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

[rider1960]

Thanks Sandy, You are always so sweet and supportive.

It's easy to be confident in my surgeon because it's clear he knows what he is doing, cares about me and how I'm feeling, and has gone above and beyond to get me through two hip replacements. I love that I can email him questions or concerns and get a quick response from him--I'm probably one of his more "need to know" patients and he doesn't seem to mind that at all. He exudes confidence without being cocky. He's become my favorite medical professional of all time, with my wonderful GYN PA a close second. Hey any one who can take me when I feel awful and barely able to walk, take my pain away and get me moving again, while being patient and caring is A+ in my book

So, I'm going to follow his advice and hang in there. My next appointment is in December. That will be the 6 month mark and I'm hoping the hip flexor problem will be a thing of the past ... but if it's not, then on to plan B.

And, I'm going to take my medication so I can keep living during that time.

Dorothy

 

[C Mac]

Hi Dorothy,

I hope you will be able to have a restful weekend. Remember you are working towards a *new* normal -- your situation is totally different from any of those other folks at the office. Lower the bar, go easy on yourself, this has been a very big year for you with two surgeries.

I hear you on the doctor baggage, but you are beyond that and in a good place now with your very attentive OS. If you need to be seen and it will help you feel better and think more positive thoughts then make an appointment. You always seem to come away from your visits feeling supported by your OS. I am interested to see that he suggests you hold off on the back doc & more invasive treatments. I got the same advice from the PA with regard to my SI issues.

Any leads on the new mini-horse yet?? You know we'll need to see this little new addition if you are up to sharing
Take care,
Cardie

 

[rider1960]

Hi Cardie, Thanks for your support and concern. I really appreciate it.

No news on the mini-horse front. I'm not able to ride yet and winter is coming, so there is no rush to get another friend for Mac. Babe is babysitting him fine for now I will definitely have to have something in place by the time I want to start riding her, which might not be until Spring since I'm a wimp about winter cold. It will be fun to start looking and getting the new little addition

Dorothy

 

[Poppet]

Jolly good Dorothy... Sounds like a plan honey

 

[Elle11]

Hi Dorothy,

Just checing in to see how your are doing (Yes, sigh, we are a bit far to meet fro lunch...will be in the US next week, but not near New York).

YOur doctor sounds wonderful and I am glad for you.

You know, Poppet mentioned "hanging off the file cabinet" for a break (I would not wait 45 minutes though...be up at least every 20 or 30 min ) and I thought of this lovely back stretch that might feel good for you. Put your have hands on a surface that is about waist-high, standing the length of your arms and torso away from this surface. SLOWLY, bend forward from the hips with straight legs. This balances the hips and relaxes the back and neck. It looks like this and feels good. Just remember to go slowly, as you need to be aware of how far your body will let you go down safely:

I am jealous you have another baby planned for your future! I was thinking longingly about getting another kitty today, but His Royal Badness would be totally miserable. He can't stand my husband, let alone another cat!

Hugs,
Elle

 

[rider1960]

Thanks for the stretch info and picture, Elle. I'll start doing that. I'm always self conscious about doing stretches and stuff at work, since I work in a cubicle environment and people are every where, but I'm having to let go of that and just do what I have to do. I just tell people not to be concerned, I'm just doing stretches and am fine. They seem fine with it, so I should just forget about my worries about looking weird.

Funny about your kitty--he must be a real character! Cats can get very upset about "intruders". I have a family of mom and three girl kittens that get along for the most part, although I do notice that they aren't as close as they were when they were younger and now have little fights that were non-existent when they were younger. THEN, I have Tiger, a male that wandered in a few months after the girl family arrived. It's been a few years and they all get along pretty well, but they have never really accepted Tiger. Cats can definitely be territorial, so you are probably better off waiting until Royal is gone. Maybe a little dog, though????????

Dorothy

 

[VThereandnow]

Hey there,
So sorry being back at work is being a challenge. I echo poppets comments. You sure do have enough on your plate and if you need a little of the meds to help you along, so be it. It is not like you are abusing them or something. It is easy to doubt you will get better when things flare or things get difficult. I know this intimately haha. Slow progress is not easy to deal with and that hip flexor thing sure has sure been a challenge for you.

Keep the faith friend. Unfortunately sometimes slow and steady wins the race, though we all prefer fast and furious . Think of how much you can do since only June 22nd. Even with you setback of the flexor, you are doing amazing with taking care of animals etc. AND how being back at work.

Sending lots of positive vibes your way Cathy

 

[rider1960]

Thanks Cathy. It's frustrating. I'm starting to have the bouts of anger towards the hospital PT. I KNOW that is where/when the injury happened. I remember doing the lying down abduction exercise and feeling like the leg weighed a ton and having to kind of yank it with all my might to do the exercise. I also start to get angry with myself for doing it when it obviously was so difficult and painful (I know better; just wasn't thinking straight at that time) ... but then I just blame the hospital and feel better about myself, lol.

Dorothy

 

[Poppet]

Whatever helps Dorothy... Gotta point your frustration and anger somewhere... That PT sounds like the perfect target!

 

[C Mac]

Hi Dorothy,

I think that you'll set a good example by doing your file cabinet stretch that Elle11; suggested in the office. Maybe that will motivate others to get up and stretch periodically as well. Are you doing your IF machine while you are at work too?

Also, wondering if you've heard this broken link removed: https://www.cdc.gov/HAI/outbreaks/meningitis.html regarding some problems with back injections. While NY is not one of the states mentioned, I thought of you when I heard it...

Take care & hope that animals are doing well while you are out and about now,
Cardie

 

[rider1960]

Hi Cardie, Sandy, Cathy, Diane, (and I hope I didn't leave anyone out)!

Yikes! Cardie, that article you gave me is pretty scary! Well, I guess I'm OK with the two recent ones I've had ... since I'm still alive. It is just incredibly frightening that something like that could happen. Thanks for the info and I'll be sure to check with my doctor before I get any more injections. I want to make sure they are getting their meds from a reliable source. They do a TON of back injections--I think they have about 10 doctors and they are always busy with procedures, especially injections.

I've been stretching several times throughout the day and I do feel better. If people look at me funny or ask if I'm OK, I just tell them I'm stretching and they seem fine with that answer. I do think more people where I work should do it. Everyone is always complaining about how stiff they get during the day.

I haven't used my IF machine at work yet. I use it a lot at home and that seems to be enough. I'm hooked up to it right now! I love it!!!! I can feel it penetrating the muscles; it really feels good.

The animals are doing fine. The dogs miss me, but except for the hip replacement recoveries, this is their normal routine. They just look a little sad when I go and go nuts when I get back home. I think they sleep most of the time I'm away because they sure do have a ton of energy for when I get home!

I'm paying special attention to stretching my right piriformis and SI joint area a lot. I saw a youtube video about an easy stretch I can do while sitting. I bring my foot over to the opposite thigh (like I do when I put my shoes on) and then I gently put some pressure on the inside of the knee to kind of flatten the leg down (go easy!), and then lean forward a little at the same time until I feel a stretch in the low back and upper buttock. That has turned into my favorite piriformis/SI stretch and I can do it while I read computer stuff at work.

Dorothy

 

[Poppet]

Yikes is right C Mac; compounding chemists are quite a worry here in OZ..

I am sure your specialists would not be obtaining their injections from there Dorothy.

I just tried your favorite stretch.... yelp! yelp!... I will stick to NW, so pleased it works for you though... Great to find a stretch that helps at work.

 

[rider1960]

Poppet, does the stretch hurt your back or your hip? I started working on this one after my surgeon released me from hip restrictions at 6 weeks--It's on his handout of "required exercises". I found it difficult from the hip/leg perspective at first, but it does a great job at stretching out the tissues that got cut and sewed during surgery and I think I feel it working on the IT band as well. Lean forward just a little (and I mean just an inch or two) and the back and piriformis come into the equation. You need to start very slow and work up in increments each day/week, but I think it's about the most useful and comprehensive stretch/exercise I do. I love it and don't think I would feel as good as I do without it.

Dorothy

Dorothy

 

[Poppet]

Hi Dorothy

It hurt both actually, hip, top of thigh, groin.. You name it, everything was yelping.. Plonked an ice pack on it, it resolved with an hours rest.

Probably more my back. I have 3 discs that prolapse very easily... and with all the additional exercise of being a mountain goat on our steep block and walking up and down our "killer hill" driveway (I explained it to Aussie Mike), my back does tend to complain..

No damage done.. When I spoke to my OS last week, I told him I was sticking to walking and not doing any PT, he said given the state your hip was in, he agreed, walking was best for me, keeping my back nice and straight. He was very impressed how good my gait was, also considering I had a severe Trendelenburg gait pattern and L5 is involved.. He also liked the fact I was NW, he said that would help my back a lot..

 

[rider1960]

Funny how each of us respond so differently. I LOVE that stretch, although I will admit it's not a truly "easy" one for the body--I realized I wrote "easy" in my first post about it--I just meant it was easy to think through and do without looking like I am doing exercises--at work and when I'm around people and self conscious about my need to stretch so often. But, if I tried the fast pace of ND now ... I'd die!!!

Dorothy

 

[Poppet]

I am so pleased for you Dorothy.

You are so right, we do all respond differently. So many variables feeding into our surgical experience, and same with recovery.

I know that I started way behind the 8 ball with my total lack of mobility prior to surgery. So bad in fact that we were poised to purchase an electric wheel chair.. That was when my first OS cancelled my surgery due to the CKD.. There was very little hope left.. But look at me now

 

[rider1960]

Yes, /Poppet--LOOK AT YOU NOW!!! Post hip replacement, healthy, hip forum advisor, and nordic walking extraordinaire!!! Really, you are inspiration for anyone who has had their health go down hill--you have climbed back up and crested the peak of the mountain! I'm so happy for you.

Dorothy

 

[Poppet]

Thanks Dorothy.. Slow and easy is getting me there... Don't get me wrong it hasn't been smooth sailing.. I have experienced and still do the same types of aches pains and "gotcha" events that most of us go through with recovery, after all we all have the same basic body parts to
Heal.. But thanks for telling me about your stretch and I am so pleased it works for you

 

[rider1960]

OK, I've had it! Something HAS to be done about this groin pain. Since I returned to work and am doing more, it's getting worse. I know my surgeon advised giving it more time, but I've reached my limit! I'm starting to limp again and I've even had to lift the leg getting in and out of the car and things like that where the hip flexors are engaged. I've noticed that my gait has shorter strides because it hurts more to take longer strides.

I'm quite sure there is nothing wrong with the hip joint or prosthesis. It's a stabbing pain in the lower groin that goes down the inside/front of my thigh and circles around to the back. I've had tendonitis is other areas of my body, and the pain is very similar to that type of pain. And, I know it originatedl from the overwork at PT in the hospital. I'm so angry that this even happened. I was fine and dandy until they got ahold of me the first post op afternoon. They had a responsibility to not push me past my limits--just because a patient is willing to grit their teeth and push through tough exercises doesn't make it OK for them to do so. What were they thinking???? I was fresh post op!!! And, at the time I wasn't thinking clearly enough to "just say no." Crazy. I remember my home therapist seeing me the first day after discharge, seeing me so sore, and saying "What the H$LL did they do to you????"

I called my surgeon's office this morning and told the nurse that I can't put up with this any longer and want him to do something about it NOW. He's out of the office this week and they offered to have someone else see me. I don't want that. I want him--he knows the history and I trust what he does more than someone I don't know, which would probably end up being one of their PA's. I have nothing against PA's, but I want my surgeon to take care of this--he knows me and knows the history of this problem. I'm scheduled for next Tuesday with him.

When I go there, I am not going to take pain medication beforehand, not going to try to look like I'm OK, and all that stuff I normally do to put on a brave front--it's coming back to bite me in the butt. I'm going to lay it all on the line and tell him that something more needs to be done and I'm not OK with waiting it out. I need to get rid of this pain, and that is all there is to it!

Dorothy

 

[C Mac]

Hi Dorothy,

I hear you on the groin pain, I'm sorry that it is persisting and being so annoying. Good idea to get in and have a discussion with your OS. Have you made a list of what you want, I'm guessing that he may ask you what you think will help? Do you want PT, massage, an MRI, permission to punch the hospital PT guy in the stomach, a note for reduced work hours???

I realize that you have the flexor tear so your situation is different from mine, but over time I have noticed that I experience groin pain some times when my low back is doing something. I know that sounds a little vague, but for me it means that when my pelvis is a bit torqued it will sometimes seem to pull at my adductors in the groin area. I also experience some groin tightness because of the new alignment of all my soft tissues in that area from the THR itself -- but that may be more due to my CDH piece and I know that's not your situation.

It is a great idea to lay it all on the line when you see your OS on Tuesday, but do take enough pain meds that you can think and process clearly and don't feel like a lunatic... Hope you have a nice weekend.

Take care,
Cardie