February 20, 2017

[sammylou99]

@Josephine the steps I have taken amount to a 20 minute walk with one crutch in the morning and 10-15 minutes in the afternoon. As I am in my 4th week it seems to follow the recommendations you have given?
Agree the shopping trips may be a bit keen but they have been very short with my mum to help and my OS and physio have said fine for a short trip with help.
I am trying to find a balance between taking care of my new hip and not going stir crazy now I am feeling a lot better and it's tricky to work out what is too much. Appreciate the advice.
Sam


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[Josephine]

As I am in my 4th week it seems to follow the recommendations you have given?

Perhaps you're right - I get a bit frazzled by these Fitbit things though!
Sorry.

 

[ponymad]

Hi Sam - sounds like everything is going in the right direction! I'm not driving yet and don't plan to start any time soon (right leg). but find walking in the fresh air is the perfect antidote to cabin fever. I don't have a fitbit but do look at my iPhone pedometer - it's good to track your progress and I find the more careful activity I do, the better I feel - physically and emotionally. If it feels ok, then it's right for you xx


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[sammylou99]

Hi Sam - sounds like everything is going in the right direction! I'm not driving yet and don't plan to start any time soon (right leg). but find walking in the fresh air is the perfect antidote to cabin fever. I don't have a fitbit but do look at my iPhone pedometer - it's good to track your progress and I find the more careful activity I do, the better I feel - physically and emotionally. If it feels ok, then it's right for you xx


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Thanks Pony, I use the pedometer on my phone too, purely to see the increase each week. Very satisfying!! You are right the fresh air is exactly what I need to get rid of cabin fever. Used to being very active. My poor 1 yr old lab has no idea why I'm not walking him (got a dog walker and friends to help) and I can't wait to get back to dog walks in the spring/summer.
Only driving very short distances to somewhere I know I can open the door fully to get out! Multi-story impossible. Nice to go to a friend for coffee although have to get timing right to get home for high loo seat lol!!![emoji23][emoji23]
Sam xx


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[ponymad]

Ah yes - the high toilet seat! Rather nice isn't it [emoji23][emoji23]. My dog doesn't understand why I keep going out without her but it would be impossible - how would you bag up the poo apart from the risk of being pulled along!


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[Delphi]

The week before my op, I came home to be confronted by two of the delightful toilet frames sitting slap bang in the middle of my hall, having been put there by my husband after delivery. When I saw them, I completely lost it. Somehow, I was suddenly more scared about what they represented about my potential future life , than the op itself. Needless to say, they were quickly spirited away into a spare room so I didn't have to look at them anymore ! Little did I know that they would soon become indispensable ( was going to say a very welcome sight, but couldn't quite bring myself to describe them as such! ). On a practical note, don't think I could have managed without the little darlings, particularly when going to the loo has been such a trial on occasion!!!

 

[sammylou99]

4 week update! Can't believe a month has gone by. I think the post op blues have finally hit. I don't really understand it as apart from my slip on the stairs my recovery has been really good and I am moving about well with no crutches in the house. Can drive a short distance although it's a little uncomfortable on my scar so don't really go too much. Had to cut my walking down to about a mile or just over as was doing double that and aching so much by the evening. I think I just feel frustrated with the slowness of it all. Want to walk my dog, walk further without pain, want the scar to stop being sore so u can wear normal clothes. It sounds ridiculous I know. I am really very grateful to my lovely OS for the fantastic job he's done and I know I literally had no choice in the matter. I am just so busy and active normally. Not a big telly watcher although I've had to become one! Ahh roll on summer.... sorry this is a bit of a rant as everything is going well. Just hard for anyone who hasn't had it done to understand any of this.
Hope everyone's having a better day!
On the plus side I am getting a much needed leg wax and pedi at home today which is very exciting. Can't even look at the state of my legs st the moment!! The little things!! [emoji23]
Sam


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[Delphi]

Cheer up Sam! This too will pass!

Just think about all the plans you have on the horizon. This is the first week that I have felt a bit down too and I'm definitely getting very bored now, but when I think of how restricted my life had become, pre op, I have to believe that it will get a whole lot better in the next few months. The fact that you can walk without crutches in the house is amazing. You have had a great recovery so far , and seem to be pretty advanced for such an early stage. It's all relative, I guess, as we all heal at different rates and have different expectations. I know it's frustrating at times , but hopefully we will get through this stage and get back to normality asap. For me, I am looking forward to doing stuff I haven't been able to do for ages - simple stuff like long walks, the gym, playing tennis, active weekends and holidays... in fact, I was just looking at a boating holiday for early July, but have hesitated to book it as I really don't know whether I will be able to jump onto a tender by then.

Are you still working? If so, do you have a plan in mind for returning to work? I suppose timing is dictated largely by the type of job you do. I used to travel a lot with my job, so it would have been extremely difficult to go back to that.

Well, the sun has come out here after a truly grey, wet, miserable morning, so I think a walk beckons. I have a lovely park nearby, but haven't managed to get there yet so perhaps today is the day!

Hope you enjoyed your beauty session!
Diane xx

 

[sammylou99]

Thanks Diane!! @Delphi. You are so right as I was in all sorts of pain pre op and just a few aches now. So different. Am going to put my positive hat back on!! My legs are fine and that makes me happy lol!!
I too want to do some boating in the summer down in Cornwall. Am hoping by then will be able to get into boat ok. May not be graceful though!! My MIL had a hip replacement and was sailing within 6 months. I'm sure the next few months are a time of huge improvement as long as we go at a steady pace.
Thanks again for the pep talk - needed that! All is well again [emoji3]
Sam


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[Irish Joe]

@sammylou99.
Your doing great at this stage so well done so far.
Also there is a great little community of you guys there helping each other along and you are all to be complimented on supporting each other so I take my hat off to you all.
Your boating days are touching distance away.
Joe.......

 

[Delphi]

Hi Sam,
How are you doing? Hasn't it been lovely the last few days? Have even been out pruning the hydrangeas this afternoon!
Diane xx

 

[sammylou99]

@Irish Joe thank you and yes you are one of them! It's a great bunch on here and has helped massively both before and after
@Delphi yes isn't it gorgeous! I've been in the garden doing some high up pruning too! Much better few days thanks after your pep talk! Been walking short walks without crutches and no limp as long as I go short distances and it feels great! Went into Winchester with My hubby and the dog on Saturday (with crutch!!) and had a nice hour walking around and a bit of shopping and a coffee. Felt really lovely to do that! Still finding it a bit slow going and boring but better with this weather - vitamin D's a great booster!!
Got my 6 week check up on Thursday, going armed with loads of questions as won't see him for a year after that - poor man!!!
Hope you're doing well Diane - not long til you're off the crutches
Sam xx


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[Delphi]

Wow! Great news Sam!

I absolutely love Winchester. It's a while since I've been, but such a lovely place for a mooch around. I bet that gave you an enormous boost, didn't it? It's my husband's birthday tomorrow and I had thought that we might go out to lunch, but I am still struggling to sit on anything other than fairly high cushioned seats. I would take a chance, but my husband is reluctant to go in case it's a problem, which then makes me more nervous. That said, we are hoping to get across to Anglesey in 2 wks time, so will no doubt make up for lost time when we get there, and hopefully by then I will be much more comfortable in restaurants. Did quite a long walk today before the gardening, so do feel that I am building more stamina and strength , albeit slowly!!

I also have a gang of friends and colleagues with whom I meet every month for lunch, and the next date is before Easter, so looking forward to seeing them and getting back to normal! Not sure how many cushions I will need to take by then!!! My closest friend jetted off to Australia yesterday, and having wanted to go there for a while, I am wondering what the risk is of DVT over time after this op? Will no doubt get there in the end!

One upside of this is that my husband's cooking skills have come on in leaps and bounds! Tonight's menu was Lemon sole with shrimps, creamed spinach, and new potatoes followed by Cornish Brie and Sant Agur! I need to increase walking to counter all the fattening food!

Hope every day is getting better for you. Taking the dog with you into Winchester must have been a big plus! Even if it was your husband that he was dragging along!!

Take care of yourself, Sam,
Diane xxx

 

[sammylou99]

6 week update! Well went to my OS today for my 6 week sign off and that's it, all good!! No restrictions anymore which I'm really excited about. Can't wait to have a bath and put my pants on without a grabber lol [emoji23][emoji23]!! And sleep on my tummy!
He told me that next year I will be able to ski, surf and waterski again. Just wants to give it a year to "bed in". Am so happy I will be able to do all these things again. Also he said breaststroke will be fine. He said it won't feel comfortable to begin with but the new hip is really stable.
He said most important is now up work on my specific physio to build up muscles behind the hip and build up strength. He told me the nagging ache I get in my femur when I walk too far is very normal in an uncemented hip and that it will be a while for the bone to form around it. He suggested that was a guide for me - to stop when it hurts at this stage. That it will go over time.
The numbness in my right (non-op) thigh will also go over time. It's nerve damage from the position of the operation. Unusual but not long term.
All in all I'm thrilled. He's such a lovely man and has given me my life back. I hadn't realised how compromised I was before.
And today - no meds for the first day.
Celebration tonight!!
To anyone worrying about doing this operation, it's an amazing thing. You need to take it slow but when you do each week gets better and better.
Sam


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[Mojo2013]

Congrats on the "clean bill of health". I am starting to get worried for my procedure, so it's nice to hear you're feeling better! Enjoy your celebration evening.

 

[JenJuniper]

Congrats Sam on a brilliant check up!
Hope you have a great celebration tonight! Well done on getting through 6 weeks [emoji106] onwards and upwards from here....SLOWLY.. lol!!!

Enjoy [emoji16] x



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[Delphi]

Woohoo Sam!!!
Brilliant news and enjoy your evening. I am so pleased for you, it's a great result. Really hope that you go from strength to strength over the Summer, and manage to get back to doing all those activities that have given you pleasure over the years.
Hope you get to Cornwall for Easter - don't go mad but I' m sure you'll have a great time!
Take care of yourself,
Diane xx

 

[Horseshoe]

I spent quite a bit of my recovery doing calligraphy and there are some great beginner books on Amazon that you could start with

Hi @sammylou99 , didn't want to hijack Seamoose's thread. Are there any basic calligraphy books in particular you'd recommend? Used to do calligraphy at school and really enjoyed it. Thanks!

 

[sammylou99]

Hi @sammylou99 , didn't want to hijack Seamoose's thread. Are there any basic calligraphy books in particular you'd recommend? Used to do calligraphy at school and really enjoyed it. Thanks!

There's one called Creative Lettering and Beyond - it's a brown colour book (Amazon) and it's great. There are a few in that series. Really fun. I have brushed up and also learnt some new things. Thinking of starting to do more of it (weddings etc) now as have loved sitting here doing it. It's really satisfying when it all comes together!! The berol 1.1 calligraphy markers are good for practicing and I love the lamy calligraphy pens.
Sam x


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[Horseshoe]

Thanks!! I'll check those out, I've come to appreciate the art of elegant penmanship and handwriting, it's great you're having so much fun with it : )