Main » October 2004

October 24, 2004

More light at the tunnel

I didn't say end of the tunnel though! :)Thought I would share another "feel good experience" with you.

This week two events took place for me...hunting season for big game and a trip from my mother. Now I understand that there are plenty of people against hunting so please bare with me here...its not the act...its all that went with it. I'll explain: Again, another event that I couldn't do last year because of my condition of my hip. I couldn't hike, I couldn't take the cold, I couldn't camp...I could walk on my crutches! This year (this week) I did hike, I did handle the cold, and I did it without crutches and pain! Now I cannot say I was 100%because I would be lying. But I can say that I did it! I rested whenI needed to. I took breaks. I did NOT overdo it! I did it! Yippeeee, another accomplishment that I could not do last year.

The second event was that my mother came to visit for 3 days...she wanted to see how I was doing and actually see me walk! I was so excited to show her how I can walk...the last time she saw me she was caring for me at her house in bed. It was such an exciting thing to show her I was walking and not limping and not using any kind of aide. We took stairs, we shopped in the thrift stores and even WALKED to the dollar store! Granted it wasn't far but I could walk.

So to summarize, I don't tell these stories to brag, nor do I tell them to display my types of hobbies (etc hunting, baseball, etc) but they are mildstones to me. Things I could not do last year because of our disease and now I can do them. Again, not 100% but I can do them. So there is light in the tunnel. I dont say end of the tunnel...its all a tunnel...just depends on how we go through it and if we see it and how we see it.

Thank you for taking the time to read my bundle of joy of two experiences I recently had. These things mean alot to me and I wish to share them. Painless days and sleepful nights for all, Star

Posted by Star at 7:57 PM | Comments (0)

October 23, 2004

To Work or not to Work...thats the Question

That is a really GOOD question! Actually someone just emailed me that same question and let me see if I can get it for ya...here was my response...

"You really need to listen to your body on whether you should go back to work or not. I am a person of all traits at work...I actually get products and services and train them to Credit Union staff. This entails alot of sitting for preparation and then travel for the trainings in the branches and then alot of walking around and up on stage so to speak...training people. So I got a mobile job so to speak but not all the time does it demand that. Hope that helps in your decision making process. If you just sat at a desk that may be too much and if you stood all the time...the same. I would think somewhere in bewteen is right and depends on how your body is and how you feel. I would always consult with your Ortho first before making any life decisions like this. Took me a while to get back in the swing of things at work too. At first I took it real easy, left for home when I needed to and worked at home some days."

To add to what I wrote another person in the quote above...I started back to work 4 months post op. Like we always say, everyone is different and certainly the first person to chat with about this is your Doctor. I chatted with my local Ortho and Eunice about this before I started back and also had the option at work to curb my patterns...meaining if it was too much, I could work at home. I started working PT and then FT with doing 4 hours at home and 4 at work a day. That got me used to the travel, the prepping to get up and dressed and etc...that takes a long while to get back used to...or at least for me it did. My energy was still not 100% then but I worked on it and didn't push too hard. I also kept an ice bag at work in the freezer and put my leg up with ice as needed (That reminds me, I need to bring that home now. :)

There are many alternatives so take one day at a time to work toward your goals. Dont over do it...its easy to do so after a few months...one feels "well" again but still healing...same with me now. I feel great and am doing all these things but I remind myself daily that I am still healing.

Star

Posted by Star at 7:55 PM | Comments (0)

October 11, 2004

Withdrawals from Oxycontin/Oxycodone

Don't expect to get much energy after your operation. Your body needs to come back from a major trama to it. You WILL be tired and need naps, especially if you are not a nap person! Take this time to rest...you need it. There is no need to hurry, you arent going anywhere. If you accept it before hand, it will be easier for you. Dont think you will "hurry" anywhere...rest your head and body. Your cells need it and so does your mind.
Star

Posted by Star at 3:44 AM | Comments (0)

October 9, 2004

PT- DO ALWAYS

There were plenty of days I did not want to do my Physical Therapy but I did. It is soooo important to do those exercises. Some times I felt they were not doing anything. Some of the time, I thought I would not be able to do that particular exercise in my life again. Some of them I thought were a waste of time. I can remember all these feelings. It is sooo important to do all of them! They are doing good. You may bot notice but they are. Keep up the good work, its to easy not to do them Just do it!

Exercise especially those days you dont want to!
Star

Posted by Star at 2:42 PM | Comments (0)

October 8, 2004

Post Op On PC

A person, lets call him Joe, asked me how long it would be before one felt like getting back on the pc to chat after this operation. I thought about it and for me it was 3 weeks (I think). Could be 2 weeks. But at first you dont feel like doing much of anything and you shouldn't...you should rest. Your body, whole body is trying to get through what you just went through...major surgery. No worries, you'll be back on in no time...but at first, take the time and do rest up. All people are different so one doesnt know!

Take care, Star

Posted by Star at 9:13 PM | Comments (0)

October 7, 2004

Required Appts for Post Op F\/FG

There aren't many appts required after the initial operation. At six weeks you go to your local Ortho and they take xrays-regular and frog legs ones. Make sure the graft is straight and nothing looks strange. At 3 months post op you go to your local Ortho and take the same xrays. At this time you may see some incorporation of the graft but may not. These films are sent to Duke to Dr Urbaniak where he looks at them and send you a report back of how you are doing. This report takes about a month to get in the mail. Then six months, again, you see your local Ortho, same xrays, sends to Duke, same report and same waiting time. Finally the last appt is at one year in which you return to Duke to see Dr Urbaniak. I will be coming up on this in January 2005 but I assume its the same procedure, just you get your answers then and not a month from then.

Star

Posted by Star at 10:01 PM | Comments (0)

October 6, 2004

Short and sweet-rest

Rest your body when it tells you to. You will win in the long run! Rest if it doesn't tell you to...you will also win in the long run!
Star

Posted by Star at 7:32 PM | Comments (0)

October 5, 2004

Handicapped Memories

So I was in the situation where I was on crutches, heck, in a wheelchair...for a bit. I am not now but I WAS! Before and after my operation. It is a different world and you don't know about that world unless you are in it...plain and simple.

So I am in a hotel now in Atlanta, looking at Turner field to go to the first DS game tomorrow. But there's so much more to that...really.

Apparently the last few times I was at the airport, I was in a wheelchair or had some walking aide. More in the last couple of years than not. So when I went to the airport...I took notice of that I no longer needed help or needed to go the route of the ela\/ators or did not need to go on the plane first, nor did I need extra room for myself (although I wouldn't mind that!)...I went to the stadium Turner Field today for the tour and took notice that I was flying up and down the stairs...i noticed I didn't need help in certain situations that I did before...I didn't need to locate the ela\/ators...I didn't need to go through a separate entrance that do not need the turnstyles that all people go through...I noticed so much! And to my surprise during the tour, they took us to an area where there were wheelchair seats and companion seats and told us about them. Now I knew about them since I was handicapped in a wheelchair and also in the companion for my walking aides...I turned away when they started talking about them...feeling kinda offended. BUT THEN I was extremely happy they were doing this on the tour. Why? Because if I was not handicapped before, I would not know of them seats and etc...I thought it was GREAT that they incorporated this information for the public to know!

It was a great day today, lots of awarenesses of my progress. Like I said before in other posts...baseball was the constant throughout all the changes my body experienced. I am thankful and feel like this is my reward...going to the DS game 1 at Atlanta. I am thankful for it all and would not change anything I been through.
Star

Posted by Star at 8:49 PM | Comments (0)

October 4, 2004

Almost 9 month Post Op-Dont do too much

So here I am in Atlanta Georgia waiting for the DS game 1 on Wednesday. I been walking around ALL day...literally! I went and did the tour at CNN and "Monday Rally" that they had for the team then lots of walking back and forth to the hotel and then I switched hotels to be closer to the stadium. Then I did a dry run (walk actually) to the stadium...walked around it, got familiar... then walked back to the hotel. I think I left in the morning at 9 and came back at 6PM. Walking , walking walking and standing. I need to rest now. I can feel that might been a little too much. I am exhausted but not hurt. Well my ankle hurts a bit but not on the operated leg!

Tomorrow I will take a look at myself more and rest inbetween more. I think I was so excited I didnt want to stop today. :)
Commense resting now,
Star

Posted by Star at 8:43 PM | Comments (0)

October 3, 2004

Meds-Oxycontin and Oxycondone

Both were drugs that I was administered after the operation for pain. I did not get any pain! I didnt take them for long, maybe 3 weeks? I really cant remember exactly but it wasnt long at all. I was off them before the bottle was done and ONLY under the recomeendation of Eunice the PA of Dr Urbaniak. Why? These drugs are sooooo addicting! My body went through withdrawal that consisted of sweats, muscle ache and not sleeping well. I HATED it! Alot of people are on them for longer but if you are getting off, TELL YOUR DOCTOR FIRST! And most certainly dont cut them in half! That is a no-no!

I luckily got off with two weeks of these withdrawal symptoms and still didn't feel any pain.

Knock on wood,

Star

Posted by Star at 7:45 AM | Comments (0)

October 2, 2004

Somethings don't go as planned-Adapt

Today is a perfect example of that statement...I was going to go to Nathan's wedding reception but did not because I had to care for myself first. I chipped my front tooth and spent the day waiting for the emergency dentist and going to the dentist for a temporary fix. I really wanted to go to the reception but I had to care for my unplanned accident with my mouth.

Same goes for this disease...there will be things that you dont plan for that are unexpected...you need to adapt. At one time I was allowed to use one crutch...soon I had to back track and use both again because my body was not ready. I had to adapt. And the time when there was strangler stitches hiding beneath the skin at 6 weeks and the doctor started pulling them out and reopened the incision a small bit and I had to back track and stop swimming therapy...that was my only freedom and the only thing I could do...I had to adapt.

Adapting can be easier said than done sometimes...just be strong and adapt...exen if it means to go backwards for a bit. Adapt...it will make you easier to deal with for yourself.

Star

Posted by Star at 7:48 PM | Comments (0)

October 1, 2004

Another F\/FG, another person-support

I am honored to say that tomorrow I will be attending a reception to a young man (21), his name is Nathan...him and Trichelle got married and I am honored to attend their reception at their home. Nathan had the F\/FG at the end of April at Duke, like myself. His mother, Beth and I started chatting online sometime after I had mine done (Jan 04). Then Nathan and I started a bit. Long story short, it ends up they reside about 3 minutes from where I resided for 7 years and now reside about 20 minutes away from my workplace!!! Small world!

I was able to help Nathan and his family with information on this operation, expectations and e\/en forearm crutches to borrow! I am soooooo fortunate that I was able to pass on this information and help someone else and relate to someone else about this procedure since it is sooooo rare! Thank you Beth and Nathan for being a blessing for me!

I cannot wait to see how well he is doing. The whole family are a bunch of angels. I will keep them close to my heart always,
Star

Posted by Star at 11:11 PM | Comments (0)