Tuesday, May 29, 2007

What will hurt next?

The hip healing continues well; tomorrow Mike will take me to Kaiser to have the annoying staples yanked out of the incision site... rip and burn; rip and burn... I anticipate that's what the staple removal will feel like. I may have TWO vicodin on board for that adventure! The last 2 days I've only taken one vicodin three times a day; the few days before that, I needed a tab 5-6 times per day, and during the night when I'd get up too. I was having horrible right shoulder pain and left back pain. Friday Kim gave me a scalp massage that was wonderfully relaxing,and she said I smiled the whole time, but when she massaged my shoulder to try to reduce the pain, she told me the brow furrowing was pronounced and didn't unfurrow even when she stopped touching me. She put me on a homeopathic sublingual tab of Arnica every 2 hours; she works with a homeopathic practitioner who told her that arnica is the only substance that won't potentiate coumadin. I was desperate to get rid of the shoulder pain, so I tried the arnica all weekend. Mike and the PT lady also lowered the grip handles on my walker so that when I use the walker more of my weight goes through the arms than right to the shoulders. and it all worked together to reduce the shoulder pain! Thank you, God. I'd gotten up crying in pain a few mornings due to that shoulder pain.
Now, the left back area screams at me intermittently; and the hip incision area sings out at intervals, and the lower back yells, "Hey! remember me??" and the right knee talks back after I do the exercises for the right leg.
For now, I am letting them all bitch all they want, I use heat or cold packs on various spots, and a well-timed vicodin slaps them all upside the head every 4 or 5 hours. All the parts will settle down in their own time.
I can feel my right leg getting stronger each day. I still need to be careful to do "hip precautions" when I move, but standing up is easier, and I think I put less weight on my arms when using the walker, altho I don't dare try to walk without it yet. I did sneak a try yesterday but could hardly move my legs without the arm support, so I will give that up for a few more days.
Yesterday I spilled my coffee and cried, and Mike cleaned it up so nicely without complaining, then an hour later I had a bathroom accident and cried, and Mike cleaned it up so nicely without complaining. Then he put Johnny Cash music on the stereo and went around the house like a Whirling Dervish cleaning everything. Mike is the BEST!!
Time to go rest again. Can only be vertical for a short spell, then all the parts tell me it is time to get horizontal again. so bye for now.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I always figured Mike was a Dervish... but to hear that he is still whirling (at his age) gives hope to us all!
Mz Jayne, hope those staples came out slick as a whistle. Keep on gittin' better. Hope to see you soon. Much love to both.