Greetings from cccold LA, thanks for checking in
@Layla &
@Mojo333 &
@Hippielife a&
@EL11 (and
@Albert!) I'm thankful
@Mojo333 that you and I live in different towns across the continent ...because I too have the biggest mouth on the western front! If I like a product or service I'll be talking about it to everyone who has the misfortune to pass me by! And yep...these new hips fall into the category of "success" without a doubt. I've been having so much fun with them! It's very much like getting a new car when your old car has just passed over into clunker stage and you've put off buying a new one for so long.... All you want to do is drive... Up mountains, down country roads, zooming along the freeway. That's me with my new hips! I've been road testing all sorts of circumstances, most have worked well. But I did experience my first fall last week since getting the new "wheels".
Ironically it was at the Nike store!! Where I was shopping for new track and hiking shoes since I learned the hard way that what you all say about wearing pre op athletic shoes post op is....sadly true. I did about 3 miles on the track in an older pre-op pair of tennis shoes and the hips took a hit and ached badly the next day. The entire lean and walk pattern that was locked in pre op (and painful) was just the wrong place to implant these new feet hips and legs into for any extended exercise... and it was markedly noticeable.
So I'm at Nike and ask for some socks to try on shoes -- who knew she'd give me the World's Slipperiest Socks known to humankind. I then stand up to look at the shoes on the display wall while she's off getting pairs to try on...and WHOOSH! Feet went right out from beneath me and on to the very slick bamboo wooden floor ....I slammed! Fortunately it's soft wood, and I landed right on my butt so the new hips only got jostled a bit but....the store was pretty full and everyone saw and heard my spectacular tumble and crash!
After years of dance, tennis, and hiking etc, I've learned how to fall pretty well. That part was ok. What I didn't anticipate was....getting back up. I was in the middle of the floor on my back, nothing to grab on to. This was a new position for me post surgery and I was unclear about how to spring back up and make all those concerned faces staring at me go back to lacing up their sneakers. I tried the lifelong usual move, like a hinge in dance. Oops. Somehow there's no thrust in that hinge ...and I can't seem to lift the whole 130 lbs up there. I get up about six inches and thump back on to the floor. The bench looks oh sooo far away, I try to casually scoot towards it on my side without looking too ridiculous, far too late for that. Then I remember -- the downward dog and that is how I get up from the floor now! So I went into an all fours knee crawl heading towards the bench, now like an actual a dog advancing on the Nike floor.... and then slid into the yoga pose -butt up in the air, from there - the customers are still staring at me and asking "....Are you OK?!" Yes! No problem!
And presto, up from the dog I emerged just as the sales lady came back with shoes.
That is the first fall story.
No after effects all is well and I now have 2 new pairs of great shoes! Tried them out on the old hike in the hills this week through giant old sycamores and running over a babbling brook (yes brooks do babble) then around the duck pond where turtles were sunning, and around the lake - all in my nearby park where I hike. Could not have gone better!! I even can do double pirouettes again in the kitchen while preparing food. I was worried that might be unattainable after surgery. No one wants to lose their pirouettes!
So for the 5 and 8 month updates (righty & lefty).. I'm giving these titanium add-ons an A+ grade!! I must eventually master the art of getting back up more gracefully after falling on your butt - as I'm sure to slip again somewhere, hopefully on a less public place next time!
Hoping all my fellow hippies of the similar THR era are feeling as pleased as I've been with the results. I still never forget the pain and the debilitation that is right there in the rear view mirror and how it felt in every sense. There is still some numbness and tenderness and the occasional stabbing Who Stuck A Needle in my Thigh sensation... But I don't mind. It reminds me of the journey and how far I've come. Anyone who's in the throes of the long recovery stage-- just hang in there and keep repeating "temporary, long but temporary". It is Soooo worth it!
Sorry for verbosity. Like I said, big mouth will travel. But
@Mojo333 doesnt seem to have the same affliction as I when it comes to posting!
Take good care Bonesmarteurs!! Much love, healing and hopefulness being sent to you from the other side of recovery.