THR AJinNH’s recovery RTHR

[AJinNH]

I decided to try alternating between 1/2 of tylenol with codeine and (1) extra strength tylenol (before most of you weighed in). I’ve had no increase in pain, and actually I’ve been able to increase both my mobilitity and how I moved without increased pain. Last night I was able to easily get in and out of bed. The first time I used a yoga strap to help lift my leg, the next time I used my other foot and after that I just swung that leg up all by itself. I was also able to ‘scooch’ around much easier as well. I’ll go over it with the VNA today, but I see no reason at this time to take more of the TwC.

 

[Mojo333]

Yay AJ!
Don't forget to ice!
Great report...so happy you are managing well!

 

[Layla]

Happy Saturday....hope you have a great one! @AJinNH
Great post, you sound wonderful! Hoping the nausea is decreasing also.
As OA got worse, that was one of my chief complaints. "Scooching" as you described it
became next to impossible, lol! Did you do the thing where you'd sit close to the edge of the booth
because the scooching in was killer?! Goodbye to those days....Yahoo
Here's to being able to scooch again!

 

[AJinNH]

Hey @Mojo333 happy Saturday! I have been icing, using both gel ice packs and the Polar ice cube. The gel is colder and I move it around and can really tuck it in and around for intense ice therapy. The Polar cube isn’t as cold, so I can ice for much longer periods. I can move that around too.

My goal over the next several days is to get the swelling down, so will be doing lots of icing and elevating. The only issue I’m having is that no matter how much I bundle up I shiver like crazy. I think it may partly be due to being a bit anemic after surgery, but it has resulted in icing for shorter periods that I would otherwise. I used both gel and Polar cube prior to surgery without feeling that cold. In general I’m just much more cold sensitive that usual.

 

[AJinNH]

Happy Saturday @Layla to you too! It’s funny how happy a little scooching can make you. I didn’t really have a big problem with it prior to surgery, it was mostly in my groin and leg with sitting. When we got home Wednesday I couldn’t scooch at all, so I slept in the recliner. Last night was part of the night in bed, then moved to the recliner about 4 am. I even tried sleeping on my side for a bit, but although it didn’t hurt, I worried too much about the alignment of my hip and whether the pillow between my legs provided enough support, so for peace of mind, went back to back sleeping.

I hope your mom is doing better. Reducing the pain meds seems to have helped my stomach as well.

 

[Mojo333]

I had little warm warmy blankets tucked all over me and fuzzy socks, and it was way warmer weather when I had my surgery.
Cuddle up...hope your weekend is peaceful

 

[SaraK]

Glad you're doing so well. I get cold easily and usually need to be very warm to sleep. Somehow I dealt with the icing fairly well (although used 2 afghans doubled over when icing). I knew I must be doing better when the ice didn't seem as comfortable and comforting anymore!

 

[AJinNH]

@SaraK I definitely can’t sleep if I’m cold, especially my feet. Icing was better today. I have so many layers on it’s funny. I think I can notice some reduction in the swelling.

Although the reduction in pain meds are working for me, I need to remember to increase an hour before PT, I noticed a difference during the session, and didn’t do anything that was uncomfortable. The PT was impressed with my mobility. 5 days postop and I’m bending my knee pretty easily. I also let them know I don’t want to overdo it.

Also had the bandages removed today, and the surgical site is healing nicely. It’s larger than I thought it would be, but that’s okay.

Now to work on getting more sleep!

 

[MammaT]

Glad you are doing well @AJinNH. I too have to have my blanket, especially when icing. I also moved from bed to recliner for a bit, although I didn’t really try the bed for a couple of weeks. I still have some swelling, but thankfully not as much as it was.

Keep up with steady progress without overdoing.

 

[SaraK]

My incision looked larger than I expected in early days but seemed to shrink as it healed. Probably more swelling than I thought there was. My PT had never dealt with SuperPath patient before and was very surprised by early mobility. He'd researched differences in surgery and treatment protocol and commented about how so many things he did with me broke all the rules he'd ever been taught about dealing with hip replacement patients (not having to follow 90 degree rule, being able to cross the center line, etc.).

While taking the meds before PT can be helpful, note if anything is causing pain other than just general discomfort from moving around - you might want to push those back a bit.

Depending on how you sleep, I found putting a pillow on the bed for my upper leg to rest on better than trying to keep one between my legs. Since my OS allowed (encouraged) crossing the center plane, I was allowed to do it that way. I still didn't try the bed for 10 days because I needed to get rid of the compression cuffs with all the tunes and wires beforehand. It then took me a few days to transition - with longer times in the bed each night.

All in all, sounds like things are progressing well for you. Keep it up!

 

[AJinNH]

Hey @SaraK it’s funny that you mentioned about putting the pillow on the bed next to me instead of between my knees because that’s what I tried last night. I have two body pillows, one a soft down alternative, the other a firmer memory foam one. I put the memory foam one in front of me and used that to support my operated hip, the softer one was behind me to provide some support and prevent tugging on my surgical site. It worked for a little while, but because I missed my pain meds during the night, I think I’ll try it again when I’m better medicated. I really need to have more options for sleeping, my back, shoulders and neck are feeling the worst for it.

Thanks for the caution about PT, you’re so right. I don’t want a preventable setback.

 

[Layla]

It sounds like you're doing really well @AJinNH
I hope you slept comfortably last night.
If not there are always Happy Nappy's" Sneak in a couple They do a body good!
Hope your day is happy, peaceful, comfy, cozy!
Hugs to you

 

[Mojo333]

Oh, the elusive all night sleep.
Hopefully this will come sooner than later...my late night wanderings and relocating stuck around for months.
This too should pass.
Hope your day is a Good Day!

 

[AJinNH]

@Mojo333 months!? Ugh! Last night was not a good night. Although my recliner is comfortable it wasn’t meant to be occupied for quite so long. My upper back and shoulder are protesting. My sweet daughter heard me rattling around and got up and massaged my back and rubbed on some Biofreeze. My husband had to get up at 2:30am for an early business flight and I didn’t want to wake him so I stayed in the recliner and didn’t try my bed again until he was awake. Once he was up I got back into bed and was able to get a little sleep.
Fortunately like @Layla mentioned, I napped a bit during the day yesterday and expect I will today as well as soon as PT leaves. So far the lack of deep sleep has been the worse part of early recovery for me.

 

[Layla]

Aww, I'm sorry about the sleep.
It is frustrating I would imagine. Since you don't have to be anywhere
try just rolling with it. If you're not tired, turn on the tv or do something to occupy your mind.
Take advantage of some naps if you're able. Sleep will begin regulating in due time.

These are extraordinary circumstances, it's not every day someone cuts into our flesh and uses power tools on our bones. Not my intention to be crude but on ocassion I think we need to remind ourselves what our poor injured body has been through.

I think you're doing great! Truly you are. What a sweet and attentive caregiver you have in your daughter.
You're blessed. I'm happy for you she's able to spend time there.

I hope your day is great and you find time for some more naps Healing hugs sent your way
@AJinNH

 

[SaraK]

I found that the use of a lumbar support pillow helped make sleep in my recliner better (and it was my bed for most of the 2 years before my second THR). I waited a little longer than you to transition to the bed (in part because I slept well in my recliner - may it rest in pieces) but the transition only lasted a few days each time (although sleep wasn't as deep so I was up to use the bathroom and change out ice packs once or twice a night).

 

[hikejunkie]

Biofreeze is good stuff. I’ve used Deep Blue Rub from Doterra on the arthritis I have on top of my foot and it works really well.

 

[Mojo333]

Oops...sorry to tell the truth.Of course I had two fun legs so maybe we can cut that in half.
Things will ease, but napping was definitely the only way I got enough sleep.
I hope you have a Good Day today.

 

[AJinNH]

No worries @Mojo333 I prefer the truth, plus you’re off the hook because I finally slept last night. In my bed! All night! And that was after a long 2 hour nap yesterday afternoon. I’ve already prepared myself that I might not have a repeat performance tonight, but just the fact that it happened is a great relief. Progress!

@hikejunkie I’m making note of Deep Blue Rub, thanks. My back and neck are feeling better after having slept in my own bed. I changed position each time I got up for the bathroom. I even slept for about an hour on my side. But mostly I’m comfortable on my back with a pillow under my legs. Sometimes I recline a bit on a wedge, but I mostly slept lying flat.

 

[AJinNH]

Just some random thoughts 8 days after surgery:
I have enough pillows, wedges and body pillows to construct a two story building. While I’ve used most of them at one point or another, I have a few favorites that are used exclusively now.
I love my grabbers and would recommend to have at least 2 on hand.
None of my presurgical fears have materialized.
All that presurgical planning paid off.
Ditto on the presurgical exercises.
I’m glad I got an adjustable commode that can also be used over a toilet instead of a separate riser.
All that cooking and freezing I did in the weeks before surgery was a smart move.
I love my Polar Cube for icing. Also love the gel packs.
Concentrating on one thing for any length of time is a challenge.
I’m finding naps are as necessary as breathing.
I never expected to be moving as freely and with so little pain so early in recovery.
I like my walker better than my crutches but I’m thinking of giving the crutches a second chance.
I’ve had to bundle up in layers since surgery because I’ve been so cold. I can tell that I’m getting better because I’ve started to have hot flashes again.
I never thought scooching could make me so happy.
I thought it funny that we had baby monitors set up so that my husband could hear me when I slept in the recliner, but that I needed no enhancements to hear him snoring from the opposite end of the house.
Time can either speed up or stand still depending on how well my pain is managed.
I love that family and friends are sending plants that I can put in my garden once the weather is nice. My new hip will bloom every Spring.
Chicken soup is also good for the hip.