FF, Cottage Garden Party..Pre-Op Story...(long)

I am linking up with Tootsie and Tracie for weekend garden parties. I know it's been some time since I have joined these parties.  I have been focusing on my crafts more while waiting on my hip issues to be diagnosed, bending and squatting have been no no's.  How does one garden without being able to perform these positions? (Some of you have asked how do I sit on the floor.  I extend my right leg out, and I shift positions about every ten minutes or so) So the garden has been left on it's own, therefore making true, things left on their own go from order to disorder. I know, there is never true order in any garden. (no wide photos)

container area with ornamental potato vine rambling everywhere

Surgery date has been moved up from the 20th to the 4th, yep, this Tuesday!  Spent part of Wednesday at the dentist getting my grill all polished for the occasion.  Spent nearly ALL day yesterday doing pre op.

Orchid Lily love how these bloom on and off 

this is what I learned at pre op

Surgery: Hip Arthroscopy

Leg put in traction so the hip joint can be pulled open for the instruments to move freely.

2 to 4 holes put in the outside of the hip. One for the camera the other 1 to 3 for the surgical tools.

Physicians Assistant:  Now when you come out of surgery and for several days your hip is going to be about this big, (insert hands being held open like he was holding a basketball).  Your hip will feel like the skin is about to pop open.

Me:  Oh my, because of surgery?

Physicians Assistant:  Oh no mam, from the 10 to 15 liters of fluid we will be putting in your hip.

Me:  Excuse me?  What?  In my hip?  That's a lot!

Physicians Assistant:  Yes mam, that's why it will feel like it's going to pop.  Don't worry in a few days your body will absorb the fluid and you will be getting rid of it when you use the bathroom.

Me:  Oh, yeah, uh sure, okay, I mean I guess......sigh

This is a no name distressed rack saved Daylily and appears to be a dwarf or miniature, as it's not very tall, is there such a thing? -- and apparently a rebloomer!

Physicians Assistant:  You will be on crutches for 6 weeks.

Me:  6 weeks?  What if I do everything ya'll tell me to do and I am very careful, could it be shorter?

Physicians Assistant:  No mam.  It takes 6 solid weeks for a hip to heal from this type of surgery.  If you do not follow our instructions to the t you run the risk of causing more damage. 

Me:  Okay then, I have never operated crutches before.

Physicians Assistant:  For the first three weeks you can only put 10% weight on your leg.  10% means like balancing against the counter when you are brushing your teeth.  The next three weeks you may put 50% weight on your leg, that means weight using your toes.

asteraceae senecio radicans - String of Bananas

When you sit you may only have your hips in a 90 degree angle or lower.  It is best to keep your knees below your hips.  Oh yeah, and no driving.  We will see you on the 17th for your post op for evaluation.

Over to the hospital I go for more pre op paper work and labs.

Three tries to draw blood from my right arm.

Me:  Don't you have one or two nurses who are the 'go to' when you are having difficulty locating or sticking the veins?

R.N.:  I am one of those nurses.

Me:  Face turning several shades of red.  

Me:  Why don't we just use my hand?

R.N.:  You said it hurts when they use your hand.

Me:  Not nearly as bad as being poked three times  in the same area.

R.N.  Okay.

Me:  WOW!  You really are one of "those" nurses, that didn't hurt at all.

R.N.:  Take these two soaps and after you bathe with your regular soap, scrub your right hip with this Monday night, let it sit on there for 5 minutes and then rinse off.  Repeat again Tuesday morning before coming to the hospital.

Me:  Do I need to take the clear polish off of my nails or just take the acrylic nails off?

R.N.:  Oh no. The machines have come so far, they can now read through red nail polish.

Me:  That's great, didn't want to take them off, but I would have.

(something only some of you know about me, I LOVE long pretty finger nails, and yes gardeners can have them too)

R.N.:  If there aren't anymore questions please call this number between 6:00 and 7:30 Friday evening for your surgery time.  Wait just a minute.  Here, she just printed off the surgery schedule and it looks like you are scheduled for 9:00 a.m on the 4th.  You need to be here at 7:00 a.m.

Me:  Okay.

R.N.:  Call the number to confirm though.

Me:  Thank you.

R.N.:  Bye

Black oil Sunflower Seed Flower from bird feeder.  The Sunflowers I plant on purpose rarely mature due to the squirrels.  Maybe I will start planting them under the bird feeders, that way the squirrels might ignore them,.

Have a Blessed Day!