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THR Celebrating one at a time, encore!

It's a new day, @Alitm, and as I noted on your post on my thread, still the spectacular weather we've both been enjoying for several days now. I think the end is probably near, but we've had such a great run, haven't we?

So, did your steri-strips start itching when you had the overall bandage on, or are you saying they itch now that the bandage is off? I've noticed no itching with bandage on or off. I am wondering how long these steri-strips are actually supposed to stay on. I was told they'll "eventually" slough off but they sure look pretty secure at the moment. Plus, they are mostly covering up what looks (to my uneducated and horrified eyes) to be a humongous scar! I forgot to ask when/if I can start massaging a cream in the area, but will do that at the 6 week check-up, in three weeks. I assume by then these little strips will have worn off.

Cheers!
 
Hi @Barbaraj Yes, the weather has been gorgeous!

I had a bit of a reaction to the strips as they stayed on for quite a bit. I covered them during the day so they didn't rub on my jeans, the reason they probably stayed on longer. I haven't messed around with the incision as yet. Going to ask about massage etc at my six week check.
 
Happy Friday, @Alitm--hope the day finds you up and about, and feeling reasonably pain free and comfortable. Interesting about your reaction to steri-strips. I don't have that, but the tape I had used to fasten the edges of the bandage caused my skin to itch, and it's reddened, faint rash so I can still see where the tape was used. What are you covering your steri-strips with during the day? I didn't cover mine and I can see that perhaps the friction with my jeans is causing them to fray a bit. It's not painful but I wonder if it's okay. My jeans are straight leg jeans so close to my thigh. They are normally comfortable but by day's end they do feel as if they are chafing a bit. Only other alternative is flannel PJ bottoms! Not wearing those outside! Have a great day.
 
Happy Friday to you @Barbaraj! Yup, have been out to the barn this AM with my neighbour. She came over to the house afterward and helped me with some plants needing to be repotted to come inside for the winter, and I was able to give her a nice geranium to take home. She is a major gardener, and does everything her self...I have been learning all about the different plants here from her, where to plant etc. over the last few years. We visited over coffee afterwards and it was a great way to celebrate week 5! Now I'm on ice!

I have been wearing baggy old jeans around the house and out to the barn, that are very soft and slightly big for me. I have two pairs that were destined for the bin, but for some reason I held on to them. When I go out to appointments I'm wearing some baggy linen type pants, but they are rather summery. Hopefully when I can get cleared for driving, I will be able to find a winter equivalent! @lovesstars suggested a size up (to prevent rubbing) soft corduroy, so that is what I'm going to look for. I've also been playing around with my regular stretchy pencil leg jeans. So far nothing is rubbing. I picked up some breathable dressings from the pharmacy to put on over my steri-strips to begin with, to stop the clothing rubbing. I think that is why my "strips" stayed on for so long, and then started to irritate me! I wanted the incision to have as much benefit from the strips as possible, but next surgery won't leave the dry dressing on for so long, and let the strips come off as they will. You might want to get a dry, breathable dressing that covers the strips, if you are experiencing chafing...or the baggier jean alternative.

Hubby has CT scan on Tuesday, so hopefully will get a surgical referral quickly after that. I'm checking out grocery delivery and making enquiries for "drivers" to medical appointments, picking up meds etc. I know friends will help out where they can, but hate to be a burden if our surgeries don't coordinate as well as they should! Nice to have options!
 
Sounds like a great start to your day, @Alitm! Okay, I changed out towels in my bathroom and kitchen, put away a few clean clothes and got dressed: major accomplishments for my day. Thought about trying the gym again with my husband but I was already dressed in street clothes when he announced he was taking off and it felt like way too much trouble to change clothes for a 15 minute slow slog on the treadmill. I am really hoping my neighbor friend will follow through on her offer of a walk later on, and then will be able to be patient with gimpy me as I stroll along slightly faster than a waddling turtle!

I guess I could consider a bigger jean, but that would involve going to the store and as I'm not driving yet, long suffering husband would have to serve as chauffeur. The friction caused by my regular jeans isn't really that bad, and am not really interested in something I'll only really need for a few more weeks (she said to herself, hopefully). Although I am already anxious as to what the scar looks like under the steri-strips, I suppose they've got to come off at some point and after my first "seizing up in horror and shock" reaction, I am sure I'll get used to it!

Good luck with your husband's CT scan on Tuesday, and a quick referral after that. Sounds like you are continuing to make progress to figure out to handle things moving forward--and having options is always good. I am convinced you will figure this out--you have such a seemingly calm and deliberative approach to problem-solving. Good for you!
 
@Barbaraj I understand about the effort to change again to get to the gym for seemingly little time! It is trying to coordinate with hubby...which can be tricky sometimes...when they are ready to go, they are ready to go...well at least mine is! Would be nice to have some heads up time sometimes, as everything takes a tad longer LOL!

I had the baggy jeans, which I am thankful I saved. Maybe the easiest thing is to put a dry dressing each on for a week, and then let the strips rub off after that. The saving grace of the strips staying on longer was that they held the incision closely together for a longer period....at least that was my thinking!!

I have my pre-op with GP for second hip on Monday, as I was over the "time-limit" as my first pre-op was so long ago...so blood work and ECG, weight and height (wonder if I'll be taller than last time?!) etc. Also have to see the OR pre-admissions nurse again at the hospital, which includes more x-rays and blood work...that is a week today. The following week is my six week check, physio and massage therapist. That is all subject to change if things happen quickly with hubs! It is all go in the Alitm household! I'm really tired thinking about it!
 
Alitm said:
I can see the folk at the ODIC waving in the distance, with all sorts of temptations....but I will not succumb! I am glad of my four day visit in week two. Great defence!
Click to expand...
It's called Surrender.
Providence is in charge, not us.
But oh my, what metal you will have steeled...when this finally concludes!
as you have handled all this adversity so pragmatically and graciously!
All the best to you and DH as you get through this.
:flwrysmile:
 
Good morning, @Alitm. You are undoubtedly up and tackling your daily chores. My husband left for a football game a short while ago and I'm still in my bathrobe and slippers. In my own defense, I took a nice long shower a bit ago and just haven't quite made it to clothing quite yet--but soon! Between all the medication appointments for you and your husband, plus preparing for surgery #2 and not knowing your husband's surgery schedule AND trying to sort out how to get everything handled, YOU should be the one taking a break about now and curling up with ice, mug of tea and a good magazine. Hope today is a good one for you--onwards!
 
Hi @Barbaraj Out at the barn at 8, with my neighbour who is helping, today. I played with pushing the lightweight hay wheel barrow, empty, back to the hay barn and that was OK, but couldn't do it full or partially full. We've been filling the hay nets in smaller nets, which I feel comfortable filling, but nothing more. The smaller nets are easier for my neighbour to lift, and I'll do them that way whenever I get clearance to get back to that. Came in and put my feet up in recliner for 45 mins, and then headed to plant nursery to pick up some bulbs for my half barrel, again with my neighbour. Also picked up a really cute card for youngest son's girlfriend's b'day. I'm back in the recliner on ice now LOL!! I find if I am religious about taking my icing breaks, and getting sleep, I'm OK. I pushed the envelop back on Tuesday, when my hiking poles arrived from Amazon. I decided that I'd return the borrowed poles to our other neighbour. That would have been fine, but then a couple of other things happened, and I was tired from the combined activity....not what I had originally budgeted for! But that is life! Thank goodness for ice and recliners! Enjoying the lovely weather....know we are on borrowed time for that!
Wishing you an enjoyable weekend:SUNsmile:
 
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Five week mark -

Activities: Walking around the house unaided. I keep losing the hiking poles in the house, forgetting where I've left them! Walking all around the farm on the farm roads, slopes and uneven ground. Loving the hiking poles to keep my rhythm and stride. Tidied up my back door flower pots with my neighbour. Doing more in the barn but no lifting. I try and get two to three shorter walks in during the day, so I can ice afterwards. Focusing on my heal toe walking, and icing afterwards has helped my knee pain. It is so easy to fall into old bad footfall habits. I am using new shoes/hiking boots, which helps.
This past week, for the first time since surgery, I have started going downstairs to the area we keep for guests and storage. Hubs has been doing prior to this week. I can walk down the stairs normally, but still do up with the good, going up the stairs.
I can stand on the op leg when dressing, no issue. It feels stronger and stronger each week, and now the walking on the rough roads and slopes is so much easier.

Sleep: OK. Have been trying a bit more on my side, until I feel that pull near the incision...it isn't as bad as it was. I used a big pillow from my knee down, and a knee pillow above my knee, and another queen sized pillow in front of me to stop me from rolling further. Time spent on my side is increasing slowly. It has helped the back sleeping pain to have that break on the non-op side. Once I have the second hip surgery I'll be back in the recliner for a few weeks.

Brain Fog (gets its own section!): Improving. Reading a lot of research on line about various things, articles in magazines. Started novel, but not doing well with that yet! Watching moves now, with decent plots.

Second surgery prep: #2 hip GP pre-op on Monday and OR pre-op on Friday. #1 hip six week check with OS a week from Monday. Physio appointment after seeing OS to work on gait and see what he thinks about strength in op leg. Also appointment with RMT. Hair cut and highlights also scheduled! All the secondary appointments subject to change, dependent on Hubby and his situation....

Hubs got busy on line and found CT clinic an hour away that had opening next week, let his GP know and the office re-routed the referral from the CT at the hospital right here (which was going to take up to a month to get a date for)...so he goes down on Tues afternoon for that and then sees GP for results on Thurs. Hopefully surgical (that is a given) referral will come shortly after that. Then we begin the major juggling act!! I am praying Hub's sister will come down to help out in the house. She has just come back from her Mum-in-law's funeral....so is a bit tired.

Received a text tonight about a lead on another horse care person, who lives four mins away. Will follow up on that tomorrow. Our neighbour has been SO amazingly helpful. Our son is up to the plate tomorrow! Sunday is his only free day...so up to bat he goes! The patchwork quilt of help is coming along :yes!:
Wishing all hippies a restful night and a relaxing Sunday :flwrysmile:
 
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Good morning, @Alitm, that is quite an ambitious daily schedule you've described--all that walking, particularly on uneven ground and slopes sounds challenging. But, as always, you are being sensible and remembering to ice and rest as needed--so disciplined, good for you! Glad to hear your husband is going to be able to get his scan earlier than he thought, and then the referral for surgery set up shortly after that, I'm sure you hope. The juggling act is pretty amazing but sounds like thing are coming together--hurray! Fingers crossed for you that your sister-in-law will be able to come and help around the house--that would be a godsend. Have a great Sunday yourself--I hope you and your husband get some downtime to just hang out today, you both sound like you need and deserve it.
 
@Barbaraj Hello and good morning to you too. We had an exchange student friend of our son's stay over last night. Hubby is making banana pancakes for them when they get up! I am feeling sloth-like this AM but am about to hit the shower, in hopes it wakes me up! LOL!!

This is the first week I feel quite comfortable moving around the farm. The healing comes in weekly bursts. Sometimes I over shoot the mark (but it does help one find one's boundaries!), and it really is a tricky balance of doing enough but not too much! I would dearly like to get out and walk on flat smooth surfaces, but have enough to keep me busy around here, so incorporate that into my overall walking fitness plan! I wonder when I'll be permitted to get on an elliptical machine. It will be short lived, so not sure I should bother.

You are doing so well getting out to social functions in the evening (I turn into a total slug by the evening!)! In a another week or so I think you will find the tiredness will subside. I've been socializing during the day, but at night I'm not good. I've noticed I don't get that energy drain exhaustion thing much now...it is more like a normal tired...and I was five weeks post op two days ago. I had two days of afternoon naps (I kinda pushed the envelope last Tuesday) Tues and Weds, but haven't done that in several weeks.

Another sunny day here, although foggy to start with...but the rain is coming next week... Sorry to read you have rain already. I know the grey days are coming, so will be taking my Vit D in earnest!
Enjoy your day :flwrysmile:
 
@Alitm , I think you recently posted about having difficulty sleeping on your side with a regular pillow between your knees, as it wasn't quite enough. I had the same problem, an ended up constructing my own body pillow. I've found my old post, written at roughly six weeks post-op,
[Bonesmart.org] Celebrating one at a time, encore!
and am copying and pasting here:

I thought that I would mention one very practical thing I did recently that I should have done weeks ago. I made myself a 'body pillow'. I rolled two thick fluffy blankets into a big long roll, about five feet long or so, and 'capped' the ends with two king size length pillow cases. The result looks like a gigantic burrito. I sleep with it running along my left side, and find that I can now sleep comfortably on that side by draping my op-leg over the giant pillow. I can even slide my non-op leg underneath (as it is light and soft) so I am wrapped around it--very cozy and good support! I can sleep on my side very comfortably this way now. I tried the pillow-- two pillows-- between the legs approach many times, but found I was usually uncomfortable and spent half the night adjusting them, as my op ankle wasn't getting the right support, or my leg torquing, or I was sagging to port or something. The long pillow is great. Next time I will sort it out much sooner.
 
An54 said:
I tried the pillow-- two pillows-- between the legs approach many times, but found I was usually uncomfortable and spent half the night adjusting them, as my op ankle wasn't getting the right support, or my leg torquing, or I was sagging to port or something.
Click to expand...

.....spot on what I'm going through and says it all @An54!

Thank you for posting. Excellent... the timing is perfect....I'll be six weeks on Friday. I keep thinking I'm going to dislocate when the two pillows move around. I do believe the body pillow, temporarily or otherwise, will work. I had to have another :heehee: at all the single pillows as well...as that is what my bed looks like. I can only imagine what @1stSurgery's bed looks like!!! I've forgotten her pillow count, but it was up there!! :snork: . I never thought I'd get to that, but here I am...pillows and wedges everywhere! LOL!!

Do you remember what size the blankets were that you used....as in twin, queen or whatever?
 
@An54 Another brain fog thing...I keep talking about CT scans for hubs, and he needs an ultra-sound....good grief will my brain return?!
 
@Alitm @MrDIY , For the record, I believe that @1stSurgery had 72 pillows on her bed! I infer it felt like that to her. My count was 52 (in my head) but as you can see from the photo, that is really only about six, plus the adhoc long burrito pillow. Sadly, there was no room in the bed left for Hub. Fortunately, I took over the bed after he was out sailing so there was no conflict. (He did return home by the way) *Note to self for next potential THR; set up body pillow earlier on in recovery.

I didn't want to order a ready-made body pillow and have another "thing" kicking around; we're already crammed with stuff. So the makeshift one was perfect. I used two of those light soft fluffy fleecy blankets that you can pick up at Costco. I think one was a double (or Queen) and one was a single, because that was what I had on hand. I laid them out, one on top of the other, and folded and rolled this way and that until I figured out how to make a smooth roll about 5 feet long. Then I capped the ends with long pillow cases. The difference it made to my comfort and sleep was considerable. Also, you can drape your arm over the roll, so your shoulder and arm are supported, so you fall asleep hugging your nice soft body burrito pillow. Then you can spend the night dreaming about Mexican food.
 
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