Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start!
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Vail - believe it or not i totally get that feeling of being pressured into it by others... comments like "what are you waiting for just get it done" like it's not even a big decision. I also find in those situations its almost like they look at me like i'm stupid.. like "duh.. what's there to think about just do it".. (that may not be their intention, but in the past i have felt the comments like that come across as almost condescending or as you said, they ooze disapproval if i say im just thinking about it.. havent decided... (im not talking about a hip replacement of course.. but just similar kind of responses)
your reasons are your own and feeling like u r being pressured at times is NOT silly in any way, shape or form!! I would be scared silly frankly at the thought of having to have a hip or knee replacement, even tho i have several friends who have had both (great hip results but with mixed results on one of the knee ones). I definitely think if you can talk to your surgeon and if you aren't having bad pain now he will probably have a better idea of where to guide you... but you stick to your guns Vail.. if it's not right for you to make the decision now, that's perfectly fine. it's your body and your decision on what you wanna have done with it no matter what anyone tells you!!
its funny you mentioned that for you new recipes etc wouldnt work.. as you both know i hate to cook anyway lol.. and worse yet the decision making process of WHAT to make... so as i was kinda focusing on just protein and veg for the longest time i got into the habit of dinner being some kind of protein (usually chicken or fish occasional small steak or pork loin, and then i would literally just open 3 or 4 bags of frozen veg and dump them in the same pot with a bit of water .. until i realized that every night dinner was pretty much the same thing just diff protein diff veg but it worked for me for a long time.. of course had some dinners out too and occasionally soup and a sandwich instead... but basically it was much easier for me to stick to the same sort of thing every night.. and that's so weird for me because while i love leftovers ... eating the "same" thing every night is not normally my thing lol...
my big prob these days is breakfast... i now usually have a small bowl of shredded wheat with bran and a few apple cinnamon cheerios sprinkled on top and occasionally a banana sliced up... but i get sooo bored with that yet im too lazy to scramble some eggs instead or make some oatmeal... so even tho im bored silly with that brekkie it still usuallly ends up being the same thing every day lol.. i hadnt really realized that until u were talking about its easier for u to stick to easy known things!
Suzy... you know both Vail and i completely understand as we have both regained losses over the years and in my case, regained ABOVE even where i was when i started.. so we understand!! It sounds like you have reached that point where you are ready to make some changes .. gentle hugs and know we're here for you anytime!
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Have you seen the nutrionist yet, Suzy? I'd be interested in what advice you got and how it was tailored to you and your hubby.
Thank you both for understanding about my concerns about surgery! I am probably going to go for it if they say I can, but we'll see.
I have not been good with my eating. Yet again, I start off well, then something throws me off, usually work as it's stressful and there's lots of sweet stuff in the office. I feel like I can't remember how I lost the weight last time, but I was definitely more active then so it was easier. I think I need to find something in my life that I can substitute for eating, if you know what I mean!0 -
I definitely know what you mean. I find that I do most of my mindless snacking while sitting in front of the tv or computer. If I could just find something else to do then maybe I wouldn’t snack. I’m learning how to knit and you can’t snack if you’re doing that. lol.
The earliest appointment I could get with the nutritionist was December 19. I’ll let you know how it goes.1 -
Good idea about the distraction of keeping your hands busy knitting! I have been keeping a food diary, and it's work that's the big factor, and in fact I can see my weight going up when I've been at work and coming down at the weekends! So all the work I'm doing at home to control eating is getting cancelled out at work.
The plan I've been moving towards is to bring a LOT of healthy food into work, so I don't end up eating my little lunch then working late and turning to the sweet food that's in there. So actually doing about 80% of my calorie intake at work, then having 20% when I get home. I'm not sure if that will work, but at least my overeating will be healthier!
What worked for me before was to have a very small prepared lunch and eat it late, but not eat anything else at work. But I no longer seem to have any self-control and work is much busier and I have to eat at my desk while trying to work.
The surgeon I saw didn't really talk through the pros and cons much so I just said I'd have the operation (because I might not get another chance).0 -
Happy Thanksgiving, Suzy! I hope you're having a lovely time. You mentioned that your son and family might be able to make it. I hope they did but hope you have a nice holiday either way.0
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Thanks so much Vail! My son and his family did come last weekend. Unfortunately my daughter’s baby boy got sick so they didn’t come over because they didn’t want to chance getting the two month old sick. It gets complicated with all the little ones. My daughter’s family spent Thanksgiving with the in-laws so we were on our own. We went out to dinner with some friends. It was a strange Thanksgiving. First time I didn’t have to cook in decades! I kind of liked it.
Everyone I talk to says they wish they had done the knee or hip replacement earlier so why put it off? Think of all the time you won’t spend in pain because you went ahead with it while you could still get out there and do stuff. My mom put off her knee replacement so long that she didn’t have time to get the other knee done before she was too old to do the rehab. Enjoy your life while you have it!
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Vail I remember the days when i was working and all the goodies were around.. it's a tough place!! Good strategy you came up with keep us updated how it's going! Oh wow on making your decision to do the hip replacement.. I understand why you decided to go ahead in case you don't get another chance, but its still a huge decision so can imagine you're a little stressed out over it. Weirdly enuf. my hair stylist was off sick for a few months; i knew he had arthritis in his shoulders (all those years of hairdressing!) but when i went to book an appointment last week they told me he was back .. lo and behold i get there an find out he actually had a HIP replacement!! I was like "huh" Hip?? you never mentioned your hip just your shoulders!! He said i know i didnt realize it til i went to put on a sock one day and couldnt.. he's back at work and honestly watching him i would never know he had it done. One of my pickleball friends in my retiree group just told me she had a hip replacement a few years ago too... just strange im only now finding out even more people who have had it than i realized!! Did you get a date for the surgery? I'm not sure how things work in the UK....
Suzy thats so cool on the knitting! I tried to learn a few times (once from my grandmother who was a champion knitter) but i never figured out how to "finish" a piece... I was sort of the one who could knit a 12 foot long scarf but have no idea how to end it lol.. so good for you!! i hope your meeting with the nutrionist gives you some great info.. my sister recently had one for her kidney disease and found it very helpful so fingers crossed!! /i'm sorry you didnt get TG with the family due to the little one being sick, but score on not having to do the big dinner lol!! I'm glad u were able to spend it with friends .. and no dishes to wash either!!0 -
I'm sorry it didn't work out for Thanksgiving with your grandson! But it's really nice that they wanted to spend it with you. They were probably right to keep away with such a young baby. I hope your daughter's son is better now. Quite nice to not have to cook though and just relax and enjoy it!
Why put off the hip replacement, well, I've been doing a lot of reading and talking to the surgeon I saw, and they've told me that the replacement is purely for pain relief, and if I can put up with the pain it's better to wait. That it's not guaranteed, there may be complications and that it's likely to start failing in the next few years and revision surgeries are less successful. And it seems I won't get back to where I was as will still have to take care with the replacement (no jumping, no doing the splits, etc!): this is a bit of a worry for work. And the pain isn't that bad at the moment. What I've been told is that the pain isn't directly related to how bad the arthritis is, so could be that I could quite happily carry on with severe osteoarthritis if I could get my act together on the right sort of exercise (sometimes exercise makes it better, sometimes it makes it worse). Plus I have heart disease so an increased risk with having an operation. And my knees are so bad and worrying that I'll be disappointed when the hips done and I'm still stuck with these knees! And also worrying a bit about how I'll cope post-op!
But I don't want to not say I'm going ahead then find in 6 months that it's got a lot worse and I have to try to go through the whole process of getting referred again! And a good point about people saying they wish they'd done it earlier. I feel I'm getting weaker and I'm blaming myself for not exercising enough, but there's no doubt it would be a lot easier to keep fit if my hip was fixed!
Loving hearing all the positive stories of hip replacements!
I'll see how it goes with bringing more food to work. So far, even being at home this weekend hasn't been good. I give in to the odd snack, and it's enough to make me gain weight or at least stop me losing. I did a spatchcock chicken in my air fryer today, so that should be a nice easy protein food for the next couple of days to have with salad.
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Morning - just wanted to check in and see how you are both doing. Nothing new here; still involved with the retiree group altho we had our big christmas party on Monday and that's it for this year until a lunch on Dec 30th .. I was able to meet up with old friends a few times this month which was lovely but as we know that equates to a lot of meals out.. i am trying to play pickleball a little more often to offset it as thats the only exercise i really get these days but my pants were pretty tight yesterday! its been too cold to do any walks here (with the wind yesterday it was -17C here yesterday ugh. LOL.. AND it's only Dec still have 2 more months of winter. But so far no snow here thank goodness; altho just a bit further north they have been slammed with snow already. Sadly our postal service has been on strike here for the past month which has ruined Christmas for so many who live in rural areas as well as many small businesses who rely on them for shipping - and other delivery svs like Fedex and Ups etc have started refusing any more orders as they are overwhelmed. It doesnt affect me personally as my sister and I don't exchange gifts anymore, or just a token something ( i did buy her a pair of earrings at a show a friend of mine had as she makes jewellery, but because i couldnt mail them to her i realized they matched a shirt i had really well, so i wore them to a lunch with friends instead LOL.. MAYBE i could just take a photo of me wearing them saying "thinking of you" ? LOL
Anyway i know it gets crazy this time of year for a lot of people, but hope you have a sec just to pop in and let each other know all is well..0 -
I'm sorry about your postal problems. That's really frustrating. I'm thinking of people who get medications, etc. through the post as well. Must be a worrying time. You did make me laugh with the earrings story, though!
I have been useless this year with Christmas presents. I have bought loads for my grandson of course, but everybody else has been neglected. I think I'm going to do some last minute shopping on Amazon! If I could only think what to buy!
I am finished with the meals out apart from a lunch at work, so I have no excuse now. My weight is a disaster. Despite everything, I am gaining and gaining. I've put on about 25 pounds now this year, and I'm really feeling it. I do think it's partly down to my hip. I am really struggling with exercise now, and of course it's a vicious cycle with the extra weight making it even harder!
It is making me feel more like going ahead with the operation now, though.0 -
Glad i gave you a laugh with the earrings Vail.. not sure my sister would be quite as amused as we were though haha... yes i feel bad for the small businesses who rely on our postal service for delivery and for many who live in rural areas where its only our postal service who delivers there... looks like the govt is finally getting ready to step in and order them back to work "next week".. which is Christmas...
i don't have any presents to buy for anyone other than my sister so I feel for those who still have to figure out the WHAT to buy for everyone... i actually used to find it quite stressful trying to figure that out so wish you good luck Vail!
As for the weight gain.. you know both Suzy and I have both experienced that so know we are in your corner!! For SURE your hip probs impacting your ability to exercise has added an extra roadblock for you... and yes exactly as you said its that circle that does us in each time!! hang in there!!!!0 -
Sounds like weight gain is a common theme with all three of us. We just have to be more determined in the new year to get back to basics. I think we all know what we’re doing or rather, not doing that led us here. We will have to find work around for our pains, injuries, weather and illnesses. We can do this if we put our minds to it. We’ve done it before.
Vail, I feel for you with this whole operation dilemma. It’s not an easy decision and it’s scary.
I think I’m ready for Christmas. I do have a package to mail but they won’t be home until Christmas Eve so I want it to get there after Christmas. We’ll spend Christmas Eve visiting my parents at their assisted living home and Christmas Day at our daughter’s house. We’re keeping the grandkids overnight this Saturday. I just finished cataract surgery on Monday so hopefully I’ll be up for it. lol. Everything is still a bit blurry but it’s getting better.
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I'm glad your eye surgery went well, Suzy. I hope you can see better now, and enjoy the grandkids!
Yes, you are both right about hanging in there, and that we just need to work around all these challenges. The temptation is to just give up and eat more because I can't exercise much. I need to stop that kind of thinking!
Work is so busy. Only a couple of days work before Christmas now. I'm exhausted!1 -
Vail and Suzy wishing you both a very Merry Christmas!0
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Merry Christmas Snoozie and Vail! I hope you both have a good one!0
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Merry Christmas Suzy and Snoozie!0
