THR 2 knees done, 1 hip done - comparison

[ForumUser]

Softtail,

You're doing great ... don’t forget, it’s a marathon.

THR - THR/A Doing Well

Left THR/A on 14 May Posterior Approach Far different from first THR/A (2000) on right hip. (early life injuries from horses, motorcycles, falls in cold-weather inclement remote military sites and circumstances) Some pain establishing nerve block - finding right spot. 0720 start, and 0815...

bonesmart.org

 

[Layla]

Either way I love this forum, and thank everyone that shares their experiences here. It has been invaluable to me thru both knee replacements and now my hip recovery, and I have picked up so much information from this site over past few years.
There were nights during recovery that bonesmart was my go to place to get me thru the night.

Music to our ears! I don’t know what I would have done without the forum during my recovery, so I can relate. Possibly more calls to my surgeons office? Maybe more tears? I loved the company, the advice, the camaraderie, the warnings...all of it. Thanks for joining us through all of your surgeries. It says a lot and it is appreciated.
Please stick with us awhile and let us share in the joy of your progress.

 

[Softtail]

Returned from 2 week doctors visit, thank goodness minus those compression stockings. Got X-ray of hip and everything is in the right place. Got permission to chip and putt so will give that a try after weekend. Free of walker Now , relying on cane to keep me vertical.
Still residual pain which can run from my groin to knee that comes and go , but I am guessing this is perfectly normal, so expect this to go away as weeks continue. Officially scheduled for Sept 25 to finish off the four joints , 2 knees ,2 hips , so looking forward to the end of year to see if 12 years of joint pain can finally be in my past. Just got back from my granddaughters high school graduation party , so am in especially good mood. Hope all is well with my fellow bonesmarties , and have a great weekend

 

[Layla]

Bye-bye compression socks. It is so reassuring to hear all appears as it should on the x-ray.

Consider icing and elevating if you’re still dealing with pain, it may relieve the discomfort. We’ll add your Right THR date of September 25th to your signature. I’ll bet you’re looking forward to 2021 as a pain free Bionic, lol.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
@Softtail

 

[leejaa]

Good news all the way around. It is wonderful that you already have a date for the other hip. You are following the same path my joints did just inn a much tighter time line. Yes, once all those pesky painful joints are replaced, life is wonderful to be pain free. Each joint has given me more of my life and joy in life back. Even with Covid, it is easier without joint pain. You are on your way to a life free from joint pain.

 

[Softtail]

Layla yes it may be worth a try to ice and elevate a bit more. Since the pain and discomfort has been so much less with hip verses knee I have not been following this procedure as closely as with knees.

Leejaa yes I am truely looking forward to the time when my day is not planned around my pain and lack of mobility. Maybe more so my wife who has been unbelievably considerate and patient with me over the years.

In US the covid nightmare is running rampant in Florida where we winter, so hope it runs its course by the end of Dec. when we head South, since that’s my plan to enjoy walks on beach and some winter golf with solid joints to support me lol.

As for today a break from the 90 degree weather we have had lately, so a lunch outing , with Short walk in park with my lovely wife should make for a marvelous Monday here in upstate Ny.

 

[leejaa]

It is a good thing you are in upstate NY at this time with Florida running so high on Covid. Much safer here though we still need to remain vigilant and careful. Enjoy your outing today. The weather is quite wonderful in the 70s and not that humid. My ideal temperature.

 

[Mojo333]

You sound to be doing very well at less than one month out.

Still super early days so keep your roll slow and steady.

HOT is all we are seeing here in SE Georgia. Dripping hot.

Keep the ice going when you take your breaks and stay safe.

 

[Softtail]

Mojo love the south in winter ,but ,for Florida anyway, too hot and way too flat for being there in summer. If you are familiar with upstate NY at all , it’s filled with beautiful lakes and hills, all around farm country that makes for fabulous day excursions on my motorcycle. Unfortunately with my knees and hips in such disrepair, I became more and more concerned with my ability to control the bike. Not when it was under motion , but imagine a guy that has been riding a motorcycle for 56 years without an accident coming to a stoplight, putting out either of those two crippled legs and having one give way having the bike fall over . What would I think if I saw that. Why is that old man riding a bike he can’t even hold up at a stoplight.

Couldn’t shake that thought ,so sold my ride. Kinda a sad story , but not to fear replaced it with a 4 wheel convertable ,and come the end of the year those 2 collapsible legs will be history. No plan to replace the bike, but knowing I could is comforting. Just finished my morning exercises and I am not ready to climb Watkins Glen yet, (For anyone who is notfamiliar with the Glen in upstate NY, look it up and plan a trip . You won’t be disappointed ,and the beauty of the finger lakes will blow your mind. ), but it’s back on my bucket list for next summer lol.

Gotta check on my fellow bonesmarties to see how others are doing, so be safe, heal quick ,and have a great day.

 

[Layla]

As for today a break from the 90 degree weather we have had lately, so a lunch outing, with Short walk in park with my lovely wife should make for a marvelous Monday here in upstate Ny.

Aww, so sweet, what a guy! I hope you and your wife enjoyed the walk and lunch out.
Have a great Tuesday!

 

[leejaa]

Love Watkins Glen, I live about 35m away. Have not climbed it in a number of years due to knees/hips but it is on my list. I think I will wait for more of the tourists to go away so not so crowded before I go as I am going with the better safe than sorry mantra with Covid 19 around. It is wonderful to contemplate doing things we love and enjoy again without pain. Have a wonderful upstate NY day.

 

[zauberflöte]

If you are up for the 3.5 hr one-way drive one perfect day, go to Albany and check out the Helderberg Escarpment. The Indian Ladder trail is quite something, as is the whole of Thacher State Park. If it's 90 down in Albany, it's about 76 up on the mountain!

 

[Softtail]

Zauberflote. Thanks just added that to my list.. just about a 3.5 hour drive from home in Canandaigua so gonna make for a nice overnight getaway with wife next summer

 

[zauberflöte]

My father was from Buffalo and apparently played hockey on the flooded playground at recess! Did you do that? He had a THR in his mid 60's in mountain country WV. He walked his laps on the concrete slab of the house they were building, up and down a 12' hallway. He said he got up to a mile! The driveway was steeply uphill and "paved" with fist-sized gravel. So no driveway laps. That's dedication for you.
While you are in Albany.... you may as well continue to Old Bennington, VT, to go up the Bennington Monument. Sorry you can't climb the steps, but I used to when I was a kid, and the elevator guy says he does it every morning! If you are a Robert Frost fan, he is buried nearby. And while you're there, you may as well climb Mt Anthony! Your hips/knees can wear all kinds of bumper stickers!

 

[Mojo333]

I can't imagine the struggle with holding up that big bike with bad hips/knees.
Not too long ago, had my maiden voyage on my BIL"s Harley.
Got the balance down, starting ..changing gears...but forgot to ask how to stop.
As documented on my thread, I laid it down so as not to damage his beloved Scarlet and mashed my leg up pretty good. Afterwards, I thought how, at 3 months out from bilateral hip replacement with a pain free life...probably not the smartest thing.
Especially barefoot.
Upper New York state is gorgeous...I visited for a few weeks with an exboyfriend in December however in my Southern girl's idea for winter clothing...froze my behind off.

Stay patient and I bet you'll get back to all your passions at some point...

 

[zauberflöte]

@Mojo333 your last words really are going to be "hey y'all watch this!!!" aren't they.

 

[Mojo333]

Yup!!!!

 

[Softtail]

Ok , will be 4 weeks this Friday and really getting antsy now. The cane is still my companion ,but only as a safety crutch now. Replaced hip is coming along, but am expieriencing more pain in right hip and in lower back ,which is more pronounced on the right side over back of my hip. Shows up more if I sit for any length of time. If you recall ,(at least I think I mentioned it) I had a laminectomy on my lower back in Jan. of this year for correction of severe stenosis , and early on it appeared to be a success. As I was able to walk farther over early part of winter, I believe I increased the rate of deterioration of my hips , so decided it was time to get them replaced. That brings me to this point where it could be any of the following that is happening. One,the repair of left hip has put more strain on right hip that has caused it to become more inflamed leading to the increase in pain to right hip and back area. Or, back operation was not as successful as previously hoped and is causing the increased discomfort in back, along with the hip being bad. Hopefully come September 25th once right hip is replaced, all the drama/pain will at least isolate itself ,or with luck will finally disappear as hip heals.

Ok on a more optimistic note some milestones reached this week. Rode bike for 15 minutes 2 days ago and it felt great. Pain I experienced prior to surgery was gone so that was encouraging. Yesterday I met my son at golf course and while he played ,I rode around in cart, jumping out about 50 yards from hole and hitting sand wedge With half swings into green. What was really great was after playing for last 12 years or so with bad knees and hips, I was constantly afraid my knee or hip on left side would collapse once weight was transferred to it, but this has now been fixed . Am able to transfer weight now without pain, and although still weak, I do not have the feeling it will collapse anymore.

I know it’s still early and am still healing, but just standing on it , turned like is normal at end of golf swing , is a phenomenal sensation to get back.
Maybe it is possible to turn back time a bit.

 

[Jaycey]

@Softtail In my experience lower back issues can be aggravated by THR. You are changing the way you carry yourself as that good hip strengthens. At the same time you are trying to stay off the sore hip.

Did you do any core stability work after your spinal surgery? Once you have your second THR you might want to find a PT that specialises in spinal work. I found it very helpful.

 

[leejaa]

@Softtail. It was great reading your update. Your happiness at the progress of your hip could be felt through the words. It is a wonderful feeling to regain motion and activities we enjoy without pain. It is a good thing you are already scheduled for your other hip to be replaced as it is making itself known in an unpleasant way. At least you know that once that hip is replaced that pain will go away. Hopefully, once you are walking more evenly some of the back pain will decrease also.