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THR Clairebella’s recovery journey

My PT visit was pre-op and very fast! I need to hear all of your PT advice in case I am doing something wrong!
 
My method for learning how to walk properly post-op was with a shopping cart. There is little flat ground near me so the store was the best place plus it was climate controlled. A shopping cart is a great aid, and you can walk slow and deliberate, not drawing attention to yourself. You can lean on it in an aisle when you need a break and use it all of the way back to the car.
 
Clairebella said:
Hi @CherryRed yes thanks! I am well accustomed with movicol! I am taking 2 a day but it’s still a battle with the codiene. I am also taking senna at night. Drinking plenty I think.

@Hippie Chick how long ago was your op? I am 2 weeks today and I actually think the log leg feeling is slightly better. Still swollen around would site and knee.

@SurreyGirl and @benne68 thanks! I am also now from today really focusing on my walk with crutches, I’ve managed to adopt the heel to toe walk quite well and trying to keep back straight. It does make a massive difference to not limping.

@Layla yes I have compression socks to wear to the knee for 4-6 weeks. So swelling seems to accumulate around my knee.
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Glad you are trying the walking method. It really has helped me!
 
Ps I managed an hours with crutches fir balance but mainly relying on my legs… ok so far..and a lot better than my previous recovery.
 
My PT on Tuesday was a gentle check in post op. She checked my wound and areas of swelling and checked I was using the crutches correctly. She checked my gait and went over the bed and standing simple post op exercises. Because I’m leaning and favouring my left side she showed me a rocking exercise, not really exercise but anyway you stand and gently rock side to side alternating putting your weight on one leg then the other.

I think I’ve joined the ODIC or hurt myself which is freaking me out. My mum yesterday took me to the pharmacy and I was just in and out of car and walked up and down a slope. I then had other family come and I was pottering and think I carried things thus ending up only using my left crutch.
By evening my leg felt uncomfortable and my thigh has a sharp tight tugging pain when I sit down. Same pain when I stretch my leg out. Had a bad night waking up to tooth ache type leg pain in entire leg so had to take pain relief I think 3 times over night. Help!
 
Sorry to hear abour your bad night, it is really scary when the pain levels suddenly increase, when it happened to me on Wednesday I was so worried that I had done some real damage to myself, that the worry was actually worse than the pain itself. For me, I just upped my pain meds and rested as much as possible, I actually found it more comfortable laying down than sitting. I also stopped doing any physio for 2 days just to give my poor muscles time to get over whatever I had inadvertently done to them. Hope it gets better soon for you.
 
Thanks, that is exactly what I shall do! I think my husband and 2 teens are over things now 2 weeks on and they have compassion fatigue! Which means I’m doing more but I thought I could help out with tea etc.

I shall skip any PT until it resolves but I’m worried it’s something to do with the stem down the femur (I’m a nurse - no orthopaedic expert mind but I catastrophise).

Where about in the UK are you? I forget everyone over the pond will be currently fast asleep!
 
I'm down in Hampshire on the South Coast. I know exactly what you mean by compassion fatigue ! My husband is trying but I am a difficult patient. He has a habit of putting things just out of my reach - why ? When he knows must'nt lean forward or twist to the side. Because neither of my sons have been around since the op, it is just him and me, so we are driving each other crazy !

Re your worries about the stem/femur, I have no medical knowledge (thank goodness or I would be even worse than I am now) but I imagine, if I have understood you correctly that to do some damage to the bone/stem would it not need to be something quite traumatic that happened ? Also I'm assuming your stem was cemented in ?
 
I’m actually not sure if my stem was cemented in!

We are up in Scotland but we have lots of family in Dorset so we where down to the south coast for a lovely holiday this year just pre op! It’s so lovely down where you are.

My husband and I are also driving each other crazy!
Thanks - I know, I’m being irrational, you would think I’d need to do some damage but I definitely over did it yesterday, partly due to the compassion fatigue and a few arguments!
 
I doubt you did any serious damage, if you had fallen maybe then you would have cause to worry. But you do need to rest and ice as much as possible.
Your family needs to remember how may years you cared for them when they were either sick or injured. I know it's not easy on the caretakers either.
I'd set myself up in a room of your choosing early in the day with items you may need.
Then other than getting up to use bathroom, take a little walk around the house, grab a snack I'd be resting. This is your time!
You'd be surprised how just taking it easy for a day or two improves your pain level.
 
I’m going to have to be lying down all day. I just got up then to have a wash and get partially dress and my leg isn’t happy, my thigh feels achy and tight and down to my calf is numb and tingly :(
 
Hi @Clairebella, listen to your body and rest up today. Lots of ice and elevation. Hope your feeling less sore soon x
 
Sorry, but reading your post about having arguments actually made me smile as I've already had quite a few with my poor husband, it's good to know it's not just me ! I think a lot of it's due to being in a very frustrating situation over which we have very little control. We're so used to being independant and I can't quite get my head around not being able to do what I want to, when I want to do it, without having to plan it out like a military exercise or asking for help.

I would have replied to you sooner but I had another lapse of concentration when trying to get out of my chair - so I'm back on the heavy duty pain relief, back in bed and feeling both cross and sorry for myself as the same time !
 
ClaireBella- how are you feeling now? Frustration and worry is very understandable. Does your doctor have a nurse line you could call and check in with? Mine does and I have taken advantage of it.
 
It’s very painful to weightbear. I think it’s hopeful my quads muscle rather than a bone issue??

I know I over did it. However I read of people doing so much even exercising at 2/3 weeks so surely my pottering house over doing it wouldn’t lead to a serious injury??

The only thing I can think of is I went to the pharmacy which is in a small outside shopping unit and walked down and up the ramp for wheelchair users rather than the stairs, could that have caused injury or damage?

I’m going to do nothing this weekend but my weepiness has returned at the fear I’ve done damage. It’s fine when I’m lying down. It’s painful when weighbearing but not in the joint I don’t think. It’s down the thigh toward the side of my leg rather than straight down the front.
 
@Clairebella You need to slow down my friend. You are only days out of major surgery. Please stop trying to get back to normal activity at this point. You should not be shopping at 17 days out of surgery.

I'm certain the activity did no damage. But it did set your recovery back. Right now you should be focusing on rest, ice, elevation and taking your pain medication as prescribed. Short walks around the house or outdoors if you are feeling confident. But the bigger journeys need to wait until that hip settles from all the recent trauma.
 
I didn’t do too much, that’s what worried me. I only went from the car with my mum on my crutches and went to the pharmacist for a prescription. You have to go down a ramp to get to pharmacy. Then back to car and home. No shopping. At 2 days post op I thought I’d be ok to do that??

I haven’t even been taking walks outside. It’s wet and raining here in Scotland currently. So I classed that journey as my walk.

I generally have not been back to normal activity remotely. I’m holed up on the couch watching TV! I’m housebound essentially.
 
I was also following the advice on the activity progression - in fact I feel I’m doing way less than that anyway. I’m not into my 3rd week and it talks of taking walks and preparing meals and some tidying up. I’m no where near doing that so I’m so worried that my slight toe dip into the ODIC is not justified. I went to the pharmacy and I pottered too much in the house with visitors being here. I think my pottering meant that at times I only used one crutch rather than 2 but I was careful to use the opposite crutch and it was very short distances.

The activity progression advice worries be that I cannot do that remotely - how can I do meals and light tidying whilst on 2 crutches? Am I way behind?
 
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