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THR Counting My Blessings

@Mojo333---I am so happy that you had your hips fixed first----seems like you have been through so many of the things I have questions about....it's as if I have my own private guru!:loll:

@Layla--That's reassuring to know others had the same area, and that it may continue to improve. I guess that makes sense in terms of the nerves---not sure if regeneration is the term or what, but the concept that feeling can continue to come back!:yahoo:(I'm so very happy to see that you are human....going all wild and posting something without 100% verification.....hehe! I won't hold you to it and call it Fake News if it ends up not being totally accurate.:heehee:)
 
@Carriemay60 ---I have been very lucky to be able to get up an down off the floor. I had a very fast, uneventful recovery thanks to a good doctor, good support on here, and a TON of good luck. I don't think the ease with the floor is very common, and I never pushed it if it hurt.

I sort of crouch forward on all fours, and then slowly lower myself to the floor with my weight on my right hand, tuck my right leg under, and sit cross-legged, or legs to side. Getting up I do the reverse. (I just did it to write this down:) I am pretty short, and pretty flexible---don't know if the low to the ground height makes it easier?????

When I first started, I always made certain to be sitting near a very stable piece of furniture so I could use it to stabilize myself. I live alone, so didn't have a helping hand nearby most of the time. If I was a bit achy I would also sit on a foot stool instead of the floor.

Now, at 6 months, I am able to sit almost as comfortably and as long as I ever was on the floor, but I don't have your long history of issues either. Five years is a long time to be dealing with this--bless your heart!

In terms of the hip replacement, I do believe that after you have totally healed it is possible/likely that you'll be able to get down on the floor and play with those grand babies. Are you having the anterior or posterior procedure? I imagine the timing of your floor sitting may depend on what surgery you have done.....but either way, I can almost guarantee that once you get that new hip, there will be lots of things you will be able to do again!:happydance:

I started watching my baby granddaughter one day a week when I was 4 weeks out of surgery. She was just 3 months old and not too heavy or squirmy. Had she been older and more mobile it may have been harder to do that early. I had the same thoughts as you.....so much more fun to be down on the floor with them to play.

I am not familiar with the procedures you had done before....did you have a break originally?
 
Thank you Deb; I'll try not to get my hopes up too high but hope for the best! :)

I have had rheumatoid arthritis since my early 20's but didn't know I also have osteo until after my 2nd fall. My 1st fall was in Jamaica on a honeymoon trip almost 30 years in the making (we travelled a ton & lived overseas for 15 years but always did trips with kids in tow). So I had a tibial plateau fracture then but I didn't get that confirmed until I was home in Canada 3 days later. I was put in a full leg zimmer cast and after 4 months was graduated to 50% weight bearing but the cast still on. The next day we flew out to Alberta to prepare for our daughter's wedding and I had a fall with my crutches on a wet floor at the mall. Fractured my hip. After the leg break I had some issues with blood clots so had to wait 2 days for the hip surgery while they got the blood thinners out of my system. They did a partial hip replacement, leaving the socket as is, despite advanced arthritis. After 3 days I checked myself out and made it to the church on time.
I think the combination of the arthritis in the hip joint and being stuck with limited weight bearing well into my hip recovery contributed to a very poor result. I never did get a decent gait back and still walk with a very obvious limp. I also had quite a lot of scar tissue taken out of the knee after the hip surgery but think there is more in there (a problem for another day!) I have not had a pain free day in a full 5 years so it is exhausting but I still maintain tons of hope and optimism. My stem and ball look really good and secure so this upcoming surgery will be to include the socket. Onwards and upwards!!!
Love reading your posts about hiking. We lived in Alberta for a few years and our weekends in Spring & summer were spent either hiking the trails in the Rockies with babies on our backs or camping up there. Camping in the back Kananaskis area is awesome!!! I also grew up on Vancouver Island so tons of trail hiking there.
:flwrysmile:
 
Wow---that is an incredible story, Carrie---chronic pain from such an early age, with the arthritis, osteoarthritis, and the hip injury to boot. I am in awe of how positive you are---I'll bet your will be jumping for joy after you get this next surgery done and you can reset and heal properly.:happydance:

Weddings are intense to begin with, and then to have all of the craziness added in with a hip fracture on top of the broken leg.....I think I would have been howling at the moon by then!!!!:censored:

You are still so young, and have a lot of hiking, and grandkids in your future--I'll bet you are ready for April to get here fast.
 
Late to this thread, but re: PT.

The surgeon who did my first hip typically said “no PT for 6 wks” to give everything time to settle down.

I was so debilitated at the time of surgery he did prescribe PT. As it turns out, that PT had never rehabbed an anterior hip replacement, and accidentally told me to do WAAAYYYY too much one week.

I now have chronic psoas tendinosis on that side. This time I’m just walking..l
 
@tollertwins ---I have heard so many similar stories to yours. I am so grateful I didn't risk PT, and so far haven't done anything to complicate my recovery.

After my back surgery 9 years ago, PT was just an expected, necessary part of the recovery, so I had to shift my thinking a lot with this hip replacement. Now I am convinced that walking, daily activities, (eventually including stairs) and just living life are all that are needed following hip replacement, especially initially.

Sounds like you have a plan for your upcoming hip, and I'll bet you have a much smoother recovery this time. :flwrysmile:
 
Hi,
Moved our convo over here to not derail clara4fun's thread...
I'm going to mention your suggestion of the bed rail to be added to the Recovery Articles.
It may take time though so you may not notice it for awhile, if it gets the green light.

Funny story with the flowered cane. :heehee:

Oddest thing we've passed around is a lift recliner my husband talked me into just days before my surgery. I didn't think it was necessary. I ended up loving it and can't imagine my recovery without it now. I've already borrowed it to two family members who've had joint replacements. It's heavy and cumbersome but comes apart in two pieces. Nothing two strong guys can't handle.
It's kind of nice not having to purchase some of these items but you need to have the storage space also. I don't want to see a Recovery Article lurking in each closet I open when I'm not currently using them. Nuh uh :nah:
Have a great week!
@Debru4
 
Thanks for moving the conversation @Layla. I tend to respond when I think of something, and don't always remember it is someone else's thread and they are trying to get info/support......always have been impulsive that way.:heehee:

I will personal message you the link to the bedrail I got as an example, in the event you want to take a look at it. I hear you about the storage. Luckily, I have a spot in my basement under my stairs where I currently am storing items from my hip recovery, as well as items to pull out as needed for my infant and toddler grand babies as they come. Only have 2 grandchildren so far....hoping for more, and things are really expensive so I have to store. I also have a shelf upstairs of some of the things I needed during my hip/back pain days, and recovery. I have a feeling one day I will need them again as I have more body parts to potentially be replaced;) I also was lucky to have people share items with me.

That lift recliner sounds cool. I just have a regular recliner that pre and post surgery has been my "go to" chair. My dad had a lift recliner and it was incredibly helpful to him---I know they are pricey so it feels good to be able to share. I don't think his came apart like yours does---handy.

One other item I found surprisingly helpful prior to my surgery when I was desperate for relieve was one of the "bed of nails" mats, also sold on Amazon. Of all the things I did, (other than ice which was #1 for relief), this mat helped so much. I need to remember it when I have back pain from gardening, which will be happening in the next couple of months.....I hope!!!:flwrysmile:I'll send a link for it as well! Always fun chatting with you.:loveshwr:
 
Some recovery & pre surgery coping aides are so bulky but I have also had mine in the basement. I had a wheelchair,rollator walker big bath bench, crutches and raised toilet seat 80% covered by our extended health an certainly don't want to have to replace them.
Added to that are the toddler bed, baby cot, baby play centre, highchair, potty, et., etc. It's a miracle there is anywhere left to sleep in this house! :heehee:

I could see a bed rail being very useful for sure and helping with early independence at night.
 
@desertrat---Are you back at work now, or have you retired? I couldn't remember when that was going to happen:) I hope you are doing well!
 
@Debru4 thanks, I'm doing great - I went back to work for 2 weeks and retired! Almost 3 months from THR now and doing well. I've completely recovered from falling on my face at the bead show, lol, and my leg feels pretty strong now. Haven't used the cane for 2 weeks.

Since the subject of your thread is PT I'll put in my 2 cents - I didn't do any. My surgeon is in the no PT camp - just walking. I would have gotten rid of the cane after 7 or 8 weeks if I hadn't fallen and wrenched the muscles in my surgery leg. So glad and lucky I didn't do worse. :walking::egypdance:
 
I'm glad you're doing so well! I didn't do PT either and am so glad I didn't! I recovered so quickly just walking, climbing my stairs at home, and resuming my daily life. I originally posted about PT because my surgeon didn't recommend it, and yet others around me, including 3 people I knew who had had hip replacements kept saying they thought I should. My inclination was to follow my surgeon's advice, and hearing that opinion stressed on this forum really helped me decide.

I have avoided falls so far, although the snowy, icy weather we've been having in CO has scared me a bit. I am clumsy by nature---pretty prone to going too fast, and not watching where I am, so I've expected some sort of mishap. Hopefully if it comes now, I won't worried quite as much.

I also feel like my balance isn't quite back to what it was. My surgeon said that the labrum is removed if it's torn/shredded, which mine was, and that it functions as a stabilizer, so that may be my balance. I'm not too concerned yet, but I'll need to find out more about that.

So what are you doing now that you are retired? I know you are an artist---do you do beadwork? Or? I am so jealous of those of you who live in warm weather states---I am dying to get outside and garden and do some longer walks/hikes. Instead I am inside, reading, drinking coffee, hanging out with "Google", doing genealogy, and sitting way too much.:heehee:
 
Arizona actually got quite a bit of snow in places that don't usually get it. It's been a wet winter for us and February had an unusual cold snap with snow down to pretty low elevations. It didn't snow at my house but Tucson got a lot for them - it even stayed on the ground for a little while. Way north Scottsdale even got some. I hope your weather clears up soon so you don't have to worry about slipping and you can do your gardening - something I want to start doing. I've had vegetable gardens before but haven't in a while.

I've been playing in my studio a little, but mostly dabbling in catching up on a bazillion things I'm behind on. Haven't accomplished much yet, still getting used to the idea I don't have to go to work. I've done beadwork in the past and still love beads, but I've gravitated toward metal/silversmithing. I started an art degree in sculpture a while back, and I only need about 3 semesters to finish a BFA. I'd like to still do that. Meanwhile I'll take jewelry classes at the Mesa Arts Center - a really nice community art facility with theaters and arts training. It's not free and there's no official credit but the training is very good.

I like hiking too and this year will be great for wild flowers with all the winter rain we've had. They are blooming now and I really want to go out in the desert to see more but I'm not up to hiking very far yet. I think they will be around for a couple of weeks so maybe I can build my stamina a bit more. :hiking::flwrysmile:

I looked up labrum and I thought that was reamed out anyway when they put the liner in the socket. Maybe they try to save some of it if it's in good shape. I don't know about mine - it wasn't mentioned - but I just looked at my before and after x-rays and it looks like it's mostly gone, maybe part is still there. My original hip was trashed.

When summer hits, I don't think you will envy us - think 115 degrees in the shade. :hissy::gaah: The sun is so brutal it's hard to keep a garden - our growing seasons are spring and fall. It's kind of backwards - most places people are stuck inside in the winter - we are stuck inside in the hottest part of the summer. :tantrum:
 
Just talked to a friend tonight who visited Tuscon during their snowstorm. I've been to Phoenix a couple of times in the summer---actually preferred the 112 degrees when I was there once to the 95 degrees plus humidity in New Orleans when I was there. But I hear you about the heat. I have never had air conditioning so I think I am unusually conditioned to tolerating heat. But who knows if I had to do it every day. Still.....the rest of the year!

In terms of the labrum, I originally thought my doctor said it would all be removed because it was shredded, but when I mentioned that on this forum, someone corrected me and stated they don't always remove it all. Either way, my surgeon said to be careful about balance. I just didn't ask if it was temporary or longer lasting.

I'd love to learn more about silversmithing/metal work---we are a big art community and lots of classes are offered all over town. I've had my eye on some jewelry making ones, as well as pottery. Sculpting is especially big here. You'll have to let me know if you ever make it up this way!
 
Hi, pitching in here as fascinated about how people deal with retirement. It may be looming for me too. Scared about the financial side though as have been used to a reasonably good income. .

Re PT - I did do some but think in the early stages it aggravated a muscle that got torn by a hospital induced accident which has never quite recovered. It certainly lets me know if I overdo it!

If it wasn’t for Brexit I would seriously be considering moving to France and running a summer B and B.... maybe with some cooking and music thrown in!
 
@SurreyGirl Yes finances in retirement are a little scary. We have Social Security here in the US which we pay into through our employers. We have to save a substantial amount on top of that to have a good retirement, or some still have pensions. I hope I've saved enough. Don't know how things like that work in the UK. Besides enough money, you need a hobby or some meaningful work, volunteerism, etc. I'm sure you've thought about all that. I'm 67 so it's time to kick back. When I was a kid I thought I was going to be an artist, until I realized it's very hard to make a living that way, and I really like eating regularly and living indoors, lol. Now I can be an artist without pressure to make a living.

@Debru4 I might just have to check that out sometime, I'll let you know if I come up there. I've always loved CO - when I was a kid, my dad's brother and his wife lived in Fairplay and we drove up there every summer. It is so beautiful. Also, I went to the Yoga Journal Convention several years ago which was outside Estes Park at a big YMCA facility in the mountains next to Rocky Mountain National Park. What a majestic place!
 
@Debru4 it sounds like you’ve had a great recovery. My OS also said no PT was needed for hips. He did still give me a script for PT (not sure why but maybe because I had asked about it). I went a few times but didn’t see any benefit so I stopped going and my hip has done great.

Somehow I don’t think of CO as getting very cold so you must live in the mountains there. One of my sons lives in Golden with his family so I often check their weather. They do get snow and cold but it never seems to last. It can be 10 degrees one day and 50 the next in the winter. I live in northern NY state near Lake Ontario and we get lots of cold and snow all winter. I think we have had snow on the ground since Nov and it is still there. It was 2 degrees this morning and no sign of spring yet.

@SurreyGirl I think we all worry about the financial side of retirement. It seems so hard to plan for as we don’t know what the future holds. Honestly I swear the price of food goes up from week to week these days. I’m sure it always did but I notice it a lot more since I retired. Thankfully I’ve found a hobby in sewing and selling my items to some shops as well as on Etsy and that has given me a little extra income these days which is nice. Hopefully your aggravated muscle is feeling some better now.
 
Thanks both. The aggravated muscle is improving a lot but I still have to careful.

Lots to think about right now but will somehow get through the thought process!
 
Amusing to read how everyone manages to get up from the floor, @Debru4. I was always pretty flexible, too, but the strength part was hard to manage. I get up by getting on all fours, straightening my legs and arms into a "downward dog" sort of motion, bend my knees, lean back and tighten my core and then--god willing--I find myself erect again! I also have to say, in response to the whole "retirement is scary" conversation that it IS scary, both financially as well as "what am I going to do with the rest of my life?" side of things. I found part-time consulting was the way to go for me for a number of years, but I realize that isn't always a possibility for many.
 
@SurreyGirl --I can only imagine how unsettling the whole Brexit thing must be, no matter if you are a supporter of it or not. I've been reading about it, and the changes sound pretty profound. I've heard others say, "If it wasn't for Brexit, I might..........". I hope things will settle soon so you can plan for your future. Let us know if the Bed and Breakfast ever works out(even if you do it in Great Britain)----sounds like a possible trip:)

I taught for 38 years and was able to retire at 60, which I know is young. However, I now am so grateful that I did, as I've had a chance to travel, and to explore possibilities. I know I could have taught longer, and still loved it. But with a new grand baby I wanted to help with and some other opportunities, I decided to retire. When my hip flared up out of the blue, three years into retirement, it stunned me, and really drove home the fact that life is unpredictable. Frankly, it scared me to think that things like this may continue to arise, and if I don't make the most of these years while I am young, I might wait too long to be able to do all the things I want to do. I have known so many people who did that.

I know that finances drive retirement, and for many of us, when we are younger we are busy surviving---working, raising families, etc. It's hard to save $$$ and to plan for not working full-time. But I know there are other options, like@BarbaraJ mentioned, that also can help folks find a middle ground. Being able to start thinking about some of those when we are younger, is probably wise:)
 
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