THR Hipster64's Recovery Thread

[HipsterKat]

My theme song should be "Feeling Stronger Every Day" by Chicago!

Yep!! My staff sang the theme from Rocky the first few times I made it up the stairs to work.

 

[Hipster64]

Hello: Lots of positive updates to report! Was back at PT today. The therapist stated I was doing very well; in fact, after seeing me walk without the cane, advised me that I can walk without it in small, indoor residential settings on one level. In other words, I need the cane to go up and down the stairs in my home but can ambulate without it once I am on the floor I need to be on. This rule also applies to my dad's house or any other residence I visit until further notice. However, I still need the cane outside due to walking on uneven surfaces or longer distances, or if I go to places like malls and shopping plazas, which I completely understand. Needless to say I was very pleased with this improvement. Also, both my PCP and my therapist agreed that I could begin driving the week of 8/18. I asked about that because my husband has a colonoscopy on 8/22 and he can't drive himself, so once again I was very happy they agreed I would be ready to get behind the wheel in a couple of weeks.

Finally, I was able to get in touch with my OS office, who informed me that as long as my PCP confirms in writing to my OS that I can handle a subsequent surgery, there is no reason why I cannot have my left THR on 9/9. Since my PCP told me yesterday at my physical that a 9/9 surgery seems doable, a letter from her to my OS confirming this should not be an issue.

Keep on keepin' on!

 

[Calgal]

Fabulous news! Well done on the walking sans crutch at not even 4 weeks! I'm just now where you are but at 10 weeks took me a little longer. Oh well. Getting there day by day!

Good luck with hip 2. Good to hear you will be getting that one over with soon and heading toward 100% recovery before the end of the year!

 

[julesglass]

I just got my first cup of coffee and wanted to see what the "world's " up to, low and behold it's full of sunshine and dancing!! I am so happy for you! Keep on keeping on girl!!

 

[Barbaraj]

Wow, great news, @Hipster64 Not that anybody is salivating at the prospect of more surgery but certainly since it's essential for you, getting out of the way on schedule and then heading down the final trail for full recovery is definitely good news. You are doing great, and the thumbs up report on driving must have been gratifying--freedom and independence--woo, hoo!

 

[Layla]

Great update. Thanks for sharing.
It sounds like you're doing well and making progress. Best news is you get to keep you surgery date
of September 9th for Lefty. You'll be heading into the New Year pain free and well on your way. Yay!
Have a great weekend!
@Hipster64

 

[Hipster64]

Layla: I can't wait to get the left hip done. My PCP already faxed over the letter clearing me for surgery to my OS, so there's half the battle right there.

The operated right hip/leg is doing fine, but the left one, which bore the brunt for so long, is starting to act up. I really felt it today when we went to Kohl's to exchange some items for my dad and decided to shop around. I had to walk the entire parameter of the store to get to the ladies' room (it was in a completely different area than most of the other Kohl's) and was pretty much done in. I ended up sitting in the entry on a bench for a good portion of our time there, and when my husband suggested going out for ice cream later on, I respectfully declined as I did not want to overdo anything and regret it later. I was wiped out and not ashamed to admit it. One thing about this surgery is boy, does it humble you; I never would have admitted to being tired pre-surgery and would have kept on going until I dropped!

Enjoy the weekend, everyone!

 

[Mojo333]

You have done splendidly...and after you get the bratty left one straightened out...look out world.
Have a good weekend, friend!

 

[Ptarmigan]

@Hipster64 I am so motivated by reading your posts! You keep your eye on the finish line, make steady and yet somehow also sensational progress, and you’re positive and realistic, all at the same time. I couldn’t be more pleased to watch your progress!

 

[Barbaraj]

Hey, @Hipster64, great to read that you've been cleared for your second surgery so now it's just waiting until that's done and you can REALLY focus on full recovery and a brand new bionic life in 2020! I absolutely agree that surgical recovery humbles us all. But maybe that isn't such a bad thing, that super human approach to fatigue is probably silly in the long run. If we don't take care of ourselves, we'll not be in any shape to help care for the others in our life who might need out help. You're doing great--hang in there, and have a great weekend!

 

[Layla]

Hello and Happy Saturday!
Thankfully you don't have long to wait now and being excited to move forward is half the battle.
I hated that pre-op anxiety that a rare few don't experience and you seem to be one of the lucky ones.
I fully understand wanting it over with since it's hampering your current recovery. It will be wonderful to have them both done, and continue on your healing journey. Just think of how great you'll feel going into the New Year. I'm excited for you, it's going to be great!
@Hipster64

 

[Hipster64]

Thank you all for thinking that I am such a trooper! I hate to tell you guys, but my pre-op anxiety for my first surgery was through the roof. I cried at the drop of a hat, worried constantly whether or not I was doing the right thing, was petrified that the surgery wouldn't take and I would be in even worse pain than beforehand, and even questioned my OS if there was any chance of my surgery being cancelled due to some random circumstance. He even promised me that he would be in the area at the time of my surgery and wasn't going anywhere by plane! I think a lot of it was due to the fact that I didn't know what to expect, that I was going out of work and didn't want the short term disability company to think I was lying to them if the surgery somehow got postponed, and was terrified that if it did get postponed somehow that I would be sent back to work, even though I was in excruciating pain (which I also expressed to my OS). As I said in my pre-op post, I used two weeks of vacation time prior to my surgery because commuting to work and being there was becoming harder and harder for me, and I was not allowed to work from home (even though I am completely set up to do so because I do it every other Saturday).

Since I discovered this site and learned that I am not alone with my concerns, have already been through one surgery, am already out of work and established on STD, and have realized that the surgery has already made my right leg stronger after only 3.5 weeks, I look forward to Surgery #2 with open arms! And if for some reason it gets postponed (the only reason at this point would be if the OS, who I see on 9/3 for my right THR six-week followup, decides otherwise), the further away my return to work date will be. It will be out of my control.

Today was a restful day for me. My left leg is now giving me problems (but still nowhere near what the right leg was at pre-op) and I think the Kohl's trip yesterday gave the right leg too much of a workout. Except for a morning bank run, I stayed home today and plan to do the same tomorrow. And I don't feel guilty over it either.

Next goal is weaning myself to one Tramadol a day, taken in the evening, so I can be fully alert and be able to drive after 8/15. Started today and pain was no worse than when I took my morning dose, so I am hopeful. Still on 2000mg of Tylenol each day.

 

[Mojo333]

Your recovery story is inspiring and we are all hoping number two goes just as well.
You have a ready made fan club to cheer you on!

Except for a morning bank run, I stayed home today and plan to do the same tomorrow. And I don't feel guilty over it either.

Assume the position and have a restful Sunday.

 

[Barbaraj]

I wasn't quite as freaked out as you reported prior to your first surgery, @Hipster64, although I admit I was terrified about the prospect of the sedation/spinal. I was so afraid that somehow I'd wake up during the procedure to the sound of buzz saws whirring away, loud voices and bright lights. Well, that didn't happen so with hip #2, while not exactly thrilled about the prospect of a second surgery, I was resigned and ready for it. I am glad to read that you are actually looking forward to getting it done, that is a great attitude going into surgery. Sure, recovery is the pits and it may be different (mine has been) than recovery from round one, but you have this enormous sense of relief when you realize that once you finish this second slog you will be DONE, no more hips needing replacement! You absolutely WILL reclaim your full and more active life in 2020! Good luck on the Tramadol weaning--have you considered substituting a Tylenol dose for that? That's what I was able to do (I had been taking Tramadol only at night) and I found it worked for me. Best of luck with this--I know we all want to wean off medication at some point, and with a second surgery approaching rapidly, I can understand your interest in doing this now.

 

[Hipster64]

Barbaraj: Good idea about the Tylenol. Right now I am on 2000 mg of Tylenol a day-2 500mg pills in the AM and two 500mg pills in the PM. I was taking one Tramadol with each; now I am taking it only in the PM.

They have already cut me back from 3000mg of Tylenol (1000mg in morning, afternoon and evening) but I will ask them this week if I can take a 500mg pill in the afternoon as opposed to the Tramadol-that will put me up to 2500mg. So far I notice no real pain difference from eliminating one Tramadol-except I am sneezing more often. I wonder if Tramadol suppresses sneezing because I sneeze frequently and once I got on all these meds, my sneezing strangely stopped.

 

[Barbaraj]

I wish you luck with the continued weaning down of medication, @Hipster64 . With surgery coming up next month, do they want you off all medication or just the Tramadol? When I switched from Tramadol to Tylenol I frankly didn't notice any difference in pain reduction--and I'm not a big time sneezer so that wasn't affected (weird that all sneezing stopped with medication!) It's Monday, a new week and let's hope it's a good one for all of us trudging along. Cheers!

 

[Hipster64]

Barbaraj; For the last surgery I was off everything by the day before. I was also on Meloxicam for the first surgery and I had to get off that completely the week before. Strangely, they took me off Meloxicam after I was discharged and I am not taking it now.

I'm just trying to wean off Tramadol now so I can drive medfree. I plan on driving during the day so the evening dose shouldn't bother me. However, I know I will be back on it after Surgery #2 is done.

 

[Hipster64]

Hello: Another therapy update and small victory to report. I have been approved to climb stairs one at a time and no longer have to bring both feet on each stair before moving on to the next one. Also was able to stop into my OS's office and confirm they received the letter from my PCP approving me for the 9/9 surgery. Based on my conversation with them they have yet to officially schedule the hospital pre-admission testing and the surgery itself is still not showing up in MyChart with all my other appointments, but they said to hold on and wait to hear from them so that's all I can do for now.

I must confess that I took a Tramadol before my therapy appointment; not so much for my operated right leg but for the non-operated left one which has really been bothering me. I spoke with my therapist about it because she knows how much I want to start driving next week, and she said that there was nothing wrong with me taking one before therapy to alleviate any pain, especially since I still have a leg that's not right. So maybe what I will do is continue to have my husband drive me to therapy on the days I take it, and on my non-therapy days, not take it. Like I said, I am only looking to drive during the day from Point A to Point B at this time; no road trips.

 

[Barbaraj]

Hurray for normal stair walking, @Hipster64 And, yes, those small victories are wonderful, punctuating this tedious recovery journey in a positive way. And great that your PCP has approved this second surgery and things will now start falling into place so you can hit the recovery trail after that with the happy thought of NO MORE HIP REPLACEMENT AGAIN! I can appreciate what you're saying about how your first hip was recovering and comfortable, and then--bam--the other, unoperated hip started whining. That's exactly what happened to me--I was so mad! I had this (obviously delusional) plan that I'd recover from the first hip replacement, get back into shape and thus put off a second hip replacement for a long, long time. Nope, didn't work out that way at all! But now I am in the enviable position that you will be shortly, both hips done and working towards a fully bionic recovery and looking ahead to a sensational 2020! Hang in there!

 

[Layla]

Happy One Month Anniversary!
Hooray on no longer climbing stairs toddler style. It feels so good to navigate steps like a big girl again even if it means clinging to a railing. It will be nice to practice for awhile as you wait out these final weeks before your Left THR.

I hope all is going well and you're ready to get the next surgery behind you, finally moving forward without pain. You should be feeling wonderful by the holidays with no stopping you in 2020!
Enjoy the weekend!
@Hipster64