Hi Your Fit Day Friends!
If you have not experienced a trauma or severe pain, so much is taken for granted with such simple tasks as ‘ getting ready for bed’. Reaching for a sip of water, moving the sheet or pillow just slightly to aid in the comfort of sleep, turning over to stretch our muscles; all of these movements now have to be planned out and calculated. And at this point in my post surgery recover there is hardly anything I can do without assistance, which is constant.
Cinderella Had It Easy
Last night was another rough night. After getting comfortable with my pillows around me and my bed slightly raised at my feet, my memory foam pillow under my butt to ease the pressure, with the head board slightly raised, I tried to settle in around 10:45PM and let sleep overcome me.
I tried to sleep on my side. This took maneuvering a pillow between my leg and rotating on my side. The pain in my thigh and glutes was hard to bear for those first few seconds but I new it would pass.
I’m normally a side sleeper and figured it would ease the pain in my lower back that had started to set in. In order to stay in this position, since I couldn’t cross my right-op leg over my left one, I had to puta pillow behind me against my back-against the bed rail-since I couldn’t hold myself on my side without my hip muscles feeling like they were being stretched on the wrack.
Alas, after what would normally be called ‘settling in’, I tried to dose off and not think about the pain, focus on my breathing, and hope that the next time I was awake it would be time for the morning ritual.
But not all goes as planned and found myself awake at 2:3o AM in pain and in a panic, ringing the bell for a nurse to help relieve the discomfort.
My body had become drenched in a pool of sweat, I felt boxed in, like I was laid in a coffin, unable to move. I’m not one to panic but now I understand what an attack might feel like. Without being able to move, feeling helpless, and without the familiarity of family or close friends around me, brought me to tears. Although they passed quickly, during these moments one can feel quite alone, even with all the support and carting help of the nurses.
I really never thought I would have to give myself over to my body or experience this type of discomfort. Ha! What was I thinking!
With that said, we changed my position to on my back, legs and torso raised slightly, with pillow under knees.
At this point although I had been taken off pain meds since that morning I asked for some Ultracet, which is a cocktail of Tramidol/Tylenol, and finally fell asleep, albeit disrupted, for about four hours.
And then there are the mattresses they use at the Apollo. This tidbit might help other Hippys who are on their way to India who have issues with plastic. The mattresses are covered in a thick green plastic, like the material they use for body bags or toxic hazard bags. Not that I have ever touched either of those. Leave it to Hollywood for my knowledge on that one!
So, imagine lying with only a thin cotton sheet between you and a thick piece of plastic. It’s actually like sleeping in a plastic bag. Now, I’m a warm bodied sleeper anyway. And coupled with so many toxins trying to release themselves from my body and with nothing to absorb them, my body had basically reached it’s boiling point.
Rise and Shine
Every morning at 6AM the sisters come in to make sure you’re still with us, and take BP and give a shot of antibiotics, take temp and I’m not sure what else. I was still under the influence of Tramidol so once she was through I settled back in and dozed off until 10AM
I was given my ‘sponge bath’ and washed my face in bed, and then had breakfast. I opted for same as yesterday. It was working for me so didn’t want to fix what wasn’t broken. However, without proper plumbing , all this food began to build up in my system.
Dr. Bose’s assistant came in later on to check the wound and change the dressing. He said it was looking good and was very pleased. Although my hip might not look swollen, believe you me if you saw my entire thigh you’d be astounded by how huge it is, filled with fluids. You know the limbs of those balloon animals that clowns make at birthday parties? Well…those are my legs and lower torso…And then imagine 4 days of constant fluids being pumped into me. Check out my incision:
Next up a trolley ride to Xray. That was quick. But getting in and out of the wheel chair, onto the table, turning both my feet in, lying there not breathing, and getting back into the wheel chair was not my idea of an amusement park ride.
Lifting my knee, and using my hip flexor muscle, sends a tearing sensation throughout my leg.
That done… next up was physio.
Walking was much easier than Day 2
WE did bed exercises first. Then I walked over to the chair and leaned to sit on a pillow and get up.
Then another stroll down memory lane:
After I returned I did some upper body exercises with my PT Pondian, who is head of Physical Therapy here at the Apollo Hospital. He was impressed that I had already taken the initiative and brought my tubing from home and had started doing some upper body stretches and mini workouts. And I’m so glad I came prepared.
I did some wall pushups, some dips on the walker and a set of chest presses on the walker. All of this felt SO good. Such simple easy basic beginner movements felt like an entire workout. It felt great to stretch my body and feel alive, my body coming back to life.
Then, I got back into bed!
Later that afternoon, around 2:30 I made it to the bathroom by myself for the first time. A great milestone. I was so happy and confident that I took a lap around my room and did a little workout with the walker. I was feeling so good that I attached my green band to the bed and worked some other muscles like back and biceps. I’m weak but it felt so good.
And here’s the view out of my room, while I was doing my routine
And here’s what the work out looked like:
2 sets of dips followed by 2 sets of pushups on the walker X 20 reps.
2 sets of bicep curls X 20 reps
2 sets of one arm back rows X 20
2 sets rear delt pulls X 20
I felt warm and felt a slight burn and felt good. My muscles were waking up. Then I got back into bed.
My hip was painful to get back into bed, but I did it alone. Hurrah! for progress…
I had a late lunch and PT came again at 3PM, and it was Rinse and Repeat! What it would be for the next five weeks.
The afternoon was even better than this morning!!
So, that’s Day 3.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
IÂ hope tonight goes better. But I know tomorrow is another day and I will feel much better with less pain.
I’m running a bit behind on my blogs since there is so much to write about and the nurses have me pretty busy all day.
I can’t thank everyone enough, all of my friends, family, at the Yahoo Hippy group, and here at the Apollo. Thank you everyone.
I’m on the other side now. I may be at ground zero. But think of all the possibilities I now have with my new hip. A whole new life. It’s up to me.
And you can do it too. If you’re just starting a new fitness routine or getting back from being away for a long time, or want to do your first race, find your support group and ask for help. I know it may be hard at first. But believe you me, it’s worth it. And I’m here to support you.
Try my little routine above and let me know how you feel. I do it a couple times a day and I feel great. It all adds up.
And please keep your comments coming. It lifts my spirits and connects me to all of you.
And if you know anyone who needs some motivation getting started with fitness or maybe someone who might be having hip pain or getting ready for surgery, please, please forward this blog to them, or have them sign up for my newsletter; maybe it will help them.
Your Trainer,
With love,
Your Trainer,
DebbyK!
Make it ‘Your Fit Day’…
