So I'm now at week 6. This is something of a holy grail to some of us. When you have surgery by the posterior approach there's all these restrictions put on you, and 6 weeks is the magical time when some of these are lifted. Not all, and it doesn't mean that all of a sudden everything is perfect. But it's certainly a point I saw as a bit of a milestone. Except now that I've got here it's rather underwhelming.
During the past week I'd made real progress with my walking. I was doing great on one crutch, walking a couple of times each day, doing about 1.5 miles each time and feeling great. Over the weekend my legs were feeling tight and heavy, the skin felt as if my legs were swollen though they didn't look to be that bad. Big yes, fat yes, swollen not especially. I've rested up this weekend and put my legs up. When I say up I do mean literally up, very elevated. I've had swollen legs before when we've cruised and found I could relieve by lying with legs right up. After one day I lay on our cabin bed, legs up the wall. I even managed to sleep in that position for an hour and a half. This time round I'm not athletic enough to go quite that far but a good pile of pillows against bed headboard and some care in moving myself and I wasn't too far off. And it seems to have paid off a bit as I feel slightly less tight skinned today. Maybe I'd just overdone it last week but I hope not as I'd really felt good doing it.
At the time of the feeling swollen and retreating to rest, it felt that I'd been really knocked back. I'd plateaued at what seemed like a time I should be moving on and feeling positive. Saturday evening the tears came. That was a shock as I'd been feeling good then wham, the emotional hammer comes out and clobbers me big time. Sometimes it's easy to rationalise things. Sometimes it's just easier to cry.
Anyway, 2 days lazing and then today I decided to walk outdoors totally and completely crutch free. Last few times I was out it seemed that the crutch made for harder work on our wonky paths, and I'm not using them at all indoors. So I planned a short stroll, just over half a mile. As I'm typing this it's calm and sunny, but when I went out it was grey, cold and very windy, so I am getting in meteorological excuses already, but strewth it was hard work. No pain from Horace, he was fine but I felt what I know I am...overweight and out of shape and hugely out of condition. My legs hurt, my left calf felt like I'd run a mile. Or what I might imagine that feels like since I just don't do running. And my left calf isn't even in the leg that's been operated on! I might go try again in a little while. Maybe carry stick even if I don't intend to use it. I'm not trying to be too ambitious. At 4 weeks the physio was saying I could expect to be crutch free by the magic 6 so it was only a gentle test of what I'd been told to aim for anyway.
All in all today has felt a bit meh with what feels a bit like a fail in the walk department. Ironically as my walking seems to be going backward I have had a bit of progress in terms of getting some sleep. I've been getting more continuous less disrupted sleep time, which is good. The not so good is that it generally starts around 2 am and I've managed to sleep in late. But with starting work again tomorrow I'd like to get back into a more normal sleep pattern. I'm only doing 2 hours, I'm working from home and my boss doesn't mind how or when I do it but I want to be able to be organised and fit in with exercises and walking. If I'm not hauling my arse out of bed til gone 9 it's going to get messy. Truth is I'm quite scared about working. As I feel tired. As I can't sit for long. As I'm wondering if I left stuff in a mess for others. As I'm not sure how to do such short days when I've worked stupidly long hours for too long. Once people know I'm online I have to manage things so they know I can't deal with everything. I'm not good at saying no but guess that's a skill I need to master quickly or I'll sink!
Another reason for feeling a bit flat I think is due to the fact that although I have reached the magic 6 weeks, nothing actually changes until I see the doctor and physio on Thursday. It's when I see them that I'll get the go ahead for driving (I hope). I'll also hopefully be told I can sleep on my side. I'll find out what my restrictions are in terms of sitting below my safe height. Having said that I may carry on with cushions while it feels like I'm sitting on a bag of marbles. I still find it incredible that with an arse the size of mine it feels like I'm dead bony when I'm sitting down. I'll find out if I'm allowed to ditch the bath board and step into the bath and have a shower. Just things that might seem no big deal but will make a huge difference to me.
Quick update...took a break from blogging to go back out for another crutch free walk. Just half a mile but felt a bit better. Maybe I used the stick more than I thought I was, or maybe it was a combination of lot of walking last week and none over weekend, but it just feels now like I'm normal but unfit. Hip was no issue, even back was ok but ached in knees and ankles in both legs. But no waddling!
So I'm just out of condition. Hopefully on Thursday I'll get told I can go back to the gym too. The Wii was mean to me again on Saturday and put another pound on me :( Another reason to dread work...when I go back into the office I may not fit in anything!
3 more days then it might all change a bit. I'm at 6 weeks now but not had the magic wand waved to lift restrictions. I'm aware the wand has a downside in the form of clamshells. That means in return for saying I can do stuff they make me do more exercises. Clamshells are some of them. And they are evil. But given the option of staying in this meh place I'll take it.
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