Och aye the noo

theslowesthand said:

Ah just watched this, as was wondring was "splints" were. My New Leg Brace - YouTube
I'm guessing this is sth like what you have/do :question:

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Aye, those are exactly tha same things as ah've got. We just call them "splints" in the UK. Nae idea why, though... :idontknow:

theslowesthand said:

And certainly no offense, but i'm guessing you'd talk maybe in a similar manner :question:

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None taken. :thumbup:

Ma mum is refusing to help me with ma post-surgery recovery. :kickingmyself:
Playin' tha "Ah know f**k all" victim as usual. :idontknow: And it's me who's tha bad guy. :veryangry: Gee!

Thanks fur tha moral support... Not! :thumbdown: Well, looks like that's me sleepin' doon tha stairs til May. Oh great...
So much for being positive, huh?

It's so difficult tryin' to push masel' tae recovery when naebuddy's really telt me there expectations. Also, no huvin a plan to commit to either is really frustratin' an gettin' me down an depressed. :sad:

Hard tae maintain a positive mindset when ye huv'nae got an equally positive goal set. Ah mean, wantin' tae be back upstair an in ma room isnae so much a goal - it's more an endgame for decidin' tae go through with tha surgery.

Well that's just f***in' 3 days worth of progress doon tha pan. Aw because ma oldest suster thought it'd be a great idea to wear an elastic bandage on ma right knee. A bandage which was too tight.

But y'know... F**k that! "It'll give ye some support" h:

So that now ma right-knee swollen across the scar doon tha side o' ma very same leg. Thankfully just halfway doon tha scar. But still, it's swollen right at the point where surgeons put a titanunm plate in ma right knee. Call me paranoid but ah think ma family deliberately tryin' to slow ma recovery?

Oh, and a wee bit o' advice... Never trust the advice of a wummin who doesnae huv a feckin' clue whit she's oan aboot, but thinks that she does. Or anybuddy who acts like that for that matter. :thumbdown:

:kickingmyself: Why does this always happen tae me? Everytime ah put whit little trust ah huv upon somebuddy to deliver on their part o' tha deal. They f***in' don't...

And this wus tha yin situation, ah'd hoped to avoid, huvin gone through it aw before nearly 14 years ago. Me being left to do ma ain rehab, nae physiotherapists assisting me. They've only been oot tae see me twice...

Just days after ah get cast for new splints (leg braces) at tha beginning of February. Of course, this wus efter me an ma sister tellin' my consultant surgeon that nae physiotherapist hud been oot to see me nearly a month after ah wus discharged fae hospital, an despite her reassurance that they would be out shortly after ah left the hospital.

Oh, and last week - which should've been this week - because baith ma legs, feet an right knee hud swelled up. Their advice... Well, more tae tha point, the India fella's advice wus...

** Get up and walk about as much as possible. Rotate your ankles to get them moving again. And keep your legs elevated when resting **

^ Dare yous to read this ** bit with tha voice of Apu from The Simpsons in yer heid. Naw, dinnae, that'd be racist. Wouldn't it? Like yous aw readin' ma posts in Groundkeeper Willie's voice...

Anyway, so much for tha positive, hopeful vibe of 2 months, eh? Whereas now ah feel masel' bein' seduced by tha Darkside of the Force... mg: Cannae believe ah just made arguably tha shittiest Star Wars reference ever!

I really have nothing to say so i'll let the face say it all:sad:. Sorry you're in a bad place. Still hoping for a speedy recovery. *fingers crossed*

Graeme1988 said:

Oh, and last week - which should've been this week - because baith ma legs, feet an right knee hud swelled up. Their advice... Well, more tae tha point, the India fella's advice wus...

** Get up and walk about as much as possible. Rotate your ankles to get them moving again. And keep your legs elevated when resting **

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Well actually thats not bad advice. However one should never expect much sympathetic/understnding treatment from indian men, as tbh its like trying to squeeze water from a stone - they just havent got it in them! (but there'll be exceptions im sure). But they're VERY good at doing things super-strictly by-the-book .. just "out" of the book they're not so sh*t hot, from my experience. But thats a whole other topic altogether, lol.

So your scars are swelly then? On inside or outside, or both? Could be sign of infection? Or is it just post-surgery inflammation?

defiance said:

I really have nothing to say so i'll let the face say it all:sad:. Sorry you're in a bad place. Still hoping for a speedy recovery. *fingers crossed*

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Aye, that face is how ah feel the now. Ah mean, am tryin' to remain hopeful for a speedy recovery, but with recent setback with tha physiotherapists, an before that, the shoes. A speedy recovery doesnae seems aw that likely.

theslowesthand said:

Well actually thats not bad advice. However one should never expect much sympathetic/understnding treatment from indian men, as tbh its like trying to squeeze water from a stone - they just havent got it in them! (but there'll be exceptions im sure). But they're VERY good at doing things super-strictly by-the-book .. just "out" of the book they're not so sh*t hot, from my experience. But thats a whole other topic altogether, lol.

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Thanks for tha insight there. :thumbup: Though, you got me intrigued aboot yer experience.

Naw, it's no bad advice, but you'd think they'd give me an exercise plan to follow, cuz ah really need to stength ma legs, reduce ma pain an get as mobile as possible. Which walkin' will help with, certainly, but it's cannae just be that alone, eh...? Plus, it's no just me who hus high expections of how ah should be post-surgery, ma consultant surgeon is expectin' a lotta improvements. An she's not gonnae be happy, seein' me still usin' a zimmer frame when ma next appointment comes roon in May. So, , considerin' how many hours of surgery ah hud done, you'd think tha rehab plan would be in place an they know everythin' ah been through. The Indian bloke an Scottish lassie who came oot hud'nae tha slightest. Me an

theslowesthand said:

So your scars are swelly then? On inside or outside, or both? Could be sign of infection? Or is it just post-surgery inflammation?

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No, none of my scar are swollen, it's just from huvin' everythin' compressed in plaster for longer than ah should've been. Hud them on 7 weeks when it should've been just 6 weeks. Post surgery inflammation is probably it, since ah've hud the doctor out as well. And ah phone ma consultant and she said whit happenin' is totally normal after the sorta surgery ah hud.

Just need to be patient... Which is summit ah've kinda ran out of lately. :kickingmyself:

Found some exercises online to do, they mainly relate to recovery from either knee and chilles tendon surgery. But still, at least, it's summit. Though, ah think ma physiotherapy visits are gonnae be every 2 weeks, which doesnae exactly help ma recovery in tha long-term. Ah think they might huv forgot about me, cuz, surely, ye don't leave somebuddy who's recent had extensive surgery on their lower body to fend for themselves when it comes tae gettin' them back to full fitness? :question:

Feelin' a wee bit better today, aw things considered.

Difficult to get intae a regular exercise routine when yer just daein whit you think is right and sensible, rather than seek proper advice from a doctor, nurse or physio which woulc help make a informed decision.

Sorry, ah wish this update post wus a bit more excitin' or interestin'...

Ah really don't there will be much improvement in ma walkin' come January next year, sorry tae be aw pessmistic an dour aboot ma situation, it's just how ah think it'll go.

Cuz ah huv'nae gotten tha proper physiotherapy, nor sleep or motivation tae even get better. Whit with my mum constantly being negative whenever ah try to be positive. Personally, ah think am gonnae be worse off, physically, by tha end o' this... :sad:

Startin' tae wonder why ah even bothered going through with the surgery, since the rehab has just been a false promise, yet again. :kickingmyself:

Graeme1988 said:

Ah really don't there will be much improvement in ma walkin' come January next year, sorry tae be aw pessmistic an dour aboot ma situation, it's just how ah think it'll go.

Cuz ah huv'nae gotten tha proper physiotherapy, nor sleep or motivation tae even get better. Whit with my mum constantly being negative whenever ah try to be positive. Personally, ah think am gonnae be worse off, physically, by tha end o' this... :sad:

Startin' tae wonder why ah even bothered going through with the surgery, since the rehab has just been a false promise, yet again. :kickingmyself:

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Oh no. I am sorry, Graeme.

What is up with physical therapy? I know that my mom for her hip surgery did intense daily PT for 6 months before she was better. She used a heating pad too, to speed up the healing process. Have you tried something like that?


Give yourself some more time to heal and don't be too hard on yourself. I know that seems like cookie-cutter advice but it is true.

Can you find a way to get someone to your place once a week? I highly recommend this to you.

Graeme1988 said:

Ah really don't there will be much improvement in ma walkin' come January next year, sorry tae be aw pessmistic an dour aboot ma situation, it's just how ah think it'll go.

Cuz ah huv'nae gotten tha proper physiotherapy, nor sleep or motivation tae even get better. Whit with my mum constantly being negative whenever ah try to be positive. Personally, ah think am gonnae be worse off, physically, by tha end o' this... :sad:

Startin' tae wonder why ah even bothered going through with the surgery, since the rehab has just been a false promise, yet again. :kickingmyself:

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It may take a bit longer than expected, but I know you'll recover man. Then it's back to your room. But hey you never know, you might recover faster than you expect. I mean it could happen and I hope it does.

MollyBeGood said:

Oh no. I am sorry, Graeme.

What is up with physical therapy?

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Well... As I previously mentioned, the physiotherapists huv'nae exactly gave me much advice beyond keepin' mobile, circle rotations for ma ankles, etc. But there's nae long term rehab plan been set out.

Or even a weekly goal to strive for, an motivate me to get off ma arse an do it, would be nice ...

And ah wus kinda hopin' the physiotherapy part of ma rehab would've been in place and ready in advance of me gettin' ma plasters off. And they didnae come out to see the week ah wus discharged fae hospital, as ma mum, sister and I were telt just few days before that. Which is, in a way, is more disapointin', really.

To add an ironic insult to tha whole situation, the physiotherapists who cared for me in those few short days ah stayed hospital after ma surgery were way better in terms of PT advice for when ah got home.

MollyBeGood said:

I know that my mom for her hip surgery did intense daily PT for 6 months before she was better. She used a heating pmad too, to speed up the healing process. Have you tried something like that?

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Nope, but only because ma mum's very dismissive of a heat pad "huvin any affect" h:

But since you've suggested, it would help with blood flow, since ma feet are still a wee bit swollen. That said, ah did get a fair few surgery done at once...

1. Right knee broken, re-aligned as straight as possible and a plate put in
2. Calf muscles lengthended
3. Some muscles in both feet shorten to get my feet more flat

And don't get me wrong, ah've started doing PT, at least, twice a day. But it's mainly just the few exercises ah remember from ma early teens when ah hud 2 physiotherapists seeing me every week. And some ah sourced online, search for exercises that are good if you've had knee surgery and achillies tendon surgery, respectively.

And gettin' up and walkin'. Despite the agony of each step... :crying:

Also, ah really should be wearin' ma new splints (leg braces) while walkin', but ma local hospital didnae measure me for, or provided a pair of orthopedic shoes. Still annoyed aboot that.. Cuz ah wasted a fair bit of money on shoes that weren't big enough to fit my leg braces when ah hud them on.

But aw it means is, currently, am no gettin' that addition leg support an muscle stretch the leg braces would provide.

MollyBeGood said:

Give yourself some more time to heal and don't be too hard on yourself. I know that seems like cookie-cutter advice but it is true.

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Aye, yer no wrong there. It's just finding a balance between resting, exercise, and walking with the help of a zimmer.

Not helped any with ma sister bitchin' at me, today... "Oh aye, but yer better gittin' up an daein it. Nae point sittin' aboot aw day". This in response to me sayin' ah wus feelin' really knackered, didnae get much sleep. So, couldnae be arsed doing a few minutes on my pedal exerciser. Which didnae exactly help whit little self-confidence ah've, no matter how harmless the intent o' this remark. She's got some nerve implyin' am lazy efter everythin' ah've endured since January.

Plus ah've been stuck in tha livin' room doon the stairs, bored oot ma mind, sleepin' in an uncomfortably small bed since January. Ah don't like being idle for prolonged periods of time, either. Sure ah've got ma tablet, laptop an iPod. But there's nae real privacy, like with ma bedroom. And ma mum being inconsiderate, still watching the telly in the morning. Which isnae exactly the sound you want wake up to, everyday.

Missin' playin' ma guitar, too. :sad:

MollyBeGood said:

Can you find a way to get someone to your place once a week? I highly recommend this to you.

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:idontknow: Short of gettin' tha wummin ah've got a hospital appointment with this Monday to pass on ma complaint about the physiotherapists to the consultant surgeon who headed up the team that did my surgery, ah really don't know. Cuz she's - (my consultant surgeon) - is expecting to see some improvements in my walking when ah next see her for an update/check-up appointment in May.

That sounds infuriating! They should have better set you up with proper exercises and help after that kind of surgery.
I don't see, correct me if I am wrong for example, where the heck ankle rotations fit into any of this?!

You have to be super pro-active with the surgeon who operated on you and his physiotherapist who you mentioned knew the right exercises for your situation-call them every day if you have to until they give you diagrams of exactly the correct things for you to do to heal. That's what I would do anyways. Hound them until they help you. Tell them you are basically on your own and nobody is helping you and you need them to help you. Like I said call them everyday till they give you the advice of exercises and routines that you must follow very seriously. You need to really, really push yourself to get through this, and nobody is going to help you if you don't help yourself. Not trying to be bossy but Please know you need to get the right exercises going everyday to get better...otherwise all the surgery was for nothing.

defiance said:

It may take a bit longer than expected, but I know you'll recover man. Then it's back to your room.

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Aye, ah know. It's just gettin' really borin', beig stuck in tha living room. Surely, ah'll no be doon here much longer? Christ, the next family visit from ma temperimental sister, her Irish husband an their hyperact wee 'un is gonnae be awkward an tense for me if I'm still occupying the livin' room.

Cuz if you say summit wrong in that "Not what was said, but ye said it way", my older sister will go mental. Shoutin', slammin', swearin'... Her recent marriage troubles dinnae exactly help, either. It wus bad enough, being woken around Christmas last year to her shoutin' & lockin' hersel' in the bathroom.

Like a vast majority of wimmin raised by angry, irrational, scornful single mothers, my sisters are yer typically feminists. Equality without responsibility, in other words. Oh boy, ye dinnae want hear ma opinion of feminism... Believe you me, ya see feminism for what it is when yer raised by someone who spouts that aforementioned ideology.

Well, mibbe sayin' "a vast majority" is an unfair generalisation on ma part? :question: But ah digress...

Put ma remarks aboot feminism doon tae ma upbringing and lack of education.

defiance said:

But hey you never know, you might recover faster than you expect. I meaan it could happen and I hope it does.

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That's whit am hopin' for as well. But should ah really push masel' to ma physical limit, - swearin' to get masel' through tha pain - at the expense of no huvin a proper, well-thought-out weekly rehab plan - and, as yet, limited input from physiotherapists? Not sayin' ah wouldnae do that. It just goes against ma consultant surgeon advice of being sensible and not rush things. Ah mean, at the moment, ah just want to get back tae ma room for some privacy and a goodnight's sleep in a comfy, big bed.

MollyBeGood said:

That sounds infuriating! They should have better set you up with proper exercises and help after that kind of surgery.
I don't see, correct me if I am wrong for example, where the heck ankle rotations fit into any of this?!

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Eh, the ankle rotations... More of a post-plaster casts thing, really. Loosen ma joints, y'know? Because ah could still curl ma toes whilist in the plasters. But ma ankles were pretty static.

Yer no wrong, though - it is infuriating! More so, that the physiotherapists that came oot for the house visit didnae huv a clue what ah hud done surgery-wise. Ma local GP on the other hand, wus clued up and informed. She even know ma consultant surgeon's name. Cuz ah phoned ma GP to come oot an just make sure there were nae blood clots in ma legs, or anything else.

MollyBeGood said:

You have to be super pro-active with the surgeon who operated on you and his physiotherapist who you mentioned knew the right exercises for your situation-call them every day if you have to until they give you diagrams of exactly the correct things for you to do to heal. That's what I would do anyways. Hound them until they help you. Tell them you are basically on your own and nobody is helping you and you need them to help you. Like I said call them everyday till they give you the advice of exercises and routines that you must follow very seriously. You need to really, really push yourself to get through this, and nobody is going to help you if you don't help yourself. Not trying to be bossy but Please know you need to get the right exercises going everyday to get better...otherwise all the surgery was for nothing.

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The surgery being for nothing is a thought ah've dwelled on, lately. But ah know ah need to push masel' to get through this, but it's no easy when ma mum's discouragin' me from makin' progress with shitty negative excuses.

Plus, most of what you said is what ah plan on sayin' any way.

Don't know if it'd be worth phoning ma consultant surgeon after making ma complaint, though? Since ah'll be in the hospital on Monday, but there's nae guantee ma consultant will be on-call that day. Unless she has a clinic on, and has a few minutes to spare to talk with me briefly. Me and my sister were just lucky that, the day I got cast for my leg braces, my consultant popped in to chat and reschedule the appointment she'd sent out to me for the following week.

And it wouldnae be fair to make her feel at fault for any of this, since she expects a lot from ma recovery, herself. As well as my own expectations...

And she did reassure me that the swelling would go down, eventually - which it has. After phoning in a slight panic, just days after gettin' ma plaster off, worried summit hud went wrong. Cuz ma feet hud ballooned, an felt like deid weights. And she understood how impatient I must be to get back to full fitness, saying I probably won't like her for awhile.

Oh, and gettin' in touch with the physiotherapists at ma local hospital might prove difficult, since ah only know the first name of one of them. And don't know if they'd still be workin' the ward I had a single room on.

But yer right, ah need to be super pro-active, even if ah feel angered at the déjà vu of the post-surgery experience of 14 years ago repeatin' on me. :kickingmyself: Thankfully, this time around ma pain meds huv been managed better - huv'nae any weirdly lucid nightmarish dreams or talked in ma sleep, like last time. :bigsmile:

Saw these guys live in concert when they were the support/opening act for Seether on their UK tour in 2006... 10 years ago! That long ago, yet, ah remember so vividly as if it wus just recently. :bigsmile:

And how appropiate it is that I rediscover this song at this point in ma life...

YouTube

If I can get through this
I can get through anything
If I can make it through this
I can get through anything
I promise you​

Man I'm really digging the song here. Nice choice:bigsmile:

defiance said:

Man I'm really digging the song here. Nice choice:bigsmile:

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Really? Sorry, it's just weird to be complimented for ma taste in music. Since am so used to be mocked for it and being called "weird". Considerin' y'know... Ma age and being mixed race.

But, aye, it's a great song by an equally great band. Especially ye like 90s rock music.
Definitely one of those songs that helps ye through difficult times in yer life, when ye feel like there's nae hope.

Heard you had a good day in regards to your progress. :applause:YAY!!!!!!!!!