Throw the Stick

Its now 7 1/2 weeks since Op. I havent been using the stick for 3 days. Apart from Wed night when I took a couple of panadeine extra for back pain, ive had no painkillers for a week.

I continue to do 3 hours of physiology, hydro and physio on Wed mornings at Metro Rehab. Its so good to do. As I get more caught back into the cycle of work, plus driving, this physical activity is all the more important.

The Physiotherapist told me not to get down on the floor and up again until post op 3 months, which is late october. However I did notice myself getting up and down off the floor in Playgroup today without even thinking to trace around a childs body on the floor.

The School Play on Wed was fabulous with our Playgroup performing Dem Bones. Kids and parents, even a baby was dressed in black outfits with white bones. Looked great against the black curtains of the stage with stage lights on us while dancing.  I also tacked on a hip replacement in my outfit.

No Drugs No Stick

No painkillers last night and none for 4 days. Im ok. I went for a walk around the river and the last bit I did without the stick.  I even climbed the stairs using alternate legs and no stick.

Life is getting back to normal post 6 weeks.

Next goal is weight baring and getting up and down off the floor.

doin without da drugs

Been just over 6 weeks since op.

i cut out on any drugs through out the day the last couple of days. I didnt know what the painkillers were masking. But ive been fine.

i also had my first drive today and that was fine too

i went to my first playgroup in 8 weeks too. but its challenging in an environment created for children. i still cant get down on the floor or sit on low couches and childrens chairs.  i cant pick things off the floor or pack away that easily.  Where would I be without Nimfa and Ariyani.

i feel the time is getting close to chuck the stick.

Back to Work

6 weeks have passed and even though I didnt feel ready in my head, it was time to go back to work. Rika drove me and I took my stick and walked up the steps, and across the playground into my office.

Helen had sorted everything: the office, my emails, the cooking demos, the recipe collections, childcare, playgroup song dancing and costuming for the school play and great updates in Facebook. She, Nimfa, Ariyani, Yunita, Nazma and Lilly also threw me a Welcome Back Lunch!!  Those women are just so together. Not to mention the cool baby Suri and sweet Shafin.

Not feeling quite up to the enormity nor the speed of which Connect can become, I plan to leave each afternoon at 4pm.

Not taking oxicontane is like taking off the velvet glove. There simply is no pain or discomfort with it. Im on Panadeine Forte but it doesnt quite cut it and I feel some discomfort. Im taking Endone at night.

Following Up with Surgeon

Its 5 weeks since the Op and today I took the 412 bus to Dr Boyle s private rooms at the RPA.  I had used my notebook to write down some questions such as:
What is inside me?
What happened to the spur and cyst?
Can I see the X Ray?
When can I drop the precautions?
When can I chuck the stick?
What about the pain in my back when I walk?
How should I come off the oxicontane and other drugs?
What about Osteo Arthritis elsewhere in my body? How do I know the extent of it?
What can be done to prevent further deterioration?
What about the bill?

Well starting with the last question they are not charging me anthing extra than what my health fund will pay. Hooray!!
I didnt even have to pay for this followup consultation, which would otherwise be $230. Feeling lucky.

I havent seen the xray yet but I believe him when he said there was a ceramic and titanium hip in me. I had a feel of his model.

The twinges in the back are probably the effects of the realignment and are quite normal he says. And poss also OA.

Finding out where OA is - by pain. Propensity for cartliage degeneration in one area  indicates its likely in other areas too. Fish Oil Glucosamine with chondroitin are the best known preventors at this stage. Plus using the muscles.

Abandon precautions any time from now on. Start driving locally to begin with.

Walking without the stick remember to tighten the buttocks with each step.  Drugs: go off Oxi when pkt finished. Take Endone when necessary.

About it. Its been an incredibly social time. Suzie came from Tasi in the weekend.  We visited Anneli in Manly on Sunday. Ive been walking all number of steps and distances, but overdid it on Sunday. I got back pains and my worst night ever following. I hadnt taken oxi s and my leg felt a wreck. Panadeine didnt work. Taking oxis on Monday felt like velvet.

Venturing Out

I had nothing in particular on today so I decided I would venture out. I would walk up the 'steps of death'(96 steps behind this place) and take a train to Marrickville. I would sit at Cafe Vesbar, drinking Campos coffee while writing to Dad, drop the letter at the post office, see if the Vietnamese beautician and Phil the hairdresser were open.

I was in no hurry to leave. Instead getting more ensconsed in the adventures of Hubert Wilkins, the scarcely known Australian explorer, who just about did everything imaginable between 1888 and 1958, but who was not accepted by Australia for his comments about the way we treated Aborigines and the environment. He must have had more than 9 lives. Prepared to push the limits at every opportunity, trying to give life to the imaginings of Jules Verne, but overall trying to prove that what happened at the Poles influenced global weather patterns. At the time there was so much land and sea unchartered and it makes you realise the phantom leaps of discovery that we just take for granted today.

A bit like my hip.

At any rate dear Dimiti popped by and I discovered more about her and her history as a sculptor and artist. She accompanied me not up the steps of death but some smaller sets of step near the old school.

I then did everythin I planned, and had a facial and my hair cut, caught trains. Managed steps. Feeling like I was stretching my limit on the final stairs back home. Must have done 200 or so steps today.

The Day Playgroup visited Vivi

What a suprise it was to have 7 lovely ladies, 2 lively children and 1 peaceful baby coming to visit me, armed with so much food. They all fitted in to my tiny living room and set about feeding everyone with a efficiency I can only dream of. Then just like at Connect, they leave leaving only fairy dust and a pile of yummy food. They are the family of Connect. From many places they come, bringing with them their own uniqueness, their own tastes and cooking styles, and through loving open welcome hearts they make one big family here. Babies get passed around. The jokes are universal - just as Nazma.  And now with the Friday afternoon cooking demos they are welcoming new families into the folds. I love each and every one of them. Its more than a job!