Drunken Sailors in the Wind?

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

 
I am 5 weeks, today, post op here. I am out being a ‘good little patient’ and walking laps on our farm. I first started out like a drunken sailor, after getting home from surgery … but since improved to a middle aged women who appears to have dipped into a mai tai or two (no of course I am not consuming any alcoholic bevies at this stage of recovery) to looking almost (not quite) sober in my walk. I was really thinking I was on the road to recovery. Today it is windy out and I cannot keep my balance… and have regressed to a drunken sailor (ok ok a drunken pirate with one eye patch – “arby dar!)

Do any other AN forum’ers have issues in the wind (it is really more breezy than windy- but the sound just howls SO in my head)

4

[Boppie]

In the early part of my recovery barometric changes and wind definitely confused my balance.  At 20 months I hardly notice the wind, but bright sunshine requires a bit more concentration on visual skills.  Rainly, foggy days are the always the pits but I believe grey days make most people feel badly.  Once in a while I will take a side step or make a backwards swerve, but I never fall.  I find that walking briskly is easier than slow strolls.  I practice walking in grassy terrain and this helps me to improve. 

So, if you are walking on turf terrain, I think you will get better quickly.

[Battyp]

Yes, the wind and changes in weather can affect your balance. On gray dreary days or at night I have issues and often will grab my son for support. One day I know he's going to go oops mom remember that day you...and let me fall  LOL

Keep on practicing it does get better with time!

M

[Clifton]

i am almost 2 weeks post op now and i dont have any real issues walking anymore. somtimes in the car when we turn corners i do get slightly dizzy but other than that nothing unusual. i went to the 2 largest malls here in town this week on different days and spent about 2 hours walking around them.

is that unusual?

[satman]

if your only getting dizzy when turning in the car,dude,consider yourself real lucky.
i use to get dizzy looking up,down,left,right,etc,etc,and thats at 6 months.
i am so happy for my fellow texan, that your "after effects" are minimal.
now personally,going to the mall,thats a very serious issue . never enough T.V's for the game,and i can never find the bar,hate that place.Ok ladies ,I'm just playing.My wife drags me to those places , and guess whats just around the corner ?HOLIDAYS /i'm doomed .

[Clifton]

if your only getting dizzy when turning in the car,dude,consider yourself real lucky.
i use to get dizzy looking up,down,left,right,etc,etc,and thats at 6 months.
i am so happy for my fellow texan, that your "after effects" are minimal.
now personally,going to the mall,thats a very serious issue . never enough T.V's for the game,and i can never find the bar,hate that place.Ok ladies ,I'm just playing.My wife drags me to those places , and guess whats just around the corner ?HOLIDAYS /i'm doomed .

well, when i turn my head fast left to right, or fast up and down, i dont get dizzy, but it takes my mind a few secs to adjust to what im looking at...its hard to describe.

[satman]

Hi Clifton,I can totally relate,and that is normal,it will dissapate.
if your ever in Dallas,look me up.

[Jim Scott]

4:

We all recover a bit differently but regaining our equilibrium post-op always takes time and effort.  Your experience sounds very similar to mine.  I also found that walking was a good 'balance' exercise, especially when walking on grass and slopes, etc.  Even now, over a year post-op, I still make the occasional mis-step or 'lurch' for a moment, but generally, my walking and balance are very close to normal and so, no longer an 'issue'.  As you are doing everything you can, physically, to re-establish your balance, I trust that eventually, you'll be successful.

Jim

[Clifton]

Hi Clifton,I can totally relate,and that is normal,it will dissapate.
if your ever in Dallas,look me up.

for sure brother.

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

SATMAN Super Trooper (AKA "8")

You are still my hero and an optimist role model for my recovery

You are so funny ...  I could not stand “the mallâ€? even before I had the surgery. (I.e. it is not just a “guy thingâ€? I think this holiday season I will shop in line.)

Everyone seems to have different take on their balance rehabilitation experiences. Outside in the open outdoors- I am doing ok…  Get me into the indoors (particularly places that are visual busy, e.g. the public library with a very busy pattern on the carpet, – and I am back to 'drunken sailo'r mode… Florescent lights are just too much.

Today my caregiver, dear sweet elderly woman who with sits with me during the day, and I are going to brave Fred Meyer’s (bought out recently by Krueger’s – FYI those not from the PNW) … it is one of those stores that has everything from groceries to hardware. . Big, huge and noisy.

Wish me luck…

“4�

[Captain Deb]

AAAAAARRRRRRRRR me hearty wench 4!!!!!!
Welcome to the drunken sailors club!!!!!!! We loses body parts and just sails on!!!!! A' luchin' and a leanin' and a' keelin' over we does! The wind be the worst. Ye just learns to "heave to" and hug the rail til she calms down. Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!  We be all in the same boat on this here stormy voyage, we be.
Be well and sail on!

Capt Deb

[HeadCase2]

Aaaaarrrrrrr,
  Reminds me of my first post surgery excursion.  I had given up me walker 7 days after surgery, and by the 10th day I had a bad case of cabin fever-- I needed to get out.  We went to the local Wellspring (Whole Foods).  I had a death grip on the shopping cart, and had a good lurch going.   I looked a fright, with me rough stitches and shaved head.   Mothers took one look at me, grabbed their kids and moved away quickly.  After pillaging the chocolate, bread, and cheese sections, we returned quietly to port.  AAAARRRRRRRRR!
Rob

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

Rob,

That is too hilarious! LOL

I have yet to drive the family van and tackle the grocery store ALONE.

I have tossed the eye patch now that the double sticky taped on eye weight is working (and has yet to wash down the drain  ) … so  I am just in the drunken sailor category… no longer “the pirateâ€? LOL

I was expecting to come out post op, too, with a Mohawk. I hardly got shaved. My hair hangs over the scar- so one cannot see the stitches (now a hard-to-see scar  )… Most people assume I had eye surgery.  However 3 + weeks after the surgery I did have hair fall out and scalp flaking.    Probably where they had the scalp pulled back for the 11 + hours-(gross huh?) 

 I found these threads that had me exhale concluding "this is normal" so I never contacted the surgeon with a panic attack.

http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=4056.0
http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=4048.0


Today I did 2 entire laps of power-walking (ALONE with our faithful dog) around our farm … hills, uneven gravel road and hayfield … however no wind just unusually glorious calm sunny weather for the Pacific Northwest at this time-of-year … I had to wear those funky wrap around sunglasses. I was pretty stable today however turn those corners too sharp … and whoops I am a staggering middle-aged-woman who appears to have dipped into a morning mai tai again (NO  of course I am not drinking 8+ weeks post op!)

So all those “newbiesâ€? out there reading this …I want to you all to know it DOES get better- as long as you maintain a sense of humor. I may tackle the grocery store ALONE on Halloween- that way I will just blend in with all the other ghosts, goblins, drunken sailors and pirates … and  hopefully go unnoticed.

"Gee I wonder what Captain Deb is going to be this Halloween?" Arby Dar!

4

[HeadCase2]

4,
  Keep up the hiking.  I'm sure the dog is enjoying it too.  For me, walking/hiking was the best balance therapy.  I can't remember if you had some physical therapy with a PT (Physical Terrorist or Physical Therapist, take your pick).  PT for vestibular retraining started out with eye exercises, and then moved into various balance exercises.  Not all PTs are familiar with vestibular retraining, so get a recommendation from your doctor for a PT that is familiar with vestibular retraining.
Regards,
 Rob