Down Time - update

Made it back, went as planned, now just need to heal up, sun is shining and I'm looking forward to spring. Boy those sedatives, anesthesia and nerve block sure are some strong substances, apparently there is a shortage of some of these drugs, serious problem at this facility. Appreciate, everyone's advice, crutches are not too bad, can't wait to feel my leg again as its just flopping, feels like a concrete block LOL.

Hey Rick, (old tanker) let us know how that grandson is doing, hope all went well etc.

Have a great afternoon everyone, time to get some rest now.

Now, lean back in the lazyboy and take it easy. And listen to the Doc for a change. Don't push it. Let it heal, I'll guarentee you it'll take longer than you want, but you'll bust it again if you push it too much. Spring will be here sooner than you think!

Absolutely, I'm done til further notice, farm is taken care of as I could handle the work due to this prior, have a good guy who has been there since before we were there, one of the nicest people I know, my fathers health is much better now so he can keep an eye on things, no worries at home it is time to adhere to Doc's orders, and as much as I am active, this down time won't get me down by any means, good advice, sometimes just better to lay low and do what you are told LOL !

Just don't lay to low or you will get where you can not get up out of that chair but yes if the doctor says walk only X number of steps do so. Oh and by the way when the doctor sends you to P/T remember those 2 letters stand for something else called pain and Torcher (sp)

LOL ! yeah well no snow cover so I can get to the basement from a quick little trip outside, which ought to get me in "crutch shape" Think I got the shower part solved, seal up a garbage bag with duct tape, take crutch in, don't want to reek like being in the field for weeks. Not so anxious now, if those pain meds work, some extra padding on the crutches, think I'll do all right with this, but nice to vent a little here about it, tractor is inside hanging out too LOL !

Ya a guy has to get very creative as for things like taking a bath or a shower, unless you have a girl friend who will give you a sponge bath. Many many years ago I had a cast on my right arm from a car/motorcycle disagreement which I the guy on the motorcycle lost with a 1965 Chev Bel-air I did total it but it got me back. Was not fun taking a shower with a cast from finger tip to shoulder which by the way is the same arm that is bad today LOL

Be careful with those crutches. There should be almost no body weight on your armpits. Your body weight should be on your arms and down on the handle near the middle of the crutch. Whoever fitted your crutches should have told you that. Otherwise you"ll get very sore armpits and extra padding is not the answer. Don"t ask me how I know.

dont know the specifics of your leg injury, but I do know i had a cast to my knee once. Doctor said dont get it wet. After a couple of attempted baths with my leg either elevated or hanging out of the tub, I went and got some of those disposable plastic boots with the elastic on the top. I put a couple extra rubber bands around the top to get a good seal and took a shower. As long as I made it quick, the water didnt get in enough to hurt anything.

Yes, I will adjust them tomorrow they're definitely off.

(quoted from post at 13:52:35 01/19/12) LOL ! yeah well no snow cover so I can get to the basement from a quick little trip outside, which ought to get me in "crutch shape" Think I got the shower part solved, seal up a garbage bag with duct tape, take crutch in, don't want to reek like being in the field for weeks. Not so anxious now, if those pain meds work, some extra padding on the crutches, think I'll do all right with this, but nice to vent a little here about it, tractor is inside hanging out too LOL !

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A day or two after I was able to get into the shower I saw that they make a special bag to go over casts. They must have them at the drug store. They had a nice girl to give sponge baths while in the hospital but not after discharge.

But you sure do know they've done some work on you when the drugs wear off! Your body will pretty much tell you when it's time to get active again but it's good to listen to the doc too.

When I had ankle surgery the doc left the cast on longer than normal because I'm a farmer. He grumbled something about farmers going right back to work after a surgery and undoing everything. Jim

Rich your post made me chuckle about the pain and torture thing LOL. Jim

Well isn't that what physical therapy really is?? Just a way of you paying some one to cause you pain and be able to torture you in a legal way LOL. I know my doctors always tell be to stay active or they will send me to P/T and the guy that I have to go see tells me oh good I get to cause you pain and torture you

When I had the shoulder surgery I joked to the PT about her enjoying making pain. Her response was, jokingly of course, "It's why I come to work every day". LOL. Jim

had a shoulder worked on once.physical therapist kept asking does that hurt. i told her the coaches old saying "no pain no gain".

I really appreciate you mentioning this, at 3:00 am, meds finally wore off, was time to head into the kitchen, so I took a look at them, and they are marked for height, I lowered the legs down all the way, tried that, better, now this morning on the way to make my breakfast, prior to, I raised the hand holds on them all the way up, much better, my armpits were getting sore and moving on crutches was becoming unbearable. My left leg is getting a workout, but I will bet it will strengthen more and allow me a little more "up time" and not so much discomfort.

The medical staff was very nice to me, I tried be as good a patient as I could be too, they thanked me on that. I think the discharge people should tip you off to that, as when you first get them, (and I have not been on them since '78 or so I had no idea about proper adjustment) Now that I think of it, she asked if I knew how to use them, I said yes. All they need to do is tell you how they should fit and not bear weight on the armpits, no amount of padding would suffice there.

Again, that little tidbit of info you posted prompted me get it done, I can't say with all the meds and such that I would have figured it out, mind was a little fuzzy yesterday, now clear as a bell, my sincere thanks for that advice !!!!!

Much appreciated with the advice, I'm doing fine, pain meds doing there job, made myself some eggs on corn english muffins, sure was good, after fasting for about 24 hours as it ended up, was so busy prior forgot to eat LOL!

neighbor dropped one off, think I'll double over it with tape that will stick to both, cut a garbage bag down to fit, tape it over, done it once before with the other procedure, no can get wet.

I had a cast lat year and instead of crutches I used a walker.

I had better luck with that