Bilateral THR Hippy Toonz

[DrToonz]

Your posts are inspiring

Thanks, @CAHippie . Glad to hear it.

I was pondering this the other day, and sometimes I wonder if it's a disservice to write about the triumphs and not the tribulations.

I know that I'm more excited to post good news than bad. I am, however, always trying to document EVERYTHING (as you who have read along know all too well -- my verbosity speaks for itself) as a way of being able to display MY journey as an example of one person's experience.

I found this site in my quest for understanding of the process front to back. In my search I found a blog of one man who was pretty detailed in his memoir of the journey. His was just one person's experience too, but it was extremely helpful to me because he detailed the unexpected. He detailed the things that the bullet-points on WebMD or other sites miss. My hope was that I'd be able to offer that same service to others by detailing all the points of my experience.

Sometimes I have caught myself not reporting as much tribulation as triumph, so I want to make sure that this morning's tribulation is documented: I didn't sleep well. Just tossing and turning (not much turning 'cause that HURTS!) and some general waking up to a feeling of mild depression that I'm TIRED but I cannot sleep because I'm SO FREAKIN' DONE with laying ONLY on my BACK!

I did get some hours of sleep in, but I'll definitely be needing a nap today.

Another tribulation is that I have a couple small spots near the tops of my incisions where I have a bit of (how embarrassing) loose belly that folds over the incision. If you read my posts from the beginning you'll know that i lost a lot of weight in the years leading up to this point (about 80 lbs) and have, due to the pain in the hips, gained about 30 of it back. The loose belly is part being fat and part having loose skin from being LESS fat. Anyway...these small spots are not healing right. I have to keep changing the gauze on them and I'm stressed about them becoming infected.

I wonder if @Josephine or someone else might have some insight about these.

I'm watching them and they are not getting WORSE and I have them bandaged up but here at 3.5 weeks, they still ooze just a tiny bit (not a SOAKED gauze, but a 1/4" SPOT on the gauze after a day or two). Today, the DW (bless her) did some Hydrogen Peroxide cleaning and re-applying clean gauze and tape on both these spots and we will keep an eye on them to be sure they are not getting WORSE. But they also don't seem to really be getting much BETTER. Should I be taking this to my GP or am I doing what I should already??

Another tribulation issue is the occasional blues. Just a depression that's generally short lived and often at the time I feel most EXHAUSTED. I always (as you all know) follow my posts with a note about optimism. That note is real, and I really do feel optimistic most of the time, but that down feeling which is addressed in many an article here on BS is DEFINITELY REAL and should be expected and recognized as a part of the recovery.

I guess that's it for this morning. At the MOMENT I feel, although a bit tired, decent and if not better than yesterday, at least not worse.

I remain optimistic. I really do.

PS: To my BS friends with whom I communicate regularly both pre-hippie and post-hippie: Thank you. You are my rocks.

 

[grandma chris]

@DrToonz I love this post - you are a very generous man. It's hard to write about such personal things but you have to know that you are so not the only person struggling with this. I think you do us all a great service when you bring up such personal issues. Of course, I cannot offer any advice when it comes to your wound but it sounds like you are handling it well. How weird, I find that I want to offer support but I really don't know what to say except that I have those same feelings too. And maybe that's the most important thing about your post - really, we are not alone in this. Thanks for writing like a human.

 

[djklaugh]

@DrToonz I think recording both your triumphs and tribulations is providing a service for all who read your thread - for the pre-op folks it's a way to get some idea of what post surgery is going to be like especially for those folks looking forward to a BTHR. And for the post op folks they can empathize and commiserate. And for us old hands - a chance to think (and maybe share) the "been there, done that, got the scars to prove it". And of course it's fun to read your posts - your upbeat humorous posts are both inspiring and entertaining. That's really, IMO, what BoneSmart is about - the sharing, the learning, the commiseration, the chance to connect with others who are riding - or are about to ride - this roller coaster known as joint replacement surgery.

 

[charmed-life]

The blues and tired feeling are very normal. I found that cutting back on pain meds made me more depressed even when I had no pain. But that lasted just a few days... but even the slowness of healing can be a little depressing - you KNEW it would be slow but living it is still hard. But it will get better!

 

[Freaky freak]

I have to agree with everyone's comments. Even though I have been released, I am not 100% and won't be for at least a couple of months. As we say it is a marathon not a sprint. I am pushing through the aches and pains. My biggest problem is getting up 3-4 times a night to pee. I thought I Must have put my fluid pills in the night meds instead of the morning meds but no I checked and that isn't the issue so I will just have to deal with it. I am back on my exercise bike, no tension, just pedaling 10 minutes at a time to loosen the tight thigh muscles. I got a fitbit zip to count steps so I can make sure I am increasing my steps each day. I look forward to the day I am back better than before too! My best to all the BS hipsters.

 

[MajorHeidi]

@DrToonz Thanks for covering both the successes and the tribulations.
After all, its the tribs that make us all nervous.
Documenting them can help to put others at east.
So, Thank You!

 

[DrToonz]

That's really, IMO, what BoneSmart is about - the sharing, the learning, the commiseration, the chance to connect with others who are riding - or are about to ride - this roller coaster known as joint replacement surgery.

That's my motivation. I started reading a long time before surgery and the more open and complete the thread, the more valuable it was to me.

you KNEW it would be slow but living it is still hard.

Exactly! You can read it 100 times and then when you're IN it, it's still HARD! Knowing that the difficulty is normal has been very valuable to me. Again: sharing the experience is what it's all about.

Thanks for covering both the successes and the tribulations.

You're welcome! Happy to do it (and I have PLENTY of time!)

 

[DrToonz]

UPDATE: So I went out today (with my mom driving).
I did the gym for 20 (yes, count them: TWENTY) minutes of no-resistance spinning on the recumbent stationary bike.
I followed that up with a trip to get coffee, then to the store next door to look at cameras just for fun and then over to buy some fried chicken for lunch and then back home.

This was A LOT more 'out time' than I've experienced before and WAAYY more walking than I've had before. 100's of feet (yes, that sounds lame, but 100's of feet is dozens of times as much as i've been doing!) of walking with just one hiking pole for equipment.

Now I'm home in The Big Chair icing and elevating to try to thwart any potential blowback from my walkabout.

Tonight there's a birthday dinner for my father-in-law which I've been invited to. I'm hoping to attend, but I'm not sure how I'll fee.

We will see!

 

[jebrig3164]

What's up Dr. Toonz? It's been three weeks today since my surgery. My incisions is healing according to my PT which comes three times a week very well. I'm always scared of it because I don't want an infection as well. And u have skin and belly fat hanging over my incision . It was cut about 6 inches in the front and he cut me in the crease of my front thigh and that is where I'm always checking. He put a clear see through wrapping on it and I can see it well. I keep a dry cloth in between so it doesn't touch . No fever or anything, so far so good . I'm walking a lot better still with the walker because my other hip is gone bad and that one will be replaced on April 30th. I'm getting around much much better and u only take Advil for the pain. I cook, clean, mop, sweep and is for my self. I walk around the house and about a block a day out side . So far so good !!!!!

 

[DrToonz]

No fever or anything, so far so good

Glad to hear it, @jebrig3164 . I'm on the similar schedule, but with both legs done, I assume it'll take me a little while longer to get to the cook, clean, mop, sweep mark.
I did do some dishes recently and I got out for a while today.

It's going!

 

[Butterfly]

@DrToonz I had some major "down" (depressed) time with the sugeries. Oddly enough, I thought, the worst down-ness came about the time I was starting to feel a bit better. I think a lot of it was the frutration of "will I never get to feeling 100% again" and the "I'm so sick of this whole thing" and the "so I've had the surgeries and still can't do squat" stuff, coupled with the lack of stamina and real energy. My OS reminded me that it would take me longer to recoup from two surgeries so close together than if it had only been one surgery/one hip, with a polite "Well, OF COURSE you are feeling weak and down -- you've had TWO major orthopedic surgeries in a month's time." Then he used the most hated of all phrases "at your age . . . ." He said pretty much all the body's systems are impacted by major surgery and it just takes how long it takes to get everything back to normal, probably measured in months.

Now at close to four months past the last surgery, I am feeling well, almost no pain at all unless I bump the surgical site against a table or something, but I still haven't gotten all my strength and stamina back -- a lot, but not nearly all. I also know that part of the problem is that for so long before the surgeries I had been in such pain and was so inactive, that I lost a lot of fitness, muscle tone, etc., and I'm sort of starting from scratch.

BUT, I am reminded by every step I take, that I am now able to WALK again and am free of that awful crippling, unrelenting pain that I lived with for so long and I am getting back to normal -- not quite there yet in terms of stamina and strength, and my gait is a bit off, but moving in the right direction.

You'll get there, as will I.

Peace and love to you.

 

[M1ke]

Toonz hey how's the guitar work going? I've been relearning some stuff (malagueña) and gotten through ten or so measures of Spanish romance. Really enjoying it and the new guitar is wonderful.

So glad to read through your recovery and see you doing so well. Keep it up!

 

[DrToonz]

Toonz hey how's the guitar work going?

I've been playing around for the last few days. Trying to get some callouses going. I'm not a guitarist by any stretch, but I'm honing my 5 or 6 chords!
It beats re-runs!

 

[M1ke]

Good man keep at it. I'm just a hack myself.

 

[DrToonz]

After yesterday's unprecedented 'out and about' time, I was absolutely exhausted after returning at 8:30pm or so from the father-in-law's birthday dinner. EXHAUSTED. I didn't want to go to bed too early and wake up at 2am so I gruelingly stayed up until 10:30 or so and then went to bed.
I slept longer than I previously have post-op! All the way to 7am! OMG!
That was good and I feel rested now.
Some work peeps are coming to get me and go to lunch with me today at 12:30. I'm sure they'll see me walking with my hiking pole and ask if I'm coming back tomorrow. hehe.
Anyway...it's a good morning.

 

[grandma chris]

@DrToonz - very big day! Sounds like you're progressing apace - good for you! I have not yet had the nerve to go out but I hear Tim Horton's calling me for a nice coffee and maybe the reward of a sugary lump of deep fried goodness I found that yesterday I made huge progress in my energy levels and stamina and upon awakening today find that I am not paying any kind of price for it. I think today I shall perambulate down to the little gym we have in our apartment and I shall try the stationary bike. It is a good morning!

 

[Freaky freak]

For the past week or so I have been keeping regular hours like I would if working to prepare for next week. It has helped get back to my pre surgery routine.

 

[DrToonz]

One of my coworkers set up a lunch date today with myself and 5 coworkers from my office. All friendly people and it was nice to get out. One of them picked me up and dropped me off at my house.
The walk from/to the car and the time sitting there with them didn't seem too exhausting until I got home and sat in The Big Chair. That's when I realized how much work it really was for me. It wasn't BAD or PAINFUL, just slow and tiring.

Oh, and here's the funny part. Oh, yes, something funny DID happen!

I knew they were coming at about 12:15 today, so at about 11 I began preparing. I gathered up some clean clothes, took a shower, redressed my incision spots which need bandages (see previous posting about unhealed spots) and was thinking I was totally on top of it today when I realized that I didn't have SOCKS on.

Now, that might not seem like too big a deal. Recently, I've just been slippers guy or, if going out like the few times that I have, I have had my DW or my mom put my socks on for me. No biggy, right?

But THIS time, I had given mom and the DW the day off! I started considering ways to make a homemade sock-puller-device. I've seen them touted in this forum so I know what they are and what they look like. Hmmmm...

I decided that I'd try to put them on myself. Old school.

So I find a pair that I know are not as tight as others. Not an easy task when you have size 12 feet. You see all these damned sock makers make socks that "fit size 6-12". HAHA!!! That means that any sock I have needs to stretch to its maximum capacity in order to fit over my gargantuan feet!
I sit on the edge of the bed. I strategically place a chair in front of me so that I can lift my foot up (with some difficulty as you probably know) to get it ALMOST within reach.
As it turns out, I can BARELY reach my toes with both hands. Now this SHOULD be a cause for celebration because pre-surgery, it HURT to try to reach EITHER foot with EITHER hand.
I'm able to just barely get the stretched-to-the-max wadded up sock over 4 of my huge toes.

A great and triumphant start.

Now All i have to do is finish the job. Right.

Glancing at the clock I now realize that I have about 15 minutes before I assume my ride will show up.

I reach the sock pulling my left foot toward me using my left hand on my ankle and holding my partially-over-my-toes sock with the other hand. This is going to work!

NO.

I now have my sock in my right hand and my ankle in the other. Fail.

I try something new. This time I move the chair closer to me so that when my foot is on it, it is within reach of both my hands. The first trouble with THIS plan is that now I have to lie down on my back on the bed in order to lift my knee up high enough to get my foot on the chair. Then with my foot on the chair I can sit up and have my knee almost against my chest. Just enough that both hands can reach my foot. I dropped the sock. I start over with the lie down, the lift, the sit up, etc and I scrunch up the sock in both hands and reach for the foot. YAY! Success! I now have a sock all the way over 5 toes.

I hope you have a good visual now. I'm actually grinning with pride as I sit there with one sock covering the toes of one foot which is on the edge of a chair adjacent to the bed I'm sitting on. I'm actually out of breath from the stretching and lifting and now I'm leaning back on my hands, foot up, planning the next phase of sock-application #1.

I am optimistic.

Still holding myself up with the left hand I use my right to partially pull the big-toe side of the sock over the ball of my foot. Not bad! It's a little bit of stretching, but it works. It's a little painful but it works.

Then an image comes to me. I start thinking of all the warnings that are given to hippies about the 90-degree rule and dislocation and twisting and all that stuff. I know that I've been given no restrictions besides a rearward hyperextension ban, but I still am focused on the what if. I try to put this thought out of my mind, but now, as I'm attempting to get the left hand to do to the left side of the sock what the right hand did to the right, my imagination gets the best of me. I start imagining what it looks like in there at the new hip. Theres a ball. A socket. a bunch of f'd up muscles a bunch of slime (I'm now picturing the x=ray pic) and these giant steel monstrosities holding it all together.

Have you seen the movie "127 Hours"? There is a scene which shows the inside of a damaged body part like an ex-ray with stuff moving not the way it should and sounds representing pain and nerve endings and screaming and panic and ... This is what I've got in my head now. What happens if, in my attempt to get a sock on, I have a Aaron Ralston Moment and pop some nasty stuff into nasty positions?

Naaaahhh...that's not gonna happen. (I try to tell myself).

It's now been an entire 5 minutes and my first sock is just over the ball of my foot. I have to contort some more to get other pieces of the sock, centimeter by centimeter, over the rest of my foot. I switch hands, I move the foot to a better position on the chair. I try straight-legged. I try knee-to-chest. I try foot on floor, bent over. I go back to foot-on-chair-edge. That seems best. I pull the right side a few millimeters with my right hand, the left side a few millimeters with my left hand (stop, contort, breath, relax, get Aaron Ralston out of my head) and so on and so forth for about 5 minutes. I succeed. I actually got it all the way over my yeti-sized heel an up the calf. I laugh at how difficult it was. I rejoice in my triumph of self-sufficiency and celebrate the fact that I did not have to call 9-1-1 from my dislocated heap on the floor to explain that SOCKS were too difficult a prospect for me. I laugh out loud all alone to myself. The dog looks on curiously.

Time for the right sock.

My right leg is the lesser-capable of my legs at the moment. Not significantly, but noticeably. This will be no fun. I have 5-10 minutes before my ride should be here. This leg requires less experimentation because I now know that the leg-on-chair protocol and the dual-handed knee-to-chest approach is proven effective. I start there rather than needing to reinvent the process. I get this sock on, with much twisting, much tugging, some stretching, a small amount of pain and only one reminiscent image of Aaron Ralston flashing through my mind in the process. It's on!! Slightly twisted, but ON! I spend a couple minutes un-twisting by millimeters at a time with only a revolving left, then right, then left hand pincer-grasp tug of the overstretched sock to get it straightened on my foot.

SUCCESS! I have socks on. They are ON, they are STRAIGHT and they are COMFORTABLE.

I get the shoes. I'm really happy now, because not only have I triumphed over the freakin' socks, I already KNOW that tying my shoes is not only POSSIBLE but can be done without any of the previously shoe-tying-prohibitive bone-on-bone pain! Oh, yes.

Now... My ride is here! I go off to lunch. I come back and I'm tired but I want to write down my experience before i forget. An hour and a half of lunch chat and out and about and I'm ready for a nap.

I will not forget the socks next time. Or maybe I need those little footie socks? Would those be easier?

Wow. Who knew?

 

[DrToonz]

And then there's THIS:

 

[beaglador]

Utterly hilarious!!! I'm crying with laughter.