THR Bizzy Lizzy on the other side

@Miss Muffet - I will take your advice re beach volleyball! Will be interesting to see how well I can walk on sand - I suspect not very. I think what Roger, my retired OS friend refers to as "the lurch" may reappear.

We are travelling to Exeter on the train and then hiring a car. Much better for the hip as I am able to get up and walk around when I like. It is a very long way! I'm on the train now and have ended up sitting on my own. A very nice lady sat next to me for a couple of hours and we had a good chat, but she got off at Birmingham, so I think I may have a nap now.
 
Have a wonderful trip! I just returned from the beach and I was surprised how easy walking on the sand was. Although you had your surgery 60 days behind me, I hope you will be pleasantly surprised as well. Enjoy! :loveshwr:
 
Oh, Liz, I'm so sorry the post-op appt didn't go quite as you would have liked. Even though you came away with good news (the x-ray simply confirms what you already knew to be true - everything is in proper place, you're able to do more and more, you're getting stronger and you're able to enjoy life again!), it's disheartening to deal with medical personnel who aren't seemingly engaged in our particular medical situation. :sad:
I'm so glad you've got what sounds to be a wonderful physio - It's so nice that she's working with you towards the goal of being able to tie your shoe laces, and that with all the newly-introduced exercises you didn't end up with too much discomfot! That was exactly my experience with my first outpatient PT yesterday. I wrote in detail (I should probably apologize to anyone who reads my posts - my motto tends to be "Why use 5 words when you could say the very same thing with 35?" :heehee:) about the experience on my thread.
Do have the most wonderful, lovely and amazing time while you're on holiday, Liz! We'll be looking forward to hearing all about it! (And I'm especially curious about what you'll be encountering in terms of various toilet heights and how you're able to handle them, as we'll be leaving for our time away in just a few more weeks! You already know all about my "foreign toilet" phobia!! :unsure:
 
Hey @BizzyLizzy , I'm sorry your post-op appointment was a disappointment (giggle). Also sorry I haven't posted sooner because I couldn't access the forum (server problem, I wonder whether other people had this trouble). What a pity you couldn't see your surgeon and thank him. I didn't see my surgeon at the 6-week appointment either. But at least I did see another orthopaedic doctor - I got x-rayed and the doctor checked my ROM but everything was fine. Could you maybe send an email to your surgeon? I could. If you can, give him a lot of time to answer, though. We also have the option of rating our surgeons on the internet and leave a comment and I did that. Also: Don't worry about what the nurse says about not practicing tying up your shoelaces. I would listen to my body and do it anyway as soon as you feel comfortable. My experience is that orthopaedic nurses are on the whole more restrictive and more conservative than the surgeon and other orthopaedic doctors. I was able to do my shoelaces up 6 weeks post-op but then again it might depend on what kind of approach (anterior, posterior, etc.) you had which I can't remember reading on your thread. I had the lateral approach and minimal invasive.

Enjoy your holiday in Cornwall. I remember Exeter as well where I stayed with my family in the 90s. I've been to Cornwall several times. I went ot King Arthur's castle at Tintagel. There is also a beach where you can go swimming and it's surrounded by "sort of cliffs". Hopefully, you'll have warm whether and lots of sunshine which we are currently experiencing in Germany - Best - Constanze
 
Hey @BizzyLizzy , So sorry your post op appointment was a disappointment :))) I'm also sorry I didn't post sooner because I couldn't access the forum (I wonder whether other members had this trouble).

I also didn't see my surgeon at the 6-week appointment but at least I saw another orthopaedic doctor. I had an x-ray and the doctor checked my ROM, but everything was fine. Could you maybe send an email to your surgeon to thank him? I could send my surgeon emails. We also have the possibility of rating our surgeons and leave a comment on the internet on websites especially designed for that purpose, and I did that.

Also: Don't worry about the harsh nurse who commented about not practicing tying up your shoelaces. Just listen to your body and do what you think is comfortable for you. I was able to do my shoelaces up at 6 weeks post op. I wonder whether it depends on the surgery approaches (anterior, posterior). I can't remember reading what approach you had. I had the lateral and minimal invasive.

Enjoy your holiday in Cornwall. Devon and Cornwall are my favourite places in the UK. I stayed at Exeter with my family in the 90s. A great place in Cornwall I remember is Tintagel with King Arthur's castle, and there is a beach with "sort of" cliffs where you can go swimming. I hope you'll have sunshine and warm temperatures, too, which we are currently experiencing in Germany.

Best - Constanze
 
Thank you @Constanze for your reassuring words. Yes, I think I can email my surgeon, so I will do that this week. I am getting closer to the shoelace tying, but I'm not quite there yet! I'm also working towards getting up from the chair with more fluidity and less of a lurch - still finding this quite painful, but getting out of bed is easier now, so there is some progress. I agree with other people's comments that pain seems to be the result of muscles etc. coming back to life after a long absence. It's not like pre-op pain but it seems to pop up in all sorts of places. My GP said I would be likely to feel pain in my other side, as things become more "balanced" and that is certainly occurring now.

Regardless of all this, I had a lovely holiday in Cornwall. The weather was warm and I was surprisingly relaxed. I was really careful not to overdo things. My husband actually said on the first night that he saw the holiday as part of my recovery and he was very keen that we go at my pace. This really made me feel happy and I didn't feel under pressure to walk or push myself too far. We stayed local to our cottage and explored some lovely quiet places at a leisurely pace. Having said that, I found I can now walk about 2.5 miles without too much trouble. We did some walks of around this length with stops for lunch and time to just enjoy the scenery. I won't say it was completely pain-free, but it was certainly do-able and so much more than I could do even two years ago. We had some lovely Cornish cream teas, too much ice cream, Cornish pasties and fish and chips, so i think my waistline has expanded a bit over the week! Actually, this is something I've noticed since the operation. I don't know if it's the increase in activity, the decrease in pain or cutting down on meds, but I now seem to be hungry all the time. I've never been overweight, rather the reverse, but I think I'm going to have to cut down on the amount I eat, if I want to fit into my jeans at any point in the near future!

Anyway, after our lovely holiday I start back at work tomorrow. It won't be a full-on week as the University is always quiet at this time of year. I have some marking to do, which I will probably collect and do at home. I have some meetings and preparation to do over the next few weeks and then teaching starts on 19th. I will be busy from then, but I have been given a fairly light teaching timetable up until Christmas, so I should be able to ease myself in gently. I'm so looking forward to being able to move freely around the classroom without the horrible pain - I've almost forgotten what that felt like!
 
@BizzyLizzy - So glad to hear your get-away was all you hoped it would be. I'm impressed that you comfortably walked that distance around town. You will do fine easing back into work. Just remember....you have some holiday chores to look after.....you haven't forgotten about our Rockettes debut, have you?
 
@Nana2-8 - how could I forget?! It will be top of my to-do list as Christmas gets closer! :snork:
I'll be expecting plenty of input from you, as well :heehee:
 
Hey @BizzyLizzy , Thanks for the update. I enjoyed the news about your holiday in Cornwall - great place isn't it?

I've been reading more of your thread. Your daughter sounds very nice and warm. How old is she? My 4 adult daughters are all in their 30s and 20s - they are very sensitive and warm. I got told off by my first daughter, her partner, my 3rd daughter and my husband, because I thought I could limp around with leg ache and still be strong and athletic - I like running, cycling, swimming and triathlon. They were very worried. But now everything has been cured with this hip replacement and I can do things I couln't even do properly the few years before hip replacement (some yoga movements, sitting cross-legged).

So you teach. What kind of job have you got at the univesity and in which subject(s). I'm a translator at a senior German health authority but my boss has also given my the job of teaching English to trainees: in office administration and in animal care (we have an animal facility). I had to give that up 6 months before surgery and just do the translating due to the unbearable pain - that also affected my mood and my cognitive abilities (oh dear). My boss - well she wasn't too pleased but understood when I revealed to her that I needed hip surgery - so she finally found somebody else and I just did the preparation and follow-up for the classes and provided my colleague with the appropriate teaching material while my colleague did the teaching. Now I have taken some of the classes (because my colleague had a baby last year and took her maternity leave). Teaching is no longer a problem, but it was 2 years ago, especially if you are limping around and the animal carer trainees were so undisciplined - that can be quite a pain. By the way, I was surprised how young adults could be so immature - I would understand better if they were teenagers, but many of them are in their early twenties and they were mean to each other. Now somebody else is teaching the animal carer trainees and I just have to teach the office people, but I'm ok. All the best - Constanze
 
@Constanze - yes, my daughter has grown up to be a really kind, caring person. She is only 19, but has been such a help to me in my recovery. We have always spent a lot of time together and she is so happy that she has "got her Mum back", since I had my surgery. I have to be careful not to overdo it as I try to keep up with her! I am very impressed that you are able to sit cross-legged - I can't manage that yet, and I am really hoping to get back into yoga before too long. I have a friend who is a yoga teacher and she has promised to put a program together for me, but I don't really feel ready yet. It sounds like you are a really fit, active person and I'm so glad you have been able to get back to your activities.

In terms of my teaching, I teach Business Information Systems (basically Business IT). I ran my own IT consultancy business for many years, before starting to teach in the University three years ago, so I am not a traditional academic. Sometimes I find the pace of university life a bit slow, which is frustrating, although I do love my job! Before I started at the University, as part of my IT business, I used to do quite a lot of training for office staff, and I would agree with you that it's a bit of a shock to teach young people after that. I too find them a bit immature - in terms of the IT stuff I do, they are not very confident and are always asking for help. That was so difficult, pre-op when I had to walk around the classroom all the time, trying to help them all individually.

I went into work on Tuesday to pick up some work to do at home. I started off with a walk up two flights of stairs - so proud of myself. Things were very quiet, but I had to do some printing and the printer is in another office. Pre-op I used to find this so difficult, but on Tuesday it was no problem at all. In fact I had problems with the documents and had to go backwards and forwards to the printer several times. I actually quite enjoyed it! As from tomorrow I will be back a work most days, preparing to start teaching on 19th. I'm excited and apprehensive at the same time. I'm expecting to be tired and stiff at the end of the day for a while and won't be making plans to do anything else in the evenings!

My other news is that my poor old dog has been quite ill. The vet thinks she has a bacterial infection or a potential liver problem. She is on some medication for the infection and is a little better, but still not eating well and sleeping more than normal. She is still keen to go out for walks and has times when she seems back to her old self, but I fear things aren't too good. She's 15, which I know is a good age for a dog, but it makes me very sad that our time together may be coming to an end. We go back to the vet tomorrow and I think he plans to do some tests for the liver issue, but I don't want to put her through too many investigations at this stage. I know all pet owners go through this, but it's not easy at all :boohoo:
 
@BizzyLizzy , Wow, you're knowledgable in IT. That's always a good subject. I tried to do a Microsoft Exam (about Windows) back in the 90s but I was finding it hard - failed twice until I passed the third time around.

I'm so sorry about your poor dog. Pets are such an enrichment and give us so much joy. I have a fishtank with tropical fish - discus fish, guppies, neon fish. My daughters used to have rabbits and guinea pigs, but now they haven't. No time and too much work I suppose. That's a pity.

All the best for your dog - and - stay healthy. Good luck with your work as well.
Constanze
 
@BizzyLizzy Oh I am so sorry about your dog! I do hope they can do something for her and make her more comfortable. :(

I am glad to read that your recovery is going well and you are getting back to work with no issues. I love reading your posts and imagining the lovely country where you live. Sounds like you had a wonderful vacation. So nice to be pain free and do the things you love to do. :)
 
@Constanze and @Tweetybrd - thank you for the good wishes for my dog. She is actually a bit better today and the vet said he is pretty sure it is an infection, and it is improving, so no need for any more tests yet. He wants to see her again on Saturday. We had been giving her scrambled egg mixed with rice to eat as she normally loves that, but he said she would be finding it hard to digest, which is probably why she hasn't been to keen to eat it! He suggested chicken and plain rice - I made her some this evening and she ate it all, which is so good. I am really happy :).

I decided this evening might be the time to have another try at the gym, as I don't have to be at work for long tomorrow. It was much more successful than the last time - I was very careful but managed to use all of the machines I was told were safe for my hip. I'm rather tired now, but not too stiff, so hoping to sleep well and be all ready for work in the morning.
 
@Miss Muffet
Hi Jane
Haven't posted in a while actually, but lovely to know you're thinking about me. Things are fine - hip giving me no trouble at all. I haven't forgotten how things used to be and keep thinking about this time last year when I was in such pain and the operation was still in front of me. Every time I get in the car or walk to the shops I am so grateful that I was able to have it done and get on with life. It sounds like you are doing well. I'm so glad you are on the other side of both your THRs and moving on with life as well. We are so lucky :cheers:
 
@Miss Muffet

Lovely to hear you are doing so well! I am 5mths pre op now and things are going well. AlthoughI feel it if I do too much. Had a few days of pain in the op area earlier on in the week which actually made me limp again, but I rested it and 'walked it out' when needed to get on. Have you had anything like this? Or anyone 5 mths plus on?
 
@BizzyLizzy - GREAT news. How lovely it is to be 'normal' again. Can hardly recall what it was like!
Yes, we are lucky. Now you can get on with your life and stop being stairphobic! :heehee:
 
Just thought it might be time to post my one-year update. It's hard to believe it's just over a year since I had my THR. I can only echo what so many people have said before - this surgery really is life- changing. I think I'm fitter now than I've been for years. When you have been as a incapacitated as I was, it feels like such a privilege to be able to walk and move around without pain. For months prior to my operation I couldn't walk to the end of our road, couldn't climb stairs and felt so restricted. From about 6 weeks post op I began to see that things were probably going to get better and I began to walk further every day. I had a few setbacks when I did too much, but nothing too serious. I got a Fitbit at Christmas and I have managed to walk at least 10,000 steps most days since then. Last month I did the Race for Life which is a 5k walk/run. I didn't run! However I walked it in 55 minutes and was so pleased. My daughter and I went to London last weekend and I did 20,000 steps in one day. I was a bit stiff on the train coming home, but absolutely fine the following day. This all makes me so happy and I appreciate my mobility every day.

I am so thankful that I found BoneSmart pre-op. I felt supported and well informed going into the surgery and that has really helped me make the recovery I have. For people who are still waiting for surgery, please be reassured that it is so worth it. I was pretty nervous in the weeks leading up to the op, but it was all so much better than I anticipated and the pay-off has been incredible! :dancy::happydance::yay:
 
Ah @BizzyLizzy - so wonderful to hear this. Just knew you'd benefit from this magical surgery and am very happy to read your update. Isn't it great to be able to look ahead and live once more! :yes!: :friends:
 

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