Revision THR hip replacement gone bad<

[Layla]

Thanks for the love precious @zinnia. I'm sending it right back at you twofold. You're a sweetheart and I've enjoyed being a small part of your journey.

Many here were drawn to your story and it's been a joy watching it evolve and unfold as of late. From your pre-surgery days of pain, fear and feelings of defeat to your awakening and realization that excessive PT only hinders progress. It's been a rough three years for you, Zinnia and I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Two unfortunate surgeries made for a long and winding road. Try not to get down or frustrated as you slowly heal. You are In the infancy of recovery. As am I at six months out. This recovery biz takes time and it's in our best interest to take it slow and easy and get it right.

I'm excited for you to travel to be with family at Christmas. We'll send you off with love and best wishes for
a beautiful holiday with those who love you most. Make sure you stop for the stretching / walking breaks and don't forget the (you know what) and you should be golden. If you feel a little worse for wear when you arrive, don't be discouraged. Just rest and nap when you're able.

Don't forget your BS buddies while you're away participating in all the merriment. We'll be here waiting to hear about the wonderful time you had when you return. Until you leave to travel you know I'll be here snooping around that you can count on....I'm not going anywhere.
Sending love a hug and best wishes for a wonderful day!

 

[zinnia]

I haven't gone any where yet @Layla. I'm still doing the recovery thing. Mostly on the cane now with the walker as I get tired. My progress feels like it has slowed down somewhat. I take a walk outside each day on the cane. And another walk with the walker which is a longer walk since I've adding to it every 2 days. Plus all the walking I do about the house. But I realize I am no where close to walking on my own. Two days ago I could have sworn I was close to walking without assistance but NO, I'm not! Damn it! Waited 2 years for this. Just have to wait longer. This is where patience should step in, I guess. Luckily I am still without pain. I'll have to ask the OS when I see him why no pain? Big dressing comes off tomorrow. Been on for the two weeks now. Anxious to see what it looks like under there. I've just started the 3rd week.

 

[Mojo333]

Yep, just third week. You aren't behind any recovery curve whatsoever!
You've been through so much...try to be patient.
Hope you're resting and comfy.

 

[Layla]

Hi @zinnia
You're doing great. I think recovery is unpredictable. You feel progress,
then feel stagnant, have good days, not so good days. It does take patience, Zinnia
but it will come. It is so very, very early into your recovery.
Hang tight and keep doing what you're doing

 

[zinnia]

Well, the house is a wreck, walkers and canes and crutches everywhere. My dog is shedding, naturally. Everywhere you step there is a cloud of Lulu which wafts up and floats about. I have a friend coming who helps us out once in awhile as the awhile is upon us. I am cooking a bit and washing clothes and straightening up and wrapping Christmas. :box:My better half cooked a fine pasta tonight and chocolate pudding for dessert. Not fond of the cinnamon in my chocolate pudding but I can't complain at the moment. Girl friends are bringing over lunch Friday. I took 2 walks outside today, one with the cane and one with the walker. Went about a 1/10th of a mile or more on the walker and about 100yds or so on the cane. I use the cane mostly around the house. It is dreadfully cold here and I hate the cold so it was a chore but I did it. How can these resting, healing days be so busy. I'm sort of keeping a journal here so don't mind the details. Thank you @Layla and @Mojo333 for your reminders that patience is the key to a successful recovery. Your words are a mantra to me and so, so welcome.

 

[SaraK]

@zinnia - You've been through so much along your journey. I am awed by your perseverance and positive attitude. I don't think I could have done it! For the time since your most recent surgery and taking into consideration everything that came before, you are recovering so well. You are also an example of what this forum is all about. People helping you when you're down and then you helping others! Don't worry about the house, let hubby cook even if he doesn't do it your way and take it, literally, step by step! Once a week, go back to where you were 4 weeks before. Sometimes we don't see our progress because we're comparing this evening to this morning or today to yesterday. You have to step back to be able to get the full picture of how far you've come.

Sweet dreams and on to an even better tomorrow.

 

[MammaT]

Nice improvement @zinnia. You are really showing progress. In terms of the animal hair, I have cats who shed and the fur was building building up before I could think of running vacuum. I got a little bag and my grabber that had larger grippers and got some of my exercise walking around and picking up the clumps. Not as good as a vacuum, but cut down on it some. Hope today is good.

 

[zinnia]

Thanks for the tip @MammaT with the drifting pet hair. The house gets cleaned today (not by me) and the Lulu gets groomed tomorrow so all will be well for a short time. She's a herder and/or a swamp dog so she sheds that heavy undercoat all year round. From your experience, will I ever walk with out feeling like a cigar store Indian, all wooden? Here's patience again. I'm quite willing to wait, but do you really walk with a natural gait finally? I have a good gait and stride with my rolling walker, but on the cane and when I try walking I am so wooden. Chime in on this @SaraK if you like. Really want your input if you're willing. And thank you for your suggestion to look back to get a broader sense of how far I've come. I kept a pre-op journal as well so I can do that. Oh, I'm so sure you could do just about anything you set your mind to doing. I've looked up SuperPath; amazing and why not? My surgeon practices a minimal approach but revisions, of course are already set in stone as it were and it seems there is always a bit of a scar. I have no pain though so either the "pain ball" and/or the fact that he didn't have to set the femur implant may be why. I will ask at my first check up. As always, thanks All for every word of encouragement and caution. You all know how much that helps to steer us in the right direction for success.

 

[SaraK]

Getting to the point where you forget the new hip is there is definitely the goal. I have occasional twinge along the incision (usually scar tissue that needs massaging) but by my 6 month appt it felt completely natural. I hadn't been dealing with it for years, so the limp wasn't firmly ingrained but I did have one and my PT worked with me to retrain the mind and the muscles. Before the 2nd, the main reason I even thought about the first was that the pain in the second reminded me. Here's hoping the same happens with this one and with yours. I think as you progress and have the ability to get back to your life and expand your activities, you'll find the same thing. It just takes a little time.

 

[zinnia]

What fine advice @SaraK. Appreciate it greatly. It helps so much to have the word from someone experienced. My first revision was an absolute botch so, though I did walk for a bit unassisted, I did have a limp then which I considered to be lack of strength but now I don't think so. But I haven't walked unassisted in so long I think that brain pattern is certainly gone or is it parked just waiting to re-emerge? I don't seem to have a limp now either, it is the wooden bit that is troubling and rather maddening. How did your PT work to help you retrain your brain the muscles? My PT is working with me but I"m not to the proper stage yet anyway. I will lose him as he is home visiting and I am "ready" to go on to out patient which I will not do. They never helped me before. I don't like the outpatient system, at least where I live. My home PT would do so much better a job. He's a real PT! Thanks, Sara.

 

[zinnia]

@Jaycey I had a knee arthroscopy done in 2010 if you think it's appropriate to add that to my list of ailments. It was a toss up actually as to which to do first, the right hip or the left knee. Now I just bear with the bone on bone. Thank you, Jaycey. Have a Happy, happiest of Christmases. :dancing:

 

[Jaycey]

@zinnia I can add your arthroscopy to your signature. What was the date and which knee?

 

[zinnia]

@Jaycey It was 2010. I'd have to do a bit of research to locate the exact date. It was the left knee.

 

[SaraK]

@zinnia - I worked with this PT before my first diagnosis - at one point, he and I were the only two that were saying there was something wrong with the hip since the fracture didn't show up in the initial xray or MRI. After it collapsed a bit, it had a year to scrape around and destroy the cartilage. Because I knew and trusted him, I turned down inhome PT and went straight to outpatient. part of it was strengthen muscles but more of it was stretching and loosening muscles, tendons, etc. And then doing things like treadmill with good leg stationary and operated leg moving to lengthen stride and being more mindful about what you are doing as you walk (flexing the knee, etc.). So some of it was exaggerated motions with the operated leg. Some of this is why a person might not limp if they're holding the cane even if they're not using it (brain thinking more about the mechanics because the cane is there) but limping without it (and you go on autopilot which the hips had already retrained to limp as a defense mechanism).

As I said, mine was outside PT so not all outside is bad. You might talk to the inhome person to see if there is someone with a philosophy/approach similar to your inhome they can recommend.

 

[zinnia]

Technical problem. Why when I try to upload a file does it appear in the text area and not in the photo area? I am not a whiz or even close to adequately skilled in this department but I know a great deal more than most my age. So bear with me, please.

 

[Layla]

Love, hugs, flowers.
Wishing you a great day dynamo @zinnia

 

[zinnia]

Okay, I'm trying to make a go of this picture thing. Good golly, I did it. That's me with my 6'6" grandson up in the mountains of my state North Carolina. Yeah!

 

[Layla]

Awww, look at you beautiful @zinnia with happy, smiling precious grandson.
He's a tall one.....or you're teeny tiny.
I hope you're doing well these past couple days.
I'll bet you're getting excited for your trip.....
Only 11 more days till Christmas! :reindeersleigh

:dancing::nativity::merry christmas:

 

[MammaT]

@zinnia that is an awesome picture! Not to be rude, but is that a recent picture? Because if it is from within the last few years, I think your age must be wrong! First I am jealous of how well and with what grace you have handled your hips, now I want to look as good as you do! Grandkids are the best!

 

[zinnia]

@Layla He's 6'6"; I'm a tiny 5'5". He graduated from college this past summer. He has a close but full beard now and a SO as well. We have about a week to go yet before we cast off for the epic ride. I am busy trying to pull myself instead through this healing business. Long ago the family chose to stop exchanging gifts. We exchange stockings. . .we love our stockings. We have a lot of fun with the stockings. The most important thing for us is being together. and the sneaky drink, which is an old fashion. Then we have a big roast beef and trimmings and chocolate mousse for desert. We have the poppers and wear our crowns and do the jokes and love each other. It's a real blast.