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THR Déjà Vu: Squirrellymom's Right THR & Her Left THR

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I am so impressed that you can walk a mile. I have to concentrate so hard with the cane that I am mentally exhausted after just to the mailbox and back. I will follow your second time with great interest. Trying to wait patiently for my second at the end of May. Also trying to baby my left side so that I don't end up like I was in November and December, gosh that was excruciating!

I am looking forward to gardening again too! Right now my daffodils are in full bloom but I am aggravated by all the dead stuff that I can't take out all around them, sigh. Next year!


RTHR 1/15/2016. Posterior approach. Due to AVN. LTHR in my future.
 
@Squirrellymom - I think this post surgery time for us is when the down side of doing one hip, then the other becomes really apparent and frustrating. I feel like even if I strengthen the op hip, it starts compensating for the still "bad" hip and doing most of the work. And the bad hip just acts like a bad hip getting worse. I, too still secretly wish I had been able to do bilateral.

Like you, most of my back pain just went away after surgery. It's amazing, isn't it? Just think how good we'll feel when both are done!

Sounds like you're making a great recovery so far. And April 11th will be here before you know it! :flwrysmile: Springtime, 2 sparkly new hips and your garden await you!
 
Julie- it's funny you talk about back pain. I had it too, and since hip surgery, it's not nearly as bad. The Quadratus lumborum muscle on my bad hip side is extremely sore quite often. I've joined an 'Adult Hip Dysplasia' group on FB where one of the members posts several videos on various muscle stretching (that's how I learned that big word, ha ha).
I'm still walking everyday-- we live in the valley between 2 hills and today after walking the flatter gravel road across from our house, decided to see how far I'd make it up the steeper hill that approaches our house. Needless to say, it was a good cardio workout! And my new hip didn't complain one bit. I didn't get all the way to the goal I set -- the goal was the next road, and we would have gone slightly down hill to get there -- I didn't want to come back up another hill!!-- but will definitely walk it again this week. Walking today made me realize how good life will be with two good hips.
Good luck with the MacBook Air. I've got one (prefer it to typing on an iPad) -- but they both have their uses.
Good luck with your April surgery too. I'll have to be checking up on your progress after that.


Sent from my iPad
 
I wanted to change my thread title since I will very soon have the left hip done and I want to eliminate that but there is no edit thread available on my page. I also wanted to begin the thread with Déjà Vu to indicate that I am doing it all over again. I am still trying to identify those of us who are doing IT twice and not at the same time as that would be bilateral. :umm:If we could preface our thread titles with Déjà Vu then we would so stand out in the crowd. I'll have to contact an admin to change me after I have my left hip repaired next month. Until that time... I am still managing to walk one mile or a bit more every day with the dogs. I am experiencing back pain again. I didn't feel the back pain for the first 4-5 weeks after right replacement but now, with the walking and normal activity again, it's "back". I still haven't gotten in the hot tub and I haven't taken a bath, only showers. I know my instructions said I could do both about 6-8 weeks out but I'm so worried about an infection before my second op that I decided it wasn't necessary to submerge my body in liquid so I wait.

I'm sleeping almost entirely on my side now at about 10 weeks. I keep a pillow between my legs because it is simply more comfortable that way. I am a bit stiff in the mornings, especially if it is chilly or raining. I'm hoping it is the unreplaced left side causing the stiffness across my back and legs and that it subsides but arthritis wants to find a way to make moving pain difficult for me. I'm doing very light stretches and tightening the muscles in anticipation of having both hips move freely. Some days I just shrug and do nothing but housework and walking.

My scar from the anterior surgery is healing very well. I rub vitamin E oil on it most every day. I bought vitamin E capsules and I puncture the end of the capsule and squeeze it onto the scar. I rub back and forth with two fingers and it has worked out any hardness under the scar and, hopefully, will minimize the scar itself. The only place I wear a swim suit is in the hot tub and all my shorts are long enough to cover the scar so it really won't be seen but I would like to minimize it's appearance.

It's St. Paddy's day and I have kids coming over to eat Irish stew, soda bread, Bailey's Irish Cream cake and drink Guinness so need to go finish in the kitchen. --julie
 
Hi Julie -- good to hear from you. Hopefully hip #2 will ease the stiffness for you. I've noticed a lot LESS, (especially in the getting out of bed first thing), and would have never dreamed it, in spite of all the comments here. I'll look forward to reading your post surgery 2 comments -- especially about week 4 when you start getting more mobile.

I too, have yet to get in the hot tub. I was advised to wait 90 days - which will be around the 5th of April. With all the talk of infections, etc, I'm a bit leery to rush in, although my scar has healed nicely (with no help from vitamins). I may try your Vitamin E idea. I've done that before with other scars.. hmm. My scar is still a tad bit hard right down the line... not hard enough to keep me from sleeping on it, though.
I guess that's the good thing about anterior -- there is no discomfort from sleeping on the scar? or is it possible to sleep on an anterior scar?
 
And I'm about a month behind Cynthia! I can't tell you how reassuring it is to read your experiences so I know what to expect.

I can see why they make you wait three months. I'm not sure I would want to have to rely on my operated hip as the strongest one yet AND I'm quite looking forward to a few weeks without 90 degree restrictions, compression socks etc. :yes!:
 
@Squirrelymom - You are quite diligent, rubbing your scar wuth the vitamin E! I bet it looks great. I only occasionally rub my scar. And fabulous you - walking a mile!
Hope you had a fabulous St. Paddy's Day with the kids. Sounds like a fun and yummy time!
 
@Squirrellymom

I love the "Deja Vu" preface for those of us getting both hips done! Maybe we can start a trend and just add it to our titles like you say. :-)

Boy, two peas in a pod! I'm with you feeling worried and avoiding a bath until after my second THR is completed. I love baths, but I just don't want to take a chance.

Pray tell, what is "soda bread"?
 
So funny to see all of us "double hippies" are all paranoid about getting infections prior to our second surgery! I actually showed my regular doc a spot of follicular infection and asked if she thought I should start antibiotics! She said I should not need them, but to call if it did not go away in a couple of days or if red streaks started to spread from the area. Of course it went away in the next two days.


RTHR 1/15/2016. Posterior approach. Due to AVN. LTHR in my future.
 
Julie, noticed your gardening post on another thread! I LOVE my plants and garden and not being able to get out and fiddle with them has been the worst! I have hostas coming up that I want to divide and move but I am afraid to try digging yet in our clay soil. Afraid to try shoving down with my new hip! I just could not bear the idea of no veggie garden this summer so I am going to try an experiment....straw bale gardening! Next weekend I am headed out to buy 3 bales. Going to put them on newspaper in my regular bed and plant tomatoes, cucumbers band peppers! Not a full garden but it will be something! And hopefully up high enough that I can get to things while I have my 90 degrees restrictions in June and July! Spent yesterday cleaning out dead tomato vines, old asparagus and such ( no way I could do that last fall!) and my left hip has been twinning like mad today, but I was so happy to be outside in the gardens yesterday it was worth it!


RTHR 1/15/2016. Posterior approach. Due to AVN. LTHR in my future.
 
Déjà Vu I had my pre-op this week for the 2nd THR. They essentially did blood and EKG and said "you know the rest" and I left. Then they called after I arrived home and said they forgot that I would need new X-rays so back in again today for my glamour shots. OS really needed to take measurements so I can be 'even'. I'm tired of feeling "stiff" and my right knee (the replaced side) still burns and aches sometimes. I want to be totally repaired!

@jomarie58 -- yes to the straw bales. I saw an article about doing that in the Costco magazine and I looked it up and I've thought about trying it too. I've got lots of weeds in the garden and I don't want to run the little tiller this year so putting weed material or your suggestion of newspaper might be a solution. I "googled" straw bale garden and I would need to get mine started now because of wetting and heating and putting in some fertilizer. I want my own tomatoes soooooo bad. I have 3-4 big pots and I know I will put tomato plants in them on the deck so I can have my tomato sandwiches without going down the deck steps. ;) And yes, I am really paranoid about an infection. I haven't taken a bath either since #1 in January. Showers are just fine thank you until after the scar for #2 is healed over really well. We do have the hot tub and I'm going to drain out all the water and start fresh before I sit in it in a few months. I want to do exercises in the water and I may have to keep everyone away from it so I don't get cooties.

@Cynthia777 Soda Bread is a bread made with soda instead of yeast. It is very plain and made and baked in a circle mound instead of a loaf pan. I cheat and make a soda, cheese, herb bread but it is very easy and really yummy. Time is flying for left leg. Just over 2 weeks for me and I'll be doing it again. I know it will be about 8-12 weeks before I'm really doing much and then it will be boiling, burning hot summertime. The good thing about summer is that I want to eat "light". I've gained six!!! (6)!!! pounds since hip #1. I am so upset with myself. I can't walk nice long walks and it's been cold and wintry and I've been eating and doing nothing but lounging around. I needed to lose about 10 pounds before the first replacement and now I've packed on more. Summer will have to be lot's of fruit and salads because I refuse to buy new clothes. I've had too much of an excuse for being lazy and now I won't be able to dig holes and plant and mow so .... I can't eat like a lumberjack. I've been hesitant to really DIET because I wanted energy to heal and get through op #2 but, like being pregnant, I've got to work to get the pounds off so I can move my joints.

I'm almost ready for the count down to begin. ---julie
 
Your soda bread recipe sounds delish!
Yes, not long now for either of us and like you, I "almost" can't wait to get on with it. :heehee:
Fortunately I had a loss of appetite for about a month after surgery, so I actually lost five pounds...Yes! I have been a lounge lizard for far too many years, so I packed on quite a few pounds prior to having any hip issues. I tried to hide the weight gain from hubby (like he didn't notice), but he discovered the secret right after surgery (darn it anyway). He's a very wise man and has acted like he didn't notice. Ha ha!
 
@Jaycey -- or other powerful techies with connections. May I ask you, at your convenience, to change my recovery thread title. I looked for the thread title changing magical "button" but it does not appear on my computer. Thank you, thank you, oh so very much. I would like for the title to read:

Déjà Vu: Squirrellymom's Right & Her Left

--julie
 
I've made THE LIST and I'm checking it twice. I have had all the dogs to the vet for all vaccinations updated as I know it will be at least six weeks before I feel like hauling them in the car. Shih Tzu is going to groomer tomorrow to get rid of lots of fur. I'm going to get MY hair cut on Wednesday so I won't have to even think about my head (also may have to get roots of gray touched up so doctor will think I'm a much younger person he is chopping on). Cleaning house, changing sheets, dusting, all the "stuff" no one else thinks about but me after I can't do it anymore. I went to Costco today and really stocked up on toilet paper, frozen food, cereal, frozen fruit, yogurt, bread, coffee - all the staples I know I won't be able to go to the store to get for at least three weeks and my husband is clueless about. I also found some wonderful capri length sweat pants that are very light weight for hot weather and for lounging or sleeping in. All I need now are some soft T-shirts and I will be ready to recover. Funny how much I "need" just to spend one day in hospital and three weeks on the sofa. Now, for the rest of the week I will be dividing packages of stuff and refreezing it. I will cook some of things and pack them in individual containers so husband can possibly find something to eat. I remember that for hip #1 I was told to be up and about and walk about 10 minutes each hour the first week, so that is enough time to blend up a smoothie for me -- ready and waiting now for the phone call telling me what time I'm scheduled on OP day and when to arrive for my leg lengthening procedure. :holysheep:I am ready to be taller. --julie
 
Wow, you are organized! I'll take notes so that I can be as well prepared as you for my surgery. I must admit that I will only be making sure that breakfast and lunch food for me is stocked in the house. I have discovered that my husband is quite capable of feeding himself. He does a good job of getting dinners together for me as well, either preparing them himself or bringing in prepared food. He also does well with a list at the grocery store. And now that we have cell phones, he can always call from the store if he has questions.

Best of luck to you, Julie!
 
@Squirrellymom - LOL about draining the hot tub. I was just thinking the same thing this morning while I was taking my shower. I'm at the 90 days post op and am allowed to get in the hot tub now, but I was thinking it's going to be drained and scrubbed and refilled first. Then I think I'll take a sample of water to the pool store and have them check it for proper chemicals (not sure they can do a bacterial check, but wouldn't that be nice if they could!) We're going camping next week, and are busy getting the camper ready, so it will have to wait until after that. I'm sorry I had to miss the best hot tub season (winter), but ... oh well. Better to wait it out, then risk an infection. I say all this, and I expect to come home from work one day soon and DH will declare that he has dumped all the chemicals in the hot tub and its ready for us now (old water and all).

My operated knee has that stiff, stinging / burning feeling too every once in a while. I'm not sure what the cause is, it was more frequent 6 weeks after surgery. I guess it might be muscles still stretching? One thing that did go away - pre-surgery, my right knee (operated side) started hurting, and was swollen and popping like the joint was out of place. Once all the surgery swelling went away, I've noticed my knee is back to normal.

I'll be watching for your updates after surgery next week. Here's hoping it's easier on you than the first one, and your first six weeks will fly by.
 
@Squirrelymom- Sounds like you are good and ready! Wow - your time is coming up soon! I hope you feel calmer this 2nd time around. You're going to do great! :yes!:
 
I got my call from OS scheduling. I'm in the 5 AM check-in on Monday. That is the time I drew in January for #1 RTHR so I'm thrilled. I'm hoping I'll be first, numero uno, en, un, amháin, one. If I'm first then I should be out and recovered by about 10 am central daylight savings time. That would mean getting up and moving about mid afternoon and being ready to sleep. I have food cooked, separated, in freezer containers and bags, etc. for the husband to eat without much prep for at least a week. I'll update about the event when I'm home on Tuesday (?) and sitting up on my sofa with coloring books and colored pencils. :type: --julie
 
How wonderful to get that early time! You are so organized Julie, which sure makes things much more manageable during recovery. How is your emotional state? I'm still a bit over two weeks away, so I'm just getting little twinges of nervousness here and there. I'm laughing about your coloring books and colored pencils because I purchased 5 coloring books and a slew of colored pencils but I've only used them three or four times. :-)
 
@Squirrellymom - spit spot super organised! That must set your mind at rest knowing things are all ready for your return. And a nice early start. That's good. I wish mine wasn't mid-afternoon. Will be looking out for you and news. Best wishes
 
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