February 20, 2017

[sammylou99]

Good to hear you're having a great 3rd day Sam! [emoji51]


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Thanks Jen, how are you doing?! Has the rash gone away? Am waiting for bruising to appear but don't seem to have any yet!! Xx


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[JenJuniper]

All good here, thanks Sam!
No bruising for me either, which has been a bonus!
Rash has been the only annoying thing about recovery, however with 4 hourly anti histamine tablets, it is starting to go, thank goodness!
Haven't seen my wound yet as I still have a waterproof dressing on covering dissolvable stitches) that hasn't moved!). What is yours dressed with?
I think I can have a look after day 10?

Are you going home tonight? X


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[Delphi]

Great to hear how well you are doing Sam. Well done!

 

[sammylou99]

Am home!! Feels a bit surreal less than 48 hours after surgery!! So nice to be on the sofa at home though and OS pleased with everything. A little sore today but he said day 2 always the worst then gets better every day. Off all strong meds which feels nice! Got the same dressing Jen just have to check it for any leaking lol! But have been told to change it every 5 days or if water gets in, even though a waterproof dressing so will just keep an eye. Dissolvable stitches too. OS thinks dressing should come off when I go to see him week after next. Looking forward to a night in my own bed now although maybe the movable hospital one will look good later!! Nice to have the ankle pumps off and just aspirin - thought would have to wear those stockings so very relived about that! All in all pretty good. You'll be fine Delphi. We will all be thinking about you and look forward to hearing how it all goes xxx


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[Delphi]

Thanks Sam,you escaped lightly without the dreaded TED's! X

 

[Kathy0427]

Sam, so good to know you are home and recovering. Hopefully your Ned's are good for you now, and you are on the way up! Sending love your way today. Kathy


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[ponymad]

What's TED Delphi?


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[Kathy0427]

They are hose that are placed on your legs to discourage growth of a blood clot by squeezing and keeping the blood moving. Because I had a blood clot two years ago, their use actually gives me a feeling of security but I realize most people hate them, haha!


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[sammylou99]

Day 7 Update!
Hello fellow hippies thought I would update how things are going since my operation last Monday afternoon.
I was anxious to leave the hospital and come home two days post op but looking back I think maybe another day would have been a good idea as I struggled with pain management at home and the nights were rough (Oh for the hospital bed!!) however it has got so much better and I am grateful for the small improvements.
Last night was a better night and I slept in 3 hour bursts which was a huge improvement. Still using paracetemol and ibuprofen spread through the day and it takes the edge off.
Walking around on one crutch now apart from the middle of the night bathroom trips and have mastered the stairs, dressing, showering. Still hurts to sit on scar and uncomfortable sitting generally but hoping that will get better soon. Very little swelling apart from around the hip itself and no bruising which has amazed me. Changed dressing yesterday and all looks very neat and clean with invisible stitches covered with steri-strips.
One of the worst things was the post op constipation!! Wish I'd taken the lactulose earlier - started once home - as it took a good few days to sort out and was so uncomfortable!
Slowly getting my head around lack of independence - not sure I was quite prepared for how reliant I would be in OH for everything! Hard to get used to and have had a few tears but feeling so much better mentally yesterday and today.
Hoping all my fellow Feb hippies are doing well and on the road to recovery. It's quite a marathon but I am so relieved to be on this side of it and the hideous pain in my hip, knee and groin are gone. K don't think I believed my surgeon when he said the knee pain would go but it has
One annoying thing - I am numb down the right thigh. Apparently due to bruised nerve from the clamps they use to get you in position when they operate. It's not sore but feels very strange and apparently may stay this way for a few weeks/months. Anyone else had this?
Will check in again soon but wanted to thank everyone for the support and information - it has made a huge difference to my journey!
Sam
TLHR 20/2/17 posterior, 51


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[ponymad]

Great feedback Sam! You are a day ahead of me... slept better last hight too and have not had Oramorph for 24 hours. Showering dressing etc all on my own but get so tired!!! The lack of arthritic pain is so encouraging xxx


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[sammylou99]

Great feedback Sam! You are a day ahead of me... slept better last hight too and have not had Oramorph for 24 hours. Showering dressing etc all on my own but get so tired!!! The lack of arthritic pain is so encouraging xxx


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Great to hear you slept better and are off the Oramorph those are big steps @ponymad !! I agree it's all very tiring but I'm going with it and resting as soon as I get a wave of tiredness...which is often!!! Take care xxx


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[Jaycey]

Looks like you haven't had your recovery articles posted here. Read the one about energy drain. It's real and you just can't fight it. Nap when you can.
First are the BoneSmart mantras ....
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!
- be active as much as you need to be but not more than is necessary, meaning so much that you end up being in pain, exhausted or desperate to sit down or lay down!

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery
Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Activity progression for THRs
Home physio (PT)
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Delphi]

Hi Sam,
Glad to hear that things are picking up for you and that you have seen big improvements. I was a bit worried that I was making slow progress but from what you have said, perhaps it's just as well that I am staying in hospital a bit longer. That said, it sounds like you are getting on better now, and good news about your scar and lack of swelling and bruising . They don't use ice here for hips but got some brought in today, which has helped. The surgeon ( who I liked and trusted enormously ) said to me the two most important things afterwards were to listen to your hip and react accordingly, and secondly not to limp, so to carry on with the crutches until that was not an issue. Sounds straightforward but I guess that translates into a different recovery for each of us, according to our own circumstances.
Starting on Senekot tonight as I am also struggling in that department. Watch this space!
Keep your spirits up and let us know how you are doing,
Take care, Diane xxx

 

[Jamie]

@sammylou99 .... you may notice that I've modified your thread title just a bit. Now that you've had your surgery, it no longer needed to say you were "setting it up early." And I've changed the date so it can be more easily read by people in all countries. We try to stay away from a strictly numbers format because the ordering of the month and day is different depending on what country you're from.

 

[Delphi]

Hi Sam,
How are you doing today? Hope you have had a good day
Diane xx

 

[Delphi]

Happy Birthday Sam!!
Hope you have a great day today. Do you have a little celebration planned? At other times I would raise a glass to you, but sadly , no wine on the menu for a while yet - boohoo!
Thanks for your response to me. Last night was just awful and I guess also you're just not used to being so helpless in that situation. Good to know that you went through the same thing ( if you know what I mean ) and that there is light on the horizon. Today is a brighter day weatherwise so being positive and hoping tonight will be better.
Wishing you a fun-filled day -haha! Or at least a pain-free one!! Xxx

 

[sammylou99]

Happy Birthday Sam!!
Hope you have a great day today. Do you have a little celebration planned? At other times I would raise a glass to you, but sadly , no wine on the menu for a while yet - boohoo!
Thanks for your response to me. Last night was just awful and I guess also you're just not used to being so helpless in that situation. Good to know that you went through the same thing ( if you know what I mean ) and that there is light on the horizon. Today is a brighter day weatherwise so being positive and hoping tonight will be better.
Wishing you a fun-filled day -haha! Or at least a pain-free one!! Xxx

Thank you!!!
A few friends brought birthday lunch over to me and it was so lovely!! Feeling very spoilt! A couple of days ago I didn't think I would be up for that but I felt great and had so much fun. Even a half glass of prosseco (went straight to my head!!!) so a lovely day. Feet up now and resting as exhausted!! In a good way! Oh and I got to 3.30 before I realised I missed my 2pm meds. Even a couple of days my hip would have been shouting at me that I had missed them so there is a light at the end of the tunnel!!
I really hope you have a good night tonight. Am so jealous you have Burmese cats, they are just gorgeous and real characters!
Take care,
Sam xxx


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[ponymad]

Happy birthday! Sounds like you had a good day xx


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[sammylou99]

Well I am now 2 weeks post TLHR and was doing so well. Was down to one crutch, pottering around kitchen no crutch. Then was going upstairs yesterday and the crutch slipped on the carpet and I jarred the operated leg really hard. Was not holding handrail as was being stupid and overconfident. Was lucky not to fall. Oh the pain from knee to hip. Got into bed and IH brought ice. The ice worked well for pain relief. Iced all day and it's fine when lying or sitting but when I walk it feels very sore in the thigh slightly to the inside of centre. I am going for my two week check ups this week. Any ideas what's going on / bruised? Back to two crutches and moving slowly. Hip itself feels fine. Arrgh!! I am so upset and frustrated. Feels like such a step back.
Sam
TLHR 20/2/17 posterior


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[Jaycey]

Hi Sam, you will notice I moved your post to your recovery thread. Please keep all your updates and questions on this thread so that we can see your history in one place and advise you.

At only 2 weeks out you are still very much in healing mode. Soft tissues and muscles are very tender. That slip probably caused you to jerk or jar the leg. It's very normal to feel bruised and sore following something like this.

You did the right thing - ice, elevate and rest. You might be sore for a day or 2.

Don't be hard on yourself. It's good that you are transitioning to one crutch. Just move a bit slower and do use the handrail until you are totally confident on your feet. Not at all a step back!