THR Hipmom is healing

[Hip2it2]

I'm so happy for you Donna, time to relax, heal and feel the miracle of medicine! Congratulations!

 

[The Cappuccino Kid]

Good to hear that your healing's going well. It's nice to get outside and get fresh air isn't it?

 

[hipmom]

Hi hip2it2! I see we have (had) the hip displasia thing in common. Did you have prior surgeries for that as a kid? I had one at 7 where they tried to form a socket and stuffed a peg in there somewhere and one at 15 where they did a triple osteotomy with bone grafts from my pelvis (makes for really freaky x-rays! ). Body cast at 7 for 6 weeks and body cast at 15 for 12 weeks. So, i guess this is an improvement as i can get out of bed and walk around and sit up to eat (not to mention use a bathroom!). I had my daughter x-rayed in her first couple of months to make sure i didn't pass the joy on to her. She is fine

Cap, it is truly wonderful to be outside! I am so glad that the weather is good and i am able to go outside. Yesterday i asked my mom to take me out walking for 30 minutes in the afternoon and my son took me out for 30 minutes after dinner - one hour of walking! Whose turn will it be to walk mom next?

I am still having trouble with swelling. I don't think i am taking the time i should be to have my leg up and iced. How much time do you guys spend with your leg raised and iced? I'm lying down now with my leg propped up on two pillows and two ice packs. I think i will feel so much better when the swelling gone

 

[forbesy]

Hi Donna

I iced about four times a day

After breakfast
After lunch
After dinner [ went in time with my eating habits by the looks of it]
And iced at night before bed
Usually about fifteen minutes to twenty if I could suffer the cold.

Glad to hear you are having some nice weather don't suppose you fancy sending some across to Scotland.

 

[Renate]

Hi Donna, glad you're enjoying the outdoors again, but 1 hour sounds a lot. Keep resting and have a nice hot weekend.

 

[Juliep]

I think so too....Donna when you asked how long do people elevate and ice. I elevated most of the day for the first week or two easy. Got up for the basics and the exercises but the rest of the time I was elevated. My knee upwards was soooo thick with the second replacement.

Hope everything is going good for you though and it's great that you have such help with the kids.

Keep it up !!

 

[pomperson]

Hi, Donna, do your kids charge for their walking service? hahaha. Glad you have them!

 

[Juliep]

Hey that's a good idea, they can earn some money then can't they? Donna they will be fighting over who walks you next. haha. Keep on walking, but do please rest and elevate if you are still swollen.

P.S. I've ditched the cane for the most part. Have to be careful though or the limp takes over. Long walking I don't though.

 

[hipmom]

Julie, i can't believe you ditched the cane already! How great is that? Do you have restrictions?

I won't even be cleared to START a cane until possibly my 6week checkup the first week of october! And then i think i'll be on a cane until mid november. My restrictions go into november. It takes me forever to get out of bed because i can't bend to get the comforter off of my feet - it's a riot! :hysterical: i struggle with my reacher because it doesn 't seem strong enough to move my comforter.

My daughter may have fractured her wrist yesterday while playing at a friend's house. She had an x- ray today and the doc on duty wasn't sure if it is fractured or not - said another doc will look at the x-rays in the next couple of days and call us (it is a holiday weekend so my husband took her to a clinic). Her wrist is wrapped up in a splint and the two of us together are quite the pair! It is a real bonding experience.

 

[Jaycey]

Donna, number one rule - don't compare your recovery to any other recovery.

Can you get a longer reacher? Or can you kick your comforter off with your good leg?

You are doing great!

 

[Renate]

That's so sad Donna. Two girls with boo boos in the house. Hope she'll be better soon. If it's simple, it will heal fast. My daughter had it as a teen, got a neon coloured waterproof cast and was so happy. Go figure.

 

[lisanewmc]

Hi hipmom, I had issues with swelling too and was quite concerned. It was the swelling that brought me to find our wonderful world of BS- so I'm glad of it now. I iced and elevated for most of the time I wasn't walking.

I'm another hip dysplasia kid and have memories of body casts as a child. Also, my son had a suspected wrist fracture not long after my op. I had to take him to the hospital while I was still using crutches.
Hang on in there ......There is so much for you to look forward to.

 

[hipmom]

Lots of hip displasia cases out there! Before the surgery, i was so freaked out about the hip restrictions and the thought of dislocating that i almost wanted to go back in a spica cast! I figured they could just let me out when the worst of the danger was over! But it didn't take long to appreciate the advantages of mobility i'm not as freaked out now that i am living it.

I am trying to put my leg up more - josephine said toes as high as the nose. Not sure if i am getting anywhere. My knee is what gives me the most trouble. When i am sitting, it feels as though the knee wants to just push through the skin (like the skin is too snug there). It's ok when standing or lying down, just tight when sitting.

I am going ouside twice a day and walking 30minutes. Feels great. I feel like i could walk longer but my hands hurt from weight bearing on the walker. I am happy with my progress as it is less than 2 weeks since surgery. Life got so much better when i switched off of that one pain pill. No more dizzyness and hot flashes and nodding off. I feel pretty good and haven't had any pain the whole time. I count my blessings there!

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

 

[Jaycey]

Donna, if you think you have a bit of swelling at the knee try icing. I had big time knee swelling post-op.

Sounds like you are doing great - all that walking and only 2 weeks out!

 

[hipmom]

I have been icing - thanks. I see my gp for my 2 week checkup tomorrow and i plan to ask him for specifics on getting rid of this swelling.

I cordially invite everyone to celebrate with me that i took my last belly jab today! i am so happy to be finished with that! I am also stopping my 12 hour pain pills. I went down to one of them a day last week and i took the last one last night. I still have the short acting pain pills that i take 3 times a day, but i think i will start cutting down on them some time later this week. I came home from the hospital taking 20 pills a day and one injection. I don't usually take any meds, so this was a lot for me! They weren't all for pain - also iron, vit c, stool softener - but i would like to stop as much as i can.

My daughter drew the short straw today and had to "walk mom.". A liitle too warm today for walking. Glad to be back inside. After dinner walks go better.

 

[Jamie]

Hipmom.....I know you may not like taking pills, but I'll really caution you about stopping your pain meds .... or even cutting back on them ... too soon. You are quite active with those daily 30 minute walks and you have swelling to boot. You ae not even a month out from your surgery. Please don't try to hurry your recovery too fast.

 

[Jaycey]

Donna, I have to agree with Jamie. Far too early to be cutting down on pain meds. When you start forgetting doses then it's time.

Congrats on your last belly jab!

 

[pomperson]

Hey Donna so glad to hear you are doing so well. Hope your post op visitwas great! I am at the airport returning from mine today as well. Im just under 3 weeks. Hope all is well. ;-)

 

[hipmom]

Jamie and jaycey - no one has really advised me on pain meds. I haven't been having any problems with pain so i thought i was ok to start cutting back. I haven't noticed any difference since i stopped taking the 12 hour pills. I am still taking the 6 hour meds, but i haven't taken anything in the middle of the night since i left the hospital - i just sleep through. Then again, i didn't take anything before the surgery. Occasionally motrin but that was it. So maybe my
Pain recepters don't work all that well.

Doc appt went well today. It was just with my gp locally. He said the incision looked good. He also pointed out that the orientation of my leg is different now and it will take awhile to get used to that. The osteotomy when i was a kid left my leg turned out. Now my leg faces forward. Funny that i didn't notice that until he pointed it out to me!

Donna, let me know how your appt went

 

[Jaycey]

hipmom, glad your appointment went well. It may take awhile for the muscles in that leg to get used to the new orientation. Very common when hippies discover weakness in leg muscles.

Just keep working on it. You are doing great!