Revision THR Dislocation following revision

Like @Fit4Family, I love gardening. Being able to get back in the yard and garden with less pain was such gift! I retired from teaching a few years ago after 38+ years in the classroom, and always thought that having a part time job at a gardening center would be a great job. But I have been so busy trying to keep up with my own yard, family, projects, friends, etc. that I am not at a point where I'm ready for outside work. But if I do go back, your job would be my dream job!!

It sounds like you have really adjusted well to your dislocation and gotten through some of the initial worries that you were having. Good for you! I'm sure you feel a lot "lighter" in your head and heart as a result!
 
It was so nice to hear from everyone. Onestepatatime, no, I am not having groin pain, but I do get pain in the joint itself which of course would be soft tissue, since it isn't a real joint; although (!), it is my real joint now. I find the joint pain comes on when I have been trying to do too much bending over. The hardest thing for me right now is trying to monitor how much is enough, and when am I over doing it. I usually don't know I have pushed myself too much until later that day or the next day. The other thing I find I have to monitor is I keep wanting to depend on the golfers lift or sometimes bad body mechanics to avoid bending over. I cannot pick up something flat on the ground. It has to be about 6" above the floor in order for me to feel some confidence. Yes, I actually do know it down to the inches! When we live in this world of mobility change inches becomes a big deal. I cannot get my sock on in the AM until I am warmed up, so rather than push it too hard, I do use my sock assistance tool then. I use the scoop method to get my pants and leggings on. I over did it a bit the other day, and I felt discomfort mid thigh (anterior) which to me is a red flag that I am doing too much. This was the biggie for me prior to my revision. I had the most excruciating pain mid thigh for all the years that I had to battle to get help and the eventual revision. That thigh pain was due to the rod moving. The surgeon said I had lost a lot of bone, because the rod was moving in there like a windshield wiper as well as sinking into my femur (voila my pre-revision short leg). I had a great revision surgeon. My biggest challenge overall is our gardens. Years and years of creating them ourselves and needing to learn yet again how much can I do out there within reason. So far, my husband does the low stuff, and I do the standing stuff. For a guy who was never into gardening, he has been a tremendous help. I would never have imagined him doing gardening. I think he is surprising himself with that too. He likes to do some work out there, and when I get home from my garden shop job, he takes me out to show me. Lots of good things can come from this ordeal that we have all been through. I know I am going to have to continue a new way of gardening, and that is okay. I am ready for that. At least I can do some things out there which after my dislocation I thought would never be possible again. I am also learning that it is okay for our garden to be on the more natural, wild side. In fact, it looks better that way! Ok, I got a lot more verbose than I thought I would. I will close with the other thing I hope that keeps getting better, and I think it will: mobility. I have that sensation still of being somewhat robotic with daily activities. It is better, but I am hoping it will continue to do so. Does anyone have any wisdom for me on that one? Onestepatatime, you are a month ahead of me, so I hope you can let me know about your experience with that; and, yes, getting in and out of the car is still a bit of a challenge but improving. Bye for now everyone. Thanks for your messages. They meant the world to me!
 
Sounds like it's working out. As far as gardening I made a low bench for my wife to sit or kneel on while gardening. She doesn't have any replacement joints but it makes it easier to work for longer periods of time. I have seen some garden seats with wheels so you can move along a row, much depends on your land. I hope to build some raised beds for vegetables, makes it a lot easier.
As far as feeling robotic it's not a bad thing to remain conscious that we have replacement joints. It's when you forget and get sloppy that you can hurt yourself. I'm a lot slower and deliberate when I climb ladders or walk on a roof. I didn't even care about railings on stairs but I use them now a lot more.
 
I am also learning that it is okay for our garden to be on the more natural, wild side. In fact, it looks better that way!
Yes, learning this myself. Also planting more ground covers to reduce weeding and mowing, helps.

A labor of ❤️

My biggest challenge overall is our gardens. Years and years of creating them ourselves and needing to learn yet again how much can I do out there within reason

You will get there. Slow and steady. Maybe try limiting yourself to 45 minutes at a time or so, to avoid the ODIC?
 
Hello my gardening friend. @melquist Love that your husband has become a more willing helper in working on the lower stuff. Excellent suggestion by @Eman85 and so thoughtful that he made his wife a bench!

I purchased an inexpensive barrel table stool from HomeGoods. It’s made out of galvanized metal. I’m hoping I can easily cart it around and use it to dead head plants this Spring. Gardening is so therapeutic for me. Love the smell and the sunshine in early Spring. I do feel robotic and hope moving will become more natural for all of us. If it does not I am determined to find ways to stay active. Loved to read your thoughts. Thank you for sharing. Gives me hope. Had same issue with loss of bone from moving stem. Gained a whole inch back after revision surgery. Sending healing wishes as we wait for Spring. :froggies::froggies::froggies:
 
We need to start a thread on how to get back into gardening after hip replacement!! I too am an avid gardener and even started into the second year of the Master Gardener program internship. Unfortunately I will have to resign mid year because I won’t be able to attend the mandatory winter mtgs with my surgery scheduled for next week.
My favorite pastime is sitting on the ground, pulling weeds and planting bulbs or seedlings.
There has got to be a way to enjoy gardening post surgery with modified tools and seats we can use.
My husband is NOT a gardener. He complains mowing the grass and cannot tell a weed from a prized ornamental plant. I will be looking for special tools and posting them on this thread so we can try them out.
Determined to garden eventually!
 
I tend to use a garden chair,i move it round the patio with big plastic buckets,kidding myself that is good for my muscles,i am on crutches all the time,the chairs are a little higher i have tried nearly everything i have lots and lots of high pots and use lots of perenials as well as bulbs,i adore gardening and love being in the greenhouse where i have high stools. The main garden just needs tidying but have gradually got more joing up plants to leave very little space for weeds!! Enjoy everyone spring is on the wayxxx
 
@ceezee Thank you for sending a photo of your garden seat. I like the pockets on the side. I have used a regular porch chair with arms and move the chair so that I bend down on my good hip side when pulling weeds. Hope I can still do that sometime after my surgery
 
I have one just like CZ pictured. I have had it for ten years. I also have one made out of wood, which is a deeper width, with wider, round handles that are easier to grip and never cold, for colder months. I think it came from a company in Minnesota. When I get a chance I will post it.

The last two years it was very hard to use these even for short periods of time.
Surgery can’t come soon enough.
 
@VSlowLife I definitely would like to see your garden seat! There are a lot of avid gardeners on this thread and we need to help each other get back into the yard again. Gardening is so therapeutic!
 
Can I join your hipster avid gardener club too? :wave:. Maybe we should start a thread on the social board with tips and suggestions? I am lucky hubby made over 2 foot high raised beds for me three years ago, and I also have a type of seat/kneeler thing ceezee has, but mine is plastic. I do use it more for kneeling and the feet used to help me up. I can kneel really well, but perhaps those who've also had TKRs may struggle a bit. We are even thinking now of adding another row of timber to raise the beds even higher. He says he hates to see me bending. My biggest caution post hip is LIFTING. :shocked: Ugh! I tried it too soon last year and lifted too much (just watering cans) and learned my lesson fast. :bignono: Now I'm uber careful, and use my wheelbarrow (and husband and garden centre assistants) lots more for ANY lifting. As not a spring chicken anymore, I do realize that there's no shame having to do more adaptive physical gardening, as well as adapt our planting. Let's just get out there and enjoy the sunshine on our faces and the beauty of nature. :flwrysmile:
 
There are so many of us here on the forum who are passionate about gardening! Much like the gym rats, runners, and those who love other activities, gardening is beneficial to us both mentally as well as physically.

I am 18 months out, and the key for me after my surgery was to really pace myself and do things in small chunks. I started a little fall clean up about 2 1/2-3 months after surgery, but it was very minimal. By the first spring after my surgery I was able to do most of the things in the yard I had done previously. I had to be a lot more aware of my balance and making sure I didn't overdo.

Every spring, even before my surgery, I had to built up to my full blown gardening activity level, as there are so many muscles used in gardening that I don't use much in the "off season". My "gardening bottom" and other aches and pains have been part of the gardening experience for me every spring-- maybe with my increased awareness of my new hip I will eventually do a better job of getting ready. :loveshwr:
 
Thank you everyone for your great suggestions. I love the idea of starting a fellow gardening hipster thread, kneebies in there too. I have tried just about every garden seat on the market, and most of them, even the adjustable ones are too low. I am 5'7" with most of my height is in my legs. My gardens are also on a slope, terraced, and not easily accessible with garden stools, etc. Here are some of the things though that I am having success with so far after 2 THR's and a dislocation of the same hip. I use a battery weedwacker in the Winter to weed wack all of our ground covers that go dormant and need tidying. We live on 4.5 acres, and I landscaped 1 acre of that with flower beds, shrubs, etc. We have lots of fruit trees too. I use a battery powered hedger while standing and angle it down on perennials and ornamental grasses that allow me to do that in order to cut them back. I use a battery powered chain saw to hard prune large shrubs that are beyond even my heavy duty loppers. I keep saying battery powered, because I find that it isn't overly aggressive on plants. I will get to the gas weedwacker and rider mower in a second. I use a hoop hoe for weeds and found that a hori-hori gives me just enough reach to pop out some weeds. There are standing manual hedgers and weeders. They can only do a little bit before your hands wear out, but at least it is something. I use our rider mower for the other two acres that we clear, but I am hesitant this year, because uneven terrain is like riding on a dune buggy over the peaks. I have to give that a lot of thought. I need a gas weedwacker out there in the field, but watching rotation at the hip is a factor. I do have a teenager coming tomorrow to start doing things that are just not doable anymore. My husband continues to be receptive to "honey do" garden lists for the stuff that is just too low to the ground or too big for me to handle. I have more things that help, but I will leave it at this. I wrote a book for this post, and maybe that is too much to do here. I hope this was okay to post so much information for my fellow gardeners. I don't care how many joints I get replaced! I will always garden. I just have to learn how to keep adapting to do it in a way that doesn't abuse my body. I think power tools are essential, moderation, slow adaptation, and common sense are crucial. It is the common sense that I have to keep working on the most! Love you guys! :wave:
 
This has been a great and inspiring read. Add me to the gardening roster. After THR and tendon release, this will be the first spring in a couple of years that I can really get in there and “grub in the garden” as we say. The natural movement and not constantly thinking about our hips comes with recovery and time. More time for some of us due to unusual circumstances. The hip still reminds me on occasion (mostly stiffness getting into the car and some achiness with a lot of activity) but I am so pleased and feel so blessed to finally be doing the things that take us from existing to living. The gauge I now use for activities is “how foolish would I feel sitting in front of my OS and explaining how I hurt myself?” :loll:Blessings for continued healing and peace and lots of eco therapy!
 
I understand about uneven ground! Much of my wife's flower gardens are designed around huge exposed rocks. She's tall, but lucky for her no joint problems so pretty flexible, so I built the bench at a height comfortable for her. I have built a lot of benches for around the property, for some reason we like to take breaks and sit down a lot more now!
Battery powered tools are the trick especially for acreage. I have a battery powered Sawzall and use a pruning blade in it. It's a lot cleaner cut than a chainsaw for pruning trees.
 
Great suggestions @melquist Green with envy at your large garden.

Never have tried battery operated tools, very interesting that they are less rough on shrubs. My shrubs are all getting crazy after a whole year of neglect. I am going to look for the tools you recommended. My electric tools are pretty heavy too, hoping I can ease back in this Spring and whip things back to shape.

Love reading about your passion for the great outdoors. :SUNsmile:
 
The gauge I now use for activities is “how foolish would I feel sitting in front of my OS and explaining how I hurt myself?”

I laughed out loud at this! Over the years, I've had to do a lot of embarrassing explanations for how I hurt myself.....I need to start thinking about this in advance of doing things!:heehee:
 

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