THR Bionic me

[shiv01]

@Lseven, yes, when I saw the scar I was very pleasantly surprised. I don't know if there was any glue but the top layer of skin has been sewn from the inside with soluble stitches. There is just the tail end of thread that has to be snipped off after 2 weeks.



RTHR 25 November 2015

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[shiv01]

@fiberlady the recoveries seem so variable. I stopped taking ibuprofen yesterday but by the end of the day I had such an ache in my glute that it just superseded anything else. So back on that with paracetamol (acetaminophen to Americans) for the time being I think until I can move better.

Moving from my friend's apartment to a hotel next Monday so that should make me walk a bit more!

I guess we just have to be patient and take it gradually.

Good luck!


RTHR 25 November 2015

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[Lseven]

I'm not sure what you are on blood thinner wise. I was on a new one for 30 days. As a result I avoided anything else with blood thinning effects. This includes ibuprofen which is normally my choice. Apparently tylenol does not affect blood thinning so I stuck to that until the others were done.

 

[shiv01]

@Lseven I'm on Fraxiparine & there seem to be no restrictions. (I even read the small print today.) Hospital was serving up ibuprofen with every meal so who am I to argue?

 

[Lseven]

Yep if they're giving it to you I guess it's good. Nobody mentioned it but I realized grapefruit is contra for a lot of thinners and looked it up to confirm. I don't even drink it but all the sudden I had a grapefruit radler I wanted to try. Had one last weekend. It was just so so.

 

[shiv01]

Radler- no thanks! If I'm going to drink beer I want it to be GOOD beer (think Belgian abbey beers!). But for now, given that my right ankle still looks like a golf ball, I will stick to wine.

Yes, I have a friend on warfarin who keeps track of his intake of sensitive things - garlic, green veg, in particular.



RTHR 25 November 2015

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[shiv01]

Well it's a beautiful sunny (cold) day here in Brussels and I popped out to the pharmacy for a few things. It's only about 200m away & I managed it easily on 2 crutches. Even tried to just use one for a few steps on the way back but still too uncertain.

I can manage on 1 around the house - getting food and so on, so that's ok for now.




RTHR 25 November 2015

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[gardengal]

So on day 9 you are moving about the house getting your own food with just one crutch! Reading your recovery & others has really helped knowing that I won't be totally dependent on others for too terribly long.

 

[Annelize Buys]

Yes, me too. I'm on day16, and really starting to feel more confident! Have walked 1,6 km today around our area. But then took it ver esy the rest of the day. Doc suggested 1 crutch around the house, but rather 2 outside, up to 6 weeks post op. Well done on your progress @shiv01

 

[shiv01]

@gardengal I move very slowly & am still taking ibuprofen. I just keep reminding myself that the pain I am getting is not as bad as pre-op and it will fade. As @Annelize Buys says, 1 crutch around the house & 2 outside seems to be working.

Unfortunately, the weather in Brussels is not so conducive to walking as Cape Town at this time of year. @Annelize Buys it must be so frustrating for someone as sporty as you but keep going gently is probably the best way to go. I will be back in Jakarta in January and can start to do some exercising in the swimming pool!

 

[Annelize Buys]

@shiv01 I like the suggestion to walk in a mall. Then you can do some window shopping too! hope you are also feeling better every day!


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[Annelize Buys]

Swimming pool is also nice to look forward too! At this stage I just walk in the pool, but can swim from after 6 weeks!


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[shiv01]

@Josephine , thankyou, as always, you have helped me SO MUCH through this journey and never fail to put things into prospective for me. Everybody who ever has THR should have a Josephine

Indeed, everybody should have a @Josephine ! Thanks, @Kay9 - that sums it up perfectly. I keep re-reading the posts in here and reminding myself that my surgery was only 12 days ago & that it's OK to take it easy.

I'm still not sleeping more than 2-3 hours at a stretch, which is annoying but bearable. It means I'm not in gear until about 11am. Oh well...convalescing!

I moved into a serviced apartment yesterday so it was a busy day but it's nice to unpack - I've been living out of my suitcase since 10 November. A friend drove me to the clinic where they changed my dressing on my scar - the home service I was using would not go to a hotel/serviced apartment so I have had to make other arrangements this week.

My friend dropped me at a supermarket near my hotel and I did a few groceries and walked back. Not far - only a couple of hundred of metres but I will go out for dinner this evening so that will be another few short walks.

Fingers crossed that this clear weather continues!

 

[shiv01]

Woohoo. Slept a while 7 hours last night. Felt so much better for it. Had things to do today so I hope I haven't overdone it.

RTHR 25 November 2015

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[shiv01]

So after trying to keep up the walking everyday, since yesterday I'm having unpleasant pain (a sort of burning ache) in the area (muscles?) just above my right knee. I wonder if it's from overdoing it or if I am using my muscles wrong and need to change something in the way I'm walking. Still using 2 crutches for outdoors but was using one for short distances inside. Anyway, I will rest today & see if it improves. @Josephine, grateful for your input.


RTHR 25 November 2015

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[Jaycey]

How far are you walking @shiv01 ? Does resting ease this pain? Are you still taking your pain meds? What other activities are you doing?

 

[shiv01]

@Jaycey - this indicates the number of steps per day according to my phone - 3000 steps would be around 2.6km. That includes all pottering around as well as longer walks. Max in one go would be 1km. On Thursday night I was standing for about 2 hours at a cocktail party. Otherwise not doing a lot.

RTHR 25 November 2015

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[Jaycey]

Sounds like too much too soon. The long time standing will have also aggravated a new hip. Slow and steady is a better approach. Listen to that hip - it's tell you to back off a bit.

 

[shiv01]

Thanks, @Jaycey - rested and iced today and just walked a little. It's hard to reconcile the lack of pain with the need to keep taking it easy, after so long (pre-op) not being able to stand comfortably at all, or walk for more than a couple of hundred metres without pain!

 

[shiv01]

Normal procedure in Belgium appears to be a follow up appointment 6 weeks after surgery. However since I'm travelling, my surgeons were kind enough to schedule a. Extra appointment for me after 3 weeks, which was today.

I had blood test and X-ray & surgeon was very happy with all. Inflammation levels are lower than they have been in a long time, new hip is settling in nicely & scar looks good. Doc even had me taking a few (very feeble!) steps around the room with no crutches at all. He says no special exercises or physio needed & by the time I see him again in 3 more weeks he expects me to be walking more certainly without crutches - although he's OK with the idea I might need them for walking outside just for safety.

Tomorrow I'm flying to Ireland to celebrate Christmas with my father.

Merry Christmas everybody!

RTHR 25 November 2015

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