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THR Cassidy's hopalong recovery<

Cassidy said:
I was sent away with painkillers, for example, and told to speak to my GP if I needed more, but in my past experience I'd have to wait at least 28 days until I could get an appointment.
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That's common practice in the UK, Cassidy. Once you are discharged from the hospital, you are transferred to the GPs care. However, does your GP surgery not have the ability for you to ask for a telephone consultation? I know few surgeries that don't do this since you don't really need to be seen.
Cassidy said:
I rang asking to see the practice nurse on Friday 13th, and was told the earliest was 18th unless it was an emergency, which it obviously isn't.
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Here again, the usual practice is for the ward staff to contact your surgery and instruct them on the date you will require dressings and/or removal of sutures or staples. Usually this is done by the community nurses or the practice visiting nurse so they should know who and when visits are needed. But in this event that things appear to have gone a bit kapooey then it's perfectly okay for dressings to be left untouched for as long as 14 days or even longer. Don't worry about it. It'll be doing fine!
 
Thank you @Josephine. It sounds as though I'm in line with @EmEm - I think we do things differently in the UK maybe. I don't think we have a lot of interaction with anybody, although I've just got an appointment through to see the OS after 5 and a bit weeks, Thanks for the reassurance - it's ridiculous how small things start to worry! I did tell the OS that I may be an elderly woman to him (it's all relative!), but I still go swimming, so I was relying on him for a neat scar. Hopefully he's obliged!
 
I'm feeling very grateful to family and friends, who are really rallying around so that I don't spend too much time alone. Just had a pleasant evening watching The Intern with my son and his girlfriend (I think probabiy at her instigation, as it would be out of character for him!). I think she's going for son's girlfriend brownie points, but that's fine by me!

I'm mostly walking around without sticks (canes!!), except when I first start to walk, but have to keep reminding myself not to swing around too quickly.

Nighttimes are still my bogey man time of day, but I'm trying not to sit in my recliner too much in the day and keep it for sleeping.

Much as I love reading other people's experiences, though, I'm getting a bit spooked by the number of people needing revision surgery - is this really common, or is just that we like to air our problems on here for advice - which I'm by no means criticising, and fully understand since the people on here are so understanding, informative and sympathetic - but I'm hyper aware of potential problems. It's easier to take the bad experiences on board and overlook the good ones. I suppose I've always been a bit of a what if type of person, and there are so many variables in this game!

Otherwise I wish all my contemporaries all the best, and hope they're progressing well - and keep on upwards!!!

:flwrysmile:
 
I'm happy to hear you enjoyed time with your son no matter who's idea it was. As long as he showed on his own volition without handcuffs and a weapon to his back...I'd celebrate it. He loves his mama!

Yay for no canes (sticks) :heehee: it still makes me laugh as I'm sure the Candy Cane image does for you.
You're doing great! So happy you're finally on the healing side. It seems you were on the other side contemplating all for a long time. Took me awhile too, Cassidy. It's a big decision but with the pre-op anxiety behind you and progressing as expected, I'll bet you're so very happy!

Personally, I don't think revision is common but most who've been here before a complication occurred
appreciate the advice, compassion, encouragement and support they received here, so they stay....or in other cases return. My heart goes out to each and every one of them. Prayers for all of those actively dealing with a complication.

Keep up the good work and thanks for updating.
I hope you have a wonderful week!
@Cassidy
 
@Cassidy. Hopefully our hips will last us out. If you don’t mind can you tell me about your recliner and how you use yours on my recovery thread. Has it helped swelling? Or is that down to TEDS?
 
Hey my dear Cassidy.
I have had my share of schmoozing with prospective beaus of my daughter's.:)
I told DH about last one, he is trying too hard to make me like him. He commented..what do you expect him to do?:curtsey:
I'm sure that complications or issues are what pulls many folks to the site as they strive to gain insight from others with same issues.
You must save your emotional energy for the real recovery struggles...not helpful to stress over things that may or may not happen, right?
I also have infinite sympathy for those whose roads have been harder to travel.
You are doing wonderfully and I hope today is a Good Day!:roseshwr:
 
Thanks @Mojo333 - I'm hyper sensitive to mention of infection because of my previous experience, but they're doing all they can to try to avoid a reoccurrence.

I think it's usually wives/girlfriends that keep sons on track with their mothers. I was very appreciative of her efforts. My mother in law set a good example of how to keep onside, so I hope I'll be able to crack it when it comes to it! I've got two daughters, too, but I don't have to get through anybody to get to them if you know what I mean!! Family life is harder than our Brexit negotiations!!
 
Sounds like you are doing great Cassidy. Hopefully at the end of next week I will be joining the bunch of happy hippies. Still at full time work which is taking my mind off things... At work they are starting to panic about my absence.. I have been warning them for the last three months that the op was likely to be end of July! Getting the house ready now and turning my downstairs office/music room into a recovery bedroom. It is near a walk-in shower and the conservatory/kitchen, garden... I am getting very nervous now. Do keep posting - I am finding the post-op recovery posts very encouraging xx
 
I'm sure you'll be fine @SurreyGirl. You're lucky to have a walk in shower; mine is over the bath and I've been told not to attempt it for the six weeks, so sponge on a handle it is! I'm hoping to be able to go back to swimming before then though. My company were initially happy for me to be off, but on my last day they were saying that they hoped I'd be back after 6 weeks - I told them I'd phase back as I thought fit. I'm already part time, and could retire (without a pension) if necessary, so I won't be browbeaten, but I do like working and they seem to want me back, so fingers crossed.
 
I always look at my daughter in law (who I truly love) as the gatekeeper to my son.
While he is my baby (youngest) he now belongs to another. It certainly doesn't mean he loves me any less than before he met her, I just know my place in the whole scheme of things, would never do anything to cause friction in their marriage. You know the saying "Happy wife, happy life." I want him happy!

Do you dream of a shower, Cassidy? I didn't have any restrictions in that regard...it would be hard. Like anything else you just get used to it. Just think how great that first shower will feel. I'll bet I hear you singing in the shower all the way across the pond! :heehee:

You're doing great. Keep it up and enjoy the day!
@Cassidy
 
Cassidy said:
I'm sure you'll be fine @SurreyGirl. You're lucky to have a walk in shower; mine is over the bath and I've been told not to attempt it for the six weeks, so sponge on a handle it is! I'm hoping to be able to go back to swimming before then though. My company were initially happy for me to be off, but on my last day they were saying that they hoped I'd be back after 6 weeks - I told them I'd phase back as I thought fit. I'm already part time, and could retire (without a pension) if necessary, so I won't be browbeaten, but I do like working and they seem to want me back, so fingers crossed.
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I am under pressure to come back in six weeks too. However I will see how it is at that stage. This op is life-changing and I really do not want to screw it op by coming back too early. I have been with my organisation over 20 years and never had time off for anything apart from the odd cough or stomach upset.
Please do let me know how it goes with your company. Are they likely to involve Occupational Health? I don't mind a phased return - in fact it would do me good but I really don't want to go back fulltime immediately as I work on my own and am often under a lot of pressure. Stay in touch!
 
Because we've only got a shower over the bath @Layla, I was told I shouldn't attempt to shower. If I can go swimming before then, that'll kill two birds!

I only work for a small, family company, @SurreyGirl, so we don't have anything as posh as occupational health! My boss, who is in his 40s, has two friends that have bounced back very quickly from hip ops, so now he thinks I'll be the same. I think he'll go along with whatever I think best, though, as long as I'm back by 12 weeks. I'd like to try something before then, but will go by what the OS says at my 6 week check.
 
I've just got back from the practice nurse, @Apricot, and she let me see the wound in a mirror. She said it looked nice and neat and unpuckered, and I must admit that, apart from the cellulite, it did look very clean and non-oozy. She recovered it and suggested I go back in a week (earliest she had a free slot tbh), and she'd probably covered it one last time, just to protect it. I was really pleased with the look of it.

She said she hardly ever heard of dislocations - she told me not to walk across any furrowed fields, because she'd known a young man who'd had his leg taken out of traction, got drunk and walked across aforementioned and, needless to say, ended up back in traction. I assured her that I wasn't contemplating any such jaunts in the near future!

Anyway, all good so far. I did ask about swimming, but I think she was erring on the side of caution and said she'd prefer me to wait until I see the OS 6 weeks and, actually, knowing that my local pool is a teaching pool with lots of nappy bearing babies, I had already decided that it might be safer to wait, as I'm neurotic about infection.
 
Yay on a clean behaving wound! :happydance:
You mean tipping a few back :beer: and then tripping through a field doesn't appeal to you? :heehee:
Me neither, lol. And I'm with you on infection. Scary. My OS advises 3 months of no lakes, pools, hot tubs or even baths! Felt restrictive but I complied. Figured if I didn't and something happened I'd want to kick myself. You're being a patient, patient. Keep it up! Enjoy the rest of the week. :)
@Cassidy
 
What good news. I continue to marvel at the difference between how wounds are treated. Having been exposed to the world at day 7.
Swimming I think is definitely for a later stage. You might want to check which strokes are permitted. You could start with walking in water.
 
The tipping a few back is quite appealing @Layla - the tripping through fields not quite as much!!

The nurse did say once my current supply of codeine ends (I'm only taking one at nighttime, because it helps me feel a bit drowsy, which helps with dropping off, but not for long) I should probably try to stop, because they're addictive. TBH, I get more effect from a glass of red wine!

I don't think she covered it because of infection, @Apricot, she said she didn't want it rubbed. What with my knicker elastic and these ridiculously long stockings, the chances of it being rubbed are high, so I'm not sorry! I suppose I could go commando, but that wouldn't exclude the TEDs, which have a really rubby seam!

Sexy they're not!!

Anyway, so far so good.
 
Don’t worry about sexy for now, just think of the salsa classes in your near future. I am paying for the recovery home myself out of next years holiday money. Sadly no private health insurance. There i# a very tempting hydrotherapy pool but the Manager said my Consultant was a stickler for not getting th3 wound wet and even has a special dress8ng that gives the game away if it does. No baths for three months is rough but I hav3 a date with a hot tub in January with my name on it! And as for hot men.......!
 
Cassidy said:
My boss, who is in his 40s, has two friends that have bounced back very quickly from hip ops, so now he thinks I'll be the same.
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Every boss/employer seems to know this one guy who came skipping back to work a week after surgery and played racquetball during lunch. I’d love to meet this guy. And then kill him.
 
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