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Finally had enough pain

@GrannyC Thanks for the input. Happy to hear about your minimal swelling. I want to ice a lot and with the unanimous comments from the Forum users I have decided to get the machine and ignore the nurse.
 
@enoughpain I am glad she won’t be taking care of you, too! I tend to do better with people who don’t dig in their heels...

You may have already gotten the tips/tricks for icing machines, I’ll pass along a couple: I bought 8 Oz bottles of water, opened them, poured out an ounce, froze them, and recapped them to make recyclable “ice blocks” to fill my machine - they last longer than ice cubes and make less mess. I was also warned that uninsulated tubing (depending on the model you get - some have insulated tubes, others don’t) will form condensation, so you may want a cover to prevent dripping. These are available online from CPAP accessories supply stores (my husband has a CPAP which needs a tubing cover for the same reason, so we were aware of this.)

Hope your other preparations continue without a hitch!
 
Icing is good, @enoughpain, and you are truly a little rebel, so go for it--lots and lots of folks seem to use these icing machines during recovery and I've not seen anyone who reported the kind of problems Nurse Ratchet suggested. I think you'll be very happy to have that icing machine, particularly those first few weeks. Good for you, standing up for yourself! Right on!
 
@Ptarmigan Thanks for those extremely useful tips. I had no idea. I am renting the machine from a local pharmacy and will try to go there in the next few days and look at it.
@Barbaraj You made me laugh! I think maintaining our senses of humor will be more and more difficult as our surgery dates approach - I am one week before Ptarmigan and 3 weeks before you, so I will try to return the favor.
 
I think a sense of humor and a positive outlook are critical, @enoughpain. Sure, we're all scared and nervous but putting a cheerful spin on things is something I will always strive for. I have to be careful I don't drift into annoying Pollyanna'ish behavior but I know giving into fear and anxiety will not help me, so here's a toast to good cheer and successful surgeries and recoveries!
 
Wow, I wonder what the heck was going on with that nurse?? I see plenty of reassurances here, so hopefully you are planning to go ahead with your ice machine! I did okay with just my ice packs but found myself wishing for the ice machine quite a bit over the past 2 weeks. :ice: So thankful you have such a good resource here to come to with your concerns-- if not, she could have vey easily kept you from something very helpful and comforting!
I hope you have some fun things planned to help keep you busy for the next couple of weeks.. you are going to be amazed at how quickly your surgery date rolls around.
 
First of all you don't place the pad of the icing machine directly on your skin. You have to have a layer of cloth, whether it be your clothing or a towel between it and your skin.
https://www.breg.com/products/cold-therapy/devices/cube-cold-therapy/ Here's a link to what I have and you can read the directions. My OS and his staff including the hospital were obsessed with keeping me infection free. There is no way in the world they would have used this and sent me home with it if there was a chance that it could cause an infection. I'd like to know the theory that nurse has for how you get an infection. Things like this and many of the other tales about THR really make you question the people in the health care profession.
 
Good Saturday morning, @enoughpain I hope you're having a good weekend doing something fun within your limitations. Depressing how one's ideas of "fun" when waiting for a hip replacement are pretty off the chart slow and lazy. I'm basically doing nothing this weekend and it feels just right to me. Did my morning PT exercises, got a blood draw at the clinic in preparation for surgery, and now a long, lazy day stretching out in front of me...ahhh...
 
@Eman85 I agree with you about some in the health care profession. I don't believe that nurse had any evidence to back up her statement. I researched it and Layla did as well, and came up with nothing.
Thanks, @Barbaraj for the kind thoughts. I am at the beach for a week with my children and grandchildren, so wonderful distraction! Of course I overdid it on Friday, organizing everything and packing the car, then a 4 hour drive yesterday, unloading the car, grocery shopping, making beds and playing with a 4 1/2 year old and a 1 1/2 year old. Of course I was up for hours in the middle of the night with bad pain, but having them here is worth every bit of it. Off to the beach this morning. I am determined to power through the week even if it means that I spend the next week in bed. They all live several hundred miles away and I am very greedy about every minute I get with them.
 
I can totally understand and appreciate your decision, @enoughpain, to put aside any concerns about overdoing things so that you can truly enjoy a wonderful, active week with your family. I'd make the same choice--that hip will get fixed eventually but you can never get back those precious family times. I say go for it with gusto! But do try to fit in some rest periods, maybe ice packs if you've got 'em, and perhaps if allowed pop some extra strength Tylenol. And even if you're laid up next week, I'm betting you'll have some wonderful memories that will make you smile through the discomfort. Enjoy!
 
Everyone's bad hip is different as are each side different! I have been able to sleep much better with my bad hip by placing a pillow between my legs and preventing it from placing pressure on my hip joint. It took some trial and error of positioning but it's helped a lot. I still constantly overdo it with the bad hip as it gets worse.
 
I would be greedy, too, if I were in your place, and it makes me smile to imagine you with such an ideal diversion to keep you occupied. I second what @Barbaraj says about ice packs preop - I just started experimenting with them recently and find it’s helpful. But perhaps not quite so much as grand baby hugs and kisses and giggles :)
 
@Barbaraj and @Ptarmigan Just wanted to post to let you know how prescient you both were. After an hour and a half at the beach spending most of the time in the water with the little ones, I was home with just my son-in-law and the children as the others had gone off for a brewery tour I had booked for them. My son-in-law was putting the children down for nap/quiet time and I was propped up on pillows on the bed checking the latest Bonesmart postings at 12:45. Next thing I know it's 3:45! My body just said "time's up" and slumped over. Wonderful nap that I didn't even know I needed.
 
Hi there :wave:
Pain is an energy sucker for sure. Glad you took time to create precious new memories with the littles.
Something you'll never regret. And just think, next year after doing the same, you most likely won't even need a nap. :happydance: Sweet dreams tonight and a wonderful week to you!
@enoughpain
 
@enoughpain Your family week at the shore!! I am listening to the weather report and you have a nice hot week for being close to the water. As for me, I am enjoying my ice packs even more so in this heat! :ice:
My grandkids live far away also, so I totally agree with grabbing those hugs and kisses and enjoying it all as much as you can. Happy for you :loveshwr:
 
@CricketHip Thanks, I am loving every minute of it. I am also paying for it, as you can tell by the time of this message. Have been awake since three, finally got up at 4:15 and took some OTC pain relievers. Checking e-mail
and Bonesmart while I wait for it to take effect.
 
Ouch, sounds like you are paying the price for all that activity, @enoughpain, but I hope with rest in whatever times you can snatch, and some OTC pain relievers, you're feeling better. It is so hard to balance our lives sometimes, but enjoying our family and having fun, even if it results in daytime naps and wake-up calls in early morning is worth it for so many. And with every day that passes, you're another day closer to your surgery date and the knowledge that that nasty right hip pain will be going away. One day at a time, and enjoy this time with your family.
 
@Barbaraj Thanks for the kind words. The memories of these past few days will help keep me cheerful during post-op. So excited for you - only two more days until surgery and you will start the healing process. Will continue to send positive energy your way.
 
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