THR A new world..there better be coffee

[Ptarmigan]

A nap! Sounds positively glorious!

 

[CricketHip]

I like how your body thinks!!!!

 

[mainegirl1]

Did go in lounge chair to watch two teenage boys be occupied for an hour
Fishing!
Joey being the smart aleck teen says "Stupid fish took my worm"
Hmmm seems like a smart fish
I itch. I want to scratch the staples out. Must endure till Fri

 

[CricketHip]

haha,, it does sound like a smart fish! Itching.. is the bane of my existence, everything seems to make me itch.
So, I'm guessing the new medications are helping ease some of your pain?

 

[mainegirl1]

Nothing new.. Oxy instead of dilaudid but I have not taken oxy today yet.. The bruising is the source of the pain as well as the swelling.. The bruising was the worst.. all over the side of my thigh and over my knee. Now that the bruising is disseminating the crisis seems to be past.

Oxy for bed time. Took oxy for bed last night. I do not believe it is an overuse pain but more of a muscle bruising

 

[ahipgma]

Hi @mainegirl1
Reading your thread it seems like you're in a better state today! That's great. I havent been beyond my front door since last wednesday when I came home from the hospital. My big athletic activity today was going through my coupon caddy and throwing out all the expired ones.
We have beautiful dry sunny weather here in PA. My floor to ceiling picture window in my living room looks out over the woods and I sometimes just sit and reflect how blessed and lucky I am to have both hips all done, to have a wonderful caregiver in my husband, to have adequate insurance and funds that money is not a worry, just such a relief to just have to work on healing.
So continue to be good to yourself and another day passes toward our being back to full function.

 

[Barbaraj]

I feel lucky I didn't get significant bruising, @mainegirl1 but I'm sorry to hear it's the source of a lot of your discomfort. I did have swelling which brought on that aching pain, but also the irritating rub between my normal and my behemoth thigh, unpleasant and weird feeling. It is early days yet, so give yourself a break. I agree that you are an active (still are, just taking a temporary break from the action) woman and you will be active again. Hang in there. Enjoy those naps and if the oxy works to allow you to get some sleep at night, I think it's reasonable to continue for now. No gold stars in heaven for avoiding pain medication when it's needed and is doing its job. Hope today is a better day.

 

[mainegirl1]

I wish it were better. The pain on the knee is quite bad and now it is black.. And the femur feels like a deep bone bruise.. I wish I could say the discomfort is better than before the THR but it is way way worse.

Narcotics don't seem to help any more though they make me slur my words. Last night i got 90 minutes.. I did get 90 minutes this afternoon.

I see the doctor tomorrow and I want a straight answer about exactly what pressure was applied where and how much. Really feels like my patella is chipped if I touch it.

I have not been able to walk much at all. Most days are like today 100 steps.

My friend died yesterday
Cant go to the funeral in Missouri

 

[ahipgma]

So sorry to hear about both your leg and your friend. Hope you get some answers tomorrow at the doc's.
Will pray

 

[CricketHip]

I’m sorry about the loss of your friend. Especially when you can’t attend their services.
Good luck tomorrow at the OS office.
Will be anxious to hear your update.

 

[Layla]

Aww, @mainegirl1 I'm sorry for the loss of your friend and equally sorry that the geographical distance won't allow you to be there. Distance coupled with early recovery from a major surgery are certainly two legitimate reasons keeping you close to home.

If you haven't already, what about a beautiful sympathy card with a warm, heartfelt handwritten condolence message to one of your friends loved ones...letting them know how much your friend meant to you. Or share a special memory of a particular time spent together. I'm sure it would be cherished and greatly appreciated. I hope you find comfort from your loss reflecting on the special memories you hold in your heart.

With any luck you'll gain a better understanding from your OS today in regard to your discomfort, ineffective pain control and inability to bear weight for any length of time. Wishing you all the best with your visit and hope your surgeon's advice / suggestions bring you speedy relief. Please let us know how it goes.
Hugs to you...

 

[marieltha]

Sorry you hurt. Warm compresses for bruising were always recommended to me.

The loss of a friend is always sad. I have lived far away and often missed services, and ruminated over it. Over time, my memories of those people are vibrant, warm, positives ones, so I encourage you to focus on your friend’s memory living on happily in your heart.

 

[mainegirl1]

On my way
Hip. does not hurt Knee and thigh do
Pain better on Tylenol with Aleve and I dumped the Dilaudid and oxy
The Lounge Dr in residence. It does work
Dragged the Cryocuff out of the barn That helps too
I shall know soon if the med gods frown on that Aleve/Tylenol combo
And that darn Eliquis

 

[Ptarmigan]

@mainegirl1 I will be waiting to hear your doctor’s assessment - so puzzled and frustrated on your behalf about this cluster of symptoms. I understand why you’ve gone back to pain meds that did give you relief plus icing and elevation in the meantime - it would be what I would try too, if my doctor would let me. Does the cryocuff fit round your thigh, too?

I am so very sorry about your friend - a hard loss at an emotional time. I had to miss a funeral last week for a favorite aunt - it felt awful not to be there when under normal circumstances I’d never dream of missing it. One thought to consider: I just had a condolence call with a beloved friend nearly a year after she lost her dad. Her grief is still troubling her, but after this long, most people expect she’s moved on. It was even more helpful to have a conversation with her months later about her father. You can go visit in the spring, when you’re itching for a road trip, and still be a real comfort to your friend’s loved ones.

 

[Barbaraj]

I, too, am so sorry to hear about the death of your friend. That is never easy, and particularly hard when you are unable to attend the funeral. I agree that perhaps a heartfelt note now and maybe a call or visit later on when you are feeling able to travel might be possibilities. And so sorry that this knee and thigh pain are so unrelenting. I hope the doctor visit today will provide some answers to why this is happening, and perhaps even another plan of action to address this. It does sound like you're in a significant amount of pain and getting some more information about what's actually going on might point in a direction for relief. Ah, those first two miserable weeks--I think we can all relate on some level. All I can say is that I absolutely believe it WILL get better as time goes by. And I, too, found those first weeks far more painful than anything I'd experienced before surgery, which makes one grumpy and really questioning the decision to have surgery sometimes. But, at 6 weeks out I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, still a long way out but definitely an achievable goal. So hang in there, @mainegirl1 and here's hoping for an informative doctor visit today.

 

[mainegirl1]

The MD visit was educational though it is up to me to fit the puzzle pieces together. There was way more manipulation than is normally done and the black knee is actually normal when they have to do that.
The swelling is causing the pain and curiously:
Narcs for me are USELESS! They actually for me inhibit rest. Out with both the Dilaudid and Oxy. I was given an official careful OK to take OTC med with my Tylenol that seems to work for me. I won't pass on too much info that should be between you and your doc. Anyway I experimented last night and went to bed at 7 pm and got up unwillingly at 8 am. That good.
Now the good news. The swelling is going down due to being in bondage( Just kidding .. It might work to put your ankles in leg irons and raise them so you are upside down) Nope its the Leg Doctor twice a day for 45 minutes and most of the night.. ( I kick it out and roll on my side when I get sick and tired of back sleeping)
The annoying little niggle in the psoas may be from altered gait though it has always been tight and I later want to work on PT ing that to be more cooperative. Meanwhile the doc suggested a croquet ball massaging.. I thought my hubbys fist was more to my liking. My gait is fine.. they watched me walk. With a cane.. So far though at home I sometimes lose it and have to go find it then work on some house laps with it...heel toe heel toe.

The distance unfortunately to the funeral is 1800 miles.. Even if I could go that far it cannot be done in 24 hours and catching a flight is impossible to a small MO town from a small ME town that quick.

Right after surgery on one of my ODIC days I did cobble together a card with the help of a neighbor who has a card making program and we inserted a picture in that card.

Buying pre made cards at the store just annoys me.. Too generic or wrong or something...

The plan... time heals all.. My knee is structurally fine.. The X rays post op were quite interesting.
I was cleared to drive.. Somehow we got into the subject of driving in the UK.
I was NOT cleared to drive there.. Not stick shift anyway.. The doc has been to the UK too and understands that things could go terribly wrong..

 

[Ptarmigan]

The tincture of time is best medicine and I am so relieved to hear you got sleep sorted! It’s a big relief to know all is well with hip and knee, too.

My “Lounge Doctor” is already here, ready and waiting for anti-swelling duty Glad to hear it has your endorsement!

 

[Elf1]

@mainegirl1 glad the visit with the Doc brought you some answers and a bit of a way forward. Great that you got some pretty decent sleep there last night. I noticed that all the inadvertent sleep I did today due to muscle relaxers yesterday has actually been beneficial. I'll take it anyway I can get it!

So sorry for the loss of your friend, it's always tough but especially when you can't go and pay your respects. Lost quite a few family/friends when living in Germany and just couldn't go home for them. How thoughtful that you made a card while you were recovering in the event of this happening, I'm sure it will mean the world to the family. Sending thoughts, prayers and healing hugs to you!

 

[Layla]

. I won't pass on too much info that should be between you and your doc.

Thank you for that.

Its nice to read you finally had some restorative rest. Thankfully the Lounge Doctor is helping. I love mine and still use it on occasion if I'm laying down watching tv, but like you, I can't deal with being on my back or having it in bed while sleeping. I'll bet it was reassuring to hear your knee is structurally sound. Awesome news!

I love your idea of a handcrafted card. You gave of your time and that's precious in my opinion.

Cleared to drive....Uh oh, now I'm worried a teensy bit. I think you may be a tough one to hold down.
Hopefully you'll relax and chill for just a while longer
Enjoy the Labor Day weekend!

 

[marieltha]

FYI. You are not alone. My husband becomes hyper awake and energized by pain meds. Not good when you’re supposed to be resting. And he literally takes nothing else, so it’s not interactions.
So glad your OTC is working.