Become an Insider

THR Dorothy's 2nd hip recovery, June 22, 2012

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hi everyone! Another gorgeous day here in Upstate NY. We've had some drought like conditions, but it hasn't been horribly dry and the bright and sunny days help my recovery bumps seem less bumpy. Elle, we did have some cooler days for a while, but it's back to warm and sunny again. Not horribly hot--just perfect. But we do usually start cooling down the end of August, beginning of September. Fall is gorgeous here, so I don't mind. I just wish we didn't have to have winter, though, lol. Some day I think I would like to try snowmobiliing because I love to trail ride my horses in the nice weather, and snowmobiling would be a nice way to enjoy the trails in the winter. I've tried cross country skiing but I was too clutzy for it--and it was incredibly hard work, so I'll take an easier way out. :-)

I'm looking forward to getting my own home inferential stimulator unit for my back. It's like a TENS unit, but it gives a variety of levels of current and seems to penetrate my muscles and tissues much better than a regular TENS. I've had it at PT three times so far and I leave there with hardly any back pain and it carries over into the next morning. Those days are SO nice! My insurance will cover the home unit and I'll get it as soon as the paperwork is done. I can't wait. My back is bothering me a lot today and it would be so great to zap myself with that for a while and feel better. I also have my SI joint injection on Wednesday. Between the two, I'm hoping my back pain will ease significantly, which will help a lot. I find that I can tolerate the hip flexor tear problem much better when my back isn't bothering me. The combination of the pain front and back kind of sends me over the edge.

I don't see any improvement in the hip flexor pain, but I know I'm getting stronger overall. I'm doing well with the exercises from PT. I'm still happy with my current PT--very knowledgable, kind, and caring. I'm pretty careful not to do anything that will aggravate the hip flexor--no walking stairs in the usual way, no walking up hills ... I basically guard it a lot and have learned what is OK to do and what isn't. I think I'm more accepting of the injury now, but I still have my moments when I get very angry. I will say, though, that those moments are becoming fewer and far between. I'm basically just grateful that I have something that will heal and not be a permanent problem.

I have about 3 weeks before I'll need to return to work (I'm pretty sure I'm going to ask my surgeon for a return to work slip at my appointment Sept 17th). I'm so glad I was able to stay out of work the extra time, rather than trying to return before I felt ready and having to deal with more pain and less mobility than I had at this point with the first hip. I've had to be very careful with money, but I'm feeling so much more alert and "with it" in addition to feeling better physically with the extra time to heal.

I'm still using a cane. I hate using it and I can't wait to be rid of it. I did feel pretty good one day and was able to walk around the house a bit without it ... but I must have done too much and was pretty sore the next day. It's such a fine line between doing things that strengthen and build me up vs. doing things that tear me down. It's weird because I didn't have this type of "fragility" with my first hip. I had days when "ooops, I did too much and now I'm sore" but things improved quickly with a day or two of rest. Not like this "do one little thing ... and Yikes!" way of living. But, I know I'll get there eventually.

Well, I think I'm going to walk out to see my horses and get my dogs out for some exercise. They are resting peacefully and I may regret waking them up, lol, but I'm getting restless and need to do something. Sunshine and animals ... they probably heal me better than any medicine!

Dorothy
 
Hey Dorothy, what day are you having your injection? I want to make sure I am sending some xtra healing energy your way. Thinking of you and hoping it helps.

...and yes it is a fine line between doing things that help and then, oops, that was too much. Again, I hear you sister :rolleyes:
 
Hang in there Dorothy, you have already had your bad share of issues, pain and injury.. Time for some positive healing vibes to come your way... :)
 
Actually, my SI joint injection is today! I hope the injection isn't too bad ... I'm a little concerned because I've never had it done and don't know what to expect.

I'll let you know how it went.

Thanks for the kind thoughts!!!!

Dorothy
 
Hi Dorothy,

I hope that you are resting comfortably after your injection today and that all went well.

Many of us can relate to the delicate balancing act of doing too much, enough, etc., you must remember that you have two hips that are still healing and that can make it seem like a much finer line. Five months between these hip surgeries is a short period of time -- I'm sure that dianemarie; has reminded you of that before.

It sounds like you are feeling pretty positive about being ready to return to work and talking to your OS about it next month. Are you able to phase back gradually like others often write about? Do you have a "going back to work" cane? Maybe decorated with some cool duct tape or be-dazzled with some sparkly bling? One day you'll retire that cane to a corner or a closet, but just try to stay bonded with it for a while longer -- it really is an "assistive" device.

Take care,
Cardie
 
Hi Dorothy, just checking in and hoping the injection is helping you. I am with you on the "hating of the cane" but No use fighting it till the body is ready for you to stop using it. Hope to hear good things from ou tomorrow. Cathy
 
Dorothy, do hope all has gone well with your injection xx
 
The injection went fine. Very similar to a hip joint injection kind of feeling, which wasn't too pleasant but nothing I couldn't deal with. The SI joint area numbed up nicely when the lidocaine took effect, so I believe it's been causing a lot of my back pain--not all, but a lot of it. The steroid should kick in within a 2 to 10 days, so then I'll know if it's going to work longer term. The lidocaine is only good for a couple of hours--kind of like when you get novacaine at the dentist.

About returning to work. I'll have to go back full time from the get-go. That's one of the reasons why I decided to stay out the entire length of time until I see the surgeon for the follow up. I don't think it will be a problem physically, but I still get tired so easily and have difficulty concentrating for a long period of time, which I will be required to do all day. It will be tough to think again, ha ha!

Thanks for checking in on me :-)

Dorothy
 
I'll keep my fingers crossed you get some good results. I remember back when I got the shots for my hip, the effects of the lidocaine were really great, too bad that did not last haha, then I might not be on this predicament :) take care Dorothy, Cathy
 
I know what you mean about the lidocaine and the hip injection. I remember my first one when my left hip was feeling SO awful. I got up and walked around the room and said "OMG! This is what normal people feel like!!!" I wanted them to send me home with a continuous drip into the joint! ha ha

Dorothy
 
Hi Dorothy

Pleased to hear that all went well with having the injection.. Fingers crossed the steroid kicks in at the start of the 2-10 days.

Sorry you have to go back full time.. not easy.

It is the energy drain experienced during the working day and the lessening stamina each morning to get up and go through the ritual of getting ready and getting there that got and still gets to me..

Make sure you have ice packs and heat packs with you if possible, they help heaps! And even standing for 1 min is sufficient to recirculate the blood from the feet, tippy toe exercises and which ever ones you can do as often as possible.. All these little factors make us more comfortable and feel in control..

When do you go back to work, I am sorry if I have missed the date :)
 
I've been holding my breath and not saying too much about this so not to jinx myself ... but for the last week and a half or so, I've been feeling quite a bit better--less pain, stronger muscles, better gait. I've even been able to walk without my cane a good part of the time! Amazing change that occurred over just a short span of time. Seems like one day I was hobbling around ... and then the next I was forgetting where I put my cane.

I attribute a lot of it to my discovery of the Inferential Stimulator (IF) machine I've been using at my physical therapy. They hook me up and zap me for 15 minutes at the end of my visit--it's the best part! For those unfamiliar with it, it's like a TENS unit only it gives different levels of current stimulation and really feels like it penetrates the muscles, not just buzz away on the skin surface at one speed like a regular TENS. I have problems with my SI joint area on the right side, and I think I've figured out that this creates muscle spasms and a lot of inflammation. The IF machine has worked wonders with me. I encourage anyone suffering from muscular problems to try this if you can. TENS alone is not effective for me--IF has changed my back! I'm getting a home unit as soon as my back clinic gets their butt in gear and faxes the order to the vendor. It's been a week and a half, and I'm sure it's just sitting on someone's desk. I've called; the vendor has faxed again. I'm going to call again on Tuesday if I have to.

As far as the SI joint injection goes, I don't feel much difference yet, probably because I really wasn't feeling too bad at the time I had the injection due to my wonderful IF machine. It's still early, though, so things could change (for the better) in the next few days.

The hip flexor muscle tear is still there and I don't think it's improved much. But, the muscles are strengthening and I'm very careful not to irritate it further, so overall, the area feels better. I do think my surgeon is correct when he said it could take up to 6 months to heal it and no longer feel pain, something I'm just finally coming to terms with and accept. I see him for a recheck Sept 17. I think I will return to work September 19. Not looking forward to it, but it must be done.

My physical therapy is going well. I'm really pretty much on my own. I do roughly the same exercises each time. They usually add a little something extra each week--1st week it was a balancing exercises where I stood on the operative leg on this spongy thing trying hard not to hold onto anything anymore than I absolutely had to. Next, it was adding a 1 lb weight to the ankle. I'm pretty self directed and motivated, so I really don't need someone standing over me. I sometimes think "why am I here?? I can do all this at home!" But, then I remember the times when I come in with a question or concern and realize how nice it is to have someone to ask and advise. That's basically what my surgeon wanted--supervision with my exercise program because of the hip flexor problem. I think he thought I might try to do too much and needed someone to babysit me, lol.

I've gotten a little lax with my diet, and I'm eating more than I should. I've gained back 3 pounds. I stocked up on produce again yesterday, so I shouldn't have a big problem getting back on the wagon. Maybe it's dreaming about all of Cathy's yummy preserves and canning. Maybe it's dreaming about debkakes' old avatar photo of a plate of cookies. :-) I had a yummy breakfast out at the local diner with plenty of calories, so my plan is to go easy with my food intake for the rest of the day. Lots of produce should help. It may sound strange, but the better I feel the easier it is to lose sight of my goal to be healthier, more mobile, and make my new hips last for as long as possible. Having more pain and being less mobile was a good reminder, odd as that sounds. But, I must stick to my guns! I have to try to keep up with Alicia, lol She is my weight loss mentor and hero!

I've also started to take more vitamins and supplements. I don't know if it will help me or not, but I figure it can't hurt. I'm not going overboard--just taking some flaxseed oil caps, a vit B complex pill, and magnesium, in addition to my regular multi-vitamin. I might add some fish oil, although I can only stand that no more than one pill at a time or I get that fishy aftertaste. I know the Omega 3s are so good for inflammation and my heart. I take the extra supplements at a different time of day than I take the multi-vitamin because I know the body can only absorb so much at a time.

My dogs are out for a walk with Mike and it's so peaceful here. Ahhhh ... I love them dearly, but they are so clingy and needy acting that it's nice to have a break, but still be able to sit in my favorite chair at home. I have started to use a little more "tough love" with Lucy in particular. She was getting to be downright rude and demanding about attention. It was so irritating sometimes and I would feel stressed being around my own dog. My dogs get a lot of attention, play time, and exercise ... but as my animal loving hairdresser said at my last visit when we discussed this topic "They will take all you will give them, with no end in sight. You have a right to set some limits." Another animal lover friend told me "If I had to live with Lucy behaving that way, I'd have to be sedated." So that helped me to summon up the courage to get "tough" with Lucy, in particular, because she is the most demanding of my two dogs. It's hard because she is a dog that worships the ground I (and all people) walk on and is super obedient in so many ways--she lives to work. Even doing basic obedience exercises and makes her so excited and happy. Before my hips got bad, we were taking agility lessons and she was GOOD at it. Like a bullet out of a gun! I couldn't keep up with her, and my instructor could just barely keep up with her. She can't do much jumping any more because she has some arthritis developing, but when my hips and everything get back together I'll probably take her back mainly so she can play on the obstacles she can do. She gets bored so easily and then starts demanding that I do something with her. It gets very annoying and overwhelming when she starts with her whining and barking at me while crawling into my lap to get in my face. I finally did get stern with her and I either ignore her, turn my back, or tell her to stop and don't give in. It's amazing that this is all it takes to make her back off. I felt guilty doing it the first few times, but then I stopped to think about how I've really let this attention-seeking behavior get out of hand and it's just ridiculous. She still gets lots of attention and play time, but when I say enough is enough ... it is enough. Amazingly it took almost nothing more than a firm (but not mean) "stop it; you are being rude" while giving her the "mean mom look" to get her to stop the crazy stuff. Why didn't I do this a couple of years ago????? She's no dummy--she knew she had me wrapped around her little paw. She still does, in many ways--she's just that kind of dog :-)

Dorothy
 
Dorothy

So glad the IF machine is helping. Maybe the shot, in combination with the IF, will turn the corner for you. Fingers crossed.

I can visualize your Lucy and she makes me smile. From your descriptions she sounds like a working dog that is bored when idle. She climbs up on you whining, "mom! Mom! Mommy! I am bored." Gotta get and give eye contact to make sure you get her message, and lots of kisses so you know she still loves you, yes she does, frantic frantic kisses. And your girl friend sounds like a hoot with the 'sedated' line. Cracked me up.

Don't worry too much about the three pounds. From everything I have read on your thread, and your posts on others, you are a very determined woman and nothing will stop you from reaching your goals. Next time you get on the scale you'll be down those three pounds and maybe more. The good news is that you are feeling positive and stronger. I am so glad for you.

Give that scamp Lucy some belly rubs from me....

Suki
 
Thanks Suki.

Funny how everyone seems to get such an accurate picture of Lucy when I describe her on here. Lucy has this way of looking at me (or anyone she's trying to win over) with this incredible "I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!" look--the closer to your face, the better. She has had a pretty active day--a long walk with Mike this morning, followed by going out to yell at the horses, game of ball, a session with some rawhide chews, and a car trip to check out horse hay with a stop for an ice cream cone (for the dogs too). After arriving home, she paced a bit looking for more interesting things to do. I told her it was time to settle down, and ... she actually did it! She's lying on a bed preparing for a nap. After her nap, though ... the fun starts all over again! ha ha I'll take her for an off leash walk in the horse pasture and she can yell at them again later and that should make her happy for the rest of the evening. She's funny. Heidi has lots of energy too, but she's just not as intense and goes with the flow more.

The life and times of Dorothy and family :-)

Dorothy
 
Hi Dorothy

I am just taking my time to read back through your thread in more detail, but I have to quickly tell you is that I suddenly became interested in your IF machine and have SO, busy researching to see if we can purchase one here.. I have ongoing back problems that I can tell are going to inhibit my complete recovery, especially if I do stupid things like walking down a non functioning escalator or carrying a heavy bag last Thursday evening - all of which has put me to bed for the past two days..

Thanks Dorothy, so pleased you seem to have turned a bit of a corner at that magical 3 month period, but will read more of your detail later.

Have I told you, how much I love your posts :)
 
Dorothy, I think we'll all be waiting for continued updates about your IF machine experience. I've bookmarked an information page for future reference. It's very heartening to know there are potentially good treatments for problems that are traditionally hard to resolve. Especially non-invasive treatments. Keep the good reports coming.

Sharon
 
Hello there dear Dorothy!
I was looking forward to the weekend to take a peek at how the injections went and the IF machine was working. Wow, girl, it sounds like you have turned a corner! I am so glad! I know that you have had extra issues with hip #2 that did not get you back as fast as you had hoped. Well, it sounds like you are on the pathway again!

Going back to work is scary. My biggest piece of advice is: don't sit too long. Well, I guess I don;t have to tell you that since you have already been through this. I did feel very dull, confused and slow my first days back, so I guess that is part of getting readjusted.

I think when you are able to walk Lucy in the matter that she expects, you are not going to have to worry about any extra pounds!

Warm hugs,
Elle
 
Thanks for the support!

Sandy and Sharon--the IF truly is wonderful! Here is a link to some information about it and the model I'm getting ... if my back clinic ever gets around to faxing the order to the company ...

broken link removed: https://www.empi.com/empi_products/detail.aspx?id=642

I hope it helps!

Elle, so good to hear from you again ... since you've gone back to work, you are SO busy. I'm glad you are doing great! About herding the children like a sheepdog ... Lucy can be on the next plane to assist you. Just give the directions to where the school is and she will be there tomorrow :-)

Dorothy
 
Hi Dorothy!

Finally catching up a little after my trip to visit my daughter, Kim. Thank you so much for the insight. After reading your post on my thread I realized my tears during the visit were totally due to me being out of my comfort zone. They weren't horrible sad tears or anything like that, just tears and crying, just almost like breathing. Now that I am home I realize what a risk it was for me and I am so happy that I went and did it!

You sound fantastic! So happy for you. Turning corners is the best and you just turned a major one. I know getting back to work will be hard and hopefully you won't have to go through a lot of "pain" to get back in the groove. Take care and thanks again for the invaluable insight. We need each other to see what we can't.
 
So glad to see that is working for you. I looked it up, seems interesting. Actually, my mom is having sme big pain issues (long story) and that looks like something that could help her. Going to have to look into this a bit further.

Seems like you turned a corner on some things. Funny how we work and work and get frustrated we are not making enough progress and all of a sudden we move forward on something and are like "wow, when did that happen?" Fanatadtic when it does and I'm really happy for you. So fun to start forgetting the cane here and there (like in blueberry bushes haha). Thanks for the great update.

Look for pm from me, Cathy
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

Members online

Total: 2,301 (members: 4, guests: 2,297)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom