Today was my last Fragmin (anti-coagulant) injection. To say that I am happy about this is a gross understatement. The injections weren't really all that bad, and didn't really hurt (just a bit of a sting), but I just never quite got used to giving myself a shot in the abdomen each morning. I dreaded it each day.
And a cheery adios to my elastic TED stockings as well. I actually ditched them yesterday since my legs are not swollen and we are experiencing a heat wave here. Plus they were pretty stretched out and I don't think they were compressing anything.
I've been looking forward to these milestones. Next milestone? I can stop taking iron supplements (they do yucky things to my digestion) in just over a week. After that? I get to drive and go to the pool in 3 weeks and 2 days! At that point I will also go back to the office part-time.
Showing posts with label Fragmin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fragmin. Show all posts
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Sweat Hog
, I am old enough to remember "Welcome Back Kotter," which means I could be menopausal. However, I don't think that's the explanation for my hot flashes.
We are having a heat wave in Portland, with temperatures expected to peak in three digits tomorrow. But our house is cool, and I've been spending the majority of my time indoors.
It's been a bitch trying to regulate my body temperature. I think this is a residual effect of all the heavy-duty drugs introduced into my formerly drug-free body over the past several weeks -- epidural, general anesthesia, oxycodone, oxycontin -- as my body tries to detoxify. But it seems to be taking forever!
My last Oxy was 5 days ago, and I did experience two days of withdrawal-type symptoms (nausea, headache, irritability, inability to sleep, sweating). The only remaining symptom now is the hot/sweat/cold cycle I'm in. It's far worse at night, when I wake up drenched, throw open the windows, throw off my clothes, and then become freezing cold. I load up on blankets, and the cycle repeats. All night long. In between I'm able to sleep, but every morning I wake up soggy and, well, smelly. And unhappy.
It could be worse. My hip pain is really minimal, for which I'm grateful. I'm just taking occasional Tylenol for pain. My last Fragmin injection is tomorrow (YEAH!) I get to ditch the lovely TED compression stockings tomorrow (YEAH!) Overall I feel fantastic. I just wish I could stay cool, or warm, or somewhere in between, and remain there.
I got on the scale this morning to find I'd lost just over 10 pounds since my PAO, which is not something I expected. I had gained 10 lbs. from date of diagnosis and was able to lose 5 of that before surgery, so now I'm 5 pounds below my weight before all this started. Perhaps it's all water weight, although I've been careful to stay hydrated during this sweatfest. I actually look a lot thinner, especially my legs and rear, and I think I may be losing muscle mass, which is not something I want, but would explain the severe weight loss. I can't wait for physical therapy (starting in September) so that I can sweat legitimately and start building those muscles back up.
We are having a heat wave in Portland, with temperatures expected to peak in three digits tomorrow. But our house is cool, and I've been spending the majority of my time indoors.
It's been a bitch trying to regulate my body temperature. I think this is a residual effect of all the heavy-duty drugs introduced into my formerly drug-free body over the past several weeks -- epidural, general anesthesia, oxycodone, oxycontin -- as my body tries to detoxify. But it seems to be taking forever!
My last Oxy was 5 days ago, and I did experience two days of withdrawal-type symptoms (nausea, headache, irritability, inability to sleep, sweating). The only remaining symptom now is the hot/sweat/cold cycle I'm in. It's far worse at night, when I wake up drenched, throw open the windows, throw off my clothes, and then become freezing cold. I load up on blankets, and the cycle repeats. All night long. In between I'm able to sleep, but every morning I wake up soggy and, well, smelly. And unhappy.
It could be worse. My hip pain is really minimal, for which I'm grateful. I'm just taking occasional Tylenol for pain. My last Fragmin injection is tomorrow (YEAH!) I get to ditch the lovely TED compression stockings tomorrow (YEAH!) Overall I feel fantastic. I just wish I could stay cool, or warm, or somewhere in between, and remain there.
I got on the scale this morning to find I'd lost just over 10 pounds since my PAO, which is not something I expected. I had gained 10 lbs. from date of diagnosis and was able to lose 5 of that before surgery, so now I'm 5 pounds below my weight before all this started. Perhaps it's all water weight, although I've been careful to stay hydrated during this sweatfest. I actually look a lot thinner, especially my legs and rear, and I think I may be losing muscle mass, which is not something I want, but would explain the severe weight loss. I can't wait for physical therapy (starting in September) so that I can sweat legitimately and start building those muscles back up.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Daily Routine
I picked a great time to have surgery. It had been really hot here in Portland with beautiful sunny days. Our house is in a forest and very well insulated, so it stays cool. I love sitting in the living room watching the hummingbirds and squirrels. I can wear shorts and tank tops around the house and don't have to worry about trying to stay warm. Best of all, I don't have to put socks on (something which I don't think I can do on my right side by myself yet).
I have been waking up at 5:30 AM to have breakfast with Perry and sit in a chair for a couple of hours. Our new recliner is being delivered today and I can't wait for that as the chair I'm sitting in is a bit uncomfortable. I usually check e-mail and read the news in the morning. I am a bit obsessed with checking other hip chicks' blogs to see what they are up to, especially those that are a few weeks ahead of me in the recovery process. We all heal differently, but it's good to know what to look forward to.
I've been leaving comments on other hip chicks' blogs with more regularity because I can empathize about both pre- and post-surgical issues. I am trying not to make a career of reading and commenting on blogs, but it's hard not to be obsessive about it since it's what I am living every day.
I have noticed that most peoples' blog entries tend to taper off or stop just about the time they are allowed to ditch the crutches and start walking. This makes sense because at that point people pretty much go back to their normal lives. I would like to hear more about the physical therapy experiences people have at that point, but I'm sure I'll have the experience myself soon enough.
The only "complication" I've had is that my hands are sore. I'm using padded bike gloves, but they aren't helping much. The crutches are a bit more cushy than the walker so I'm using those more, but it's easier to carry things with the walker. I put a bike basket on the front -- the same kind of bike basket that used to go on my pink Schwinn when I was 10 years old -- only this one doesn't have plastic flowers on it. My Mom's friend had it hanging in her garage and donated it to the cause, and it has been invaluable.
I am allowed to walk as far as I'm comfortable with the crutches as long as I don't put any weight on my right leg, which means most of my weight will be on my hands. The doctor made it clear that it's a good thing to walk and exercise but I haven't ventured out very far yet. I think my hip could go miles without a problem but my hands might not make it that far. Since we live on a steep hill, I think I'll try going to a flat neighborhood to see if I can crutch a block. Someone can follow me in the car in case I poop out.
(Speaking of, yes I did, on Wednesday. My sister Linda won the betting pool.)
Most days, after sitting in a chair for a couple of hours I go take my meds and inject myself with Fragmin, the worst part of my day. Then I usually get tired and take a nap. When I wake up I work for a few hours each day on my laptop. I don't want work to think they can survive without me for too long! Usually I read a book in the CPM machine in the afternoon. When Perry gets home he helps me take a shower. A shower chair is invaluable and Perry installed a hand-held shower head as well. I strongly advise everyone to have those things to make your life easier.
I got a bedside commode because my surgeon told me to, but I've never used it. I don't have a raised toilet seat either. I know those things can be helpful but I haven't found the need. I would advise people to buy the raised toilet seat and have it available. Try the toilet without it. If you find you don't need it, return it.
The only other assistive devices I have are a grabber (invaluable - things fall on the floor all the time and I can also use it to help get my pants on my "bad" leg). I have a sock putter onner but haven't tried it yet as it has been too hot for socks. Usually people buy a "hip kit" which has a long shoe horn, a sponge on a stick for washing, a grabber, and a dressing assistant device. I didn't think I needed all of that and the grabber was on sale, so it was cheaper to buy just what I needed. However, usually it's cheaper to buy everything as a kit and some people may want the other items. I can reach my lower legs to wash them and can put my shoes on without a shoe horn so I didn't need all of the items.
I try to do my isometric exercises about 5 times a day, 20 reps each time. Those consist of the following exercises done lying on my back:
~Glute squeezes
~Pointing and flexing my feet
~Hamstring exercises in which I pull my heels down and toward my butt
~Quad exercises in which I tighten my quads and push them down into the bed
I try to get up 5 or 6 times per day just to stroll around. I'd do this more often if my hands hurt less.
I spend 20 or more hours per day in the CPM machine and I'm up to 75 degrees. I need to get to 90 degrees before I can stop using it.
My IV site is still sore and tender. Obviously anything having to do with putting a needle in one of my veins is a problem. Not intolerable, but something I've learned about myself.
I have been waking up at 5:30 AM to have breakfast with Perry and sit in a chair for a couple of hours. Our new recliner is being delivered today and I can't wait for that as the chair I'm sitting in is a bit uncomfortable. I usually check e-mail and read the news in the morning. I am a bit obsessed with checking other hip chicks' blogs to see what they are up to, especially those that are a few weeks ahead of me in the recovery process. We all heal differently, but it's good to know what to look forward to.
I've been leaving comments on other hip chicks' blogs with more regularity because I can empathize about both pre- and post-surgical issues. I am trying not to make a career of reading and commenting on blogs, but it's hard not to be obsessive about it since it's what I am living every day.
I have noticed that most peoples' blog entries tend to taper off or stop just about the time they are allowed to ditch the crutches and start walking. This makes sense because at that point people pretty much go back to their normal lives. I would like to hear more about the physical therapy experiences people have at that point, but I'm sure I'll have the experience myself soon enough.
The only "complication" I've had is that my hands are sore. I'm using padded bike gloves, but they aren't helping much. The crutches are a bit more cushy than the walker so I'm using those more, but it's easier to carry things with the walker. I put a bike basket on the front -- the same kind of bike basket that used to go on my pink Schwinn when I was 10 years old -- only this one doesn't have plastic flowers on it. My Mom's friend had it hanging in her garage and donated it to the cause, and it has been invaluable.
I am allowed to walk as far as I'm comfortable with the crutches as long as I don't put any weight on my right leg, which means most of my weight will be on my hands. The doctor made it clear that it's a good thing to walk and exercise but I haven't ventured out very far yet. I think my hip could go miles without a problem but my hands might not make it that far. Since we live on a steep hill, I think I'll try going to a flat neighborhood to see if I can crutch a block. Someone can follow me in the car in case I poop out.
(Speaking of, yes I did, on Wednesday. My sister Linda won the betting pool.)
Most days, after sitting in a chair for a couple of hours I go take my meds and inject myself with Fragmin, the worst part of my day. Then I usually get tired and take a nap. When I wake up I work for a few hours each day on my laptop. I don't want work to think they can survive without me for too long! Usually I read a book in the CPM machine in the afternoon. When Perry gets home he helps me take a shower. A shower chair is invaluable and Perry installed a hand-held shower head as well. I strongly advise everyone to have those things to make your life easier.
I got a bedside commode because my surgeon told me to, but I've never used it. I don't have a raised toilet seat either. I know those things can be helpful but I haven't found the need. I would advise people to buy the raised toilet seat and have it available. Try the toilet without it. If you find you don't need it, return it.
The only other assistive devices I have are a grabber (invaluable - things fall on the floor all the time and I can also use it to help get my pants on my "bad" leg). I have a sock putter onner but haven't tried it yet as it has been too hot for socks. Usually people buy a "hip kit" which has a long shoe horn, a sponge on a stick for washing, a grabber, and a dressing assistant device. I didn't think I needed all of that and the grabber was on sale, so it was cheaper to buy just what I needed. However, usually it's cheaper to buy everything as a kit and some people may want the other items. I can reach my lower legs to wash them and can put my shoes on without a shoe horn so I didn't need all of the items.
I try to do my isometric exercises about 5 times a day, 20 reps each time. Those consist of the following exercises done lying on my back:
~Glute squeezes
~Pointing and flexing my feet
~Hamstring exercises in which I pull my heels down and toward my butt
~Quad exercises in which I tighten my quads and push them down into the bed
I try to get up 5 or 6 times per day just to stroll around. I'd do this more often if my hands hurt less.
I spend 20 or more hours per day in the CPM machine and I'm up to 75 degrees. I need to get to 90 degrees before I can stop using it.
My IV site is still sore and tender. Obviously anything having to do with putting a needle in one of my veins is a problem. Not intolerable, but something I've learned about myself.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
On the flip side
I am supposed to spend 30 minutes twice per day on my stomach to counteract the effect of laying on my back for so long. Yesterday I flipped over with just a bit of trouble; it felt great to be off my back. I thought it would be impossible to flip back over, but it wasn't hard. I have repeated the flip today and almost fell asleep on my stomach, it felt so relaxing.
I got up early today and sat at the table to eat breakfast with Perry like a real human being. I then sat on the couch and spent 4 hours reading my e-mail from work. Several people told me to knock it off and quit working, so finally I did.
Healing-wise, everything is going really well. The only thing I dread each day is my Fragmin injection. Fragmin is a blood thinner I must inject daily for 2 weeks to prevent blood clots. It barely hurts, but I dread it each day because it's hard to push a needle into your own stomach. I'm really not afraid of needles, despite all of my negative posts on giving blood. It's just not the most pleasant part of my day.
Speaking of blood, in the hospital the professional vampires came to take blood from me daily. They were truly vampire-like because they always woke me up at 3 or 4 in the morning when it was still dark outside to take blood. That said, they were truly wonderful and able to get blood out of me with no pain. Sara, the phlebotomist with the mostest, told me on the first day that the reason I've suffered in the past was because there is a tendon right below my very tiny crooked rubbery rolling vein (this is true in both arms). Unless someone is careful, when my vein rolls they will probably poke me in the tendon. A needle in the tendon hurts like hell. She said with the large needle they use for autologous blood donations, it is likely that the needle was stuck in my tendon for the entire 45 minutes I was trying to donate. She said anyone would have been shaking and screaming in pain. I no longer feel like such a big weanie.
I'm still working on my long post regarding the details of my hospital stay. It may take a few days because there are many details to share. Meanwhile, let the healing continue.
I got up early today and sat at the table to eat breakfast with Perry like a real human being. I then sat on the couch and spent 4 hours reading my e-mail from work. Several people told me to knock it off and quit working, so finally I did.
Healing-wise, everything is going really well. The only thing I dread each day is my Fragmin injection. Fragmin is a blood thinner I must inject daily for 2 weeks to prevent blood clots. It barely hurts, but I dread it each day because it's hard to push a needle into your own stomach. I'm really not afraid of needles, despite all of my negative posts on giving blood. It's just not the most pleasant part of my day.
Speaking of blood, in the hospital the professional vampires came to take blood from me daily. They were truly vampire-like because they always woke me up at 3 or 4 in the morning when it was still dark outside to take blood. That said, they were truly wonderful and able to get blood out of me with no pain. Sara, the phlebotomist with the mostest, told me on the first day that the reason I've suffered in the past was because there is a tendon right below my very tiny crooked rubbery rolling vein (this is true in both arms). Unless someone is careful, when my vein rolls they will probably poke me in the tendon. A needle in the tendon hurts like hell. She said with the large needle they use for autologous blood donations, it is likely that the needle was stuck in my tendon for the entire 45 minutes I was trying to donate. She said anyone would have been shaking and screaming in pain. I no longer feel like such a big weanie.
I'm still working on my long post regarding the details of my hospital stay. It may take a few days because there are many details to share. Meanwhile, let the healing continue.
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