Readysetgo
senior
@gardengal - I hope you get a chance to get out today if that's what you hope to do. If not, enjoy relaxing and hanging out with your kitties! (That's what I'm doing today.)
THR gardengal made to recovery
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CatLady1
senior
7-14 days is good news to my ears too, @NigelTufnel. I can see changes from coming home, and easier to get up and around at day 10 ... looking forward to day 14, then 21, then ....
Nana757
post-grad
Hi @gardengal and congratulations on becoming a new hippie! Sounds like you are doing quite well with your recovery, so far. The trick is to follow the BS mantra....rest as often as you can, ice 24/7, elevate your leg whenever you are resting and keep on top of your pain meds. Take one day at a time, as there will be a days when you go backwards, rather than forward, but these days become less and less and you progress. But, in the meantime, let your family spoil you! It will pay big dividends in the grand scheme of things. Best wishes to you for a speedy recovery.
BTW, my husband was born and raised in the Detroit area and still has numerous family members still there.
BTW, my husband was born and raised in the Detroit area and still has numerous family members still there.
OP
OP
gardengal
member
Wow have to say the energy zap you have after this surgery is real! Really understanding what @Nana757 is referring to some days will go backwards. I woke up this morning feeling great, looked at my car & really had the thought that I could just go if I wanted. Not feeling so raring to go now though. Taking a shower & getting dressed in more normal clothes didn't help me feel ready to take on the real world. It made me just feel tired. So resting in bed with my leg propped up & the ice pack & doing small kitchen tasks is more what my day is going to look like. One good thing is that I often take off a couple steps then realize I've left the crutch behind. My gait feels pretty good no crutches for very short distances-maybe 20 steps. @Nana757 we do get down state a couple times a year. My grandfather & a couple uncles lived in Warren they, all had jobs related to automotive industry. Here's one little thing that helped me that I just figured out. My swelling is still very present but so much less than initially after surgery, so I had hubs give my thigh & butt a good massage, no where near the incision.(I'm anterior too btw) It felt wonderful & I noticed I could pull my knee up higher & hold it longer doing the "heel slide" exercise. You know the one where you lay in bed & bend knee straight up, sliding your heel back toward your bum. Well hope everyone gets good treatment today & all of our bodies decide "hey this new metal hip aint so bad".
Yes indeed it can hit you fast and hard. Best to do things in very small stages. Plan something 1/2 as active as you think you can be. What seems impossible one day is easy another. Nap when you can. This too shall pass!
TerryCloth
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@gardengal Let's face it, taking a shower & getting dressed IS a lot of work!! We are all so used to grinding through and getting things done, that we might forget to be really kind and gentle with ourselves! This is our time take it easy and remember that it is the rest that will help propel us! Baby Steps
DGrant
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gardengal, glad you made it to the other side. Sounds like your definitely on your way, and making great "strides"!. You'll be doing things very soon that you won't even realize...until you do them, you probably already are, as it looks like its been just over a week for you... You still probably want to keep resting well, mixed with some activity. Keep the ice going too. I iced about every day up to about 4 weeks
It won't be long, and you'll bust out the door and be walking down the street, and you'll look back and realize..."hey..I've went a long way in a short time"...knowing that you're really doing it... and it will be nearly effortless.... I'm very happy for you!... You're off to a great start...very nice to hear. Congratulations!!!
It won't be long, and you'll bust out the door and be walking down the street, and you'll look back and realize..."hey..I've went a long way in a short time"...knowing that you're really doing it... and it will be nearly effortless.... I'm very happy for you!... You're off to a great start...very nice to hear. Congratulations!!!
OP
OP
gardengal
member
Post op day 12. Thank god today is a regular school day! Yesterday was a physically demanding day. Didn't get any real rest until I hit the bed last pm for actual sleep. Yesterday made me feel like, ok your little recovery break is over, get back to real life. little 7 year old had a snow day & friends were calling to go sledding and get together. So that was our day into town to for a very unrelaxing lunch with 3 children in tow, grocery shop then hang out over at my neighbors while the kids sled. Then home to fix dinner for the family. I was up and on my feet way too much. I'm still cranky this morning as you can see. Hip is talking to me, I will let house chores slide & sit on my couch propped with ice today. The crutch is now just something I grab time to time, mostly I'm getting around without it. I do haul it in the car when going out & make sure to use it when ever outside. I guess I need to get off the computer & get in more relaxed position. Have a good recover day to all bonesmarts.
Nana757
post-grad
My word @gardengal! What a day you had yesterday...AND at only 12 days out from surgery! I can understand how having little ones at home can be very demanding but can't help but feel for you that you are pushing a little too hard. It's still so early in your recovery. Please take it slow, as much as you can. Take care.
Shazzstars
junior member
@gardengal Sounds like you're doing well, just rest when needed and sleep if you need to sleep.
I really couldn't believe how much I slept for the first few weeks hours at a time.. Icing is magic and it does take the tightness away and ache away if especially at the end of a day of moving around.
I really couldn't believe how much I slept for the first few weeks hours at a time.. Icing is magic and it does take the tightness away and ache away if especially at the end of a day of moving around.
OP
OP
gardengal
member
@Shazzstars I've really slacked off the ice, use it once or twice a day now. How long do people keep using it? I feel like recovery break is over. Yesterday I did the grocery shopping & other errands solo. I expected to watch entire series of TV shows on Netflix, it hasn't happened. I feels like I'm just right back at it doing the things I did before surgery. Out & about no crutch. I just want to not feel it at all anymore, & have it move smoothly without a limp. Physical therapy comes out today. I'm going to see what she has to say about coming in for sessions at their facility.
Nana757
post-grad
@gardengal
I iced almost around the clock for several weeks. I found it very therapeutic and it kept the pain and swelling at bey, on the days I overdid it. As far as your limping is concerned, you may want to rethink walking around without your crutch or cane. You are only two weeks post op and unless you can walk without limping, aid-free, don't give up the crutch so quickly. Limping will cause other problems if you ditch them too soon. Patience is the key and you will get there...just try not to rush it.
BTW, did you drive to do your your shopping excursion?
I iced almost around the clock for several weeks. I found it very therapeutic and it kept the pain and swelling at bey, on the days I overdid it. As far as your limping is concerned, you may want to rethink walking around without your crutch or cane. You are only two weeks post op and unless you can walk without limping, aid-free, don't give up the crutch so quickly. Limping will cause other problems if you ditch them too soon. Patience is the key and you will get there...just try not to rush it.
BTW, did you drive to do your your shopping excursion?
Readysetgo
senior
Hi @gardengal - I hope your physical therapy goes great for you today! I am still icing a lot throughout the day and always at night. It especially feels good after I've done PT and OT exercises and/or housework and stuff. Wishing you a fine recovery day! 
Shazzstars
junior member
Gee @Readysetgo and @gardengal are doing well seen as you had you Ops this month, I don't ice as I did for the first 5 weeks which was most of the day/night, now only when I've been moving around and always at night I ice also if the area feel warm to touch I'll pop an ice pack on it.. I used to be very active with cross training in the gym and I used to ice any aches and pains back then, its just really good way to eliminate swelling and pain.
OP
OP
gardengal
member
Not sure how many people will see this link, but I thought it was a good article. Maybe she was a previous bone smartie back when she had her surgery? https://www.prevention.com/health/hip-replacement.
Hope everyone is doing well. My life is getting pretty well back to normal. Still have some tightness, weakness issues to work through. Hope to get some good coaching with outpatient physical therapy. So happy that I did this. I can say now that the minimal muscle pain that does occur is a lot different & less intense than what I was dealing with before surgery.
Hope everyone is doing well. My life is getting pretty well back to normal. Still have some tightness, weakness issues to work through. Hope to get some good coaching with outpatient physical therapy. So happy that I did this. I can say now that the minimal muscle pain that does occur is a lot different & less intense than what I was dealing with before surgery.
Cynthia777
big-cheese
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Thanks for sharing this article! I'm going to make sure hubby and my daughter read it. I want them to be prepared should I happen to bust out crying. My hubby and 28 year old daughter have never seen me cry and I don't want them to panic! Thanks again @gardengal!
CatLady1
senior
@gardengal - Your recovery is similar to mine. Life is getting back to normal, but still feel muscle tightness in various places on my leg (seems to move around). Hubby and I are enjoying our walks up the street now --we took two of them today, and got into a discussion about how long my steps were and whether my Jawbone UP was anywhere near accurate a guessing the distance I was moving. Such a change in conversation from pre-surgery!! (It would have been focused on how much my hip hurt and how bad was my limp looking)?
It's good to hear you're doing well! How's the weather co-operating??
It's good to hear you're doing well! How's the weather co-operating??
OP
OP
gardengal
member
@CatLady1 No the weather is not cooperating, but I knew that going in that we'd have snow. What was hard were the snow days, one per each week of recovery. Those were long days, little 7 yo wanted to host friends or be entertained & I just wasn't up for it. My physical therapist recommended walking in an older shopping center with closed up shops for getting long stretches of walking. It seems so boring and I can't imagine doing it, we'll see. You are lucky to be outdoors getting fresh air & strengthening your new hip. Yeah it is pretty nice to have rounded the corner & be enjoying better ambulation with less pain & limp. Getting up & down off the floor is still tricky, just like before surgery, but I'm sure it'll get better too.
Shazzstars
junior member
@CatLady1 @gardengal you girls are doing well with the walking, even through I'm on crutches I'm still getting about and I have the same tightness in the thigh guess we really weren't getting around all that well prior to surgery so it will take a bit to build the muscle back to match the supporting leg.
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