February 20, Getting Close, Getting Ready

[Brave gal]

Doyle glad it is over for you. Take it easy and in a couple of weeks you will feel like you can't believe how fast you snapped back to your old self say hi to your pretty bird

 

[MajorHeidi]

@Doyle You are doing great, and so is your scar!
Onward and upward! Yay!

 

[Doyle]

14 days later......

Updates on things .

Spent the first week out of hospital sleeping as much as I could. Small trips to grocery store was all it took to tire me out. Bad weather caused me to drive he first week, with left side being done, it was more pleasant experience on driver side of vehicle than on passenger side!

Weds March 5 I had the staples out. Two hour wait because they lost my paperwork going from one desk to another. Actual staple removal took 5 mins. Didn't hurt, just pinprick feelings that itched afterwards lol

I've stopped using crutches except on the stairs at home when I'm sleepy, and can go for pretty long walks at the mall and walmart.

Just got back in the house from pulling snow off the roof. Ceiling leaks when it starts melting. That made me sore, but I couldn't expect much else

Interesting thing about medication, in the hospital I was on long lasting hydromorphone, short acting hydromorphone, GABA pentin, a nerve blocker, celebrex, Tylenol and anticoagulant for blood clots, not to mention IV of antibiotics, and on-demand IV hydromorphone.

When they released me on day 2, all they gave me was short acting hydromorphone to use before I did exercises, and little blood thinner tablets.

First few days I put quite a dent in my jumbo bottle of Tylenol, I'm not sure I was set up well for pain control. I'm on nothing now except will power, which seems fine.

So no needles for blood thinner, just little pills that cost a lot, even with Canadian Medicare lol

I'll report next week with an activity update of how much exercise I can tolerate !

 

[MajorHeidi]

@Doyle Glad you are recovering nicely!
Good pic of staple removal for posterity..... Have a great weekend

 

[Doyle]

Today is 4 weeks post op. I'm taking no pills for pain, just the last of the blood thinners.

I can sleep on my sides if I set up pillows just right, but if I get it wrong it makes me sore !

I've started going to the YMCA this week, and can do 20 minutes on an elliptical machine at a moderate pace. (About 140 bpm heart rate for 48 yr old)

I've been putting on my own socks and shoes for a week now with no shoe horn, was using shoe horn since end of first week.

I can walk up and down stairs normally, not one step at a time, with my hands full and no support

Last week I had to carry a 5 gallon jug of water out to my car, and while scary to do on the snow and ice, it was fine and seemed well within the hip's ability.

Went to the karate school last night and completed an hour and half class at a light to moderate effort.

Here's me at 3 weeks testing the hip last week at the karate school.



The hip can't twist or rotate very well or far yet. It's missing a lot of strength, and feels quite tight for flexibility in the muscles.

Hopefully next week I'll have a more dramatic video of progress for you all !

 

[MajorHeidi]

Wow @Doyle You are doing really well. Congratulations!!!!
The elliptical and stairs are amazing.
The karate video was nice. Look at all those pivoting movements. You have so much
to look forward to!

 

[Doyle]

Yes @MajorHeidi you can feel it, the twisting on the pivot !

I have to remember to let go of the pressure to the floor and let the whole leg do the pivot lightly and not build up the "stored tension" you'd normally do to make a snapping turn.

The hip gets tired easily, and then I feel the knee taking over trying to twist directions it shouldn't :/

I'm really not sure how much I should try and do, but I'll see the doctor in 2 more weeks I think it is and ask for his thoughts.