Ashgrove Farm

7 weeks and one day since the operation and mum has now been signed off by Mr George her hip consultant and Angela the physiotherapist.

I came home yesterday afternoon to accompany her to the consultant’s appointment. It’s been a while since I last saw Mum and it was great to see her walking taller, more confidently and most pleasing and important is that she is pain free.

Mr George was very pleased with the way her hip has healed and admired the neatness of the scar.  He even said she would now be able to wear a bikini on her next holiday!!  He also stressed that she mustn’t overdo it or push herself too hard as she is still going through the recovery process.

He OK’d her to drive, so this morning, Mum got the car out of the garage and for the first time in 7 weeks loaded Meg into the back and off we went, with Mum driving to Horbury for the weekly shop.  It was a very smooth drive – she certainly hasn’t forgotten how to do it!

This afternoon we had her final physiotherapist appointment with Angela who also signed her off.  The exercises that mum has been religiously doing have really paid off.  She has good strength in both her legs and can walk (when she thinks about it) without a limp.  Angela advised her to keep walking on the flat and for the time being to avoid rough terrain.  So Mum may have to wait a couple more weeks before she resumes her old routine of her daily dog walk in the woods.

Angela also confirmed that Mum can now lie on her side in bed at night and can at last remove her surgical stockings – so this evening, with great relief, Mum took them off for the final time.

So, 7 weeks after the long awaited operation normal life for Mum and Meg is starting to resume which is just fantastic.  She still has to be careful and mustn’t overdo it but she is certainly well on the road to a full recovery.

Yesterday was stitches out day.  The nurse removed the dressing and we saw the scar.  All 4 inches of it. It’s astounding that such a major operation required such a small incision.  Everything looked good and mum was delighted to learn that she could now have a shower.

Once that was taken care of, the sun had finally emerged so we went up to the top of Castle Hill to continue building up on the walking in what we thought was going to be a quiet, yet scenic, location.    It was very busy. Lots of dogs and photographers – despite the visibility still being quite poor.  We let Meg off the lead and walked along the path, and back again, probably about twice the distance of the previous day.

Today was independence day.  Mum woke me this morning by bringing me cup of coffee. After she’d had a shower (Tip of the day: Shower gel is easier than soap as it doesn’t fall on the floor) I watched her climb the stairs without her sticks, in the proper manner one foot per stair.  Truly excellent progress.

After lunch we did the “scenes of my youth” tour. I took Mum up to Huddersfield Sailing Club and then onto Winscar reservoir.  I was stunned to find that even after living round here all her life, Mum had never been to Winscar before.

We parked in the carpark and walked as far as the dam wall and looked down on the village below.  From Cross to Cross in the picture above, probably a total of about half a mile.  When we finished, the wound was stinging a bit, but that was probably because the stitches had been removed so recently.

I’m going home once we’ve had Chippy Booth’s finest fish and chips for tea. And then Jackie will be popping in for the next week to make sure all is well.

…I knew my work here was done.

Of course I’m not going home yet. I’m looking forward to a few days of rest, relaxation and being waited on hand and foot (joke, obviously) before going to America next week.

On Monday morning I knew that Mum was pretty much better. The previous evening I she’d climbed the stairs with me standing at the bottom. But she had promised me that she would wake me so I could escort her down the stairs in the morning.  Of course, when I went to see if she wanted a cup of coffee first, she was already downstairs.  When I told Sally about it later Sally said “she’s just so disobedient!”.

We figured out how to put trousers on without bending too far (walking stick down the operated trouser leg and then the foot slides easily into the trouser leg without catching).

Mum had developed a loose crown on Sunday.  As it had taken 2 phone calls  and a lot of persuasion to get the dentist’s receptionist to give us an appointment on Monday, I made sure to remind Mum to hobble very slowly and gingerly on her way into the surgery!

By the time we arrived home the decorator had arrived to start fixing the damage resulting from a leaky toilet in the newly renovated cottage.  He climbed his ladder to examine the wallpaper on the ceiling. As he’d prodded the paper the large pool of water which had collected under the paper had deposited itself on his head.

After the trials of Monday, Tuesday was better all round.  The plumber came and sorted out the leaky washer in the cistern. I lengthened Mum’s sticks so she could walk more upright.

Every morning we take Meg out to the top field and throw the ball for her. If Alan has left the gate locked, I have to lift her over the wall as it’s too high for her to jump over.  This morning I turned away just for a second and the next thing I saw was Mum heaving Meg over the wall herself!

The rest of the day was full of very welcome visitors. I was dispatched to the driving range with a pocket full of pound coins while Mum’s dog walking friends called in for a cup of tea and a gossip and to see when she’ll be back with them walking round the woods.  I don’t think it’ll be long!

So it’s Sunday evening and after being back in Reading for six days I’ve returned to take over from Sally who went back to Alton early this afternoon.

I’ve been noticing all week how much better she sounded on the phone, better in fact than she has in months, so I was hoping that she was doing as well as Sally had reported.

As I arrived this evening Mum galloped towards me on her 2 sticks and I couldn’t believe the speed she was moving and how much taller she looked!

Mum had already made her own dinner, so we went for a walk round the yard so she could demonstrate how she could walk evenly with both legs and no limp.  The new new walking stick technique has helped her look like she’s walking normally, and it looks as like the sticks are more an aide to confidence than props to lean on.

All in all I’m delighted with the progress and I think recuperation is progressing well.

We’ve had some good progress over the last couple of days. Mum has now started pottering around and doing some jobs around the house – nothing too strenuous. The plants are watered, the potatoes peeled and last night she made her own bedtime snack.

This morning we went to see the physiotherapist predominantly because her right knee is quite painful. The physiotherapist ‘Angela’ was very impressed by her progress and even though there is nothing that can be done at this stage about her knee she now has the next set of exercises for her hip. Oddly it transpires that mum has been walking incorrectly with her sticks so she now has to re-train herself which with her lack of coordination is easier said than done!!

She forewent her daily nap for an afternoon in front of the TV watching the golf and she managed to stay awake throughout which is a great achievement.

Tomorrow we are going to try a longer walk with Mum walking correctly with her sticks!

There’s nothing like a bit of fresh air and sunshine to make you feel better

Second full day at home today and this morning Mum managed to stay awake long enough to do some good exercise sessions in the fresh air. She took advantage of the fine weather by taking a short (and slow) walk every half hour round the yard. It was a lovely day so in between her short walks she sat out enjoying the sunshine.

Back on form this afternoon with a long nap and once ‘Flog It’ finishes the evening walking sessions will start.

After lunch Susie left to go home and tomorrow Meg will be returning from her 5 day holiday so we’re getting ready for chaos!

The first full day at home and it’s been quite difficult to fit in all the exercises between naps!

Although she has to walk every 20 minutes, I’ve generally not managed to wake her up enough to do that.  I think it’s going to take quite a few days to get over the effects of the anaesthetic.  Walking is also slightly difficult because her good leg has developed a bad knee!

After a long afternoon snooze we walked up the drive and leaned on the wall where we watched Alan stacking the newly baled hay.

Sally has arrived so we cooked a delicious team roast chicken dinner.  After a day’s handover I will be heading off back to Reading tomorrow and Sally will be in charge.

I was going to have this post approved before I pressed publish, but Mum has nodded off.