THR Boofit's recovery in Hong Kong

[Layla]

You’re doing well, Boofit! Congrats on transitioning with the assistive devices, losing them one by one. You’ve kept a nice journal of your progress to reflect back upon also. I wish I would have documented my recovery better than I did. The memory of it fades over time and in reading so many stories of others.
You’re doing it right…slow and steady. Have a wonderful week!
@Boofit

 

[Boofit]

It is good to have this community for feed back though isn’t it?
Your doing fantastic and don’t worry about your scar. It’s a badge of how strong you are. It will be fantastic to have the pool when your ready for strengthening those muscles.

Thank you Lyla. I haven't seen my scar yet! It is still covered in the hospital waterproof dressing that I came home with.

Have been doing lots of protection preparation work before each shower I take: First wrap the upper part of the left leg around with cling film and seal the upper edges and lower edges with tape. Then use a trash bag (with both ends cut) to go over head and wear like a mini skirt (stuck to the waist with tape (so as to minimize water seeping into the cling film whilst I am washing my hair or upper body.
I shower standing up, but wash my hair with head down (like one would do over a sink). Hubby installed strong handrails onto the walls, and initially I would hold onto these rails whilst he washed my hair for me. But now I can stand quite well, so I wash my hair myself. I wash my upper body, arms and other parts (ahem) myself, but hubby still helps me wash my feet and especially my toes!
I guess there are probably easier ways, but this has become our afternoon routine ever since I got home!

And YES! As you so rightly put it - it is so good to have this community for feed back and support!!

My ribs front and back hurt so bad it pushed me into using walls and furniture.

Oh dear! So sorry to hear that you are having this sort of pain. Would taking painkillers help? I read on your thread that you have cut back on the pain meds, maybe not cut back so much?
Do be careful using walls though. Take it slow and steady....

 

[Boofit]

You’re doing well, Boofit! Congrats on transitioning with the assistive devices, losing them one by one. You’ve kept a nice journal of your progress to reflect back upon also.

Thank you Layla! Especially for the support you and others have provided in this forum!

I think my non-operated hip will probably need surgery some day, and am hoping this record and the kind support of strangers on this forum will help me on my recovery journey (as it is doing now). It is so good to be able to learn from and support and exchange experiences with others who have gone through the same type of surgery. Each of our recovery paths are unique I know, but we can all connect with others on this forum and draw strength in some way from others who have walked or are walking a similar path.

 

[Boofit]

My post-op orthopaedic appointment is this Friday. I need to get to the hospital (a big teaching hospital) for Xrays in the morning before the appointment so that the doctors can see the xrays when I walk into my appointment in the afternoon.

It will be a long day, with a lot of walking within the hospital so I have booked a wheelchair cab for 8 hours. The cab will pick me up at 9, then the drive to the hospital will be 60 to 90 minutes. I will then walk to the Xray department (will take me 20 minutes I guess from alighting to arriving) and the Xrays plus wait will take about an hour or so. Thereafter I will have about 2 hours or so to kill before my appointment, so the cab will be on standby to take me to a place for lunch and then back to the hospital again for the appointment with the doctor.

Why not drive? Because parking for visitors is very limited in the hospital and there are not many places to park nearby. Plus, the car we are using now is a MX5 roadster, which has low bucket seats.
Why not take an ordinary taxi? Because sometimes one may need to stand for a long time in a queue to wait for a taxi.
Why not Uber? Well, ubers also take time to arrive
So have decided to pamper myself and book a driver and car for the day It will cost me HK$1800. Wondering if there is such a service in the UK, US or elsewhere?

 

[Layla]

Wow! Big day ahead on Friday. I’ll bet you’ll be a bit tired by the time you get home.
I’m not sure if we have the same type of service in the US. I do know there are shared ride type services for the handicapped usually in a smaller type bus that would accommodate wheelchairs.

I hope you have a pleasant visit with your OS. Receiving confirmation that all looks as it should at those first post op visits and the reassurance that you’re doing well, is such an encouragement. Very uplifting in my opinion. Best Wishes for a great appointment.
@Boofit

 

[Klassy]

It will be a long day, with a lot of walking within the hospital so I have booked a wheelchair cab for 8 hours.

You are very wise. As always, I am impressed with your methodical and determined approach to your recovery.

I enjoyed keeping a thread/diary of Hip 1. Mostly for the chance to vent! And to get the unfailing support of the lovely people on here. But I too thought it would be helpful in preparing for Hip 2 if and when that needed replacing. The funny thing is that once I was signed up for Hip 2, I couldn’t bring myself to look at my own thread, even though I knew it was all fine in the end! I just had a vague recollection that recovery had a rough start and preferred not to think about it.

So it wasn’t useful in that way, but it did keep me entertained post Hip 2 in comparing my two recoveries.

 

[Boofit]

Week 3 update

It's day 21 since my surgery (left total hip replacement, lateral approach).

Sleep-wise: still sleeping on my back (with the help of LOTS of pillows of various sizes) for around 7 hours each night divided into 2 or 3 segments. Still using a pillow in between my knees and a small pillow under the knee of my operated leg. I still need half a tablet of Zoplicone or Valium to start the second or third segment of sleep but I do not need to apply ice during the night.

Walking:Have transitioned to a single crutch and more often a cane with small quadripod base.
Today I walked for around 1.8km (attach my phone's record of this morning's walk) using a single crutch and linking my left arm into my husband's arm. Started off later in the morning, around 9am, and the sun was up. Returned home drenched with sweat (an English friend once told me: Horses sweat and men perspire. But ladies merely glow.) So I was definitely glowing like a blinding torch!!!
But - the shower after the walk was pure bliss

Exercises: Have been continuing with the exercises as described in post #75 above, with gentle small squats (holding onto the walker) and gentle hip abduction moves. Tried to do straight leg raising, but I don't think I am ready yet. I can now raise my left leg to 90 degrees when standing (could do that about 3 days ago).
Don't want to be a member of the ODIC - so taking things slowly, although I am often tempted to do more.

Stretching: my quads and hip muscles are still tight but not as tight as before...

Swelling, Pain and Bruising:
The swelling in my hip is decreasing day by day, but is not totally gone, so there is still a lump at my hip.The bruising in my hip is fading fast.
I have pain in my right shoulder (rotator cuff and having to bear weight on right arm when using crutch or stick).
There is a spot in my butt (right in the middle of my gluteus maximus it seems) that hurts. Just started a couple of days ago, and I am sitting on an ice-gel pack now as I am typing up this report!
The pain inside my (operated) left hip joint is no longer there. The grinding clicking feelings have disappeared. I am now more aware of the pain inside my right hip joint. I think sometime later I may need a THR for that hip too. But when that time comes I won't be so apprehensive I guess.

Medication:
AM still taking
Paracetamol 1000mg three times a day
Celebrex once a day
Lyrica once a day

Tried to stop the Lyrica a couple of days ago, but the pain levels went back up, so decided not to be a sucker for pain and I think I will continue with the above regime for another week or so.

That said, I have started having gastric pains in the middle of the night. It is a mild dull ache. I take antacids for it and also try not to eat too much at dinner time. I am wondering if it is caused by the Paracetamol that I am taking and am thinking that maybe I will experiment cutting out the mid day dose....

 

[Boofit]

After surgery I noticed that my foot still turned outward somewhat. I raised the concern again when I next saw my OS and was told it would slowly ease, which it did.

it's most likely your external rotators, which means the external hip muscles externally rotate your hip.

@CricketHip My leg is still externally rotated somewhat, and when I walk, my left foot tends to point outwards. It does seem to be slowly improving. At least I have noticed that my pelvis is not so rotated as last week. Hopefully it will slowly ease as @Layla said.

 

[CricketHip]

It should continue to ease up. It’s one of those things where one day you will notice improvement and you can’t really remember when it happened!
You are still very early in your recovery, but you are off to a very good start.
You seem to be doing quite a bit of exercises. Please remember this BoneSmart tidbit:

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

 

[Layla]

It’s one of those things where one day you will notice improvement and you can’t really remember when it happened!

I agree with this, because it’s what happened in my case. I was bothered just as you, Boofit, thinking HE (surgeon) told me surgery would correct this. Well, I thought that meant right away, but apparently not. Once reassured at a post op appt. I trusted, let it go and kind of forgot about it. Then just as CricketHip noted, one day I realized it was normal again. I believe you’ll notice the same in time.

 

[Boofit]

It should continue to ease up. It’s one of those things where one day you will notice improvement and you can’t really remember when it happened!

Thank you @CricketHip ! Will also take care not to join the ODIC so am taking it slow and steady...

 

[Boofit]

Then just as CricketHip noted, one day I realized it was normal again. I believe you’ll notice the same in time.

I am noticing small improvements so I believe like you @Layla , i will one day wake up and realise my leg is normal again!! Thank you for your encouragement on this forum!!!

 

[Boofit]

Today was another good day. I woke up feeling refreshed - slept well (almost 8 hours) last night albeit in a semi-reclined position propped up with big cushions and lots of pillows and with the aid of half a tablet of zoplicone. Did not wake up with back ache. Woke up raring to go on my morning walk. Hubby was still in deep slumber though, so waited another hour or so before he was finally awoken by my stirrings

Using a single crutch I walked for 2.4k (at a slower pace than yesterday). The distance is according to the Samsung Health app on my Samsung phone. According to the WALKING program in the app, I did 3490 steps. But the phone only counted 2506 steps in total. Go figure
Back home, had my shower, and am now icing with my coffee and bottle of Coke Zero
Have a craving for chunky peanut butter and saltines as well, so will go get some.
Life is good............

 

[Snoopy55]

Happy for you! Nothing like a good nights sleep to feel refreshed and ready to take on the day! Its pouring here in DC and I am getting ready for bed as you are starting on your coffee. Enjoy!

 

[Boofit]

Happy for you! Nothing like a good nights sleep to feel refreshed and ready to take on the day! Its pouring here in DC and I am getting ready for bed as you are starting on your coffee. Enjoy!

So true.....

We had many days of rain and thunderstorms in the first half of June, but the sun is out now, and weather is lovely! It is so easy to be grateful for a beautiful day, isn't it? - hoping the rains in DC disperse soon!

“After the rain, the sun will reappear. There is life. After the pain, the joy will still be here.” – Walt Disney

 

[Snoopy55]

Good morning Boofit! I am staying up late a bit and I am sure you are already up and about. My daughters are both in England at the moment. They just landed at Luton airport which I had never heard of lol. One is on her way to Stanstead airport to catch another flight to Marakesh and the other one is staying in London for 10 days to work remotely and then go to Portugal. I do miss traveling! I am feeling better everyday though so hopefully soon.

The rains are gone now in DC but there is a storm of demonstrations happening since the supreme court decision today:( Its a real shame. Anyway glad your'e doing well and you are having lovely weather as well. Be well and keep us abreast of your recovery.

 

[Boofit]

Had a long day yesterday, Went to my first post-op appointment.

The wheelchair van that I had booked picked me up at 9 in the morning and we arrived at the Prince of Wales Hospital shortly before 10am for my XRays. The wait wasn't too bad, and by 10:45 we were on the way to the Jockey Club for Brunch. Except for getting onto and climbing down from the Xray bed, I remained in my wheelchair because it was padded with cushions and at a higher level than the waiting chairs and benches.

After a long brunch (and eating a LOT throughout - it was the first time since my surgery that we had eaten in a restaurant so I ordered quite a lot of food), we returned to the hospital for my 2:15pm appointment.
Lots of patients and accompanying people (us included) milling around, and we settled in for a long wait.

This is the Hong Kong public health system. In my view it is good, and costs next to nothing, and that is why there is often a long wait and a lot of people. There are a number of doctors from the team in attendance and who one gets to see depends on the luck of the draw usually. There are some brilliant doctors (and of course there are some couldn't-care-less ones too), it depends on how lucky one is.
And I have been lucky - throughout my many years with this Orthopaedic Sports Injury and Trauma team, I have met many caring doctors, a few EXCELLENT doctors and only one that I was sorely disappointed in.

I guess these doctors all have heavy case loads, and it helps if the patient comes in well prepared with an account of progress (or not) in condition, and a list of questions the patient wants to ask rather than sit there in front of the doctor and only then think about what questions to ask.

Anyway, my turn finally came around 3:40pm, and hallelujah!!! it was Professor Kevin Ho, my OS, whom I got to see. I used a cane and walked into the consultation room.
Maybe that was the reason why the wait was so long - that my OS wanted to follow-up on his work!

He took away the dressing that had been there since the surgery (never got it wet because I took good precautions every shower). The incision was beautiful! Less than 4 inches and BEAUTIFULLY healed. I attach a photo taken immediately after the dressing was removed.

I also attach the Xray of my left hip with the prosthesis inserted.

I told Prof Ho about the lack of medication (only 1 week was prescribed upon my discharge from hospital), he did not say anything except to remark that most patients would have pain for a few weeks so would need medication. He prescribed the requisite painkillers and set the next appointment for 3 weeks later. He was a bit taken aback when I told him I had walked 2.4km the day before. Told me there were no restrictions except not to get into the Figure of Four crossed leg position and told me to apply cream or lotion over the dried skin at the scar region. Overall he seemed pleased with progress.
Oh, he also told me that I could get into the low bucket seat of my MX5!!! So I will be looking forward to going for a spin (as a passenger with hubby driving) soon...

 

[Layla]

Great news @Boofit Thanks for sharing an update. Your scar looks good. You must have been anxious to see your incision after three weeks. It sounds like you had a nice visit with the OS and hopefully you enjoyed getting out for the day.
Happy Weekend!

 

[Boofit]

My daughters are both in England at the moment. They just landed at Luton airport which I had never heard of lol.

@Snoopy55, I have only been to Heathrow and Gatwick in all my travels to London. I do love travelling to London, and have been there many times. Many years ago I bought a flat in Hampstead and my husband and I used to fly out to London for long weekends and stayed there. I sold it about 10 years ago and our visits to London have diminished as well.

Like you, I do miss travelling and am hoping that the Covid situation improves in Hong Kong. Right now, there is a 7 day mandatory quarantine in a hotel requirement for everyone who arrives in Hong Kong, residents included. And it is next to impossible trying to book a quarantine hotel, according to newspaper reports, especially since it is the summer holiday period and many overseas students are returning home to visit family.

The rains are gone now in DC but there is a storm of demonstrations happening since the supreme court decision today:(

Yes, I have been following this since the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v Wade decision. I guess this will now be an issue in any federal or state campaign. I hope the demonstrations that are happening where you are are peaceful. Stay safe Snoopy55!

The good weather in Hong Kong is continuing. It is quite hot outside though, in the high mid nineties if you are using fahrenheit.

Last night I was awakened by sharp pains in my hip. Perhaps it was caused by too much sitting in the wheelchair? Could one become a member of the ODIC simply by sitting too much? Anyway, roundabout the same time I started feeling gastric pains as well. Got up to walk around a bit and finally lay down icing the hip. The ice gel pack provided some relief from the pain. Took half a zoplicone and finally fell asleep.

 

[Boofit]

Walked 1.4km today using one axillary crutch. Felt absolutely ok this morning.

No pain, except the incision site feels warm to the touch and it's 3 weeks. It is not red and doesn't look inflamed at all, only warm to the touch over that area. Did anyone else have this I wonder?