Slowly Getting Better
The one thing that has really bothered me in all the precautions I have had to take after this surgery was sleeping with a pillow between my legs. I really hated it because every time I wanted to change my position during the night, I woke up and had to move the pillow. Since it has been a month since the surgery, I decided to try it last night without the pillow…
This turned out to be NOT a good decision. Not only did I wake up a lot, but when I got up, the hip was hurting much more than the usual early-morning stiffness. The point of the pillow was to stop my legs crossing–and I am assuming the pain was because in my sleep, I had stressed the hip muscles by crossing my legs. So, the pillow is back tonight! {insert deep sigh here}
Today I walked using the cane from our house to the "long-walk" end of the road, back to the house, on past the house to the "short-walk" end of the road and back to the house. Fred says this whole distance is about two tenths of a mile. I started out thinking my hip hurt so much that I would have to FORCE myself to finish what I had planned but about half-way down to the "long" end, I started thinking about something else and I was almost back to the house when I realized that I wasn’t thinking about the pain! So, tomorrow I need to bring the IPod with me and pay attention to the music and not to how I feel.
I am still thinking about driving but I am also listening to Fred who is urging me to give myself more time. When we have disagreed about anything I thought I could do, he has always turned out to be right so I guess listening to him is the thing to do. 
QUOTATION: If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.
— David Viscott
Very wise lady….(smiles)..stay well. Great idea..taking the IPod. Have a wonderful weekend.
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Fred is a good nurse, isn’t he? 😉 I hope you get a good night’s sleep tonight and that’s wonderful on the walk/exercise progress!
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try this http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ it will tell you exactly how much you’re walking 🙂
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He probably knows best because he is with you all the time. I’m glad to know that you are getting better.
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*hugs* Listen to Fred! He’s a smart cookie 😛
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i have slept with a pillow between my legs for over 15 years now. it keeps my hips from hurting so much. glad you got out and walked some. soon you’ll be walking longer and longer distances. shouldn’t be too much longer before you’ll be able to drive. listen to fred.. he’s a pretty smart guy! take care,
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It’s good to have partners who give us good advice when we need it! :o) !! And I’m glad that you were able to get your mind off the discomfort by thinking about other things. hugs, Weesprite
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We need someone to make us take care of ourselves sometimes. Glad to hear you’re coming along even if you feel it’s slowly.
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I usually sleep with a pillow between my knees just because it keeps your legs in the correct anatomical position and is much more comfortable, not only on the hips, but on the low back as well. Fred may be right about driving until you’re ready, but I’m still in favor of getting into the car and “pretending” to drive so that you can get used to the feel of it again.
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I sleep with a pillow between my legs to stop my lower back from hurting in the mornings. For some reason it keeps my back aligned so I don’t sleep twisted. Pretty soon you’ll get used to it and not want to give it up. We are such creatures of routine.
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One of the things that keeps me from jumping on the hip surgery bandwagon is that I’m worried about sleeping afterward. I NEVER sleep on my back. Can’t GO to sleep that way, don’t sleep that way. What will I do if that’s the pnly position allowed????? *Sigh* I know. That’s a stupid reason not to do it. But it’s bothering me. Love to you!
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I had to use the pillow trick once and I’m still doing it 20 years later. I relieves my lower back. So glad you’re on the mend. btw:I mentioned your suggestions in yesterdays post. 🙂
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*huggs* and keep up the good work and feeling better!!!
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Sorry I have missed all this—Yes I’m sure it’s wise to listen to Fred. I know it must be frustrating to have to take it so slow. I try to keep a pillow between my knees when I sleep because it seems to help so many different problems–my lower back, my knees, everything. But I always lose it sometime during the night.
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Glad you are moving along…literally! Hugs,
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I’ll join the chorus in telling you about my sleeping position. I started out using a pillow under my knee sleeping on my side, but not necessarily between my knees while I was pregnant with M. over 20 years ago. The reason the doctor and nurses told me to do that was to relieve pressure on an important artery for good circulation for the baby’s sake. (I forget which artery.) But now I have gone to a body pillow and find that even better to relieve back pain. Not only that but when I have shoulder and arm pain I get support there as well. I think body pillows are great. Meg bought a feather one for me and it is completely adjustable unlike the foam ones.
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Glad to hear about each little bit of progress. It won’t be long
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The power of distraction is amazing.
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