I have started clearing out the front room downstairs, so that I can use it after surgery. Actually I started a while ago as a kind of 'project' to keep me occupied, as I'm so bored in this office job I'm doing at the moment. It's hard to imagine that not so long ago I had the kind of job that kept me busy, busy, busy, running around everywhere. I couldn't do that now, I'd be in too much pain and stiffness. Anyway, I can make this room thing a project, it helps me deal mentally with the thought of the impending surgery as well. And boy, does it need clearing; there is so much junk in there, some of which has been there for years! I want to put some pictures up as well, and make it look really nice and inviting. Who knows, we as a house may end up using that front room after my surgery instead of the TV room upstairs. I will have to ask someone to help move the better couch downstairs, as it has better back support for when I'm lolling about. My plan is to still sleep upstairs and spend the days downstairs. One or two people have suggested just moving my bed downstairs but I don't think I'll sleep. I don't like sleeping in other rooms, especially that front one which is cold and unwelcoming at the moment.
I was on the phone to mum the other day, touching on the subject of plans for post-op care. She is going to come down for about 4 weeks afterwards and be my main carer for that time. I just hope that I am listened to as well, I don't it to all be other people's opinions of how things are organised, after all, I'm the one having the surgery!
I am just about managing with the pain at the moment, with off-the-shelf anti-inflammatories and painkillers. I asked for something stronger from my GP, but she didn't want to give me anything stronger. I wonder if the response would have been the same if she'd have seen me on the bad days I've had. I find this really frustrating but it seems to have all happened so quickly, maybe she doesn't understand quite what is happening.
However, I asked about having some physio, thinking it might help ease pain and stiffness, and she said yes to that. I actually managed to get referred pretty quickly to a few sessions of physio that are being provided locally so that they can get through the long waiting lists or something, and at random times. For example this one was just this morning, a Sunday morning at 8.30am! So I went along and somehow I have managed to pull my back, so I am hobbling not just due to the hip but the back as well! I looked a sight limping in there and felt like everyone in the waiting room was staring at me. Anyway, when I had my appointment, it turned out they only do 2 or 3 sessions and this type of physio is only really for minor things like sports injuries, but they said they could do it anyway, and set me up with a few exercises to do myself at home.
I hobbled around later in the day and I think its probably the first time friends have seen me like that, I mean clearly with something wrong. I felt so embarrassed, especially when people asked I had to say "I have a hip condition." You could almost see the thought bubble coming out of their brain: "You were fine last time I saw you." I suppose when you don't see a person very often you wouldn't know about increasing limitations and painful days. How do I deal with this though? Some people were completely normal though, saying hi as if there was nothing out of the ordinary. I'm questioning how I'm meant to deal with all this but I felt very touched by their tact.
