Bilateral THR Both Sides NOW!

[Poppet]

Hiya Deb, sitting in the truck on the way back to the city, rocking and rolling from side to side, wishing the pain and discomfort would all go away... and we are only 10 mins into the trip.. I am just concentrating on how good I will feel when the car stops... Wait, hahaha ! like I said 10 mins into the trip and we have just stopped at the next village bakery... ooohhhh I am bad!

Tomorrow will be better Deb, rest now, hope you get some sleep and feel better when you wake up.... lol Sandy

 

[djklaugh]

Thank you all for your support (sbro), (Jamie), (Sarah), (Janet), (Sandy) - I sincerely appreciate it!

Today IS a better day - got to sleep until about 7am (funny cats - some days it's Odark30 when they want to be fed, other days it's a much more reasonable hour) - my house cleaner is here and it will be so nice to have the house put back in order! Ahhhhh clean sheets, clean bathroom, clean kitchen, no cat hair on the rugs ...... such a blessing :yes 4: Did a round of the new standing exercises the PT discharged me with - they went better than the first time I did them so muscles seem to be limbering up a bit. Still have achy/stretchy feeling with any kind of side leg lift or slide but given how bad it was before surgery I guess that is normal. LOL back last spring I say GYN for routine exam - and the Nurse Practitioner I saw had a difficult time doing the exam cuz those old hips just would NOT "assume the position" .... I think next exam should be much easier on everyone ;)

My neighbor and her daughter (age 9) brought my meds last night - they had combined the trip to the pharmacy with one of their Mother-Daughter evenings out ..... she is such a good Mom and Ruby is a very bright, engaging young lady! I do so appreciate their help - I am hoping by summer time I will be able to do some reciprocating - at least have them over for a Deb cooked meal
!

Well onward and upward - I maybe more tortoise than hare ...... but after all the tortoise DID win that race

 

[Poppet]

And so we all will Deb

It is so interesting on the forum to read about the goals each of us have. I find it so encouraging, makes me want to spread my wings and do more Sandy

 

[djklaugh]

Well, yesterday I was naughty - heehee - I've been getting a severe case of cabin fever lately as I have not been out of this house (except for one trip to an audiology appointment for new hearing aids and a couple of brief sidewalk excursions) in over a month! Plus my car has not been started in over a month and being a Prius it needs it batteries recharged on a regular basis - well, don't we all!
So even though I have not been "officially" cleared to drive, I showered, put on real clothes (as opposed to the pjs I've been wearing), carefully clomped down my front steps, and drove to the grocery store, did my errands, drove home and clomped back up the front stairs. I was very cautious and did not break my hip precautions - total excursion about 20 minutes and 2 miles of driving ..... lol many things can be obtained over the internet these days - or kind friends and neighbors will make trips to the store for me ..... but somethings ya just gotta get for your self - like cash ..... and lottery tickets

It felt so good to be out and about .... though I was tired when I got home and took a 3 hour nap

Over all I am doing well - have progressed to getting around with only one crutch ... with some trials at no crutch at all - like taking 3-4 steps across my kitchen, and those few steps were pain free and without limp!!!! Although I am still not sleeping in my own bed, I have gone upstairs a couple of times just to reacquaint myself with my bedroom .... and scavenge for more clothes..... and check for any kitty messes. I also did most of the laundry a few days ago - but 3 trips down and up were about 2 trips too many and I was achy and sore the next day. Thankfully housemate Eric was willing to finish the laundry for me and brought the clean things upstairs.

On Wednesday 1/4 I go in for my first post-op visit and hopefully will be released from all or most of my restrictions ..... then on to out patient PT and muscle strengthening ..... I'm already making plans with friends for some out-of-house excursions

Wishing all of my BoneSmart friends a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2012!!

 

[DallasSarah]

Naughty Deb!

I won't tell! I finally had done the drive yesterday and went to the store it felt good didn't it . So you cheated by a few days, I'm sure your restrictions will be lifted and that's only next week! Its amazing how quickly you have moved around ever since your surgery. Love!! I'm sure that felt good to get out the cabin fever phase which is horrible. I'm lucky because the week before dr's I have a beautiful new park attached to my community apartment and it's amazing, and with the Dallas weather being good I think those long walks helped me.

I'm amazed how you also tackle your stairs, I'm still a novice. I think by you gaining confidence doing them that it's also become an excellent source of strength for you!! I need to practice on my stair wells not today though!

Good luck with your lottery tickets hehehehehe! Have a great evening!

xxooxx

 

[Josephine]

tsk tsk!

 

[Poppet]

Happy New Year Deb, it must be close to midnight for you?

 

[djklaugh]

Didn't do much celebrating for New Years - my housemate (who had to be on call via telecommuting for his work though at 2 1/2 times his usual rate of pay he didn't complain too much) and I each had 1/2 of a small glass of champagne and toasted the new year - and I went to bed early.

But today I took a walk outside as I wanted to start the year right - and it is a rare sunny winter day in Oregon. I was able to walk about 100 yards plus down and up the front stairs. It felt so good to be out in the sunshine and fresh air .... no pain but I was tired when I came back into the house. Mentally tired too as I was concentrating hard on standing straight, heel-toe gait, "cracking walnuts", and watching carefully where I stepped - the side walk out front is not without it's hazards ;)

The swelling in my legs seems to have subsided and the bruised look of my right leg and foot has pretty much vanished :yes 4: Each time I do my standing exercises they are easier to get through and I've progressed from doing 10 reps to doing 15 reps.

On Wednesday I will have my first post-op visit though I think it is with the OS's PA rather than surgeon himself - I have an appointment with him on 1/25. Hopefully I will be officially released for driving and ending restrictions

Blessings for a very healthy, happy and prosperous 2012 to each and everyone of the BoneSmart crew!!!

 

[Jamie]

How about that, Deb......"normal life" is starting to creep back in for you!!! Here's hoping you get a great report from the doc.

 

[Poppet]

Hi Deb

You are making wonderful progress, I am thrilled for you.

Good luck with your appointment, will be waiting to hear good news xx

 

[djklaugh]

Busy day - got woken up at 6:30am by M'Toulin (biggest of my 2 Maine Coon cats and resident greedy guts) who had her whiskers up my nose and her forepaws busily doing kneading biscuits on my stomach - in her royal furness's opinion it was breakfast time NOW. So up and fed cats, emptied dishwasher, fed self, read newspaper, did all the crossword puzzles, read my book for a while, went down stairs to get more bath towels, took a shower and dressed then off to first post op visit with my neighbor Laura.

My OS's PA (physician's assistant) was very pleased with my progress - incisions are healing well but she said no sit down baths yet - "wait another couple of weeks until there's no pink at all around them" - she also said it's officially OK for me to drive !!!!! Yee haw!!

My appointment with OS is on 1/25 and xrays will be taken then.

On the way home Laura and I stopped to pick up sandwiches for me, Laura and her little boy (my treat!!!) .... and when we went up my front steps I actually went up normally - not one step at a time (albeit using crutches and railing for support)!!!

Right now I'm feeling tired buy not sore - lol tiredness in part from being woken up too early I'm sure. So it's off for a nap ..... on days like this I am quite glad I'm retired and do not have to worry about getting ready to return to work ....... and my sympathies and sincere prayers go out to all having to deal with those issues!

 

[Josephine]

her royal furness

:hysterical:

 

[DallasSarah]

Hehehehehe love the the way you were woke up this morning!,

Congratulations Deb, your Dr's visit went really well. Great news!

Maine coon cats are the best, the traditional Garfield's of the world! My friend has 2 beautiful, lots of personality too.

Happy healing......

xxooxx

 

[Poppet]

Fantastic report Deb, you have done brilliantly well.. We are all so proud of you

Don't know how you train those :cat-kittyandsmiley: to wake you up at a more reasonable time.

So pleased for you Deb.. Keep truckin girl :yes 4:

 

[Tylie]

Well done Deb, sounds like you're making real progress, especially being able to drive again which must feel brilliant. I'm a bit confused about when I can drive as the physio at the hospital said 6 weeks but the consultant said that it needn't be as long as that without specifying when and the physio I am now dealing with at home has said 8-10 weeks! Without being disrespectful I'm going to disregard the 8-10 weeks as my home physio hasn't dealt with anyone who's had both hips done at once and seems to be very cautious about the whole thing -although extremely kind and very professional.Problem is that I'm not due to have my 1st post-op consultation with my consultant until 12 weeks after the op. As I'm so close to the 6 weeks and bearing in mind what my consultant said before, I'm tempted to give it a go now but feel a bit like a naughty school child!

How is your walking getting on? Are you able to get around without the crutches?(sorry about all the questions!). I can in the house but I'm not sure if its ok to do it so am tending to use one crutch. I haven't been able to do any outside walking though as the weather sounds a bit like yours - for the last couple of weeks its just been lots of rain with gale force winds but its better today so I'm hoping to go for my 1st proper walk this afternoon.Still a bit breezy but I think I'll go mad if I don't get some fresh air soon!

Hope you're having a good day after your nap
Best wishes , Tylie

 

[djklaugh]

Tylie - I was told by the PA yesterday that it was OK to drive since I am not taking any narcotics during the day - yeah I got the different time frames from folks I talked to as well. I gather the main concern is the narcotics which can mess up your thinking and your reaction times. But also it may depend on what kind of car you have, whether it is a standard transmission vs automatic, how much leg lifting you have to do to work the pedals properly, etc. I'd suggest practicing getting into and out of the driver's seat a few times and then sitting behind the wheel without starting the car and see how it feels to move your feet and legs through the motions - without breaking your hip precautions :biggrin: I drove myself to an audiology appointment this morning - and was tired but not sore when i got home - it's going to be nappy time this afternoon for sure!

Around the house I mostly am using just one crutch though I have walked across my small ( about 4 steps in any direction) kitchen without using any aid ;) While I am not actually limping when using no aids I do sort of have an odd "sailor's walk" - sort of wide stance with a rolling/rocking side to side gait. Not sure if that is a leg length difference issue or just having been minimally mobile for so long. I do take both crutches along when I go out though just in case I get tired or need more support/balance assistance. I've been able to go up and down stairs normally - alternating feet rather than one step at a time - though I do hang on to the railing and also use crutch to assist with balance when doing that.

Ask any questions that come up for you - I'm happy to let you and anyone else know how and what I'm doing :biggrin:

 

[Tylie]

Thanks Deb, I'm going out to the car tomorrow to give it a go.Sounds as though we're doing pretty much the same thing with the crutches, I've been on one for a while but managed to scare myself last week when I realised that I was in the kitchen and both crutches were in the sitting room-I was speaking to one of my friends and I didn't realise that I was walking without them- a bit like a baby taking its 1st steps !

best wishs , Tylie

 

[Josephine]

I never thought about the narcotics issue until I came on here. Before that the concern was only about being able to drive the car safely - primarily doing an emergency stop. If your leg feels like a wooden log, it's going to be difficult to switch pedals fast whether you have a manual or an automatic.

 

[djklaugh]

Today is my one month anniversary I am quite thrilled and amazed at how far I have come in just this short time - while I was tired and low energy today (and had a nice nap this afternoon) I am feeling quite well over all. I'm still sleeping on the hospital bed in my front room (closer to the bathroom, nice electrical elevating of foot and head of bed helps when I need to get these old legs toes over nose, and no stairs to worry about if I need to get up in the middle of the night - sigh which happens with some regularity) - but next milestone is to try out my own bed - that would be first time in over a year I've slept in it ;)

I am looking forward to starting outpatient PT soon - I've called once and had to leave a message and so far no call back yet - hopefully I'll be able to get in soon for the initial appointment.

My incisions are feeling and looking better each day - and do not hurt much when touched - so hopefully soon I can try sleeping on my side again - this back sleeping is not my cup of tea! I wake up with a horribly dry mouth each morning - combination of meds and snoring I think. Plus sleeping on my back makes it easier for my cats to walk on me - how is it that cats seem to know right where one's bladder is? Oofff - 20 lbs of cat on that area means gotta get up right away!

I'm also not having any more problem with "wooden leg syndrome" - heehee had that for a couple of weeks what with the swelling and tissue damage from surgery - but for past week or so that has not been an issue :yes 4:

Ah my housemate is making pot roast tonight - and it smells fabulous - and smells like it's about done too .... I've been drooling for the past hour or so .....

 

[Poppet]

Hi Deb,

What a wonderfully positive post. You are doing so well. It will be good when you can get to sleep on your side.... I just found as soon as I got off my back I slept a full 8-9 hours, so I don't need to nap any more.

Your hospital bed sounds fantastic, but it will be so good for you to get back into your own bed - good luck with that honey.

Pot roast, Mmmmmmm, sounds wonderful! I can smell it from here, no wait that is the roast chicken we are having...

Lots of love xxxxx