THR Boofit's recovery in Hong Kong

[myglasshalffull]

Great news on Calico!
You are just about where I was at 4 months post op.
We traveled to Texas late June to visit my oldest son and family and I was worried about flying and sitting as well as getting around the airport but everything was just fine.
Of course it was a direct flight out of Boston and only 4 hours but it's an hour drive from my house to airport, then once you get to the airport security check and walking to gate, then hurry up and wait to board.
I'm experiencing pain on top of my right foot, it's sore, didn't twist or hurt myself, have podiatrist appt Tuesday to have it looked at, I know I have arthritis in my left foot cause it was x-rayed back in June by my orthopedic for my ankle and he told me top of that foot was arthritic. It's crazy how someone like myself that has walked for years as exercise has foot pain, but it comes and goes, it's not consistent. And I find if I put shoes on it doesn't hurt as much, who knows, I'll leave to experts to figure out.
I see my weight coming down now, not eating as much from boredom as before plus it's fall here so we are having lovely temps so great walking weather, on Thursday I went further than usual on my walk and felt great, a little sore next day but nothing to be concerned about and I went walking later in afternoon again.
Stay well and sounds like you are doing just fine.

 

[Boofit]

I'm experiencing pain on top of my right foot, it's sore, didn't twist or hurt myself, have podiatrist appt Tuesday to have it looked at,

Hi @myglasshalffull , sorry to hear that you are having pain on top of your foot. My husband once had an attack of gout and rather than the big toe being painful and red (which is usually where it happens for many people), he had pain on the top and front part of his foot. So if that part of your foot is red and hot to the touch as well, have a doctor check it out for gout!

I also know of another person who had tendinitis of her foot extensor muscles (the ones that help your toes raise up). She was experiencing pain on the top of her foot and said wearing soft top shoes without shoelaces helped.

Hope your pain disappears soon!

 

[Boofit]

Today was the first time I walked outdoors without using any aid!!!!

Aberdeen is about a 15 to 20 minutes drive from where we live. So at around 7am we set off in the car. We parked and walked for about 10 minutes to the Aberdeen Fishmarket. I had my cane with me but decided to walk slowly and not use it.

Aberdeen is on the south-west side of Hong Kong Island and was originally a fishing village. The Chinese name of Aberdeen is "Hong Kong Chai" which translates into "Little Hong Kong" or "Son of Hong Kong". There are still many fisherfolk living on boats in the harbour, though most of the original fisherfolk have moved onshore and many of their younger generation are no longer are associated with the fishing industry. The Fishmarket is located on Aberdeen Waterfront Promenade, and the Hong Kong Tourism Board says this on its website:

The tree-lined Aberdeen Promenade — a walkway running beside Aberdeen Harbour — is a popular spot where visitors can relax and take selfies with the boats. But it offers more than stunning waterfront views: early risers can rub shoulders with elderly locals looking for bargains as moored boats sell freshly caught fish.​

The tourists haven't returned to Hong Kong yet (we had very tight quarantine measures which are now gradually being relaxed), so the bustling indoor and outdoor market was filled with locals. Stall keepers were calling out to entice people to view their colourful and lively arrangement of fish. Bargains were negotiated and deals landed.

We bought our fish too and went to the fruit and veggies markets in another part of Aberdeen. All along I was walking without my cane, but mindful of the uneven surfaces of the pavements. Mission accomplished, and my phone tells me I walked almost 2km (1.87 to be exact) in total! And I did that without aids - and no pain! I am so thankful for this surgery!

 

[Layla]

Ugh I like fish and I eat fish, but for some reason I don't like looking at them in that form.

Great news about the cane! Especially in a crowded marketplace. That takes some courage because there would be the temptation to use it to signal to others to keep their distance. You must be feeling pretty steady on your feet...which is a good thing.
Happy Three Month Anniversary!
@Boofit

 

[Boofit]

Thanks @Layla , It is four months now, not three Time does fly, doesn't it? It went painfully slow in the initial days post surgery, but now it just seems to whizz by!

Thank you so much for being there for me and so many of us through our recovery journey!

 

[Layla]

Ha! You're so right. I am sorry!
I don't mean to be cheating you out of any of that healing time, or setting you back a month.
I'm tired and probably shouldn't be posting, but going to bed instead. Long weekend.
Thanks for your kind words and for sharing your journey with all!
@Boofit

 

[Boofit]

Bummer..

Sprained my lower back yesterday. Doing nothing strenuous at all, was just stooping over the sofa to pick up a sheet of paper!!! And then found straightening up painful!!! The pain is a deep ache in the left side of the lower waist along the iliac crest and radiating down to the left (operated) hip and upper lateral thigh. Just as I was walking well without aids for around 2km outdoors I now am hobbling in my home!

This is so frustrating. I iced immediately, and lay down, but even lying supine is painful. I need two pillows under the knee to get some comfort, and need to support my sides at hip level with small wedge pillows.

Had to take valium and zoplicone for sleeping last night. Luckily I have some left over from prior prescriptions.

This morning the pain is still there, had to get out of bed slowly.

Have lunch and dinner appointments (it's TGIF day I guess for many of my friends), so will have to load up on Celebrex plus Panadol and maybe a muscle relaxant to help get me through the day....

 

[Boofit]

It's been over 4 days since my back seized up. It has affected my walking as it has been difficult to stand up straight. Back to using the cane.
I have been resting, icing, taking either Celebrex or Arcoxia together with Paracetamol, using TENS and doing very gentle exercises. Bridges are difficult because of pain, and lying flat without a pillow under my knees is also not easy. Sleep is also affected and I have to resort back to my sleep medication.

I feel I am getting better slowly, guess it will take some time. I think what caused this was my weakened core muscles.

 

[Layla]

Ugh, so unfortunate, just as things were looking up. I am sorry for the setback.
I hope the pain eases soon and you're back to living comfortably.
@Boofit

 

[Boofit]

Thank you for your kind words @Layla

It's been almost a week now, and after resting, icing, using TENS and with the help of my painkillers I am almost back to where I was 7 days ago before the back seizure. There is still some stiffness but at least I am no longer in acute pain!

This morning I went walking (holding my cane but not using it) for about 2km - back to the fish market and fruit and veggies market in Aberdeen.
Leg felt heavier and achy, mainly down upper lateral thigh and in hip and I had to stop a few times to let it rest.
Hubby did all the carrying and we are now back home having breakfast on the balcony!

 

[Boofit]

Have not been posting for a while, mainly busy with other things, including other medical appointments!! Had to go for a cardiac CT scan and had some visits with the opthamologist too. No biggie, in my view it is a process of ageing.

On the hip, I have been dejected with the slower than expected recovery and was worried about the pain down upper lateral thigh. I have been walking about 2 to 3km daily (usually not needing a cane for most of the distance), and not doing much else. These few days I have been able to locate a tender area over my greater trochanter (at the upper part of the hip) and I suspect I have trochanteric bursitis. Will take some NSAIDs and rest up more to see how it goes for the next week or so. Am keen to be pain free because I will be travelling to Australia in mid November.

 

[Ocean]

@Boofit, it’s nice to see an update, I hope the pain eases before your journey.

 

[Boofit]

Thank you @Ocean . I read on your thread that you are progressing well, and I am so happy for you! Both hips done now, and hope you won't be needing the Paracetamol at all in the very near future!

Hugs and warm wishes for a Speeeedy recovery from Hong Kong!

 

[myglasshalffull]

Nice to see your update Boofit. Sorry about the back.
I think these aches and pains come and go. My son was here for breakfast on Sunday and it was a rainy day and asked if it bothered my hip. I was telling him that particular morning I wasn't experiencing any discomfort and felt like I didn't even have a hip replacement.
Then this past Thursday we went to two area casinos for the day with our friends. I'm not a gambler, we played bingo in AM which I partake then I just walk around, look in stores, find a comfy chair and read, etc. I logged over 5 miles for the day and boy was my thigh sore next day! But then right back to normal next day, so I think these little aches are all part of the process.
You will do just fine for your upcoming visit.

 

[Layla]

Hello @Boofit
An Australia vacay coming up soon...how exciting! If I recall, it's to spend time with your daughter?
I hope with lots of rest the bursitis you're feeling you may be dealing with is behind you. If we don't hear from you before you leave for Australia, I wish you safe travels. Enjoy!

 

[Boofit]

Yes @Layla , my daughter is expecting her first in November, and we haven't seen her since her wedding in December 2019! It's been almost 3 years, and this will be our first trip overseas since. Before we meet with them, we will be spending some time in the Blue Mountains.

@myglasshalffull , what you say is so true! I was just saying to my husband that we will be able to hike in the Blue Mountains like before (we love hiking in the Canadian Rockies, the National Parks in the States as well as in the Blue Mountains, and used to do this regularly before my hip pain flared up), when I started having pain from the trochanteric bursitis the next day!!
But we are not unduly upset about this, I recognise this is all part of the recovery journey. We have booked a nice Airbnb house with a lovely garden in the Blue Mountains, and will be enjoying ourselves driving around, having nice long lunches and preparing meals (maybe) !

Thank you for all for your well wishes, I will post a 5 month update before I leave for Australia.

 

[Boofit]

5 month update

I went to see my OS at his private clinic this morning. In the main, I wanted to ask him about the pain I had been having in my left upper leg. The pain is not serious, but troubling enough to cause me concern and I decided to see him to check that the pain is not caused by any serious problem directly related to the prosthesis.
I described my pain to him as follows:

• Feels like a deep bruise over lateral and anterolateral left thigh (level 2 to 3).
• No skin discolouration, increased temperature or swelling.
• Pain felt at rest and while walking. During rest there is sometimes sharp shooting pain in upper thigh.
• On walking, first few minutes of walking feels normal with no pain and then upper leg starts feeling heavy and achy and the dull deep bruise feeling would radiate down to lateral part of lower leg as well. Have cut down on my walking to around 2km daily, sometimes without aids.
• Cannot sleep on left operated side comfortably. (right side also starting to feel sore at trochanteric region when lying on right side.)

The OS did a detailed physical examination of my range of motion, and inspection of scar and surrounding areas.
He agreed with my thinking that it was trochanteric bursitis and maybe a tight IT band (he said he didn't feel it was really tight though). He said during surgery, the Tensor Fascia Lata and the Ilio Tibial Band were cut and then sewn back together, so it is possible that there might be scar tissue rubbing against the bursa, hence the bursitis.
I told him I had started on NSAIDs about 8 days ago, was icing, doing deep massage on my IT band area and also doing stretches of the IT band. I feel the pain is lessening but am not sure whether it is imaginary or not. He said that was what he would prescribe for my current condition and asked me to continue with it but add deep massage to the bursitis area as well.

He said all restrictions are lifted. Asked me to do 3 continuous deep full squats for him, and said I could now do gentle stretching of the IT band using the figure of 4 position. For the latter, I should proceed gently and gradually and not trigger any sharp pain.

I also told him that within the last 2 months, I have taken 2 courses of antibiotics prescribed by my family doctor for UTI and vaginal infection and am now on my 3rd course. I have not had these 2 types of infection for over 15 years but have been troubled by them quite persistently recently. Swabs have shown presence of bacteria, hence the third course of antibiotics. The OS said my immune system might have been weakened and said I should continue with the antibiotics. He said that right now, I am not exhibiting any sign or symptom of prosthesis infection.

Apart from the above (and the occasional bouts of back spasms - but that is a different matter), I am going about my daily activities as normal.
My Range of Motion is almost full.
My operated leg is slightly rotated outwards, but I am not unduly concerned.
The OS said my leg length difference is minimal.
I have been trying to take off the 6 pounds I have put on since the surgery, and I need to strengthen my leg muscles.
The OS said it was ok for me to travel to Australia next week and said he would see me next year.

This forum has helped me a lot during my recovery and I provide the above information in the hope that it may help others who are experiencing similar issues.

 

[Jaycey]

Thanks for the update @Boofit ! At only 5 months out you have really made great progress. I know it might seem at a snails pace. But your persistence has been great.

Enjoy your trip to Australia! Be sure and get up and walk around during the flight. Flight socks are recommended.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Happy to hear from you Boofit.
You will soon be on your way to visit your daughter, have a wonderful trip and you will do just fine.
Sometimes top of my thigh hurts when I walk too much but overall I'm pretty much back to normal (not that I was ever normal to start)!
Enjoy and let us know all about your trip when you return.

 

[Layla]

Sorry you're struggling with a few issues. I hope all clears up and you're able to enjoy the time with your daughter in peace and comfort.
Safe travels and Happy Five Month Anniversary!
@Boofit