Saturday 6 March 2010

What? The annunciation hasn't even happened yet

I am not happy to announce that, in today's Times, there is an advertisement for a construction toy "The most amazing Xmas gift for your child."  No, really.  It's not right or proper.

Since hardly anyone reads blogs on a Saturday (Dave reckons it's Sunday, but I find that I get more readers on Sun than on Sat) I will update my hiplog - I realise I'm doing this to death and I apologise but it's an easy way to make notes for myself.

In the last week, I've graduated to using a step to get into the bath and standing, to getting in without the step and sitting on the edge (with a towel underneath, it's chilly else), to kneeling in the bath to, last night, with great happiness, sitting properly in the bath like a Christian, splashing happily.  I quite naturally seemed to know when I wasn't ready to progress to each stage and then when I was.  To get out, I drew up my unoperated leg underneath me, put one hand on the rim of the bath and the other on its bottom, went up to a kneeling and then a standing position before stepping out.

As I said, that was last night, but yesterday morning, I got up a bit late.  I was awake, but the Sage wasn't, so I was happily playing games on my phone until I realised I only had 20 minutes  before I needed to be out of the house.  Time was, 10 minutes was ample but now I need to put a face on and a breakfast in, and then I couldn't find my handbag, so I was 4 minutes late leaving.  So I ran down the drive.  Yes, darlings, I ran.  And it didn't hurt.  I haven't run without pain and lurching to a stop after a few steps for at least 3 years.

I was extremely puffed out by the time I'd run 100 yards, I admit.  Still.

The other thing I've graduated to in the past week is sleeping on my side.  The operated side only, I'm not risking the other until I get the all clear from the consultant, and it wakes me up every half-hour or so, but I'd got to the stage where my back was aching beyond sleeping through, and it is improving.  Usually, I can just lie on my back for a few minutes, then return to my side and go back to sleep.  I'm not getting a lot of sleep, but I am resting and not getting up early unless I have to, and I'll catch up sooner or later.

Colour is returning to the membrane of my eye (I have been taking an iron supplement too) and I don't take an afternoon nap.  I can dress without using a grabber, but I still need a sock aid for my right sock or for tights.

Yesterday afternoon, I picked up Squiffany from school and we played board and card games, which had me sitting in a lower chair than usual - this was fine for a while and then suddenly it hurt.  The Sage went and got me my high cushion and it was all right then.

The operation was 6 weeks ago yesterday.  A friend of mine had her second hip operated on on Monday and we've been exchanging emails today, she having returned home on Thursday.  She had her first hip done when she was 58, 6 years ago, and she says that she feels noticeably more tired this time round.  She doesn't consciously feel 6 years older, but her body says she is!  She says she can get around very well, but feels breathless after a while and has to stop and sit down.  I'll be seeing her in a couple of weeks, when I'll take her to a meeting in Bury St Edmunds, so we'll compare notes then.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Running! You really are doing incredibly well.

And I read blogs on a saturday night.

Z said...

I just looked at my stats, which I hardly ever do, and there have been more visitors today than all week. Most odd.

I read blogs on a Saturday night too, but I expect some people have more of a social life than we do.

Marion said...

I've been out and about today but like to blog read with a cup of coffee every day around 6. Your progress sounds wonderful. I am so glad you are doing well. And just think, it's just in time for SPRING!

Z said...

Yup - that was the reason I had the op in January, so I could spend the rest of the winter, when nothing interesting was happening, recuperating.

Anonymous said...

Running. ?
Glad that it did not hurt.

I thought they were a bit fast when coloured eggs and hare or bunny-shaped chocolate turned up in the supermarket two weeks ago, but a christmas toy in March is really a bit gross!

luckyzmom said...

Happy to hear you continue to do well. We have a walk-in shower as well as a tub, so I didn't even try the tub for quite awhile. And running?, before and after, not unless someone is chasing me.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Z said...

Well, something of an awkward galumph, in grey patent court shoes, handbag flapping, but a run all the same.

Easter eggs are in the shops from the beginning of January here. I don't know who buys them.

Dave said...

Oddly, although I like to be prepared well in advance, I don't buy Easter eggs in January. I still haven't even thought about buying any, even though it's Lent 3 today.

My stats for the last few weeks show most visitors Mon-Fri (perhaps when people are at work? No, surely not) about 80% level on Saturdays and 60% on Sundays. Obviously my highly religious readership are too busy worshipping than have time for trivial things like blogs.

Christopher said...

Great progress, Z, well done, but I'm a bit concerned about your bathing like a Christian and I expect Dave will have something to say about this in his sermon this morning, quoting passages from Leviticus and Galatians condemning the practice of lying at full stretch in the bath like that well-known infidel Cleopatra instead of sitting up and taking notice like that well-known Christian Jean-Paul Marat.

Z said...

I buy Easter eggs in plenty of time, on Easter Saturday. I suspect the reason they're put on the shelves early is in the hope that people buy them, can't resist eating them and have to buy again.

I did sit, Christopher. I said so. Nevertheless, if I had a friendly ass, I might try the Cleopatra method (not that I could bring myself to worship a cat) but I don't receive strangers of the opposite sex in my bathroom, sitting up or not.

Zig said...

Running and bathing - I'm envious! But excellent progress Z, tell me your secret! (perhaps I'm not doing so well because I'm not a Christian?! And bathe, when I can, like the heathen I am!)

Z said...

Ziggi love, I think my secret was not to have a terrible experience on the operating table that left me with a lot of recuperation to do. I was lucky enough to have a very straightforward and successful operation. I've done nothing to deserve it - and nor did you.

"Like a Christian" is, of course, a figure of speech. It doesn't mean anything religious.

Z said...

By the way, over the last month, the most visitors have been on two Mondays, two Wednesdays and two Saturdays. And yet in the past, when I glanced at the weekly emailed summary that is all the notice I ever take of stats, Saturday has always been the most quiet day.

Pat said...

Glad to hear all is progressing well. Should be down hill all the way now:)

luckyzmom said...

My husbands days of work are usually Thursday through Monday and I would be more likely to visit those days and not usually Tuesday or Wednesday.

Surely not....relaxing in the bathtub til I have prune fingers, is one of my favorite things to do.

Z said...

As downhill as Norfolk can be, I hope, Pat!

I used to lie in the bath for ages, LZM, at our last house. But now we have a six foot bath and a five foot bath - one is too long and the other isn't long enough. I usually just sit and don't take long. But I do leave the water for my husband, so we're not wasteful.