Become an Insider

THR copsham's recovery thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hi @copsham , I agreed with your post, as it's really good to be able write things down get it off your chest, clarify so you can move forward. I can sort of imagine, as much as possible, the effort of hopping on your THR leg whilst trying to protect the other foot, must take a huge amount if effort. Not surprised you are using a wheel chair, I would be too, even if its just used to give you some respite from hopping.

Must be a worry about loosing strength in the hip leg after building things up for so long before the foot brake. I hope there are some exercises you can do to help.

.....and I would be right scared to hop on my hip leg even knowing how strong it would be.

Really thinking about you, and am sure things will work out , but at times like this you want things to work out now, not in another month or so.

Ooh I was trying to make you feel better, hope I havent done the opposite

Xxxxx
 
Thanks Suzette It is all a strange experience. My hip slowly but surely recovered pre the break. I was so grateful to it and was able to use it for hopping for the first 2-3 weeks after fall since when it is winding down. All I know is that my hip has priority and I do not want to impair it in any way. It doesn't hurt but looses its spring after 10 or so hops and I grind to a halt. As I said in another post I feel like an elephant rather than a gazelle!
 
Gosh 10 hops , blimey, I honestly dont think I could have done that before the op. I think you are doing really well under the circumstances you are in, even if you feel you are not, your body is again in the healing process, that must make things difficult for the hopping too, energy drain and tiredness etc. I hope someone can come up with some leg building exercises, as that will also make you feel as if you are moving forward a bit

Xx:flwrysmile:
 
@copsham
You poor dear. You have every right to feel down. :bawl:You spend much of your time encouraging many of us hippies so it's your turn for your own love fest! My girls do this funny exercise that always brightens us up~ so you snap your fingers and say I hate my life right now and I need self love~ then everyone else snaps and listens~ we usually have wine or beer or pain meds for me~ we each say one thing we have accomplished that day. When they played with me sometimes all it was * I got dressed! Or I had a good poop! Or I moved to the couch! It always brightened the moment ~ who knew snarky girls/friends are a blessing~ I would have never thought that years ago! :praying: I think I am going to try it in my classroom too!!
So might be a dumb question~was your hip and foot surgeon the same? maybe if not, go to your hip surgeon to discuss your concerns regarding inactivity? I am sure your rest is still helping with your healing. Could a PT show you the best way to move with your foot/hip issues? I hate it that you are on your own trying to figure it all out? I also hate it that your doctor's visit was useless~ I hate it when the provider thinks they can fake it through an appointment! So frustrating ~
So self love~ snap snap~ what did you accomplish today? You reached out to all of us! Go girl! :console2:
 
Thanks @Sullivand. My hip surgeon was an excellent surgeon but following surgery when ever I discussed anything, the generic answer was "you'll be fine" answer to everything! So I think going back to him would be frustrating. I think I will talk on the phone to local physio or chiropractioner and see if any do home visits. at the moment I cannot get up one step as I cannot spring on one leg up a step with or without crutches. Can be wheelchaired in - just.

What I really need to do @Suzette when I am not so tired is start getting competent on the knee scooter but the energy drain at the moment dictates "later".

Thanks all for the supportive posts . I feel so sleepy but only hope that I will be able to sleep tonight! x
 
Hi @copsham
After redwing your post my blood boiled and I so felt for you. ((((Hug and a much needed Kleenex))) xxx

Okay, far be it from me to tell you what to do could I please suggest you contact the hospital, explain to them that you were very unhappy with your follow up appointment with I can only guess, his registrar. Politely list the reasons as you have written them here. Say you want an appointment with your proper consultant as you didn't really want to go through PALS without trying to get an appointment yourself first. Say it's had a bad impact on you, making you cry and feel stupid and please, don't take no for an answer. If they do then straight to PALS. they will sort this for you. Honestly xxx I had to do the same after seeing my surgeons so called reg. what a muppet he was. Very similar to your experience. I got an appointment on the spot. I was in person at the reception desk though. I didn't phone as it is too easy to say no on the phone. I was exceptionally polite but they didn't like the mere mention of PALS!

Oh I wish I was near you to talk to you face to face. Never mind I just hope that my suggestion is helpful.

Love Nana moon 27 x x x
 
Thanks @Nana moon 27
You are right a junior reg I guess, but all the more important that they read the notes and had a check list of questions e.g. no one asked me about the pain level, no discussion about signs of DVT etc. I have got the first appt with the consultant when he comes back on 21st Aug. It is helpful to hear your reaction as sometimes I think it is me with too high expectations!! I will look at your thread in a minute to see how you are doing. Look after yourself. X
 
I guess you are using 2 crutches to hop? Sorry if a stupid question, just the thought of unsupported hopping on your new hip makes me feel faint and doesn't sound a good idea. I would have thought that walking on crutches using that leg alone would be exercising your left thigh so it supports the hip from below. My physio/acupuncturist also advised me to do buttock-strengthening (just squeeze the buttock muscles when lying, sitting or standing, often and in sets) as a really good hip strengthening exercise. And those post op exercises the NHS give you where you sit in your chair and raise and straighten your leg using the front thigh muscles would probably be good and keep them in condition. You poor thing, I hope you aren't feeling too down any more. Medical staff can really do so much harm by not caring - they should be shown this forum.
 
Hi Isolde, I came home with crutches, quite wobbly and really ended up hurting my right thumb joint which swelled up. I coped with this for a week or so but my hip has felt that it is getting weaker rather than stronger. I am using a knee scooter but do not feel fully confident with it yet. I will do some of the exercises that you just mentioned - it is such common sense but I was lacking it!!

I would love to have a video of my interactions with registrars, purely for their development. Even if they can't be caring at least have some knowledge. I asked about driving and the response was "thats between you and DVLA. Isn't it?"

But a possible revelation this morning I realised when hopping with crutches I am now putting my heel heavily down on the ground with each hop but in the early days was putting my fore foot down first so will need to work out this when I next feel some energy!

Will go to your thread now. Take care.
 
I think your idea of a home visit by a physio or occupational therapist is a great idea. You were doing so well on your new hip it would be a real shame for it to get weaker. Although, it's probably the leg muscles that are getting tired, and making you feel the hip is getting weaker - the actual tendons holding your hip are well-healed with all the work you did earlier, I'm sure. I've been mostly sitting on my a*** for the past month while I had the leg lurgy, but it's not the new hip complaining but my arm muscles are now I'm swimming again. Tendons don't seem to lose strength quickly, but the thing I would try to look out for is that they need regular stretching else they shrink quickly. Try to find a way of stretching the tendons at the front of your hips: pulling yourself upright and pushing your hips forward. I can't visualise how you're going to do that, maybe on your crutches? And your glutes as well so you can get your leg up. Yes, you need a physio, who can show you how to do it. A lot harder to get the length back once they've shrunk and a lot more painful - I had this when my elbow was immobilised for just 2 weeks after breaking it and it didn't want to move from bent at 90 degrees.

This all sounds ever so tiring! Sorry, you're already exhausted. xx
 
Thanks @isolde it seems our bodies are quite remarkable but can loose it all fairly quickly. Yes I feel very protective of my "new" hip and don't want to do anything to aggravate it. I ran through some post hip exercises last night from an app I had down loaded at the time of the op. It felt good to be systematic but got exhausted. I feel like I am a newbie wanting to say "why am I exhausted" ! Our timescales are similar I have been lounging around for 5 weeks now. I think it was easier when the hip was done as the intention was to get moving slowly but surely, but for both of us our plan has had to be to rest! I appreciate your points about the muscles and what to do it does help to focus me a bit as I was feeling a bit of "can't do anything!"

Todays task is going to be to find a local physio. The person that I used to see regularly is a Chinese Tui Na (massage manipulation) and acupuncturist person. He was excellent but is in London, clinic up a spiral staircase, so I won't be able to see him in the foreseeable future. Thanks Isolde for your support much appreciated!
 
@copsham
Just checking in to see how you are doing. I noticed you mentioned that you are exhausted easily~ remember that you had surgery again so the fatigue is back. I had that experience after the second surgery and was surprised thinking somehow it wouldn't happen again!
I hope you are having luck finding a physio who can come to your home and help you get around. I had another thought~Do you have occupational therapists there? If so, maybe they could help you solve some of your daily routine challenges along w physio helping you with exercises.
It sounds like you are taking a day at a time with a great attitude ~ we are here cheering you on!:wave:
 
HI @Sullivand
All I can say is that I am plodding through the days as a non weight bearing person. Sometimes hopping sometimes wheel chairing, trying to not over eat (!). I am waiting for my hosp appt in 3.5 weeks time when they will decide whether I need more non weight bearing in a cast or graduate to a moon boot. I have a physio appt on Friday. @isolde was helpful in referring me to the original hip exercises post operation. This was really helpful as I knew I needed to do something but could not fathom out what! There is was right in front of me.

My hip has held up so far with the hopping, the knee scootering, the sleeping on the back etc. This morning there were small twinges in the groin for the first time so quick, out came the ice pack.

i am lucky to have beautiful surroundings to be "laid up" in but a bit scary watching the season go by! i am also grateful to my friends and relatives who support me!

I liked reading about your transition to work. it sounds great. i felt tired reading about it though LOL!

Thanks for your post it is much appreciated
 
I agree with @isolde concerning the exercise at home with a physiotherapist, or even on your own. Of course you can do exercises within your current possibilities, for example arm or even some leg stretching exercises when lying flat on your back.

When I was in hospital, a had this nice Polish physiotherapist who says at the early stages post-op, the rule is to "exercise all parts of the body that are healthy". She got me to do gymnastics in bed as early as one day after the op and it wasn't agressive physio, it was just designed to get me to move so I don't seize up.
 
Absolutely, in the old days a bad back was bed rest, now its up you get. Strange really as back when I played rugby if you got injured our physio attached to the club demanded we keep moving nothing radicle at first but move and stretch.

Legin THR Sep 14
 
@Legin "when I played rugby" you haven't done a lot of different things in your life then, have you! Hope you are managing your exhaustion from yesterday.
 
Oh I am I just did first shift at work. I played quite high played against a fair few internationals. All after being told aged 19 stop playing. I did stop just not then.

Legin THR Sep 14
 
Hi @copsham hope you are well. Am so glad yiur hip is holding up under having to hop and you are mastering the knee thingy. Did you manage to find a physio or are you managing to stretch etc on your own.

Keep positive xx
 
Hi @Suzette,
Hope you are sleeping now! Last night I slept for 8 hours but tonight its 4am and still not asleep. Yes I am going to a physio tomorrow. I have been doing some stretching today but I feel I need someone to support me in what I am doing. I will keep positive I had a big blip but thank goodness that is over now. Stretching, physio, and sleep are my immediate needs so fingers crossed I will sort them. x
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel
Corganics CBD

Members online

Total: 1,063 (members: 1, guests: 1,062)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom