THR Hiptopia!

[Fiona444]

Hi @Calgal sounds like you are doing great! I do not see my surgeon until next year but I bet it felt good to get confirmation all is well! Wonderful that you are getting into your pilates and building up those muscles. I think that will do you so much good. I am delighted for you!

 

[Barbaraj]

Yup, you are just a youngster, @Calgal and so great to get a good report. I agree that building up those glutes is going to take awhile. It's an issue for me to and since all those pesky muscles are related to one another, working on one will have positive benefits for the others as well. Your approach to exercise is a bit like mine: don't love it but plugging away! I will say that trying to do those dreary PT exercises daily or as prescribed will probably pay off. I credit PT exercises before surgery for keeping me in as good a shape as possible going into surgery and afterwards not having any real struggles other than occasional dips into over-activity. Slow and steady is the key here, and consistency and persistence. You are doing so well, and it's going to get even better as the months go by. Hurray for you!

 

[Calgal]

@Barbaraj you are my inspiration for diligent exercising. I pale in comparison to you. Am really going to channel you as I do my multitude of glute exercises.

 

[VSlowLife]

I credit PT exercises before surgery for keeping me in as good a shape as possible going into surgery and afterwards not having any real struggles other than occasional dips into over-activity.

This is good to hear @Barbaraj. It’s been suggested by my primary doctor to request PT from my surgeon before surgery. Glad to know It made a difference for you.

 

[linette333]

Hi @Calgal ! What a great report from your OS! A real boost to your confidence! You have moved steadily through this process and you are now really seeing the results. Well done!

 

[Barbaraj]

Ha, ha, @Calgal, I am amused that you think of me as an inspiration for much of anything. I'll take it but I think you are definitely being too self-deprecating. You have been diligent about being as active as you're able to be, and even eating the cost of one-on-one Pilates instruction, to provide targeted help for those weakened muscles. But channel away if it might help! Those glutes are apparently big muscles, my PT said, and they take a lot of work to get working properly so hang in there. You are going to get there! Happy Sunday!

And, @VSlowLife, I initially started PT before all this hip nonsense because I thought I had a problem with my lower back (sciatica) which was eventually diagnosed as severe osteoarthritis in my hips. The only instruction my OS gave to me was "don't gain weight" and "continue exercising" so I kept on with both the gym for cardio (elliptical) and the PT exercises I had for my lower back, although they added a few targeted exercises for the hips, too. I am someone who likes structure so doing PT exercises daily (the key is to have some but not so many you feel overwhelmed) works well--have coffee, skim newspaper, brush teeth--and exercise! If you do decide to do some PT beforehand, I hope it will be helpful for you--I feel it was good for me and allowed for an easier recovery post-surgery for both hips. Cheers!

 

[Calgal]

Happy to report another A-HA moment! Lately I've been been feeling a bit disillusioned about my lack of muscle strength / progress rebuilding, even after doing more than 2 months of 1:1 Pilates sessions. (Despite my OS saying last Thursday to be patient as it takes 12-18 months to fully recover soft tissue damage) So two things to report:

Well, lo and behold, 2 days after that OS appointment last week, I was walking upstairs and suddenly just felt....stronger. I realized I was leaning a bit to the left to compensate for the weak right, and I just stood up straighter. Felt really good, both with my body awareness of strange compensating postures and also with being able to rectify them.

So, this Monday at my pilates class, I told my instructor I felt stronger. We then did a few of the moves (requiring balancing on my op leg) that I found very difficult to do before and - ta da! - suddenly I could actually DO them correctly! Yippee! Now, it's not perfect by any means, but much much much better than before. She said I've clearly (finally!) turned a corner. Happy dance! Of course there's still work to do and I'm continuing for another 4 weeks. But today all is well again in Hiptopia.

Lesson learned: don't give up faith, folks. Recovery doesn't understand arbitrary dates and calendars - but your body will tell you when it's time for another leap forward.

 

[Elf1]

Don't you just love those A-HA moments!? You're doing so well, keep up the good work, just don't get ahead of yourself and overdo. I know you know better but just a friendly reminder.

 

[Mojo333]

Hip Hip Hooray.
Hope the rest of your week is sweet.

 

[linette333]

You are coming on in leaps and bounds! (Well, maybe not literally just yet .... !)

 

[Barbaraj]

I can very much relate, @Calgal, it is indeed very wonderful when you suddenly find yourself doing something (or not, as the case may be) that hasn't happened before, and you smile to yourself and it's truly a happy moment. You are chugging ahead and another little milestone reached--wahoo! There really aren't any huge improvements at this point in recovery, but those small and incremental boosts are totally encouraging, aren't they? Have a great day!

 

[Calgal]

Small victories, @Barbaraj , small victories are priceless. They all add up. Hoping you have lots more small victories too!

 

[Barbaraj]

No small victories for me today, @Calgal, but I agree when they happen they are very encouraging and bring a confident smile to my face. My only complaint is that they often don't last very long! I was feeling pretty good on Thursday after my PT appointment, a lot less stiffness and ache and then on Friday--boom--I had a less than good day which I attribute to not sleeping very well the night before. For me, poor sleep causes fatigue which then promotes sloppy movement which leads to increased aching and stiffness. It does sometimes feel like a bit of a roller coaster ride, doesn't it? Have a great weekend.

 

[Layla]

Hello and a Happy Saturday to you way over yonder
Progress will come and it is coming. The important thing is you're able to go live your life on the daily without that wretched pre-op pain. It so wonderful!
Enjoy the weekend!
@Calgal

 

[Calgal]

Hello hipsters. Today is just over 6 months, and I'm starting the Thanksgiving meal prep. I've been in the UK for 16 years and probably only celebrated Thanksgiving a handful of times, but this year I'm feeling particularly thankful due to my new hip. . I usually do all the cooking the day before and day of, but even at 6 months I know I need to pace myself so as not to land in ODIC. I think that's an important lesson I've learned this year. Do what you want, but slow and steady wins every race.

Just wishing all hipsters, long time recoverees and newly bionic still struggling ones, a happy Thanksgiving. If you're still struggling just rest and enjoy letting others tend to you and feed you. If you're alone, take a few minutes to be grateful for being alive and breathing. If you're in a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, maybe adopt it for the day and have a nice meal (even out for dinner?!) with family and/or / friends, and take the opportunity to say how much they mean to you.

This year I'm thankful for my OS's skill, the dedicated nursing staff, my darling husband, close neighbors who cheered me on, my beloved Springer spaniel, my PT's and Pilates instructor for getting me back to strength, paracetamol and codeine for relieving my early pains, and of course ALL you Bonesmart advisors and members. All of these resulted in a dream recovery that has changed my life and my attitude forever. Thank you, bless you, and happy Thanksgiving.

 

[Mojo333]

Hi @Calgal
So sweet you are carrying the holiday that inspires gratitude with you.
We often have so much to be thankful for but are hung up on the less than perfect hiccups life brings.
My list is almost exactly like yours...including my dog!

The other part of ThanksGiving, the Thanks part is splendid - but it's the Giving that truly feeds our soul.
You have given back with your kind words, comfort and support to others here on the forum so I am also thankful for members like you!
Have a great Thanksgiving.

 

[Bfam85]

@Calgal, what a wonderful Thanksgiving message! I say hear! hear! We live in such a time that hip replacement surgery has gotten so "common" that we can enjoy our lives. I know that if there was no such thing as this surgery, I would be one sad person, hobbling through my middle life.

 

[Layla]

You're having a "Friendsgiving" which is so lovely of you, Calgal
Will it be the traditional American fare? Wonderful list of things you're thankful for. I love a grateful heart! Many blessings to you and yours during this holiday season.
Have a great week!
@Calgal

 

[Calgal]

@Layla yes indeed it's the whole shebang! ...Ina Garten stuffing recipe, my best friend's mother's yams (with NO marshmallow fluff!), pumpkin cheesecake, my mom's apple pie and fresh cranberry jelled 'salad' recipe, homemade cranberry sauce, Williams Sonoma turkey recipe and all the rest. Neighbors really loved it last year but I'm not doing pecan pie and pumpkin pie and apple pie this year. Last year we had 1 pie per 2 people! A bit of a sugar overload for a bunch of retirees trying to fend off diabetes.
Have a great Thanksgiving. Hope you and all the other USA Bonesmart advisors get to have a day off, you work so hard! Thanks for your support and encouragement.

 

[Layla]

Sounds like some work for you, but super yummy, generous also! I love Ina Garten's recipes. Found her relaxing to watch on tv also.
Enjoy!