbourhood when you only drive around.  Had a good old nose in people's gardens and if the door was open inside the house too - eyes hiding behind my sunglasses.  This is why I should have been an Estate Agent - I could nose round other people's houses and get paid for the privilege !!

Started keeping count of my calories now too.  I had to, all that 3am snacking was bound to catch up at some point.  Some people are going sugar free for September, I was tempted to join them for thirty seconds but then remembered all the lovely chocolate bars I bought myself to cheer me up.  My Poor Me snacks  they are only snack size though so unless I have two it's OK.

Well it's now almost one am and not only am I wide awake, I have restless leg which has been sprayed again and again with Magnesium Spray, a sore knee and a dry tickle in my throat thanks to my dozing tablet Zopiclone.   As I'm on the dose to make a small gnat sleepy I even had a couple of beers with it tonight as it says - WARNING: drinking may increase the effect of this medicine, well it hasn't.  I'm on 3.75mg and will call my useless doctor tomorrow to see if I need a higher dose - they did say I probably would but wanted to start on the gnat dose so that I have to shell out another £8.50+ for seven days of promised sleep.  Thankfully I'm not due back at work this week or next (if I can get my certificate signed off ).  

So more AlphaBetty and poor me snacks coming up.  According to MyFitnessPal I have  178cals remaining.  I'm sure I can find them 

Well Sarah

You made my night as l sit here at 3am aa l do everynight because l cant sleep in my bed longer than 5hrs that privalage was taken from me when l had my 1sr hip replacement in dec last year l then went on to have my other hip replaced in feb this year. By this time l.think my husband was usé to sleeping in the bed himself and my cat waited on me to hit the couch every night so she could snuggle into ......yep my lap where.every paw felt like it was torturure until.she settled. I now have a fleecy blanket for her and one for me as she refused to use her bed while l am sleeping on the couch. Thing being l though 2 hips and thats me done l started of this process when l was 42 l am now 43 and will be 44 before you know it. No it did'nt just stop at my hips after l tht they were all done and dusted my knees started playing up so as my luck goes l get xrays came back with the great news l had OA in both my knee's to and they both needed replaced. So now l am 2 weeks inro my 1st knee replacement and l am here on the couch at 4am in the morning just going through the start uo of recovery for my knee and beleive me when l say l would rather have both my hips done than face the next knee replacement as somehow it is 10x more painful than the hip. I cried for the first 4 days.....all the time l was in hosoital because of the pain. No matte what pain med they fed me it took the edge of and l ended getting the morphine jags all the time l think just to shut me up bur they would never give me them during the day as l had my PT to do which with my hips seemed like a walk in the park compaired to the PT for my knee. This was pain and they pushed me so hard into doing it but l can see why they have to as your knee is so tight you can barly move it. Well l reached my 2 weeks yest and l feel a million times better than l did last week. I am still in pain and on a concoption of meds. I got my staples out today and l have an appointment in 4 weeks when he is gonna ask me if l am readyvfor my next knee. Well l am not. I need a break. Since november last year l don'rt want to be turning 44 and still be in this diffrent routine of being ill and then in recovery. My right knee if not causing any bother its not sore and it feels like there is nothing wrong with it so if l can get another year or so out it l will be ok maybe get some normality back in my life hopefully l still have my job to go back to ascl am still enployed . I just want some normality back. Maybe go a much needed holiday in may next year all going well that my mum beats this cancer she has at the moment and when she does. We are treating ourselves to a luxury villa no expece spared as after the year me and my family have had l think we deserve it.

And to all you newbies going for a hip replacement dont be scared you can do it...if l can do both 6 weeks apart and say its not that bad then you will do it no probs.

Just pray they dont say knee replacement. .....but when l say that l have had it done and an here to tell the story so l suppose we can cope with a lot. But l read Sarahs story and can relate to so much she is saying.. and like her this forum has been my lifeline through it all. .

Good luck Sarah l hope you are not looking like a penguin for a lot longer. My hips are great now having the 2 done so close together was hard going but they feel normal now like part of my body. So time is a great healer and l love my new hips no more OA pain. I cant wait to l can say that about my knee but l think l have a few weeks/months to go before l can

Laura xx

Well dragged myself to bed at 4am, not all bad though as I'm now on level 28 of AlphaBetty . Legs stopped twitching thankfully.  Was still awake at 5.20am though and my calves were really aching and to be honest I felt like I had done a few rounds with Tyson and my leg felt like it had been chopped in half - oh hang on - it has !!!!  I think I overdid it on my walk, especially the steep incline.

As I was up I started my Christmas/Birthday list and it's the same as it is every year, slippers, smellies, chilli jam but this year I have a new addition - an iPad.  I figure rather than stuff I don't want I could ask everyone to contribute towards something I actually need.  I'm on countdown already.  I love Autumn.  Walks in the leaves, stodgy hearty food, the clothes (can relax a bit with the pedicure and shaving).  

I'm up bright and early despite lack of sleep as the Window cleaners are coming today !  They just texted though to say it would be afternoon. I'd hate to get caught dribbling in my sleep on the sofa or on the loo 😦.  Maybe tonight I will be so totally knackered that my body won't have a choice but to sleep (yeah right). I may have a little doze later though when Windows have been done.

Need to do some cleaning today but other than that a day of rest is needed.  I will do a short walk to the post box though just to stretch my legs so only about half a mile on a flat surface.  Going to look at changing docs on my way past too.

Have a fantastic day everyone.  Enjoy the sunshine - we need some vitamin D

Well sarah that made me laugh l an old timer to and have had both hips replaced in dec an feb. I can relate like Fernlady to everything you say. I am 2 weeks post op for my knee replacrment know and everything is the same as going though rehab for hips but just a tad worse but you made me laugh instead of cry with the pain l am getting from my knee. I was 42 when l started this journey l will be 44 when its over as l still have 1 knee to go and thats mr got legs basucally madd off metal. Good thing being the extra weight l an carrying is all the metal inside me. And 1 hip can be 3 to 5lbs and l.have both and my hips and 1 knee so far ha ha

Laura

7 weeks in now - where has that time gone ?  So much has happened in that time, from not being able to get off the bed to go to the loo without horrible pain, to getting home and having my man change my stockings every day, from walker to crutches to one crutch and now no aid unless a long walk.  From washing in the sink or relying on mum to collect me to use her shower to now having baths when I want them.  From hardcore drugs to the occasional paracetamol.  It's been a long journey but I don't look back on it with horror I look back on it with pride.  I have come a long way and I'm almost ready to take my life back, including work.

Still not really sleeping BUT I took two dozing tablets last night (doctor would have a fit but I was desperate after one night of three hours sleep and one night of four and a half) and I slept fairly well and deeply.  Won't do it again though as a side effect was not only jiddery legs but arms too - I looked like I was having a fit.  Couldn't stop the involuntary spasms and my arms ache even today.   

I still have leg pain but Physio said it can take twelve weeks to heal - we have had our internal leg chopped off in essence so it's hardly surprising.  I can live with that though, especially when I look back at past pain levels.

I'm looking forward to Autumn, walks in fallen leaves, jumpers, jeans and socks (no - not those ones) !!, mashed potatoes, soup for lunch, no more wasps (although we have to contend with bloomin Spiders.  Why can't they be pink and fluffy with glitter on their feet and long eyelashes.  I'm sure they wouldn't be half as scary), the smell of log fires, snuggling under the duvet, decent TV programmes etc..

I'm going to enjoy my last week of not working.  Spending quality time cuddling the cat in bed, lunches out with friends, reading good books and napping when I want to.  I'm also going to try and get up and be dressed by 9am every morning no matter how much sleep I have had to see if I can get my body into a rhythm - will pop into Holland and Barratt tomorrow to see what they recommend, I think herbal it's the way forward after the amount of chemicals in my body recently.

I'm now on level 29 of AlphaBetty - being overtaken by seven year olds on a daily basis.  At least these mindless games have helped at 2am when I can sleep.  Trouble is when I do sleep I'm dreaming about the game but in a weird way like if I swipe a word left them I can sleep on my side but in I go upwards I need to lay on my back - weird.

I need to get back into the habit of doing my exercises a few times a day, I was a model patient but now I'm feeling better I've let them slip a bit.  I must set the alarm on my phone so that I'm reminded to do them - otherwise I know I'm likely to forget. 

To all the new hippies - there is light at the end of the tunnel.  It's a journey and one you can and will get through.  It's tough at times but the rewards are going to be worth it.  Be proud of your milestones, each day/week brings something new.  Wear the sox/stockings - you have been given them for a reason and they are not so bad - almost worth it for the relief when you can take them off.  Eat what you want when you want - if you fancy a doughnut at midnight eat it, your eating habits will be strange for a while as will your sleep.  Don't get too stressed by the lack of sleep, it's normal and you need to try and go with the flow (easier said than done I know).  That's what this forum is for - I use it for my nocturnal relief.  It's been a blessing to find such warm, funny and compassionate people.  

Happy Friday everyone . X X