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THR FINALLY!!! Cynthia777's Recovery Journey

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@Sommers16 - you know both @Cynthia777 and @gullimac are spot on. For me the difference between the constant grind of pain was wearing me down bit by bit. It is only now, 3 weeks postOp, that I realise what a huge effect it had on me. My motivation, sense of humour, health, general demeanor were all knocked. I know I have another hip to go, but the fact that I've got through this so well gives me enormous faith in finally getting this problem bottomed once and for all. I couldn't quite grasp how the waiting could be the worse part of the process, but in retrospect for me that was certainly true. Waiting for a date, then waiting to go and do the deed. I felt a strange calm come over me in the last couple of days - like I'd got everything in place, so was prepared, and just wanted to move on. When we've lived with pain for such a long time it becomes our constant companion. One you'd really like to shug off. Never be fooled into thinking it'll get better, or you can continue to cope - what's the point? It just gets worse! Then we get this wonderful gift of an opportunity. Soon you'll be there!
 
Miss Muffet said:
Never be fooled into thinking it'll get better, or you can continue to cope - what's the point? It just gets worse!
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My first time "quoting"! I hope it works okay! I usually do BS on my phone and can't quote on there but am on laptop now so thought I'd give it a try .... Anyway......

@Miss Muffet - I couldn't agree more! When I was diagnosed and told I'd need a THR (or 2), I thought "Oh not me! I'll work out more/ stretch more/ do more pilates" etc. and that'll keep it from getting worse. NOT! I waited way too long. There was actually a silly radio commercial that said something like,"Diagnosed with arthritis? Just move more! Pick up that tennis racket! Park further away from the store! Take the stairs!" and I'd feel disheartened because I wasn't picking up a tennis racket, I was parking closer and closer to the store and looking for that elevator instead of the stairs. Haven't heard that ridiculous commercial in awhile. Hope someone had the sense to ban it! I think in the very beginning of arthritis, moving can help keep things less painful but looking back, I wish I had gotten this surgery years ago when I first started to feel the loss of range of motion.

@Cynthia777 - You are doing so great for so early on! I'm sorry this time was more painful for you. My #2 was also more painful. But it is healing very well at this point. So give it time. I wasn't one of those who rejoiced that my bone on bone pain was gone immediately after surgery. Don't know why. But now I do have those grateful moments of doing what I couldn't do before - like picking up my daughter at her school without dreading the long walk from parking lot to the door, or creaking up from bed in the morning (I'm still a bit stiff first thing in the morning, but nothing like it used to be and it goes away quickly!)
 
@Readysetgo
How soon we forget about ALL the little things we needed to go through prior to our THR's. Although I'm still in the midst of recovery with hip #2, I am grateful for getting rid of all the little inconveniences that go hand in hand when needing a THR. I just told hubby last night that I can't wait to get to the point of not having to consciously think about just standing up from a seated position. The mind becomes rather exhausted having to think about doing things that have always been second nature prior to having hip problems. Feeling grateful this morning! :-)
 
Sommers16 said:
but maybe there's a fundamental shift that occurs between anticipating a challenge/wrestling with the what ifs and then actually being in the challenge and dealing with the known.
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That's it. I also think there's the mental lift of getting better rather than getting worse. It's easier to cope with pain when you know tomorrow will be easier rather than than worrying that it will be worse.
 
@Cynthia777 You sound terrific! Recovery and moving forward is a marvalous place to be. What a liberating feeling to finally be able to live our lifes and enjoy everday activities as nature intended and not dependent on devices and pills to get us through the day.

One thing has changed, at least for me, is a deeper understanding of how precious life is. Being healthy and staying that way is a gift never again to be taken for granted.:SUNsmile:

Cheers to a healthy and happy recovery!:cheers:
 
So glad to read that you are feeling wonderful....and grateful today. Answers to our prayers for you. Keep up the good work and soak up the sunshine!
 
@Cynthia777 , @Zelda , @keepmovin Y'all are keeping me going....just a few more days til I have Herman :) my new hip :) in my life! Hubby should be home on Saturday evening, new mattress was delivered today, new high potty installed. Still taking penicillin and fighting the Yeastie that it brought with it. Feeling better tho, so I'm staying positive that all will be a go on Monday. Am so anxious to get to the other side with Herman....this worsening pain is so debilitating! Looking to the positive aspect of improving each day for a change!! And walking upright and painfree! Everyone here is such an inspiration...and I'm beyond grateful for Each of You. xoxoxo
 
@Cynthia777 Hi, Bilateral Jim here! Damn, 3000 posts later and you finally meet Musselini! Ha! I've talked to you from the beginning and i'm so glad you're a bilateral hippy. I am 22 months out and i can relate to most of your posts and the others on this forum. You have supported others more than yourself and in that regard have helped make this forum the best!
 
@Michegon
Oh yes, Bilateral Jim, I remember you well! Shall I say we are definitely old hippie cronies? You too have been a great source of help here, always making it a point to drop in and lend some encouraging words to those of us following behind you. I may have 10 times the posts you have, but hey, I'm a woman and an Italian, need I say more? :heehee: All kidding aside, your kind words have brightened my day and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart! :friends:
 
Update Day 10 (I've just had two sips of my morning brew, so any errors or ramblings are pardonable) :heehee:

Statement of the day..."Oh what a difference a day can make!" One day you're wondering if your hip will ever get better and the very next day you see a marked improvement. I woke up today able to walk with very little pain or discomfort.

First let me start off by saying, "I LIED" (although not on purpose). I had mentioned in a previous post that I had no swelling and only a very small spot of bruising. Then a few days later they both reared their ugly heads, so don't be surprised if the bruising and swelling don't appear for 5 or 6 days post-op. What I find very interesting is how different each of my THR recoveries have been. Keeping in mind that both replacements were performed by the same surgeon, one would assume the recoveries would be similar, if not the same...wrong! If I've read it once I've read it 100 times here on bonesmart..."No two hips are alike"...how true it is.

For those of you who have read my first THR recovery, you will remember not only how easy it was, but how rapidly I recovered (no swelling, no bruising and VERY little post-op pain). The recovery for hip #1 has been nothing short of a miracle. Hip #2 has been a different story (although quite manageable). Up until yesterday my pain levels have hovered around a 3 or 4 on average while weight-bearing. With the exception of my time in the hospital and a night or two at home, I've had very little or no pain at all while at rest. Then I woke up yesterday to find my pain level had dropped to maybe a 1 or a 2 while walking and has remained there ever since.

Here's what I don't get...although I know "no two hips are alike", I can't figure out why I had so much bruising and swelling this time. I do know my OS was in a hurry this time because he had an extra THR he had to perform at a different hospital before racing over to do mine. It makes me wonder if he wasn't as gentle with this THR (because he was in a hurry) and if this could have something to do with the bruising and swelling I have experienced? Just saying...

Even though this THR recovery has been a bit more difficult than my first THR, I would still say my recoveries have been MUCH easier than I had ever envisioned during the pre-op wait period. I have found them to be more of an inconvenience rather than a bad or horrible experience.

I pray all of my BS family are seeing the roses amongst the thorns (or something like that)! xoxoxo's
HUGS FROM CC SENT YOUR WAY! :loveshwr:
 
So glad to hear your doing so much better, I'm still increasing in strength, have been a little bit stiff , maybe all the rain we've been getting, or maybe just where I'm out and about more then ever playing with little Athena, she's into everything, and her teeth are finally coming in, so she's trying to teeth on everything lol, she was chewing on my fingers till I felt little teeth and decided it wasn't a good idea any more lol, now its my shirt or jacket, and she's already trying to eat momma's food..
We had to go and get some more hay yesterday and all day my "scar" at my hip itched like crazey but of course its numb where it was itching and it didn't help to scratch .. was wondering have you had that any or is it just me, this is what 10 or 11 weeks out, it like to drove me crazey, but then it just stopped all at once.. I was so glad..
I'm still numb right in behind the scar about four inch's and its about eight inch's long right along the scar.. I sure hope that itching don't start up again.. :fingersx:
 
Thought this was so cute....and it applies to all of us!
 

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@Pony

Little Miss Athena sounds so adorable! How precious that she nibbles on your fingers! For some stupid reason, I've always assumed foals were born with their teeth in! HAHAHAHAHA! I guess I never stuck my fingers into any foals mouths. Lol!

As far as itching and numbness goes, fortunately I had very little itching and no residual numbness with hip #1. Hip #2 may end up being a different story, but it's a bit too early to tell. I've read that the numbness can take up to a year to disappear. Hopefully your numbness will not take that long to disappear. Xoxoxo
 
It's wonderful to hear your pain is starting to subside @Cynthia777. It is remarkable how the same patient can have two completely different recoveries. You are so right....no two hips are the same. But, even though this recovery has been a little more on the normal side, (to us mortals) you are still the "Wonder Woman"!
 
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