Bilateral THR Both Sides NOW!

[djklaugh]

First PT session was very good - I like the gal alot - kind, gentle but firmly encouraging. She said I am doing quite well though the glutes and quads need strengthening .... well I knew that ;) She tweaked my exercises and said after I get the all clear from my OS swimming or water aerobics would probably help a lot. She thinks I might have a bit of a pelvic tilt - xrays next week should show if that is the case. But it does not appear that I have an leg length difference problems!! As for the crutch vs cane issues - she said use what I was most comfortable with - and walk without aid as much as I can around the house.

Between the exercises old and new - she put me through all my current ones and added 4 new ones (but deleted some of the old ones - the easy ones) - plus all the walking required to get from parking to PT office and back and a stop at the grocery store on the way home ...... I'm pooped! So I'm off to dream land early tonight I think I'll have my friends IBL and IBR sleep with me tonight (ice bag left and ice bag right)

Mary Jane - I agree! I would not do it any other way - I'm delighted to hear that you are doing well 7 months down the line:yes 4: It is so encouraging to hear from folks further along in this recovery process!

laurilf - the way I look at it - it took me several years for my hips to get so bad i needed surgery .... and 6-8 more months to actually get into to the OR. During all that time I was getting less and less active so my muscles were getting more and more out of shape - and my gait was getting more and more off kilter. So I figure it's going to take quite a while to get everything shaped up again - and at my age I do not expect to get back to how I was in my 20s and 30s! As for feeling normal .... what's that? I am thrilled that I am feeling way better than I did before surgery! 7 weeks ago daily pain that was usually at level 6 on the 1-10 scale with spikes up to about a 9 (despite taking narcotics and other pain meds) and frustration and not being able to move were "normal" for me - I like the new "normal" - and it's getting better and better every day.

 

[DallasSarah]

Hi Deb,

That's a great update...I'm glad you liked your new PT lady and it went well.

Hope you rest well tonight!

xxooxx

 

[Poppet]

Great post Deb, you are doing so fantastically well, you so deserve it
Lots of love xx

 

[djklaugh]

The new exercises from PT are definitely helping!! There is one where I put a stretchy big elastic wrap (tied end to end to make a circle) around both feet ( lol actually getting it on the feet without breaking the 70 degree rule or other hip precautions is exercise in and of itself) and then slide legs out to the side as far as possible - it pulls and stretches and tugs on things I didn't remember I had :th_heehee:

BUT I went up and down the basement stairs normally 7 times yesterday, went to Home Depot (huge warehouse hardware store for those who aren't familiar with it) to get some replacement light fixtures in prep for electrician's visit today, stopped at the grocery store, scrubbed furnace filters, did 2 loads of laundry - and had nary an ache or a pain to show for it! And at home I'm walking without any aids at all. While I do take a security crutch with me when I go out I think it's more psychological than actually physically necessary. It also is a visual warning to others to give me some extra space:th_heehee: When I see the OS on Wednesday I think I'll take it along but carry it in to his corridor over my shoulder like a rifle :hysterical:

And finally today I got my new hearing aids - boy have I been missing out on sounds and noises!!! As I was driving home after picking them up ( I did remember to turn the volume down on my car radio before starting the car - other wise I might have blasted my ear drums) one of the roads I take home goes along a train track - and today for the first time that I remember there was actually a train going down the track - boy was that noisy!!! I almost took out the hearing aids it was so loud but told myself - this is how normal people experience the world - get use to it! I can now hear kitty purrs from across the room - can hear how loud my microwave is and hear the ding when it's finished cooking - can hear my wind chimes again - and won't be blasting my housemate's ears with the TV any more .....

 

[Jen]

Deb, thanks for providing so much detail! As a fellow bilat it is so helpful to see how you've progressed and get a feel for how things might go for me. No walking aids already? You are amazing.

 

[Jaycey]

Well done Deb! Sounds like real progress. Love the image of you and that crutch.

It must have been quite an experience suddenly being able to hear again! Wow - think what you have been missing.

Do let us know how your OS appointment goes.

 

[MamaTaft]

Great news! I'm three months post Bilateral THR as of tomorrow. I've really only been functioning at a relatively normal activity level for about two weeks now- before that I could do lots of things but got tired very quickly. Sounds like you're healing well though- hang in there! It gets so much better- and now that I'm past the really nasty parts of recovery- it was SOOOO worth it to do them both at once!!!

 

[djklaugh]

Had my visit with OS today (and yes I did walk down the hall with his assistant with my cane over my shoulder - she asked if I was showing off - and I admit that yes I was a bit - but that I did not need aids at home) and saw the x-rays of my new hips - wow they sure are pretty pictures :biggrin: both lined up nice and straight - OS says the placement is "perfect". Heehee he thinks very highly of his skills - and so do I. He had me do a couple of things - like leaning backwards while standing and pointed out (and I do remember this very well!) that prior to surgery I could NOT stand up straight much less bend backwards! And now I can lean backwards at least far enough to look at the ceiling and see the wall behind me :yes 4: LOL I'll never be acrobatically inclined so no back flips or bending backwards to put hands on the floor - but I can almost put hands on the floor bending forward from a sitting position - OS says that breaking the 70 degree rule OK as long as the feet and knees are turned outward but never never never do it with feet turned inward. I can now get my left sock on and off without the Sock Aid - and the right one is getting close - a little more work needed to stretch and strengthen those muscles. He was pretty pleased with my progress and said I'm cleared for swimming, sit down baths, etc. He also said to stick with PT "for as long as they'll have you". He also said I do not need to see him again unless there is a problem - but I can call for an appointment any time I want to. My HMO participates in a national data base about joint replacements so I'll be getting x-rayed once a year for a while then every 2 years for a while with the results going to the national data base for research and tracking how well hard ware is holding up. Amazing - 7 weeks post op and I'm discharged already! This LOL (little old lady) was LOLing (laughing out loud) all the way home.

 

[Poppet]

Hello Deb

Just catching up with everyone's progress...

What a wonderful OS report, I can just hear the laughing way over here in OZ .

Isn't it a good feeling to go stick less ! I actually get so much 'stick' from the young techo guys at work... they keep cracking me up with their antics and comments. - they are wonderfully supportive!

I am so thrilled that you have the surgery for both hips well behind you now - wow, seven whole weeks.. Time does fly... I am getting ready to schedule #2 quite soon!

Lots of love, missed your fun emails ?

Big hugs ((( h ))) Sandy

 

[dianemarie]

Great Report! You are doing wonderfully! Keep up the good work.

diane

 

[DallasSarah]

Hello Deb,

Yes you show off YOU! Hahahahahaha LOVE it!!

Congratulations on your OS visit you have always been one of my "Rock Stars" your recovery has been quite fabulous....

Wishing you continued success and lots of love!

xxooxx

 

[Jaycey]

Great followup visit Deb! You are good to go - get on with life!

Don't worry about the sock thing. You will get there. Thanks for the update!

 

[djklaugh]

Thanks Sarah, Sandy, Jaycey - I sure do appreciate the kind thoughts and support.

I have been feeling so well and doing so well I (almost) feel guilty - particularly when reading what some other folks are going through! It's not like I was in terrific physical shape before surgery - not like some of the truly athletic and active folks we have here at BoneSmart. I had a sedentary job before I retired - computer and phone work and I've never been much into exercising though back in my 30s I went to Jazzercise regularly for several years and loved it. Losing weight helped I think (I lost about 40lbs in 18 months prior to surgery just by really watching what I ate - not really dieting as such just being careful) I think I just got very very lucky! Not only with my surgeon - having HMO insurance and no extra $$ to go outside that system - I only had a couple of doctors to choose from but my general practice doctor said Dr Toal is the surgeon he would have operate on his family or himself if he ever needed such surgery. While he is a bit abrupt and not of the "warm and fuzzy" persuasion he is very thorough and from what I can tell so far he is an excellent surgeon (and yes I did research him and his credentials are impeccable) . My HMO also strives to do everything they can to educate patients before surgery and are super conscientious about infection control - my OS told me at the Wednesday visit they have not had a post op infection on the orthopedic service in over 3 years! Pain management has been excellent - though honestly I have not had much pain since about week 4 or 5. Certainly nothing like what I had before surgery! Mostly the aches and twinges I get from doing exercises or over doing daily activities are gone after a good night's sleep. I'm fortunate to have a body and skin that heals easily - and I experienced that after previous surgeries I've had too. And I'm generally not very prone to getting sick - I was told at one time when I donated blood that I have strong blood cell walls so they loved to have me donate as my blood freezes well. Don't know if that has anything to do with not getting sick very often ,,,, Plus of course I have had great support from my cousin, housemate, neighbors,friends, home health PT, and all of the BoneSmart community!

I sincerely wish that my "story" and relatively easy recuperation was the norm - I would urge anyone reading this to NOT compare yourself to me - just compare you to you - are you doing better - even just a little bit - than you were yesterday or last week? Are you doing better than before surgery - even if you're not as far along as you'd like? Are you doing what your doctor(s) have asked you to do - and physical therapists if you are getting PT? Be gentle with yourself, reward your self for reaching goals, keep positive, upbeat, encouraging folks around you, find occasions to laugh .... and socialize..... and cry, too if you feel the need. Down days come along for most everyone - even those who have not recently had major surgery!

I had another PT session today - more tweaking of the exercises - drop the easy ones, add harder ones .... gee ya think there's a pattern here? :th_heehee: I apparently have 2 PTs - the gal I saw last week and her assistant - also a very nice gal! It will be an early night for me tonight - for some reason the cats were clomping all over me last night - don't know if there was some strange critter outside or it they were just having kitty fits but they wanted attention in the middle of the night ..... :DOH: So I did not get as much sleep as I wanted .... :sleepz: TGIF you all! Hope you have a fun and restful weekend

 

[ozagility]

Hi Deb,
Great to read how your progressing, your thoughts and recollections of your first post op days/weeks are particularly helpful as I too recently underwent bi lateral total hip replacement on the 14th December 2011(a week after you) so I am now 6 weeks post op. I am happy with my progress, went back to work - office job 2 weeks ago and now managing to walk around without a walking cane. It did take me 3 weeks before I was comfortably able to walk up the 14 stairs to my bedroom so spent the first weeks sleeping downstairs on a borrowed single bed. Another week and I shall attempt to drive my manual shift car, after I have the follow up consult with my surgeon. So far so good, no pain, just a bit of stiffness especially first thing in the morning. Can't wait to be given the ok to sleep on my side again.
Look forward to reading more on this forum
cheers Sue - Sydney Australia
aged 54 Bilateral THR
Titanium pinnacle co-rail hardware with ceramic liners.

 

[Poppet]

Hi Sue from Sydney.. Welcome to BS from another Aussie..

You are doing wonderfully well, who was your OS in Sydney? And which hospital did you go to?

Looking forward to hearing more from you, have you started your own thread? .

 

[djklaugh]

Welcome to BoneSmart Sue!!! It's great to meet another BTHR - and I'm thrilled to hear you are doing so well! Yes please do start your own thread here on the recovery side - I'd love to hear more about your experiences.

 

[DallasSarah]

Hi Deb,

That was really a nice post! Don't feel guilty I think that's the beauty of this forum it good to see all the different types of recoveries. You really have been a huge motivation and an incredible support not only to myself I'm sure to others....plus I'm sure there are many people who read this and do not join the forum, and find super helpful! Hope this doesn't sound cheesy my heart is bigger reading some of the tough challenging stories, if I hadn't found this website I would have thought I was the only person in my age group, in Dallas having my hip replaced well DUH little did I know eh..........we have a fabulous group of personalities!

I'm happy you are doing so well.

xxooxx

 

[ozagility]

Hi Sandy from Canberra,
Thanks for your encouragement, and from a fellow Aussie too.
I think I will start my own thread, though much of my progress is similar to Deb's. Always good for others who come after us to read, good and bad progressions, I remember a few months before my own surgery I was searching for as much info as possible. I have so many other peoples threads to read still and it makes interesting reading, so reassuring to know there are lots of others who have made it to the other side.
cheers Sue - Sydney Australia

 

[ozagility]

Hi Deb,
Thanks for the welcome, and for suggesting I start my own thread re my own experiences. I didn't want to tread on any ones toes so wasn't sure how all the postings worked. Basically I feel the more accounts from various aged people, reasons for THR etc, the more info/reassurance for others to read who have yet to under go their own surgeries. I think many of our first 6 week experiences will be similar from what I have read of your thread, especially since our BiTHR's are only a week apart.
Sue - Sydney Australia

 

[Poppet]

Hi Deb

Had to go searching for you hon!

How are you going?

Thinking of you and sending big hugs and lots of love xxxx