Bilateral THR ByGosh ByGolly ByLateral

[ByGosh]

alexthecat Oh, so that was you thundering around the parking lot when I was trying to sleep late on Sat. morning!


Thank you for the encouragement about my iliopsoas. Although I've been resting - for about 6 weeks now. It's just that whenever I do anything, I must overdo, because it comes back. Just like you said, it gets angry again.
You know, instead of doing 1 errand, I'll do 3. Or I'll bend over to cut my toenails (how dumb is that?). Or decide I'm ok to walk the dogs around the 1/2 mile block for the first time....I finally figured it out after about 3 times of getting better, then doing something, and then getting worse again. Thick headed? I guess.

I just hope that my iliopsoas isn't so P.O'd at me, that it stays mad forever! And I hope it's nothing worse.... and it is just a case of too much too soon...

 

[sandybeach]

@Bygosh I hope you continue to be pain free. Gentle stretches and go slowly, the swimming is maybe the way to go. Kim22, the pool, steam bath and jacuzzi sound all sound so relaxing. Do you do this at a local gym?

 

[Maeve]

ByGosh,
I don't think there would be any better therapy than hydro. I did an hour a day in rehab and found it much more beneficial and easier on the muscles than the daily 1 hour gym. When I left inhouse rehab I went twice a week for a month and again, the hydro was great.
Now I am through the prescribed rehab I am back at my gym and next week intend to make use of their hydro pool!
Only problem is that it's coming on winter and the thought of putting swimmers on at home isn't appealing. Of course the gym is airconditioned and the hydro facility is heated with its own change rooms and showers so I have NO EXCUSE.
Good luck with it. I'll check in through the week and see how you are going.

 

[Littlejem]

Hi ByGosh It's good to finally have a name for your 'problem' and hopefully a secure path to recovery. I really, really hope that things will all now start to turn round and come together for you giving you a happy pain free future, you deserve it.

 

[glynis]

Hi ByGosh

I've just read through your thread for the first time, and am so impressed to find you had bilateral surgery. That sounds like a pretty massive challenge to me. I'm so sorry you haven't reached your happy ending yet.

I thought I had had a couple of lousy throws of the dice with my accident, late onset infection, and 2-stage revision. But I am aware that some things have been on my side, insofar as throughout the whole saga I have never had any real, significant pain.

As I have mentioned before on another thread, my medical knowledge is at about the same level as a reasonably bright 8-year-old. (When you factor in the language barrier after my accident in Peru, you might get some hint of the dizzy surrealistic heights of the conversations I had with my surgeon there.) So I am certainly not qualified to offer any suggestions about the cause of your discomfort.

What I would venture though, is that you have had a true whopper of an operation. Your body does not have the luxury of one "good" side to take the strain for a while, as mine did. Take all the advice from wise experts on the forum, but I wouldn't panic too much just yet. Your body has a massive amount of healing to do. Cut it a bit of slack. And remember there is a grain of truth in the old adage: we're not as young as we used to be.

Very best wishes

Glynis

 

[Kim22]

@Bygosh I hope you continue to be pain free. Gentle stretches and go slowly, the swimming is maybe the way to go. Kim22, the pool, steam bath and jacuzzi sound all sound so relaxing. Do you do this at a local gym?

Hi sandybeach We are members of the Radisson Hotel Leisure Club which has the facilities as well as a gym but I haven't been there since before my operation. The physio has given me the go ahead to use a stationary bike but I don't want to overdo things again so will stick to the pool tomorrow .

 

[Kim22]

Hi ByGosh I am thinking about you and hoping that your pain continues to subside. I agree with Glynis that you will have double the healing to go through and you don't have a good side to help you.Its just going to take time and we cannot hurry it along as much as we would both love to.

 

[sandybeach]

ByGosh June 4th you will be three months since your surgery. I know exactly what you're saying about thinking you can and should be able to do more things now. I was whining on my thread about all the aches and pains I have been feeling, it's like all the muscles in my body are complaining, even my neck was hurting last night. I want to do more. I want to be able to go outside and get down on my knees and get back up and be pain free. I think the swimming pool and if there's a hot tub to soak in and get those muscles limbered up should help a lot. But bottom line like Kim22 said it takes time and we can't hurry time.

 

[Kim22]

sandybeach Today I got down on the floor to get something from a cupboard floor and then realised there wasn't a suitable chair in the room to push up on to get back up up so I had to rely on the old "Downward Dog " to get back up and it was fine.I felt good about that but just wondering if I will be able to get off the floor normally some time in the future.Perhaps someone else further on in this experience can answer that question ?

 

[sandybeach]

Kim22 Isn't it easy to somethings that you have always done before and then think oops. I was out weeding in the flowerbeds a few days ago and found out the same the thing, how am I gonna get up so I used the same technique as you did and it worked out okay too. You have to do what works. How are you doing? Has your muscle pain gotten better?

 

[Kim22]

Thanks for asking sandybeach I hardly dare say it but very slightly better.The muscles of the good leg more sore today but the operated leg is less painful but I don't like to take anything for granted as it could be a different story tomorrow How are you doing ?

 

[ByGosh]

Hello ladies. Maeve, I just posted on your thread about your fabulous upcoming trip, but I would encourage you to try to put those 'swimmers' (we call it a bathing suit) on, even though you have winter now, and venture into the nice, warm pool. You'll be glad you did. And I'm still intrigued that you're having winter, and we're sweltering in 90 degree weather here on the East Coast, USA. But of course, that's my limited geography kicking in, as I realize you're all the way around the world from us and way below the equator. But you still feel like a neighbor to me.

Thanks for the well-wishes Littlejem ! You are such a sweetie. I'm thinking of you, too, and how great you'll be doing in a short time, walking better and no pain. Henry will be beside you every step of the way, as will your hubby. And us, too, of course!

Kim22 You're right, we need to continue on and give our bodies a chance to heal. Although I've done that for quite some weeks now. I look forward to seeing another OS and seeing if he can set my mind at ease. If it's only time that it will, take, I'll be happy.

sandybeach The pool feels great, but today I'm sore again. I don't think I've overdone it, but who knows? Sometimes, it seems like everything is an overdo. I'll have to see about tomorrow. I feel I need to exercise, and what could be gentler than walking in the water, with so little weight, and less stress on the joints? I'm pretty determined to get better, so will do whatever it takes.

glynis How nice of you to come for a visit. Yes, you're absolutely right about having two hips replaced at once - it leaves 'no good leg to stand on'. I've thought of that myself, and wondered if bilaterals are more at risk for issues with healing. I appreciate your perspective and I do believe that this won't last forever. I have a plan how I'm going to proceed, and that gives me a lot of hope. It's a long process, healing from such major surgery, you're correct in saying that, and I'm not so young anymore. :( I've realized that my body is different since the surgery - not just my hips, but my whole body has been affected in some way. It'll take time, but it won't last forever.
I read what you had written previously on your thread. It sounds like quite a challenge having an injury so severe in a foreign country! I bet it makes for some interesting conversation, although with all of your travels, I'm sure there are other adventures you'd rather talk about. And then you had your infection and the revision...that's alot to endure. But you persevered, did very well, and now you're able to offer reassurance to those of us still going through these trials. It's inspiring, really, although I know it's probably making you blush to hear that!

 

[sandybeach]

ByGosh, I know what you mean when you say sometimes it seems that everything is an overdo. I didn't have the bilateral like you did but sometimes it almost seems like it with the muscle pain I sometimes feel. My first leg is strong so I'm thankful for that. I feel like you that this surgery affected my entire body but then again that's what major surgery does and when you have both done it's a double whammy. We will get through this and I'm so glad I have all of the people on this site for support.

 

[clifford149]

Hi ByGosh......firstly I like your new avatar...are they from your garden.....your earlier text suggests you keep overdoing it....its so difficult to get the right balance and having a bilateral is a challenge so good on you for continuing the battle of getting better...thinking of you

 

[ByGosh]

clifford149 Thank you, Clifford. The lovely roses were a Mother's Day gift to me back in May. I believe you have a Mothering Sunday in the UK sometime before Easter? Ours is always a Sunday in May.
And yes, you are absolutely right that it's difficult to get the right balance. I don't want to languish, but it seems whenever I do anything, I always end up back in the same place - on the couch with ice. I hope it can resolve, as it's been going on long enough, as far as I'm concerned.
How are you and Sky doing? I saw your nice picture of the rhubarb from your garden. That plant must return every year for you. How do you prepare it? I would imagine it needs to be cooked with sugar, as it's quite bitter, isn't it? I've never used it myself, although I have eaten some strawberry rhubarb pie when I was a youngster. It was tasty.

 

[Songlady]

ByGosh,sandybeach,glynis, Kim22, Littlejem, Maeve and all - it is SO hard to not overdo, isn't it! I went for a hair appointment today. Well, the hair salon is in a department store, (park, get out of car, walk to store, go through store...) and of course all the displays were different from last time I'd been there, so I had to take a peek..... and I'd been looking for a traditional normal, wicker laundry basket, and the place I thought I could get one was nearby so I drove there (park: out of car again, walk to store, walk through store) and then I remembered something I wanted in order to put together supper, and the grocery store was nearby, so I stopped there (park: out of car again, walk to store, walk through store) and a few months ago I would have considered all that minor! Instead I came home, took a pain med, and napped... after supper Songman asked if I wanted to go for a walk, and I had to tell him I'd already done too much!
ByGosh, I just had another look at Josephine's activity chart, as discussed somewhere else recently... and of course she says that for bilaterals everything is way slowed down from even what I was looking at. It is darned hard to be satisfied with such slow progress; and I wish I could wish away your pain!

 

[djklaugh]

I'm sorry ByGosh (and Songlady and all the other recent graduates to recovery) but hon you are only 3 months out from 2 MAJOR surgeries! Patience is a hard thing to learn (believe me I do know that!) but it is worth learning. In just a few months you will look back on this time period and say to your self "gee that wasn't so long .... and it wasn't really all that bad". I went on a cross country trip 6 months after my BTHR .... but I sure could not have done it at 3 months! And even though I did fine on the trip there were times I did want an afternoon nap ..... but hey I put that down to being 65 rather than having had 2 hip surgeries ;) You young things always in a hurry ..... relax and enjoy the time you have to nap, play with the various pets, amble rather than trot ..... you really are doing great!

 

[ByGosh]

Awww Songlady How sweet you are. I didn't see that post about everything slowed down for bilaterals..but it sure makes sense.
You had a busy day, and accomplished alot! Good for you and so smart to nap afterwards.

I don't think I overdo it, but I guess I must. I'm not using a treadmill for a half-hour a day, or taking mile walks. I'm not taking any walks. I putter around the house, do a few light chores, lay on the couch with ice almost every afternoon. Then I did that gentle pool stuff a few days and whamo! It's the same old story, again. I don't know what to do to make myself better. I rest for weeks, but the minute I get active at all...well you know. I'm still not preparing meals, or shopping, or doing errands. Well, 'nuff said. I'll see someone new next week, and get a different perspective. Either I have something wrong (don't know what) or I really do have some type of major soft tissue inflammation that just isn't going away.

But your such a doll to keep encouraging me. I still have to look up the movie you mentioned yesterday, Quartet. Maybe it's on Redbox now? I'll see what the i-net tells me. Maggie Smith is such a great actress.
I'm very interested to look up Ted.com, too. LeeApril26 was mentioning it. Have you ever watched anything on it?

 

[Peaches]

ByGosh, I'm sorry you were sore from your latest swim. I do think the TWO HIPS AT ONCE factor surely is the main thing here. And you have said you have never ever been inactive. So what feels like to YOU as slowing down might not really be all that slow? But you have an OS visit coming up fairly soon, so hang tight as best as you can till you can get some answers there. I admire your resilient spirit so much. Please don't lose the faith. This too will pass, but unfortunately it is going to take longer than you expected. I too love your new avatar....... Sweet dreams.

P.S. to you and Songlady: I read where Maggie plays yet another character who has a THR in "Quartet." I've wondered if "Quartet" is based on that Barbara Pym novel, but now I think not. I think her novel was "Quartet in Autumn." Anyone here a Barbara Pym fan? with all of our British pals posting with words like crumble and fool and physio and lift, etc., I find myself wanting to reread the novels of Barbara Pym.

 

[ByGosh]

Peaches Never read Barbara Pym. Sounds good, especially with all of the British words flying around here. I love it. And Quartet sounds good; I remember seeing the advertisement for it on TV. I thought she had Parkinsons? Now I definately have to Google it and see if it's out on DVD yet.