UPDATE

Tomorrow will be 23 weeks since I had the revision on my hip replacement surgery. As you know, I was in the hospital for 10 weeks, home for 13.I am attending rehab therapy at Toronto Private twice a week. This consists of Physiotherapy and Hydrotherapy It is beneficial, but……..The diagnosis is damage to the sciatic nerve in my left leg, and what I have discovered is that it is impossible to mobilise without some heavy-duty equipment. I use a forearm support walker around the house and a wheelchair when I go anywhere. Going anywhere has been limited to a couple of visits to the shops, numerous doctor and therapy appointments, and the occasional social event. The specialist who did the surgery has me on strict hip precautions, meaning I cannot bend (limits dressing and showering activity), twist or stretch. The rationale for this is to try to prevent further dislocation of the joint ( which has dislocated once since this surgery). The next appointment with him is at the end of the month, and I am hoping he will relax this a little.
I do have much to be thankful for:-1. My Rehab specialist has been excellent in terms of her personal support and management. She tells me I must be patient, and the nerve regeneration is a slow process. I am more than grateful for her care and attention, but those who know me know that patience is not one of my strong points. The pain of the sciatic dysfunction, coupled with the Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, is compounding day-to-day management and is at times absolutely unbearable. 2. Hydrotherapy – getting in the pool and being able to mobilise is just amazing3. Home Care. We were granted a Level 3 (High Priority) Home Care Package. For this, I am grateful, as I don’t think we would have been able to cope otherwise.4. I don’t need to tell you how supportive and practical Terry has been during this time. Without his care, I don’t know where I would have been. 5. The wisdom of my youngest granddaughter. Miss Sophie asked me a couple of weeks ago why I was sad, and I told her it was because I could not walk or drive my car. She thought for a moment and said, “Don’t say you cannot walk, grandmother, you can walk, you just need to use the big walker”. She then said, “When you are in the car, you need to imagine you are a princess and the car is a limousine and Poppy is your chauffeur.”