Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!
Thank you all so much for the understanding. I'm so sorry if it came across too bluntly.
I truly know that no-one meant any harm or upset and I was just "typing" out loud from within the depths of my "wallowing in self pity" at the time!
And just was another of those bad days that come along.
Week 6 (-1 day)
I have turned another corner this week.
( Literally,... see below!)
Feeling really, really great.
Loving the fact that the swelling in my thigh and around my incision is gone.
So I am much more aware of what my muscles are like.
My left thigh is about 4cm thinner than my right. And so I had a debate with my sister about whether that meant that it was weak muscles or whether in fact it's that my right thigh and right bottom are just fat! :th_heehee:
I'm not getting "surgical pain" any more. I only get the very odd and occasional twinge or tweak or a sort of "ping" sometimes when I'm doing my exercises. and it's not pain just a feeling really.
All in all, it "feels" more like "nothing"... just feels like the right one!
My scar is amazing.. just like a thin line has been drawn on my skin. The best bit about the scar is that, from one of my previous hip ops when I was 11, the old scar had quite an ugly bit (not that the rest of it is particularly pretty! ) and they were able to re-fashion it and get rid of that bit. ( I hated that bit of the scar for over 35 years :yes 4
Every day I'm just more and more confident and more aware of how far I've come. This journey started for me back when I was 7 years old and diagnosed with the Perthese Disease and my hip has been a feature of my life ever since in one way or another!
Which serves to remind me just how major and significant the surgery was for me.
I think that perhaps, as it's only a 2 hour operation, my mind couldn't quite let me believe that so much trauma had occured to my body for such a short op. If that makes sense?
Sort of like,... say "see you soon" to Husband and son at 8.30 am, go to sleep, wake up, having tea and toast and chatting to them 3 hours later as if I'd just had a cat nap!
Pre-op I had convinced myself that within a week or so I was going to be running around as if nothing had happened. I now know that was naively and overly optimistic!
So, what's brilliant is that I know that in only a few short weeks time I will be back to walking around with both feet fully on the ground!
As for turning a corner ...this week I got told off by Husband.. I was so fed up of being indoors or only in the garden. So I thought I'll have a little "crutch" outside to the end of our road, about 100 meters.
It felt great, sun was shining and when I got there I felt perfectly fine, so I turned into the next road, still good, and I just kept turning corners until I found myself at the local shop
. Pretty useless once I got there as I had no money with me :DOH:
But it was nice to see the shop keeper after all these weeks. The only difficulty was my hands, it's very hard work on the hands and the wrists. So wont be doing it regularly. But the sense of freedom was fantastic.
Husband was none too impressed that I did it on my own without him knowing. But I was very careful and really wouldnt have done it if I hadn't felt strong or safe enough.
My post op appointment is on 4th May. I'm trying not to second guess what he will say regarding weight bearing. I remember the Physio mentioning "
6 weeks but it could be 8-10 weeks", so I try not to think about it. What will be will be.
Posture....I am so delighted with the way that he has realigned my posture and lengthened my leg. For as long as I can remember I had what they call Lordosis. The lower part of my spine was always curved markedly inward, so my bottom always stuck out. All due to the way that my muscles were compensating for my deformed hip. That also caused alot of back ache after walking.
I used to get quite sad if I saw myself walking on a video for example. My limp was so noticeable and I just looked so awkward walking.
But I can see such a difference now. My pelvis is balanced, my bum doesn't stick out, my foot stays pointing forward. And although what they did caused a lot of post op pain with the stretching and the correct realignment of muscles etc, it was all well worth it!
I will be able to stand tall (at 5" 1' ?
...ok not exactly, tall then!) but straight very comfortably and it will have a huge impact on my self esteem.
When I get to see my surgeon on the 4th I hope to make him blush with my gratitude.
He has changed my life in a fundamental way, over and above getting rid of the pain!
These surgeons really are genuis! The fact that it's such a common place operation and is talked of as such, I think sometimes belies the incredible knowledge, skill and expertise that they all have and call upon each and every time they open up a hip and get to work!
Dealing with the NWB....well it's getting less and less irritating because I am now aware that all too soon, I'll have no excuse for having to sit around, no excuse for not being able to do everything for myself..
All too soon I will be back at work, looking out the window at the glorious sunshine and wishing I was stuck back in the garden!
I realise that I have been very self indulgent in my posts, just writing my story. I hope to be a much more participative member from now on and give support and encouragement to those who will come after.
Thanks again to everyone, to Jo and Jamie for such a fantastic resource. Long may you continue!:ccheers:
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