Setbacks and compression socks

I have been wearing compression socks since the day I had my surgery. When I was at the hospital they gave me this white pair of compression socks that I can put my toes through. They were a little bit like leg warmers. It was funny because when I would put them on I look like a chicken with my white legs and I have some furry house slippers so I looked even more like a chicken. Eventually we bought nicer compression socks but they were just black. Those are fine but I found some really cool compression socks online that I really want to purchase. I never understood the importance of wearing compression socks after a surgery. I think my friend Debbie was the first one to introduce me to this concept after she had her surgery. She came to my house and brought her compression socks over and said that I could have them because she didn’t need them anymore post op. I thought she was crazy because I did not wanna wear compression socks. I don’t like wearing anything that is tight fitting or restricting on my body. I love to have loose clothing and full range of movement and I don’t like to feel like a stuffed sausage. As it turns out, my last two weeks of postop have been stuffed sausage legs in compression socks. Today is officially two weeks since my surgery which puts me at another important mile stone. I’m feeling so much better! My pain is finally subdued for the most part. Occasionally if I move the wrong way or get a little too energetic, the pain will come back and I will need to rest for a day. I’m getting used to the idea of the compression socks. My surgeon wants me to wear them for a few more weeks. The threat of blood clot has reduced significantly by now however, she insists that I continue to wear these horrible compression socks. I get so frustrated with it. But at least they helped protect my legs from getting cold now that winter is arriving. At night now I am able to sleep without my girdle ( to stabilize my abdomen) which helps me feel a lot less compressed. Sometimes, if I’m having pain or feel uncertain or a little bit insecure about my healing, I will put my girdle back on and I have to say, it does help. As uncomfortable as compression socks and girdles are, I’m really thankful I have a doctor that acknowledges The need for items such as these.

Lately I’ve been going to bed with only my compression socks on. I am normally a naked sleeper. I hate having clothing on my body in bed. So being naked in bed with only compression socks on Jeremy was giggling about starting to develop a compression sock fetish lol! Is that a thing?! 😂 i’m going to post some photos of compression socks that I’ve seen that I think are so cute and that I would like to purchase. My niece Alaina introduced me to all of these compression socks called crazy compression socks. I love the mermaid ones, they’re so fitting and so cute. The sloth ones remind me of my son. That’s always been his spirit animal a sloth. And I really love the tie-dye blue ones because they remind me of the ocean. Something that I miss so much and can’t wait to get back to. Here’s a link so you can check them out yourself.

https://crazycompression.com/collections/all-crazy-compression-socks

As I am working through all these milestones such as fighting off infection, fighting off blood clots, avoiding pneumonia, which by the way many of you were telling me stories about your surgeries and subsequent blood clotting and I’m so happy that I’m getting this information from you because I’m realizing how important it actually is that I do wear compression socks until my doctor tells me not to. So thank you for that information! I’m learning so much about my post op from hearing your stories of surgery do’s and don’ts.

But we did have one setback last night. As we left the hospital I assumed some things could go back to normal such as me being able to enjoy time in my massage chair and being able to enjoy the handheld massager that Jeremy often uses on my shoulders and feet. As it turns out… That’s a Nono. Last night, I was having the worst back pain and muscle spasms I’m not sure why. I think maybe it was because I keep sleeping on my shoulders, on my sides. Every once in a while I just can’t handle sleeping on my back and I need to switch over to my sides and I have a lot of damage to my shoulders from roller derby because most of the heavy hits I took and gave from roller derby we’re on my shoulders. So my body‘s been going through some really painful times lately trying to readjust to normal sleeping etc. with no ability to soothe the pain as I normally would, through yoga. I can’t do any sort of yoga right now other than some basic stuff for my arms and my shoulders. But it’s not getting to the juicy parts that my normal yoga routine would.

As a little helper, Jeremy was using the massager on my shoulders last night and I had a horrible muscle spasm that went from the middle right side of my back about where my bra strap is all the way down to where my uterus was and it was a searing hot sharp pain. I immediately thought something was terribly wrong. The pain would not go away for the entire night. Although the pain did eventually die down into a dull spasming pain. Eventually I ended up calling my doctor to find out What to do next. I was terrified that I was internally bleeding or that I had broken my stitches but it turns out I was just having a severe muscle spasm from the massager. I called my doctor and she informed us that that is not OK. We cannot be using any sort of massagers at this time, not until 16 weeks after the surgery . So last night was a little bit terrifying until I was able to speak with my doctor. Thank God for her! It was painful but we made it through the night. Jeremy by my side, holding my hand, telling me everything is going to be fine. Me getting irritated because he was telling me everything was fine, lol! And of course he was right… Everything is fine. It was still pretty painful sleep last night but I woke up in a much better place today. Everything has been pretty calm today. I have not exercised today like I normally do. I’m just taking it easy for a a day and I will get back to the treadmill three times a day tomorrow. It’s been nice taking this downtime today. I realized how active I actually have been and how it may be holding me back just a little bit in terms of my healing. Everything is a balance. It’s so hard to balance all of these things whatever used to living 100 miles an hour and I am suddenly forced to stop by the winter. But I’m learning lessons along the way I’m so thankful for the view. Thank you for sharing with me. Teaching me so much! I am in the situation that I am. Many of your stories are harrowing to say the least. What many of you have survived helps me understand that this is definitely a situation that I can survive and eventually thrive through. So thank you so much for sharing with me. It makes me feel so much less alone in this process that can be pretty damn lonely. So even with the setbacks, we’re doing OK! Onwards and upwards! I’m learning patience. Patience is a virtue that I struggle with. But through your stories and my doctors advice I’m realizing that the only actionable thing I need to be doing right now is exhibiting patients and listening to my doctor. Calling my doctor if I have questions.

The antibiotics have really stripped my entire system so today I am taking some Braggs apple cider vinegar and probiotics still, the probiotics never end. Every day, all day, probiotics. And giving myself grace, having patience.. And wearing my goddamn compression socks! And yes, that is lint all over my feet because I can’t bend over to take it off of my compression socks. It drives me crazy! Does anybody have an answer for this? How do you get lint from the floor off of the bottom of your compression socks when you can’t bend over to pick it off?!😂