I couldn't walk when I woke up this morning. My left hip and back were in real bad pain. It's a good thing I have this walker. I guess I walked too much yesterday with the crutches. Walking with the crutches hurts my hips a lot and I had to walk quite a ways from the parking lot into the hospital. Then down some halls. Next time I'm asking for a wheelchair. But I guess they will put me in one anyway because I'll be getting admitted. They are going to have a walker ready for me after the operation. I might fall with the crutches. I have to get up and walk the very next day if possible. To keep blood clots from forming in my legs. And do breathing exercises to keep my lungs clear. They have you sit on the edge of the bed and cough while holding the incision a certain way. It's called "Splinting". They want you to practice these before your surgery too.One thing I like is they put you into a hospital gown that is heated. And they want you to stay in a gown all during your stay because of all the tubes that will be hanging. The heated gown system is called "Bear Paws". I am so glad of that because I always freeze in those rooms.
I also will have what they call a Flowtron DVT System put onto my legs. It's a pump with inflatable leg garments. It keeps the blood in your veins moving back to the heart. It gently squeezes the leg muscles. I don't have many so I hope it works..They also give you what is called an "Incentive Spirometer" It's for deep breathing exercises after surgery to help the lungs. They give it to you so you can use it when you go home also. It's very important. I don't want anything happening to my lungs. I have borderline emphysema as it is. I breathe to shallow so this will help me. Sure is a lot of stuff going on when you have surgery like this. I'm keeping positive!
11 days till surgery.
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