My back surgery...

[The Chairman]

Today, I noticed that my right leg is incredibly stiff when I'm not using the walker. It wants to buckle if I try to bend the knee at all. Using the walker hides this as I can put weight on it to compensate for the knee. Not sure how to proceed on that. Work on the limp without the walker, or keep using it until I gain the strength needed. Or is going without the walker for a bit at a time going to strengthen it?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

FWIW, I believe I have to refrain from NSAIDs for 6 weeks after this surgery because they interfere with bone growth. Yeah, I also have to avoid them while on Eliquis, but that will be gone within the week.

I was told the same although I was told 2-3 months. That applies to ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve), but not acetaminophen (Tylenol). I'm right at 12 weeks today from my C6-7 fusion surgery. I'm just now returning to the use of ibuprofen and naproxen as needed for the seemingly unending muscle strains that come with being very active as I age.

 

[The Chairman]

but not acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Yeah, I'm on that every 6 hours.

 

[The Chairman]

I was told the same although I was told 2-3 months.

Again, I'll see my surgeon in a week, so I'll ask. I'm also off Meloxicam for the interim, which I really like and need. This arthritis is killing me. They have me on this daily electrical device that stimulates growth. I'm hoping that will accelerate me being able to use NSAIDs again.

 

[TrimixToo]

<snip>
On a side note, I'm recording each and every dose of oxy, just to be sure that I don't overdose inadvertently. It takes about a half hour for it to start to take effect, and a bit over an hour for it to give full relief. During that time, I must admit to being somewhat confused, so that's why I'm recording it. If I'm not in pain, it's no problem remembering.

<snip>

May I offer an alternative? Get a number of pill bottles, one per dose per day. Mark them with the time you are allowed to take the meds and the meds they contain (combine them in one bottle when they coincide). Put a 24-hour clock next to them and line them up in order. Replenish a bit more often than once a day. It's OK to skip the pain meds. Just put them in a bottle marked for a later time and *never* go backward.

Very easy to track, particularly if you're on some sort of cocktail with different schedules for the different meds or have other stuff to take too for whatever reasons. You don't have to write it down, and can't even forget what you took. The bottle has what it should in it (unused) or not (used).

I used this to help someone through the aftereffects of a 7-layer fusion. It worked very well.

 

[The Chairman]

Get a number of pill bottles

Other than the oxy, I only take pills either at 8am or 8pm. I'm not on very many. I also track the use of my Oxy on the phone.

On an Olaf note, last night was a real breakthrough, mostly because of Tashi Toodles. Mind you, that he's snow white, and she's jet black, makes the two of them playing, cuddling, or fighting a nice site. Salt and pepper. Day and night. Opposites co-existing.

Tashi doesn't cuddle as much in the summer, but she did last night. She loves to snuggle in between my legs, but my back surgery does not like that for very long. I have to be able to stretch, stretch, stretch right now. So, after a few minutes I had to kick her out, moving over to my right side. In the Summer, she usually heads up to the pillow on the other side of the bed, but not tonight. She plopped down, and pushed her head into my hand, an indication that she needs attention. She loves it too.

Alas, poor Olaf wanted in on the action, so in normal fashion, he started pushing his head in the mix, which is where I usually get to pet him some. At some point, his head pushed into my hand and I started giving him skritches on his neck and such. Whoa. He didn't pull back. He likes this. I would stop, and give Tashi some more attention, but he would have none of it. He kept hogging my right hand over and over. Every now and then, he would come to his senses, and swat my hand and even bite it. Ouch. "No biting!" and then he would push his head back into my hand. This went on over an hour, maybe an hour and a half. I could pet him head to tail, but he always wanted me to get back to his head and neck. Tired, I plopped my hand on the bed to the right of poor neglected Tashi.

That's when the licking began. Olaf thoroughly cleaned every finger and then the entire back of my right hand. He even placed a paw on my hand to keep it in place. He didn't puncture my hand a lot when he bit or swatted, but he took his time on each wound as he licked my hand. At some point I realized the boy was even purring as he worked. He did this for over 12 minutes. Wow. Finished, he laid his head on my hand and went to sleep. It was just after 2 in the morning, so I fell asleep as well.

 

[ibj40]

 

[The Chairman]

Olaf came back for pets last night and didn't need another cat to get close. He's so confused, wanting the attention and pets, and yet scared I'm going to do something to hurt him. Fewer bites, but I didn't pet him as long, either. He simply plopped down by my calf and slept.

I made a Home Depot outing yesterday. I exceeded my limit while I was still shopping. I didn't see it coming, and all of a sudden, I'm winded and needing to sit with nowhere to sit. I need to get a walker that I can sit on. In any event, I didn't die and I see a real need.

 

[hammet]

Congrats. Sounds like Olaf decided to adopt you as his hooman.