This week was characterized by highs and lows. There were some very
discouraging and disappointing things, but also some very exciting things. I knew last weekend that this was going to be
an interesting week (challenging or difficult would perhaps be more precise
adjectives, but as always, trying to be positive).
I started out the week very discouraged and really struggling as
my body (especially neck, back, bad shoulder, arms, hands, "good" hip) was just done even trying to move with crutches but I was still
non-weight bearing. For someone who does not like to be still, it was
hard to have a body that did not want to move at all. Then, I found out that I
got to try walking without crutches!
And, it went well enough to get to use only one crutch for a few days
then down to no crutches later in the week at home. (I still have to have one crutch when out and
around.) I was so excited and relieved! My body is also relieved at the reprieve!
New things I have discovered that I can do
in the past week include putting on socks and tying shoes! (Maybe not in normal
ways yet, but I can at least get them on!)
I am back to walking in the pool, PT
exercises in the pool and loving being in water. I have also practiced
walking up and down stairs in the pool. The walking and stairs practice
in the pool has made walking and stairs on land much easier. Because I can
now stand on both feet, I am also back to some of the other exercises I was
doing before surgery that help with managing the other chronic pain plus keeping
up overall flexibility and strength. It
feels really good to be gradually shifting ever closer to pre-op normal routines. I am also finally able to get back to some of the other therapies and resources and with their aid starting to make more progress with the neck, back, and shoulder pain issues.
There were some disappointments this week. I had the opportunity to get a ride back to
Nebraska to see family. I have not been
back since Christmas break. However, the
consensus was that as challenging as I had found sitting through class the
previous week, that travel this soon was maybe too early and more of a
concern. So, I made the hard choice to
stay home rather than risk a setback. I
then ended up sleeping 12-13 hours both nights and figure my body needed the
rest of a weekend at home doing nothing other than sleep and PT exercises (or
that is what it felt like I did the entire weekend).
Those who know me, know I like to be independent and test
limits. I am and have been as compliant
as I know how to be. However, the disappointment
of having to stay home this weekend led to pushing against all other limits
that fell under what I considered to be “safe” limits to push against. So, I worked on campus both morning and afternoon
Friday, was right at the maximum time limits for all of the exercises thus
far. (Maybe exceeded maximum times a
little—mostly on accident, but possibly not being as
careful of time as usual.) I want so
badly to exceed some of the other limits and know my body can and almost 100% certain the hip can also handle it
but because I was told very clearly what that limit was, I am still observing
it, but right at it, never under it. (Note (8/7/16): this was written Friday and since
then I have quite unintentionally exceeded limits a few times. I use my phone as both stopwatch and timer
and intentionally use a timer to prevent exceeding the time limits I have been told
to observe. Except, my phone had issues
so I restarted it and it forgot it was timing and it did not occur to me to
check—oops. No idea how long I was on the bike but know it was longer than the
limit. Then, got a phone call later and
knew the timer was set and running so thought I was ok. Except that when the timer went off while on
the phone, it sounded the same as incoming text message so I ignored it and ended
up significantly exceeding time limit. Oops. Another
time, I started the timer but it seemed like a really long time so checked—and for
some reason the timer had not ever started.
Oops. So, moral of the story is,
I do know with 100% certainty that my body and hip both can handle longer times. I will dutifully go back to staying within limits
but will also be communicating by how much I accidentally exceeded limits and
see if limits can be increased again.)
Something that was a concern before surgery and is still a concern
is the “good” hip. It has always gotten
sore every time the bad hip flared even before surgery, but being on crutches so
long was really hard on it. I have been
hoping that getting off crutches will let it calm down, but so far, the “good”
hip is more painful than the hip that had surgery, which does not actually hurt
at all anymore. I am not worrying, so
much as watching.
On the positive, I had been a little apprehensive that weaning off
crutches would increase pain in the hip that had surgery as it was finally having
to carry weight again. But so far, so
good! It will get twinges at times, and
it was a tad sore and achy early on, but for the most part feels absolutely nothing! It still seems so weird for it not to feel
pain!
Overall, I am still making good progress. Yes, there are highs and lows, but this is
true of any situation. I am still choosing
to focus on what is going well and learn from what is not going as well.
1
Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus for you.
Copyright © 2016 by Steph. All rights reserved.
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