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[SpeedDialer]

1. During LL, what were the best safe activities for passing the time /distracting yourself from the pain?

2. What activities did you think would be good for this that ended up not being so good?

[Medium Drink Of Water]

My typical day at Guang Ji Hospital:

Wake up, eat breakfast.
Watch YouTube videos, play computer games, read stuff on the internet.
Eat lunch.
Watch YouTube videos, play computer games, read stuff on the internet.
Get daily foot massage.
Eat dinner.
Get in my wheelchair and go around visiting other patients in their rooms.  "How are your legs?" in an LL hospital is the best ice breaker ever.  It led to a lot of good conversations with people.
Return to room and go to bed.

Going someplace that has a lot of fellow patients to talk to could be very beneficial for your morale.  That's what made the time fly most of all.

[LL2022]

Day time I can easily distract myself, the pain is definitely manageable and I don’t even feel bothered by it most of the times. However night time pain is much stronger due to lower corrisol levels, relaxed muscles and nerves etc and the fact that you’re trying to fall asleep. I can’t get more than 3hours of sleep per night, only help is painkillers or icing if you’re swollen…

[motoboarder]

My typical day at Paley's during lengthening (as a quad patient I lengthened 5 times a day)
- Wake up ~7 or 8am; lengthen 1/5; basic exercise to warm up legs; optional stretch ~30-45min (optional means sometimes I couldn't make it)
- Eat breakfast (I had a family member during this whole time who helped me with all chores around the apartment)
- Optionally sleep a bit more
- 11am lengthen 2/5; scheduled daily PT around this time at Paley's. This was the only time I socialized by talking to other patients.
- Coming home tired from PT -> sleep a bit; ~2-3pm lengthened again 3/5; rest, optional stretch ~30-45min; eat if wanted to, then sleep
- Wake up 6-7pm, lengthened 4/5; mandatory stretch 1h or more; eat then shower, play games (brought my PS4 and XBox One)
- Between 10-11pm lengthen the last session 5/5; optional stretch ~30min (last stretch in the day was the one I often skipped the most)
- Play a bit of game or watch Netflix; Relax midnight with tea; sleep

My main focus was to lengthen, stretch, rest and eat. I did not go out at all. My 1h every day at Paley's PT was the only time I interacted with other patients and therapists. The PT team is great. I ended up making friend with all of them, always chit-chat with the PTs even when they don't have session with me.

Noticeable pain only occurs 1-2 week after a surgery. During lengthen, it's more of an exhaustion feeling your legs have to endure, because the muscles are being pulled out every day. Especially in the morning, the stiffness is most felt. As long as you keep up with stretching, your body will handle it fine. It's a day to day challenge so you should not let go of any day without stretching.

I drank 6-8 pills of 375mg Tylenol every day to assist stretching. Couple times a week, I popped an Oxycodone 10mg at night to reward a good sleep.