Today was day 2 of 17 before my surgery. 15 more to go! I met 5 out of 6 my daily goals:
- Log my food in the Noom app
- Eat a “green” food at each meal (my breakfast was a cup of yogurt)
- Walk at least 5000 steps
- Peddle on my Cubii for at least 30 minutes
- Read the Noom lesson of the day
- Write a blog post
I did OK today. I’ve been reading about the surgery, and it seems that the approach and advice coming from doctors varies a lot. The severity of pain people experience varies a lot. And the recovery time varies a lot. A few things that the experts (and past surgery patients) agree on are (1) strength training for your quads and glutes prior to surgery will make recovery faster, and (2) moving as much as possible right away after surgery in spite of the pain will make recovery faster. So, for now, I am using the Cubii peddler to help strengthen my quads. Starting tomorrow, I want to find some additional exercises.
I’ve also been thinking ahead about the “tools” that will help. From having hip replacement surgery, I have some on hand already: a walker, a cane, a lap desk. I learned that it’s next to impossible to carry stuff (meds, water, phone) while using a walker. During that recovery, I used a tote bag. It helped, but it was a little unwieldy. Today, I found a really cool wire basket made for walkers (like a basket on a bike). This one has a tray inside that has a cup holder. I ordered it on Amazon. I also ordered a few more things: an ice pack that wraps around the knee and uses velcro for an adjustable size, and another toilet seat riser. I still have the toilet riser from when I had the hip replacement, and I wanted a second one for the upstairs bathroom.
Today, I also prepared a casserole and doubled the recipe. That will cover 4 dinners. On my make-ahead list, I have breakfast sandwiches, meatloaf, chili, minestrone soup and shrimp stir-fry so far. My best friend Jess, who is an excellent cook, has offered to come for a visit next weekend and help with meal prep. Jess lives almost 2 hours away, and I really wish we lived closer. Maybe one day.
I’m in a local Meetup group called “Fit and Fabulous Over Fifty.” I joined so that I could meet new people, but I’ve never actually attended any of the events because they all seemed beyond my ability (10 mile bike rides and hikes over rough terrain). Tomorrow I will attend my first event! It’s supposed to be a nice, easy three mile walk. I’ve been getting in almost 3 miles of daily steps each day for the past week or so, and I’m hopeful that this won’t be too bad. Stay tuned for an update tomorrow.
