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THR Bilateral changed to Single

Lea61 said:
Being able to have the opposite leg for support so I don't have to be totally weight bearing on operated side has been helpful. I'm also able to push myself up and move in bed using the unoperated leg
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My right hip was the worse of the two prior to surgery. Currently it is the better of the two. Surgeon said that getting the left hip dislocated was very difficult and he had to do a lot of manipulation. I suppose I am feeling the results of that now. I can fully raise myself and lower myself with all my weight on my right side. My left side I am having knee pain on bending and weight bearing. I can put my full body weight on both legs evenly while standing still, however, when I walk I am putting more weight on the walker when my left leg is on the ground.

Lea61 said:
How are you managing ?
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I’m getting a little better every day so far. Especially now that I’ve gotten on a better schedule with pain meds and icing. I took a shower today and though the water felt nice, I decided afterward that it wasn’t worth the effort it took to get in and out and try not to slip and fall. Once my left knee and hip gets at least as good as my right is now, I will be quite happy.

Lea61 said:
Have you always lived in Nevada? We have a friend who lived here (NYC) and moved to Nevada at least 5 years ago ( can't remember right now the area) but he loves there.
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I have lived in Nevada since I was 5. I do like it a lot but I live in Northern Nevada near skiing and Lake Tahoe. I don’t much care for the Southern Hot Desert!
 
I'm just curious.... I did so much reading prior to surgery, but I don't remember ever reading anything about "pins". I noticed that I have a second smaller bandage near the incision area; does that have to do with pins? Can't believe I am absolutely clueless about this
 
Hi @Lea61
Glad to read you are rolling with this unfamiliar changing recovery business and you sound much better!
The first days are a bit jarring and certainly uncharted territory for our bodies and brains.
Roll with the changes...usually these weird pains and sensations are temporary manifestations from surgery trauma, in my opinion.
I did have a small hole under my incision where, as Jaycey mentioned, a drain tube was inserted.
I believe that it why I didn't have worse bruising!?
Have a sweet Sunday...keep thinking...all temporary!
 
@Jaycey .... I'm not sure what I mean by pins either ! Lol. My husband thought he heard the surgeon use the term "pins" saying they were used to help set everything straight (??). I'll have to just save that one for my follow-up visit.
@Mojo333 .... Thank you for commenting that you noticed I sound much better ( you guys are really unbelievable) ! I am using the walker much better. PT comes back tomorrow. I cannot lift my foot even a half inch off the bed and can't move/slide foot to the right at all. Not pushing it at all !!
I think that the lack of sleep is finally catching up with me. Feeling very tired and slept 4 hours this morning!
Thanks again for all your support. :flwrysmile:
 
Happy Sunday, @MrDIY! I hope you are waking up this morning feeling even a teensy bit better. I didn't tackle a shower until at least a week out, relying on wet wipes I had my husband purchase for me. But at some point I realized to my horror that my hair hadn't been washed in well over a week and I decided to take the plunge. I agree it takes a huge amount of effort to get in and out of the shower, and I had these aqua-cells I had to use to cover the bandage which were a hassle and I was freaked out because they didn't work well at all. The elastic on the edges was really weak and water leaked in. I quickly popped out of the shower, stripped it off and blotted myself dry. I am really hoping at my first post op appointment next week I will get the bandage off, but who knows. Anyway, happy Sunday--keep hanging in there, it's going to get better, absolutely, but patience and a sense of humor will be required every single day. Best to you.
 
Whoops, @Lea61, didn't realize I was posting a "good morning" message to MrDIY on your thread. Clearly, my morning caffeine has not kicked in completely! I hope if he reads threads, he'll get an alert I posted on your thread--duh! Anyway, happy Sunday to you, too--hope the combo of Tramadol alternating with Tylenol is working well for you still, with minimal discomfort and you are icing as well. If you have swelling, I hope it will start to recede soon, I know mine only lasted a few days when my right thigh was definitely a swollen "thunder thigh" but it went away fairly quickly. Still no bruising--knock on wood--but I've been told that may not happen. Off to get a manicure today (friend picking me up) which is my Big Activity for the day--how large such small outings seem at this point! Cheers, and have a good and comfortable day.
 
Ask your surgeon to show you the x-ray of your new hip. They may have used surgical screws to the implant. With some implants this is standard.

Glad you are getting some much needed sleep. Sleep = healing!
 
@Barbaraj .... No worries about the posting. You helped answer my next issue about showering. I have not taken a shower yet, so it was good to read your experience with that. My shower is upstairs in master bedroom, so that will be an exhausting feat (stairs AND shower, oh my) !, I guess when I do it, I'll remain upstairs after the shower for while. Right know, the wipes are good enough, it's more the hair that I feel needs to be washed (not that i normally wash it everyday anyway. Oh well, and who cares LoL !!
Enjoy your manicure !! I have a gel mani, which I really didn't want to have removed prior to surgery. I called my OS office about it. I hadn't expected that they would speak to the anesthesiologist and ask for me. I was told I could keep the gel manicure but not use any dark colors. So I just had the gel done, no polish. It looks pinkish clear and no one had a problem, in fact, I was getting compliments on it ( except my husband !!! who thinks I always bend the rules; he was afraid they would see it and cancel my surgery) !
So enjoy your afternoon out. :ok:​
 
@Lea61 The swelling came on day 4 for me, the day I decided to take a shower. I think it was a result of the effort to take a shower!!! I iced the living daylights out of the leg and it came down within two days. I haven't seen any bruising to date....just a weird skin rub/sort of abrasion on the outside of my calf....not sure if that was due to the dislocation attempt or what! I think I can live without all the details on that! My OS said to expect some swelling up to about three months. It will be interesting to see if my right leg swells when I get my left hip done in three weeks and three days! I am walking a lot more now, and icing afterwards, and I don't see any swelling in my foot or obvious swelling in my thigh. My knee has a little bit of swelling, and that may be residual from the disconnection process.

Re: showering... There is definitely a balance between having a shower and being completely exhausted by it! I used Dove wipes for the first little while. I had a shower every other day, to off set the exhaustion from having one! I also planned my little walks around the showers, in that the first couple of weeks I counted the shower as an activity, so nixed one of my walks in the house!

I read that you are getting some naps in, so hope you are getting more sleep, where you can!

Your story of the gel nails made me giggle! You go girl! As long as the OS is happy, go for it! Your hubby's comment made me laugh as well....sounds like mine!!
Wishing you a restful and comfortable Sunday :flwrysmile:
 
Lea61 said:
It sounds like it would be interesting to see
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It's pretty amazing to see the implant in place. Bionic! And I really think surgeon's like to "share" their results. Take a picture of the x-ray if you have a cell phone.
 
Hey, @Lea61, you will enjoy (although probably thoroughly exhausted by) your shower. Just make sure you schedule enough time to get through it. It amazed me what an incredible, long production that first one was. My poor husband was very nervous, I know, that somehow I'd lose my balance and completely sway to the side and collapse. We are fortunate enough to have a large, dual head shower so he got in with me the first time. Getting ready for the shower (sheesh, removal of the miserable compression hose!), and then getting out and getting dressed. Pant, pant... I swear it took me most of the morning and definitely, as @Alitm noted, it counted as the Big Activity for the day. But it does get better--I took a shower yesterday and my husband didn't feel compelled to get in with me and hover nervously. He waited outside, although watching me with an eagle eye, and once I was seated on a bench outside he hopped in himself. Felt good that he trusted me enough to shower without crashing through the glass shower door! Even though it might feel like a major hassle, it does feel good and quite the accomplishment.
 
@Barbaraj ..... Oh how funny..... I can hardly wait for the big shower activity ! BUT, No way is hubby coming into the shower with me!!! I would probably be hysterically laughing and Then we would Both come crashing through the glass shower doors. I really couldn't do that to my kids....!! Haha. ( I guess you can tell that I don't take things as seriously as he does)... I always have to remind him that I teach preschool all day... How serious can I be... .? Honestly, the 4 year olds keep me laughing throughout the day!!
Hope you had a nice day ...
 
I agree, you'll love the first shower but it can be a big production and comedy of errors.
I took my walker right in with me the first couple times because I was afraid I'd feel a little wobbly, which I did. We had bath towels all over the floor and the walker had to be wiped down afterward. It was a quickie, that first one. Hair, privates and maybe little else, don't recall exactly, but it was tiring, so get to biz as soon as you get in.

Hubby hovered nearby which was fine with me in case I felt lightheaded which I didn't. It's mainly tiring. I think by the third shower, I was on my own. Hubs strayed further away each time, but definitly within ear shot. You kind of feel like a dog in training at first, like you're trying to pass all of theses tests. I say if you haven't had a shower yet....go for it. Or people will start steering clear of you. :heehee:
You'll love it and feel like a new woman!
@Lea61
 
@Lea61 I might add that shaving your legs for the first time is another tiring experience. I waited until I was off the Tramacet, and used the Giraffe gadget you can get from Amazon, with exchangeable heads, to hold your razor of choice. I'm sure I had stripes on the back of my calfs, but was to tired to check by the time I had finished :heehee:. I was taking so long, Hubs kept coming to the bathroom to make sure I was ok!
 
Thanks @Layla .... My biggest obstacle and delay in not having tried the shower yet is that I have to go upstairs.. Although I did some steps in the hospital, I really can't do them now. When PT came on Friday, he had even mentioned that I was not ready for stairs. He's coming back tomorrow or Tuesday, and I think he was planning to have me try stairs then.
I really like your idea of taking the walker inside the shower. I would not have thought of that. I have a half sliding door, so If I can get it to fit, I think I would feel safer.
Hope you had a great day :)
 
@Alitm ..... I already used the Giraffe pre-surgery ! You had written about it awhile back, so I ordered it pre-surgery !!
 
Great to hear, I don't have one. I use an electric razor. I'm kind of cut phobic. I always seemed to nick myself!
Does it feel as safe as a regular hand held razor, as in easy to control?
@Lea61
 
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