THR Diary of my journey to happy times

[Klassy]

Week 19 update. It has been a good week. Following my return to ringing last Sunday, I joined the practice session yesterday evening. I didn’t ring a lot, but that worked out fine as there was a big turnout. What I did ring was the more complex stuff ( Westminster Surprise Minor and Yorkshire Major, for those who know about these things!) . It is pleasing to find that my memory is still working, as well as my body. The stairs remain an adventure in slow motion, but that is the staircase’s fault!

Things have improved over the week to the point where I have very little sense that there is anything impaired about the right leg ( or indeed the left leg, which had its own tantrums last month). Very stiff when getting up from sitting, but that is quicker to walk off now. No pain on walking without aids. If I make an awkward movement, there is still a little stab of pain in the right hip. But the pain level is only about 1 out of 10 now, and it passes immediately. A few weeks ago the pain would be about 4, and leave an ache all day. I’m still very careful with my movements, and take my crutch when I go out in case of uneven ground.

I achieved an unexpected milestone this week. Yesterday morning I was sorting out old paperwork. I looked at a box of papers on the floor. The easiest way to tackle it would be to sit on the floor, but would I be able to get back up? I decided to take the chance, and got down, slowly and not at all gracefully: half squat, hands on floor, kneel right knee then left, roll to the left to get left (older) hip on the floor, swing round to a seated position taking weight on left hip and extended left arm. I did feel it a bit in the left hip but only for a moment. I got into a comfortable position and set to work on the papers. Then in the afternoon, I suddenly thought, wait a minute, what has happened? I am in a different room, I’ve been outside, I’ve had lunch, etc,etc. I have no recollection at all of getting up from the floor! Obviously I had done it. It must have just come naturally. So I got down again just to check it wasn’t a fluke. Woohoo!

PS, when I observed myself getting off the floor, it was the reverse of the getting down process. I guess that figures. But it was easier to execute.

 

[Klassy]

@Klassy.. I felt guilty laughing at that poor person stuck upstairs with a dislocated hip.. my first thought was why was she painting her nails? But maybe it was way past her recovery time?

You tower bells makes me think of Quasimodo but seriously, congratulations for that post op accomplishment.

I asked how long after the op it was, but the mother didn’t know. I hope, for our sakes, that it was early in recovery and she was not following the restriction advice. I don’t want to imagine a lifetime of restrictions.

I wouldn’t laugh at the poor woman’s pain, but the scene in the ringing room was rather comical. The mother so matter of fact and casual about it, and the rest of the ringers staring at me in horror, clearly imagining my replacement bursting out of my leg at any moment, and mentally picturing the difficult task of lowering my writhing body on a rope through the trapdoor. That would definitely be a Quasimodo moment.

 

[Snoopy55]

@Klassy wow that is an unbelievable accomplishment to sit on the floor and not even remember getting up! Good for you! You are my inspiration at a month ahead of me but right now just thinking about sitting on the floor makes me cringe! So nice you are enjoying all of your old hobbies and seeing people. So much of this recovery is mental. I myself am a little down in the dumps the past couple of days and quite teary. Not sure why but I guess its to be expected. My pain level is pretty good today though to the point where I'm like should I even take my morning tylenols or not to stay ahead of the pain. I take two in the morning and two at the end of the day. I start PT on Monday god help me! Today is a walking outside day cause its just gorgeous. Right now I am too lazy and not at all motivated. UGH

 

[Klassy]

@Snoopy55 , I am sorry that you are feeling down. I think most of us get the blues at times during the recovery. And at the moment you have a lot of responsibilities and things to put up with, and not much of the fun you deserve. This will pass, in the meantime, be as kind to yourself as you can.

Don’t stress about the PT. There are people here who had bad experiences at the hands of therapists, but that was when they weren’t prepared. There have also been those who benefited. Go in with a firm attitude that no one is going to make you do anything you don’t want and you will be fine. If you like, tell them you are having a really bad day today and cannot do anything, but you would like their advice on what to use when you feel better. If they want you to do 3 sets of 15 repetitions carrying a ten ton weight, nod dutifully and then at home try one repetition with an ounce. If you are ok the next day, increase it to two reps, and build up slowly. Take away from your appointment whatever seems useful, and discreetly ignore the rest.

But why am I saying all this? I’m talking to a woman who managed a trip to Portugal and back, you know how to handle yourself!

 

[Snoopy55]

@Klassy Thank you so much for the encouraging words! I did manage a trip to Portugal and back and look where it landed me lol but hey no regrets! I am actually looking forward to PT if it means that I will be getting stronger. I will definitely be communicating with my PT that I will not be doing anything I am not ready for.

My poor daughter-the one that lives in DC not the one in Edinburgh had a tail bone fracture injury a year ago and is still in pain. She went to my Dr. handsome after getting an MRI which showed her tailbone has healed but not in the right way and sent us to another Ortho who does this kind of surgery. But I am petrified that its not the right way to go. So that is definitely on my mind as well. I know these surgeons always say oh the recovery is so easy but its actually not!!

Sorry for the rant. I made chocolate banana bread just now so hopefully that and a few sloppy dog kisses from my labrador will make me feel better. Will report back. I can cook but I'm definitely not a baker. I am originally Persian and I cook alot of Persian food but baking is so precise so we will see how it turns out!

 

[myglasshalffull]

Snoopy,
Just reading your post from yesterday...we both had same type of day!
I sobbed so much yesterday, my partner kept asking me if I was in pain but I wasn't in pain just fed up with how long it's taking me to walk freely!
Klassy,
Very brave to get onto floor! I'm nervous just bending over! LOL! Although I'm getting better.
No tears this AM!!!

 

[Layla]

If they want you to do 3 sets of 15 repetitions carrying a ten ton weight, nod dutifully and then at home try one repetition with an ounce.

Klassy, you make me laugh.

 

[Klassy]

Snoops and Mygs, if I may call you that, you are clearly in sync: blues, baking, dog kisses. I hope you are having a synchronised smiling day today.

 

[Snoopy55]

@Klassy and @myglasshalffull I actually do feel quite better today. And to report that the banana bread came out great and moist. Now I have to have the discipline not to eat it all!! I went for a walk earlier as the weather has been amazing these past few days and tonight we are going out to celebrate a recent graduate from business school so that means I have to actually dress up. Didn't have to take tylenol until about two hours ago and that's the longest I have gone to take pain meds so a win! Hope everyone is feeling good today. @myglasshalffull seems yesterday was a weepy day in general so hopefully the doggies did their duty and smooched you enough to make you feel better!

 

[myglasshalffull]

No tears today, quite a lovely day here. My daughter in law came over and cleaned my bathroom top to bottom, I now have cleanest bathroom in town! LOL!
Tomorrow is adoption day. Our rescue group is bringing in about 50 rescues from Texas and Louisiana from high kill shelters. About 30 of them have already been pre-adopted so fun day tomorrow.
Unfortunately because I'm still on the cane I won't be attending the adoptions tomorrow, it's such a fun and rewarding day, however, I'll be helping with the cooking for later in the day. About 14 of us go back to director's home and have food and drinks and I'm making antipasto and fruit salad.
So my guy and I will attend that later in the day.
The dogs that don't find their forever homes tomorrow will come back to the kennel and next week I will resume laundry duties and dog kisses.
I'm feeling really strong today so hope it lasts, seems like one really good day then a couple not so good but we will all be dancing again before we know it.

 

[Klassy]

Week 20 update, an excellent week. During the week I became more confident in my balance. I now walk across uneven surfaces without a crutch. In fact I don’t know offhand where I left the crutches, which is truly blissful ignorance. No pain from either side all week, other than the stiffness when getting up from a seated position. I went up and down the stairs in the house without using the handrail, although with one hand hovering over the rail on the descent in case my left knee gave way - I still don’t trust it. I could climb and descend 3 times in a row, then I was puffed out. So my cardio fitness needs work, not surprisingly.

I rang on Sunday and Wednesday practice, for longer spells. I could feel it in my arm muscles, in a good way. And not at all in the hips, which is also good. I managed the 50-odd ( and very odd sized) stairs without a crutch, but slowly and mostly toddler style. The right leg was happy to be good leg for this.

I saw my private-hospital-allotted physiotherapist yesterday - the last time! I was signed off with congratulations and encouragement to continue the good work with the prescribed exercises and stretches. (I did literally start off with one rep a day of these and built up slowly, and have by now just about reached the level he prescribed a couple of months back. I never let on to him about how many I was doing, another example of ignorance being bliss). He found some tight areas in my right thigh and did some massage, but was complimentary about my ROM. I shall miss his friendly encouragement, and the massage, but not the 3 hour round trip drive to the private hospital to see him. I drove myself yesterday for the first time instead of accepting my helpful husband’s offer to chauffeur me. The drive was fine, the parking was the usual nightmare, but I had allowed plenty of time for the necessary five circuits of the carpark and 15 repeats of reversing. The carpark has too few spaces, plus our car is too big for the marked spaces, and so is everyone else’s!

Oh, and I asked the physiotherapist about the getting down on the floor and up again, with a demonstration. I have described it here earlier, and how the last part of down involves pivoting on my left hip, with some discomfort. I was a bit worried that this might be too much pressure on the bone near my implant, but he said it was just the muscles grumbling a bit and not a risk to the hip. I asked if there was an easier route to the ground, but basically not. It should get easier as the muscles get stronger, so keep doing the exercises.

 

[Snoopy55]

@Klassy wow what a great update! The fact that you are getting back to doing the things you love: ringing, walking and driving is all great news. Are you ready for puppy parenthood yet do you think? Maybe wait just a little longer? You are finishing with your phisio and I am just starting ugh. Yesterday I missed my appointment because I had written it wrong in my phone. Or maybe it was the muscle relaxers I am taking lol. I am so much more comfortable now on these than just the tylenol. It seems to bring the swelling and the burning feelings quite down.

I may have another trip planned on your side of the pond (France) in late July or early August so lets keep fingers crossed that I will be fine by then. Do you remember when you stopped taking any sort of pain meds? I keep waking up every morning thinking this might be the day but then noon rolls around and I feel very achy and the burning starts. But you are at 5 months post op so I am really hoping I will be there soon. Can't wait for your next update!

 

[Klassy]

Hi @Snoopy55, thank you for the positive feedback!

Puppy-ready? No, not quite. I will come back to that, as I feel like a long post is needed just on that topic! I look forward to whittering on about it later ( reading the result will not be compulsory!)

With regard to medication, well the short answer to the question of when did I stop may depress you. (I took my last painkiller just under a month after the op). But the more applicable question is , when did I stop hoping that today will be the day I am free from pain, and just get out of bed confidently expecting to feel good all day? The answer to that is, some time in the last week. And boy, it feels good!

The thing about medication is, I think my situation is rather different from yours. I haven’t had any significant pain when at rest since the first month. After overdoing it at about the 10 week stage, I did have an unpleasant level of pain when walking or even standing, but the pain went away almost completely during rest. I have a very relaxed lifestyle: no responsibilities, supportive husband, so I can rest as much as I want. Which meant that although the pain was frustrating in stopping me from doing things I wanted to do, it was controllable without meds. I just had to lie around and wait to get better. Some people would take painkillers in order to carry on with an active life and that might be better for fitness and general health. But I just took it easy. Not sure if that is wisdom or laziness!

It’s good that the muscle relaxants are helping you. That happy pain-free day is surely just around the corner. In plenty time for a trip to France!

 

[Klassy]

Week 21 update. More of the same: gardening, painting the window frames, driving, walking, climbing stairs, ringing, going to a friend’s house or to a pub and sitting in any chair or sofa without thinking about it. Just living life and feeling more normal every day.

Today I was walking to the car with a moderately heavy load of crockery that I was about to drive over to a friend’s house. A neighbour who takes a kindly interest in my hip replacement greeted me. The conversation went:
Neighbour: How’s the leg?
Me: Oh it’s good thanks!
Neighbour: Yeah, I could tell by the way you were walking. Them things are great, aren’t they?

Says it all!

 

[Snoopy55]

Hi @Klassy !
What a great update for week 21! Loved reading you are just going about life now without thinking about it! I'm starting to think that maybe this "accident" wasn't really an accident or was it a way for the universe to teach me not to take things for granted. I mean I am a very positive person and always very grateful for everything including my health. So now my husband is stuck doing ALL the things that I was doing before like the shopping and the drycleaners and taking the dog for walks and even cooking. Maybe the lesson was for him

I also have a very relaxed lifestyle as my kids are grown and I am retired so I can take my time in recovery. I just came back from PT actually and I was thinking what do people who work do?? The whole thing takes two hours out of your day!!

Anyway I hope you wont stop posting since you're all better! Some of us still need your hilarious sense of humor and encouraging words!

 

[Elf1]

@Klassy such an awesome update! Love it when you get to the point that you don't really think about the hip when doing stuff.

 

[Layla]

Love your update, Klassy, you’re back living life, doing normal things without the pain. Getting our lives back in a reasonably short amount of time in the whole scheme of things is nothing short of amazing. I’m happy for you. Enjoy the weekend!
@Klassy

 

[Zoebichon]

Klassy, I just wanted you to know how much I have enjoyed reading your entire story! Thanks for sharing so much with us!

 

[Lyla]

I started reading your story with your first surgery and I’m so surprised they didn’t tell you with all your BP problems to not drink too much water and to up your table salt!
If it were not for all the meds I have been on specifically the last 2 yrs my BP would be also low. Medication specifically anti inflammatory kind I have had for the last couple of years is keeping it up. My dr advised me to not drink too much water instead opt for sports drinks and to up my salt. I had gone to the hospital for kidney stones and they used 3 different machines before deciding my BP was dangerously low and I needed to see my family dr.
Me and my oldest kid are the only ones with low BP in the family. Everyone else has high BP. Low BP is what is often referred to as a silent killer so I do hope you have that under control. It finally explained my severe dizzy spells. Anyway I look forward to eventually reading your documentation entirely.

 

[Klassy]

That’s interesting @Lyla. I was once told by a practice nurse when I asked about low BP to eat more salt. I took the advice with a grain of salt (Groan, sorry, couldn’t resist) but I did at least feel liberated thence forward from going for low salt options. The nurses in the first hospital told me to drink lots of coffee. The doctor in the emergency room after my dramatic fainting act told me off for drinking coffee and told me to drink more water. No one has ever said to drink less water.

Silent killer, hmmm. I had always regarded it as a bonus, no need to worry about high BP. I have a BP monitor, I’ll keep an eye on it.