Week 1

Week One was hard! I came home on Thursday 1st January, Week 1 takes me to Monday 5th, one week after the op.

I have felt nauseous all the time and very faint and sickly several times a day, often just after eating a very small meal. Getting washed and dressed took so much time and effort I needed to rest for an hour afterwards. My sleep at night was very disturbed as every time I tried to turn over, I woke up, knowing that I must sleep on my back for six weeks or I could hurt the new hip. The exercises seemed almost impossible to do and my moods swung from positive to tearful in a moment. Mr S has been wonderful with all that he has to do, from being head cook and bottle washer to personal dresser and trainer, always full of encouragement and hugs and so patient.

I was trying to manage with just paracetamol but a week after the op, I was unable to do the exercises without pain. Everyone had said that the exercises are crucial to success so I decided to take the codeine despite the effects on my head so that I could make progress. Even more sleep was the result but at least I was getting on with the exercises when I was awake. It’s 40 steps from the sitting room to the kitchen and I have managed that several times each day. My other medication, Xarelto, is to prevent DVT and has to be taken for 5 weeks.

N&G visited on 4th January having done a bit of shopping for us and it was lovely to see their lovely smiley faces!  They told me later that I looked simply dazed when they saw me then!

I had collected a stash of books to read while recovering but found that I couldn’t concentrate for long enough, I was able to crochet very simply for a short time. We had to turn away visitors as I just felt so completely washed out and drained. As friends told me, listen to your body, sleep is the best medicine, all this will take time, be patient, allow yourself to rest – and so I have.

The meals that I put in the freezer before my op are proving invaluable. Mr S has so much to do simply looking after me, from putting on my DVT stockings and absolutely everything in the house so that only having to sort the veg to go with Chicken Lasagne or Moussaka or Bolognaise or Farfallone con Funghi sauce or Sausage and Lentil casserole is quite enough.

My lovely Sister-in-law in Atlanta has been a tower of strength this week, reassuring me that I will get better and sending me love across the pond.

Finally, much to my disappointment, I have decided to move out of our bed and into the spare room. I wake so much in the night – every hour last night –  that I am disturbing Mr S and he needs his sleep if he is to continue to look after me and I am feeling so weak and wimpish right now that he has to be extra strong!