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THR Deep Breath Reporting for Recovery Duty

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Oh my God...Gracie is gorgeous! She's also very photogenic. What a sweetie. I love how she looks on that couch. Hope you are doing well.
 
Sounds like you are doing great @DeepBreath Only better days ahead now. I also had more incision and muscle pain (healing pains) with second. Nothing bad but more noticeable than the first. You're at that stage where everything is really starting to heal. I'm 11 weeks post op with second hip today and have to say, I'm starting to forget I've just had 2 hip replacements. Every week the muscles get stronger, it's easier to get up off a chair, climb up and down stairs, and walk normally without thinking about it. Everything is healing, strengthening and learning to work together again. I have to say Ive noticed everything healing more around the left than the right. Just an odd feeling, nothing painful. You're getting closer to the finish line @DeepBreath! Go slow. I got frustrated once I was walking w/o the walker and cane. It takes awhile to pick up speed :old: :yes!::egypdance: Glad you're doing great!
 
@CricketHip, yes...Gracie is definitely our Big Baby. :) She's a spoiled stinker, but I feel she deserves every bit of it.
I am happy for you that you'll be able to enjoy time with your sons during the Holidays. They truly are special, aren't they? Yesterday evening when I was getting dinner ready (spaghetti with red sauce with sausage) my son came down the stairs and asked what was for dinner. I told him and he said, "Mom spaghetti?!" I looked at him quizzically and asked what that was. He answered, "Actual spaghetti noodles and sauce made just like you make it, with garlic bread and salad on the side!" I confirmed that was the case and he said, "YAAY!" gave me a quick hug and then bounded up the stairs. It was good to know he missed 'mom spaghetti'. :)
I'm glad you're enjoying your walks and the Christmas lights and the gorgeous weather. What a treat to be able to have the windows open in the afternoon in December. It's been so lovely.
I hope work is going good and that you're finding you are less tired as time goes on. :)

@Hip Hip Hooray! Isn't she something? We have tons of nicknames for her, among them being 'Regal Beast' and 'Lovely Lady Paws'. She's our darling girl and I agree that she looks fabulous lounging on that settee. :)
I'm doing good, friend. Lots of energy and a bright outlook. I feel truly blessed.
I hope you are doing great and that your calls are going well. :)

@Doodles51, hi friend! :) It sounds like you are doing fabulously. How wonderful to be at a point where you actually forget about having recently had two surgeries. That is truly the goal; to be able to get on with living.
How interesting about the difference you're feeling in the two sides. It is a process though and they go through different phases at different times. I hope you'll continue to share your experiences with me as your recovery goes on as our timelines are so similar.
You are 100% correct about taking it slow. I pushed a bit at first with this second one and ended up with some discomfort. I'm much more mindful of pacing myself now. I'm feeling so good and energetic that I can sit here and think of 101 things I *could* be doing, but I'm careful to not fall into that. For now, I am quite content with just taking care of myself throughout the day and making dinner each evening. It's just what I can handle and it's good enough for now. :)
I hope you're enjoying your Holidays. :flwrysmile:
 
Gracie is so royal looking. You can tell she's very loved. I really enjoyed your story about your son and "Mom's spaghetti." What a sweetie! My mom was an excellent cook, too. I really appreciated it. It makes things so homey.

I'm glad that you are taking care of yourself. I agree that making dinner is plenty. It's very wise. You are allowing yourself to heal, and later on down the line, it's so worth it.

It's funny, I guess because I had bilateral surgery, I felt like my hips were twins when they were healing. Before the surgery, the left one was killing me, and I didn't even know there was a problem with the right one. The right leg ached, but not the hip. I told the surgeon at my first visit that it was okay. I think he thought I was nuts. Now, they feel the same. Identical. It's like a miracle.
 
Oh, @DeepBreath! What a beautiful girl Gracie is! So regal looking on that settee! I bet she's a wonderful companion as well. I know what you mean about spoiling them. They ask so little and give so much!
All this talk about Arby's is making me think I've been missing out. I bet I haven't been to an Arby's in over 25 years, but I can see one in my very near future. : )
You clearly have a very special son AND daughter! She is so wise to take advantage of this time in her life to see the world and explore what she loves. It does my heart good to see young women making the most of their lives! I'm so jealous of your handsome walking buddy! I remember when Michael was that age, those were the times he would really "talk" to me, when we were away from the usual distractions. And, it sounds like he can be very entertaining.
I'm so happy to hear how well you are doing! Reading your posts is so encouraging!

@Hipster Girl , nothing better than the classics, is there?
 
Checking in... how's it going, Deep?? I fear that you are on your 12th batch of Christmas cookies by now. Baking them, that is!
Hope you are still improving with each day. :roseshwr:
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! Thank you for sharing that memory of your mother with me. I love hearing about things like that. I do hope that when my son thinks of me, he associates those memories with love and warmth and care. Things change a lot with a son as they grow up, but I truly hope we can always enjoy talking and hanging out. Of course, he can always count on me making 'Mom spaghetti' for him. :)
I can absolutely understand you telling your surgeon that your right hip was okay. I think we get desensitized to the discomfort and since it wasn't right in the hip area why would you think it was your hip?
I'm glad you have the 'twin hip' experience, especially with your line of work. Getting back into dancing and stage work requires so much work, so it's great your hips are in tandem to tackle that. It sounds like you're just doing fabulously too...with the yoga and home activities, dancing, everything. I am SO happy for you! :)

@Southernbelle, Hello! :) I've been thinking about you this week and wondering how you are doing. You're so right about dogs asking for so little and giving so much. They are just dear. How is Lila? Is she still hanging out with her malti-poo buddy?
Have I lured you over to the dark side with my Arby's talk? :wink: I get the exact same thing every time, even though I'm sure their other offerings are delicious. For me, it's a turkey reuben (with horsey sauce) and curly fries dipped in their Arby's sauce. YUM!
Thank you for your kind words about my kiddos. I am also proud of my girl taking advantage of her youth to do the things you said. Adult life takes over very soon and we often lose sight of those early goals. I think it's immensely important to travel and learn and experience different cultures and ways of thinking.
I hear what you're saying about being able to talk with your son when it's just the two of you. You can have to most fascinating conversations with your kids at random times and I really enjoy that. He is a pip! He knows I dislike 'twerking' and loves to tease me by doing this ridiculous version of it. I can't help but laugh at him...the stinker!
Michael sounds like a truly terrific young man. Well done, Mom! :)
Thanks for saying what you did about my posts. I'm glad you enjoy them. I always love hearing from you. Your tone is always so sunny.

@CricketHip, no worries, friend! There are no Christmas cookies in my immediate future. I'm not much of a baker, unfortunately. That's actually probably good since I love to eat baked goods...LOL.
Since dinner this evening is just going to be heat and serve pulled pork sandwiches and baked french fries, I decided to get some gift wrapping done this afternoon. The tree is really starting to look festive now with packages underneath it!
How are you doing? Are you also getting this amazingly warm weather? It looks like we're on tap for a string of 70 degree days! Not too shabby for December! :)
 
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Your dinner sounds delicious. I hope you got your presents wrapped. I love having a tree. I decorated two conifers in my front yard with lights. It's really festive.

It's wonderful to hear that you are doing so well. Have you made a dent in all of those meals that you prepared? I think it's great that you stocked the freezer. Take care...
 
Hi Deep! Yes, the weather has been nothing short of incredible. We are taking a long road trip to Ohio and then on to Colorado! So, I hope the mild weather continues. Figured this was the best way for me to take the 2 weeks break without succumbing to work requests. Plus, I haven't mentioned it but the Yellow Lab that we adopted from a shelter is getting the very painful and serious treatment for heart worms.. it's pretty awful and we have our hands full keeping him quiet and after the first injections, helping him with pain relief. Poor guy was probably exposed to them while in the shelter in Alabama, before they brought him up here for adoption.
Hubby has slept on the couch the past 2 nights so he could keep Rooney calm and tonight is my night :shocked:.
So, the road trip will also include the dog.. hahaha! I see it as a great big adventure and a great way to keep him calm and restrained... he can't run inside the car so it's perfect.

He's not allowed to exercise whatsoever so I have been taking my long walks without him,, ahhh the guilt!

Isn't tomorrow your 3 week post op anniversary?? You have been such a good sport through it all.. keep up the good work!!
 
@DeepBreath , your son sounds like a treasure, these moments are rare. I love reading your postings so very encouraging!! Dogs are the best healers, my little one is always with me. All this food talk is making me hungry, our Arbys closed down last year. I drool over Subway though. It sounds like your making progress ever night. Its a treat to read your posts. Its hard to remember your only 3 months and a bit post op, keep up the great progress.
 
@DeepBreath it sounds like you and your son have a wonderful relationship. The "Mom Spaghetti" is too cute! I have no doubt he will have warm memories of love and caring when he grows up and looks back on his childhood.

Just a quick note this morning to say "hello" as I am getting ready to leave for work. I hope you have a great recovery day today
:flwrysmile:
 
@DeepBreath, thank you for the menu suggestions at Arby's, that sounds like what I might enjoy as well. Mind you, I haven't avoided all fast food for so long, but for some reason, Arby's wasn't handy or on the radar. And, when living in Pasadena, the town is actually known for not having fast food. Until about 2 years ago, when Chick-fil-a came to town. Oh, my, a taste of home goodness! Now, if they had only brought Bojangles with them. We'd have been in "high cotton"!
I hope you are continuing to do well. Thank you for your kind words, I'm not aware of sounding "sunny", but I've been told I have that sort of disposition. Funny, I never think about being a sunny person, but I am generally an optimistic person. Both my parents were very much that way.
I've been wondering how your week is going, if you've had any ah-hah moments, realizing just how wonderful it is to have BOTH hips done and over? I had a moment like that today, when it hit me that I was walking without any aid and it's been 8 years since I was without a rollator or in a blasted wheelchair. It was a grand moment, it truly was! I took a meal to a friend who's daddy passed away this week (he was 93 and lived the most amazing life!) and it suddenly hit me that I was standing in her kitchen without any help! I do get a bit weak if I stand for long, but I trust that will pass. Seems the last of those valiant men who are WWII vets are passing away and it's odd to think of us not having them around any more.
I hope your week is going well! I think I'll start some Christmas baking tomorrow. I'd like to have some of Michael's favorites ready when he gets home on Sunday, those treats that also bring back sweet memories of my mama's kitchen. Nothing quite like those special scents of Christmas! Of course, some mulling spices in a little pot will do the same and I love those smells drifting through the house! Even if it's 75 outside. Can't believe this warm weather! It's really nice when the kiddos can ride their new bikes and such on Christmas, but a little cold snap would make it feel a little more Christmas-y. Share a little update, as time allows. Sending you healing hugs, and a lick from Lila!
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! I'll bet your conifers are lovely with their lights. There's just something magical about Christmas lights. It's fun to go around the different neighborhoods and seeing the decorations.
You know, we have eaten some of the freezer meals, but not as much as we did last time. I've felt so much better after this surgery that it's actually been a joy to get in the kitchen and cook. I didn't realize how much the pain cut into my enjoyment of cooking. Now that the pain is gone, I'm rediscovering my love for it. :)

@CricketHip, oh my, friend. I'm so sorry to hear about your doggy's heart worm condition and that he's in pain. God love you and your husband for being so good to him and keeping him comfortable as he goes through treatment. Your mother-in-law has been in my prayers and I'll add pup to them, as well as safe travel wishes for you. Colorado! My home state. I hope you have a wonderful time.
Yes, Tuesday was my 3 week post op for the right hip and Friday was the 12 week for my left hip. Thank you for the kind words. Every day is seeing improvements. I'm so grateful. :)

@3rd Dislocation, what a sweet post. Thank you. :) You are in my prayers every day and I hope you are feeling good and that you've gotten some answers as to your recovery.
I agree, pets are incredible. Loving souls who just want our company. My girl is such a comfort to me.
Ooh, I love Subway as well. They had a quacamole turkey sub over the summer that was just fabulous. Yum!
Great, now I'm hungry. LOL! :wink:

@Hipster Girl, yes, I'm lucky to have a nice relationship with my son. He has been gravitating more towards his dad as he's hit puberty, but we still have some lovely times and really fun interactions. I hope that's always the case. He's a great kid. :)
Thank you for popping in to say 'Hi'. You're in my thoughts and I am sending out good wishes that work is going well and that you're feeling great.

@Southernbelle, I loved your comment about Bojangles and being in 'high cotton'! :) While we were stationed in Germany, a new PX was built and one of the restraurants was Bojangles. People went NUTS. There were lines out the door with customers waiting to get a taste of Bojangles. High cotton, indeed. LOL!
Your attitude is very sunny. It shines through in your posts.
I'm feeling good, friend. Each day is seeing a bit more improvement and I'm having to be stern with myself to not walk without aids since I still have to work with PT to correct my gait. My limp is still there...muscle memory, but the pain IS NOT! Yaaay! :)
I'm tickled pink that you had an 'Ah-Ha' moment and that you're doing so well. That's what it's all about. It truly is miraculous.
My thoughts are with your friend whose father passed. It's wonderful that you showed your love and support with a meal. It is hard to believe that all of those WWII vets are going to their rest. What a wonderful generation.
My father was a WWII vet, he was in the Navy and stationed in the Pacific theater. His stories were always fascinating.
Tomorrow is the day when your boy comes back! I'm SO excited for you! I'll bet your home is packed full of yummy things to eat and smells just wonderful. I love the sights and scents of this season. I hope you have a terrific time with Michael.
It was pretty chilly here the past couple of days and is still fireplace weather today, but it looks like a warm up will occur this week. I agree about the chilly weather. I enjoyed it. It just feels more 'Christmassy'.
Have a terrific week, friend, and please give Lila a squeeze from me and tell her 'Woof!' from Gracie. :flwrysmile:


I attended the graduation program of our AIT (advanced individual training - - the school after Basic Training for new soldiers) yesterday. My husband is the sergeant major of the brigade and spoke at the graduation. It was a lovely day and seeing those young men and women on the cusp of starting off their military careers after months of hard training brought tears to my eyes. Most looked like babies to me.
I felt so good yesterday. I hardly think about my left hip (first op) these days, and my right hip is improving day by day. I felt so grateful as I sailed along with my walker (wishing I didn't have to use it, but knowing that this is a process). The lack of pain is amazing.
This Tuesday, the 22nd, I start out patient PT. My fingers are crossed that this is a good facility (their reviews are very good) and that they will be helpful in getting my muscles in shape and my gait issues resolved. Thanks to Bone Smart I do know what to look for and how to advocate for myself going forward.
Have a great week, hippie friends. You're all in my thoughts. :flwrysmile:
 
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@3rd Dislocation, my goodness, that's a lot to wrap your head around and who wouldn't be alarmed at all the things you've seen???
Are there any other alternatives to that small network of surgeons? I'm sorry, this is probably all stuff you've already gone over in your head a thousand times. There simply has to be a surgeon locally who can help you.
I'm just so concerned that you are not getting the needed results from this surgery and the things you've witnessed are frightening. I cannot imagine how you must be feeling.
I so understand your concern regarding your son. It's hard not to feel guilty. He sounds like a lovely young man.
I so wish I lived close to you. We'd get in the car and go find a top notch surgeon and get you sorted toot sweet!

Wow, you have a lot of patience reading through my thread. I had to LOL about your mention of Nutty Buddy. Gosh, I haven't thought of her in weeks. I sent out a prayer for her. Poor gal. I don't think she has a very happy home life. I hope she's doing well and is feeling good since her surgery.
Ugh about your roomies and all the ensuing drama. Holy Cow! It's a good thing you have such a terrific attitude. It's helped you tremendously throughout your journey.

Your weather sounds gorgeous. I'm from Colorado, so generally we had a white Christmas. We've had several Christmases in the south of the US, so we're used to not having snow, but it is so lovely to see a wintry scene out the window.
I hope you have a lovely Christmas and I'll be sending many prayers that the coming year sees you getting more answers and resolving your hip challenges. There just has to be an answer.
I feel my Google fingers tingling wanting to do some research....
*Hugs*
 
Oops meant to edit and it deleted instead. @DeepBreath, yes Josephine has replied twice to my posts. It's not good news, if true. I may have a misaligned hip, needing a revision and a different surgeon!
I've lost faith in the ortho scene. I met too many medical mishaps while at rehab. One lady had 22 surgeries on one knee and then they lopped it off. Other knee 5 surgeries, last 2 while I was still there, both were septic. Another guy 2 surgeries both septic, with a threat of lopping off his leg. We did have an OR closed, due to bacteria found.

Plus hips knee are routed through 1 facility with 22 surgeons and they do 3k replacements yearly. So I don't know how easy it will be to find a revisionist! I was referred to a different ortho and somehow got re routed back. I last saw my surgeon 1991, would of thought files were shredded.

I truly appreciate your prayers. Your so kind to everyone! I'm thrilled this recovery is going well, no Nutty Buddies this time! I had one at local hospital. They are stressful. It sounds like you'll have a wonderful Christmas. Does it ever snow your way. We have fresh snow and it's beautiful. I can't imagine it being green at Christmas. I love reading your food adventures. My son and I will make some traditional shortbread, no cornstarch. I get hungry reading your food posts! I wish you a continued great recovery!
 
@DeepBreath, for me it's a must to have snow at Christmas. I love reading of your travels. First time using my ph, finger hit wrong spot!Yeah it's traumatic seeing and hearing what fellow patients went through. It makes my journey seem inconsequential in comparison. We're only 10k population, so no orthos. My concern if I go again will end up with some other complication. I am really paranoid. There were patients with 10 readmissions. We called them the frequent flyers. I don't trust the system anymore. There 2 major clinics in Alberta that replacements are routed through, so to cut waiting time. I wonder if this site knows any good surgeons?

So glad Nutty Buddy has disappeared for you. My approach with these people, like you is to offer a prayer for them. I appreciate all the kind thoughts. I will need to consult my pain specialist for help. We have a great rapport. Surgeries used to go so smooth, I'd never give a second thought about it. I'm hoping a misaligned hip can be seen on X ray. I am so impressed with people who do both hips close together, it's a huge challenge! It too drains the stamina. It's so good to hear your pain free pretty much!! You must share some recipes.
 
@DeepBreath, I so agree about the WWII vets - what a wonderful generation! And the Advanced Individual Training graduation sounds very moving. I know what you mean about all those young'un's looking like babies. I notice the same thing at high school and even college graduations. Many of them don't look old enough to be graduating, I guess that means I am getting older, ha

You sound great and I am thrilled for you that there is no pain! That is the main thing and the reason most of us had this surgery, and I see it as a medical miracle when that pain is gone. I am hopeful the outpatient PT helps with your gait. You are smart not to do away with the walker until your gait is corrected. I am still using my cane - I was allowed to start weaning off of it a week or so ago but I am still using it during the day when I am out because of my gait. I don't want to fall back into bad walking habits. I did buy new shoes as recommended on this site. I have another post-op this week and am going to inquire about outpatient PT for myself. I know it is Christmas week and the doctor's office is going to be swamped with patients trying to get in before the end of the year, but I am going to have some questions ready and not allow myself to be rushed until I can ask about it.

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas! I imagine you are probably spending a lot of time in the kitchen cooking a humongous meal with all the trimmings. :SUNsmile:
 
@DeepBreath, I know what you mean about enjoying cooking again. I felt like all of the simple tasks became such an effort before the surgery. Now I have my old enthusiasm and energy back again. Pain really does wipe you out. Well, it sounds like you have a nice stockpile of food in the freezer. That's a good feeling...
 
@3rd Dislocation, re: you wondering about anybody on the forum knowing about good surgeons in your area. That is a really smart question. We have so many wonderful people on this forum. I think it's definitely worth a shot. Perhaps you could ask Josephine what the best way to pose this question so the largest amount of people see it would be. Sometimes it truly is 'who' you know.
Thank you for the kind words. :) Keep on keepin' on. You've survived so much already. You deserve a pain free outcome. There simply must be an answer out there.

@Hipster Girl, so many young people look like babies to me any more. When I attend functions for my husband's work and the young soldiers are there with their wives, and sometimes their babies, I think, "You are 12...why are you married and have a baby?" :heehee: Yep, I'm growing older.
I'm anxious to see how the out patient PT goes. I am SO grateful for Bone Smart so I have some idea about what is helpful and what is 'too much'. I tend to be a people pleaser and sometimes that makes it challenging for me to draw boundary lines. After the in home PT person experience though, I have a bit more wisdom and have resolved to work hard, but to not do anything that might set my progress back. I refuse to break my restrictions and if anything is unduly painful...nope, not going to tolerate that. I have been sending out lots of prayers that I'll be able to navigate this situation and that it is good for me.
You know, as far as Christmas dinner goes, I'm kind of taking the easy road. We decided a ham would be good, so we got a pre-cooked one. I'm going to do a pan of cheesy potatoes, some cranberry sauce from a can, easy sauteed garlic green beans, store bought Hawaiin sweet rolls, and some store bought pies. Done and delicious!
Good enough is enough. :)

@Hip Hip Hooray! You said a mouthful, friend. I honestly did not realize how tired I was pre-surgery just from doing the bare minimum. Now that my hips feel so great, I have all this energy and can look around with a new perspective. I can only imagine how you are feeling as far as your performing is going and working around your cottage and its lovely grounds. It truly is a whole new world, isn't it?
I do like having those freezer meals. Sundays are busy days for me as I do the laundry and light housework. I love popping a frozen dish in the oven and calling it done. I might take a few days every month and just make a few simple freezer meals from now on. They do come in handy. :)

Have a great week, ladies!
 
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