THR Diary of my journey to happy times

Wow, 15,000 steps--super impressive, @Klassy! I managed just over 9000 yesterday, according to my fitness watch, and I just over half of what you are, so clearly need to step my game. Glad to read that you weren't in real discomfort and I'm sure that being at a rally with lots of other excited and enthusiastic folks kept your focus away from your hips and on whatever might have been the purpose of the rally. And it involved escalators--those can be really tricky, I agree. Anyway, congratulations on all that activity--hope you've got a smug smile on your face today and are resting up and taking it easy. You deserve it!
 
@HertsHippy, I’ve just been checking out your records. Over 45000 steps in a day, that is amazing! You must have spent the whole day walking.

@SurreyGirl, yes the well meaning one was with me, thank heavens! I really needed his help at times. I was a little apprehensive beforehand about possibly getting caught up in counter demonstrations, but in fact the only hazard was being crushed by those of like mind.

@Barbaraj, yes I really didn’t notice the walking at all, with plenty of other things to focus on. I did notice the stairs on the journey there and back though! I took the lift (elevator) whenever possible. And my trusty crutch was especially useful for getting a seat on the train.

Day 104: no after effects from yesterday. At this morning’s ringing there were several ringers more decrepit than me, so I had to take bell 4, the heaviest I’ve rung since my return. It took some effort, but I coped. Then in the evening I was in a quarter peal attempt. We didn’t complete it, because a couple of the other ringers got lost about 30 minutes into it. But it was a sustained period of ringing so useful practice for me.
 
Happy Monday, @Klassy, hope the week will go well for you, with more walks and bell ringing sessions, and an increased sense that you ARE getting better, one day at a time. At just over 3 months, you're doing remarkably well--hurray for you!
 
Thank you @Barbaraj . I need to emulate your disciplined approach to PT exercises and stretching and gym. I’ve just done a few stretches and my Rom is appalling.

Day 106, and after a frustrating day at my computer I set off to walk round the block in less than 14 minutes, a goal which has been eluding me. I managed it in 13.5 minutes, thus 3.1 mph. I was scampering rather than striding, but never mind, I’ll count it as done. I carried on for another 30 minutes or so, but at a lower speed.

Time for update, these 10 day intervals are whizzing past. I guess that is a sign that much of normal life has resumed.

New things since Day 96: Car journey of 4 hours ( as passenger) can be done with only 1 stop. Milestones of 10,000 steps in a day, 15,0000 in a day, and .7 miles at 3 mph have been achieved, also first time sitting on floor, first escalator travelling up. Still using the banister a lot to climb stairs at home, though somewhat improved. Rang a bell up, rang a slightly heavier bell.
 
Days 107 to 110 have whizzed past. I’ve reached that happy hippie stage where I’m too busy out enjoying life to report on it. Plus there are no specific milestones to record. I’m doing the same things I did last week or last month, but more easily. Eg I was supermarket shopping, and as I was bustling up and down the aisles looking for some elusive product, it felt strange to recall that I had ever worried about collisions with inattentive shoppers.

One little thing still bothers me about the hip. I haven’t noticed the twang lately, although the area around the incision still feels different from the non operated thigh. But I can make something click, in a twangy way, by tightening my glutes. I feel it inside my leg and can also feel it from the outside, in my hand resting on the side of my leg. I tested with my husband holding his hand there, and he can also feel, and hear, the click. Of course as a born catastrophiser I picture the implant wobbling out of place. But on reflection, I can generate all sorts of grating and clicking by rolling my shoulders and various other joints. So probably nothing to worry about.
 
Hey, @Klassy, when I move my right hip in a certain way, I, too, can hear a clicking sound. But I know it's just my prosthetic hip and there isn't any pain involved so I've chosen to ignore it. I think it's like twisting your back or popping your finger joints when it makes a click and sometimes an audible noise. It's just a click, truly not a sign that something is dislocating. I think noticing is one thing, but then moving on, as you've done, is the right step. Sounds like otherwise things are going so well for you--keep rockin' on!
 
Thanks @Barbaraj , that’s very reassuring. If I didn’t have Bonesmart, I’d worry a lot more!

@Carriemay60, yes I never imagined there would come a day when I’d be thrilled to do a supermarket shop. I will try to hang on to this blissful state as long as I can, where ordinary things are still a delight and not yet a chore.

Day 111, I rang a quarter peal of Stedman Caters. You’ll have to take my word for it, but that’s quite an achievement, definitely ranks among my most challenging quarters, so shows I’m getting back to normal ringing. Not quite, could have rung it better, but very satisfying all the same. Before the op I had no idea how long I would be out of ringing, but was quite prepared for 4 months total lay-off, which I needed when I broke my wrist a few years ago. And it took another 4 months after that to recover to where I was before the fracture. So to be back to ringing at this level already, 10 days short of 4 months, is very pleasing.
 
@Klassy I am a 'foodie' so grocery stores and kitchen shops are among my favourite places. When I came back to Canada on my first home leave after 6 months in Pakistan, I actually starting crying in the grocery store because I was so happy to see so many ingredients! I am surprised I don't get security following me in the grocers because I loiter so much :whistle:
 
Lol @Carriemay60 , I had to laugh at the image of you weeping for joy in the grocery store. We are a teensy little bit different in this respect. Security probably have me zoomed in on CCTV too, as I also linger, but in my case to scrutinise the use-by dates so I can put off as long as possible the evil day of the next shop.

Day 112, 16 weeks, and more significantly, Night 112. I have been hanging on for this, because I asked the doctor after 12 weeks if I was OK to sleep on the non-operated side without the pillow between my legs, and the response was to wait 4 more weeks. I can settle quite comfortably with the pillow in place to start with, but then get into a pillow wrestling match at 3 am. But no more. I ditched the pillow, and can now sleep on either side without any problem, and roll over too. And I woke up this morning with my hip still safely in its socket, so all is well.
 
:sleep:another milestone!
:loveshwr:good for you.
 
Wow! Sleeping in your comfort position is really the best! I haven't been able to sleep on my preferred right side for 5 years so this is a very exciting milestone to me! :sleeep::sleeep::sleeep:
 
You're on your way @Klassy :yay:
Hope you're having a great Tuesday. :)
 
@Klassy I am a 'foodie' so grocery stores and kitchen shops are among my favourite places. When I came back to Canada on my first home leave after 6 months in Pakistan, I actually starting crying in the grocery store because I was so happy to see so many ingredients! I am surprised I don't get security following me in the grocers because I loiter so much :whistle:

I went exactly the opposite way @Carriemay60 after being in Jordan for 5 years in the 80s I couldn't cope with the choice in big supermarkets! So many types of soap powder! Which is best? And the meat looking as though it had never come from an animal! I stuck to our small Asian supermarket for a long time then online shopping when he closed. I sometimes go to our nearest for a ride out and a nice lean on the shopping trolley but only ever come out of it with a book and a cake. Too big and confusing!:scary:
 
Yes, life was so much easier when the choice of mushrooms was button or flat!

And with all that choice of soap powder (and now there’s capsules and liquid too) I still have to go to a separate supermarket from my main shop to get powder with no added fragrance.

On the other hand, our small local Asian shop has a bewildering variety of vegetables that I have never been adventurous enough to try. @Carriemay60 would be right at home. I only go in there for their fresh figs.
 
@Klassy and @bickypeg I could live without all the choices on washing powder, etc. I tend to stick with old favourites anyway. But finding new things like duck fat to roast potatoes in is like Christmas to me - LOL, the day that happened I had to phone my sister and other foodie friends to share my excitement :rotfl:
 
It was suggested that I ask for my medical notes as well as my X-rays, and eventually a huge pile of paper arrived. Much of it blank! I guess it is more efficient to take the whole file and run it through the copier. Not much of interest. I was hoping for some insights on the op itself, as some people here seem to get from their OS, but his notes were brief and almost entirely illegible. You’d think a surgeon might have better handwriting, it’s fine motor skills after all!

He wrote: Left total hip. Posterior approach OA (I could guess those hieroglyphics. Sort of a Rosetta Stone.)
Femoral prep UA 9. (guessing here and wildly speculating below)
Acetabulum prep 50 - TVR , Oestephylum, 40 ^ Philutum
32 1.0 (or maybe I.D) Pilz
Reduced with 32 Denton + 1
Stable/length/offcut (? offset?). Regrrr (regular?)
Closure

Any experts on here able to translate?!

Here is what else I could glean of interest:

My anticipated stay was 3 nights. This is how long I did stay, but I was always told 2 and thought it was my unexpected low Bp that delayed leaving.

My pre op, baseline, BP was 111/69

First reading during surgery was 95/53, it reached a low of 72/40 about half way through the operation but finished at 101/61. Most BP readings over Day 0 and 1 were round 100/55. Morning day 1 my BP was 93/60 supine, down to 81/53 when the physio tried to get me to stand. Readings remained around that level, down to low of 82/43, but next day were round 100/65. Which was considered ok for being discharged.

I went in to anaesthetic room at 10.10 and in to theatre at 10.40. Surgery started 10.47, finished 11.30, out of theatre 11.34. So about three quarters of an hour for the surgeon, which explains how he can do 7 a day.

There was over a page of labels, complete with barcode, from all the instruments used. Retractors, readers, drill, screwdriver...

Plus the labels for the prosthetic parts.

Blood loss, which they estimate from number of swabs used, was 300 ml. About half a pint, or as Tony Hancock would say, almost half an armful.

One thing annoys me. They have a Falls Risk score on which I was just into the high range on day 2 (medium is 11-19, I was 19 on Day 1 and 21 on Day 2). They have a Falls Management Plan on which they ticked off all the things for medium risk except “family consultation”. The items for high risk were not ticked. They all applied to hospital environment, eg location closer to nursing station, check hourly if need toilet. I feel a bit that the purpose of the exercise was to cover themselves so I didn’t fall in hospital. If they had warned me, and husband, that I was high risk, and provided the information sheet that told nurses what precautions to take, I probably wouldn’t have ended up falling at home. No lasting damage but it was unpleasant at the time.

Another thing that annoys me is the anaesthetist wrote that “patient was v anxious, reassurance given throughout”. Since it took him 3 goes to force a needle into my arm before he got started poking around in my spine, I think a little anxiety is understandable. Also, being told that it has never before taken 3 attempts is not what I consider reassuring.

Anyway, grumbling over. All over now, papers filed away and hopefully never relevant again.
 
My first anaesthetist was a bubbly British Asian woman who made me laugh and filled me with confidence. Epidural perfect and painless. Second time was a dour sour-faced female who hardly spoke and took umpteen very painful tries at getting it in. She blamed me for my pelvis having tilted. Phlebotomist also used my hand like a pincushion and couldn't find a vein (nor later could the senior nurse practitioner trying to do a blood test). No idea why it was so perfect an experience the first time but perhaps after 6 months I had deteriorated a lot. Can't help feeling a pleasant attitude from staff had a lot to do with the first being so easy. But this was my only complaint. Otherwise wonderful service (And free!)
 
Hi @bickypeg , sorry to hear you too had the pincushion treatment. I would think that the attitude and aptitude of the nurse would have a lot more to do with your experience than a rapid deterioration in your veins in only 6 months. But hey ho, we survived, and all is well.

Happy belated birthday! I’ve been late in catching up on your thread. You are doing fantastically, so much of what you are getting up to sounds like me and I have a 2 month head start on your second hip.

Our weather has been all over the place lately but at least the clocks have gone forward so lovely long evenings. The only downside is that all that extra daylight is really tempting me to overdo the gardening.
 
Gosh, Day 116 already and time for another 10-daily update. Where did the last 10 days go?

There was a significant milestone in the last 10 days, which was no longer needing a pillow between the legs to sleep. Plus a fair dinkum quarter peal, not an ease-back-into-it one like my first post op ringing.

But it is also a measure of progress that the 10 day interval has gone so fast. I’m really back out living my life!

I have had a bit of a visit to the ODI Club this past week. I guess that this stage of recovery, nearly 4 months out, is a prime time for it. Feeling so much like normal, but not quite there yet. The ODI was NOT from gardening. I have admittedly gone quite mad there, but my body seems to be coping with it. The problem was stairs. I got frustrated that I am still non-alternating going downstairs. So I decided to practise just the bottom step leading with good leg instead of bad. I managed only 3 reps before my left knee gave a huge protest. Then for the next 2 days the side of the knee was very sore when I first got up in the morning. I gave it plenty of rest and ice and it has mostly settled down. I think the problem is that the stabilising muscles have grown weak from disuse. I’ll research some very gentle exercises to strengthen them.
 

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