Progress!
I feel amazingly good, amazingly normal this morning. I woke up at 4 am, walked with a walker to the bathroom and then back to the living room and then went to read in my Lazy-Boy chair for a while; Next, I got up, walked to the workroom and then downloaded and read my mail on the desktop machine—a step back to normality.
At 6 am, Fred got up and I made myself some toast and the coffee although he brought the coffee to me in the bedroom. But me making it was another step to normality.
I have had a couple of questions about the exercises so here they are. I have to do each exercise 10 times and twice a day. These are the lying-down ones. Jen the physical therapist will be coming on Monday and Thursday and will undoubtedly be adding more to these.
- pump ankles up and down. {I have to be careful not to turn the toe inwards while doing this}
- press knees downward into the bed, hold for a count of six and relax
- roll left leg and knee outward
- clench buttocks and relax
- slide left foot outwards and back. {I found this incredibly difficult in the beginning and even now I can only do between five and seven}
- bring left knee upwards but control hip angle by having the knee meet outstretched hand and arm.
Standing exercises:
- bring left knee upwards in front but NOT high
- slowly move left leg outward, hold, and return. {again, quite difficult but although I am still not able to do 10, I can do more than three which was my start!
- get the body out of bed every 45 minutes {I have a timer} and go for a short walk around the house with a walker.
- I am getting myself to the bathroom with a walker.
Things I can now do which I couldn’t do when I came back from hospital
- move around the kitchen holding on to the center table and the counter tops
- get myself to the bathroom
- wash my hair in the bathroom sink
- manage pain control with Tylenol only
- sleep more than three hours at a time at night
Small steps and Fred’s help will get me where I want to be…
QUOTATION: If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.
— David Viscott
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It sounds like you are going to be in awesome shape for your Italy trip!
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Your sure something, Patrisha……a week goes by and you are already doing so well. Italy doesn’t know what they’re in for!
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The leg out to the side exercise is difficult because all of the abduction muscles attach to that joint. The other movements use those same muscles, but they are assisted by other muscles that attach elsewhere. Abduction basically isolates that attachment. It’s amazing that you can do so many, and I’m really proud of you. Your recovery is coming along nicely. How’s the hip pain? Does it feel likethe hip itself, where the pain used to be, is better? or is is too hard to tell?
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You’re getting better by leaps and bounds Patricia! I have a friend who had a knee replacement a few months ago and it sounds like you’re recovering your strength much faster than she did. You’ve only been home a few days! (huggles)
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Getting to the bathroom would definitely be the thing that I would be happiest about doing independently!
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You are a marvel, ya know. I’m so happy, with you, about your progress! :o) !! hugs, Weesprite
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You are doing so awesome! Also, Happy Birthday to Fred. If I had another boy, I’d pick that name.:)
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