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THR Cassidy's hopalong recovery<

Oh my stars...has it been 3 weeks?
Hope they get husband's situation figured out soon.
I hate the timing of all this ...a strong lady you are, Miss Cassidy!

Hope your day is sweet.
 
Hi @Cassidy
I'm glad you managed to get a bit of time away from hospital visits yesterday.

Friends came over to us last night and bought a takeaway with them and it made a nice change.

I am seeing my OS on Thursday and am hoping he will say I can drive but you have raised a very good point about parking spaces. I will need to ensure I can get access. Thanks
 
Poor hubs! Poor you!
I hope they're soon able to figure out why he's fainting.
At least he has an appetite and his wound is healing. Those are positives.
I'm happy to hear you were able to get a mental health break yesterday with your daughters.
Just what the doctor ordered!
Good luck with your appointment tomorrow. When you have time, please let us know how it went.
Hopefully there will be some of this going on soon > :driver:
@Cassidy
 
I had my 5 1/2 week follow up appointment today, and was very pleased with it. I didn't get an X-ray, as the doc (not my OS, but very informative nonetheless) showed me the post-op X-ray and answered all my questions.

Apparently I had the antolateral (Hardinge) approach - titanium and ceramic (first time I knew which approach!) with one screw, uncemented. I've got restrictions for another 6 weeks, just to be careful, but can drive (not far enough to get me to my husband, but that's the difficulty parking, not the drive itself), and can sleep on the operated side if it's not too sore. The incision has healed well, so I can start using cream on it and can swim if I want to - but maybe not breast stroke yet.

Now all I have to do is get hubby up to speed!

Thanks for all your good wishes - those and my appointment today have given me a welcome mental boost!

And the doc said walking is the best thing I can do for it (along with a few extensions out to the side, because those are the muscles that they will have affected, although I can do those fairly well - can't remember if that's ad or ab-ductor?).
 
Don't Google that approach as you might find yourself watching a video! I looked to see where the incision is for that approach because I don't think mine is posterior although I thought that's what the OS said.
Good to hear you are moving in the right direction. Hope your husband will soon be home.
 
I thought mine said posterior initially @EmEm, but today he told me the anterolateral, and my scar is definitely not posterior. I might try to post a pic eventually, but there's been nobody to take a pic so far - I can't twist far enough round! It's still a bit sore, with a lump at the top of it, but the lump is getting smaller with ice and he said it'll soon go completely.
 
I can't see my incision if I look in the mirror but don't have to turn very far to see it, more the side of my hip than the back. My incision healed well but the whole area has sunk compared to the other side. Was yours glued like mine, or stitched/stapled? Mine was glued and doesn't look as neat as stitched scars I have. Tragically, I have enough to compare!!
 
@Cassidy - We had same approach and I was glued too! I'm a couple weeks behind you. So happy for some positive news for you and hubby. One day you all will look back and laugh at the experience, what are the odds of both being laid up same time!

Keep the slow and steady. Being able to drive has been so freeing for me!
 
Great news on your appointment!
Now just to get hubs home so you two can get some proper rest.
Hope that happens soon.
Keep us posted, you're in my thoughts and prayers.
@Cassidy
 
Hip is holding out well. I walk fairly well now without any sticks/canes!, but do take one with me when I go out just as a warning to others and to help me getting out of cars, etc. Husband is still no closer to coming home - how unusual can his symptoms be?! - but is eating well and gaining strength every day, so hopefully once he comes home he'll be up-to-date in the healing.

My main symptom now is extreme tiredness, so I decided last night that I'm going to go without the sleeping pills and bite the bullet in my own bed, as I think the sleeping tablets might be making me even sleepier in the day. I must admit that I slept pretty off and on last night, but that was mostly the beached whale feeling - plus the urge to turn onto the non-operated side, which I was told is a no no at the moment. It's a bit like the temptation of food when dieting - because I can't I really wanted to! I tried sleeping on the operated side, but it was too sore after 15 minutes or so.

I was a bit worried that this tiredness (which is fairly unavoidable, given the circumstances) might be holding up my recovery, but I'm eating reasonably healthily and taking probiotics, am off all painkillers and, if I can stand firm on the sleeping tablets, won't be on any medication, so I'm hoping that healing is progressing well despite everything. I'd hate to think I was ruining my new hip because of my husband's old heart (trying to be poetic), but I've told my boss that I definitely wouldn't be trying even part-time part-time after 6 weeks, which would be next week, but waiting at least another couple of weeks before I return and, even then, on three or four hour days. I did tell him that I was suffering post op energy drain, and he said that probably puts me back into the normal category - I took that as a compliment! I am generally a very active person, so all this is getting me down a bit. Mind you, I'm catching up with friends I don't usually get a chance to see, if only on the drive to and from the hospital, so every cloud has a silver lining.

Thank you all you hippies for your constant support, whether it concerns mended hips or broken hearts!

Happy Wednesday!
 
:wave:. Good to hear you are doing well...that healing will certainly suck the energy right out of you.
I've found as I get older, I can deal with the physical stress much better than the mental stress.
One crisis at a time, please!:beg:
I think you are smart to not put work back on the list this soon especially considering the unexpected turn of events with hubby.
Wishing you all the best, Cassidy!:)
 
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@Cassidy
With all that you have going on its really not surprising that you feel tired. So dont be too hard on yourself.

I am still finding sleeping difficult myself and haven't yet managed to sleep on the operated side. However, I have done some side sleeping on the un-operated side. I have a pillow between my legs and the body pillow/bolster in front of me so that there is no way my operated leg is going to move any further forward. :-)
 
It's Energy Drain! Don't fight it - just nap when you can. This will ease with time. I am not surprised you are tired. You have had so much on your plate these days. I hope hubby comes home soon!
 
I think everyone's said all I'd say, myself.
Just stopping by to check on you, see how you and hubs are doing.
I hope he's released soon so you can at least cross those daily hospital visits off the list.
That alone is draining.
Wishing you restorative sleep and hopefully some comfy naps.
Hugs
@Cassidy
 
@Cassidy...so thrilled that your OS visit went well. Now to get your hubby on the right road. He is getting rest in the hospital, but it would be brilliant if the docs could get to the root of the passing out problem like yesterday! You are holding up amazingly well!
I use Melatonin to restart my body clock when traveling. I also use it to help me sleep. I take it and get into bed with a good book or magazine, and within twenty mins/half hour....:sleep::sleep::sleep:. I also take magnesium at bedtime for leg cramps, and that helps me relax and sleep, as well as relieving the leg cramps. Not being able to sleep is the pits!
Thinking of you and your DH often and sending up prayers and positive thoughts for you both :yes:
:flwrysmile:
 
I realised yesterday that I've got a way to go. My daughter drove me to watch my son and his friend perform at a folk festival on the coast. Originally my husband and I were going to drive their gear down for them, then when my op was brought forward my husband was going to do it, then he fell by the wayside, so I volunteered us. They went down very well, and we had a good evening out.

The OS had told me I could try driving, so I'd driven a few miles in my "little" car on Monday, and that was fine, but I said I'd have a go at driving our bigger combi van. I hadn't realised until yesterday how much heavier the clutch is! Although I didn't break the restrictions in any way, every time I changed gear I could feel the effort through my muscles - I don't think it was the hip joint itself, as the OS had said I could stand on just the operated leg now, and I certainly don't put my entire body weight into changing gear, but after a few roundabouts and traffic lights involving a gear change, I had to swop roles as my thigh muscles were beginning to burn. In addition, the seat seemed to press on my incision and rub it a bit - no problem in the passenger seat.

We got home and I put my feet up before bed. I had to resort to using a stick to get up to bed, as my leg was still complaining. Hopefully no permanent damage (although I'm fairly tired this morning!), but I must realise my limitations, Just because I'm mostly walking relatively pain free doesn't mean I'm back to my pre op abilities.

Hey ho!!
 
Recovery is all about finding your limits, scaling back and trying it again another day. What seems impossible one day will be easy on another. Rest in the meantime.

Hope hubby is doing better!
 
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