THR And now the healing begins

[Layla]

Happy One Month Anniversary!
I hope you’re doing well and I wish you a wonderful weekend!
@wander03

 

[wander03]

@Layla Thank you! I had been thinking it had just been 3 1/2 weeks since my surgery; that it would have been four weeks this coming Wednesday. With your wishing me a Happy One Month Anniversary, I checked my calendar and saw that it was four weeks ago last Wednesday. Of course it was a month ago yesterday on the 23rd! I guess I’ve been wandering around in a fog of sorts. My daughter and her husband were here yesterday, and we were marveling at how well I’m doing only 3 1/2 weeks after the surgery. Oops. Oh well, I‘m doing well one month and a day after.

I am continuing to gain strength in my right leg. When Chris was here Friday, he encouraged me to use my hiking/walking stick instead of my walker when I’m in the house. I am doing so most of the time when I don’t need to transport multiple things on the seat of my walker. I sometimes have moderate pain in my left (un-operated) hip after doing relatively mild standing exercises. I am somewhat modifying the exercises that seem to be causing the pain and it has seemed to help some.

All in all, I think I am making good progress. Chris has said that he did not expect me to progress as much as I have at this point, so that is encouraging. I drove myself to an appointment on Thursday, drove Jennifer downtown yesterday to pick up our lunch, and am driving to another appointment on Wednesday. Although I am not fully recovered because I can’t walk without assistance, I think I am steadily making progress, so all is good.

 

[CricketHip]

Hey, time flies when you are having fun, right?

You are doing so well... congratulations!

 

[Layla]

You are doing well!
With the passage of time, patience, the natural healing process, working with, Chris, the love and support of family and friends…you’re thriving and on your way!
Thanks for updating. Best Wishes for another week of great progress.
@wander03

 

[wander03]

Tomorrow will be six weeks post surgery. I am so grateful that I have not had any complications with my hip and no appreciable pain since the first week. Although my right knee still has tension and feels like it’s in a vise most of the time, and I hope that will ease up, I am fortunate that it is not painful. And the knee problem has nothing to do with my hip replacement. The hip replacement did help the knee problem, which preceded the hip surgery.

I have read that in the end, those who have had the posterior surgery are as satisfied as those who had the anterior. And I do not question that. But I have read of the discomfort and restrictions endured by many, and I would encourage anyone who has a choice to choose the anterior approach. I feel so fortunate that my friend Pat told me about her experience having had the anterior approach. Otherwise I probably would have not known there are options. If one has a specific surgeon that one wants to use, then one will have to accept whatever approach that surgeon uses. I may have changed surgeons anyway after the painful experience with physical therapy since the physical therapy clinic was affiliated with the hospital at which that surgeon worked, but I definitely knew I had to usd another surgeon when I learned that the surgeon who did my knee replacement uses the posterior approach.

My left hip replacement has now officially been scheduled for June 27. YAY! I have to be aware of how exercises affect my left hip because I do not want to aggravate it, and certain exercises create pain. I have gained a lot of strength in my right hip and leg, so I am looking forward to having two stable, not painful hips. I am so grateful that I live in an era when joints can be replaced. A few decades ago, a person whose hip collapsed would be bedridden or in a wheelchair because they were unable to walk. And we who are 65 and over in the U.S. have Medicare that pays for the surgery. I have to pay dearly for my BCBS Medigap policy, but because I have it, everything is paid by insurance. We are a very fortunate generation.

On Thursday, I will be driving the longest distance I have driven since July 19, 2021, the date of my right TKR. I am driving to Fayetteville to have my hair cut even shorter and to Springdale to have my glasses adjusted by my favorite optician. I have an 85-year-old friend who lives in Fayetteville who no longer drives, and I am picking her up and taking her to both places so that she can have her hair cut and her glasses adjusted. Then we will go to Andy’s and have raspberry and pecan custard concretes. Yum! After I take Sarah home, I will go to Jennifer’s to visit her and my six grand dogs. I will probably drive close to 200 miles during the day. I’ll be interested in seeing how I hold up. I am fortunate in that my Rogue practically drives itself, so I don’t think it will be as tiring as it might be if I didn’t have all the bells and whistles. I’m looking forward to the day.

 

[Klassy]

Well done on your recovery! You are getting well set up for Hip 2.

Tomorrow’s jaunt sounds like a great day out. How to turn a haircut and a specs tweak into a delightful outing.

I only just read your previous post, which has given me an idea. In future, whenever I meet people who inquire on seeing my crutch, the conversation will now go like this:
“Oh! Crutch! What has happened?”
“Hip replacement”
“When?”
“Um, let’s see, oh must be nearly 3 and a half days ago now”
“Gee, you are doing well. My bridge partner’s neighbour’s aunty didn’t run her first marathon until 2 weeks after her hip was done”.
“Yes, I must sort out my application soon”.

 

[wander03]

I had a very full day yesterday. I did everything I talked about in my last post. I left about 10:20 in the morning and drove to Fayetteville and had my hair cut after I had driven to Springdale and had my eyeglasses adjusted. There are people in Fort Smith that do those things, but Erica is the best optician I know, and Erin is the best cosmetologist. She has done my hair for several years. My new picture here on the forum was taken by Jennifer yesterday after the cut. My hair is shorter than it was in the photo it replaced. I used Judi Dench’s haircut as an example of what I wanted. I picked up Sarah and she had her hair cut and eyeglasses adjusted also. Then we had Andy’s custard. Unfortunately they were out of raspberries, so we had to have blackberries instead. After I took Sarah home, I went to Jennifer and Pete’s and visited with them and my six grand dogs. By the time I got home at 7:25 in the evening, I was a bit tired, and I am still somewhat tired today. But it was a fun, productive day, so that is good. I only used my walking stick and cane, which is part of why I was so tired. I only drove about 154 miles instead of 200.

I had physical therapy with Chris this afternoon. He said he has gone just about as far as he can go with my home therapy. We have three more visits, one in each of the next there weeks, so he is going to work with me on improving my balance and continuing to gain strength. He said that I have progressed farther than he thought I would have by now. I observed that I still can’t walk without a walking stick or cane, and he reminded me that’s because of my left hip. Although he is stepping up my therapy, I can’t do everything that he would like for me to do because he wants for me to be able to continue to function until my left hip is replaced. I’m glad that we are in agreement.

 

[Klassy]

That’s a lovely photo. Your hairstyle is very cool.

I am trying to muster the nerve to go to the hairdresser. I haven’t found one I like since we moved house. So I understand why you would drive some way for a haircut. But my trip would be a minimum of 4 hours each way, so I keep trying locals. The results have been …. well, let’s just say that the pup in my forum picture is way better groomed than me!

Your progress does sound good. Just that pesky left hip holding you back, but that won’t be for too much longer.

 

[wander03]

@Klassy Thank you very much! I really do like it. When Erin cut it on February 19, she did not cut it as short as I wanted her to. Since my hair was so long, she was concerned that I would be upset that I had decided to have it cut so short. I understand why she was concerned because she once cut it a half inch or so shorter than I thought she was going to, and I was a bit upset. I’ve attached a set of photos that my daughter posted on Facebook after the February 19 cut.

Four hours one way to see a hairdresser is a long way. My trip to the hairdresser is just a bit over an hour. And my daughter lives in the same town, so I get to visit her, also. I think it’s a good idea to keep trying to have your hair done locally. I don’t know if you would have the nerve to do so, but I have stopped women whose hair I liked and asked them who does their hair. It might work!

My right leg is so much stronger than my left leg. Today I told Chris, my PT, that my orthopedic surgeon seemed to be very proud of his work and that I think he has a right to be. Chris said he definitely does and then described the process the surgeon went through to realign my right knee when he replaced my hip. Chris said if he needs any kind of a joint replacement in the next ten or twenty years, he will go to my surgeon. I am so fortunate that I had the surgeon I had. I will be glad when he replaces my left hip. And then Chris can help me to rehab it.

 

[Klassy]

Oh wow, what a transformation! It looks like big sister on the left, looking at much younger sister on the right and wishing she looked as good.

 

[Layla]

Love your new look!
It truly does make you look younger…and more hip, pun intended.

Good to read you’re feeling well after the long car ride. That is something I found extremely uncomfortable after THR, for a couple months, at least. I felt too confined in the drivers seat and after about 30-40 minutes, tops, I wanted / needed OUT!

Just a FYI, skigirl, a former BoneSmart colleague, is having her second hip replaced the same day as you! That date, June 27th, is also my five year anniversary, so I’ll be thinking of you two on the day. skigirl had her left replaced this past October…and you two are the same age! May be fun to watch her thread.

I hope you have a lovely weekend, you’re doing so well!
@wander03

 

[wander03]

@Klassy Thank you. I felt less dowdy and a bit younger after I had my hair cut in February. For years I had said I wanted to be an eccentric old lady, and the long, grey hair helped convey that look. I decided that I can still be an eccentric older lady and have short hair.

@Layla Thank you. I enjoyed your pun. Clever.
I have been very fortunate that my right (operated) hip has not been uncomfortable since the first week or so. As of a week or so ago, my left hip was uncomfortable and sometimes painful when I sat in the car for very long, as the driver or as a passenger. I was quite comfortable on Thursday. I only got tired from walking so much with my walking stick or cane.
For the last three weeks, Chris has been doing a procedure on my left hip that stretches and separates the ligaments. (I think he said ligaments.) He loops a long circular band behind his back, does a crisscross loop around my ankle, and grasps my ankle and gently pulls and moves my leg. He started out at level one, then moved to level two, and is now at level three after he warms it up through levels one and two. Perhaps he will move to the highest level four next week. He said this is to keep my left hip from being so painful so that I can continue to function until my replacement surgery.
I think I am very fortunate to have Chris as my physical therapist. I think he has looked outside the box to determine how to help me recover from the overly aggressive PT on my knee and prepare me for the hip replacements. It would have been nice to not have had to go through the agony of being tortured by Baptist Health physical therapy personnel, but I probably would not have started using Elite Health and gotten Chris as my PT if I hadn’t had the torture. I try to look for the silver lining when seemingly unpleasant things happen. I think everything happens for a reason, and we can determine the reason if we try.
Thanks for telling me about skigirl. We’re the same age and having our surgeries on the same day. Cool. I am going to check out her thread and follow her progress. And the three of us will share an anniversary date. How cool is that! (I just looked at skigirl’s thread, and she is only 77, so we’re almost the same age.)

 

[Layla]

I just looked at skigirl’s thread, and she is only 77, so we’re almost the same age.)

She will be 78 next week! She just shared that bit of info on her new pre-op thread yesterday.
I do know that like you, she also lives alone, very recently losing her significant other, unexpectedly, which she shared on her last recovery thread. So very sad. I’m obviously not sharing anything she hasn’t already shared here. She is quite physically active, barring hip issues, even working as a ski instructor up until her first deteriorating hip stopped her….I believe?

Love your update! Hang in there, not too long to go until you get permanent relief.

 

[wander03]

Monday will be my two months anniversary! Yay! I saw Dr. Bradshaw, my OS, yesterday afternoon. He said I looked great and asked me if there has been any problems with the incision such as discharge. I told him there has not been. I said my left hip bothers me some, but it is being replaced on June 27. He looked at my x-rays and said that my left hip really looks bad. Then he looked at my right hip and said it had been worse. He again pointed out on the x-ray how my right leg had been appreciably shorter than my left. He asked if I noticed any difference in leg length now, and I told him I don’t.

I said Chris, my physical therapist, told me he had not been willing to tell me that the hip replacement would definitely help my knee although he did say he thought it would. I told him what Chris said about the difficulty of properly aligning the fibula when the knee is like mine was and how he admires Dr. Bradshaw’s skill because it was done so perfectly. I said he is the best orthopedic surgeon there is. Appearing to be modest, he turned back to the computer and said there’s always someone better. I said no, not in this case; that he is the best. He said he enjoys doing hip replacements because they make such a difference in people’s lives.

I told Dr. Bradshaw that my right knee still feels like it is in a vise when I walk and that Chris is working on it. He moved my right knee from side to side. I told him that was not a problem; that the tightness is when I walk. He asked about putting on socks. I said I have a sock assist for that. Then I demonstrated that I can reach down nearly to my ankle. He then tried to bend and lift my right leg up over my left knee. I told him when he got it almost there that it stressed my left hip. He seemed surprised by that. I said I have some problems with my left knee. He said he could have it x-rayed before I left, which he did. Both knees were x-rayed. This is the first time he has addressed the situation with my right knee. The results of the x-rays have not yet been posted to My Mercy. I have a call into Dr. Bradshaw’s nurse to find out when she thinks the results will be posted. I’m looking forward to finding out whether he thinks my left knee can wait a while before doing anything to it. I said I don’t want it to get as bad as my right knee was. I’m in no rush to have surgery on it until he thinks it is needed. We’ll see.

My appointment with Dr. Bradshaw was at 2:10pm, arrival at 1:55pm. I met Pat, my friend who lives in Florida and who told me about her hip replacement being done by the anterior approach, at 11:00am in the Cafe in Mercy Orthopedic Hospital in the building next to the clinic. Pat is an accomplished artist and is here for two weeks to participate in the grand opening of Arts on Main, the art museum in Van Buren that is across the Arkansas River from Fort Smith. Pat and I visited until 1:45pm. The visit was very enjoyable, but my left hip was not happy that I was sitting in a hard-bottomed chair for nearly three hours. By the time I arrived home, I was quite tired from the sitting and all of the walking I did including getting my second Covid booster shot. But I had a very nice day.

Life is good. Onward and upward!

 

[Layla]

Nice update, thanks for sharing your progress! All sounds well, except for your knee. I hope you get your x-ray results soon and there is a solution other than surgery to help with the pain. A great weekend to you!
@wander03

 

[Layla]

Happy Two Month Anniversary!
I hope between your ailing knee and left hip you’re managing okay.
Wishing you comfort and a good week!
@wander03

 

[wander03]

Thank you, @Layla. I have decided to restrict my activities to only those absolutely necessary because my left hip is still very uncomfortable from my foray on Thursday. I thought my hip would have eased up by now. It is not uncomfortable when I first get up from my lift chair after sleeping, but after I walk a bit, I begin to have some pain. Since I need to be able to take care of my basic needs around the house until I have the hip replacement, outside activities are curtailed. So all is well.

 

[wander03]

I think this is so positive, so I‘m sharing it.

 

[wander03]

I had my last physical therapy pertaining to my right hip replacement with Chris on Wednesday. We will start back up after my left hip replacement on June 27. At my request, Chris gave me a printout of exercises I can do in the interim. Some exercises he told me not to do at this time. He included them because we’ll use them after the left THR. Time marches on.

 

[Mojo333]

Positive affirmations along with a grateful spirit for our resilience equals a recipe for happiness.
Hope your weekend is happy.