THR Hipmom is healing

[special lady]

Donna,

So glad to read your doing better... your post reminded me of the Movie "Rocky" getting stronger! Hope you continue to heal and progress well.

 

[Poppet]

Donna

So pleased to get an update from you and to hear you are doing so well. Great that the shoe lift is helping.. it certainly is magic when someone notices how tall and straight we walk after a THR... well done you

 

[VThereandnow]

Fantastic update Donna! So happy for you. Glad the shoe lifts worked out for you. Walk tall girl and keep on stepping

 

[hipmom]

Thank you, everyone, for the kind words. I look back now and wonder why I fought the whole "shoe build up" thing so hard. I only have one pair of shoes so far with the build up, and even though I can wear other shoes by putting a heel lift inside - I reach for my new built up shoes! I guess at 49 I am growing up

 

[hipmom]

OK, so it took me a while to figure out how to post my avatar - I have been on BS for a year now! Better late than never.

 

[Poppet]

What a lovely photo, and such a beautiful smile - is it recent i.e. since the surgery? If so, I can see the joy in your face

 

[hipmom]

Well, thank you! Actually it is from about 2 years ago - I couldn't find any pictures of me as I am always the one behind the camera!

 

[tashia]

Donna,
what a way to go . Nothing being able to walk and feel like everything is ok. Keep doing what you are doing and keep the good reports coming in. Please take care with all this weather.Tashia

 

[VThereandnow]

Good info on the lift thing. I am too early for that, but have been battling the pelvic tilt, leg differential thing. Has gotten so much better but not gone and I know people say it takes a while. Just nice to know that if it does not fully resolve there is an option that works. Thanks for sharing

 

[C Mac]

Hi Donna,

It sounds like you are doing great and "growing up" nicely!! It's never too late to experiment with those shoe lifts, I think you gave your body plenty of time to adapt to the changes that came about from your new hip. Nice to hear that you are standing tall next to your children -- wait 'til they are teens and start to tower over you....

Take care,
Cardie

 

[hipmom]

Already have a teen, Cardie! I now come up to my 17 year old son's bottom lip I'm still taller than my 12 year old daughter, though!

 

[hipmom]

Just got back from vacation - which I must say - beat last year's vacation of 4 days in the hospital getting a hip replacement by a mile! This past January and February, all I could think of while continuing my recovery and doing my PT, was getting out of town and doing things that required a lot of walking. While I always loved to go on vacation, I often felt like a drag to my family because I would have to sit down a lot and would secretly dread any activity that required walking any distance. After a long day I would reach for the pain meds and hobble to bed. In the cold days of winter, I wasn't sure that I would ever reach that goal.

We just got back from the Oregon Coast and it was wonderful! While I did have to bring my cane, I only had to use it for distance walking. I got my new "built up" sandals, and those, combined with my cane (at times) made me feel invincible! I walked the beach, I was all over the large rock outcroppings peeking into tidal pools, I easily did the 100 or so steps (no exaggeration!) that led down the cliff face from the hotel to the beach! I walked around the Newport Aquarium, the Portland Zoo, and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry! I poked around in the gift shops that spanned a few blocks (without my cane!) I finally went on a vacation that didn't cause me ANY pain

Who knew?

 

[bottomshollow]

Super update, Donna! and your vacation sounds wonderful-----and you got to really ENJOY it because of that great man-made hip. Others of us with hip replacements knew you'd get to this point--but you really just have to experience is for yourself.


Take care, keep us updated, we care.

 

[The Cappuccino Kid]

Hi Donna, glad that things are on the up for you. Sounds like a great holiday!

 

[djklaugh]

Donna - wish I'd know you were in Oregon - particularly when you were in Portland - I'd have loved to play hostess/tour guide to another BS hippie! I'm so glad to hear you had a lovely time and that the new hip boogied along without complaint

 

[Poppet]

Sounds like you had a fun holiday Donna, great post.. We all deserve the little pot of gold at the end of the rainbow ( whatever that may be for each of us) after what we go through with this surgery..

Life is good!

 

[C Mac]

Great report, Donna!!! Glad you got your shoes all squared away and that they are helping.
Keep up the good work,
Cardie

 

[hipmom]

Sure has been awhile since I have been online. Thank you for all of your great posts and I'm sorry I didn't see them until now! Just looked up my page while on break from the New Year's Party. djklaugh - I didn't know you were from Portland! I'm from Washington - Tri-Cities. Funny how you can be gone for so long but feel like you never left when you check in. Hope you are all doing well. Happy New Year!

 

[tashia]

Donna, It sounds lovely. Just think you now can walk anywhere you want. A freedom that you so deserve. Good to hear from you was wondering how you were doing. Don't be a stranger, drop by and say hi. Take care. Tashia

 

[hipmom]

I have to report a new milestone for me. During my recovery, I discovered taking long walks on the trails along our river. I was using a cane, but still thrilled because I had never been able to walk that far. As spring turned to summer, I stopped walking along the river or really doing any kind of distance walking. I got lazy and stopped pushing myself. Today for new year's, I asked my husband if he would walk with me down by the river. I took the cane with me because, like I said, I hadn't done any type of distance walking since spring and I still needed the cane then. Since then, I have figured out the right amount of lift needed in my shoe and have one pair of shoes that really feel comfortable to me and make me feel "evened out." I wasn't expecting much and my husband was surprised to see the cane out again. Turned out that I ended up just carrying the cane the whole way and was able to walk with no problems That is truly a first for me! I wasn't even aware that I was able to do that! I think the proper height of lift made all the difference for me and I hope to get out more and walk more now. Those of you who have followed my recovery remember how upset I was at the prospect of needing to have a lift added to my shoe - now suddenly it is my new best friend!