I even made the bed after I took this picture.
Here's to hoping that everything goes well.
I have every faith in my doctor and trust that he will, as always, get the job done and in my best interest too.
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!
Friday, March 11, 2016
Ready for number six!
Here we are, still smiling! Nervous but always smiling =)
I even made the bed after I took this picture.
Here's to hoping that everything goes well.
I have every faith in my doctor and trust that he will, as always, get the job done and in my best interest too.
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!
I even made the bed after I took this picture.
Here's to hoping that everything goes well.
I have every faith in my doctor and trust that he will, as always, get the job done and in my best interest too.
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!
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Hi dear ... just commented on your previous post
ReplyDeleteSo we're up and about at the same time , miles across the globe ..
the joys of the world-wide-web :)
You go, girl !!
love and hugs,
barbs
x
Strange, isn't it? That we can live so far apart and still communicate at the same time, and we can read what the other wrote instantly!
DeleteI'm going to bed now. The one really great thing about surgery and the narcotic induced fog that follows is being able to get through day-light saving time without any problems XD
Hi! Glad surgery went well for you (besides the strange and rude nurse!)
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy I found your blog! I am hopefully, Lord-willing, having flatfoot reconstructive surgery in a month or so. (Waiting for insurance pre-auth!) It's def not the same surgery or health issues that you have, but I am greatly encouraged by your story and advice. I read your entire article on hygeine with crutches! Thank you.
Sarah
Hi! Glad your surgery went well, minus the weird nurse! I am sooo happy I found your blog!! I am having flatfoot reconstructive surgery in a month or so, Lord-willing (waiting on pre-auth). I am nervous about being on crutches for 6 months and trying to research and prepare as well as I can. I read your whole article on hygeine with crutches! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah!
DeleteSorry for not responding straight away (I spent most of the day sleeping - narcotic induced drowsiness and simply getting over surgery). I moderate all the comments that people write before they are published. Sometimes people write some pretty odd stuff and then there are spam messages which I definitely don't want on this blog. This is why your comment didn't appear straight away when you hit publish. I love to hear from people who read my blog, but everything is moderated first. I apologize if this caused any confusion. Nothing worse than typing out a response, hitting publish and seeing the whole thing disappear into the ether that is the internet!
I am glad that you find my blog helpful! It is nice to know that this blog is not only read, but that it also helps other people in similar situations.
Unfortunately, I don’t really know anything about flatfoot reconstructive surgery, so I can’t be of much help in that regard. But I do have loads of experience with surgery, being on crutches, preparing for doctor’s appointments, etc.
Just briefly, there are several things I would suggest:
1) Between appointments, write down all of your questions. Bring the list with you to your next appointment so you don’t forget to ask anything. Don’t be afraid to write down the answers you get either. I also found it helpful to have a friend/relative with me – sometimes the information I got was so overwhelming that I kind of forgot a lot of it by the end of an appointment.
2)If at all possible, try to get used to the crutches before surgery. Crutches make your arms very sore the first few days you use them. After surgery you will probably be in pain and on lots of pain meds. This can be overwhelming and adding crutches and sore arms to the mix will only make it worse. I also recommend practising going up/down the stairs with your crutches before surgery so you get used to it (and can make mistakes) before you are 100% dependent on the crutches.
3)Prepare stuff to keep you occupied. This is important. There is only so much Netflix you can binge watch before it becomes boring. I collected a lot of stuff – craft supplies, magazines, books, puzzles books, adult colouring books, etc., in the months leading to my fourth surgery. I learned from previous experiences that it is really hard to gather stuff together or head out to the store to buy something after surgery. So plan ahead! I liked the idea of doing something really big that I could look back on and think “I made that while I was ill. I didn’t just sit in bed watching tv for eight months straight.” I have been working on a really big cross stitch blanket. I have put about 450 hours into it so far, with another 50 or 60 before it is done. I am really proud of it. Maybe there is a big project you would really like to do, or you could learn something new, like how to knit or crochet.
4) Invest in lots of pillows and blankets. You will probably have to elevate your foot, at least at first, so pillows are really important. Also, they are good to prop you up in bed. Blankets are for comfort and coziness – I had to ban myself from buying more of them XD
5)Remember to treat yourself and be kind to yourself. Your body will be going through a lot. Sleep a lot. Eat well. Try to get out every day if possible – sunshine is important, and staying inside for too long can have a bad effect on your mood. Set small goals that are fun and make you feel good e.g., get your toe nails painted, get out once a week to a friend’s house, etc. I ate a lot of chocolate, got a really nice smelling body wash, and bought way too many comfy pajama pants.
6) This is probably the most important thing – try to take things a day at a time. It can be difficult to think about the future when months of immobility, pain, and/or doctor’s appointments lie ahead of you. Sometimes it will feel like you are not getting anywhere. These feelings are normal and it is important to express them (things like anger, sadness, jealousy, etc.). But the best thing you can do is take it a day at a time, set small achievable goals, and take pleasure in the little things (like chocolate and a cup of tea!). Life will still be waiting when you are fully recovered. This is still something I struggle with; it depends on the day, pain levels, what I heard from my doctors, and so forth.
DeleteBeing on crutches for an extended period of time can be difficult. Fortunately, you should be able to avoid the snow! At some point, however, you do become used to them and they almost feel like part of you. When you wake up in the morning, you will just grab for them without even thinking about it – they become part of daily life and you learn to adapt so you can do things despite the crutches.
Since the end of August, I have been on crutches for over six months. My surgeon thinks I am expert on them. I am fast; I easily manage stairs, curbs, different types of flooring; I can carry various types of items, including books, travel mugs with handles, pill bottles, binders, etc.; and I can swing around on them like an Olympic gymnast XD
But the crutches do take a toll on your body. I have really bad calluses on my palms, so now I have padded gloves to help with that. A good moisturizing hand cream helps too. The muscles in my upper back and shoulders are quite tense. Physical therapy has given me exercises for this. Also, I sometimes get some numbness in my hands (never lean your armpits on the crutches as this can cause permanent nerve damage) – I also have exercises to help with this. I wasn’t referred to physio until January so I had months without exercises. I recommend getting to a physical therapist sooner than later or, if not possible, looking up some basic exercises for your arms and neck online. Youtube is great because you can actually see how the exercises are done.
Anyways, I have just bombarded you with quite a bit of information. There is probably much more I could add that I am forgetting right now, but these are the main things that come to my mind when I think about the last six months of my life. Maybe some of it will help you a bit. =)
I hope that your surgery and reconstruction goes well and that you can get back on your feet (both literally and figuratively!) as fast as possible! It is wonderful to connect with people going through similar situations. Other people (e.g., friends, co-workers, distant relatives) kind of understand it, but I think only the ones who have actually gone through it really get it and understand how your life changes during and after this kind of stuff. The internet is really great for this kind of stuff. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them. =)
Yes, I've got a notebook started with all my questions! I enjoy making preparations so I am trying to think of what i'll need and what things to get done. I have 8 lists going!
ReplyDeleteStill waiting for the ins pre-auth and praying God's will be done! If I end up having the two surgeries (it's one foot at a time), my family decided that I need to temp stay with them. So one my ongoing lists is a packing list! I would stay with them for at least 6 months, which is the estimated time of recovery.
I am also planning to go thrifting and get some dresses and skirts that can be put on over my head. This is the best way I can think of to dress myself since i can't picture that i'll be able to manuever pants with a cast/serious pain in my foot. One thing I can't figure out is how will I put on a clean pair of undies? That one has got me perplexed. I googled it and saw people suggesting Depends, undies with snaps that cost $20 and cutting the seam of undies and putting velcro on.
The notebook is a really smart idea! You will always have everything together that way. I used to write down all of my questions as I came up with them. As a result, I had lots of scraps of paper scattered everywhere. The night before an appointment I would be scrambling around trying to gather all the questions. Now I have one big list, or all the loose pieces collected together on my note board. It really does help to stay organized. When you are sick it sometimes feels like you don't have very much control in your life. Being able to collect your thoughts and questions and prepare as much as possible helps a bit =)
DeleteI am keeping my fingers crossed that your insurance will authorize everything soon! Six months is a long time to be in the hospital. The longest I have been in was two months, and that was way back in 2006 when I first broke my legs. I can imagine it would be difficult to figure out what (and how much) to take along with you. Is the hospital you are having surgery at far from home?
The thrift store is great for stuff like this. I got an amazing pair of red cords that are super comfy and fit over my fixator at a local consignment shop (only 14$!). I am excited for spring - I can wear all my lovely skirts again, much easier to get on. Skirts make me feel a whole lot more put together than sweat pants do XD
Pants are manageable with a cast or sore leg. After surgery you will definitely be in a hospital gown so you won't have to worry about it at first. There are several options for wearing pants: 1) get really large pajama pants that fit over your leg/cast easily but have a draw string to keep them up! 2) Stretchy pajama pants (or anything with spandex for that matter - I have some jeans with spandex in them and they fit over my fixator) 3) tear away track pants, which have snaps running down the side of each leg 4) some people buy jeans, usually a size or so too big, take out the seam along the outside of the injured leg and then add velcro, buttons, or snaps. This last option is like the undies with snaps that you mentioned. I know some people who have done this with the clothes they already own, thus saving money. I haven't tried it though.
Underwear is shockingly simple. I didn't buy any new undies, and the ones I had fit perfectly fine over my fixator. Just make sure they are stretchy. Here is how I got my undies on (something I never thought I would talk about to other people!): Sit in bed with your legs straight in front of you. Reach forward and get the undies on you injured/operated on leg, then onto your good leg (or other leg, depending on the situation). Pull the undies up as far as you can on one leg, then the other, doing so until they are on your upper thighs. Roll onto your left side, supporting yourself with your right arm. Use your left hand to pull your undies over the left side of your butt, then repeat on the other side. And there you go! The same can be done with pants, but this takes a bit more time. This is how I got dressed when I broke both my legs. This works best if you have a full leg cast and/or are in lots of pain. When things start to improve and you are able to lower your leg won to the ground and sit up, things get much easier. Sit on the bed with your legs hanging down, touching the ground. Get the entire length of each pant leg over each leg, so your pants are on, but bunched around your ankles. Pulls the pants up to your knees. Stand up (follow any rules about being able to put weight on your leg(s) to avoid injury). Then you just pull your pants up the rest of the way. Same thing for undies. This is how I get dressed at the moment. How you do it will depend on pain levels, whether or not you have both legs operated on at once, and if you can put weight on the operated on leg. It's a bit tricky at first, but it's very doable. And if all else fails, skirts!
DeleteI recommend looking at some of the things I mentioned, like big comfy pajama pants or clothing with elastic/spandex before shelling out 20$ for a single pair of undies, or you could try to modify some of your clothing yourself (or perhaps a friend or relative who is good with a sewing machine can help).
If you can't tell by how much I have written, I have way to much time on my hands! Hopefully I get the go ahead to start walking in six or seven weeks XD Feel free to ask more questions (if my long answers haven't scared you away... I promise, I usually don't talk this much at once!)
Your cross stitch blanket sounds amazing! I love the crafting something idea! What kind of design/print is your blanket? I have piles of books to read, coloring books, and I just got a kid's activity book (kid things are fun) and a word search book. I plan on watching the entire Downton Abbey, listening to books on tape and podcasts, memorizing scripture, journaling, and starting my own blog to share my journey of healing!
ReplyDeleteGetting my toes painted sounds great, esp because i'll have to take polish off for surgery. I am hoping a couple friends will come to visit me and i can help out with folding bulletins for church.
Great idea with practicing the crutches! I plan on "accesorizing" my crutches with these foam pads that fit over the standard pads for both the armpit pad and hand pad. Have you seen these? Supposedly they make all the difference. I figure it's worth a shot!
Thank you for all your advice and for putting yourself out here with your story online! I look forward to reading more of your posts.
Thank you =) It will be nice to have something positive come out of all the months stuck at home in bed or on the couch. The blanket has twenty sections to fill in. I have been saving cross stitch patterns out of magazines for the last six or seven years. I picked the ones I liked the most for the blanket. I have been meaning to blog about it for ages. Once it is done I am going to find a nice fabric to back it with.
DeleteColouring books are fantastic and so relaxing. I love the ones by Johanna Basford. I bought a set of postcards by her, coloured them and used them to decorate a wall in my room. If you like Downton Abbey, another series you might like is Call the Midwife. It is on Netflix, at least here in Canada. I have never tried an audio book before. Can you download them to an Mp3 player or do you have to listen from a CD or computer? I wonder if I can get that in Lord of the Rings... I definitely recommend blogging (or at least keeping a journal) about your surgery and recovery. It is a good way to keep a record of events (time has an odd way of making us forget things) and to work through feelings and difficult times. Plus meeting people in similar situations.
Having your friends come over sounds fun. Perhaps you can have a night of Downton Abbey with lots of tea and chocolate XD
Accessorizing you crutches is great - makes them more comfortable and less drab. I decorated mine with angry bird wall decals. It seemed fitting somehow. I have heard of the pads for the crutches. I don't use them out of personal preference, but I know they do help a lot of people. I imagine they prevent the crutches from rubbing against the skin under your arms. I haven't really had that problem this time around, but in 2006 I got blisters and then calluses under my arms. 13 year old me didn't really use the crutches properly all the time.
I am really glad that my blog can help other people =) I never thought I would get as many hits as I have. I didn't link this blog to Facebook or anything else, and my friends/relatives don't know about it, so I think it is pretty cool that people do find it out of all the things there are on the internet.
As for blog posts, I have way to many ideas. I have a whole pile of post it notes with ideas on them. Last year I did a post a day thing for a month. Maybe I should do it again, make a dent in that pile XD
You don't have to wait until you have surgery to start blogging either. It might be interesting to record how you feel now. Then you can look back when you are completely recovered and see if your thoughts/fears were right or wrong and how much this experience might change you.