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THR Doing it Alone

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I'm 7 weeks out and never had any bruising but the whole operated leg is a slightly different colour - looks a bit pinker. You see it especially when comparing the 2 feet of each leg. The OS said at my 6 week check-up that it was normal - the circulatory system of the whole leg was readjusting.
 
Not Dancing.....I know it seems like you've been in recovery f-o-r-e-v-e-r-r-r. But in reality, it just takes a while. We measure in terms of months, not weeks. Your bruises are most likely just normal, but if it worries you, contact your surgeon. Peace of mind is very important. I'll tag Josephine so that she can comment in more detail about your foot.
 
According to your signature, your surgery was 7 December, so you are less than five weeks post-THR. That is very early in recovery. At your stage of recovery, many people still have swelling and discoloration. Many people still need pain medication on a regular schedule. At barely one month post-THR, it is much too early to be ready to be planning a return to work.

Just wondering ... have you seen Jo's Progression of Activity After THR? It gives some very reasonable expectations of recovery.
 
Roller coaster - that's right! Yesterday I ached (knees, shoulders), had a terrible headache despite pain meds and felt weepy all day. This morning after sleeping quite well I feel much better!
I am just over 6 weeks in, I had LOTS of bruising, now gone, but the leg is slightly darker than the other still. It is still a bit numb over the thigh - hard to describe, not quite "pins and needles" but a bit tingly.
As a Science teacher I know a bit about anatomy - isn't the human body amazing, repairing muscle, skin and nerves but it does take time and energy! I tried to get that over my teenage students but got the "whatever"!
Rest, a healthy diet and time (that's the killer, isn't it!) are the prescription plus PMA - positive mental attitude. You will be dancing again!
 
NotDancingRightNow said:
I'm still trying to be positive but am a little bummed out today.... on friday it will be 6 weeks and I am still relying on pain meds, I'm still swollen, and I'm nowhere near ready to go back to work yet.
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My dear good lady! :doh: You didn't seriously expect to have major MAJOR surgery and only need pain meds for a few short weeks, did you? I mean .... this is the big stuff. You will likely need some form of pain medication for up to 12 weeks, not to mention all that's happened to you. Because it's not exactly been plain sailing, has it?
NotDancingRightNow said:
While being transferred from O.R. to recovery room, my hip dislocated anteriorly so we had to go back into the O.R. to do a reduction.
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NotDancingRightNow said:
My physio was here and said I should consult my OS about the fact that my foot is usually a purplish color which I think might be poor circulation... has anyone else experienced this?? I am still numb on the lateral side too although a teeny tiny bit of feeling is coming back.
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The place they hold your leg to do a closed reduction is at the foot and ankle. Any dislocation takes a lot of pulling and grunt but more so with an anterior. This accounts for your bruising so it's nothing to worry about. To get some ease from the soreness, try applying witch-hazel. See here Bruising after surgery.
 
10 weeks out and still have a little swelling at the ankle- and can still be sore to the touch- but like Jo said, that's the part they lay into hard. My skin on the op leg can still look normal, to pinkish, to mottled- depending on the day.

And NannyAnnie- I hear you on that roller coaster of emotion! My god, some days i'll just break down sobbing and cry my eyes out for no apparent reason - could be a movie, an object, frustration at my hip, whatever- but it just triggers some weepy emotional response- as several of my female friends have said 'dude- you're turning into a girl- on her period!' (no offense to our female forum companions here)
 
Davefd said:
My god, some days i'll just break down sobbing and cry my eyes out for no apparent reason - could be a movie, an object, frustration at my hip, whatever- but it just triggers some weepy emotional response- as several of my female friends have said 'dude- you're turning into a girl- on her period!'
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It's cool that you're willing to admit this very normal response to a major surgery!!! You've helped your fellow dudes out there today!!! Thanks!!! Take heart.....it is a temporary condition.
 
Jamie - I thought I was losing my mind from 'cabin fever' til I read the 'post op blues' article when I found the site a few weeks ago, and THAT really opened my eyes - 'OK, so this is normal? wish i knew pe-op!'. I mean I'm a sentimental guy and get a little moist in the eyes with certain movies or sentimental photos, but it this was ridiculous! like 'dude, snap out of it- you are crying over a WOODEN SPOON!':snork:

Now I just let myself go with it, knowing it's 'normal' and that tomorrow will be a whole different kind of weird anyways.:rolleyes:
 
:iagree: What a sweetheart! The kind of guy you'd like to watch "Love Actually" with.
 
I managed to hit Costco today which is the longest outting thus far. It went pretty well but I ended up in bed the rest of the day and taking a few extra pain killers... it did my mind alot of good to get out so it was worth the pain!
I see my OS on the 17th. I've got a big list of questions but I may have to tie him to the chair to get him to answer them all!
 
Thanks everyone for your comments!
Josephine, I do need to clarify; I do not have bruising on my foot. I just noticed that when I am sitting for a while (haven't looked at it when I have been standing but maybe I should), that my one foot turns purple-ish and my entire leg as a mottled look all over. To me, this seems like my circulation is very sluggish in that leg... is this normal??? I did a test between both legs where I pushed my finger onto my skin and released to let the blood come back into the area and the operated side was super slow to change back to normal.
 
That is a bit of a different matter. I didn't understand either. Let me tag Josephine again.

Davefd You're crackin' me up, guy!!!! :rotfl: Wooden spoon!!!! :rotfl: Well, I guess one might shed a tear or two over a really worn one or something, but that's pretty funny!!! You must be a hoot to be around, my friend!
 
Hey nearly dancing again... nice pic, who's the dummy?
 
Costco! Gosh, I would be tired going to Costco on a normal day let alone just post-op! Hope you have allowed for your rest today!

Keep making that list of questions. And take a pen with you to write down the answer while you are seeing your OS. These visits are so filled with information it's easy to forget everything once you walk out the door. Don't feel rushed and take the time to discuss what you need to know while you are there.
 
Hey, Miss Dancing-Real-Soon, when you see that OS strap him down good, and have your written list of questions and write down the answers. You deserve no less.
 
vida; the 'dummy' was in niagara falls in the Riplies Believe it or Not building.. I just thought it was a funny picture. I was there this past fall.
And yes, Costco was completely CRAZY!
I think that I have all these ideas in my head about what I can do because I am starting to feel a little better but then I get a reality slap! It's kind of like the cartwheel I tried to do this past summer to show my daughter. In my mind I was still 21 and could do it perfectly but my arthritis riddled body had other ideas....:rotfl:
I suppose one day I'll learn...
After I came home, I had to literally lie down for the rest of the day so I guess I learned my lesson.
:SUNsmile: Have a great day all!
 
Uh-huh, you are normal. We've all done it. Feeling really good, skip that pain med, go out and do more, end up on the sofa with ice pack and Haagen-Dasz.
But even I didn't do Costco!
 
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