THR Here We Go Again!

Good morning, all. It's day three of grandkid watching and much as I adore them, I am tired and so looking forward to this evening when their parents pick them up. Tuesday was the park and a picnic, and yesterday was a local children's museum. They adored that, but after 3 hours of screaming, running and not walking kidlets (despite signs to the contrary on every wall surface) I was exhausted. We took them out to lunch, and I had wine which was lovely but made me sleepy. Fortunately, on the way home both kids fell asleep in the car and then sleepily tootled off to their beds when we got home, affording me a lovely 45 minute break in the action. Today my husband is deserting me (an all day meeting for Mr. Retired) so I'm on my own. They're plunked in front of the TV watching cartoons right now but I know I need to get moving shortly and figure out what to do with 'em today. Park again? Picnic in the back yard? Baking something this afternoon? It's going to be a l-o-n-g day.

Hip is much the same--this mid part of recovery, as I recall from #1, is a slog. You clearly don't have the stunning improvements every week that you seem to have at first, and for now and the foreseeable future, I think it's going to be "more of same": stiff and sore but manageable for daily activities, and energy drain in the late afternoon. I'm officially 5 weeks as of yesterday so time is moving along. Still off all medication, no problems walking, area around the incision is gradually fading in color, incision seems to have healed nicely. I have nothing to complain of but I am so ready to take things to the next level. Six week check up is next Tuesday, with X-rays included, so hoping I'll get that much anticipated referral back to PT. That will give me a renewed sense of purpose which I feel like I could use right now. Okay, off to get coffee--can't believe I haven't had any yet!
 
Think back to the day before surgery. How was it then? That may put a different perspective on things.. Glad to hear that you seem to be doing lots! Though I smell an overachiever....:heehee:
 
Oh the renewed sense of purpose! How I craved that at 5 weeks. I thought my mind had gone to sleep and I was quite low. I still have not had my check up but figured once I got to six weeks I was out of immediate danger and can do more or less as I like (with a bit of care) and it does feel better. I am sure you will feel great once you get the go ahead from the docs
 
Ah, it is a nice Friday morning, and I'm still hanging out in my bathrobe, a quiet house as grands departed last night after dinner and a couple of chapters of "Charlotte's Web". I reheated some leftovers for dinner and changed into my bed clothes at 7:30. I thought briefly about a glass of wine but said "nah", and instead collapsed in a comfy chair to read until hubby arrived home after a long and unproductive day (mediation which did not result in a settlement). Late this afternoon we head over to the home of some friends, for dinner with pre-dinner drinks and snacks on their deck. I am so looking forward to some adult conversation and a drink!

Amazed that despite three pretty darn active days with kidlets my hip performed pretty well. As I said in yesterday's post, it's still a bit achy and I loathe that terrible stiffness and lurch when I first get up from sitting, but it is better than the early days, @mainegirl1 and, of course I am, like YOU, a bit of an overachiever in terms of my determination to get recovered as soon as I possibly can. Both of my parents had severe, debilitating health problems in their late 60's and one of my huge life goals has been to avoid this and stay as healthy and active as I can going into the next decade (gulp...next year). I have mental fights with my hips all the time, "get moving, girls--you are NOT going to be slugs and slow me down, no slacking allowed". They sneer right back at me and remind me forcibly that NOBODY is going to get them moving any faster or easier than they intend to move so I just need to slow down and be patient.

Weekend has no plans, blissfully, so not sure what I will do. Need to persuade hubby to head out on a few walks with me. I really am so bored with walking that I need a companion along the way, and as I no longer have kids or pets in the house, I either go alone or whine at spouse to accompany me. I cannot wait for a release to the gym. I am a happy solitary exerciser on cardio equipment, just not a content walker. No amount of urging or reminding me of sunshine and fresh air is going to change that. It's always going to be a chore.

Happy Friday, everyone.
 
Happy Friday @Barbaraj !
Took a car ride this morning with daughter to an old mill. Hubby texted he needed charcoal for smoking ribs. Stopped at hardware store to get that. ( nope I did not carry 20 lbs if charcoal)

Then home for lunch and nap
Fitbit says 234 steps and .1 mile
all with walker
I'm not a fan of gyms but cant wait for bike and paddling
The latter will be possible earlier than the former which will be possible just before the snow flies: the upshot is back to the gym
Me I need outdoors.
We sure are all different
 
Last edited:
@mainegirl1 Most, if not all, step trackers including the Fitbit and Apple Watch do not accurately track steps when using a walker or shopping cart or stroller.
I'll stop mentioning it. I knew that . I thought it was hilarious that it tracks at all as it is based on arm swings.. It is for me a relative gauge and not an absolute. I won't be going far as I have been ordered to preserve my gait ( which was fine pre op) buy using a walker 100 percent of the time post op for at least a week.. I have noticed there is a difference in gait when I try to cheat. Heel toe is very easy with the walker. I would like to up the walker distance each day even if the count is not exact

The hilarity is if I knit a certain way I get walking credit!
 
Last edited:
I really related to this comment:
Hip is much the same--this mid part of recovery, as I recall from #1, is a slog. You clearly don't have the stunning improvements every week that you seem to have at first, and for now and the foreseeable future, I think it's going to be "more of same": stiff and sore but manageable for daily activities, and energy drain in the late afternoon.

For me even this slog was bliss compared to the pre-op hip pain, AND the horrid first few days I had following surgery. The "slog" with the muted pain, and gradual increase in stamina and strength felt like a slow awakening. I know several of us have commented on the fact that hip recovery is a bit like childbirth for those of us who have had kids----a lot of the memories of the pain and challenges fade over time. That's wonderful for anyone, like you, needing a 2nd hip! So glad you are already slogging:) :loveshwr:
 
You've got that right, @Debru4 I totally agree that hip surgery and recovery definitely seem like childbirth at times. I don't have strong memories of hip #1, but I distinctly remember being bored and frustrated once I was fully active again, that period of time where I felt as if I were in a holding pattern, not fully recovered but well enough that I'd resumed daily activities and chores. But...the low level ache and stiffness just hung on for so long, for months afterwards. Then, of course, hip #2 started getting cranky. Symptoms between the two before surgery were much different (walking was a killer with hip #1, sitting was the problem with hip #2) but after surgery it appears I'm going through much the same pattern--depressing first week and then the long, slow slog towards recovery. I am more hopeful this time, I think, as there is no other hip lurking in the background and whining that it, too, needs attention.

Yesterday was a nice, lazy day until late in the afternoon we set out for the home of some friends who were making dinner for us, preceded by a lovely cocktail and snacks on their back patio. It wasn't an overly warm day, and overcast, but still very pleasant to sit outside and catch up. And they were extremely complimentary of my progress--seemed like every time I stood up I got many kudos at how easily and smoothly I was moving. And, yes, I am shallow enough that I soaked up the praise and felt very pleased with myself! I was admittedly tired by 9:30 when we left and felt achy and stiff when I crawled into bed. Took awhile to get comfortable in bed, but once asleep I slept well and I'm feeling refreshed this morning. No real plans for the day although another friend suggested yesterday that she wanted to go shopping for something at a local mall and wanted to know if I wanted to tag along. I'm happy to do that, to chat with her and follow her around, getting in some good walking as well. If that doesn't happen then I'm hoping to persuade my husband to take a walk this afternoon. As I've said before, I am not a walker, vastly preferring cardio equipment to get my body moving and, as a result, I am probably not engaging in enough movement during the day. But next Tuesday is 6 week check-in appointment--yippee--and with anticipated referral to PT I will feel motivated and excited about recovery again.
 
Last edited:
@Barbaraj I always love reading your reports ... You just sound like you have such a rich life, full of good activities and social outings and meetings with friends, the trivia games and so on.

Great to get positive feedback from your friends when you stood up ... We really feel good when we get that kind of encouragement ... especially, as you say, during the slow slog of recovery. I was at the gym the other day and a good friend saw me running and sent me several texts saying how good I looked. At first I was like, "wait, yes, of course, I can run this well ..." and then another part of my brain kicked in to say, "enjoy the compliment, enjoy the public acknowledgment of your progress!"

BTW: I know you're a fan of PT and I wasn't such a fan ... Well I just completed five months of fabulous PT ... for hip and back ... it was longer than usual because my PT thought I needed to get stronger in a lot of areas for running and dancing, and it really took some time to build up strength in my flexors and in my glutes. Fabulous experience. I picked a wonderful practice ... lots of humor and warmth among the patients and the PT's. The five months felt like 6 weeks.

Anyway, great to hear of your progress ... I'll be posting a one year report soon ...
 
Last edited:
@Barbaraj I imagine you’re going to settle into the slow, incremental progress portion of this program quite nicely after you reach that six-week milestone and receive your surgeon’s okay to head back into PT. I know it will be a huge relief to return to the routine you enjoy, and the sense of accomplishment it gives you. It’s just around the corner now!

You know, I was describing post-op stiff achiness to my DD, and she surprised me by saying that was her life when she was training (middle school, high school, half of college). She woke up stiff and sore in the morning, and generally felt loose by noon - unless she’d inadvertently joined her version of the ODIC. I would imagine your dancer son shares this experience. So, you know, it would be reasonable to see yourself as a person who’s engaged in a demanding physical/athletic side gig...instead of a recovering hippie. Cheers!
 
Awww...thanks, @Going4fun What a kind posting. On my grumpy days I feel as if, yes, I do have activities and friends and a rich life, but I'm not enjoying them the way I should--stupid hip recovery! But you are right, I need to stop focusing on what I can't do sometimes and remember that life is good and I am getting better all the time! So happy to read about your excellent PT experience! I know PT can get a bad rep sometimes, but when it is good I think it can be a godsend for folks, and nice that you had such a positive experience. I will be interested to read what I hope will be a completely upbeat and strong one year report! Hurray for you!

Good morning, @Ptarmigan, I absolutely agree with you and your daughter: morning stiffness isn't just for recovering hipsters! I am sure my dancing son has mornings when his body aches, and I know my husband, who is actually in pretty good physical shape, says that his body is sore and stiff in the morning as well. He's the one who suggested I get up and gently move in the morning instead of immediately collapsing in a chair with an ice pack. And he was right, gentle movement in the morning (making my morning latte, throwing dirty clothes in the laundry basket, fetching the morning newspaper from the driveway) is an excellent way for me to reduce that morning stiffness. And, yes, I am really looking forward (and hoping this will happen) to a release back to PT and the gym this coming Tuesday with my 6 week check-up. And I like the revised view that instead of suffering with recovering hipster pains, I am actually (or will be shortly) just engaged in physical activity to get my body back in shape.
 
Ohh back to exercise for you! How wonderful. You will feel like a new woman! Your hubs is very wise suggesting the movement. It is surprising that it works so well. In days gone by, pain was always prescribed rest. Now it is movement and it really does help. It is 2am here and sleep is really the only thing troubling me but it seems also the only time the internet works here. Always a silver lining I suppose :heehee:
 
I got many kudos at how easily and smoothly I was moving. And, yes, I am shallow enough that I soaked up the praise and felt very pleased with myself
You're not shallow - we all need those bits of praise during this slog called THR recovery! :blackcloud:I was obviously needing some positive strokes after my friends flippant comment and so happy I got reassurance from my PT last week. It makes a world of difference to our emotional state of mind! Good luck next week at your 6 week big date! There will be no stopping you soon! :upright::driver::dancy:
 
@Barbaraj
I love the sound of your family & social life... made me laugh about your son’s dancing...ouch!
indeed! Thinking back how lovely it was to move freely without thinking...

The stiffness takes time to go.. but it does... I had 6 years between THR’s & the stiffness wasn’t an issue after 6 months or so!

Hope your new exercise helps but please don’t overdo it... it will all loosen up.. in time!

Hope you have a good week xx


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
A lovely sunny start to my day, quite energizing. I have lunch with a friend today and than a "work function" with my husband this evening, a baseball game. I think baseball is one of the most boring sports ever (paint drying and golf watching being the only other activities that seem more tedious) but I am being a good corporate wife and, as always, the promise of food and drink which I do not have to prepare or clean-up afterwards is always appealing. I feel like I should do something more active today as I was a complete and total slug yesterday and was pretty darn stiff by day's end. I have a book group meeting coming up in a few weeks so I decided to start the book and ended up reading the whole dang thing! This meant, of course, hours plopped in a chair which is dumb--plus I got eye strain from staring at my Kindle screen and have a vague headache this morning.

But hips seem to be doing well this morning despite yesterday's lack of exercise. I will try--she said hopefully--to do a bit more walking today but tomorrow is the big six week check in and fingers and toes are crossed that I'll be cleared for a bit more gym exercise and PT. Yes, yes--I KNOW that walking is best and I should be focusing on that. Initially I did a better job but I've fallen off as the weeks have gone by. Old habits die hard and I'm a gym rat at heart.

Hope everyone has a good Monday, one day further down the recovery road and feeling hopeful. Cheers, y'all!
 
Last edited:
Sounds like you are making it. I don't think a couple of days without walking will do any harm. I havent gone out to walk for awhile-trying today- more due to circumstances. Sounds like all is as it should be and really hunky dory. You appear to be a real happy hipster-good for you.
 
Hello @Barbaraj So happy to read all your progress. Hope your evening game wasn’t too boring or uncomfortable. Will be exciting to get some feedback today from your OS. Hope you get the green light you are hoping for. Thank you so much for all your encouragement. Really means a lot. Good luck today!!
 

BoneSmart #1 Best Blog

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
65,180
Messages
1,597,058
BoneSmarties
39,364
Latest member
All2Gd88
Recent bookmarks
0

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom