Until Further Notice...

Road Tips is taking some time off during my recovery.  Since I won't be able to travel until June, it's either finish off some of the entries I have coming now, or wait until I can start writing again like I have been.

This doesn't mean I'm completely going away.  I'll be writing once or twice a week - or it could be once every two weeks.  But I'm running out of material since I won't be able to travel for nearly three months. 

I'll continue my updates on my hip situation, which is coming on along fabulously, thank you.  And I've got some restaurants that I'd still like to talk about.  But I'm just not going to be making entries on a regular basis.  I'm still at the point where I can only sit for about 45 to 60 minutes in my office chair before I have to get up and walk or go back to bed to help stretch my leg out. 

During this hiatus, I may re-print some of my more favorite Road Tips entries.  But I have a fundamental problem with re-cycling old stories.  I'll have to see how I feel about it in a week or so.

Speaking of my recovery, I've started physical therapy and while they've started me out with a lot of stretching, I know the tough days are coming.  I still have little to no strength in my left leg - I can't even lift it from an extended position when I'm lying flat in my back.  But the physical therapists - Nicole and Aaron - are fun to work with and have the patience that I've never possessed in my whole life.  I'm going three days a week and that will continue up until I have my right hip replaced on April 8.  Then it's more physical therapy until they release me to start traveling again, hopefully in early June.

The recovery for my left hip - the lack of strength in my left hip, notwithstanding - has been going even better than I anticipated.  I'm getting a little tired of the pain, which is receding every day.  But I'm also getting cabin fever as I've not been able to get outside all that much because of cold weather.  But it's supposed to be in the 50's and 60's in the next few days, so I'll be able to get out and walk up and down the street rather than back and forth in our hallways at home.   

I ditched the walker on Monday of this week and have been walking with a cane, primarily.  That is, when I remember to take the cane.  I found myself out in our four season porch on Thursday without my cane when I took some recyclables out to the storage bin.  I turned and thought, "Where's my cane?"  I left it in the kitchen.  When I recounted the story for the physical therapists the next day, they said, "No, that's great!  If you're forgetting your cane, then that means you're getting along well without it!" 

Saturday, I went without my cane for about 90% of the day.  Sunday, the only time I touched my cane was to move it to a place where I wouldn't forget it if I needed it at some point.  That's 11 days after the surgery.  Also yesterday, I drove my car for the first time since the surgery.  While it hurts to sit in the car for any long amount of time, at least Cindy doesn't have to take time off of work any longer to cart me around to doctor and P.T. appointments.

It's also weird that I have one leg longer than the other - by about an inch.  But I know it's going to be a temporary thing until April 8.  I'm still a little shaky learning to walk with a pronounced limp.  So even though I'm getting to the point where I don't really need the cane, I'm keeping it around to help with the limp. 

The only big problem - other than getting in and out of bed, and Cindy having to put the support hose on my legs for circulation purposes until next Wednesday - has been with a drug called Lovenox that I was injecting into my stomach as an anti-coagulant medicine.  I'd been noticing that late in the day, I'd begin to get chills, nausea, got fatigued, my muscles ached, swelling in my leg increased and I had to go to bed just to feel halfway good.  Even taking pain pills or taking a long, hot shower didn't take care of the increased pain that I experienced.

Cindy's dad and his lady-friend came down to see me last Tuesday.  I injected myself with the Lovenox around 4 p.m. right when they got there.  About 5:30, I had to excuse myself and go back to bed.  The same symptoms erupted.  I began to think that maybe there was something else going on because I had felt great up to that particular point.

The next day, I got a shot about 4:30.  Around 6 p.m., boom.  Same thing.  I got to thinking, "It's got to be the Lovenox."  We looked up the side effects of Lovenox and I found that I had many of the side effect symptoms. 

I called the doctor's office the next morning and talked to one of the nurses.  I told her that I was having nearly all of the side effects of Lovenox, only they seemed to be somewhat acute.  She said, "We've never had anyone complain about the side effects of Lovenox before.  Let me talk to Dr. Hoffman and I'll get back to you."

She called me back in 15 minutes and said, "Get off the Lovenox now.  You've been on it for 7 days and Dr. Hoffman says to take a full strength aspirin in the morning and one in the evening."  

Sure enough, I didn't eject the Lovenox that evening and everything was fine.  I missed my post-op appointment on Friday (because I went to the wrong office), so I didn't find out if I was somewhat allergic to the Lovenox.  But I have a post-op appointment this coming Friday and I'm sure that will be a topic of conversation.  

My staples come out this coming Wednesday and the incision looks great.  I've had little to no problems with the incision, other than it's beginning to itch.   And one other thing that I've found out during all of this - I'm allergic to surgical tape.  I was developing blisters under the surgical tape that I had on my to hold the gauze pads.  When I got the original dressing changed on Monday, the physical therapist gave Cindy a roll of paper tape to use on me.  It's worked great.

I'd also gained some weight back, probably in the form of water weight gain to help with the swelling due to the operation.  But I've noticed that I'm getting rid of a lot of water lately and I've lost a couple three pounds over the past couple days, so I'm hopefully going back in the right direction to lose more weight.   

So, that's it for now.  Thanks again to all who have written, called or commented on my situation.  It's not that I'm going away for good, so check back from time to time for updates and maybe a couple of new restaurants or events that I've been to lately.  I am going to write very soon about my inital experiences of having DirecTV in our house for the past couple of weeks.  And, who knows?  Maybe I'll start feeling better to be able to get back into the full swing of Road Tips sooner than later. 

Comments

[Dave Kienker]

Dear Mr. Road Tips,
Good luck with the new hips. I have been interested in hearing of your experiences for I fear that I will have to do the same soon with a knee. I hope I can keep your upbeat attitude.

I also have enjoyed your reviews, and hope that you will be able to resume them soon. I, for one, would enjoy any subsequent editing to old entries. Keep up the good work.

[Mr. Zinko]

I wouldn't mind seeing some updates of the older entries for Road Tips.

[Anne T.]

If you have to resurrecte some of the old columns by all means go ahead! You deserve it! By the way, have you talked to Marty lately?

[Robert Coleman]

By all means, take as much time as you need. I hope this isn't farewell as much as I'll see you when I see you. I know it takes time with the hip replacement. My friend had one done two years ago and it took him some time to get back. He wasn't allowed to put weight on the hip for the first one or two weeks. When I told him you were walking the night of the surgery he didn't believe me!