Bill and Juanita, owners of Allenspark Lodge B&B, are living their dream...

running a successful business and riding as often as possible.



Saturday, January 22, 2011

I'm Home

Well, I’m home guys…half way to my bionic state. So far, it hasn’t been as bad as I expected. I was very fortunate that our insurance company allows us to choose any facility we wish for surgeries; the surgery center attached to the orthopedic clinic was wonderful. I felt pampered the whole time I was there with a nice, homey, private room and super nurses. I arrived at 6:00 am, for surgery at 7:00. I was a little apprehensive when I was told it would be done with a spinal block instead of general anesthesia. They also gave me a ‘cocktail’ so I wouldn’t remember anything, and I don’t. It was actually a very pleasant way to have it done; no groggy after-effects. You just wake up feeling pretty good and not nauseous.

They had me up and walking in 24 hours and I was amazed at how much LESS painful it was to walk. I felt like I had a huge bruise on my hip, but it functioned normally. Woohooo! I have been given dire warnings about bending the hip more than 90* for the next six weeks. That is the tough part. Bill made a lift for one of my favorite chairs so I could sit at a table to eat or work a puzzle without bending over, and I have a grab-it from the clinic to pick things up from below my knees. I have a test for you all: spend the next hour just noticing how many times you bend a hip too far. Think about putting on shoes and socks.  Just sitting on a normal dining room chair is too much. I am vowing to not complain, though, as it will be soooo much better when healed. The girls at the clinic kept laughing at me because I only needed a pain pill for the other hip.

I do get sleepy really easily right now; it plays you out quickly when your body is trying so hard to heal itself, so I am going to let my bruised hip have a nap. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and well wishes. GunDiva got me a Nook ebook (future birthdays, anniversaries and whatever else she can work out of it) to help keep me in one place and entertained. Nebalee has plans on meals and the grandkids and friends in the area are all very helpful and supportive. And of course, I have a pretty fantastic hubby who has taken over all the chores of this log monster we call home. I feel very loved. Thank you all!
Juanita

PS-Bill thought I looked so cute in my newest fashion statement.
Let's start at the bottom, for those of you interested in copying the 'style':  gripper dot slipper-sox, pulled over the high-tension TED compression thigh-hi's, my new CSU athletic shorts and my favorite wooly wild horse sweatshirt.  Just to stay warm, I also added a wild horse T-shirt (not showing).  You can't tell, but my cane is electric blue!  Sophie won't leave my side, even when I whap her with the cane.  And this didn't even scare Bill away.

9 comments:

  1. Juanita,
    Glad you are feeling better.

    Just the thought of not moving like that for six weeks makes me nervous. They'd have to drug me into oblivion to get me to behave. Not that I'd want to be bad, so to speak, but I don't sit still well and look before I leap so I'd probably be a wreck.

    Sounds like you are in good hands. Take care of yourself.

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  2. Gun Diva was very nice to you!! I hope you just take it easy and sit around and do nothing for a while!! You'll have a lot of time to bend further than 90 when you're healed. I'm so glad you're not in any pain. I'm in pain just thinking about it. :/

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  3. Juanita -

    You rock!

    I love the new look - and I especially love that you already feel better!

    You are gonna be outpacing us all this summer! :)

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  4. You look hot, Juanita! You do look marvelous after such an intense surgery. Very glad to hear you faired well through all of it. And kudos to Bill for doing the chores. I bet before no time with your spunk, you will be running marathons, riding horses, and slinging 100 pound grain sacks. You are tough! Heal fast and lots of love sent your way from Bug and I.

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  5. oohhh-I want surgery! Six weeks of having everyone have to wait on me hand and foot?

    Well, on second thought...6 weeks is a long time. Do they have anything on the menu for like 2 or 3 weeks?

    LOL

    Glad to hear everything went well. Enjoy convalescing!!!

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  6. So glad to hear it went well! That stuff they give you to make you forget is kinda creepy - apparently you're not asleep and you just yammer on the whole time to the staff. I'm sure they've heard it all, but I wonder what I said when they did my wrist surgery!!!

    I'd have to have a brace. There's no way I could remember to not bend my hips for 6 weeks. Good luck!!

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  7. I can hear your theme music (from the Six Million Dollar Man) playing in the background now... hehehe

    So.. wait.. whapping Bill with the cane didn't scare him away? ;)


    Behave up there. No chasing Sophie or Bill around, and NO HELPING!! Heal up so we can ride together!!

    Big loves Bionic Woman!

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  8. Thanks to everyone. I am soooo looking forward to riding this summer. I am trying really hard to behave, but when you actully feel better, it's tough. However, my other hip is a good reminder. I'm due to have it replaced in 4-6 wks.

    Funder-I wish you hadn't said anything about the yammering. Now I'll have to tell them to duct tape my mouth shut before the cocktail!

    MM-I loved the 6 Million Dollar Man, and the Bionic Woman series! Hope the Asylum is feeling better; give them all hugs from us.

    MF-I refuse to sling anything heavier than 50 lbs. You had better learn to limit yourself, lady, so you don't have to do this at my age. You just keep showing those 'guys' who's the best! Hi Bug.

    Rachel-Glad you like the new look. I had to buy a pair of shorts for the clinic because I haven't worn shorts in the last 8 yrs. Horses, hay and shorts just don't mix; besides, it gets cold up here even in the summer.

    BECGs-It's gonna be 12 wks of 'convalescing', 'cause I'm only half way there. I'll ask them next time what they have for 2-3 wks, although I have a hard time seeing either of you two quiet for that long. Ride for me.

    RR-They have some really good threats about the 90* stuff, like 'the repair surgery NEVER comes out as well'. You only get one shot at this, so BEHAVE!

    Linda-GunDiva likes to hold me ransom. I love the posts you are doing on 'horse no-no's'. I definitely have a spoiled horse; that's going to change with my new status. I have taught her to walk close beside me, because I grab onto her whenever parts of my body give way. I've got the only horse around here that will pull me up a steep hill by her tail, or let me hang around her neck to get through deep snow drifts. She has saved me from multiple falls on our mountain hikes. It's gonna be really hard for me to change that!

    Thanks everyone. Have I told any of you what a great guy I have? Gotta do a walk, then headed back to my bed. Surgeon's orders to walk once every hour to prevent blood clots.
    So here goes....
    Juanita

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  9. Nice...
    Now I know where I get my fashion sense :)

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