1. Community
  2. Operations and surgical procedures
  3. Hip Replacement

How do we spend our time while we recover?

Posted , 16 users are following.

luvinlex
luvinlex

I know this is more of a "fluff" discussion than anything else. I'm sure though, it's allowed!!  I was just curious how people spent their days while recovering? I've been bored, but then found myself watching a lot of movies and TV Series on Netflix. Also, I do my daily emailing. Walk my dog, check mail, drive to PT, run to grocery. This is pretty much how I've spent my time. Add going to the Doctor 3 times or so. I know most of you are in the UK or nearby. I wondered if there were books you especially liked? Movies? TV Series? I thought about one of those "adult" coloring books. I hear they are popular in France, more of these books are sold than regular books. Coloring, I bet is a real good way to meditate and have some quiet time to concentrate, stop your mind from visiting all sorts of other places you don't want it to go. Share anything you found to be extra good, fun or entertaining. I watched every season of Person of Interest, and all seasons of Walking Dead. Now, I'm on Blue Bloods. 

btw ~ toss in getting and paying bills! 

 

4 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

Next
  • lyn1951
    lyn1951 luvinlex

    Posted

    I love my family history, so have built some more links, sent emails, had to be careful that I didn't spend whole day on the laptop.

    Also volunteered with website, transcrbing old records onto their database, I have done transcibing of these records for some years now, and also mixed it up with transcibing for newspapers archives in australia.

    Boring for some I'm afraid but sooo interesting for me.

    I even found my own Gt Gt grandparents on a sailing ship to new Zealand in the 1860's, couldn't belive I could get that lucky, quiet emotional to see my own family listed on a ships manifest in 1860's

  • belleAUSSydney
    belleAUSSydney luvinlex

    Posted

    For the first month or so, I was a blob on the sofa watching the new Food Network channel here in Oz. 

    These days am back to doing a little freelance graphic design work and also working on my own business launch. I admit I do waste a lot of time playing games on the computer and reading the internet... I have absolutely no desire to start working full-time yet.

    I do go for at least a short walk every day when it's not raining. Need my vitamin D to keep the rest of the bones strong...

  • CelsB
    CelsB luvinlex

    Posted

    Hi there Luvinlex,

    Another Walking Dead fan here though I doubt I'll be watching the series again during my recovery.  I have the adult colouring books too to take into hospital and will be doing those.  I might watch Game of Thrones from the beginning, the whole Harry Potter series and Lord of the Rings.  I might sign up to Netflix for a month or two - there are loads of series I would like to watch and  I'm sure TV and DVDs will fill loads of my time.  I also cross stitch and read a lot.  I enjoy walking, something I have been unable to do much of, and am looking forward to gradually increasing that, especially as Spring is coming.  I feel I am having my op at the best time of the year for getting out and about.  

    I doubt I'll be sleeping well at night so I think napping will fill part of my days.  Will add to this in a week or so when I'm actually recovering.

    Cels xxx

    • luvinlex
      luvinlex CelsB

      Posted

      Cels, you will never regret getting Netflix! I have had it for years!! Stupid me, I only discovered a few weeks ago, it has television series. Now, I've watched every season of Person of Interest (114 hours?), Walking Dead, and now I'm on to another. One thing I might suggest.. Keep a Diary of this entire journey! Before, During, After. Take photos, anything you can. It's very interesting to look back at... also, who knows? You might need it for future legal matters. ( not common, but still... ) Take photos of your friends when they visit. Make sure to write thank you notes to those who have stopped by or helped in any way. You've got time to shop for some pretty notecards and stamps. Your first week home, you'll be "out of it" but that's when you'll write some of your most interesting things. From what I wrote, it seems I'm really "funny" because one night I wrote, everyone was laughing at everything I said... Can't remember what I said. Have someone photograph your incision, and look at how it improves and looks better and better as time passes. I have tried to take photos of my own scar, and it's pretty hard to do and remain discreet. Yes, this is a good time of year to be able to get out and about. I was able to hibernate during the winter... enjoyed that.
  • CelsB
    CelsB luvinlex

    Posted

    I did try it for a month free and the other one - called Amazon Prime now but it used to be called something else.  Anyway, one showed Walking Dead and the other showed Breaking Bad and I wanted to watch both so I chucked them both and signed up to Sky instead, which I still have.  There's a free site called Coke and Popcorn, shows them all but you do get some annoying pop-ups.  I use that sometimes but never click on any of the pop-ups!  Anyway, I'll see how I get on when the boredom factor kicks in.  

    Books - love historical fact/fiction - Elizabeth Chadwick, Philippa Gregory and Bernard Cornwell are my faves.  Also love Gillian Flynn and psychological thrillers, anything Dystopian - Hunger Games and such.  I also like young adult fiction (yes, really redface).

    Anyway, time to jump in the shower and get ready for my pre-op assessment.  I hope I'm okay to go ahead with my op next Thursday.

    Cels x

    • luvinlex
      luvinlex CelsB

      Posted

      Netflix has walking dead and breaking bad... Good luck to you!
    • CelsB
      CelsB luvinlex

      Posted

      It may have been Game of Thrones then, or things have changed.  I know there were two specific things I wanted to watch and one was on each site - annoying.  

      sad

  • david73016
    david73016 luvinlex

    Posted

    Have been doing a large jig saw puzzle on and off for the last couple of weeks. It's of a leopard on a rocky outcrop so the jig saw pieces are quite similar. Quite challenging. Takes me back to my youth when all kids were doing similar challenges.
    • luvinlex
      luvinlex david73016

      Posted

      I have some friends, they have a rather large kitchen. On one table is a jigsaw puzzle. When friends or visitors come by, they usually sit down and place a couple of pieces. I just thought that was cool. I don't have the patience or the room. Good luck with yours!! 
    • CelsB
      CelsB luvinlex

      Posted

      I'm a jigsaw addict!  I have problems standing up for too long and find it hard to do them sitting down as I need to be able to look down on them.  I have a fab jigsaw board that folds and zips round the edges so I can stop and start as often as I like without cluttering up my dining table.  We have a little circle of 'jiggies' so we pass them on when we've done them and then they go to the charity shop cheesygrin
    • Fernlady
      Fernlady luvinlex

      Posted

      I also love jigsaws but struggle on the floor (+ my dog would probably lie on it)! I have mine on a fold up jigsaw board thingy but I like them big (at least 1000 pieces). I might leave it out on my dining table when I've had my op. I'm planning on reading quite a lot as my OP is in June so I'll hopefully be able to sit in the garden. My OH thinks I've picked the best time as the Euros will be on! Like I've really planned my OP around football! I've also just realised that my annual Crufts trip in 2 weeks time will be my last dosed up on painkillers!
  • MichaelTN1UK
    MichaelTN1UK luvinlex

    Posted

    Morning – another great thread! It is always fabulous to have series recommended as it saved hours trawling through the mass offering. And reading all the various news feeds on line is seriously depressing.

    Netflix has been a real life saver. I have loved watching Lie to Me (about micro expressions that give away our real thoughts). Then there is Death in Paradise (a charming, easy-watching detective series) and Louis Theroux Weird Weekends, but to name a few. 

    I have 8 days to go before my 6 week check (and, hopefully, my licence) so I am now starting to scrape the barrel of obvious viewing. 

    What would we have done without the world wide web?

  • Kate53CornUK
    Kate53CornUK luvinlex

    Posted

    I am just coming up to my 2 weeks post-op blob on the sofa. I have watched films and series, day and night, and often twice as I've fallen asleep in the middle! I am a constant fiddler and have a little business making fabric goods so have spent time making bespoke Cornish fairies and my new addition 'red herrings'. I love hand sewing but am dying to get back to my sewing machine.

    I am taking a walk every afternoon now but am banned from getting up to see my chickens who live at the top of the garden which is on the side of a hill.

    I keep in my head that everything is transient and in another 4 weeks I will be driving again and getting back to a bit of normality.

  • rose0000
    rose0000 luvinlex

    Posted

    For the first two weeks, I simply rested and watched Ramsay's kitchen nightmares USA and read the papers and listened to music. I did not feel like reading books which is a life long passion of mine. Ramsay made me laugh out loud which was good for the spirit! Decided to watch anything that made me laugh out loud, so worked my way through lots of comedies and funny films (not all were that funny!) but it was good for the soul,  it was such a wonderful release. I enjoyed the cocooned feeling of being inside and looked after. I did my exercises slowly and made it a goal to achieve something new every day no matter how small (I am still doing this) I believe this stopped me from feeling fed up.

    By week the end of week two and into week three it was christmas and we had friends and family to stay. I went to the royal opera house to watch the nutcracker, which was so beautiful and such a personal achievement. I tried to do things I didn't think I could, and stretched my achievements.

    By week four I was looking after my children and the house on my own, animals etc. It was very tiring in the beginning, but they looked after me as much as I looked after them. I found driving very liberating after the first week of nerves, it made me feel normal and free.

    Week six I started my exercise programme of cycling and intense physio, walking and getting better and stronger. It is still on going.

    I spend my day during term time for the moment, I exercise for at least an hour every day, I see friends, walk my dogs and am in the process of a spring clean. As I am limited with how much I can do, I can only do a room at a time, but I am getting there with the whole house. I also conserve energy so I can take care of the children and have the energy and patience to take care of them properly in the evenings. 

    I am planning to go back to work after easter, but will continue with my fitness plan daily. I don't intend to rush back to my 'old life' though, as I don't feel ready for some things (busy museums, parties, dinner parties or very busy places) I don't know when I will feel ready for a busy shopping centre or a packed gallery after not being able to shop or walk around for so long (I could barely walk pre op) but I don't care about this so much I am just grateful to be where I am.

Back to top
Next

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.