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THR CatLady1 - recovery thread

Yea...the swelling is more than likely causing the stiff feeling. I had swelling behind my knee and for quite a while, couldn't bend my knee. Elevating your leg whenever possible and keeping it iced will help. And try to keep those little excursions to a minimum in your early days. You may feel fine now, and feel like you're ready to go but they may come back to bite you in the butt....jus' sayin'....
 
I'm wondering the same thing - walk - how much and where? I'm really a couch potato today and I'm feeling guilty/lazy but I find my energy level is so low that if I try to do anything like straighten the bed, assemble sandwiches, take a shower, all in a few hours, I'm worn out and want to go to sleep. This is day 12 and I'm wondering about taking a walk about a block from my driveway and back using my cane. Therapist did tell me not to overdo walking even if I had energy. We have an indoor walking track in town and I can pay $3 and walk inside. I may do that in a week. Weather in mid TN is turning very cold so I can't get excited about the great outdoors.

I also have a very hard area under the incision. I can feel it when I run my hand over it. My sensitive area is around my knee. Just above the knee and slightly off to the side feels like the nerves/skin isn't getting signals.

Part of me wants to push just a little and move about more so i dont get DVT and then I worry that I may do too much and have a set back. :unsure: --julie
 
@Nana757 - what's your definition of early days? First 2 weeks, first 3 weeks? I'm with Julie -- the OS said I could do what I felt comfortable doing, so it's hard to know when to stop before I end up like Widge and back in bed in pain.

Thanks for all the tips, everyone. --Sheryl
 
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Hi CatLady1. Glad you are over the worse with your new hip. I had both of mine replaced almost 4 and 6 months ago. Yes, it gets much easier to go up and down the steps normally. Like limping, our brains get used the old way if doing things. Even now I have to remind myself I can go down the stairs normally. At 3 weeks post op they had be going up and down normally at PT. Going down seemed to be harder at first, but almost more mentally than physically. You will surprised at how quickly you progress. It's amazing. Best of luck in your recovery. I have 2 cats also. I was worried about them scratching me and infections, so tried to keep them off of me the first few weeks. They sure do not understand why they cannot be on our laops, but sure are great company while healing.
 
Anyone have tips on getting ice packs (jel packs) to stay in the right place on your hip? I find myself sitting on one, but the incision area really is on the side, and it's hard to wrap the pack so it stays in the right place. I've decided that ice packs could stand a re-invention. Someone needs to make a 'sleeve' that you can step your leg into -- then you'd pull up onto your thigh, and have the pack be wrapped around the whole thigh area.
 
Thanks for the comments @Doodles51 -- other than swelling on the leg and incision soreness, I feel pretty good. The hard part is knowing how much to do and how not to do things to avoid set backs. My OS does not have me scheduled for PT (said it wouldn't be needed), so it will be interesting to see when I graduate from one level of movement to the next. My next appointment with him (first after surgery) is this coming Friday.
 
Hi @CatLady1! As for keeping ice in place - I have been wearing old knit yoga type pants that aren't too loose. I pack a few gel packs right into the pants leg around incision or wherever it's aching and the pants leg kind of keeps the packs in place. Pants get a bit stretched out but bounce back in the wash. I am also thinking of ordering one of those big Chatanooga gel packs. The black ones are supposed to be sturdier than the blue ones.
 
Good idea, @Readysetgo I hadn't thought about putting the packs inside, but that would help. I'm wearing sweat pants mostly, but have a pair of less stretchy yoga style pants that would work.
 
Hi @CatLady1
You could try using a bathrobe belt to tie the ice bag on or a Velcro strap, if you have one. Or an ACE bandage might do the trick, as well. As far as how much to do and when to stop....the only thing I can tell you, is that your body will let you know when, how much and when to stop. It's all a comfort and confidence thing. You'll figure it all out as your recovery progresses. Everyone is so different and recovers just as differently, there really is no pat/standard answer. If you haven't already done so, see the list of reading materials Josephine left you, which are very useful and informative.
 
@Squirrellymom - I was wondering if the 'saving all the aids' part of you was where you came up with your user name here (as in squirrell things away) :heehee: no offense intended... I had to smile too at your collection. I sort of took the opposite approach, with borrowing what I could and taking it back when I no longer needed it.

Squirrellymom said:
I missed the inside/outside wheels opinions and put my wheels inside specifically so I could maneuver through the bathrooms and in the kitchen around the pet bowls and recycling cans. I've not had any adverse experiences. Did they say why inside might not be advisable? Guess I was better off not knowing.
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I googled for walker wheels on inside, and ran across 2-3 health aid sites that had specific directions on assembling a walker and both stated to never put the wheels on the inside (with no explanation as to why not.) I opted not to reinstall them on the inside. Hopefully, that's a done topic now.
I'm still feeling good and will start cutting back on my pain meds tomorrow (still not sure the best way, if to cut the amount and stay on the same schedule, or cut the schedule back? Everytime the meds alarm goes off to take one, it's a surprise reminder (what's that for -- oh yeah, meds). The only pain / discomfort I've felt is tight muscles / swelling tightness. I'm still walking with a cane to keep the pressure feeling off my leg (feels like I'd start limping if I didn't use a cane) and I' d really rather not continue that way of walking. I visit the OS this Friday, and will find out what he thinks of my progress. I put my Jawbone fitness tracker back on last Thursday and noticed I logged 12xx steps. Friday it was 14xx steps, and yesterday 15xx. Because I was a bit sore / tired last night (but not really in pain) decided to limit my walks to the deck area today to recover - 70 steps in one lap (up and back). Right now I don't feel at all like I've exerted myself to the point of being tired, and all the 'sore feelings from yesterday are gone. (Somewhere I read that Jawbone thinks 2,000 steps are a mile. I don't know that I believe that for my current condition).
 
@CatLady1
You might want to tag Josephine and get her opinion as to the best way to cut back on your meds. She is an ncyclopedia of information and has a wealth of knowledge regarding these types of questions. I can tell you, through my own experience, that I never used an alarm clock and once I started forgetting a dose of pain meds every now and then, or sleeping through the night without them, I was cutting back already, without thinking.
And, as far as the wheels on the walker...the walkers are designed to have the wheels on the outside for stability.
 
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@CatLady1 hehehe. No, I really don't squirrel things away, I usually toss everything not bolted down. I've been a "Squirrellymom" for about 15-20 years. It is actually a nickname my family and friends use. My youngest child (now 25) tagged me many years ago as a squirrellymom when we had to stop in the road and wait while a crazy squirrel ran to the middle of the road, turned and ran back and darted across - changing her mind again and again. I commented that we might have to sit there all day while she scurried about deciding which way to go and what she really wanted to do. My son said, "yeah, just like you mom" and that became my moniker "SquirrellyMom". I'm not as guilty of being squirrelly now that the kids are grown and out of the house. I really don't have to make multiple decisions and go in all directions anymore but unpredictability is a handicap with me.
Today is officially day 14 for me. I am getting around very well and doing more and more. If it weren't 20 degrees outside I'd be tempted to take a walk. I still may bundle up and hoof it to the street and trek a few driveways and back. My two BIG doodle dogs are in need of a haircut. They mat easily and my hip pain did not allow me to do much grooming on them the past 2-3 months and I did not want to clip them short because of cold weather coming. Now, they are getting mats and I can't comb them out so have to find a groomer to clean them up. My husband is clueless and absolutely no help with bathing and grooming the dogs so, I'm feeling pretty Squirrelly today. ;) Hope you are increasing your abilities too. One day at a time until we reach our goals. :)
--julie
 
I am feeling better today, but as days go by, notice different areas of me with either new minor bruising or swelling (things that didn't show up before, or at least, I didn't notice). Today I noticed the back of my calf below my knee shows slight bruising.
Yesterday I backed off the walking to see if the soreness would go away (it did), and felt generally good last night. I finally figured out how to stack the pillows in my chair under my knees and legs - and slept like a log last night (woke up only once). Boy did that feel good - it felt like I was suspended in a hammock.
I'll probably go out and walk the deck in a while, while the sun is out - just to get some steps in.
We had the MVC minestrone soup for lunch today with some home baked focacia bread. MVC sure knows how to make those meals taste great!!
 
Pre surgery- when I was researching hips, hip replacement surgery, dysplasia and anything else I could find about my condition, I ran across two blogs written by two different people regarding their hip replacement. Both bloggers had opted to stay awake during surgery, and I found that interesting - only from the point of knowing what I was missing (that idea went in and out of my head about that fast). The first account is by Steve Blanchard- here's the link for you curious folks - https://www.sblanchard.us/Hip/index.htm

BTW- I was one of those hippies who also watched a YouTube version of surgery (real surgery, not animation). Somehow, knowing exactly what was going during surgery made me a whole lot calmer in the days leading up to THR.


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
Hi @ Catlady 1 love to hear how motivated you are with your steps. I am not quite in that spot yet, but do try to get in several "laps". Thanks for the pain post link. I am still at 2 pills every four hours like clockwork, Friday will be one week so I will see if I can go to one. Have a good night!


RTHR 1/15/2016. Posterior approach. Due to AVN. LTHR in my future.
 
The weather outside is frightful .... Today was dreary with threats of snow, ice, slush etc, so I didn't do any outside deck walking- or the gravel road across from our house (which is where I migrated to earlier this week). So I only got half my steps in today walking back and forth on our screened porch. At one point the cats followed me out and I thought we might start our own parade out there, but they wouldn't cooperate. Maybe tomorrow will dry up a bit and I can get back outside again.
As for pain, yesterday I was hoping to cut back to one every 12 hours. By 11 pm last night, I realized that was too quick- I could feel the soreness in my hip and incision. Sitting down I felt ok, but I knew I'd be reluctant to get up and move if I let my hip feel like that when I got up. So I'm back to one 5/325 every 8 hours. My follow up visit with the OS is this Friday, so I can ask about backing off pain meds. @jomarie58 - you might try stretching them to every 6 hours first...
 
I will try that Catlady because back to one did not work yet. I definitely stopped wanting to walk due to pain. Aiming for 5 hours today.

Would love to see you in a cat parade


RTHR 1/15/2016. Posterior approach. Due to AVN. LTHR in my future.
 
@CatLady1 and @jomarie58
Both of you are very early in your recovery, if it were me, I wouldn't be thinking about reducing or cutting back on pain meds this soon. I'm not a DR or medical person and can only speak from my own experience. But what worked for me was staying on the scheduled dosage until I reached a point when I started forgetting a dose. My body let me know when it was time. I didn't push it or try to rush cutting back....that may come back to bite you...as it is much more difficult to play catch up with pain meds. And, for me, it was right around the end of the 3rd week, before I noticed a great improvement in my pain levels. I was able to start missing my afternoon dosage, but still kept up on my bedtime, morning and early evening ones. Then I would cut out the early evening one, unless I had PT or other strenuous activity during the day. Before I realized it, I was down to just two a day and then one.
Jomarie, you are only a week out and I wouldn't even consider cutting back, if I were you. It's just too soon, in my opinion. Unless, of course, you have zero pain, which I kinda doubt, since you and I had the exact same OP for the exact same reason.
Nevertheless, best of luck to you both and I wish you well.
 
jomarie58 said:
Would love to see you in a cat parade
Click to expand...

Ha ha .... it's the two cats I have that love to parade. Or sit in my lap all day. One of them with sit on the floor near where I am in the kitchen and meow loudly. DH says she's trying to tell me to sit down (so she can get in my lap). I'm glad he's so well versed in meow.

Today was my first post surgery visit with the OS since I left the hospital. We are expecting snow / ice this evening, and I was anticipating crazy traffic during the drive this morning -- with everyone fleeing work before the ice and snow started, but we ran into no traffic and arrived 45 minutes early. The office waiting room was jammed! Hubby mentioned he had never seen so many people in sweat pants or PJ bottoms.
When I got shown a room, I had xrays taken, then talked with the OS about surgery, my pain levels, swelling / bruising, how the the incision was healing, how I felt moving around etc. In essence, he declared I was "looking good" and was progressing just fine. I have dysplasia (both sides, but arthritis was only on the right side) & it was interesting to see the surgeon had put screws into the new acetabulum to hold it in place until bone grows around it. He also talked about how shallow the cup was pre-surgery (and showed me the pelvic area that had the bone cyst). I was told that swelling often peaks at 5-7 weeks after surgery - which was about right for me. When I mentioned cutting back on the Norco meds, he asked my schedule and dosage (5/325 every 8 hours - been that way since end of week 1), and sort of looked at me with a "huh"? Then he commented that the codone part was so low level (it probably wasn't effective beyond 4 hours) it was most likely the acetaminophen dosage that was helping with the muscle pain/discomfort. We decided I'd stay on my current dosage for a while longer.
... I'll visit the OS again at the end of 6 weeks (4 more weeks) and hopefully get my clearance to start bending over again and drive... In the mean time, keep healing!

Overall, the moving around, walking from the parking deck to the office felt good. The only part of hip surgery that still a nuisance is the process of getting in & out of a car (besides sleeping on my back -- last night I had a terrific urge to stretch and roll over.) Like @amd012264 said, it's amazing how much better you feel days 7-14 (for me it was the end of 14 days.)

@jomarie58 - how much snow are you getting? They are predicting 1-2" for us... I'm hoping it's all snow.
 
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