Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mike CHS]

Maybe all this tingley, weird numbness is what some call pain?????? Dr said this morning that I was probably well past any of the "severe pain" that most feel after surgery. Am I that pain tolerant?????

I think Jan is back to being Jan. It also sounds like you are coping well which I think is half the battle. I do think we do develop a pain tolerance. Back in the 80's I had back surgery with complications and they told me I would be bed ridden for two months but I did the Navy Physical Test two weeks later. My shoulder surgery was the same last year and I never had to take an Aspirin so it looks like you have it wired. Either way, I'm happy to see you with some light at that end of the tunnel.

 

[thistlebloom]

I'm glad to hear that the severe pain is a non event for you, and that you will be healing up more quickly than you anticipated.
Hope you can get some rest in that place.
Somebody should start some Farmer Rehab hospitals. PT could be throwing bales of hay and mucking out stalls or something.

 

[Mini Horses]

? Ready to get out & smell COWS!

Bet you are thinking about the dirty shirt in a plastic bag thing now....

Maybe this pain is less than what you've been living with?

Just great to hear it is going so "well"....hang in, you'll be home soon!! Glad you can post. It will help with your frustrations.

 

[Baymule]

I don’t know of any rehab places in the middle of nowhere, nor any in the middle of a cow pasture. 9 more days to go. I will be sending telepathic thoughts of cows in grassy green pastures to you.

 

[rachels.haven]

Good to hear you're feeling good enough to want to leave asap! I hope you can channel some of that youthfulness and get OUT.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

So glad to hear you are doing better! That spunk you have always shown is coming out again! You will probably be home at the end of the 9 days. Hang in there! We are all rooting for you!

 

[farmerjan]

Well, it has been a day of 9 million people in and out. I mean really there have been several in line waiting for me to get done with the one before. The OT guy (good looking young guy in the 30's) (so I am not dead yet!!!!!) was very satisfied with the movement in and out of the bathroom on the walker and got a pair of crutches but then the PT lady nixed them. Agreed that the walker was hard on the knee, so has me in a wheelchair, for any kind of distance, so I don't put so much pressure on the knee. Has agreed that IF I keep it well above the floor and not use it for even balance, that I can go to the bathroom using the walker. So I showed her that I was capable to keep it up and agreed to not use the crutches for now. She wants to talk to the Drs office about the non-weight bearing stuff and all. Did have me practice going on and off the wheelchair, and doing a swivel with the "good leg". I think she thought that I was going to need several lessons and seemed very surprised that I got it after the first try. When you work with farm equipment, you learn the "DO'S and DON'TS" the first time so you don't get hurt or tear up 1,000's of dollars of equipment.
I will admit to being weaker and I realize that is due to the "trauma" to my system from the surgery. I know I am going to be weaker and get more tired easily. I will do what she wants, and since it is considered a "soft cast" until the appt on the 20th, the OT said he doesn't think that I will be a candidate to teaching me about the best way to get in and out of the shower, becausiugher so I am note getting it wet is not an option.
They got me a different bed that the back will go up higher as the other one was less than 49 degrees and this one is closer to 55-60 degrees. easier on my back for sitting with the computer since I cannot sit on the side and put my foot down for more than a few minutes to help prevent swelling and all that. Also brought an "egg crate" to put on the mattress to see if I can get more comfortable. Also saw a wedge type thing that will help me get my ankle elevated without the pillows all sliding all over and stay in place better. I'm sure some of it will not be covered, but I have got to sleep. Just wish the back would go up to near 90 degree so I can rest my back as I sit up and type and still keep my ankle up on the bed so at least level if not always elevated.... it is not "down". But, some progress. The staff have all been VERY NICE.
I got the impression from a counselor that was assessing my "mental state" (suicide tendencies was a part of it) that the staff has been so helpful because I am not whiny and that I am straight forward about things and have been appreciative for what all they have been doing for me. Plus the fact that I am coherent and not so old as to be a "nursing home old person" to deal with. She was a trip to deal with and said that she was pretty sure she would not have to come back to see me but she enjoyed our discussions.

Had another assessing my communications skills...... she said that she also felt I was perfectly capable of communicating my needs to someone if I needed something.

Maybe I should have sent her to this website and told her to talk to you all about my communicating.....

Anyway, I also had to do some paperwork for the office, sign the papers that allows Medicare to get billed and all that stuff... the young admin asst also asked me if I wanted to get on the list for a private room. They are well acquainted with my room mate and all like her but know her ways from her stay last year with the broken leg. I told her to go ahead and put me on the list. There are a couple ahead of me, it will still cost me the extra 60 bucks a day, but I really am going nuts with all the really nice, but LOUD, visitors she had today and I understand she gets quite a few. Bless her 95 yr old soul, and the friends she has.
I will take the room if it comes available. Yeah, some extra money, but I think my sanity will be happier. And more room in it too, and NOT sharing a rest room.

So, as I said last night, I will give it a little time and see how things go tomorrow. At least things are being addressed.
There's still all OLD PEOPLE here...... and this infernal background music. Maybe a day of fewer interruptions will help. And some country music on my computer. And not having to worry about being in the bathroom.....uninterupted....

 

[Mini Horses]

Had another assessing my communications skills...... she said that she also felt I was perfectly capable of communicating my needs to someone if I needed something.

Maybe I should have sent her to this website and told her to talk to you all about my communicating.....

Just get her email and we will all give her some background! You know we will be gentle!!

 

[Bruce]

Had another assessing my communications skills...... she said that she also felt I was perfectly capable of communicating my needs to someone if I needed something.

Quelle surprise!
Sorry about the loud (but nice) roommate. Sounds like you've got the staff all on your side, lots of help. I'm sure they do appreciate the occasional "not old yet" patient.
BTW, I happen to like 40's era music.

 

[farmerjan]

Bet you are thinking about the dirty shirt in a plastic bag thing now....

Maybe this pain is less than what you've been living with?

Just great to hear it is going so "well"....hang in, you'll be home soon!! Glad you can post. It will help with your frustrations.

@Mini Horses I really should have brought some kind of a "cow fix"........
Maybe the pain is less than I have been living with. I keep expecting some kind of intense sharp pain and there is none, still the weird itchy, numbness, tingley, stuff.....Never thought I was in so much pain before and it didn't hurt when I was off it, like laying down, so this weirdness is just that.