THR BoneSmart = best recovery!

[CricketHip]

Well, now! Not only did you meet your friend but you've filled up your book for days in advance! I hope it all went smoothly and I believe it did. Isn't that just so wonderful that the second hip is a bit easier? I think you earned that! But it doesn't always work like that. Maybe the mall walking helped like you hoped!
Grilled lobster sounds wonderful... Now I can't wait to hear the report..

 

[ceezee]

@CricketHip

I think I just barely squeezed in the second operation and it would have been better if I’d had more healing time. I was very lucky to not get log leg again and my hours of sleep overnight has been an unexpected blessing.

All the dinners were wonderful, as anticipated. The grilled lobster has a slightly spicy sauce that enhances without overpowering the lobster. I started with soft shell crabs on a charred corn salsa. Perfectly done. And somehow I had room for molten chocolate cake. I have no idea how I did it! We all know that chocolate is healing. Right?

I’m totally off Tylenol and now oxycodone is now making me incredibly sleepy. In the past this means it’s quit needing to fight pain and I should seriously consider reducing the dosage yet again. This is great! Very soon I won’t need anything. If I felt a bit better when I wake up I’d just stop it altogether. Soon...

Tomorrow is an afternoon movie with my sister in law. I think I’ll be fine sitting that long but my big decision now is walker or cane. The smart answer is walker. I’m struggling with using a cane. It’s still pretty painful at the top of my thigh at the crease when I step and I’m very very slow. I’ve not gone outside yet with it. This pain and my numb thigh (on the first operated leg) are really my only two problems.
Wow! That’s true!

Carole

 

[CricketHip]

Oh, gosh, well you know logistically that you're supposed to take the walker.. just do it! Everything is going so well, why tempt it? So the other hip is still numb? That's just a little bit of crazy, isn't it? Oh! back to the walker... when I was getting sick and tired of it and going out and about, I tried using two canes and it was very helpful.. if you happen to have an extra cane, maybe try it out in your house first though. I found it uch easier to maneuver..
Nothing is stopping you, though and a movie next,, I did that quite a bit those first weeks, used the theaters with reclining chairs.. packed some ice packs and it was perfection. FWIW- Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was awesome.. a nice trip down memory lane.
That lobster sounded wonderful... and yes, the chocolate was prescribed for post op.. absolutely!

 

[ceezee]

Oops, I forgot I can’t do stairs one at a time yet either. But I can toddler walk up them.

 

[Calgal]

Keep on toddlin' ! with a second hip barely 2 weeks old I'd say that's just fine.

 

[Mojo333]

I think you are doing just beautifully @ceezee
Early days still!
Hope today is a Good Day.

 

[Barbaraj]

Stick with that walker, @ceezee It's early days yet and sounds like you need the support it offers while the cane is problematic. Slow and steady is going to win this race so, deep breath, and every week it's going to get better. You've been through this before so you know that's true. Hope you have a good day, and the movie seating was comfortable yesterday, and the movie enjoyable. You're really chugging along!

 

[Layla]

I hope you enjoyed the movie yesterday @ceezee
The recliners at some of those theaters are so comfy cozy you can fall asleep, which I almost did the last time I had to endure a kid movie for my granddaughter that made me sleepy.
You're doing great and in the long run I think you'll appreciate your recoveries rolling one into the other, it's almost like one and done. Two shiny new hips....you're on your way!
Have a great Thursday

 

[ceezee]

The movie yesterday was wonderful. The Farewell. If you get a chance, go see it.

Unfortunately the movie theater is one of those that they separated an old one into several sections and never changed out the seats. So where we sat they were slightly angled to one side of of the screen and not straight on. My husband’s comment was at least I wasn’t the only person there who was uncomfortable.

I did take my walker. I realized the obvious which is I’m in no shape yet to use the cane outside of the house. It’s so slow and aggravating but I’ll hang in there. Tomorrow I have a farewell get together in a local bar for someone I used to work with. It’ll be a chance to see some people I haven’t seen for a while. Mainly millennials. They’ll be astounded to see me on a walker that’s for sure. After I retired I took a hobby part time job with Apple. Lots of fun and energy but they kept increasing my hours so I finally quit a couple of years ago. I think the wear and tear of that job didn’t do my hips any favor. Our storeroom and break room were in the basement and one day I counted the number of flights (not steps) I walked up and down, usually carrying merchandise....60.

I have my first post op in a week from today and I’m curious to see if I’d still get an ok to drive even if I’m still on the walker.

It’s still so incredibly painful when I first get up in the morning it makes me nauseous. Very different than the first one where I was simply stiff.

 

[Layla]

Hi @ceezee
I hope you enjoyed the farewell get together for the former co-worker today.
With any luck the pain you describe begins easing soon. Hopefully the surgeon will have some insight
or advice for you at your post op next week.
Wishing you comfort until then and a nice weekend!

 

[CricketHip]

@ceezee I hate reading that you are having such pain in the mornings.. has it gotten any better?? Can't wait to hear about your post op appointment. You sure have had a busy social life for someone 3 weeks out!
60 flights a day? At Apple? That's insane! Ill never complain about my laundry being in the basement again.. well, I will though!
Have a good weekend..

 

[Barbaraj]

Sorry your mornings are so rough, @ceezee. I think everyone struggles in the morning getting out of bed. For me, sitting up gently on the side of the bed first to get my bearings and then standing up (forcing my back to straighten up before I take my first step) still feels challenging. The good news is that it will get easier, I hope, and like hip #1, hip #2 will go from painful to just being stiff. Unfortunately, I think after a certain age--ahem--morning stiffness is just a fact of life, or it is for me anyway. I was whining to my husband about morning stiffness the other day--he's younger than I am and in great physical shape--and he said that his back, legs and knees are all stiff in the morning and it's not until he's up for awhile that this eases up. Despite the uncomfortable movie seats and using the walker, it is wonderful to read that you're getting out and doing things. Hurray for you!

 

[Mojo333]

Not even a month out for number two so keep the faith dear @ceezee
You have done a great job at keeping your spirits up...which is definitely half the battle.
Sending good mojo your way

 

[ceezee]

I’m seeing some progress.

It started on Saturday with an hour (!) walk around Costco using the big heavy cart in place of my walker. I was sure that I had joined the ODIC. We came home and went out to dinner that night to cap it off. In between I did lots of long icings and foot elevations. When I woke the next morning I was merely stiff. The horrid initial pain when waking was gone! And all day I felt good and stronger. That afternoon, Sunday, we drove an hour to a friend’s house for smoked duck tacos, drinks, and conversation. He has a pellet smoker and the duck was so moist and just lightly smoked.

Of course, my stupid numb left leg is bothersome. It still has burning, tingling, and muscle ache. But it does seem to be very slowly improving. At least I hope so because there’s not much to do for it but wait.

Tomorrow I’m having lunch out with my neighbor at an excellent Greek restaurant. And then Thursday is my first post op check up. I’ll play it by ear if I’m still using the walker or able to use the cane. It’s a long walk from the parking garage to the office. My sister in law is driving me so she could drop me off in front. I’ll wait to see.

I’m also toying around with reducing the meds a bit. That I’m doing very very slowly.

I still have low energy but hey! it’s only been 4 weeks.

 

[Barbaraj]

You are doing great, @ceezee, able to do some ordinary, real life things despite the aching, burning and tingling. You are right, it's only four weeks but celebrate your success! I am almost 6 weeks out and energy drain continues (late afternoon I have a real dip in energy) but this will ease up in a few months, I'm betting, for both of us. Patience is what all of us need as we plod along the recovery trail, but we'll all get to the end of the road soon--and just think about how fabulous we're all going to feel in 2020! Have a great day.

 

[Layla]

Yes progress indeed, ceezee!
An hour spin around Costco is a great accomplishment. I don't even do that....by choice though, lol.
Great exercise for sure, and with no adverse effect it's wonderful! It's encouraging you also made it through dining with friends before the day was over. I'll bet it seems you've turned a corner.
While Lefty is still bothersome, at least there's improvement.

Enjoy the Greek luncheon tomorrow with your friend and best of luck at your post op. Tell us all about it afterward if you're intested in sharing...we're all ears.
A great evening to you!
@ceezee

 

[ceezee]

My one months post op check up was today and I now know why I haven’t been improving very well.

My right femur has a break. It probably happened during the surgery and in low on the stem. But it could have happened later. The first thing to try is to keep off it as much as possibly and let it heal on it’s own. This means staying on the walker and trying to not put any weight on the right foot. On the X-ray it’s clear that the implant has moved down a bit into the femur. I go back in two weeks for another X-ray to see if it’s moved even more. If it has then I’ll need the surgery to wire it. If it hasn’t then it’s two more weeks or possibly more to see if the fracture has closed.

Bummer.

 

[CricketHip]

Oh no @ceezee ! Sorry to read this in your update. Well, at least now you know what needs to be done and thats to rest and go easy and lets hope and pray it closes up properly without needing surgery.
Do you need to remain on the walker for now?

 

[CricketHip]

 

[gertie]

@ceezee I'm so sorry to hear about the fracture! As Carol says, at least you know why you've had pain and have a plan going forward. But I imagine it's frustrating.