THE BOTTOM LINE FOUR DAYS OUT FROM MY HIP SURGERY

 A FILE PHOTO FROM LAST WEEK

Upon reading over my Thursday post I felt the first paragraph was a bit strong and I could and should have worded it better.  But, it was how I felt at the time I wrote it.  I have to keep foremost in mind that everybody's experience with this kind of thing is going to be different.  Some will have more difficulty than others.  Different people, different methods, different hospitals, different personnel, different Doctors, and different circumstances all make for different results.  And, I think there is a difference between a total hip replacement and some kind of hip injury whether it be major or minor.

Okay, so how did Thursday go you might ask.  One word.....Good:))  Some soreness which is to be expected but no sharp shooting pains at any time.  Of course, I am taking things very slow and carefully.  

 KELLY CHECKED MY SURGERY SITE THIS MORNING AND WITH NO GREEN BLOOD OOZING OUT I GUESS MY MARTIAN SECRET IS STILL SAFE

Being the type of person who prefers to do as much as I can by myself I come at this whole thing from that perspective.  If I drop something on the floor I will go find my 'Grabber Stick' and pick it up rather than have somebody pick it up for me.  I also see that sort of thing as a necessary and welcome snippet of extra exercise.

 PUTTING ON CLEAN UNDERWEAR THIS MORNING AND NOTICE HOW SWOLLEN MY LEG IS

 NEXT COMES MY JAMMY BOTTOMS

My biggest post-operation fear is of carelessly falling so I am extremely cautious in every move I make.  I well remember the terrible pain in the recovery room and at my first physio and I don't want to ever have to experience anything like that again.  A painful fall would result in an emergency ambulance ride and a grinding hospital stay with more surgery likely.  There is no way I want that to happen.

My sturdy walker at the moment is my best friend followed closely by my 'Grabber Pick-Up Stick'.  When moving around I try to think two or three moves ahead to where I'm going and things to do along the way.   I find it kind of a fun challenge to figure out different ways of having to do things.  

 BESIDES PHEEBS, HERE ARE TWO OF MY BEST PALS AT THE MOMENT.....MY WALKER AND MY GRABBER PICK-UP STICK WHICH BY THE WAYS HAS TWO TINY MAGNATES FOR PICKING UP DROPPED SCREWS AND NAILS

I concentrated most of my efforts Thursday on simply walking, and today I began concentrating on my exercises.  I was able to get my leg up onto and off the bed with no pain and I was able to work my way through my exercises with no short sharp pains.  I have some slight soreness but keep in mind I  am still taking a pain pill (percocet) every 6 hours.  Thursday night I had a good sleep with minimal discomfort. 

ON MY BED WORKING ON MY EXERCISES AND YES THOSE ARE PRESSURE STOCKINGS I HAVE TO WEAR FOR TWO WEEKS TO PREVENT BLOOD CLOTTING IN THE LEGS

 PHEEB WANTED SO MUCH TO GET UP ON THE BED WITH ME BUT SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE STRENGTH TO JUMP THAT HIGH ANYMORE

Before surgery, it was hard to know where I would be sleeping or sitting when I got home after surgery.  It has been trial and error seeing what fits and feels right.  What's good and not so good quickly made themselves evident so here is what we have come up with.  With the aid of strategically placed pillows, I am happy to say I am still sleeping quite comfortably in my good old living room recliner.  With pillows built up, I can also sit in my sunroom recliner to read as well.  We temporarily replaced our desktop computer chair on wheels with a steadier 'no wheels' chair and that is working well too.  And it goes without saying that a raised toilet seat has made things much easier in the washroom.

I KNOW MY LIVING ROOM RECLINER LOOKS WONKY BUT IT WORKS

One thing that has been a bit of an unexpected challenge has been to keep all the new meds straight.  When to take what pill and trying to remember what pill to take when.  It was Kelly to the rescue on this one as she soon organized all that.  And, speaking of Kelly, she has been doing a superb job despite the inclement weather of keeping all the birds, squirrels, and bunnies in our front yard fed.  I had worried about that. And today in this stone cold weather she even managed a trip to Goderich for prescriptions and blood work.  

 KELLY'S PILL MANAGEMENT FOR ME

Pheebs has been sticking to me like glue.  She was so happy to see me when I came home Wednesday afternoon and I was so happy to see her as well.  We are a pair of inseparable best Pals.  The only problem we are having is that I am unable to bend over and rub her tummy every day or give her her daily scruffles, squiggles, smooches, and hugs.  She's trying her best to understand why I am clomping around the house with a big aluminum tube Mossmagator in front of me. 

 PHEEBS LIKES TO STAY BY MY SIDE

Now, a question was posed to me a couple days ago that went something like this, "if you had to do this painful hip surgery all over again, would you do it?"  I had to hesitate for a few seconds with my answer.  There was no resounding yes or no but comparing my pre-op condition and future to my post-op condition and future there is no doubt I made the right decision.  Pre-operation, my future mobility was grim.  Post-operation, my future mobility has a bright outlook again.  So, the bottom line as of right now four days out from my hip surgery is, I'm doing fine:))))) 

KELLY TOOK THIS PHOTO AND MADE ME PUT IT INTO THE BLOG

Al's Music Box:)) Wagon Wheels The Sons of the Pioneers are one of the United States' earliest Western singing groups. Known for their vocal performances, their musicianship, and their songwriting, they produced innovative recordings that have inspired many Western music performers and remained popular through the years. Since 1933, through many changes in membership, the Sons of the Pioneers have remained one of the longest-surviving country music vocal groups.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A journalist assigned to the Jerusalem bureau takes an apartment overlooking the Wailing Wall. Every day when she looks out, she sees an old Jewish man praying vigorously. So, the journalist goes down and introduces herself to the old man.  She asks, "You come every day to the wall. How long have you done that and what are you praying for?" The old man replies, "I have come here to pray every day for 25 years. In the morning I pray for world peace and then for the brotherhood of man. I go home have a cup of tea and I come back and pray for the eradication of illness and disease from the earth."  The journalist is amazed. "How does it make you feel to come here every day for 25 years and pray for these things?" she asks.  The old man looks at her sadly. "Like I'm talking to a wall".

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- My wife said she wanted to see "Fifty Shades Of Grey".  So I showed her a picture of her hair.

- What's the difference between toilet paper and curtains?  I don't know.  So it was YOU!

- What's the difference between roast beef and pea soup?  Anyone can roast beef.

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A woman phoned her dentist when she received a huge bill.  "I'm shocked!" she complained.  "This is three times what you normally charge."  "Yes, I know," said the dentist. "But you screamed so loudly, you scared away two other patients."

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