Irina’s Surgery – March 5/7, 2013

[Wish2bstraight]

Sounds like too much to soon

Focus Healthcare is coming to my house. The exercises I am doing are:

1 While laying in bed, bend the knees at 90° and squeeze the ball hard. Lower the knees and repeat, lower the the knees to almost flat position and squeeze the ball again.
2 Sitting - tie the knees with rubber band and push the legs apart as wide as possible
3 Sitting - have somebody wrap a rubber band around your leg and pull the band away from your body. At the same moment, resist and pull the leg under the chair.

She had me do many repetitions of those and then we went for a walk around the block - it's 1/3 miles walk and I walk around the block twice. My left leg is fine, but right one was killing me.

Hi irina,

Those exercises sound too difficult to do at your stage, to me. I had physical therapy come to my house at about four weeks postoperative. We did simple core strengthening exercises. The second one you mentioned, I am just starting to do now and I am three months postoperative. I am not able to walk around the block yet. It was suggested to me to go to a store and shop. You walk and stop to look at things and this way you aren't thinking about walking. It has helped me a great deal. Last week I was still not driving so a good friend took me out to lunch and shopping in one store. After a total of three hours, I was exhausted, but felt good that I was out in the general public. Take it slow and easy. It will all come in time. Best of luck to you.

[susancook]

PT shouldn't hurt but can feel a little bit stretchy, if you know what I mean. I spent a week in a rehab hospital doing OT and PT. For PT, I mostly walked with my walker. I also sat in a chair and alternately put my balls of my foot down and then my heels. While sitting in a chair, I pointed my toes alternately up and down. I also looked in a mirror and tried to stand up with shoulders straight.

I just started PT at a local hospital here. Unsure what I will do.

Sorry about your leg pain. Hope that time helps it.
Susan

[Irina]

I am taking it easy with PT because several of other exercises she wanted me to do were clearly breaking my restrictions and I flat out refused to do them.

For people who might be interested in when you can cook - I started doing it at 4 weeks. I am 5 weeks post-op now and already made omelets, pot-roast in a crock-pot, chicken curry and chicken - stroganoff (similar to beef stroganoff) with pasta or rice . Plus many salads, cole-slow etc. I only had someone else to wash the chicken and open a few cans for me, but the rest - slicing, dicing, stirring etc I did by myself. I was dog-tired afterwards, but felt happy that I was able to do something I always enjoyed.

[JuliaAnn]

Irina, it's great that you're able to get back to cooking. I found that reaching up to get dinner plates out of the cupboards was hardest for me. And I'm just now able to roll out dough without feeling the strain in my back. Rolling dough and putting casseroles in and out of the oven was the hardest. I'm glad you have help.

That's good that you tell PT what you feel comfortable doing. Some years ago a physical therapist had me bending to touch my toes each session. That did a lot of harm to my slowly collapsing scoliosis. She was just trying to "increase my flexibility" but I really think that some physical therapists don't understand scoliosis at all! I had to tell her "I don't want to be 'more flexible', I want you to teach me to move WITH the limitations I have!" She just didn't get it and I ended up in traction. I'm glad you're being careful with the PT. You know what's best for your body.

So glad your surgery is behind you and you seem to be healing well.

[aileens]

Cooking

Irina, you're definitely ahead of me when it comes to cooking! At 4 weeks, I managed to weakly peel a bunch of carrots and shakily throw a few other things in a pan to cook before I was wiped out. At 6 weeks I noticed I could peel carrots much more confidently, but its only now at 8 weeks tmw do I feel like putting together more elaborate meals. Glad to hear that you're recovering so well - it's taken me a little more time but I really noticed a bump in energy at 7.5 weeks.

[Irina]

Long Walks

I am about six weeks post-op and today, for the first time, I walked for an hour at once at almost the normal speed with only a few stops. My hip and leg were a little sore after the walk, but I didn't have any pre-op pain (low back or ribs on hips pain). I came home home and thought that before the surgery I was only able to walk for half-an-hour and I had to go to bed and rest for at least another half-an-hour because of low back pain. Granted, I am still using a cane for walks outside the house and taking oxycodone and gabapentine for nerve leg pain and I don't know how it is going to be without these medication... we'll see.

As one of the forum members told me - enjoy your recovery and now I am getting to a stage where I can actually enjoy it. I can just take it easy and sleep in, watch TV, read books, let other people take care of me without guilt (very strange feeling for someone super-independent!). This is my once-in-a life time opportunity to relax and take care of ME and not think about work, cleaning, cooking etc.

[JenniferG]

<thumbs up!>

You're doing well Irina!

[golfnut]

Yes, Irina, take advantage of your recovery time. For the only time in my life, I didn't feel guilty taking naps, watching a movie in the middle of the day, not doing housework, etc. I read a ton of good books, too. I definitely don't want to do it again, but since it is necessary to rest to help your body heal, do plenty of it (between walks) and don't feel guilty. You're doing great!

[susancook]

Irina, I am impressed that you are cooking. There is no standard for expected activity. As you can see, some people walk a lot after surgery, but can't cook at 6 weeks like you can. Some of the individual variations may be due to preop conditioning, anemia, pO2, varying fusion levels, etc. the important part is the every week there is a little bit of forward progress.

You are awesome!
Susan

[Irina]

Irina, I am impressed that you are cooking. There is no standard for expected activity. As you can see, some people walk a lot after surgery, but can't cook at 6 weeks like you can. Some of the individual variations may be due to preop conditioning, anemia, pO2, varying fusion levels, etc. the important part is the every week there is a little bit of forward progress.

You are awesome!
Susan

I was cooking so early (at 4 weeks) because I just love it. My husband keeps telling me that I should start a cooking blog. Cooking is a chore for some people, but fun for me. On our 11-day trip to Spain, I went to a half-a-day cooking class because I was just dying to learn basics of Spanish cooking and it was highlight of the trip for me! Before the surgery, I would come home from work tired and cranky, but was excited about making dinner. Chopping, slicing and dicing would calm me down, believe it or not. So, cooking was therapeutic for me during recovery too. It was simply a proof to myself that I was getting better.

[Irina]

A few days ago I was able to walk for an hour in one stretch with only a few short stops. I thought I was a hero and could handle anything. Today was a hot day here, in California, and we went for a walk with my husband. After about 20 min of walking I felt dizzy, hold on to my husband's neck and told him that I am about to pass out. Luckily, there were some people outside of the house that we were standing next to, and Dave asked them for a chair. I was totally out by the time he put me to a chair. After some rest and a glass of cold water I felt better.

Ouch! I didn't expect that happen especially since I started venturing out of the house by myself. Lucky me I was with my husband today. I guess I should stay inside when it's hot, but before hot weather would have no effect on me. I guess things are different now...,

[JenniferG]

Don't be discouraged, Irina. But walking with someone is probably a good idea, if that's possible. At 6-7 weeks I began to get dizzy. It was on and off dozens of times a day, I'd feel the room turning. It went on for over a month. Every time I lay down, rolled over in bed, or when I got up from sitting or lying or when I stretched, upon waking. GP had no idea why, and the surgeon suggested it was the antibiotics given during surgery (nearly 2 months earlier??!) which I found difficult to believe. But it passed and never returned. One day it simply stopped. So to this day I don't know why, but it was distressing. My point is, sometimes things happen for which we never get an explanation but then come good of their own accord.

Perhaps it was a bit of low blood pressure, perhaps it was a combination of the heat and dehydration? Perhaps others have an explanation. I hope it's a one off event and your walking continues without incident!

[susancook]

The spring heat can certainly make a difference in how you tolerate walking. Wearing a hat might help and drinking before you go out. Maybe consider the longer walks after the sun goes down. Mark carries some ice water for me. We went to Berekely bell tower today and I was really wiped out. Two days ago I tried to walk round trip to the library and while I did ok walking there, going back, I had to rest on someone's wall and Mark got the car to bring me home.

We are both learning that recovery is not a linear process, but has some ups and downs. Like you, I am eager to get back to normal, active life....then I look at the huge scar on my back and remember 2 days of surgery and lots of blood transfusions, and I am humbled and amazed that I am able to do as much as I am with the setbacks.

You are doing well...just listen to your body. Susan

[Confusedmom]

Could be low blood pressure from the pain meds? Or maybe you still need to build you blood back up a bit? Do they have you taking iron? Just make sure you're eating and drinking sufficiently, and I bet you'll be fine. Be careful with the shower, though. Others have had trouble with dizzy spells in the shower--maybe from the heat? Anyway, you don't want to fall, obviously.

Evelyn

[Irina]

Who Bit My Toenails?

It's probably silly to talk about, but my toenails are driving me nuts! I am used to regular pedicures and since the surgery my husband was cutting my toenails. Let's say he won't make a living as a manicurist. My toenails are still long, edgy and rough. When my mom saw my feet, she asked me what animal bit my toenails? :-) So, I fired my husband from the manicurist position and granted it to my mom ha-ha. I am holding on going to the nails salon because I am still under 90 degrees hip restriction and when you sit in a pedicure chair, your knees are higher than your hips. Am I playing it too safe? Should I just go and have my toenails done? My next follow-up appointment is on May 22 and I am going to ask Dr. Hu if it's safe to get my toenails done.