Monday, February 17, 2020

A Long Way

Happy Presidents' Day!

Or maybe it's Happy George Washington's Birthday!

Whichever it is, I hope you had the day off.

We're hanging loose here at the farm, with the husband still hobbling around after his ankle fusion. He's out of his cast and walking boot and into physical therapy. He's having pain, still, which is a concern, but the doctor didn't seem to think it was a problem.

I have not been pleased with the follow-up care with this surgeon. At the moment, I wouldn't recommend him, but to be honest I would rather die than have a Carilion doctor operate on me, so I suppose one must take my anger and condescension toward Carilion physicians into consideration.

At least I'm honest about it. I will be really upset when I wake up one day and find someone from Carilion has performed a heart catherization for that heart attack my primary care doctor insists I am going to have before I am old enough to have dementia.

Anyway, the saga of the husband's foot began on November 22, which was the day of his surgery. We're coming up on 3 months of healing up and being at home.

It's been a long process and much more intense than my husband anticipated.

It is has been exactly what I anticipated.

My husband had arthritis in his ankle and he was walking on the side of his foot. It was painful to watch. He'd been getting worse in the last two years but wouldn't listen when I suggested doing something about it. Finally, it pained him more than he could stand and this surgery was the result.

This is a video I took back in the summer to show him how he walked. I cringe every time I look at it. For some reason it is sideways, sorry about that.

 
Mostly he's been a good patient. Once the anesthesia was out of his system, he felt a little better. Then he was in a hard cast and he was able to get around on a knee scooter. After a while he grew bored so he started helping with the laundry. I did not complain even though I have never in my life seen someone fold towels like he does. I cringe when I see them but I don't say anything and I leave them alone. It isn't the end of the world if the bathroom closet looks odd.

The fact that he still has pain is frustrating for us both. I did not expect him to magically recover but he seemed to think that would be the case. He wasn't counting on having to relearn to walk, to have to have me standing there constantly going "keep your leg straight" while he walks across the room. He slips easily back into dragging it like he was before the surgery. His hip and knee are accustomed now to the odd limp, not the new gait created by the ankle fusion.


I consider this long extended home-stay to be a trial run at his retirement. Hopefully when he does retire, he will be more active because if I have to watch one more episode of Bitchin' Rides I am going to cancel the DirecTV without telling him. How many car shows can one man watch, anyway? Sheesh.

As regular readers know, I am not a TV watcher. I don't have it on all day when I am alone.

He has it on ALL THE DAMN TIME.

I shut the door to my office a lot now. I can't think straight when I hear the TV running or when I am listening for him. Even after three months, I am not used to having him in the house and I can round a corner to find him standing someplace unexpected and scare myself.

Sometimes, I confess, I've pitched a fit and told him to turn the TV off. Well, more like I demanded he either turn it off or I was going to throw a rock through it.

I listen to music when I'm home alone. I miss my music. He doesn't like my music, because it interferes with the TV racket. 

He needs a mancave. One that is not close to the house. Maybe a real cave with bears in it.

Just kidding.

3 comments:

  1. It bums me out that my body doesn't heal as quickly as it did when I was even 10 years younger. You turning a corner and being surprised by your husband, yup, I hear you. That happens to my husband and me, still, and it's been over 20 years of 24/7 being together.

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  2. I am laughing in sympathy because I KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that this would be my husband if he was laid up or when he retires...except that I'd be watching true crime shows or shows about Hitler all day every day. The weekends are more than I can stand now.

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  3. Watching that video of him walking--I knew he'd have to relearn how to walk.

    Sending you patience!

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