THR Diary of my journey to happy times

[Mojo333]

So happy to see how well your recovery is going.
You have been such a supportive member to other Bonesmarties and sharing your recovery experience ...and that truly is what I appreciated so much when I was recovering.

Hope you have a wonderful week, KIassy

 

[Klassy]

My 15 week anniversary ( was yesterday, but I didn’t get round to posting)

The last week has seen real progress towards, maybe ( fingers crossed) even through the Exit of the Over Did It Club. Trying very hard not to duck back in.

My left, non-operated, leg has finally stopped hurting. Apart from pain in the kneecap when going downstairs, but that has been there intermittently for decades. I go up and downstairs with alternating feet, but have to hold the rail, for a bit of assistance going up, and for balance for the benefit of the left knee going down.

I am walking indoors and round the garden without crutches. I went for a local walk along a regular route yesterday, taking one crutch just in case. I did need the crutch at the end to get up a steep grassy bank, but not otherwise. Normally this walk would be about 1900 steps in about 17 minutes. It took me 2200 steps in about 22 min. I was very out of breath on the slight uphill section. Not surprising given low level of activity for months.

The right, operated, leg is pretty good.

Still slightly swollen, the whole thigh and down to below the knee is a bit puffy. Or, taking a more positive view, the left leg is slimmer.

The area around the incision has moments of sudden soreness. I remember this from last time, as the nerves wake up. There is still a numb area about the size of my hand.

I can feel the thigh muscle struggling a bit going upstairs, not painful, just a tired sore feeling. By the time I go upstairs to bed at the end of an active day, after lots of trips up and downstairs, I can sometimes barely make it up and have to haul on the handrail. But all fine when I get to the top.

After sitting for more than a few minutes, I am stiff and sore and have to walk it off.

Sleeping is brilliant. Which is always something to be grateful for, as we Bonesmarties know!

 

[Snoopy55]

I’m so happy for you! This is great news that you can walk outdoors without a cane and go up and down the stairs! I Was going down The normal way but up with the cane alternating legs but that’s one of the things I shouldn’t have done so early. This was at least three weeks ago and of course now I am back to toddler step climbing but I have a feeling I will be able to in the next couple of weeks!
I just heard from my friend who had a full knee replacement two weeks after my accident that she has to have it operated on again so I am taking it sooooo slow and not even going back to physio after I get back just because I’m too scared they are going to push me and I’m going to let them as I can get too excited!

Have a great day @Klassy!

 

[Mojo333]

Great to hear things are going well.
I had a rather large area of numbness around my incision site on one leg that decreased over time.
But at 6 months, I assumed the residual numbness might be permanent.
I became less attentive to it, and realized at my year hipversary...it was tender a bit, but all feeling was normal.

Still slightly swollen, the whole thigh and down to below the knee is a bit puffy. Or, taking a more positive view, the left leg is slimmer.

Love this "positive" note.

Hope you have a great day @Klassy

 

[myglasshalffull]

I'm 9 weeks post op and also get that numb feeling where my incision is but overall I'm doing great increasing walking each day.
I broke my ankle 3 years ago and to this day my toes are numb sometimes on that foot. On those days I wear a compression sock and it helps alleviate the numbness. My ankle was broken in 3 different places so I have a bunch or hardware and also had a rod going through back of my ankle to keep both sides together. The rod has since been removed about 9 months after my original surgery. It helped with ROM but I think once they start cutting in your body there are just nerves that do not reconnect.
I'm figuring same for the hip.
The hip recovery has been much easier than the ankle because I can walk and do different things around the house. I feel in last two weeks more independence coming back and that's so good for mental well being.
I'm an early riser and by 7-8 pm it's lights our for me!!!

 

[Klassy]

Ouch @myglasshalffull , I am going to watch out for my ankles! Hips seem easy in comparison.

I am sure you are right about the fact that some nerves never reconnect. Fortunately I don’t seem to need the ones in the skin of my hip. I just checked my left hip scar, and it still has a numb patch after more than 3 years. But I can only tell by testing for it.

It’s great to hear that you are also doing well. Yes being more independent and being able to do more feels so good.

 

[Layla]

I just checked my left hip scar, and it still has a numb patch after more than 3 years. But I can only tell by testing for it.

I recall, Josephine, mentioning something similar about her incision area. I believe she said it was years later and she still had a numb area. She forgot about it and realized a few years later that it was gone. I’ll try to find the post…

Found it! http://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/numb-area-after-tkr-how-long-will-it-last.5931/
It is an article, not a post and her knee, not hip, but still interesting and offers hope yours will one day be fully restored.

 

[Klassy]

Thanks @Layla, that is fascinating. I might try following Josephine’s example of monitoring the progress of my numb patches (on each side) in colour. Though given the chubbiness of my thighs, I’m not sure I will ever have the nerve to post the pictures here.

PS, stop groaning, that pun was unintentional. But since it’s there, I’m keeping it.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Klassy,
The funny thing about both my injuries is they happened right in my house and yard. Ankle missed last two carpeted steps and I could hear the break. Hip, went out to put some animal food out, light dusting of snow and I slipped on only patch of ice out in my yard and down like a ton of bricks!
I walk miles with dogs per week and waitress in a crazy busy restaurant but I fall here!
go figure.
My son told me I need to be careful cause I'm a "faller." HUH? I turned 70 in February and other than these two incidents which were of my own making I don't fall! LOL!

 

[Klassy]

Wow @myglasshalffull , homes can be hazardous places! I just had an email from my sister, who coincidentally has also just turned 70, saying that she has broken her arm “falling out of a flowerbed”.

On a much smaller scale, I had my own garden mishap yesterday. I had been doing so well, too! I was out in the garden, just doing some gentle watering and resisting all temptation to overdo it again, when a neighbour stopped by to chat. Our lawn, if you can call it that, is extremely uneven, having been dug up by various badgers, squirrels, dogs etc. I failed to concentrate as we talked and took a small step backwards, and my right foot went down in a dip, which wrenched some small muscle in my thigh. In a part of my thigh which hadn’t been at all painful before. It was sore but not too bad by evening. But then today I stumbled twice walking in the yard, just little missteps with my left foot, which made me react with my sore right leg, which is now a lot sorer. So now I am using a crutch again, sigh. It only hurts when I walk. But not at all when I go up or downstairs.

 

[Snoopy55]

How frustrating @Klassy! Honestly I am so sorry you had a mishap in the garden of all places. It’s amazing how a small misstep can through ones whole body out of alignment ugh! Please be careful even though I am sure its a temporary setback.

 

[Elf1]

@Klassy sorry to hear of your mishaps. Hopefully you've been icing and elevating tonight.

 

[CricketHip]

Ugh, it's the uneven ground that seems to trip us up! Hopefully it's a very short time of soreness and you will be happily on your way again.
I have enjoyed my yard so much over the past two days. It's so restorative!

 

[Mojo333]

Oh my stars, @Klassy
Sorry to hear about your sister's accident. Hope she heals quickly.
Sorry you also tweaked some places and are dealing with sore spots.
Certainly takes time for everything to come back on line but, thankfully, most hiccups (like their namesake) are annoying and short-lived.

Hope you have a relaxing Sunday

 

[Reanda]

Hi Klassy, there must be something in the air as my sister has also just broken her arm! She's a spring chicken at 63 but walking on a beach jetty, foot went over and bam. Arm broken in 3 places. Hope our sisters recover soon.
Distraction can definitely lead to 'woops' moments and for recovering hippies almost unavoidable, particularly as the weeks pass and we're not as
protective of ourselves as we were at the beginning.
I hope this little bump in the road passes soon and you get back to easy does it gardening.

 

[Klassy]

Thank you all for your kind thoughts, it means so much to me. I have been resting and icing. The leg has improved but still twingeing a bit unless I baby it with at least one crutch.

This is a frustrating time. Obviously I don’t want to be back in the early days of recovery, feeling sick and sore, awake most of the night, and struggling just to get in and out of bed. But in some ways it was much easier to endure that time cheerfully. Just getting through each day was a step towards recovery, and there were plenty of milestones to celebrate. Now I feel so well, and there is so much I want to get on with, in the garden and decorating the house. But I just have to take it slow. And I feel robbed of my independence - it’s been twice now that I have been just about fit to walk to and from the local shops, and then a setback occurs. And I wouldn’t want to drive with a sore right leg in case of emergency braking.

However, let me just repeat that little phrase: I feel so well. The sun is shining, birds are flying back and forth to their nest with beakfuls for their chicks ( starlings under the neighbour’s eaves, LOL, I hope the neighbours either don’t know or love starlings too) and my lovely husband is doing the shopping! Life is good.

 

[Layla]

Aww, Klassy, a grateful heart above all! You remain humble and joyful for what you have even during the times you’re enduring affliction.

Recovery with its ups and downs, and you know we all have them, sure makes us appreciate the little things we so easily take for granted. You’ll be back to where you were soon with rest, ice and lots of patience.

You’re a blessing here, thanks for the support and encouragement you so freely offer others. Wishing you comfort and a speedy rebound.
@Klassy

 

[Ric A]

I am loving this thread and your updates Klassy, keep up the good work.

One of the best on the forum, and so detailed.

 

[Klassy]

Thanks @Ric A , what a lovely compliment. Sometimes when I am rabbitting on at length, I even bore myself, so your kind words are much appreciated.

I see that you managed to get two hips done while I was having a break from the forum between hips. Nice work! I just popped over to your thread. Looks like you have had somewhat the same issues as me: Lefty all done and behaving well, Righty done and healing, then around the 3 month stage, as activity level increases, the right hip feels fine but the left leg starts having aches. So this may be a “thing”, a newish hip grumbling at having to adjust to a new companion.

I hope you are continuing to do well, and able to resume squash soon, if that is still your ambition. There is some interesting material on your thread, I will need to re-read it.

PS, off topic, I don’t know whether “rabbiting” has two “t”s or one, but the auto complete offered “rabbit tingling”. What the heck?!

 

[Ric A]

Hi Klassy, thanks for that. And yes I am doing ok at the moment, unfortunately my head is about 12 months of the rest of the body.

My brain is saying, well get on with it then you can and should be doing more right now, but other departments are not having it .

I have purchased a few squash rackets, checked out a local club, but have not signed up yet. My wife also plays, but she is trying to persuade me too hang back for a little while longer.

I think for double hip veterans like us, the first hip could have been replaced say 2 years ago, and the first just 1 year ago, but the brain seems to morph them into both being done 2 years ago, so off you go and get stuck into life and what you want to do. If that makes sense. However, we can't always do that, and we need to build up for another 6 months or more for the strenuous stuff, and see how that goes.

So this may be a “thing”, a newish hip grumbling at having to adjust to a new companion.

I hope this is my issue, and nothing more like a trapped nerve or whatever. Its so hard to tell isn't it. Many on the forums say it could be that tendon, or that specific nerve, I can never pinpoint it that precisely, just aches, pains and stiffness that randomly come and go. Oh well.

So good luck with your rehab Klassy, and I will continue to look in and see how you are doing. You are progressing so well and are an inspiration to us all, not just in your own difficult rehab, but keeping us all entertained on your thread.

Onwards and upwards. One day...