Sunday, 3 December 2017
Lord dismiss us with thy blessing...All who here shall meet no more
Sunday 3rd December 2017
Lines from the most joyous hymn which we sang as a prelude to the summer holidays at Bradford Grammar School - well I was dismissed (discharged ) from hospital yesterday equipped with boxes of pills, an ice pack thing to put in the fridge, and most useful of all, a lasso with two loops. One goes round my foot and then, to get into bed, I sit on the edge, haul Poorly Leg up, then swing the good leg up afterwards, and when getting up the good leg can go down first. This is still pretty painful, but I don't think there is any better method. I have found that in hospital we were using the wrong side of the bed, and now, at home I got son W. to shift my bed to make more room to get in from the other side, good leg first - a huge step forward.
I am walking on elbow crutches which means I can't carry much from room to room especially a tray of food from the kitchen. I have ordered a tea trolley from Amazon which should arrive tomorrow.
I have exercises to do and don't feel much like doing anything else at the moment. There is stuff scattered all over house making things untidy, and whilst I don't think I suffer from OCD I do like to keep things fairly straight and in their place, and that all bugs me when I look round, but having a quick tidy is out of the question. Any walking about must be reserved for the priorities of eating, and toileting.
It's good to hear you're safely back at home, Sir
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I remember well the painful horror of having to get out of bed, unaided, after my op. It seemed totally out of the question. Having sliced completely through two-thirds of my sitting up muscles it seemed to me that it would never be possible. I still do my morning sit-ups exercises to try and coax the sliced nerves to talk to each other. Four years later and it's miles better but not perfect.
But of course, having had the one knee done you'll know how you're progressing. I'll keep my fingers crossed here for your speedy recovery, Conrad; I'm looking forward to your walks.
Good to read that your back home. I’m sure that you will be up and out before long.
ReplyDeleteI'm delighted to hear that you're home and quite clearly on the mend.
ReplyDeleteI have an email address for you (.....@me.com?)and will be in contact when I return from USA.
Alan sloman and Alan R. - thanks for your continued comments. They mean a lot to me.
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John J. - Thanks also to you JJ - my email address is conrob@me.com
Glad to hear you’re home. Onwards and upwards. I’m sure you’ll make steady progress and will be leaping about soon x
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you’re home. Best wishes for a speedy recovery Conrad.
ReplyDeleteI must try to get something posted on my blog before the year is out.
Ruth - Thanks. I presume you are not walking on into the winter with your epic. I look forward to your resumption.
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Afoot - Thanks to you too Gibson. I do the blog because I enjoy writing. Subjects don't have to be outdoorsy.
‘I enjoy writing’. It shines through and I do like your writing style.
DeleteI hope I am not releasing state secrets when I repeat the comment I made on seeing you on Friday - you looked 10 years younger than before the op - not sure whether that was mainly due to the ministrations of attractive and competent nurses or the skinful of opiates, but all seemed set on a good path and your mood was good - the duality of mind and body you highlight as being as one of Sacks' priorities.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that you will adjust to the domestic rounds quickly as the new knee beds in (as it were) - will call in asap to see what attendances you need !
gimmer - I am reminded of one of Terry Wogan's best tongue-in-cheek asides: "I am rarely free of pain but don't speak abut it."
ReplyDeleteThanks for the book - haven't had a chance to peruse yet.
I'm a few days late to the party, but hope that things are getting easier with manoeuvring around the house (how are the stairs?) and that it won't be too long before you can weight bear again.
ReplyDelete(Sent from a ferry queue in Bilbao, which wasn't the quietest place to spend a night!)
Gayle - I bought a tea trolley - very sturdy, and it works like a zimmer frame so I can prepare food in the kitchen and wheel a tray-full into my living room or study, and also walk about using that without the crutches. The bottom shelf has all my bits and pieces on so I always have everything to hand. It is all a bit tedious and intermittently painful at the moment but I'm plodding on. I have an appointment with the GP's nurse today to have the dressing changed, and another appointment on the 12th to have the clips removed. Step by step.
ReplyDeleteafoot . just add to Gayle's queries above: going upstairs is easy using the crutches by the prescribed method. Hi Gibson, thanks for your comment - it's good to know I'm entertaining somebody, new commenters are rare indeed these days.
ReplyDeleteEven later to the party...
ReplyDeleteGood to hear you are doing well, Conrad, and I'm not surprised that the exercise regime has taken over your life for a while. I remember that after my ACL replacement op I thought I would get some time for reading, sorting photos, etc, but the need for frequent exercises made them effectively a full time occupation with just rests in front of a radio in between sessions.
It's great to hear that you have a 'good leg'!
Phreerunner - Knowing words from experience - all very familiar. I'm just due to do the next set of exercises after posting the next instalment on this blog.
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