Guest viewing is limited

THR A Matching Pair of Hips! RTHR

@Deni444

Dennniiiiiii

Oh my gosh I am smiling !!!

I am SO happy for you. I just read through your posts and I nearly cried seeing how well you are doing because I remember the days before your surgery and how you were feeling.

What an inspiration you are.

Enjoy life my friend, you have lots to catch up on xxx
 
18 weeks update :wave:

Just putting my feet up after vacuuming the house and a couple of hours in the garden tidying up my potting shed and polytunnel. I can feel a little swelling around my new right hip. Lefty feels great and I suspect wouldn't grumble if I skipped the rest for a walk with my dog.

Righty still grumbles after activity and I find I need to listen and rest or I will suffer. I get swelling around the groin and pelvic area and it radiates into my stomach if I overdo it. Completely different to the swelling I got with lefty which was usually upper thigh. I was concerned initially but my surgeon reassured me that the soft tissue swelling radiating into the pelvic area was understandable especially considering how poor my condition was prior to surgery.

I was able to give up anti-inflammatory medication a couple of months ago. I take the odd paracetamol, maybe a couple a week if I overdo it but sometimes can go over a week without taking them. I'd been on ibuprofen for a number of years and then Naproxen max dose for a couple of years and so it felt wonderful to finally be off them.

My troublesome right knee is getting stronger and more stable. It still swells up quite a bit but not to the point that it prevents me being active. Prior to my hip replacement it would swell and refuse to bear weight. My physio is confident that the knee swelling will settle down as my hip continues to heal. So far it does seem they are in sync, if the hip swells, the knee swells.

I can walk very well unaided... I can't believe I'm able to say that. It still feels unbelievable to me! I still take a walking stick if I'm going outside but indoors I don't need it. I think it's a confidence thing outside. I was always so unstable and would stumble and I feel comfortable having a walking stick with me. I suspect I'll forget to take it one day and that will be it. I often use my walking poles on a walk if I haven't got the dog to help retrain my walking pattern. I go shopping again and can go on a long car journey to see family down country. Play and dance about with my little granddaughter. I got my life back and to be honest it's been so long, I can't remember being this good. It's like being reborn into a new active body. Unfortunately, one carrying a lot more weight... I put on a stone after surgery and I'm struggling to drop it back off. Hopefully a new year diet will help!

In summary, there are still things I can't do. I don't feel comfortable kneeling. I still can't put my socks on although I can just about cut my toenails with long handled scissors. Bending to pick something off the floor is still a big ask. I haven't driven the car yet although I have manoeuvred it around the drive. Partly it's confidence, I haven't been able to drive for over a year. I need to make an effort and go on little drives.

Well that's about it for this update. I'll repeat what I said after my last update. Never give up hope or underestimate how life transforming hip replacements can be!
:flwrysmile::happydance:
 
@Morgan Le Fay :wave::loveshwr:

Sorry, I missed your lovely message after my last update. Thank you!!!

You and me both! I often feel like crying with joy at the transformation that I didn't imagine was going to happen.

Hope you are living life to the full xxx
 
Deni444 said:
I can walk very well unaided... I can't believe I'm able to say that. It still feels unbelievable to me!
Click to expand...
How wonderful! You've had such a long, difficult journey and it's great to read this. I'm glad you are walking, gardening, playing with your granddaughter and enjoying life!

Your story will give hope to so many who are just beginning their journey.

:happy-new-year-smiley-emoticon-4:
 
Deni
So happy to read your post this morning. I was wondering how you were doing.
You have come so far. Your story is a testament to the success of hip replacement surgery. Yes, the recovery can be longer than we expect but each day (and year) gets better. I’m coming up on 4 years post surgery & I feel like I just keeps getting better!
Happy New Year to you!
 
This is a wonderful update. Celebrate the little victories and the big ones will come along. Recovery is such a roller coaster ride and you've come out doing great. Good job.
 
Hello Everyone :wave:

Coming up to my six month anniversary for hip #2 and in March #1 will be a year old!

Life for a considerable time before surgery was centred around my rocking chair in my kitchen, switching to the sofa for the evening. I'm thankful that I made the best of a bad situation and stayed as positive as possible. I'm grateful for all of the lovely support from BoneSmart :loveshwr:

I spent time on here or creating content for my Bible channel. My beloved greenhouse and poly tunnel became a walk too far and if on the odd occasion I managed it on two crutches, the pain of bending made doing anything a nightmare. Vacuuming took a day in short bursts, trying to hold a walking stick and tenderly push the vacuum one step at a time. Cooking the evening meal was like an endurance trial. A couple of minutes standing, struggling back to the rocker for a sit and up again for a couple more minutes. I used my wheeled walker to transfer the food from the kitchen counter to the table.

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon cleaning the outside cover of my high tunnel with a bucket and long handled broom! I pruned a few apple trees. Moved two garden arches. Pruned a grapevine and trained it across my overhead crop bars with the help of my grabber. Took the dog on a nice mile and a half walk in the rain. I still take my walking stick for dog walking and if I'm on my own I use the activator poles. I can walk without aid but I enjoy the extra stability for uneven ground. I cooked a lovely meal... All in one go without needing to sit down. I squeezed in a few jobs between lifting saucepan lids. Life is back and I love it!

My knee has been a huge problem for years. If you look back to my first posts here, you'll see that initially I thought I needed a knee replacement because my perception was that all the pain and instability was in the right knee. I really didn't trust the surgeon when he diagnosed that the pain and instability was referred from the hip. Guess what, he was right. The knee still swells up but the instability has gradually been replaced with a well functioning and strong knee. The surgeon thinks that when the hip stops swelling, the knee will stop swelling.

I'm still not fully healed and overdoing it can cause some horrible swelling on the right side. Completely different swelling to the left side. This is more internal and creeps along my pelvis. I even feel it near my bladder. It's horrible but the surgeon assured me it is soft tissue related and radiating into nearby tissue. I only get it if I do long walks on consecutive days or attempt to lift anything too heavy. It's getting much better and I can do more without triggering it. A lazy afternoon in the recliner with my feet right up tends to cure it. I'm currently OK at about 5000 steps per day and avoid lifting anything heavy or doing excessive bending. It's an unpleasant swelling but it is now a rare event if I'm mindful.

I'd been chair bound for a long time before surgery. I'd developed a pronounced alignment deformity on the right side and my foot pointed out to the side. Alongside normal surgical trauma, I'm building back muscle. I'm rehabilitating damaged soft tissue, strengthening and aligning it. Learning to walk again with a new posture. Things were pretty messed up before surgery and it's not surprising that it has taken some time to get back into shape. I'm happy with where I am for six months because I didn't think I'd ever be this good again. It is a real blessing and I'm thankful!

My flexibility is returning very slowly but it is returning. I can't put a sock on yet but I can cut my toenails with long handled scissors. I've been using a sock aid for about 3 years now and so it is understandable that it takes time to regain the flexibility that had been lost for that long. As I mentioned bending is a trigger for swelling and so I have to take things easy. Slow and steady is OK though!

I've been off all medication for months now. That is such a joy! No more anti-inflammatory medication, no over the counter pain killers and no awful stomach lining tablets. :happydance:
 
Deni,
Such a wonderful update and I’ve missed your daily inspirational posts!
I think once we learn to listen the cues our body gives us on what it likes and what it doesn’t and when to rest is a key component to a successful recovery.
I just returned from a two week vacation in the Caribbean and walking and swimming felt amazing. I’m coming up on 4 year anniversary on 16th.
I wish you all the best. Stories like yours are a true testament to the human spirit.
 
Hi Sandy :wave:
I'm pretty envious of your holiday but so pleased that you got to enjoy it! Wow, four year anniversary, now that is a fantastic milestone following a remarkable recovery story. Well done to you :loveshwr:

You are so right about listening to cues and it's following all the great tips on here from people like you that has helped the most on my journey. I've just gotten done cleaning the kitchen and prior to that doing a few exercises. I'm sitting with my feet up in the recliner for ten minutes and then I'll be fit to get up and do some more. My short bursts of activity have turned into longer sessions but I still follow this pattern of do a little and rest a little that you shared with me early on. It works!

I've been meaning to get back to regular posts but life keeps chucking things up. I've recently been away because my mother was seriously ill. She's better now but then catching up and subsequent family visits and all those extra activities I can now enjoy gets in the way. I haven't found my normal head yet :heehee:. I don't really know who this new me is at the moment. Life is so different but wonderfully so.
 
You are doing so well, especially considering where you started!

Your recovery story will be helpful and give hope to so many of our members who are worried about having the surgery or about the progress of their recovery. Thanks for sharing!
 
@benne68 :loveshwr: Thank you!

Honestly, it can be very daunting if not terrifying for some of us when we first find out we need a joint or two replacing. In hindsight however it becomes more terrifying not to have a joint replacement when a joint gets to the point of collapse. Things can and do deteriorate very quickly once joints degenerate beyond a certain point. I really didn't imagine I'd end up either housebound or wheelchair bound when I decided not to go ahead when my surgeon first said I needed both hips replaced. Those last few months before surgery were unbearably difficult. I couldn't walk more than a few steps using two sticks, I couldn't handle a car journey. I was in more pain than I realised because pain had become a constant companion. I'm surprised now because everything looks different. That may sound strange but I see things I didn't notice before. I think because I see them through a lense that isn't blurred by pain and discomfort. People keep telling me I look different, younger, slimmer. That makes me smile because I still haven't lost my post surgery weight gain... I'll take the flattery though :rofsign:

I always hope that my story may act as warning about the dangers of delaying a joint replacement. Joint replacement and recovery does throw up a variety of challenges, it's not easy, it can be pretty painful in the early days but it's a lot, lot easier than we imagine it's going to be for many of us. The greatest thing being that everything gets better with time and those post surgery challenges soon becomes a very distant memory. A bad hip just gets badder!
 
@Deni444 ….. how wonderful to see you back posting again. I’ve missed you!!

I think it’s fun to read that you’re finding a whole new life for yourself with your new hips. I have no doubt that Demi 2.0 will be a joyous experience. Go for it, girl!!!
 
Hi Jamie :loveshwr: I've missed you too! I needed a little break from hip thinking and talking hip for a bit after a pretty intense year. I'll call it the head balancing stage of recovery. :rotfl: I felt normal enough to switch off and pretend none of it had happened for a while and start to remember who I was before it all descended upon me. A bit of swelling, having to go slow and some stiff flexibility is nothing compared to collapsing hips. I'm better than I've been for years and loving it!
 
This is so wonderful to hear, @Deni444. You were wise to do a complete reset now that you’re starting a new, more active life. We’re glad to be part of all that and welcome you back with open arms. You had quite a positive impact on many of our BoneSmarties and we look forward to your fun and informative posts going forward.
 
This is such an inspirational story @Deni444. I didn't realise you had been so immobile before the surgeries because (as you say) you didn't let it get you down, & adapted to your situation. I'm so glad things are now moving forward for you & that you can do the things you enjoy more easily. I smiled when I read about your gardening activities as I too have been gardening today (first day of sunshine we've had in the UK for about a month!). I sprang out of bed today. So eager was I to get into the garden I forgot to do my physio exercises (oops). As yourself I do things in stages now so as not to make myself ache too much. But it's nice to be outside being normal!
 
Oh isn't it wonderful to be back in the garden @Annekin :happydance:

I must admit to walking around as stiff as a board yesterday evening. I decided to try a 40 minute exercise workout video in the morning and then spend the afternoon building new arches in my Polly tunnel. I think we can underestimate how much of a workout gardening can be. Personally, I think it's OK to mark it up as a physio session :)
 
Thanks @myglasshalffull :)

I did have a quieter day yesterday but managed a walk with my activator poles. That's recovery music to my ears! A walk with my activator poles is now considered part of a quieter day. I repeated my 40 minute exercise video this morning at lower intensity than Monday. I'm on a mission to rehabilitate the couch potato in me :alarm: :chuckmarch:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel
Corganics CBD

Staff online

  • djklaugh
    djklaugh
    Staff member since December 30, 2020
  • Layla
    Layla
    Staff member since November 20, 2017

Members online

Total: 682 (members: 2, guests: 680)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom