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THR Deep Breath Reporting for Recovery Duty

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Hi @DeepBreath, I tried doing Pilates at home the other night. It made my hip flexors really sore. I like it for the core, too. I think I'm going to wait a little longer. It seems to aggravate the tissue.

Congratulations on going cane free! I think it's fine that you were using it as a crutch. I find I do that with my pooper scooper. I like the stability.
 
@Hipster Girl, that exercise sounds interesting. I'll have to try that. Thank you! I find that if I do have pain nowadays, it's in my back and is definitely a 'tired, overworked' sensation.
Thanks also for the kind words about the cane usage and sharing your experience with it. It helps to read how others do with certain situations. :)

@Hip Hip Hooray! Yeah, I keep going back and forth about starting Pilates again. I do the Mari Winsor workouts which have always been gentle yet effective for me. I do know that even though I don't feel any physical stress while I do them, I definitely feel it the next day or so. I'm not sure how that will translate to my stage of recovery.
I think I'll just play it by ear and see how I feel going forward. For sure when I do try it again it will be very slow and only doing what feels right.

Question for you ladies: Are you side sleepers, and if so are you able to sleep on your sides again? I know I can lay on my sides physically and have been cleared to do so by my OS for quite some time, but it is really uncomfortable in regards to the incision areas. It feels like I am laying on a big, rough length of rope. The sensation lessens if I lay still, but I can't imagine switching from side to side like I usually do while I sleep. Just wondering what other's experiences have been in this area.

It's lovely here today...high projected to be in the low 70's. I'm going to be making a couple of batches of minestrone soup this afternoon; some for dinner and some for freezing. The recipe was recommended to me by a dear friend and it sure looks delicious.

Have a terrific day, friends! :flwrysmile:
 
Hi @DeepBreath, That minestrone soup sounds delicious. Yum! It's soup weather. I'm going to be making a batch of cream of broccoli soup. As far as the side sleeping, at first it was uncomfortable for me. I felt like my implants were heavy weights, and that they would shift when I turned on my side. Now I don't even notice that they are there. That sensation is gone. I guess the surrounding muscles are stronger, and are holding the new hips in place. Maybe you just need more time. I've also been doing the basic PT exercises that I learned in the hospital. I feel like they help my muscles to "grab" those implants.

I just met Mari Windsor when I went to watch that ballet class last month. She introduced herself to me. She has ALS now. She's gone public, and has a video about it on Youtube. Her Pilates videos were very successful. A couple of my friends used to teach at her studio. She also was Juliet Prowse's private Pilates trainer when I was working with her.

I'm to hear how your body reacts. I haven't tried it again. I'm not sure if it was the Pilates or heavy lifting that made my hips burn. I know Juliet did Pilates and Yoga regularly, and she had both of her hips replaced. I'm just not sure when she resumed it...
 
On the side sleeping, do you still have to use a pillow in between your legs or is it okay to do without the pillow now? I have been wanting to try a different sleeping position but am still sleeping on my back. I'm normally a side/stomach sleeper but when I sleep on my side I always put the top leg over on the bed and I didn't know if that was okay now?

@Hip Hip Hooray! how cool that you got to meet Mari Windsor. Sorry to hear about her ALS; I wasn't aware of that.

@DeepBreath the minestrone soup sounds delicious. I hope you had a wonderful day with those unseasonably warm temperatures. :)
 
I have been sleeping mostly on my left side, but do toss and turn and can lay on my right side. I am still using my body pillow on which to rest the leg that is on top. I mostly find that, with laying on my right side, it's a bit uncomfortable at the incision site; feels like my femur head is right at the skin and wants to break out! Luckily, I prefer sleeping on my left side, so my right leg is on top of the pillow. I can even almost be on my stomach, as long as I have my right leg elevated. I'm not pain free, but it sure beats sleeping on my back!!!

We have snow, so I've been having soup today. I have an acting class tomorrow afternoon, but it might get canceled due to all the snow. It's for seniors 55+ and is twice a week for 6 weeks. Should be fun! Most schools are closing for tomorrow. We're supposed to get up to about 14" by the time this storm leaves the city around noon, tomorrow.
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! The minestrone turned out marvelously. :) Of course, now I have way too much since I did a double batch and my husband is on a work trip and our son doesn't prefer it because he suddenly doesn't like beans. :scratch: Oh well, that means more freezer meals. :)
The cream of broccoli soup sounds amazing. I love anything with broccoli.
I don't massage my incision sites like I should. My OS told me at 4 out with both that I could massage them with Vitamin E oil. I do it haphazardly at best, so I'm probably not breaking up that tissue like I should.
Hopefully I'll be able to sleep on my side at some point again. It's just not the same quality of sleep when I'm resting on my back.
Gosh, I hadn't heard that about Mari Winsor. That is very sad. She seems like a wonderful lady and her Pilates videos have honestly changed my approach to fitness. The results I see doing her program are astounding, especially in my legs, hip, rear areas. Her graduated levels of ways to do the workouts have been so helpful to me as my hips got worse and worse. I will definitely be sending out good thoughts for her.
How awesome that you got to meet her!

@Hipster Girl, if I could sleep on my sides I would choose to put a pillow in between my legs simply for caution's sake. My OS told me at my last check up though that all the restrictions are now lifted and I have crossed midline and bent past 90 degrees. That's just my OS though...I know they differ from doc to doc.
LOL, last week I got the ingredients for the minestrone with visions of an afternoon of cooking in my cozy kitchen while the chilly wind whipped around outside. The reality was me with the windows wide open and a fan going because it got up to 75 yesterday. It was lovely though and the birds were chirping away merrily. I love that. :)

@HipSurprise, I seemed to do okay sleeping on my back until I went off my Tramadol. I guess it had more of a sedating effect than I thought. I just seem to move around a lot more trying to get comfortable and wake up often during the night. I need to just bite the bullet and massage the heck out of the incisions.
I don't know if I mentioned this to you before, but I am from Aurora, CO. My sister still lives there and we have been e-mailing back and forth about the storm, and I've been watching The Weather Channel for updates about it.
It really looks like a doozy! Stay safe and warm, hippie friend!
 
Hi @DeepBreath..
Just wanted to pop in and see how things are going with you. Sleeping on your side....I finally started to do that a couple of weeks ago. I sleep on my op side with that leg either completely straight or bent at the knee. It has finally gotten to the point where it doesn't feel like I'm laying on a golf ball. But, my preferred way is still on my back and I am weaning myself from all my pillows. I'm actually down to 3 now, whI have is a at cry from the 8 or 9 I was using! Have a wonderful day, my friend!
 
@Nana757, thank you for weighing in on the side sleeping question. It gives me hope that you have been able to sleep on your op side without that hideous, uncomfortable feeling. May I ask if you massage your incision or did the tissue kind of reabsorb?
I simply cannot imagine you without your brilliant mound of comfy pillows. :) Progress! You had the coziest sounding nest and your thread gave me such reassurance that I would be able to sleep just fine, even on my back.
I've found that I still prefer to keep a small, round pillow under my knees when I sleep. It seems to help with avoiding knee pain when lying still for a long time.
I look forward to being able to sleep in any position I choose. One day.... :)
 
Nope! Never did any massaging of the incision. Hubby bought some Bio-oil for me and I only used it once. My incision is perfectly smooth with no knots. But, I do use the oil on my face...it's great for the fine lines that keep
seem to popping up! But I guess I should expect a few, at my age!
I have to admit that I miss my nest and occasionally throw a pillow under my knee when I'm on my back. I found when I bend my knee out and just rest it on a pillow, it feels so good.
 
Hi @DeepBreath, Mari was a dancer. She danced for Michael Jackson. It's very sad that she has ALS. She still takes ballet barre at the studio where I used to teach. @Hipster Girl, Mari was really nice. She was very friendly and kind.

I haven't massaged my incision area. My surgeon didn't mention doing that, as far as I remember. It's still kind of tender. I just leave it alone. I've put some coconut oil on it a few times.
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! Mari definitely carries herself like a dancer. It's wonderful that she is active. Her excellent physical shape can only help as she deals with the ALS. I just hate it that she has it. :(
 
Well, my boy is home sick today. He has been noticeably tired this week and he told me yesterday that he has had a sore throat off and on for about 4 days. I figured better safe than sorry, so off we went to the doctor today.
She said his throat is a bit red and his lymph nodes a bit swollen, but he doesn't have a fever or any congestion. They did a strep test and a blood draw on him just to cover all the bases. Hopefully all the tests will come back A-OK.
Once again I was able to marvel at how wonderful it is to be post op and enjoying the benefits of my surgeries. The parking lots were quite full at the medical clinic so we had to park in a side lot and walk to the clinic. I had no problem and walking felt great. I remember less than 6 months ago going to that same clinic to have my pre-op blood work done and praying I could find a close parking spot. I then had to wrangle my walker out of my trunk and make my painful way up to the 3rd floor. People were so kind and held doors and smiled at me. I appreciated that so much but part of me couldn't help thinking, "I'm too young for all of this".
Today, although I know I still limp slightly, I felt closer to 'normal' than I have in a very long time. It was a great feeling. :)

I hope all my friends are having a terrific day as well. I am sending out continuous good vibes for @Cynthia777! :flwrysmile:
 
Aw @DeepBreath! I sure hope your boy has nothing serious and feels better soon. And, I so agree with you about feeling so empowered now with being able to take long walks without worrying. You go girl!
 
@DeepBreath - I'm glad you got another chance to revel and appreciate your new pain free mobility! But I'm sorry it was to take your son to the dr. Hope it isn't strep and that he starts feeling better soon!

I am just beginning to feel that new pain free mobility. So your posts are inspiring me and giving me even more to look forward to as time heals the hips.

Glad to hear you had a good day celebrating another sweet hippie victory!! :yahoo:
 
Hi @DeepBreath, I can totally relate to how you felt at the medical clinic. It's great that you appreciate all of these milestones. I was the same way before my surgery. Everything took so much energy, and I was always having to strategize and economize my movement. It's exciting what this surgery can do. I'm so happy for you.

I hope your son is feeling better. I am doing the same for @Cynthia777. She had such a good start...it sounds like she is in good hands.
 
@DeepBreath it's great to read all the feedback on the side sleeping question; I am so glad you brought that up because I had been wondering about it myself.

Your minestrone soup sounds wonderful and it made me chuckle that your son doesn't like beans all of a sudden. I remember so many times I would make something for my son that he loved and all of a sudden out of the blue, he doesn't like it anymore, so I can so relate to that. Makes you go :scratch::what: doesn't it?

Hoping for good test results and hope he is feeling like himself again real soon.

I'm thrilled for you on your pain-free walk to the clinic - that made my day! :yes!:
 
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@Nana757, thank you for the good wishes, friend. I hope he gets to feeling better again soon too. Still no word from the doctor's office, so we'll have to see.

@Readysetgo, I'm so glad you're feeling the positive effects of the surgery. Those milestones are the greatest, aren't they? When you suddenly realize, "Hey, I can DO this!" At first it's generally recovery related, like being able to heft the Log Leg out of bed by yourself or take a shower. A little later on it starts to become doing things that had grown impossible prior to surgery. It makes the lead up, the surgery itself, and recovery worthwhile. :)
Thank you too for your kind thoughts for my kiddo.

@Hip Hip Hooray! "Everything took so much energy, and I was always having to strategize and economize my movement" Absolutely. I hadn't realized exactly how exhausting my life was prior to my THRs. On a daily basis I am still finding myself doing some small thing and thinking, "Hey, you don't have to do that any more, silly". :)
It's a wonderful realization.

@Hipster Girl, I look forward to seeing how this side sleeping thing pans out. I hope that one day it just becomes a non-issue and we can do it again.
I pulled a 'Google Queen' again the past couple of days. I decided to do the incision massage again and read up on good techniques for that. Once article said that massaging perpendicular to the incision in a 'firm motion' really helps with breaking it up.
Uhh...yeah. My incisions were screaming at me yesterday. They said, "You'd better ice us up real good, lady".
Now, I'm wondering if I should keep doing it and work through the discomfort or just back off and let nature take its course? Dunno...gonna have to think on that one.
I read your comment on Hip Hip's thread about your hips still being stiff. Mine are too. They are so much better than they were pre op, but not loose by any sense of the word. The PT is helping though. I find that if I do the at home exercises they gave me, it definitely helps me to stay more flexible. Sometimes I'll just get downright lazy and not do them for a couple, three days and I can sure tell the difference. It's easy for me to get lax about exercise, but I figure I need to keep it up to get the best possible advantages out my shiny new hips. It's a struggle though.
The minestrone is so good. I've been having it for lunch every day and it sure hits the spot on these chilly, rainy days. Yeah, I don't know what it is with kids. Both of mine have pulled stuff like that. Liking something for quite a while and then boom, nope, don't like it any more. :shrug:
Thank you for wishing my boy well. :) He's at home again today on the recommendation of the doctor and is taking it easy.
I hope your day and week is going good. :)
 
HI'YA @DeepBreath !! you are progressing at a steady rate. Good for you, sweetie! Gosh, remember when we were so nervous about this "ordeal" I just realized this morning that I feel better than I have for probably 2 years!

I get discouraged when I over do it and get stiff/sore but it takes very little down time to rebound and pre op there was no rebounding going on...... ever! I sortof envy you, having both done,dusted and over with!

I began the very subtle core movements at about 12 weeks.. it helped tremendously. I am careful though, because that can cause the psoas and iliacus tendons to fire up and that causes pain in the uppermost part of the hip, like right below your hip bone ( anterior) My issue was that the OS office told me to stay away from yoga and Pilates for a while but never said what "a while" really meant! I think I will call them now, that I'm thinking of it.
the 100's do a nice job for me though and have been doing them for several weeks now.
 
Hi @DeepBreath, When you talk about massaging your incisions, it makes me worried. I didn't realize that mine are still tender until I tried pressing on them.

Last night I did yoga, and was pleasantly surprised to find that my hips were opening further on their own. I really believe that ROM comes with time and patience. I'm almost six months out of surgery. When I lay on my back, with the soles of my feet together, my knees are starting to drop towards the floor. My sense is that it will take a year to get complete flexibility. I just allow the hips to move where they can. I don't push or force. I'm also amazed at the hamstring and low back flexibility now. I can put my hands flat on the floor when I bend forward. It's just so much easier. It feels like I have cartilage and protection in the hips again. I was so rickety and stiff before the surgery. My guess is that you and @HipsterGirl will regain that flexibility naturally, too. In my case, it just comes in an effortless way. It's such a gift, and such a surprise! My straddle is even a little better...it's edging outward, very gradually.
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! I wasn't aware exactly how tender the incision areas were until I did the massages this week. I normally don't give them a second thought, but messing with them makes me aware that there is still healing going on. I've left them alone today and they're much happier. I think I'll just leave them be and see what happens.

It's wonderful to hear that you're seeing such strides with your ROM and flexibility. I think that time is the biggest component in all of this. The stretching and loosening is helpful, but it seems like progress just happens in its own time.
It is encouraging to see the improvements as they happen...and as always, the lack of pain. Heavenly! :)
 
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