THR 1st Surgery has 2nd Surgery

[Mojo333]

A gaggle of ducks and geese and winged things waddling flagrantly right in front of me, and all the people were cooing about how cute they were.
(note to self: no one coos about how cute I am when I waddle, revise waddle technique)

Happy to see you get some nature therapy..certainly my saving grace as I recovered at my sister's beautiful peace of country heaven.
Soothing for the soul.
Sorry evil twin is torturing you, but not too much longer.
Glad to see you are keeping your sense of humor and wishing you a wonderful week!

 

[1stSurgery]

Good morning! I'm embarrassed to report something went awry last night in evil twin bad unoperated right hip --who kicked me in the groin ferociously while I was...standing in the hallway of the bedroom. Just. Standing. I had just finished the very cautious and gentle bed exercises, the usual quad isometrics, glutes, heel slides etc. I do them purely to keep muscle tone and some strength, but never to excess. But wow, this was like a knife! Then it came back again a few times later with basic moves, put me back in bed :(

Righty is on a Total Strike now and refuses to play. Weight bearing isn't happening. She jabs me with hard core pains so there's no arguing with her. Which sent me into a sobbing fit in my coffee today, wondering how I will do 38 more days like this.

I think this is a good lesson, caveat, to hippies about to have surgery. If both hips have OA, you should realize that the "left behind" one you don't replace is going to be under some extraordinary strains and pressures during recovery of the operated one while you naturally lean the weight over to that side. And my experience was that ---after about 3-4 weeks of having to carry that extra burden, while operated leg is still in major healing log leg mode... There was a rapid deterioration of the unoperated hip that had been left to carry the load. It's surprising how bad it got, and I've read others comment similarly.

So....I would mentally prepare yourself if both hips are severely arthritic to recognize you may well be having #2 surgery sooner than expected. And, had I known this happens, (or had I possessed more common sense!) I would have handled operated leg recovery differently by making less demands upon forgotten right leg. By not trying so hard to walk further each day and ignore the then milder protests of right hip. By accepting the load I assigned her during early recovery was too heavy, too burdensome. Alas! I've been utterly insensitive to evil twins needs!!

I hope I can save someone in same situation having to be taken by surprise by this. If I'd been warned, I would have been even MORE Overly Cautious those first weeks. Now, it's more rest and rest and counting down days. Hubby is back as key errand boy/man. Maybe it will improve with rest.

 

[1stSurgery]

And.. as to the question of the healing time...fwiw, my OS said that even though 3 months is often cited as the back to normal activities general time phase, that the actual bone growth and full integration of the implant continues out for a year or longer. This is why any extreme or regularly practiced high impact sports are not recommended during that year.

I really enjoyed hearing about the horse healing @Alitm! Thank you! Fascinating and I know nothing about it.

Somehow, I think we became too cavalier and maybe too confident about modern medical mastery. Because THR is so successful and so prevalent today... and because we all hear the Tall Tales from the THR Fairytale book so regularly (" -and he was climbing Everest just 3 weeks later...")... we start to think it's just chop-chop-new joint-back to the mines. It takes a little research into the whole process to really appreciate just what our amazing bodies are rebuilding here! This is not some minor renovation project, it's a full on remodel, ground up, pelvis up.

 

[1stSurgery]

Thank you sweet @Mojo333! I am totally entranced by nature and lucky to live surrounded by some good chunks of it. Plus always within a drive to ....the ocean, the mountains, the desert....take your pick! It's my tonic of choice for anything that ails you. Where is your sisters country home?

 

[Hippielife]

Nature is a good healing factor. Always peaceful and regenerates the soul. Many Healing bessings sent your way! Off to mobility & soon PT will have you back in shape ready to shop for the upcoming holidays. Take it slow & in a few more months you'll be back in business.

 

[1stSurgery]

Thanks so much @Hippielife!! I've set my goals as the end of year holidays to be back in action and enjoying it again. As an outside parameter I can count on 2019 being far better than (ow!!) 2018. Thanks again.

 

[An54]

....I think this is a good lesson, caveat, to hippies about to have surgery. If both hips have OA, you should realize that the "left behind" one you don't replace is going to be under some extraordinary strains and pressures during recovery of the operated one while you naturally lean the weight over to that side. And my experience was that ---after about 3-4 weeks of having to carry that extra burden, while operated leg is still in major healing log leg mode... There was a rapid deterioration of the unoperated hip that had been left to carry the load. It's surprising how bad it got, and I've read others comment similarly.

So....I would mentally prepare yourself if both hips are severely arthritic to recognize you may well be having #2 surgery sooner than expected. And, had I known this happens, (or had I possessed more common sense!) I would have handled operated leg recovery differently by making less demands upon forgotten right leg. By not trying so hard to walk further each day and ignore the then milder protests of right hip. By accepting the load I assigned her during early recovery was too heavy, too burdensome. Alas! I've been utterly insensitive to evil twins needs!!

I hope I can save someone in same situation having to be taken by surprise by this. If I'd been warned, I would have been even MORE Overly Cautious those first weeks. Now, it's more rest and rest and counting down days. Hubby is back as key errand boy/man. Maybe it will improve with rest.

Dear Chair FirstSurgery, I am alarmed at what you report, and saddened to hear about your situation. I hope there will be some way to manage the pain and discomfort that you will be facing between now and surgery. Is it possible to go on your surgeon's cancellation list for an earlier date?
I am walking down the road you are on, as I too will eventually need surgery on the left. My assessment two years ago of the left was "moderately severe", and I image the intervening 24 months haven't improved the situation. Now, as you point out, the operated hip will be taking the forgotten hip for a rough ride. I will be alert of even 'mild protest' from the forgotten hip.

 

[An54]

@1stSurgery , maybe you should tag Josephine about what has happened, meds and pain, etc.

 

[Mojo333]

We live about 100 miles inland from Coast of Georgia but she and her husband have about 150 acres divided into a large pond (as seen on my avatar) some farmland, and beautiful woods. We have ATV trails to ride in the woods, fishing...there are deer, turkey, coyotes, and bobcats (as per trail camera we have set up) and the pond is large enough to attract white ibis, Great Blue Herons, many large wading birds and songbirds...I love to go out there...also see beautiful red tail hawks, and owls.
We also go to the coast and ride the marshes which are also beautiful.
It is my "get well tonic" ALSO!

 

[1stSurgery]

I LOVE blue herons! So magical, especially when they fly. Sounds stunning there @Mojo333!!

We have red tail Hawks and owls and I've had a few small bobcats visited my backyard, used to be deer and raccoons aplenty but too much construction and dynamiting of the hills last few yrs, so they're almost gone from my street, but I back up to the parkland so it's all very close. On the not so romantic side we have rattle snakes, tarantulas and scorpions! And I'm not talking rock bands. I've had all come in the house to visit. However, no idea why, past few years we also never see the scorpions anymore. Where did they go? The kind we would see every summer were small blond colored ones, easy to miss on the floor! But I wouldn't ever want to live somewhere not close to or in the midst of nature!!

 

[Windsong]

Oh gosh, @1stSurgery – I’m sorry you’re in so much pain. You just reinforced a decision I made this weekend in talking with a friend about my “good” hip. I know it too is arthritic but not bad – yet. Once in a blue moon when the bad hip is giving me more pain and I’m relying on the other hip more than I should, it will give me just a twinge of pain and I say to myself uh oh.

I decided when I’ve healed enough after this surgery to ask for an x-ray of the other hip to see how far along it is. And depending on the outcome to have that hip done sooner rather than later.

I hope to retire in May, 2020. I’ll be moving to a different area in Florida (where most of my family is) so will lose the great coverage I have now (it’s an HMO and I’ll be able to move over to the Medicare part of that HMO when I’m eligible). Even though I’ll get supplemental coverage I can’t even begin to imagine what my $ portion of the 2nd surgery would be after I lose my HMO coverage.

I will not wait for the 2nd hip to get anywhere near as bad as the bad one is now. So thank you for your warning, at least I'm now prepared for those pain twinges on the "good" hip during recovery.

 

[1stSurgery]

Thank you @An54, Madame Secretary slash not so secret agent! My current date for THR.2 actually IS a cancellation. They told me the soonest I could get in was Oct 8! Then someone canceled. I have found a very nice homeopathic pain cream called Topricin that when used liberally (last night I put on half a jar!) it works pretty well and has no odor, no side effects, no chemicals. Ordered two more today. My surgeon is a little too well celebrated here so he's booked forever. Glad he's youngish! His reputation is sterling for precision and success and I'm very happy to have gotten in for sept. It's just so far off when in pain. I've found that (seriously!) REST really does help when all else fails. This is stabbing pain so I'm down for the count today and will see if it subsides. I bet it will!

As for your other hip, the forgotten one, I'd be ginger with it and not exceed the demands of pressure in these early days of recovery. If you need to walk a lot on Tuesday, give it a break in Wednesday. If it snaps at you, don't ignore it. Sit down. I wish I had. I'll be ok, I am known for excellent resiliency and speedy recovery. Thanks for your concern Mme Secretary!!

ETA: ps, I also found when neglected hip acts up and stabs the Walker really helps to distribute the weight better in that you can use more upper body and relieve the hip strains.

 

[1stSurgery]

Made my day @Windsong! Because I only wrote that account to hopefully save someone else from going through the same mistake.

My first mistake was thinking the initial X-rays were wrong, I couldn't have severe arthritis in both hips! Not possible!! And thinking that I'd just show them and revise my supplements and cure it in a few months.

Second error was waiting a full year after the severe bone on bone diagnosis to schedule surgery and admit I was wrong. Great deterioration occurred in that year and by the end of it I found myself in the middle of a busy intense work schedule, flying all over the place, and unable to walk. I wheel-chaired at airports and got the Walker and cane going strong before surgery. Was in terrible pain for so long, hubby said it sounded like I was being mugged when I walked upstairs. And I kind of was!! It got to where I couldn't unpack when I'd get home, it just hurt too much.

Last mistake wasn't really my fault as I should have been warned about that forgotten hip and the high probability it would take a brunt of pressure and ...cave, while recovering operated hip. But my bad for not responding to the early twinges and jabs. I need to be put in the OCC Correctional Institute... and do two weeks of enforced resting!!

 

[1stSurgery]

@1stSurgery , maybe you should tag Josephine about what has happened, meds and pain, etc.

I'm going to be ok @An54. I would bet this is an anomaly and that it improves after some serious off the feet time. If it persists for more days then I will tag her though! Thanks.

 

[Mojo333]

On the not so romantic side we have rattle snakes, tarantulas and scorpions! And I'm not talking rock bands.

hilarious!
Yes we have rattlesnakes, water moccasins, and the mosquito is the state bird!
Don't want to forget the lowly gnat...which can drive you crazy.
Fortunately, there is Avon skin so soft...the odor kind of repels me too.
But I'm like you...wouldn't want it any other way.

 

[1stSurgery]

Haha, the state bird!

Along with the deer and the raccoons and the scorpions.. the bugs -except ants & spiders- also seem to have disappeared here. Used to swat skeeters when eating dinner on the deck but rarely see any now. I also lost 8 trees in last couple years with the drought so maybe some of the critters got too thirsty and moved to Lake Tahoe or something!

 

[1stSurgery]

I'd better get back to hip talk or the BoneSmart topic police may issue a warning!!

 

[An54]

I'd better get back to hip talk or the BoneSmart topic police may issue a warning!!

On the other hand, distraction is part of healing ( so we can rest our bodies while engaging our imaginations... and I was about to chime in with my urban critters ...

(For the record : raccoons, squirrels, coyotes, skunks, bizillions of Canada Geese and gulls and crows and songbirds , plus herons, and always a pair of nesting eagles not far away in spring . ...

But I digress. What WAS my point? Oh. It was to suggest that rather than derail a bone-knitting thread with our effusions on critters of nature, we can take it to the rec room in the basement! Remember those— with the wood pannelling!?
The Social Room. @Windsong and I have been google-touring. I took a ride on a boat in Venice.

 

[1stSurgery]

@An54 - Aren't critters grand to live amongst?! I forgot to list some of ours but yours sound plentiful and wondrous too! I just love sharing this patch of earth with them. Maybe I watched too many Wild Animal Kingdom shows growing up.

If you have periscope I'd strongly recommend the "WILD EARTH" channel where you watch live streams of African Safari 2x / day as well as beautiful deep-sea diving in the Caymans which is super relaxing at bedtime. You can watch live and chat with other viewers from around the world, as well as pose questions to the uber knowledgable guides --or you can watch the replays whenever you want.

I'm laying in bed right now as part of the extra rest routine (ERR) ...to help recover new strains and pains, so I'm too lazy to go leaping off to another room! Maybe later!

 

[1stSurgery]

It is admirable @An54, how you are always working for the cause!! OCC, International, LLC. Rest is Good.