THR Heal first, then exercise, then dance!

I think that I was more attuned to the pain and the issues with the second hip and noticed the issues much sooner.

For me, I thought the first hip was sudden onset. One day I started having extreme pain that hurt no matter my position (although some made it worse). It got a bit better in a few months but never went away. It took a year to find the issue but apparently I had a small fracture in the femoral head that flattened Only after the THR did I realize I'd probably had low level pain for years but had subconsciously dealt with it my modifying/curtailing activity.
 
I think @SaraK is right. For many of us, myself included, finding out about the deterioration in my right hip was shocking, a real kick in the teeth. I thought I had sciatica for about a year before my diagnosis of hip issues, and had no clue that the pain was caused by osteoarthritis in my hips (although I do have a bit of arthritis in my lower back, too). I think once you know you've got problems in your hips, especially after a first replacement surgery, you are simply much more aware of how the other hip is behaving. I find that to be one of the more depressing aspects of "hip junk", the constant, unremitting awareness of your hips, for good or bad, when all I've really wanted was to get back to that blissful, but clearly unrealistic now, time when one simply didn't think about body mechanics at all.
 
@An54, sounds like you are paying good attention to your body and the pain. You'll know when it's time ... Love that you came home and armed yourself with Tylenol 3 and then the enemy army (pain) didn't show up.
 
Hi @An54! Thank you for your kind messages :) Much appreciated!

We talked about the brain fog post op and not being able to read and focus after surgery. I spoke to the anaesthesiologist before the second surgery about it, and he suggested trying the spinal block and sedation, which I did. Apparently after I went under the spinal and sedation, I was indicating that I was experiencing pain, so they put me under a general. I was totally out for the count and don't remember any of that. What I do remember was coming too as I was going from the OR to the post op area, and being super clear headed the second time around. It was a completely different experience, and I could focus on a movie off Net Flicks, could read a book as soon as I was off the tramacet (ten day post op) and it was a completely different anaesthetic experience the second time around.

I am sorry that your second hip is making itself known, off and on. The other thing to consider, and what has happened to me, is the longer one waits, the more the muscles around the troubled hip start to atrophy and one's posture begins to change. One of the biggest problems I've had is to regain the muscle I've lost, and my general fitness. It is coming, but it takes time, so consider all of this in your waiting to sign up plan. Just some random thoughts I wanted to share!

My hubby's sister just had her hip replaced yesterday in Penticton. She got the anterior approach AND the glue for sealing up!! They are getting so fancy in Penticton!!! I am happy for her, as she has other health issues to contend with as well as her hip.

I hope the timing and calling for a date becomes more clear to you in the next few weeks. Thinking of you :wave:
 
Thanks @Alitm for your reply. Good to see you back on the board. I have been checking in, trying to keep up with threads, and following a few new-comers. Compared to some poor souls, I have nothing to complain about with my recovering hip #1. As I no doubt mentioned upstream somewhere, I will probably get my fair share of grief when it comes to hip #2. I guess if we can all be grateful for something, it's that we didn't evolve from an arachnid line , and have eight hips to disintegrate, and them maybe eight revisions, totalling 16!! Haha! I was mulling that one over with a gent while waiting in line at the pharmacy, and he said he'd have to think about that for a while to wrap his mind around it.

Anyway, back to the bipedal version of us (and this will be of interest to @Going4fun ), I have decided that I have to forego the swing/partner dancing until I get hip #2 done. There is simply too much demand placed on the un-operated left leg, with the rotations and turns, which are out of one's control as a follow. Leftie has been whispering to me, and not in a good way. However I am continuing on with just free-style solo dancing; I know several places around town where all the old ladies (and some old gents) go to dance to live music, with early hours, and happy faces ...

Here's something interesting and also dance related: my blood pressure was somewhat high, so on the prompting of Hub, I saw my family doctor and got on a daily dose of the good old 'water pill' (can't recall real name offhand) . I took my blood pressure sporadically now and then to check on what was happening. It still seemed a bit high, and even higher if Hub was leaning over me. Eventually, after a visit to the pharmacist who works at the same health collective as my family doctor, I started to follow the recommended protocol for taking my BP--take it in the morning before coffee, sitting still, feet on floor, etc.... and then in the evening again, etc. I discovered something very interesting with my evening reading; if I had been out dancing, my blood pressure was down 15 to 20 points, both systolic and diastolic. I kept track for about three weeks, and it was the same result consistently. The pharmacist said any exercise will do, not just the dancing--but I am going to run with the dancing narrative... more fun.. 'prescription' dancing.
 
I've made some lifestyle changes as well. I'm sure that I'm not the only one here who gained weight before & after surgery. I think @SurreyGirl was also addressing this on her thread. When I was trying to get my blood pressure down and lose weight, I started looking at my habits. One thing that really jumped out at me was my habit of consuming alcoholic beverages. I looked at what was considered a safe weekly allowance for women, and saw I was way over.. and it was these daily thoughtless habits of such things as having wine with dinner--and a refill? yes, thanks---that led me down the garden path to extra calories, weight gain, and other detrimental things .

So I stopped (and Hub too) the alcoholic drinks when the two of us are just at home having a regular dinner. No wine, no beer, no G&Ts, no nuthin'. Hub now only has a drink once a month or so, but I do have a drink when I go out on social occasions, so I haven't cut it entirely, but have cut way down.

Also, I swapped out cheese for avocados, and eat a better breakfast of hot oatmeal with blueberries, nuts and seeds. I also started drinking lots of water during the day. So these lifestyle changes have lead to a loss of about 5 or 6 pounds in the past couple of months. I can't yet wear my old trousers comfortably, but I can get them zipped up all the way, which I couldn't do before. So I'm still in my fat-pants, but I was pleased to have to add elastic to the waist so they wouldn't fall down while I was wearing them (especially on the dance floor). I'm hoping in another couple of months I will be able to wear my old pre-op clothes again.
 
Another dancing thing I want to mention to @Going4fun : when you are out on the dance floor, make sure your shoes aren't sticking or grabbing the floor. Rubbery soles are notorious for this, and then there are some soles that are not too sticky, and seem 'maybe okay'; yet still put up resistance. One trick some of the dancers around here use is to apply some kind of tape to the soles of your shoes, like masking tape. I started to carry a roll in my purse, and before I dance, I tape a fresh layer to the sole of my shoes, excluding the heel.
 
@An54, wow, great report on blood pressure. What a great idea to check your BP after exercise and amazing, the drops you report. I'm about to go see my doctor and I suspect she'll recommend for the first time that I get on a BP medication. I went on BP meds right before surgery based on my preop. And thanks for sharing about eating and weight. Yes indeed I gained weight in the years before surgery, and I'm interested in seeing what I can do to lose a few pounds.

A close friend's daughter is getting married in June, and as of now, I can't get into any spring or summer-looking suits ... We'll see. Things are getting so informal these days, so I'm sure I can do a blazer and dress pants--I'm not in the wedding.

I'll post this in my thread later ... but I went out square dancing last night ... there is a great group nearby and I decided to call a buddy and challenge him to come with me. Great time ... yes, the hip felt sore ... Sounds like a really good decision on your part to slow down on partner dancing so that you don't strain the "other" hip.
 
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Yesterday's Globe & Mail newspaper --Saturday April 13th-- had an interesting article in the first section about brain fog.

The title of the article is : Study highlights online tool that could help track progress of patients released from ICU, (a study by the University of Western Ontario's Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry and the Brain and Mind Institute ) To quote a few salient lines:

Many patients experience mental fog or difficulty concentrating after they are treated in hospital intensive care units, even when their illnesses or injuries are not brain-related. And according to the authors of a new study, these cognitive problems are more common that previously thought....

... "Every single patient had deficits. I mean, this is jaw-dropping really" s ays co-author Adrian Owen, a professor of cognitive neuroscience and imaging at Western.
Although doctors and researchers have long known that some patients report having trouble focusing or thinking clearly after recovering from a critical illness or injury, "these things have been incredibly hard to pin down"....


It's a small study, just a few patients, but that doesn't detract from the relevance imho.
 
@Debru4 , re: Did the study show a correlation with drugs/medication/anesthesia and the brain fog?

The article was mostly focused on "the feasibility of using an online assessment tool called the Cambridge Brain Sciences battery to detect cognitive problems in ICU patients". I didn't see any reference to the experience of having a general anesthetic or in-and-out surgery like THR. (But if the shoes fits, I'm going to try it on, hence my post about this.) The article mentions people, "for example, in ICU having been treated for pneumonia or sepsis (non-brain related) but still ending up with cognitive deficits"... and how to identify the latter, and the challenge of identifying the causes. There is one 'for instance' offered "They may learn that impaired executive function may be associated with high carbon dioxide levels in patients bodies while they were in ICU." There were only 20 patients studied.
 
I had heard (probably from my sister who imparts these nuggets of information) that there was a correlation between dementia and general anaesthetics. But I've never seen any research to prove or disprove it.
 
I am curious about the term ICU---here in the states in refers to Intensive Care Unit. That is where only those with critical conditions go. Others go to a recovery room until they are responsive and meet the criteria for transfer to a room. Is that the same context in the study you shared?

I've had two hand surgeries, and my back and hip surgery all down in outpatient surgery centers. I did stay overnight with the hip since my surgery was at 4:00 pm and the allow a one night stay. My c-section was in a hospital but I didn't go to intensive care. I need to read the article/study, obviously. I'm trying to wrap my head around what the root causes would be for such a thing to occur (and based on anecdotal reports I do believe it happens.)

I know for the elderly, they frequently are affected/set back by hospital stays, and definitely general surgeries and stays in the ICU. If the variable is general anesthesia, I would hope they could find other ways to sedate and operate on those surgeries as well, in the future. I have really appreciated the ways that spinals, sedatives, and other medications have been used on me in my surgeries to avoid generals. If it is a class of pain meds, then I'd hope that could be changed as well. Does the trauma of the surgery/illness cause the high CO2 levels? When my triplets were born 2 months early they were in the PICU and they would frequently check their blood gasses for CO2---wonder if they do that with adults in ICU? Lots to think about. Thanks for sharing! :yes:
 
Pretty sure my brain fog was due to excessive innercranial precipitation from holding back tears.
:heehee:

Hope all is well with you my dancing hippy pal!:happyfeet:
 
Hello fellow Bone-smartie friends. I haven't been posting much, but I do try to keep up with the conversations, usually by way of my iPhone; the screen keyboard is so teensy that I can't face trying to type out any posts. However I'm on the 'big' laptop today, so thought I'd sail in with an update.

As for how my hips have been doing recently, I can't say because I've spent a lot of the past three weeks laid out with a virus. It was a weird one, seemed to go on forever, but at last I am well again, out and about--just in time to hop on a plane tomorrow for my long-planned visit to England.

After surgery last July, I was idly checking flights available with my collected air miles, and discovered there was only one single seat left (bookable with air miles) from YVR to LHR in all of May, June, July and August-- and that was for May 5th. So I booked it, thinking I could cancel if it didn't work out. However it is actually going forward, and indeed it has been a good thing to have something to look forward to during convalescence, and during my more recently illness. I won't be doing much gallivanting about over there, but rather spend most of the time staying with my childhood friend in her countryside home, chatting and sewing and sitting in the garden like Jane and Cassandra Austen. We discuss books and such; hoping to stay entirely away from politics.

Happily there is a swimming pool in the local village, so I hope to get there regularly and build up my strength, as @SurreyGirl is doing at her posh club ;) I feel rather weak and pathetic right now, and have slid backwards in strength and what little agility I had. Not-yet-operated left hip has been quiet, but I haven't been testing it. Operated rightie seems okay, no disability or pain to speak of, but then again I haven't been doing much, so no boundary-pushing. I am surprised that the THR scar has faded so much, but there is a considerable dip in my hip--a veritable 'bowl'. I wonder if the muscle can be built up again to fill it out? I guess I will find out.

As for dancing (this is for you @Going4fun ) I haven't been doing much. When I get stronger and fitter again, I will try some solo/freestyle dancing. I'm wondering if I can build up enough muscle in my bad left hip to sustain me for more partner dancing, or if that is a no-go until leftie gets its major makeover. Again, I guess I'll find out.

oh--and my brain fog is getting better and better. It's only foggy part of the time now, and have stopped wandering from room to room, wondering what I'm doing there :)

cheers all
 
:wave:@An54
I'm sorry you were down sick for so long...sounds wearying.
I'm glad you will be able to make your trip.
Hope you have a great time and that lefty hangs in there!:ok:
 
Great to hear your update @An54 ... sounds like you are busy enjoying yourself. Great to hear of your travel plans and adventures.

I haven't updated my thread in a bit ... but I started PT 7 weeks ago, and my improvement has been dramatic. My PT is putting me through increasingly demanding workouts ... really trying to get my butt muscles to come online and to work together. Lots of balance exercises ... I stand on one of those foam balance pads (very unstable) and I hold a ball in my hand ... and I trace the alphabet from A to Z ... while trying to maintain my balance. These exercises really demand the muscles to coordinate and work together.

I went out dancing two weeks ago ... and I was quickly winded ... but the hip was fantastic. Indeed, a few times in the middle of dancing, my brain ran a pain check ... and the answer kept coming back ... "nothing to report." And then, following through on my PT's confidence ... the next day, I decided to get on the treadmill and mix walking and running ... and that felt good! So two consecutive days of workouts ... I anticipated some pain the following day and ... felt something mild ... I think I used an ice pack once or twice ... but then ... hip felt great.

I have enjoyed this round of PT more than any previous round. And my therapist keeps encouraging me to test out the hip ... and she says there will be some soreness ... but of course, I should stop at any serious pain. I'm gearing up for (trying to get my wind ready for) a Lindy Hop Exchange weekend ... in two weeks ... two live band performances on Friday night and Saturday night ... dancing from 8 to 2:30 a.m. ... with a half-hour break from 11 to 11:30 p.m. for the new band to come on. I won't dance six hours on consecutive nights with all the young people, but I'm going to see what I can do!

My takeaway: I think a lot of my PT is just getting my muscles back to where they were before I cut back activity because of the hip pain ... I feel like I'm more recovering from the years of reduced activity before surgery ... than I am recovering from the surgery itself.

So I'll be optimistic ... yes, I think you can rebuild strength in your legs ... might take time and some PT (find a really good one you trust). My glutes were really weak and asleep ...Yours may be as well ... but you can awaken them. So great to see your post.

Oh ... and yes, I wear dancing shoes with slippery suede bottoms. Really just comfy sneakers with suede bottoms (found on Amazon) that I glued on myself.
 
I am so jealous of your trip to England----it is on my bucket list! And to be able to spend time with a dear friend in such an idyllic setting sounds wonderful. Your description of the two of you playing the Austen sisters was lovely.

I got slammed with a couple of unusual viruses myself this winter---the kind that come and say awhile--shape shifting all the while. I had taught for 38 years in an elementary school, and for the last few years before I retired, my immunity was so good that I might catch one cold a year---always in the late winter/early spring when we were finally at the state testing point of the year, and right in the middle of report cards and parent conferences.:heehee: The firstt 3 years after retiring, I still had my superpower school teacher immunity, but it left me this winter! All good things.........

I am so glad that your brain fog is lifting---it is scary to have it. I don't have surgery related brain fog, but once in awhile I draw a blank that I feel like I shouldn't be having, and it really worries me. My mom has dementia, and watching it progress is heartbreaking. My kids tell me that I am overreacting, and hopefully they are right.

I had an anterior approach and guess I didn't really know what to expect in terms of my scar and how my thigh would heal. I too have a definite indentation, and my scar is still very obvious. I have been surprised that almost a year out, it is still so numb. It still is 99% better than it was before, so no complaints:)

Enjoy your trip and keep us posted. :loveshwr:
 
Thanks for the update @An54
Sorry to hear you were sick. Thankfully you're better and in England now!
Safe travels while you're there and on your way back home.
I hope you have a wonderful time.
 
Hi @An54 You have been on my mind and I keep meaning to get back to the forum and check in on everyone. My hubby is in Bda with his Mum for four weeks. His sister that lives here had her hip replaced (via anterior approach in Penticton) in March so couldn't split the shift with him. He is away until the end of this month...it has been hard. Speaking of weird viruses, I'm sorry to hear that you have been unwell. I came down with shingles at the beginning of May, thus my delay getting back to the forum. It was behind my ear, and I had such extreme fatigue I could hardly do anything. I'm literally just coming out of it.
I am so pleased to read about your trip to the UK! Sounds like just what you needed!!
We are finally getting lovely spring weather here and my rhodies look amazing in all their blooming colour splendour. My hips are fabulous and I highly recommend getting the second done, so you can build up your strength again and get back to the dance floor.
I'm six months today on my second hip, and hope to get riding clearance when I see the physio on Tuesday!
Enjoy your UK stay and safe travels home when you head back! Cheers!
 
Greetings @Alitm , @SurreyGirl , @Going4fun and other Hippie friends.

Alitm, I am so sorry to hear about your case of shingles. A couple of years ago I went through that ( but no rash, so it was assumed to be zoster sine herpete (ZSH) ) and it was a killer. I was struck down at the family cabin on Gabriola Island at about 3 a.m. with agonizing 'mach 9.5 ' pain in my back. Had to sweat it out til dawn then aimed for emerg in Nanaimo, then was out of commission for at least a month. I was left with dead nerves on my lower right abdomen; the dead nerves down there may account for my lack of pain after I had my right hip replaced. Oh well, better than postherpetic neuralgia. I sympathize whole-heartedly; and here I imagined that you were busy riding horses. Before I left Canada I got part one of the new & improved shingles vaccine; I don't want to go through that again.

I had a sickly month last month, and am still getting up to speed... admittedly a slow speed, but I am improving day by day. I am in England now, and had the great delight of meeting up in person with a fellow hippie sister. We had a most enjoyable rendezvous in the quaintest pub imaginable to Canadian eyes--but then again in this country, such establishments are everywhere you look. I am hoping to see my hippie twin again while I am here.

Going4fun , I haven't danced in ages, and missed a couple of good ones while I was laid up last month. I gave my event tickets away to a dancing fellow, and entertained myself doing online geneaological research. I hear what you are saying about PT and exercise, and when I get home I will look into some professional assessment to guide me in some focused exercises. Here in England I have been about three times to the village swimming pool, but my attendance there is limited as I need a family member to take me as a guest, and the swimming member of my host family is now out of commission after his own major surgery yesterday (oh my--we are all such surgical cases!) .

@Debru4 , my friend and I are indeed channelling the Austen sisters, sewing together in the dining room, which has been taken over with our sewing activities. As the idea of the Austen sisters resonated with you, I will include here a couple of images taken last Friday before attending a Jane Austen-inspired Regency Ball. One is of my friend and her daughter, who is helping Mum adjust her turban. The other is of the 'Lord of the Manor' waiting impatiently outside for the others. (Think General Tilney! :) )

I should add that both ladies sewed their own gowns.

View attachment 73138 View attachment 73139

Godalming Ball Tabitha and Orian--100 ppi.jpg
Godalming Ball  Tim2 100ppi.jpg



I think I'm maxed out on the fluff meter, so will stop now. I hope everyone is doing well and improving daily.
 
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