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kitanziI had my first post surgery physical therapy last night. The good news is things are basically healing. The bad news is apparently they are doing so in spite of me.
I had post surgery instructions for the first 48-72 hours, but was apparently unclear on what I should be doing after. I (being a stubborn and impatient type, fancy that) have been pretty much pushing myself as I can tell I'm getting better. In fact, I was quite pleased with my progress. Well, the therapist apparently isn't. I should have been cautious where I was impatient, and resting where I was stretching, and generally trying to make the muscles relax more than they are rather than testing my limits. Her description was that the muscles were extremely guarded, and I didn't have nearly the range of motion she apparently expected. Dammit.
So ACat is back on pretty much the full range of housework, and I'm taking advantage of the 4 day weekend I have (a company that gives Fri AND Mon off for Xmas on Sun??) and hopefully I'll be doing better soon.
I have to admit, it's immensely less painful this way, but somehow I seem to have been raised with the idea that coping with pain is more admirable than whining about it - I am able to see past that for other people, but it's hard to get around it for myself. Having doctor's orders to rest it and avoid the pain somehow doesn't make it feel any less like malingering. I know, I'm much, much better. I want to be well, though. The really depressing part is the thought that I've sabotagued myself.
(Another disconcerting bit - I've been fairly regularly waking up between one and two, in enough pain to want a Percocet pill. No pain last night following PT and the new instructions (and a session of electrostimulus, which is the WEIRDEST damn thing I've ever felt but effective for pain relief like whoa!), but I still woke up about one thirty, very twitchy and tense, unable to sleep and REALLY wanting to go take a pill. I don't like this, I don't like this at all. Fortunately, I don't work today, so I just stayed up until I could go back to sleep without one. My goal today is no painkillers stronger than ibruprophen. So far, not even that - I am warily pleased.)
Edit: Note this doesn't mean I'm going to try and be stupid and stubborn in a different direction and NOT take painkillers when there IS pain. I just don't like the feeling that I have a habit of taking them that's there even when the pain goes away.
I had post surgery instructions for the first 48-72 hours, but was apparently unclear on what I should be doing after. I (being a stubborn and impatient type, fancy that) have been pretty much pushing myself as I can tell I'm getting better. In fact, I was quite pleased with my progress. Well, the therapist apparently isn't. I should have been cautious where I was impatient, and resting where I was stretching, and generally trying to make the muscles relax more than they are rather than testing my limits. Her description was that the muscles were extremely guarded, and I didn't have nearly the range of motion she apparently expected. Dammit.
So ACat is back on pretty much the full range of housework, and I'm taking advantage of the 4 day weekend I have (a company that gives Fri AND Mon off for Xmas on Sun??) and hopefully I'll be doing better soon.
I have to admit, it's immensely less painful this way, but somehow I seem to have been raised with the idea that coping with pain is more admirable than whining about it - I am able to see past that for other people, but it's hard to get around it for myself. Having doctor's orders to rest it and avoid the pain somehow doesn't make it feel any less like malingering. I know, I'm much, much better. I want to be well, though. The really depressing part is the thought that I've sabotagued myself.
(Another disconcerting bit - I've been fairly regularly waking up between one and two, in enough pain to want a Percocet pill. No pain last night following PT and the new instructions (and a session of electrostimulus, which is the WEIRDEST damn thing I've ever felt but effective for pain relief like whoa!), but I still woke up about one thirty, very twitchy and tense, unable to sleep and REALLY wanting to go take a pill. I don't like this, I don't like this at all. Fortunately, I don't work today, so I just stayed up until I could go back to sleep without one. My goal today is no painkillers stronger than ibruprophen. So far, not even that - I am warily pleased.)
Edit: Note this doesn't mean I'm going to try and be stupid and stubborn in a different direction and NOT take painkillers when there IS pain. I just don't like the feeling that I have a habit of taking them that's there even when the pain goes away.
