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THR Every Step Is a Destination

Today is the one-week birthday of my new hip! I’m pretty happy with it so far. Minimal pain, minimal swelling, yay team direct lateral (hmm, would that make a good t-shirt? Are there enough surgeons who use the direct lateral approach that anybody would even get it?) Last night I did the classic thing of wandering away from my walker then suddenly looking down and windmilling my arms like Wile E. Coyote.

I had a couple of minor setbacks (remember the squiggly line vs the straight line?) but am still slogging forward.

Setback one: a couple of days ago I developed a cough and was having trouble inhaling full deep lungs of air. I confess I was a little freaked it might be something serious like pulmonary embolism, but it turned out to be nothing serious. I obtained a spirometer (highly recommended as party favors!) and ate smaller more frequent meals. The issue cleared up within a few hours, but it was scary for a while. (Moral of the story: don’t panic yet!)

Setback two: yesterday I went in for routine post-op bloodwork and discovered I had developed severe anemia. I was mildly anemic a week before surgery; the anemia was gone on the day of surgery. But six days later the numbers had plummeted down into the Valley of Dark Despair (official medical terminology) range, and I wasn’t even sure how I was still alive. No wonder I was so exhausted! If my blood work had yielded low numbers like that in the US I’m pretty sure my doc would have had me airlifted to the nearest life support center. But the Costa Rican surgeon wasn’t concerned. He had his assistant leave me a voice message on WhatsApp saying yes, the numbers were low so I should continue to take my giant iron pill daily, and also she hoped I had a chance to go outdoors and enjoy the rainbows. (The rainbows in Costa Rica were were absurdly over the top all day yesterday. Nobody got any work done. I had visions of dozens of poor unconscious patients strapped awkwardly to those unwieldy torture tables while the surgeons happily lined up in the hospital parking lot to ooo and ah at all the rainbows.) (Moral of the story part 2: still don’t panic yet!)

One week from today I have my 2-week follow up with the surgeon, so I assume we’ll continue to rectify the anemia situation and soon I’ll have enough energy to drive my poor family to the brink again. When the 14-year-old granddaughter locks me out of the family chat, I’ll know I’m back in fine fettle.

My next goal: my first shower (first post-op shower, not my first shower ever, I mean good grief give me SOME credit!). Tomorrow. I confess I am terrified. (were y’all terrified?) But we are called upon to have courage! Hence I shall go forth and be brave. :sos: Stay tuned for a (probably abridged, considering) report….
 
A few words on iron supplements:

The literature doesn't support taking oral supplements more than two to three times weekly; our body can't process more than that and if it truly needs more injections/IV is indicated. This is directly from both my internal medicine doc and the NIH.

It should always be taken with vitamin C to maximize absorption.

It should never be taken with calcium supplements or calcium rich foods, as that really interferes with absorption.
 
ClownMagnet said:
My next goal: my first shower (first post-op shower, not my first shower ever, I mean good grief give me SOME credit!). Tomorrow. I confess I am terrified. (were y’all terrified?)
Click to expand...
Honestly, yes I was feeling pretty anxious about it. Definitely have someone within earshot for the first couple showers. We have a walk in shower so I took my walker in with me for support. It was a quick shower and hair washing and I was OUT. I felt a tad wobbly, but so good afterward! It felt like a FIRST shower. For the second shower, I took the walker in again, but hubs put a stop to it after that as it would get water inside and then drain onto the towels he had placed on the floor. He told me I didn't need it and he was right. I honestly don't even know if he was home the third time I showered, but after two showers I had a temporary routine down and was fine on my own.
 
Oooh Layla was brave!!!! I used a shower bench the first several weeks!

MDH was in the room with me the first time on the first knee; after that in the adjacent room for one or two.
With my second knee, I was fully solo but loved being able to relax on the bench. Being in a hot shower is bliss for me.
 
@ClownMagnet. I am now just 2 weeks post op. I have had 2 set backs as well.
1. Fell in hospital? No damage but black all down RHS.
2. During terrible bout of post Codeine constipation I actually pulled a muscle down outside of calf. Physio yesterday gave me exercises for calf, he’s happy with hip. It does mean I can’t walk very easily and can’t shower as I can’t put much weight on it. Our shower cubicle isn’t big enough to put a seat in it.
I expect we’ll both stagger on and heal in time.
 
Mendogal, thanks for the info about the iron supplements. Do you have a link to a recent study or two that I can share with my OS?
 
ClownMagnet said:
Mendogal, thanks for the info about the iron supplements. Do you have a link to a recent study or two that I can share with my OS?
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Hi!
I know that my doc pulls current practice guidelines from a professional website that's behind a very expensive paywall - I should have the site bookmarked on my desktop and can check later. I wish I could afford it!

The research I find doesn't specify twice weekly, which was her advice to me, but it does favor every other day dosing to minimize side effects with overall good results.

So in hindsight it's likely that the twice weekly was her best judgement for my individual situation and I'll adjust my advising accordingly!

Here's info on alternate day dosing.

AGA Clinical Practice Update, August 2024

Cochrane Library, May 2020
 
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I totally agree!!!!!
And I'm glad you asked because it merited me doing a deeper look at the issue.
 
On Thursday I had my 2-week followup with the surgeon. Everything looks good. I have almost no pain (stopped taking the codeine after two days), there’s minimal swelling (no compression socks, and I’ve only needed to ice once), minimal bruising, the incision looks clean. I’m moving more and better every day. I’ll go back in another two weeks to have the stitches removed and have more blood work to monitor my anemia.

But you know what happens when I tell people I’m feeling better and that all was well at my two-week followup? They say, Oh good glad that’s over with, want to go climb some waterfalls? No no, I say. I’m still using a walker. I’m still tired, have little energy. I’m still treating my new hip like it’s a $33 million Faberge egg. I take frequent naps. I have good days, but I have lots of funky days too. I’m on track for two weeks out, but I still have a long recovery ahead of me.

Oh they say. Well my step mother’s sister had a hip replacement and they had her up and walking the same day. Right I say. They have everybody up and walking the same day. But it’s walking with a walker or crutches, loaded up with powerful pain meds, and there’s somebody hovering at their elbow in case they pass out or just give up and lie down on the floor to fall asleep. It doesn’t mean they’re cured.

Even my family seems to have heaved a sigh of relief and moved on with their busy lives. If I ask for help with specific tasks like taking out the trash or doing laundry they’ll help me. My son is great about food shopping and driving me to appointments. I’m extremely grateful. But they no longer stop by my cottage to ask me how I’m feeling or if I need anything, and I kind of miss that. I don’t mean to sound whiny. I’m happy to become more and more independent. I just feel frustrated that the world doesn’t understand that two weeks is still very very early days, and that I would still love someone to come by to bring me flowers or fix me a cup of tea every now and then.
 
Please share those wishes with your family and friends! Yes it's still very early days and while some folks have no option but to manage alone, there's no reason for you to!
 
Thank you. It’s just this kind of weird limbo between not being quite sick enough but also not quite well enough, in a world where no one quite knows what to expect. Has anyone else experienced this?
 
Heck yeah!
Except... It's not illness.

My original ortho procedures were from athletic accidents, so I never framed it as being sick or unwell; rather, as a temporary disability that needed to be gotten through at its own pace. So there's an element of purposeful surrender to the process.

Being willing to request support - both practical and emotional - and to graciously accept it, isn't something that comes naturally to most of us. But it sure can be cultivated!
 
ClownMagnet said:
I just feel frustrated that the world doesn’t understand that two weeks is still very very early days, and that I would still love someone to come by to bring me flowers or fix me a cup of tea every now and then.
Click to expand...
Here ya go. We aim to please. Enjoy!! :)

[Bonesmart.org] Every Step Is a Destination
 
Gosh, at two weeks out you are in a very early stage of recovery. I organised help with housework etc for a month or so afterwards. In fact, I believe you are not meant to do heavy housework or lifting for six weeks. I milked that with friends and neighbours.

I also live alone and am fiercely independent so asking for help is hard. My family lives in the U.S. but luckily I had the type of close neighbours that insisted on helping me and dropping by. They still do, though I think it is my coffee machine they are visiting now!

When people call in, remember to tell them how much you enjoyed it and hope they come agains soon as it helps with your recovery. People like to feel needed.

Also, feeling a bit blue on some days is part of the process. I had some very teary days for no apparent reason and occasionally still do. It's like I turned on a tap.
 
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