THR Carita's Recovery Thread

[Elf1]

@Carita sounds like you have a good PT. Don't worry about the walker at this point, it's all about learning to be stable and walk properly again. My PT kept me on mine for quite a while as well. Though we aren't going out much due to the virus right now, I did use the walker in public even when I was using the cane at home for a while. Just gives you a little extra space between you and others.

 

[leejaa]

Wonderful that you expanded your horizons and took a walk in your neighborhood. Your PT seems to have common sense as well as experience. I am happy for you to have a good experienced PT. Have a wonderful day tomorrow.

 

[FCBayern]

My surgeon (a different one than my knee surgery) told me until I have the second hip replacement I will continue to have problems with my knee.

@KneeHelp my knee had reached a plateau that I was not happy with before I replaced my hip. After the hip my knee improved in leaps and bounds and I'm really happy now with the result.

 

[Carita]

Hi Friends. Day 25! Leg feels more supportive. Fatigue and weakness continue. PT again yesterday. Added standing toe raises and some gentle stretching. After PT I walked a few blocks which included descending two flights of stairs. Seems to have stirred up hip pain...too much perhaps? Today will gently walk on flat surface, ice and read. Patience!

Wishing you all well,
Carita

 

[CricketHip]

Today will gently walk on flat surface, ice and read. Patience!

Sounds like the perfect plan for the day!

 

[Carita]

Thank you Cricket. I did just that and feel better today. Still surprised how fatigued I am but suppose months of pain before surgery and the surgery itself demands quiet recovery.

Gratefully I like to read and have a cozy space to relax. Got take out from our sweet neighborhood French restaurant last night as hubby is tired of his cooking. I am thankful he is not a complete loss in the kitchen but he has a very small repertoire! I may be up to some meal prep today.

Thanks to all for your supportive encouragement. I wish you well.

Carita

 

[leejaa]

Glad to hear you are feeling better today and even considering some meal prep. It does feel good even if tiring to do some normal things like cooking something simple. You are doing really well with your steady progress. Wishing you a pleasant evening.

 

[Carita]

Thank you Leejaa. Struggling a bit being patient and remind myself this is a long process. Four weeks tomorrow! I have a follow up PT appointment and am considering driving myself. It is about two miles from my home, a strait shot with easy parking and access. I have not driven yet so this will be my maiden voyage.

Pain is well managed with acetaminophen. I'm walking with one crutch several times a day, either around the block or driveway laps. Using stairs with handrail. Cooking simple meals. If my energy was higher and weakness less I'd feel pretty good. Perhaps it is keeping me close to the couch which promotes the rest I need at 4 weeks out!

Best to all of you...thanks for taking this journey with me.

Carita

 

[Layla]

Hi @Carita
Driving again Woohoo! It is such a great feeling regaining that independence. Please let us know how it goes.
Good luck at your PT session today. I hope you feel your energy and strength increasing week by week,
A wonderful Monday to you!

 

[Carita]

Thank you Layla...I always appreciate your words of wisdom. I ended up not driving...felt woozy today and not fit to be behind the wheel. I will see how I am tomorrow. Patience!

PT went well. I enjoy the safe human contact and reassurance I get from the therapist. She's very knowledgeable and careful. Today she pointed out how my body accommodated to a year plus of pain by shifting much of the work to my right side. Then explained how this effected my back and knees and with the surgery the relearning that needs to happen to integrate the new hip and retrain my muscles. It was a good lesson in anatomy and recovery for me.

So...setting small goals as I move further from surgery. Like upstairs to shower and dress. Making simple meals. Walking a bit further. One step at a time.

Thanks to all for your support,
Carita

 

[Layla]

Thanks for the kind words, Carita. Driving will come soon I’m sure.
It’s good to hear you enjoyed your PT session and are uplifted by the reassurance you receive at your visits. Encouragement and understanding are always comforting as we’re healing. You‘re getting out, going for walks, navigating stairs, showering / getting ready and preparing simple meals which all sound like great progress to me. Keep up the good work. Your strength and endurance will return slowly but surely.
Have a lovely week!
@Carita

 

[Elf1]

@Carita you seem to be doing quite well, I get the fatigue still hanging on but it will eventually start to skip away. Take advantage of naps while you can. Patience is probably one of the hardest things to practice during recovery but it will pay off in the end.

 

[Layla]

Happy One Month Anniversary!
I hope the last few days have been good.
All the best as you continue on your healing journey.
@Carita

 

[Mojo333]

Happy one month, dear @Carita.
This can be kind of a tough time, the initial euphoria wearing off, things can seem to slow up or just ebb and flow with good days and then issues...
Recovery is Definitely Not a straight line.

All Temporary....so keep the faith.

 

[Carita]

Thank you Mojo and Layla. It is very thoughtful of you you mark my one month anniversary. I am so grateful to be through the rough first few weeks!

Mojo, thank you for the graphic. I am struggling with the ups and downs. I've not shared this here: I came to this hip surgery after several long years recovering from a brain injury. The hip recovery piggy backed onto the previous injury and has added to the fatigue and eagerness I have to feel well. It is hard to separate the two events as the brain injury still very much colors my health.

There are many positives. Healing from a brain injury is slow business and gratefully I've made tremendous progress. The healing associated with hip surgery is more apparent and I see changes daily which is welcome and encouraging. I believe my impatience associated with this is magnified by the length of time I've been in healing mode. I need to view the two events separately and continue practicing patience.

I am in awe of all of you who have found the courage to go through joint replacement. My fitness carried me through the first years after the brain injury and when the hip became impaired my wellbeing suffered. Now that my hip is on the mend I can continue to care for it and move forward to better brain health too. It is exciting. I really believe improved fitness will help boost my healing.

So....many thanks to you all. Your stories inspire me. You all know what it is like to ache, suffer log leg, limp and stumble yet you keep moving forward. We have to keep at it.

One month down!!
Warmly,
Carita

 

[Mojo333]

Good Friday morning.

How hard to have to deal with this hip on the coattails of recovering from a brain injury...Well, you've come a long way baby

I had a lot of Recovery Fog still looming about at one month, lack of good sleep obviously makes this worse.

Then I worried about limited mobility and tightness.
I just had to remind myself often -
Tightness is a normal occurrence after this kind of major surgery. Your surgeon did major carpentry work and disturbed every millimeter of soft tissue in this area. You aren't tight because your muscle is underused and needs to be stretched and rehabbed. You're tight because your tissue is healing... If a long full step right now is causing pain and limping, don't take long full steps. Take smaller steps. Take a short walk several times a day, instead of longer walks. Use your cane. Use ice. Rest a lot.

This isn't the time to do anything to excess. Baby steps now, and lots of patience, pays off big time later. Recovering from self-induced tendinitis can end up taking weeks or months. Consider yourself as still recovering from surgery and structure your return to your life as a slow, gradual process where you introduce very small increments in activity, and then give yourself time to see how you react to it.
All temporary, and worth the patience.
I am certainly glad I am able to get back to a full happy life.

 

[cstinchcomb]

Wow, Carita. Your patience with both of these challenges is truly inspiring. I am impatient; to get off the drugs, to get my hip healed up, to regain my mental focus -- lack of which is partly the drugs and partly just the physical healing process. I bet you're tired of all of this healing and patience and fatigue and ready to get your life back! It will come, girl. Even with my last hip (I was younger, and fitter at the time of the surgery) it took a YEAR to get back to "normal". Hugs.

 

[leejaa]

You are amazing and dealing so well with all this. Happy one month plus a few days.

 

[Carita]

Much gratitude to you Mojo, Leejaa, Cst and all who read and comment. Phew! So much of life is about accepting what comes and being as graceful as you can with the challenges. You have walked in these joint replacement shoes and know it brings many ups and downs. I take your words to heart, thank you. I appreciate your support about my health history...we all have something that tests us don't we?

Five weeks tomorrow! Taking it slow and if I don't my body reminds me to do so! Yesterday was our dogs birthday and we celebrate with a turkey meat loaf. Hubby got the supplies and also brought home rhubarb and strawberries as he wanted a pie. I was feeling pretty well and spent the afternoon on my feet cooking. Today I am achey everywhere...how can standing and cooking cause my neck to stiffen??!! I've read you all describing random aches and pains throughout the healing process. If you consider how sedentary I was preop maybe standing, mixing, rolling pie crust is more of a workout than I thought! The effort was delicious... pup loved the meatloaf and sat through a round of Happy Birthday before digging in.

So...one day at a time! Thanks for the reminders to go slow. Leave the dog hair and dust alone!

Best to all,
Carita

 

[Layla]

Happy Sunday Carita
I’m sorry to read about what you’ve been through over the last several years. It had to take a great measure of fortitude and patience to recover from the challenges you’ve faced. Then joint replacement on the heels of healing from a brain injury, its no wonder you’re tired.

You‘re doing well in my estimation. Feeling achy with some neck stiffness after spending time on your feet preparing a meal and dessert yesterday isn’t surprising. Hopefully with some extra rest you’ll be feeling back to normal soon. You’re a courageous woman, Carita. Glad you enjoyed pups birthday meal
A wonderful week to you!
@Carita