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THR Hipster Girl Recovery Thread

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Glad all went well for you. It sounds like your are doing really well. It must be so good to have equal leg lengths again.
 
First full day of being home and I had forgotten how tough it was to navigate this thick carpet with my walker while only 50% weight bearing. It can be exhausting going from one room to the next so I am not being nearly as active as I was in rehab which is only adding to my post-op blues.

I had also gotten spoiled in rehab with the prepared meals being delivered three times a day. I have been alone most of today and have not yet mustered up enough energy to attempt to make anything to eat. Fortunately I had picked up some nutrition bars and lean protein drinks prior to my surgery so at least I have gotten some nutrition in my body today.

We do have some big frozen heat & eat type meals in the garage but I honestly can't muster the energy to get out there to get one and I don't know how I'd carry it inside if I did, as they are quite heavy. I'll figure something out tomorrow but today my energy is just zapped. I'm not even out of my pj's today. I have to remind myself that I am only 9 days out. Kind of hard to do when I was starting to feel normal again before my most recent surgery, but at the same time, having been through this once before, I know from experience that it gets better. Just have to take it slow and roll with it instead of fighting it....sigh
 
Hugs, @Hipster Girl. I can only imagine what it's like to go from being several weeks out recovering from the first THR and then have the second surgery, rehab, and then back home.
I'm glad you have the protein drinks and nutrition bars. It sounds like PJs, resting, and just taking care of yourself is the order of the day.
I know that you know that it does get better. I am sending out tons of healing vibes and positive thoughts for you.
You're doing great and you'll feel much better soon. Take care, friend. :)
 
Hi @Hipster Girl, I wish I could help you. I just made a lasagna, and if you lived closer and wanted some I'd love to bring it over. Is there a neighbor who can bring in the frozen meals for you? I remember those post op days. Reheating food takes a lot of energy. I'm glad you at least have the energy bars and protein drinks. I found I bought a lot of treats to eat during my recovery. I guess I tend to reward myself with food.

Are you sleeping okay? I hope you have some help around the house soon. Take care of yourself.
 
Physically my newly operated hip is doing fine. Home PT came yesterday and was amazed by range of motion with the exercises and my lack of pain (I didn't even fill the prescription for pain meds when I came home as I just don't feel any pain to speak of). My previously operated hip is doing fabulously with supporting my newly operated side.

So all of that is good news so why on earth do I feel so down?? I read about the post-op blues so it seems this is a very real condition but I am really going through it this go-around. Maybe also the fact that I had my surgeries close together, maybe my body didn't have a chance to completely get over this from last time and so the "blues" are more pronounced this time?? I also am at that "special time" of life where hormones play a factor, and I just find myself very low and weepy these past couple weeks.

I think also that my patience is wearing thin. Between the two surgeries and recoveries, this process seems to be taking FOR-EV-ER! Add to that the 50% weight bearing and restrictions of only using the walker and there is precious little I can do to overcome the daily boredom. I know the 4 week mark when I should (hopefully) get off the walker and on my cane and get my driving privileges back, will be a turning point as far as freedom so I am counting the days. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer but I'm just kind of struggling a bit emotionally this time.

Add to that, I found out my job is being relocated so I can either uproot my life and make the move (something I do not want to do) or I will find myself out of a job and looking for work soon. I suppose the good news is that I will have two new hips which should make it easier on me physically, but it is still hard to leave a job and company that I have been with for so many years and that I absolutely love, and have to start all over again, and who knows who will want to hire anyone over age 50 anyhow? So I worry about age discrimination which is something I never had to worry about before but I see a lot of people my age facing the same thing. Just so much on my mind these days and kind of a lot to handle all at once.

Thanks for listening BS friends....
 
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I experienced almost all of what you are describing. I'm sorry that your job is being relocated. You're dealing with intense change at this time. I understand what you mean about looking for work with two new hips, and being over 50. I have been facing the same thing, and haven't found work.

I'm glad to hear that your ROM is so good, and that you're not in pain. Those are huge pluses. I don't know if you journal, but that helps me.
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! , all the best to you in your job search. Here's hoping and praying that we both will find suitable, satisfying work in the near future. On a positive note, I can't help but think we are both better off looking for jobs now with our new hips than had we been limping in agony into a job interview where we would appear older than our age and perhaps be viewed as a medical liability. I used to have people notice my limp all the time and inquire about it. Now I am hoping to blend in and appear "normal" and let a potential interviewer notice me rather than my hip.
 
@Hipster Girl, I am sending you a huge cyber hug and a batch of positive vibes. You have every right to 'feel your feels'. You've been through something monumental and that is always a stressor. Becoming blue about it really makes sense, actually. You are wrapping your head around a whole new aspect of your life. While it is a positive change, it's still big and personal evolution must occur. Just know that you're not alone and we're always here to listen. You're not being a Debbie Downer...you're being human.

The job thing is also a big deal. I'm sorry that had to come along right at this very juncture. I am sending out good thoughts for you as you consider your options. I so hear you about never having had to worry about age discrimination before, but it is real and it is a shame. Personally, I like myself so much better now and think I have so much more to offer than I did when I was a younger woman. Now, with the bionic hips, you're an even greater version of what you once were! That we have to convince people of that is galling. How long do you have to make your decision?
All will be well, friend. For right now, just get through one day at a time and be very kind to yourself. You deserve that.

Never forget: we're here and we understand. Don't hesitate to share your concerns with us. Sometimes it just helps to type them out. :console2:
 
Hipster Girl said:
@Hip Hip Hooray! , all the best to you in your job search. Here's hoping and praying that we both will find suitable, satisfying work in the near future. On a positive note, I can't help but think we are both better off looking for jobs now with our new hips than had we been limping in agony into a job interview where we would appear older than our age and perhaps be viewed as a medical liability. I used to have people notice my limp all the time and inquire about it. Now I am hoping to blend in and appear "normal" and let a potential interviewer notice me rather than my hip.
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Totally. I was going to auditions...singing and then trying to dance! The producers and production teams were looking at me like they felt sorry for me. The limping is a real red flag. I could just tell that I wasn't going to get hired because of it. Not to mention that it took all of my energy back then just to do my daily tasks. Now, I feel very healthy and energetic. I'm sure you will blend in and appear "normal" once you heal. I do. I've got a spring in my step, and it's easy and comfortable to walk again. I was just struggling to walk before the surgery. (bent over, and very bow legged.) You're right about how that ages us. The reverse is also true.

The one thing with you is that you have a job that you love. There's no way you would want to move? I completely understand. I love my little cottage. I hope that you attract something new that uses your talent and fulfills you.

I think part of the blues is also grief. I've had a lot of that over not being a dancer anymore and also just facing the fact that they removed my hips. Also, then I read the threads on this forum about people who have had problems after the surgery, I get worried. It makes me very cautious. Hip replacements are major, and they're not a natural thing. But, I love the results, and I know that my life will be much better this way. I try to focus on being grateful that I had such an excellent surgeon, and that I was able to receive this gift.

Take care of yourself. Right now healing is first priority. I enjoy reading your posts and look forward to your next one.
 
Thanks @DeepBreath, it really does help just to type it out (I guess that is my form of journaling) and just having the support of such wonderful people on this forum whom I've never met in person but who are so supportive and share the common bond of this surgery which kind of ties us all together in a unique way. It doesn't help that I have all day to sit around and think; I do much better when I am moving about and living life.

Plus I feel so isolated being stuck at home and I miss being at work and around my co-workers. I think my mood will lift once I get around people again. Also the sun came out today and I suddenly realized it has been a week or two since I have seen the sun and it dawned on me how much I have missed it. The gray, gloomy days haven't helped my mood and it is amazing how seeing the sun peek through can suddenly lift my spirits. :SUNsmile:

@Hip Hip Hooray! was dancing your job before your hips got bad? What type of dancing do/did you do? Will you be able to dance again now that you have had the surgery and once you are completely healed? I hope you are able to return to dancing in some capacity as it sounds like a passion of yours and I'm sure brings you great joy.

As for the move, I dunno, I just feel like this is my home. And when the time comes for future grandchildren (hopefully in the not too far off future), they will be here locally and I want to be a big part of their lives, not just a couple times a year for visits. I have unfortunately been in this position before with layoffs or job transfers, and I feel like, just like the corporations look out for their best interests, I have to do the same and base my decisions on where I want to live and not where my job is, because who's to say I make the move and then they lay off in 6 months or a year after I have uprooted my life. Corporate America, it happens all the time.
 
Hip Hip Hooray! said:
I think part of the blues is also grief....just facing the fact that they removed my hips. Also, then I read the threads on this forum about people who have had problems after the surgery, I get worried. It makes me very cautious. Hip replacements are major, and they're not a natural thing.
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Hipster Girl said:
It doesn't help that I have all day to sit around and think

The gray, gloomy days haven't helped my mood and it is amazing how seeing the sun peek through can suddenly lift my spirits.
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Yes, yes, yes, and YES! These points are SO true. @Hip Hip Hooray!, I wondered if I was the only one who grieved those old hips. As angry as I was at them towards the end for the constant pain, I find myself thinking about them once in awhile. They did their darndest to tote me around for 48+ years even though they were progressively weakened by disease. The thought of them being swept away with medical waste has put me into a funk more than once. Gosh, it's good to know I'm not alone.
And your other point about things going wrong; that is so on my mind.

@Hipster Girl, I hear you about the not being around people. I feel like I'm actually well suited to this process of recovery because I am an introvert and tend to be a loner and a home body. However, I cannot believe how much my mood raises when I do go out among people. I enjoy my time with them and then am happy to get home to my snug little house.
The gray skies are another huge factor. That does play a huge part in our overal outlook. A couple of days of cloudy, rainy weather can be cozy, but if it drags on...hoo boy!

All your points about moving for your job are so valid. I wouldn't want to be far away from future grandbabies either, and you're so right about who's to say there won't be more lay-offs in the future even if you do move.
I'm continuing to send out good thoughts for you as you decide.
Hang in there, friend. There are many more sunny days in your future. I can feel it. :SUNsmile:
 
Thank you @DeepBreath, I sure hope you are right about more sunny days in my future! My PT came today and took my stitches out and I told her about the job thing and she had a totally different perspective than me - she was all excited for me talking about how she loves change and change is so exciting because you meet new people and learn new things and face new challenges, and nothing ever gets stale or boring. I believe she said she has lived in 13 states!

Now mind you I love my stability and am very resistant to change but she had me *somewhat* excited about embracing this new chapter in my life (key word: "somewhat", haha) It is the unknown that I am not too comfortable with but who knows, I suppose there is the possibility that after I find a new job, I may look back and see this as a blessing in disguise. I sure hope so!
 
Hey, good for her! It does help to get different takes on a situation. Moving can be amazing. My husband and I will have been married for 22 years this December. We've moved, on average, once every two years during that time. (He's military...not evading the law. :heehee: ) When it's all over and he's retired, I do kind of wonder how it will be not moving any more. It is an adventure and a fresh start.
You'll make the right decision for you though. Your gut will let you know. :flwrysmile:
 
Hi @Hipster Girl, Yes, dancing was my work before my hips started to go. I also taught dance for 30 years. I'm not sure if I will be able to dance again. Right now I am focusing on my other passions, and that keeps me busy and happy. I feel like this is a new chapter of my life. I also don't want to do anything that would cause problems with these new hips. I want to take care of them so that they last. I am getting a lot more ROM lately, though. It's really encouraging, and it just seems to be due to the passage of time and being patient. Who knows? I try to stay open to all possibilities and opportunities.

That makes total sense about wanting to stay near family. I think as we get older we think more about the future. You are wise to plan ahead. I'm sure things will work out for you.

@DeepBreath, great posts. I know, I almost asked my surgeon if I could have the old bones. I know that sounds gross, but I really wanted to see them. I just decided to move on, and didn't pursue it. The before and after xray shows a lot, though.
 
@DeepBreath wow, moving every two years for 22 years, that is incredible! Will you miss the moving do you think once your husband retires or are you looking forward to finally staying in one place?

@Hip Hip Hooray! I totally get where you are coming from about wanting to take care of your new hips so that they last. I think you and I are close to the same age and I know I do not want to have a revision in 20 or so years if I can avoid it. I never want to go through this again. My passion used to be running. There is nothing that relieves stress and releases the endorphins like going for a good run, but my running days are officially behind me now as the OS says any jackhammer type motion like that is out for life.

I'm happy to hear your range of motion is improving lately. Are you doing any outpatient PT or are you just going to the gym and doing regular workouts? I hope you can return to dance some day in some capacity. Did I read that you were a Rockette? Not sure if I spelled that right. In rehab, they would tell us to kick our legs like we were a Rockette, haha

On the bone thing, I can understand wanting to see the old ones. My surgeon actually took a glossy photo each time of the old diseased hip alongside the parts of the new hip, and he gave these to me to keep in the hospital. On the right one, there is some fleshy thing hanging off the hip that I don't know what it is, I plan to take it back to my post-op visit and ask him. I think it must be a muscle or tendon or something. I like having the photos; it's like still having my old hips with me, as weird as that sounds.
 
Oh Hipster Girl, I'm sorry you are feeling blue.. it seems to be inevitable at some point with this process. And you have had both hips replaced in a short amount of time.. of course you are tired of limitations and well, more limitations.
I am curious, where would you need to relocate to?
looking for new employment sounds a bit daunting, I am sure, but who knows what's out there waiting for you??
The best news is that your newest hip is pain free and you are having a relatively easy recovery so far. That is wonderful!
@Hip Hip Hooray! I'm sorry to hear that you are worrying about employment, too. You summed it up well about grieving the loss of our natural hips. I try not to think about it. But it creeps in when my guard is down.

I think we are all doing super duper! I can't wait to peek back in next year and see where we all are in the process of living our lives!!
 
@CricketHip I have to say I love the way you think and your optimism: "Who knows what's out there waiting for you??".

Your posts are always so inspirational and you, like my physical therapist, are almost making me excited about the prospect of starting this new chapter. I agree it will be interesting to check back in a year from now and see where we all are and what direction our lives have taken.

I have sent you a PM on the relocation.
 
@Hipster Girl, how wonderful of your sugeon to take those pictures for you. I, like @Hip Hip Hooray! had a fleeting desire to at least see those old hips. To say goodbye? To satisfy myself that this was absolutely the right thing to do? I don't know... I do find myself mourning them. I'd be interested to know if anybody has written a paper, article, etc on this and the psychological causes and impacts behind it. I might do a search for that! :)

Regarding your moving question; yes, I actually do think it will be hard to not move often, at least until I get used to it. By the time he retires that will have been the norm for over 25 years of my life. It's kept me 'honest' as far as keeping things cleaned out and decluttered. Also, if you find yourself living somewhere you don't particularly care for it's not a big deal because you won't be there for terribly long. Conversely though, some places have been very hard to leave.
I think we'll have to be very careful in selecting our 'forever' place.

How are you feeling today? I hope there are sunny skies where you are and there's a smile on your face. :flwrysmile:
 
Thanks @DeepBreath , I actually am feeling a bit better today. I slept better last night so I have more energy and the sun is shining and it is a beautiful day so that always makes me feel better. I grew tired of so many cloudy, gloomy days in a row & I know that contributed, at least partially, to the doldrums. It's wonderful to see the sunshine! :SUNsmile:

if you find that article, please let us know because I too have similar feelings like you & @Hip Hip Hooray! about my old hips. I used to think I was the only one but I'm glad to hear I'm not but I have no idea why I feel this way when all they did for the last several years have caused me severe pain. I'd be very curious to hear the psychological reasoning behind it.

I can see how that would be kind of exciting to move and start fresh every few years, but I imagine that would be very hard to leave a place that you really loved where you made really good friends. I know it's only TV but one of my favorite shows was "Army Wives" and it would make me sad when they had to uproot and move somewhere else after they had made such good friends. I always marveled at how adaptable the wives were in particular. I have "Army Wives" on the brain because I recently binge watched a bunch of episodes I had on my DVR since I have been on disability. :)
 
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