THR copsham's recovery thread

[copsham]

Hi all
Went in to hospital at 7am Saturday out 7pm Sunday.at first the service was excellent and, at I pm filled in a patient questionnaire to say so.Then things went wrong. The physio came to see me and in the middle the appointment she said she would be back in a minute and never came back never seen again so list of questions not answered. Nurse said she had taken over and I could be discharged but then a five hour wait for meds. Moving around is exhausting. My operated hip has been pushed its limit and not feeling confident Finally got home. Really hard to be non weight bearing as my lovely hip replacement only wants to do 10steps before giving in as hopping on it is tiring!
Sat down in exhaustion to relax and noticed my cannula left in my arm! So tomorrow morning I am going to need to get some one out to remove it. I can't imagine gp practice or hospital cooperating but access and exit to our house felt positively dangerous so I am not going out again.

@Josephine I don't know whether this is answerable but if I am very careful about hygiene can I take the cannula out myself. If not how long can it be left in before it gets attention?

Thank goodness I have Bonesmart to relate to re meds. I think this lisfranc fracture is much more painful than hip though maybe hip pain has become a distant memory.

Is there anyone out there who is anxious by nature who has taken tramodol and it did not make them worse? Because of all my bad reactions to morphine and codeine I decided that I could cope with just a full dose of paracetamol like I did with my hip but have got tramodol as back up. I have loads of sensitivites and the side effects look horrendous. Any ideas as a need some back up.

Enough of me thanks for all of the good wishes.!!from me in a sleepy stupor

 

[Suzette]

Hi, so glad you are home, not good about the physio or leaving the cannula in, very bad in fact.

I can't advise on meds other than I take tramadol and paracetamol together and to be honest it doesn't seem to affect me at all. But not sure how you would react, have you tried one?

hopefully you will get a response soon

Hope you sleep x

 

[Nana757]

Glad you are home. I hope you are in bed with your foot propped up. Like I said in an earlier post, I broke my foot and believe me...it was no fun. Keep on top of your pain and if your operated hip can take it, see if you can get one of those knee walkers. I used mine for several weeks and loved it. Once my foot pain subsided, I would sit on it to get me around. I hope you get your pain under control. Wish I could help you with that. The only med I have issue with is Tramadol...gives me horrendous heartburn. I'll be thinking about you.

 

[copsham]

Thanks @Suzette thanks for your reply yes I will try one but decided first one in the day time so that if it makes me more anxious it will not be in the night.

Pain meds not 100% yet and I am feeling a bit hyped up overall but know from hip experience and from bonesmart that this will pass. This is the time when sleepless uk bonesmarties come out but hope you sleep soon . X

 

[copsham]

Hello @Nana757 Thanks for your replies really helpful I was looking at the walkers one is like a scooter and one is like a pirates leg if you know what I mean, which type was yours ? I don't know about my hip presume it will strengthen with use. Imagine I have 4-5 breaks as shown by the CT scan so you will understand. X

 

[Sullivand]

@copsham
Oh you dear girl~ I am so sorry for your unprofessional release from the hospital ~ so awful. Now you are home and on to the healing. I took Tramadol and didn't have side effects~ I thought I had withdrawal symptoms but it turned not to be so. Every one is different so I think it would be good to call your OS for answers. You are in my thoughts. Rest, ice, elevate.

 

[Nana757]

I had a steerable knee walker made by Drive. It even had brakes. I would send you the link, but I'm a bit technically challenged.

 

[Sullivand]

@copsham
Oh I forgot to mention the cannula~ yikes~ I hope you hear from Josephine. We don't want you getting an infection. I think I would return to the hospital. I am so sorry.

 

[donor]

@copsham I am one of those anxious by nature persons and took Tramadol, with no increase in anxiety. Having uncontrolled pain sure caused anxiety but the Tramadol didn't for me at least. Experimentation sadly is the only way to know for you. Best HEALING!

 

[HollyB]

@copsham I'm beyond thrilled that your surgery went well and that you are at home. Those two items alone are cause for celebration! But, really, the hospital staff left a cannula in your arm ... unbelievable! Hope they travel to you and set things right.

Tramadol. Well, you know I have one of the Grade A Tender Stomachs and Tramadol didn't bother me. I took it with 1000 mg of Tylenol and that combination controlled my pain just fine both for the January Hip and the June Hip. I didn't have any issues when I stopped taking it but I reduced my dosages slowly. Right now, at almost five weeks PostOp, I'm down to about two Tramadol and 2000mg of Tylenol in a 24 hour period. So far so good but I have no shame about increasing my Meds if I need to do that. Oh, and Tramadol did not cause any anxiety for me.

Speaking of anxiety, would you ever consider an anti-anxiety medication? When I was having a bad reaction from Dilaudid (anxiety), I was prescribed Ativan. I never had to take it as the anxiety went away when I discontinued the Dilaudid. I'm certain there are a host of these Meds and maybe one of them might help. You could take half of a pill and see if it smoothed the edges for you. Just a thought....

Here's another thought: I know you practice Tai Chi and that you are a fan of Dr. Paul Lam (me, too -- get that foot better and we'll go to Australia and take a class from The Man!). Did you know he sells a disc for a Seated Tai Chi Class. The class is aimed at people with arthritis but it might just work for you. Check out his web site and see what you think.

All the best to you my Bone Smart friend. I'm thinking about you and will be checking your updates.

 

[copsham]

What a warming lot of responses!
@Nana757 I will definitely get something like that thanks for the tip. You say you are technically challenged but I am device challenged. My laptop Is frozen because I got my Apple ID and password mixed up and need to ring Apple support - no head for that today and this iPad keeps turning itself off but no hurry, no where to go,
@Sullivand and @donor helpful to hear about tramadol will try it if paracetomol doesn't keep the pain at bay it has so far. Why is bonesmartie knowledge not common knowledge. When I said to the nurse my pain was nil on scale1 - 10 her answer was so you don't need any pain relief then.
@HollyB thanks for reminding me about Paul lam I have the dvd tai chi for arthritis and now will look on YouTube for wheelchair recordings. You made me think that I must get a grip of myself and get motivated for my six weeks of elevation. It's going to be a challenge.

I am hoping my op hip will get stronger. I am only meant to get up from lying down for necessities. Then have to hop using a frame. I can only hop about 10 steps so have to rest on the way to the loo so exhausting. Logically my hip will get stronger. I really appreciate my hip a weird feeling when I was grateful to it last night!

 

[Legin]

Soo glad you are home I have been busy with family over weekend. Only 9 this time to feed. I made a wee Italian number with a touch of spice.........
I'm sure you will follow up the poor discharge procedures. Re hoppp hop, do younhave some bar stools you can have strategically placed. I know I got one and its a godsend in the kitchen. Keep smiling pal

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[Tweefishy]

Oh my goodness Copsham. What a painful ordeal. I send you healing and love to the nth degree.

As for the cannula, if it's still in, they are easy to remove. I am not a medic, but have had a life full of IVs for one reason or another and my RN mom was often the person who changed mine. Again, I'm not a medic but I would do the following: Be ready with 3 sterile cotton gauze squares, rubbing alcohol, and medical tape. First remove all tape, membrane, etc around the cannula, then gently pull it out following the same line of entry. Immediately apply pressure with dry cotton square. Wipe with alcohol, then continue applying pressure with dry gauze. Don't be surprised if you bleed quite a bit since left in and you crutched home. Just hold arm up above heart, keep applying pressure. Once done bleeding, wipe again with the alcohol. The fold another cotton gauze square twice over, and tape in place for an hr or so.
I tell you, I honestly don't know how people make it out alive from some units. I hope you are resting peacefully. Order a new book, and try to get lost in the pages.



RTHR, posterior, 15JUN2015

 

[Legin]

Tweens is bang on. I don't bleed as such just one wee spot. I was always concerned about banging mine and oooooops. You should think about putting something down about your life coppers, you keep surprising me with hints to a very eventful life, even with the restrictions you sometimes feel. Just a thought and I bet it would make an intriguing read.

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[Elaine F.]

Oh my! I certainly feel for you. Two whammies in such a short span. Life wants you to slow down for some reason. I wish you my best!

 

[Josephine]

I don't know whether this is answerable but if I am very careful about hygiene can I take the cannula out myself. If not how long can it be left in before it gets attention?

It's not so much about hygiene - though some it good! - but bleeding. It's really a two handed job taking out a cannula. What Tweefishy has said is doable but the more it bleeds when the cannula come out, the longer it takes to stop it bleeding. Anyone can take it out but I wouldn't advise a person to do it to themselves. I tried it once and it took an age to get it to stop bleeding! Besides, cannulae can be left in for 4-5 days without a problem. Except that they get might sore and you catch it on all sorts of things - specially your clothes when you go to the bathroom! Been there, done that any number of times!

In the meantime, I do hope your recovery this times goes well. Foot surgery is irritating as well as painful and long term. And physio is even tougher than hip or knee surgery. Be prepared for lots of knitting and such! I feel for you. Keep in touch.

My foot thing is a "Lisfranc fracture" which apparently is quite rare (trust me)

Oh they are. I think I've seen about 4 in my entire career.

Who is this Lisfranc dude?

Just in case you really are serious or even just for a laugh - here's the lowdown on Lisfranc! Kinda old!

 

[copsham]

i keep finding posts I wrote yesterday that I did not send off must have been more affected by anaesthetic than I thought. About the cannula I took it out this morning on the logic that I have never bled significantly when they were taken out before. It became a total non issue. Like @Legin I have not a drop of blood in me!

Just a thought @Josephine it is strange to think that you have seen thousands of hips knees feet etc inside and out in real life and I thought I was brave to watch one op on YouTube .

My hip thank goodness is coping with me hopping on it when I use a frame. But it was weird when I wanted to hop with the frame up one small step and there was absolutely no spring in my step at all so couldn't do it. However every day I feel so grateful for my hip. So lucky!

 

[Josephine]

But it was weird when I wanted to hop with the frame up one small step and there was absolutely no spring in my step at all so couldn't do it.

Have you tried sitting on your bottom and going up and down stairs that way?

Just a thought Josephine it is strange to think that you have seen thousands of hips knees feet etc inside and out in real life and I thought I was brave to watch one op on YouTube .

And that ain't all. Dont forget I also did general surgery, gynae and genito-urinary and well!

 

[copsham]

Have you tried sitting on your bottom and going up and down stairs that way

This one step is in the hallway (house on a hill) I could not get down or up to shuffle. In time I will though.

 

[Legin]

Coppers can you get OT to come in and see if they can offer any aids. I did chortle at the lack of blood, same as me. Yet I have the easiest veins to find. But cut myself no matter how bad bleeding stops within a.minute or two.

Legin THR Sep 14