Guest viewing is limited

Bilateral THR Aug.18 - a success!

@Hip Hip Hooray!, oh wow...your description of the encounter with the buck was amazing. I absolutely love things like that. Our world is often filled with noise and confusion and unnatural things. To have moments of peace in the presence of the purity of nature is fantastic. I'm so glad you had that experience and you enjoyed your hike. :)

Great to hear about you doing child's pose! May I ask if you had developmental dysplasia? I apologize, I haven't read completely through your thread, so I don't know if you addressed that. You said that your pelvis is realigned and it made me wonder since I have it and my surgeon is realigning things as well.

I hope you enjoy your time at the gym and have a great rest of the day. Today is lovely here. Sun shining, perfect temperature, slight breeze. My home health nurse came for her weekly visit and she is a pip to just sit and talk with. I really enjoy her visits. :)

Take care and be well, hippie friend! :flwrysmile:
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! Just catching up with your thread. You are doing great! Well done on all the progress. Long may it continue!
 
Hello @Hip Hip Hooray! I just wanted to thank you for your posts. They have become my 'go to' as I look at my surgery coming up in 2.5 weeks. I find your posts very inspiring and calming. I'm sorry you are still processing your mother's passing; I can't imagine how that might feel, with shared birthdays. But you move through it, as you say.

Question: I do find a lot of physical and stress relief in stretching, which I do each night, and sometimes during the day. Are you not able to stretch in the near to mid term following your THR? I know Dr. Yun's folder says you can start after 3 weeks, if it feels good. What has your experience been as it relates to stretching? I worry that post-op my body will be screaming to stretch -- after being in a hospital bed alone! -- and I won't be able to. I remember you said strength building felt right, not stretching. Do you still feel that way? Would love to hear from you on that. Thank you.
 
@DeepBreath, No, I didn't have developmental dysplasia. Well, not that I know of, anyway. Dr. Matta just said that my hips were both really bad and were bone on bone. I wore away all of the cartilage dancing professionally and teaching ballet. I always had tight hips, though. I was never able to get my knees into my chest. The last year before my surgery, if I laid on my stomach in yoga, my left hip bone would be in the air. I couldn't press it down to the floor. That leg felt very locked, like a doll with her leg stuck on wrong. It was also slightly turned out all the time. (externally rotated.) That's all corrected now. I also have a glide in the joints again.

@Jaycey, Thanks for the encouragement. I learned so much on this forum. I am really taking my time. I definitely would have done too much too soon if I hadn't studied the information here. I'm really amazed at how much more energy I have now. I forget to ice, because I'm not hurting. It's wonderful.

@sandiegomom, Thank you for your kind words. So glad you are going to Dr. Yun. I waited to stretch a little longer. Some things were fine, like pushing the heel to the floor like runners do to stretch the hamstrings. I worked around the hips. I didn't feel the need to stretch like you are describing. I just found slowly getting back to running my household was plenty. I am doing yoga at home now, though. I just added Standing Bow, Forward Fold with a wide stance, backbends standing, and side stretches standing. I'm not recommending any of this though. This has just been what feels safe on my body. I am a person who has struggled with stiffness my whole life, but I have always been very strong.

On the floor last night I added Cobra, Half Locust, Full Locust, and Bow. I barely lifted my legs off of the floor. I am taking it really slowly and carefully. Yoga deeply relaxes me, and I can feel how it balances the hormones. I do the meditation sitting in a chair, not sitting cross legged. I don't do any hip openers or poses that pull on the hip area. (yet.) I read on this forum that someone dislocated their hip after their THR doing yoga in a forward fold. That frightened me. I am doing a seated forward fold, but not in a straddle. Once again, I think it's best to just do half as much as you think you can. The tissues are still healing, and I still have more bone growth happening. I do feel like my body is very happy and calm with this routine, though. It's just enough. I keep telling myself, "There's plenty of time."

@Plum Perfect, I can't remember exactly when I started. It should be in this thread somewhere. I know I waited four weeks to go back to the gym. The PT exercises I did that felt safe and effective were: Ankle Pumps, Quad Sets, Glut Sets, Heel Slides, Hamstring Sets, Short Arc Quads, Bridging, and Hip Abduction. I started with 10 reps, and worked up slowly to 30. I only do them once a day, about 5 times a week. I will continue these, they feel like an excellent routine to me.

I've got to go bake my sourdough bread...more later!
 
Your very careful approach to adding activity and yoga positions is just great! Allowing yourself time to listen to that new hip will be the key to your continued success. Well done!

PS - what I wouldn't give for home baked sour dough!
 
@Hip Hip Hooray!, it sounds like you are doing so well. I'm glad that your surgeon was able to work out the 'kinks' and that you now have that glide in your joints again. That must be amazing.
Your talk of yoga has me looking forward to getting back to Pilates again. I love how it made me feel and the effects it had on my body and spirit. SO happy that you're easing back into your yoga at your own pace and it sounds like you're really moving along.

Mmmm...sour dough bread. My mouth is watering. Have a great weekend. :)
 
@Jaycey and @DeepBreath, Wish you lived closer so I could share the sourdough bread with you. It came out really well. I love the recipe. It's the NY Times No Knead Bread. I bought some Artesian bread flour at Sprouts today for the next batch. I plan to make a meatloaf this afternoon. I love meatloaf sandwiches.

Things are still moving along really well. I've still been moderate but steady with my exercise. Yesterday morning I went to the gym. I've worked up to 8 mins. on the bike now, with no resistance. I swam again for 20 mins. The dogs and I took our evening walk, and my legs and hips feel great. The soreness in my bum and thighs is gone. I feel like I'm about 30 years old! Last night I tried doing some Kundalini Yoga. It felt really good. I only did sets that I could adapt to sitting in a chair, instead of sitting cross legged on the floor. If feels helpful to work all of the other areas of the body: the neck and shoulders, arms, spine, and hamstrings. I think the breathing exercises are very helpful, too. I googled "Yoga after hip replacement" and found this wild woman on line. She is doing all kinds of advanced yoga after having both hips done. That night I kept waking up, feeling disturbed, re-imagining all of the photos of what she is doing. I know my body doesn't want that. She's extremely flexible. She hangs upside down on this yoga trapeze like a bat. It is unbelievable the positions she puts herself in...it almost makes me sick to my stomach. Way too risky for my tastes...but she seems to know her body.

I'm now sleeping on my stomach, too. I'm very comfortable at night, and really appreciate how easy it is to sleep and relax. Today I drove to the nursery and bought a few flats of lettuce to plant. I'm pleased that I can kneel down to plant them. Lettuce is very easy to grow. I got a couple of varieties, and some mesclun greens. I'm going to get those in the ground today. It's such a relief to be able to do some light gardening again. The pink begonias that I have in the window boxes look bright and cheerful. I've been feeding the fairy plants in my hanging baskets homemade compost. I also give them the water that I use to cook my squash. They're flowering nicely.

Just read another thread by someone who had problems with their hips a couple of years after surgery. It makes me very cautious with things like hiking. I feel like I could easily do ten miles, but I stick to three or less. I'm still icing a few times a day. The routine I'm doing seems to be working well. It doesn't aggravate anything. Little by little...bit by bit. How's everybody else doing?
 
Reading your updates is always such a lift, @Hip Hip Hooray!. I so enjoy your accounts of shopping and gardening, and YUM about the meatloaf. I love it hot out of the oven and also in sandwiches! You've given me inspiration for an upcoming meal. :)

Yikes about the wild yoga woman! I can imagine it must make you cringe since you know both what it's like to go through THR and what goes into practicing yoga. It's very interesting to hear about how others approach their life post surgery. I'm with you...slow and steady and definitely keeping the big picture in mind.

I hope you have a wonderful upcoming week and continue to enjoy your wonderful progress. :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks @DeepBreath. I really enjoy reading your posts, too. Today was a great day. I got up early and enjoyed my homemade cafe au lait and breakfast. I think eating well really helps with recovery. (especially psychologically.) I ended up not making meatloaf yesterday. Instead I made one of my mom's old recipes. It's called Spicy Hamburger Pie. You make sort of a meatloaf crust and top it with diced canned tomatoes, oregano, parsley, and mozzarella. It's a beautiful and delicious dish. I baked it in this pretty red, hand painted ceramic pie pan. You flavor the meat with some of the tomato juice, fresh onions, garlic, salt and pepper. I used herbs from my garden. It's so great to be able to walk outside and to pick whatever I need from my kitchen garden.

This morning I baked another loaf of that sourdough bread. It's really rewarding to be making bread again. It saves me money, too. I bought some of Bob's Artisan Bread Flour at Sprouts. It makes a really good round loaf.

Today I enjoyed spending time in the garden. I fed my flowers some more homemade compost. I love how those bugs in the compost pile turn my food scraps into fertilizer. I planted two flats of lettuce and one flat of mesclun greens. I eat a lot of salads, and homegrown baby lettuce makes such a difference! The leaves are really tender. I'm so happy that I'm able to kneel down and plant things again. I thought I wasn't going to be able to garden anymore. It had been out of the question for a while. I weeded the front flowerbed, and trimmed my pomegranate tree. I filled two big trash cans with dead wood! It felt good to clear out all of those branches. There's still more work to do, but I'm going to wait. I don't want to overdo. I picked some Valencia oranges off of my tree. They're nice and sweet. I'm going to catch up on my gardening this month.

The mail lady just came by and asked me how I'm feeling. I told her that I feel great. Before the surgery, I felt so old...like I was 100. "I can see!" she answered. "Your attitude, everything, is different." It's such a load off of my mind to have the surgery done. I have my old enthusiasm back. My face looks younger and happier in the mirror.

I didn't get to the gym today. but I do plan to do my basic PT exercises and some yoga. Hope everyone else is doing well, and the people that had their surgery today are recovering peacefully and pain free...
 
Wow, that just sounds amazing, @Hip Hip Hooray!. Your garden sounds wonderful. I love mesclun greens. How great to be able to walk right out your back door and gather herbs for dinner. The Spicy Hamburger Pie sounds so yummy. Oh my goodness, pomegranates and Valencia oranges! *Bliss* :)
I had a neighbor in Germany who composted and she swore by the fantastic fertilizer it produced.
I hear you about feeling 100 prior to surgery. It's great that you can get out and garden and clear things away like you do. That's quite a work out!
The mail lady's comment must have made you feel good. It's a testament to how much pre op pain people go through. Hooray for being on the other side!

I hope you have a lovely day. :)
 
@DeepBreath, Yes, I am amazed at how the plants respond to the homemade compost. The flowers just pop with bright shades of color! The leaves on my trailing petunias went from a yellowish green to a dark, healthy green. (in one day!) I'm going to give some to my citrus trees later on this afternoon. I feel comfortable using a wheelbarrow now.

Yesterday for some reason I felt depressed. Very unlike me. I couldn't understand it, because physically, I am doing so well. I couldn't be happier with my body's progress. I let myself do some more grieving, and then my closest friend from NY called. Had a great chat with him. It was fun to catch up on his news. What seemed to really clear it was washing my hair. Makes me think of that song, "I'm gonna wash that man right outa my hair!"

Last night I made a batch of scalloped potatoes. I love those. Something about the white sauce, think layers of potatoes, and the long period of baking in the oven makes them so delicious.

Today I took a leap and got my bicycle fixed. I walked it to the bus stop, which is only a couple of blocks from my cottage. We have bike racks on our local buses, so I took it on the bus to the bike shop. The owner fixed my tire and replaced the other tire and tube. I cleaned up the bike. It had been sitting under my chicken coop for months. It was very dusty, and covered with cobwebs.

I decided to take a short ride down one of the local bike paths. They are free from cars, and very scenic. I felt so ecstatic to be back on that bike! It was such a feeling of freedom and excitement. I had stopped riding before my surgery. It had just gotten to painful to mount and dismount. Pedaling felt disjointed, because my pelvis was out of kilter, and my hips were bone on bone. Now, I feel like I did riding bikes as a child. My hips just glide, and I love coasting in the sunshine. I had so much fun that I went for another couple of blocks after I got home. It's nice and flat here, and my bike is a one speed.

It's amazing how much your confidence builds when you can resume activities that you used to love. I'm learning to just wait until the body can naturally do things. Am seeing now that I may eventually be able to do some dancing, after all. I'll just take my time and see how my body feels.

Hope everyone else is doing well.
 
@Hip Hip Hooray!, I didn't get an alert for this. So sorry I didn't reply sooner!
I can tell you write because you truly do paint pictures with words. :)
The scalloped potatoes sound amazing. It is one of my favorite comfort dishes. Every time I have it I think, "Why don't I make this more often?"
Good for you about the bike!! That just sounds amazing. I can't even imagine riding a bike right now, but would sure love to again one day. I've always enjoyed it. I could picture you out in the sunshine coasting along, smiling.
Truly inspiring!
I'm sorry you had a blue blip. We all have them, no matter what the circumstance. They're, unfortunately, a part of life. I'm glad you were able to 'wash it out' quickly. :)
I'm also glad to read that you are thinking about the possibility of dancing again one day.
I look forward to reading your updates and hope I'll be able to read about that when you decide if it's something you want to do.

Take care and have a terrific weekend. :flwrysmile:
 
Hi @DeepBreath! Thanks for your post. You are always so encouraging. It's great hearing from you. I just got back from the gym. I had an excellent workout. I didn't use the stationary bike, because I went for another bike ride with my dogs this morning. (Well, I took them one at a time.) I've been able to exercise them much more, now that I'm healing. It's really helped them, emotionally. If they don't get outside to run, they seem to get anxious. Now they're panting and sleeping, and as the saying goes, "A tired dog is a happy dog." I'm so enthusiastic about riding my beach cruiser again. I got it for $70.00 at the Salvation Army, and it's a really nice bike. I feel like a little kid, because I keep wanting to go back outside for another ride. It's so relaxing to coast and enjoy the scenery...

I can see now why so many of the surgeons recommend the bike for rehab. At first I didn't like it. In the early stages after surgery, my hips just felt too raw and sensitive. Now that I'm further along in my healing, the biking feels ideal. I can really feel the muscles on the sides of my hips developing. I need those, because right now I just have a bone there. I used to have much more muscle in that area when I was a ballet dancer. The muscle feels kind of tight after I ride, but in a good way. My new hips feel like baby plants that have been transplanted into healthy soil. It's like the roots are spreading out. This morning when I got up, I totally forgot I'd had the operation. It was wild...only later did I remember that I'd had both hips replaced.

I was reading reviews for Dr. Yun, who also works at the Hip and Pelvic Institute, where I had my hips done by Dr. Matta. One of his patients said that his advice was to either walk and wait, or wait and walk. (I can't remember exactly.) It's good advice, though. It is really important to let Mother Nature do her work, which takes time and patience.

It still doesn't feel right to me to do too much stretching. I still don't like how the hip responds to any external rotation, so I do just a tiny bit. Ballet is all about turn out, so I don't attempt any of that. I did try to do a slight lunge, supporting myself with a chair. I can get partway down...much better than I could do before surgery. I am also able to do a 90 degree kneel. So, that's encouraging.

I've got my energy back, and am really raring to go! I feel like my house is much cleaner again, and my yard looks much greener and tidier. I can do a lot of the stuff I'd given up on before the surgery. It's good to feel capable. The persimmons I picked are ripening, and they taste delicious! The flavor is superb. My goal is to grow all of my own fruit.

@DeepBreath, I just noticed that you're going to have your second surgery in another month. That's exciting. How are you feeling about that? I am just so relieved to have the surgical work behind me. I am constantly amazed at how fast my body is adjusting to these ceramic hips. It's something I never thought I'd do. Life is full of curve balls...

Hope everyone is happy and healthy. Keep in touch...
 
@Hip Hip Hooray!, I'm so glad you were able to get out with your dogs. :) It makes sense that they need to get out and 'blow off steam' as it were. How fun to be able to take them along on a bike ride!
I think you're doing great as far as listening to your body and letting it dictate which activities it is comfortable with. I know that ballet is a very demanding discipline and requires a lot movements that probably feel perhaps not safe right at this juncture. I'm confident you'll know when and if it is right for you to try it out.
All the things you are currently doing are so inspiring! It must feel like a new lease on life. :) I absolutely love that you forgot about your new hips! I look forward to that.
It would be fantastic to be able to grow all your own fruit. I love fruits and vegetables. I had a batch of raw baby spinach yesterday and was just over the moon. There is something about greens especially that I love and crave.
Yep, I hope to get my other hip done in a few weeks. I'll hopefully know more tomorrow after my appointment with my OS. While I'm not really looking forward to starting the whole healing process over again (I've just gotten to the point where I feel like 'me' again) I am anxious to have the surgery part behind me and focus on healing.
About what Dr. Yun said about walk and wait or wait and walk...I have really been thinking about that in regards to my own situation and how to proceed with PT. While I know that I have years of bad habits that need retrained and also need to 'reset' the muscle memory of those hip and leg muscles, I'm not 100% sure when, and in what capacity, I should utilize PT. I am just very much feeling that right now I am in the healing stage and once I am fully weight bearing again, I'd like to walk as much as my bad hip allows, continue to do the gentle exercises I've already been given and do daily, and just let things be until after my next surgery.
I'm not sure if everybody is like my last PT guy, but he seemed to be about 'checking boxes' as far as expectations go. I don't like that. I feel everybody's needs are different.
I'm going to discuss this with my surgeon tomorrow and get his input.

Well, I've written a novel to you! It's always so good to 'converse' with you. Thank you for sharing your progress. It truly does inspire me. I hope today finds you enjoying more activities you love. :flwrysmile:
 
Hi @DeepBreath, Wow! What a great post. Thanks. Yes, ballet is a demanding discipline. Right now it feels impossible for me to ever do again. I'm okay with that. I loved it, but it's very unnatural. Instead, I'm focusing on activities that feel easy and healthy. I still really believe that housework is excellent PT. I feel so good as I go around my cottage, getting all of my tasks done. Today I did a load of laundry, and hung it out on the clothesline to dry. I hand washed and laid flat to dry several pair of socks that I knit a few years ago. Some of them are alpaca, and they are nice and soft and warm! I made gingersnaps and another loaf of bread.

That baby spinach sounds delicious. I may plant some of that, too. It's so good for you. I love this time of year. It's easy to grow vegetables. Our summers are really hot. I made another salad today with the home grown organic lettuce. It's delicious!

Last night I did some yoga before bed. It was very relaxing. I just go partway into the poses. I focus more on breathing and relaxing than stretching. The range of motion is starting to come back, naturally. I don't force anything. I don't want to put any pressure on the joints or the new parts. It feels good to do the inversions. I've always loved being upside down. I like the glandular stimulation.

I'm glad you're going to discuss the PT with your OS. I think waiting for all of that is a good idea. I like the basic exercises, but I don't stress about them. I think you'll find it much easier to walk after you have the second leg done. So many people were correcting me when I first started walking. It was kind of annoying. I finally told one lady, "You have both of your hips replaced, and let's see how you walk." Then she stopped giving me so much free advice. (My father always taught me that advice is worth what you pay for it.) It just took time. Once I relaxed, my gait improved. Now people tell me that I'm walking perfectly. I didn't see a PT. I just had faith that I would improve. I was stiff at first, and I had to get back all of the muscle that I had lost. My pelvis had realigned. I learn a lot from animals. They heal very well. They don't question or analyze. They just allow the body to heal in its own way and time.

Thanks for keeping in touch! Hope everyone is healing well...
 
Hi @Hip Hip Hooray! :) Oh my goodness, I love the laundry dried in the sun stories. There is just nothing like it...that scent = heaven!
Yum about the gingersnaps and bread. I'll bet your place smelled so good after that.
I have never done ballet myself, but I have a couple of close friends who are dancers. I am amazed at what their bodies can do, and also amazed at what they ask of their bodies. Dancing has taken a toll on both of them. My one poor friend's feet are just a mess. Huge, painful bunions, etc.
It is such a beautiful art, but very demanding.
Your garden sounds wonderful. I am not a green thumb sort of person, sadly. Perhaps one day when we're in our 'forever home' and maybe have a bit of land. I would like to try my hand at it because fresh vegetables are so wonderful.
The yoga sounds very relaxing and healing. I'm glad that you are able to do that for yourself. The only two 'poses' I have done are downward facing dog and upward dog. I love them. I do them at the end of my pilates workouts and the beautiful stetch I get from them feels so good. I may have to look into yoga more closely when I've had my next surgery and am healed.
I had my appt today and am cleared for walking! My OS said my xrays looked great and he tested my ROM and was very pleased. I couldn't believe how far he was able to abduct my leg. I haven't really been going great guns on that either. I do my little exercises twice daily, religiously, but nothing big. He said as far as PT goes, he just wants me to work on the abduction and getting my op leg stronger. He showed me some exercises I can do and suggest I just walk (does that sound familiar?) :wink:
He does want me to do outpatient PT specific to my needs since my muscles have learned so many limiting habits over the years. He said not to sweat the in home PT people prior to this surgery though. He didn't feel it was really necessary. I was glad to hear that. :)
I go back in 4 weeks and that will be both a follow up appt AND my pre op for my next surgery! It looks like that will take place around the end of November. I'll be happy to get it done.

I hope your day is going well and that you're enjoying sunshine. :flwrysmile:
 
Hi @DeepBreath and @Dashinghippie, Thanks for your replies. Yesterday I went back to my knitting group. I'm ripping apart an alpaca blanket that I made for my bed a few years ago. I just did a simple stockinette stitch, because I was in a hurry at the time. I was cold! Now, I have an extra throw, and I'd like to redo this one. The yarn is so soft and beautiful. I may do a sampler afghan, or something with cables.

I've got a chicken roasting in the oven. I used fresh parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme from my garden. I sprinkled it with salt, white pepper, and paprika. I got the whole chickens on sale yesterday: two for $5.00! Amazing! I'm going to make some gravy with the drippings. I baked some potatoes, too. I got those on sale, as well. 10 lbs. for $2.00! Spinach was only 3 bunches for $1.00, so I picked up a few of those, as well. As you can see, I'm a frugal shopper. (My dad says I have champagne taste on a beer income...) Last night I made a huge spinach salad with mozzarella, orange peppers, garlic, and spinach. It was delicious. Iron is good for us hippies, too.

I picked up an application at the produce market. I noticed that the women working there are my age. Maybe I can work as a cashier part time for some extra cash...we'll see.

I've been riding my bike every a.m. and loving it! The dogs are so much more relaxed, now that they get exercise twice a day. Each evening I take them for a walk. They sleep the rest of the day.

I've got to get back to the gym, but I've been really busy with my garden and cottage. There are home grown, organic persimmons ripening all over the kitchen. They're so delicious! I think I'll make a persimmon pudding, like my mom used to do.

Hope you are all doing well and on a healing path. Oh...I've been doing yoga at night. It feels so good. It really is a relief to have a spiritual practice again. If I don't do that, I become a yeller. My bones feel very aligned since the surgery. It's a relief to have my pelvis back where it should be!
 
@Hip Hip Hooray!, I'd love to hear what you decide to do with your blanket. I love alpaca. I have always been partial to cable stitch anything. It just says 'cozy' to me. :) What are winters generally like there?
I noticed that you mentioned your incredible dinner on my thread so I'm going to expound on it there. Not that there's not enough slobber for me to fill two posts, but I'm trying not to cross the line between avid food lover and all out glutton. :)
I can imagine that your dogs are very happy with the exercise and the good sleep they get as a result.
You mentioned persimmons and I realized that I don't think I've ever had one. I'll have to seek some out and give them a try.
I'm glad you're enjoying the yoga and that your bones are in alignment again. It all sounds like part of a solid, healthy physical and spiritual whole. Wonderful!
I hope you are enjoying your day as well. :flwrysmile:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Corganics CBD
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Members online

Total: 820 (members: 1, guests: 819)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom