Guest viewing is limited

6 Weeks post op..how I'm doing !!

Status
Not open for further replies.

Andy-LTHR

junior member
Joined
May 25, 2009
Messages
61
Location
United Kingdom
Ok
Friday was my 6 week milestone so I thought I would post my feelings about how I am progressing.....

Well generally I must say I am absolutely amazed at how good I feel, not just my lovely new hip, but in general :D:D
I see progress every single day, sometimes massive leaps and sometimes the slightest thing, but progress it is :cool:

I am doing things already that I have been unable to do for many years, and that alone brings me great pleasure. I have all but abandoned my crutches around the house, and only really use them when out walking because my PT told me to:wahey: I agree with him in a way, as it makes me feel a little more safe when I'm out ! Not sure why but thats how it is lol..

My swelling is now confined to my calf and anke, with my foot joining in on occasion, however the swelling is much much less now, and drains away much quicker now when I elevate...also I had a lot of swelling in my calf pre op due to damage done to my calf's veinous system in (another :sigh: ) bike accident in the 1980's when I also trashed my knee - :doh:

I have not taken anything stronger than ibruprofen for over two weeks now, and I take these for the swelling (as recommended by my doctor ) not for pain, because I don't have any..AT ALL..I still cannot get my head round this..NO PAIN..wooo hoooo:wahey: And yes, I still laugh out loud when I grit my teeth ready for the pain as I stand up from sitting, for example, and of course it NEVER comes...I am sooooo sooo happy about that!!!! :D:D:D:D:rotfl:

I can quite easily walk 3 miles now with no repercussions from my leg at all, and I feel as though my lost muscles are slowly starting to build up. I could not even lift the weight of my own leg pre op without assisting with my hands, and now I can lift to at least 45 degrees unaided - fantastic.

I changed the water pump on my Range rover yesterday after it failed, another great milestone for me. I did have to pace myself though, but hey, it's another thing done which would have previously had me in agony (even with co codomol!) before I had my op. This also means that I am now mobile again - which is fantastic. I am the only driver in our house so I and my family have suffered with me being 'grounded'. Again - I'm soooo happy :D:D:D

I also had a little sit in my MG (tiny sports cabrio!!)yesterday to check my hip out, and it felt great. I was driving that when I only had 70 degrees of hip movement, but it was a real struggle, and soo painful. But now, even sticking to the 90 degree rule, it feels very comfortable woooo hoooo again ! :wahey::wahey:
I am going to put that back on the road this week and have a little test ride with the top down while we have this sunny weather!! Can't wait...:D:D

I bit the bullet yesterday and had my first sit in a comfy chair to watch the British Lions rugby game last night....heaven. Another progress marker....they just seem to keep coming and it makes me feel GREAT :wahey:
There are lots of other things that mark my progress too, but I won't 'go on' any more lol - I'm even boring myself here....heheheheh

But as you probably gather I AM ONE HAPPY HIPPY and did I mention NO PAIN.....:wahey::wahey::D:D :rotfl::rotfl:

Hope everyone else is getting along fine too BTW - and that the other UKers are making the most of this beautiful weather.
I hope to post some piccies of hip, xrays, and dog soon - just need to crop em up and get em on photobucket
Cheers all :thmb::thmb:
Regards
Andy
 
Andy, thats superb, wonderful, inspiring.....no pain is great.....but getting in the MG....that would be a joy!!!!!I'm looking forward to the same joy (I'll just have to buy one first....I don't think the 5 kids will fit....do they come with a baby seat???)...

Have you managed the blessed 90 degrees yet?

Life here is good...as I said before I'm almost straightish if I concentrate....if I don't the old lurch comes back, so I have to be constantly mindful!
I reckon I could go on longer walks too if I tried, but I'm being a little gentle with myself...3 miles is phenomenal....I always reckoned 1 km was a long way!

Anyway keep up the good work and before too long you'll forget about your hip and just get on with life!
Rachel
 
Hi Rachel
Thanks for your encouraging comments :D

The MG is only a two seater - so you would have to do what I do - take the kids for a spin one at a time! lol.
Or sometimes I take just the dog :hehe: Nice 'escape' vehicle lol :D:hehe:

Have not reached the blessed 90 degree point yet - not far off mind! Am still much better than before tho' - so I'm happy. :thmb::D

Great to hear all is well with you too, the good posture will soon become the norm, and the little 'slips' back to old habits will be a thing of the past.

I only do the 3 mile walk once or twice a week, it's down to our local street market which I love - so it's worth the extra effort. I generally walk about 1 mile, twice a day - which I am still very happy with!!!:D

It's great when we just keep getting better isn't it lol :thmb:

Regards
Andy
 
Wow, Andy!!! We can feel the excitement across the pond!!!! There really. Are no words to describe what it's like to get your life back! It doesn't get any better than this! Wonderful news!!! :)
 
Andy, your excitement just flies off the monitor! You are doing amazing. LOL I can not walk a mile yet but I can put my own socks and shoes on which is a major accomplishment. I am 9 weeks out. I never had the 90 degree restriction though. Keep up with the great recovery

Kathy
 
Andy, sounds like you're really enjoying life now. This great weather certainly helps doesn't it. I'm trying to walk a bit further each day but don't think I'll manage 3 miles for some time. As you say it feels like such an achievement to do something that you haven't been able to do for ages. Enjoy your car this week!
 
Hi again, I went to rehab today. I did half an hour on the treadmill and half an hour on the exercise bike....it was great....Ive never willingly done that before!!.....plus a tonne of other exercises...i've come home tired but feeling good!!!....i hope I don't pay too much for it tomorrow!!!! I feel like going to bed!
Today is the first day my husband has gone back to work....but i've been at physio so it hasn't really been by myself. Nicholas (aged 2 ) goes to child care tomorrow as well so I'll be all on my own then.....I can't wait!!!!! stay in bed, watch the tv, eat some chocolate and not feel guilty one scrap!....when Stephen's at home he's always trying to get me to do something and I have to do a song and dance act to just put my feet up and say thank God....I've done NO sewing since I got home and this in itself is annoying me no end! And of course, because I can't drive yet, I can't even deliver the kids to school etc.....what a shame !!!! OOhh .....yahoo!

So rock on Tuesday.....it will be interesting to see how I go on Wednesday when I have Nicholas at home with me....and then on Thursday its back to Rehab.....
Keep smiling Andy!
Rachel
 
Andy-LTHR said:
I could not even lift the weight of my own leg pre op without assisting with my hands, and now I can lift to at least 45 degrees unaided - fantastic.

Andy, I'm just curious about which way you are lifting your leg and from what position....??
I previously couldn't do a straight leg raise even if you paid me!....now I don't know if I could...I suspect I could but the PT has suggested that they would put undue stress on the joint prior to the OS clearance....the leg is a very long lever which puts a lot of pressure on the relatively small joint......

Keep progressing
Rachel
 
Oh my first sentence in the previous post was a quote from Andy....I thought I should acknowledge the source....
R
 
Fixed it for you, kanga!

Andy, I am amazed at your progress. I know I'm a knee and you're a hip, but even at 11 weeks I'm still in my "can't possibly cope with that" mode I've carried over from pre-op.

(Plus, suppose I have to reckon I'm just a few years older than you! :wink: )
 
Thanks Karen, I feel good and ready to get out there....

except I'm not keen on lifting Nic (about 20 kg) or wrestling him into the highchair etc. Unfortunately, with 3 weeks out of the home(and me not being there) my son has learnt to be rocked to sleep and has become a right pain to get to bed. After having 4 other children , all of whom have gone to bed as they should, I point blank refuse to rock him to sleep each night so there's a battle ensuing.....Nic is going to learn to go to bed and I suspect there will be some tears!!! Stephen doesn't see it as a problem....its easy to rock him....easy for him....he hasn't had a hip replacement.... personally why would you create a timeconsuming habit which means we can't go out unless he's asleep etc because he can't go to sleep on his own and when Stephen goes away for work I'll be left with 5 kids one of whom can't go to sleep, despite being almost 3!......GGGGGGRRRRRR

This is going to derail Andy's positive thread on his wonderful, awe inspiring, phenomenal progress ....don't you think he is really inspiring lots of us who are out of surgery and giving hope to those waiting in the queue for their turn at surgery and life???

Andy, I love reading your posts because you are so overtly thrilled to bits with your progress ...keep walking, and before too long you and I will no longer be BUTLESS...once again I got the "no muscle" comment from another physio at rehab who was their as a casual (for my regular who was on leave) ....My health fund wholey covers the rehab as its in a hospital.(which is run in 4 week blocks twice a week) ...when i spoke to the Pt yesterday as to whether I'd have to come back for another 4 weeks after this one, she apologetically suggested that I'd have to keep coming.....fabulous!!! another 4 weeks of free use of the gym, with qualified physios to instruct, hydrotherapy etc...I couldn't be happier....this is a really easy way to get on with it!....I'll keep coming as long as they'll keep me!!!! and given that I've paid my health fund for the last 20 years with barely any claims ....or at least few of substance....I'm happy to let them fork out some cash rather than me having to do so! I think if I had to pay the hospital out of my own pocket its about $300 per day ...ouch, but that is what health funds are for!!!
Keep up the good work folks
Rachel
 
BTW, Rach.........Now YOU are sounding as positive as Andy! You GO girl! And NO ONE better argue with a mom of 5......EVER!!!! LOL!!! Keep upthe great work!! :)
 
Rachel and Andy both:thmb::thmb:!! Rachel, when are we going to see pictures of that fabulous family of yours??:pzld: Oh, yeah, and scar pictures of both you and Andy!!:D
 
Thanks guys, I may be rocking from a pt point of view, but I've developed a head cold....minor but I'm a wimp in many ways!!!
As for photos....who knows....I'm not overly computer savvy and I don't have a scanner/printer....
Rachel
 
Andy, I'm just curious about which way you are lifting your leg and from what position....??
I previously couldn't do a straight leg raise even if you paid me!....now I don't know if I could...I suspect I could but the PT has suggested that they would put undue stress on the joint prior to the OS clearance....the leg is a very long lever which puts a lot of pressure on the relatively small joint......

Keep progressing
Rachel

Hi Rachel :D
Sorry it has taken me a while to get back to you on this one !:blush:
The weather has been sooo nice here the last few days I have not been able to drag myself in out of the sun (such a rare thing for us to see lol :p:wink: )to get on the PC!!

Yes - on the leg raise thing - I mean a straight leg raise from lying down position. I found out I could lift it after my PT asked me a few weeks ago if I could lift my leg off the bed from lying position. At that time I could not despite sending strong signals to my muscles - nothing would happen :hissy:.
I have not been routinely lifting it as an excersise, I was just having a little run through the movements my PT asks me to do - and when I tried the leg lift I got to about 45 degrees !! :wahey:
I was amazed !! As with you, I was unable to lift my leg like this at all before my op, so it has become another milestone to add to my ever growing list of positives ! Woooo hoooo....:D:D:D

Have I mentioned in any of my posts that I LOVE MY NEW HIP !!! ??? he he he he :hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe:

One thing though - aren't you mothers amazing ? :thmb::thmb::thmb:

To go through all that you (and other mothers on here too! ) are going through, and continuing to bring up a family (especially a young family) is absolutely AWESOME and I hold you in the highest esteem :wink::yrk:
You are all so inspirational - thank you:thmb:

Hope you continue to come on in leaps and bounds, Rachel
Regards
Andy
 
And NO ONE better argue with a mom of 5......EVER!!!! LOL!!! Keep upthe great work!! :)

Hmmmm, I think Nicholas is trying the arguement technique! :hissy::hissy:Took about an hour to get him to sleep, in his bed, without being rocked, last night! But he did eventually go to sleep .....there were tears, but they quickly stopped when i threatened him with going into the cot if he kept up the noise! You see Nic is just a fabulous performer, he can bung it on like a professional, however this mother is not interested in the show and so i will not put up with it!!!!:skp::skp:

Now we just have to shorten the battle time, so that he just goes to bed at bed time with a story and a kiss and a song....:zzz::zzz::zzz:and thats it....it will happen...stay posted!!!
Rachel::
 
This is going to derail Andy's positive thread on his wonderful, awe inspiring, phenomenal progress ....don't you think he is really inspiring lots of us who are out of surgery and giving hope to those waiting in the queue for their turn at surgery and life???

Andy, I love reading your posts because you are so overtly thrilled to bits with your progress ...keep walking, and before too long you and I will no longer be BUTLESS...once again I got the "no muscle" comment from another physio at rehab who was their as a casual (for my regular who was on leave) ....Rachel

Hi Rachel
No WAY do your comments derail my positive thread.....they just add real gravity to the comment I made at the bottom of my last post regarding mothers. You deal with all of these 'extra' distractions and selfless tasks, and still manage your recovery and all that that entails - Truely Amazing and Awesome:thmb:

Butless -- he he - yes I got that comment again today at PT..lol:D. He has made me slow all my exercises down and really concentrate on tensing up my 'glutes' to build up the strength in the muscles - maybe that with get rid of my 'butlessness' lol - :rotfl:
Brilliant that you have the option to get 'extra' PT also - they seem to really help and I have been very happy with the work they have done with me so far :thmb:

I am flattered that you enjoy my posts and am very happy to hear that you find them inspiring ! :blush::blush::blush::blush:

I just still cannot get to grips with how life changing this fantastic surgery has been (and , I hope will continue to be !) for me, and I am so greatful to my OS, who I feel has done a fantastic job for me.:thmb::thmb::thmb::thmb:
I hope that lots of others get the same freedom from pain and life changing mobility gains that I have been soooo lucky to get :thmb::thmb::wink:

Regards
Andy
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom