Finally back

Well the blogs are getting few & far between at the moment, that's because I'm getting out & about more often. Yes the four walls are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Still hopping on two sticks, nearly five weeks on already although I did try bartering with the physio to get rid of them this week, the answer is no :( never mind another week or so and then I can move forward. The biggest date will be twelve weeks when all restrictions are lifted and I can move on (only seven weeks from now, hey). So a bit of a busy day yesterday and my hip told me so..... actually it wasn't the joint, that's painless (not mine either) just the muscle & scar, guess I need to listen to it.

Well the rest of the family are certainly not being held back, whilst at the fab wedding (congrats K & R) Storm sprinted in true style to win the Strachan Trophy in the 100m at sports day, very proud of her. Gregor took to the dinghy sailing with Ken like a duck to the water, an absolute natural said his Dad! He had a great time and wants to go back on Sunday, guess we could be spending many Sundays at Loch Tummel this year, can think of worse places to be.

We are now into the last week of term, let the mayhem begin. Gregor and his class mates put on a lovely Litter Muncher show yesterday, Thursday we have Primary prize giving, star daughter picking up Effort prize, running trophy and making her House Captains speech (oh and singing in the choir), cue Mum's tears..... Friday morning finishes with Speech Day then in more ways than one we are DONE!!! Sorry for rabbiting on about kids, I'm a proud old Mum.

Well today we have Auntie C and Uncle M coming up to visit :)) So I'm going to 'hop' out to deal with the laundry.......

4 weeks on & new hair do....

Amazing how a (long over due) visit to the hairdressers makes me feel like a new woman. Also lunch with the P1 mum's on the same day did wonders. Woke up tired (sleeping on the back) but the day improved immeasurably, ever grateful to the friends running me backwards & forwards to Crieff, not sure how I'm ever going to pay them back.

Tomorrow's fun consists of kids to sports day (thank you Granma & grandad) Ken & I to the wedding with the kids joining us later, have frock & flat sandals (not a hope with heels) looked out, hair done, lets hope we don't need wellies, fingers crossed Karen.

Last week of term next week, think my Dad will be glad to see the back of the school runs. Daughter has had a fantastic final year in primary, house captain and an effort prize at prize giving, very proud of her despite my rantings in the last blog. Then we have the holidays to cope with, handy to have the kids about to help with day to day life but potential to create a busier day than necessary, guess it will save me getting bored.

So the hip is four weeks old today, a bit of a long four weeks but hoping the next couple pass quickly and I can ditch the sticks and be free to carry my cup of tea once more, still not having any problem with joint pain although the muscle where they have cut through is easy to aggravate, doesn't help that they've been there before hopefully time will heal.......

Frustration

Or should I just shout "aaarrrrggghhhhhh"
I don't have the worlds most tidiest family, it's no secret, so I sit here & watch the home slowly disapear under mounds of toys, discarded paper & clothes. A jumper taken off & left on the back of a kitchen chair is soon multiplying into three jumpers taken off & left on the back of same kitchen chair then one falls on the floor. Do they notice or just ignore? I can never tell.... It leaves me with the answer to the question if I just leave it will they notice?

Thought I'd get my rant & moan over & done with in the first paragraph. Apparently writing your feelings & frustrations help relieve them though they don't go so far as tidying up for me. So after countless hops back & forwards between kitchen & utility I cleared the worst, ready for the culprits to come in from school & probably not notice/add to the now clear kitchen table...... ha cover your ears around 4pm because my hollers won't be aimed at you!

Everything takes twice as long, think that's where most of my frustrations lie. I am in danger of turning into a pyjama lady, getting into the habit of not getting ready until after the kids have left for school. Yesterday, a couple of chats on the phone later, by the time I had showered & dressed it was near to lunchtime, if I keep this up I could be collecting the kids from school & doing the shopping in my pjs! Good job today I have a friend popping over to take me out for coffee so dressed & ready to go. Getting out of here will also put me back in a cheerier frame of mind which brings me to my weekend dilemma, sweet husband doing his best to cheer me up by getting me out of said four walls or do I stay in with sweet husband & kids to have them work through my ever growing list of frustrations (new name for housework!), normally I can't resist the lure of getting out & about but that doesn't help Monday morning back to reality!

Just about at week 4 so hope to be rid of these darned crutches in another 2 or so, ha then I'll be back...

Had a lovely afternoon up at Tummel Sailing club yesterday, Gregor & Ken are going to race together this summer, not sure which of them is the most excited, really nice to see Ken's enthusiasm for dinghy sailing growing again. Been a while since we've been up there so it was lovely to sit in the sun & watch the world go by, would be nice to be planning a bit of sailing myself but it wont be long!

It's funny to be asked what have you done (pointing at crutches), and when you reply a new hip they turn to some poor member of family & say see she's done it! Have to admit though it's not as painful as you think, more of a hindrance! So if you need one go on, there's no excuse!

Well the boys have a new boat - actually an old Enterprise (Mr Snappy), for the summer, Storm too for that matter (if she's up for it), we're off to Tummel week in July but no we're not camping! I'll go equipped with a few books & a large coffee mug, better start praying for the weather. At least I'll be off the sticks by then & be able to carry said coffee mug. We have many happy memories of Tummel week with Storm from about 20mths old onwards, Gregor seemed more than happy to be up there yesterday, new friends & a sand pit, what more could a boy want? actually his wetsuit but we'll take that next time.

My daily walk into the village is getting easier so will need to extend it, not great speed but stretching those legs. Still sleeping (or not) on back but have solved the cup of tea in the morning problem. After our big outing to Perth on Saturday Ken treated me to a teasmade! Yep cup of tea when I woke this morning before getting the kids ready for school, except ended up with 2 kids in bed beside me having a cup of tea too, hey ho if you can't beat em join em!

Seem to have hit a same thing day in day out just now, not so bad at weekends with Ken & the kids but weekdays have levelled off in terms of what I can & can't do, until the sticks go I think it will just have to be, at least I get out & about & have a coffee lined up with a pal on Wednesday to look forward to, shouldn't complain.....

sunshine!

Well still struggling with the sock problem but that was solved today by the glorious sunshine. The shower was a lot less precarious & a little organisation made the 'standing like a flamingo' an easier task. Then came the sock moment and after a quick glance outside decision made to go for the flip flops, actually fitflops to be more precise, I know, I'm hobbling about on crutches while wearing foot wear designed to tone those buns!

So today's great outing was to walk into the village, bank & bakery, armed with rucksack to carry bread home, ta daa! well I was impressed. Then in a whoosh of momentum fab friend picked me up & took me to lunch at her house with another fab friend, lovely afternoon nattering.

Daughter pulled off another 'growing up too quickly' moment today, dressed to impress (I'm not mentioning names) & off to her end of primary school ceilidh. In from school, showered, frock on & off out, now I have to wait up for her coming in!! Grandparents doing the driving :))

Today's great excitement has subsided, youngest tucked up in bed & as mentioned waiting for eldest to come home, sat in pj's, cup of tea (actually half cup, spilt most of getting from kitchen!), tired legs but no pain :))

socks......

Ok I can't get my socks on, mastered underwear, jeans etc but socks continue to elude me. Have asked the occupational therapist but the gadget they have doesn't really work, apparently. So all you budding or successful inventors out there, please invent a sock putter on until I can bend at the hips once again to keep my toes warm! Shoe laces are also a no no. Life 'socks' sometimes, ha ha, sorry.

Our latest task is trying to find somewhere to go during the hols, seriously doubt I'll manage the boat this summer, unless ken designs some kind of crane to hoist me on board, you can all stop sniggering at the mental image now. Camping is another no go, again it would have to involve hoisting Jo! Hotels in the uk are ridiculously expensive for a family of four during the summer hols, especially as it will be the latter part of the Scottish hols once the English schools have broken up before I am in best holiday mode. Looking likely we will be attending Tummel Sailing week with Ken & his super keen crew, Gregor, racing together, just need to sort out a suitable boat, any suggestions (sensible ones please) would be welcome.

Had a busy day yesterday, daughter to Perth with chauffeur Dad, mistake only using one cushion in the car, told you I'd get too confident too soon, so today I'm having a lazy day. Sent kids off to school while I was still in pj's, then feet up & a magazine, now you're all jealous. Especially when I mention my Mum is upstairs 'dealing' with my bathrooms. Another dear friend is bringing the kids home from school this afternoon for me, don't know what I'd do without them, that is the friends not the kids I could do plenty with out the kids! So friends, you know who you are, please give yourselves a big pat on the back. I also really appreciate the support from absent friends too.

up, down, down, up........

Like a fool I googled 'hip replacement surgery' before & after the op, how many horror stories can you cope with? But so far so good, no major (or minor) problems everything running like clockwork. Speaking from previous experience & well documented in the wonders of 'google' you get to approx. 2 weeks post surgery & the blues hit! So that's my excuse for yesterday, in-laws visiting, doing wondrous amount of gardening, ironing etc, kids helping, hubby trying to help & amuse me at the same time & I sat with a big lack cloud over my head. Call it feeling sorry for one's self, boredom, I felt glum. So today is a cheery one! Don't worry help was at hand, ditched the drugs and over came Mum, Dad & Ken with bottle(s) of wine.

Another dawn, another day, had a great excuse not to get up at 7.30 on a Sunday morning to get daughter to running club & by the time Ken, Gregor, Storm & dogs got back from Crieff I was even up washed, dressed with bacon rolls on the go! Impressed?
Had a lovely morning & lunch up at our local wildlife park Auchingarrich, new cafe & food were excellent & I even managed a walk round feeding the baby prairie dogs and micro pigs. To top the day off I joined the family in a trip to the pool, Gregor had his swim (impressions of a whale) lesson, Storm had a swim & Ken & I enjoyed a coffee. Tomorrow's excitement includes a trip to Perth with Storm to the orthodontist & an old friend (that's friend of old not old in person, sorry Jane) visiting later on.

So trips out & keeping busy is going to have to be the way forward with my rehab, don't care where I go but if you're going somewhere, give me a buzz.......

2 weeks down!

Time flies...... another week crossed off the diary, I'm still sat here but am now getting out & about more often. Last nights outing to school meeting adding a distraction for the day, a dear friend coming out to Comrie to pick me up & bring me back made me feel human again. School kindly reserved me a seat at the front, bit conspicuous being up there & not in my usual back row spot for heckling!
The meeting was about my 'little' girl moving up to the senior end of school in August and I have to add (like every other parent) where did the time go? She is definitely ready for it as she waltzed into school this morning for S1 induction day, no uniform today so skinny jeans & hoodies seemed to be the look of the day! Hate saying this but she looked like a teenager...
So today's venture started out with above mentioned daughter at an early morning physio appt, nothing serious, just growing faster than her muscles can keep up with (or her mother can keep up with) then a visit to the co-op with chauffeur Dad, not as exciting as I'd hoped!
Just to top the day off I had lunch with my mother & Grandmother, bet you can't keep up here!
So into the weekend I go with way more energy than last week, now all I have to do is not over do it, don't want to pop the new hip hey...........

Out again...

Yes I walked to the end of Burrell Street and back again! Friends in for coffee too, the day flew by.

Still struggling with the frustrations of not being able to get up & get on with everyday life, everything feels like a military operation, breakfast before school involves me perched on a stool at kitchen worktop while the kids gather the milk, cereal, bowls, cups etc & fill the kettle (must move it closer to sink so I can do this). The same two angels of mine then start to deal with the dishwasher until their grandparents arrive to help & get them to school, meanwhile I sit drinking tea & contemplating getting dressed!

The whole not being able to bend over is the hardest bit, drop something on the floor & if the granny-grabber (grabber for grannies, not for grabbing grannies) can't pick it up then, hey ho it has to stay there, even worse when you drop the grabber! Haven't sussed out a way to carry cups of tea etc. not keen on flask tea, anyone out there got a trolley?
Had the fun of confusing school today by asking if I can reserve a seat with leg space for a meeting I'm going to tomorrow night (yep another trip out!). Didn't want to get there & find I have to squeeze in to a tight row, looking good for a front seat! Bet they think I'm crazy!

So on a good note the pain is really not a problem mostly now discomfort which I guess if you were one of my muscles that a surgeon had chopped through then you would feel a little uncomfortable, other than that it seems to be all fine & no pain in my joint, not that it's my joint! Only downside today is a mild headache which possibly could be due to the regular dose of paracetamol! Yep regular painkillers can actually give you a headache!

Tomorrow is another day, lets see how far down the road I get....

A cheery face

So yesterday was grumpy head day, feel sorry for self day, call it what you like,I felt a bit miserable. I'm not the most patient patient & had had enough staring at 4 walls whilst the rest of the family got on with the days chores. With this in mind I decided not to post a blog, I really didn't want this to be 12 weeks of misery, my gloom pouring into your lives. Maybe it was the wrong decision, I guess this blog is not really an attempt to entertain you but to give me an outlet & focus on the positive side of my new hip and if it takes days of grumpiness to make that positiveness then really I should let it all out.

Thoughts of how to fill the impending summer holls, no sailing, no cycling, no camping fills me with guilt. What sort of holiday can we do with so many restrictions on seat height, bed height & yes even toilet seat height which cover basically the whole school hols. We've just missed the famous harrier's camping weekend which I couldn't have even coped with a hotel for, tales of fun & wine are pouring onto facebook, jealous, me? yep!

So enough of me moaning, on the plus side I have dropped the drugs & am left with paracetamol, which stops the grogginess & improves my dislike of all things drug-like, would never make a junkie!

I've also found to much self-mocking the Winter Garden cafe at the Crieff Hydro is fine for a coffee & visited both Saturday & Sunday. Takes very little to amuse me just now so feel free to call in as long as you don't mind making your own coffee.

Out & About

So yesterday, onwards & upwards I got to school at 3:30 to collect the kids, ok so I didn't drive (thank you Mum x) but perched on cushions I made it to the gate!

This was great for Gregor, he ran out happy to see his Mum standing there, a week or so ago I would have had a bag thrown at me as he ran off to play! More so, Storm who had just arrived back from her school trip to Kindrogan Field Centre and having left on Monday while I was still relaxing in hospital, she was overjoyed to have Mum be there. I enjoyed the moment too.......

Funnily enough if I type in hipjo my spellchecker quickly amends it to hippo! this brings me to the size of my leg from the hip down the way if I don't spend a degree of the day lying on the bed. Be it standing or sitting in the arm chair my ankle & knee swell until I can bend neither. Ordinarily the thought of going to spend great swathes of the day lying in bed with books or magazines would be most enjoyable but in reality lets just say I'm not the greatest patient!

Today's outing, yes life is getting more exciting by the minute, was to drop Storm at school so she could help, in her house captain capacity, at the nursery open morning. Not sure what that school does to the kids that makes them want to don uniform & arrive on a Saturday morning? The upshot is the lovely cakes & a quick natter with the lovely nursery staff & mums from Gregor's days at the nursery who are still there with younger siblings.

So that brings me to the present moment in time lying on the bed, leg like a hippo (or hipjo?) for the afternoon with the weekend papers.......

One week old today!

A new venture, never tried blogging before and to be honest a little wary. My clever friends seem to spin off fun, interesting, witty & poignant blogs. what if mine comes out dull & downright boring?

Well I guess I need to head into this as a project for me & my new hip. No doubting-Thomas, no need to impress anyone, do it for myself. Especially as I'm going to have great swathes of time on my hands, doing as I'm told & relaxing. (snigger)

Well the bottom line, my old, definitely, useless hip came out a week ago today and despite my naive and usual bull headed thoughts of leaving hospital on Monday I listened (for once) to those in the know & stayed put until Tuesday, even then the journey home was a marathon, yes all my running friends, a marathon!

So a week down the line & it's definitely early days, I am diligently doing my exercises & even got outside yesterday, albeit across the road & back again but believe me that was enough......

So if I make an effort and tap away on my little keyboard once a day or so it wont be long til I'm out there in the hills & I promise not to bombard you with moans, groans & general whinging.

Looking forward to the weekend......