THR Heal first, then exercise, then dance!

[EL11]

@An54 , I am a lyricist and jazz singer and have written words to quite a bit of music from that period, including that of Fats Waller.

Sorry about the irritating people around, though it's good to have them too. I have been a tad cranky and wonder if it's the meds. I'm alone a lot so there's no one to inflict my moods on, haha. Besides my boyfriend, who's gone 12 hours a day at work, I have had no visitors except: The PT, the nurse, the guys who have been installing central air in the house, and the handyman, who helped out early on with our cat Albert. I was actually quite excited to go in for my post-op appointment and felt like I wanted to chitchat with everyone in the waiting room.

 

[Mojo333]

I have always had great flexibility.
In my middle school cheerleading
days, I was the only one who could shook the Chinese splits so I was always in the middle...plus I was the littlest...shortest...and Loudest!
Might be something to it.
@An54 .
You're a very cheerful recovering hippy and I'm glad you joined we Bonesmarties on our quest for health and happiness!
Onward

 

[wonkyhipoy]

Hi @An54 and @Bionic,

Just caught you reference to Stanley park. I too am a Vancouverite. Just curious who did your surgery. My OS is Clive Duncan.

Cheers

 

[An54]

Your measured approach to more activity, punctuated by rest days, seems like a great plan that is clearly working for you at this new stage of your rehab. Your life is starting to appear more "normal"!

@Alitm , This Rest Cure I am engaged upon (an experiment upon myself) has agreed with me so far. However maybe it's time for me to start back at the pool before I puddify myself out of my whole wardrobe.

My husband isn't a dancer either. More than ten years ago, when I was feeling decline in my hips, I decided to learn to dance as "that was going to be my final opportunity in this lifetime" (so I imagined at the time, being ignorant.) I invited hub to join me, and he gamely signed up with me for a Dance to the Blues class. He was very good humoured about it, he crashed to and fro around the dance floor with great enthusiasm, but didn't really enjoy it, and was glad to leave off, permanently. We have galloped along with our own interests.

My increased dancing over the course of a couple of years (English Country Dance, a bit of Contra, Ceroc, East Coast Swing, starting on ball room dances,) lead to increased strength and mobility, and the trouble with pain and weakness in my hip improved 95%. That keep me going for some years, until the OA caught up with me.

 

[An54]

Hi @An54 and @Bionic,

Just caught you reference to Stanley park. I too am a Vancouverite. Just curious who did your surgery. My OS is Clive Duncan.

Cheers

@wonkyhipoy , My surgeon was Dr Bas Masri. I believe I heard good things about Clive Duncan 'one of the best'.

 

[An54]

...I am beginning to really dread the first few weeks and become somewhat overwhelmed by the prospect. Not getting a good night's sleep has something to do with that I think. Despite all the reading, there is still some fear of the unknown, and not being able to contribute in any way as to what my body will or will not do post op!

@Alitm , I recall my own dread, the anxious dread as the surgery loomed, day by day, closer and closer. I think I was at my most... ummm, tremulous and emotional... 2 days before "the Date".

But you know, after two hours of unconsciousness, I woke up on the other side, and I thought "So, that's it?! What was I worried about?" It was like a great weight off. Then I was free from that fear, and could get to the task at hand, resting and sleeping and healing, finding good foods to tempt one to eat, the challenges of first walking and getting to the loo, etc. And that doesn't have to be a painful process either, thanks to modern medicine.

 

[An54]

What are you doing medication wise now? Can you shed any light on that? I know I'll be different with two. I am just hoping that if I give my body the opportunity it needs, I'll make decent progress with coming off the pain meds. I drink very little and don't smoke, so the amount of drugs heading my way makes me cringe. I fully understand the need to be comfortable pain wise to rest and heal (endorphine release, not adrenaline, desired) but it makes me feel sick just thinking about it! I certainly do not wish to be in pain though. Ah...all these things to consider!

@Alitm , I'm taking two baby aspirin a day against blood clots. I stopped the Tylenol at about two weeks (I think. I'd have to go back in this thread to check). I didn't seem to have much pain after surgery. Negligible. I had some Tramadol tablets if needed, but never took any. The worst pain I had was about four weeks post-op; it was my lower back after I had slept in a twisted position. I used several Tylenol 3s for that .

My surgeon suggested that many patients don't have much or any pain following THR, so I guess I took him at his word. But I think this also happens regularly to THR patients. I followed more than one "no pain" thread here, and those Hippys tend to ride quickly off into the sunset, and stop posting here.

 

[Alitm]

@wonkyhipoy I am having my surgery in the Cowichan Valley with Dr. Nimrod Levy. Dr. Dina Popavic will be attending. They are both UBC trained OS and worked in Vancouver for some time. They have moved to the Valley within the last year. I REALLY lucked out on the timing of my hips and the two surgeons moving to my area!

 

[wonkyhipoy]

@wonkyhipoy , My surgeon was Dr Bas Masri. I believe I heard good things about Clive Duncan 'one of the best'.

Hi have heard the same about Masri. I went to Duncan because he is the only surgeon at UBC/VGH that will still do resurfacing, which I was leaning towards at the time... But he convinced me otherwise. Grenadius is apparently gray also. It’s amazing just how many surgeries these guys do a week.

Cheers

 

[wonkyhipoy]

@wonkyhipoy I am having my surgery in the Cowichan Valley with Dr. Nimrod Levy. Dr. Dina Popavic will be attending. They are both UBC trained OS and worked in Vancouver for some time. They have moved to the Valley within the last year. I REALLY lucked out on the timing of my hips and the two doctors moving to my area!

That is fortunate. The Fellow that attended during my surgery visited with me when I went for a one week checkup (long story... normally only a six week checkup). We got to chatting, and apparently the unemployment rate for OSs in Canada is one of the highest for any occupation. Not enough surgery spaces or something like that.

You indicated the Valley... I assume you are having your surgery at Abbatsford hospital... yes?

 

[An54]

A friend's doctor just told her ...and I'd not heard this before... that people born with high level flexibility are often those who experience their joints wearing out soonest. I was born that way, feet behind my neck seemed a normal pose to me... and I noticed not without some minor irritation that my siblings, who were not, and are older, have just fine joints today. Maybe having that extra flexibility acts as an encouragement to do more, physically; to stretch further, dance, kick, run, climb, and hit the splits anytime the party gets dull. Not sure what the theory is but found it curious and maybe true? Anyone else here extra flexible from a young age?

@1stSurgery , I dunno.... not me I'm afraid. Reviewing my flexibility, I think I was starting to lose it as a kid, maybe age 12--or never had it in the first place. That was in my back, something fused lower down??. On the other hand, I could do the full lotus (yoga) when I was a teenager. However, perhaps probably 90% of teenagers could do that anyway, with natural youthful suppleness. Or? I should mention too that I'm not a skilled or talented dancer, just a happy dancer. And I am lucky to have a bunch of dancing buddies to go out with. It is the best workout, for body, balance and brain.

 

[Alitm]

@An54 I can't think that I'll get away with no pain, with both hips being done, but I feel that with the spinal and then the extra meds being put in my spinal at the end of the surgery, I will be comfy for a little while at least. I will be neurotic about asking when they feel those pain deterrents will wear off, and when I should start oral meds. I don't want any pain dips! I do hope I'm one of those low pain hippies.
The anesthesiologist said I will have to do the anti-clotting injections daily. I'm OK with that. I give the horses IM medication via injections from the vet. I worked for a vet for a couple of years before finishing university!

 

[An54]

It’s amazing just how many surgeries these guys do a week.

Cheers

I believe Dr Masri only gets one day a week in the OR (the rationing!), and he does eight surgeries, one after the other.

 

[An54]

@An54 I can't think that I'll get away with no pain, with both hips being done, but I feel that with the spinal and then the extra meds being put in my spinal at the end of the surgery, I will be comfy for a little while at least. I will be neurotic about asking when they feel those pain deterrents will wear off, and when I should start oral meds. I don't want any pain dips! I do hope I'm one of those low pain hippies.
The anesthesiologist said I will have to do the anti-clotting injections daily. I'm OK with that. I give the horses IM medication via injections from the vet. I worked for a vet for a couple of years before finishing university!

@Alitm , You will certainly be comfy after the surgery. If your surgery goes anything like mine, they will start giving you pain pills before you even go into surgery, and will continue to deliver them (or at least, they should do!) as long as you are in the hospital. When I got home I just continued taking the meds as directed, every six hours. I eventually moved to every 8 hours. If my pain levels had been uncomfortable, I would have gone for the tramadol in a heartbeat.
I think your knowledge about veterinary medicne is a great resource. Thanks for sharing all that information upstream; I got a lot from it.

 

[Alitm]

@An54 Nope, it is being done in the Cowichan Valley. Duncan is getting a big shake up with these two new surgeons in town!! Its good. We also have had a new hospital development that has been approved. Not sure when they are breaking ground. It is needed as the population in the Cowichan Valley is growing in leaps and bounds. Many are commuting from Duncan to work in Vic. Had a bone scan in Vic in June and the tech was from Maple Bay!

 

[Alitm]

Whoops, responded to An54 by mistake @wonkyhipoy
Nope, it is being done in the Cowichan Valley. Duncan is getting a big shake up with these two new surgeons in town!! Its good. We also have had a new hospital development that has been approved. Not sure when they are breaking ground. It is needed as the population in the Cowichan Valley is growing in leaps and bounds. Many are commuting from Duncan to work in Vic. Had a bone scan in Vic in June and the tech was from Maple Bay!

 

[An54]

@An54 , I am a lyricist and jazz singer and have written words to quite a bit of music from that period, including that of Fats Waller.

Sorry about the irritating people around, though it's good to have them too. I have been a tad cranky and wonder if it's the meds. I'm alone a lot so there's no one to inflict my moods on, haha. Besides my boyfriend, who's gone 12 hours a day at work, I have had no visitors except: The PT, the nurse, the guys who have been installing central air in the house, and the handyman, who helped out early on with our cat Albert. I was actually quite excited to go in for my post-op appointment and felt like I wanted to chitchat with everyone in the waiting room.

@EL11 , Good to meet another Fats Waller fan, and a jazz lyricist and singer to boot. I know about the crankiness--I hit my peak of irascibility on about day 12. But as I sleep more and get slightly better everyday, I find I am less irritable. But after a lot of alone-time, it is so good to get out--especially an outing that includes live jazz.

 

[An54]

I thought that I would mention one very practical thing I did recently that I should have done weeks ago. I made myself a 'body pillow'. I rolled two thick fluffy blankets into a big long roll, about five feet long or so, and 'capped' the ends with two king size length pillow cases. The result looks like a gigantic burrito. I sleep with it running along my left side, and find that I can now sleep comfortably on that side by draping my op-leg over the giant pillow. I can even slide my non-op leg underneath (as it is light and soft) so I am wrapped around it--very cozy and good support! I can sleep on my side very comfortably this way now. I tried the pillow-- two pillows-- between the legs approach many times, but found I was usually uncomfortable and spent half the night adjusting them, as my op ankle wasn't getting the right support, or my leg torquing, or I was sagging to port or something. The long pillow is great. Next time I will sort it out much sooner.

 

[1stSurgery]

@An54, yeah, I'm just exploring the flexibility theory - but not expecting it will apply across the board. I think though there may be something to those double jointed Gumby types being in a more prone category for later joint damage. Wish we could poll here!

I too love dance. It's one of those things we can do easily wherein it's nearly impossible to be depressed while you do it. I get the same thing when hiking in the mountains. And I'm like you at dance, but with tennis. I love the game but am not at all very great at it. Problem being I'm good at only 2 things, volley at the net and making my opponent in singles run wildly and frantically from left court corner to right court corner, back and forth. So much so that I inevitably end up falling on the court laughing and always miss the return. But it's so worth it to make the other player turn into a speedy cartoon character before your eyes!! So I have great fun playing poor tennis.

Ok off to entertain our guests!!

 

[Bionic]

Hi @wonkyhipoy
The name of my surgeon wont be of any use to you as I am in the UK. The reference to Stanley Park was that I am hoping to visit BC (when my ops are over) and @An54 and I thought it might be nice to meet up. Perhaps you can join us.