THR I had no idea how impacted I was

So grateful for this forum. I realize it is so early in my recovery - day 18. I was so crone looking before my surgery. I assumed my MS and intense hyperreflexia (upper motor neuron probs) and weakness on my THR side + hands and weak hips were what made me assume my crone posture. For the previous 4 years, I became increasingly disabled. One cane, two canes and then a four-wheeled walker. I always thought it was my MS, I did trigger point release, massage, acupuncture, strengthening exercises and attended a year ago a 6-week neuro rehab to help strengthen my weak hip muscles. I had Xrays on my back and had some moderate arthritis on my - hummm - facet joints. I did the exercises until I could not. (yes, it is not lost on me the medical team did not clue into my hip, ffs my right hip was locked up, oh well)

To deal with what I believed to be the future limitations I went every year to a tiny island in Belize. One mile by five miles. No cars, only golf carts, and bicycles. Every year for those 4 years I wheelchaired my way through the airports, arrived at my Island (Caye Caulker) and then rode my bike exclusively.

My apartment owners always put me on a ground floor until my strength improved to move to my preferred upstairs suite. I could ride a bike even though I could not walk (well a bit, like Quasimoto). My bike was parked directly at my door, I could ride anywhere, my happy hour spot, to swim, to the store to friends. I cherished my time there.

This last trip I had arrived in September, in April I agreed to house sit and mostly look after a sweet pooch in a gorgeous home. My suit was three stories up and the yard was big. I had to walk more and climb the stairs. When Roxanne returned (she has Bilateral hip replacements) she said to me Chris, (that's my name lol) you look like you have hip arthritis. I said no, I have MS.

My pain increased and I staggered my way home with two canes (and of course airport assistance). I got home in May. I thought that was my last time to a place I love, at 57 my world was getting very small. Still, I resisted the hip thing. Finally, my nurse friend barked at me to get a hip X-Ray. That was July 1st. By July 10th I was at my ortho docs and had my "ugly" hip replaced on November 27th (2019).

I woke up this morning afraid again, my groin was hurting and looked up everyone's ailments including dislocation. Then I re-read the Hip Recovery: The Guidelines (a possible tattoo for me cause I love them). I got up, padded around, made a coffee, strapped on my giant ice bag that I tie on with a purple scarf, took my pain meds at the exact correct time and yEAAAAAAA my groin pain has subsided. I am not headed back to surgery and I think I may be able to return to Belize late summer. I will take t slow and I will recover and have more precious time than I expected.
 
Still very early days for you but what a lovely post. The future is looking much brighter for you. Belize was always someplace I wanted to visit. Sadly, I don't think it will happen. How great you have a goal to go back.
 
It is amazing what things out hips reek havoc with when they're out of whack. I had thought some of my bad posture was due to back issues but after my hip surgery I felt like I was standing taller. Stopped by my old office one day, still using my cane as a precaution, and one of the guys I worked with immediately commented about how tall and straight I was standing. Who knew, huh?!

Happy you're starting to feel a little better as the days/weeks go by. And, it will continue to keep getting better. Hope you enjoy your trip back to Belize in the summer! :carols:
 
I'm so happy for you! :happydance: What a lovely post to read.
You have a lot ot life to live and through hip surgery hopefully it will be much less painful. Wishing you a steady and uneventful recovery and many more vacays to your happy place, Belize.
Have a nice weekend!
@David1962
 
Hi @David1962. I had my second THR on November 26, so we are right here in recovery together. My first recovery back in January was so easy I was spoiled. This one is very different and I am experiencing more pains similar to what you are. I'm having such a hard time sleeping although I think part of it is I really need a new mattress :) . I was in much more pain prior to my first THR and the relief was immediate, little to no groin pain. This time, I'm having more groin pain than prior to the surgery. My PT was explaining it to me and she showed me how to put some pressure in the area and do some light massage and it really does help.

Best of luck with your recovery and I look forward to hearing how you are doing.
 
beachy34 a little pressure and light massage did seem to help. I used to ice that area before my THR so I popped a cool bean bag on it after relaxing the muscles a bit then elevated it and basically waited the hour out for my pain meds. It did help and just having others' advice helps.

I am walking down the hallway and back twice a day. Slowly and with heel-toe stepping. I have not walked with heel-toe for easy 4 years. My Ms and arthritis (i think) contributed to my foot drop. My leg usually weakens after a short time of walking so that kinda worries me for re-hab. For now, I can walk with my walker, heel-toe all the way there and back. I am also with-out a walker when I am in the kitchen cooking or doing dishes. I am a bit unsteady but hold on to counters and just try to stand up straight. I find my body slumps over very quickly when I am chopping or doing a chore while just standing. I know my back muscles and hip muscles are weak so I just try to catch myself slumping, I stand up straight, pee, get my ice pack and head back to bed and elevate my leg. My bladder is still not quite right but that is for later consideration.

I go to my first physio, x-ray, and post-op apt in two days 17th (and my daughters come for X_Mas!!!!! yeaaa). I am kinda afraid of the physio folk but I will insist they understand some of my complications (it is such a sporty facility yikes - and by the way- I used to be a second, yup second-degree black belt at 45 so understand hard work, pushing oneself, extreme bla bla, I blew my knee out, and then my MS started to show itself so that is all past. I loved being strong, it was my thing. Now I just wanna walk pretty toe-heel and straight up-right.

Slow and steady for me. I am super curious about my upcoming appointments -I will update you as this forum is very helpful for me. The advice, support, expertise, and holy Hannah, so many double hippy folk, revisions, some really hard stuff and such courage and honesty from you all are very inspiring.

I forgot - I don't want them to take my pain meds away, I like them. I am taking oxycodone 5mg every 6 hours and Celebrex 100mg 2x a day and pregabalin 75mg x2 a day. ( i have other meds for my spasticity baclofen and a small amount of diazepam ) I also take 500 Tylenol if I start hurting but have an hour or two till med time. I don't mind stopping the pregabalin but honestly, I like the others but I imagine I will have no say in this. Perhaps my body will adjust just fine at a different regime. + I will karate chop the physio if they get all sporty on me. :)))
 
Had an up, energetic (well) morning. Now I am wiped out and a bit despondent. This is gonna be a long journey. My kids, (adults) come in a few days and it is Christmas. I am gonna need to no overcompensate, pretend I am doing great. Gonna go read the blues post-op feed for a bit. Gotta be better than the bad movie I am watching. All good, just emoting a bit. It is my first joint replacement and it is a big deal. Pus I can not figure out the emojis here and I feel like I am posting too much.
 
:console2:awe, it's okay to have a pity party...I had a few.
My recovery thread has lots of whining on it!
As far as the emojis
Does this help?
 
Are you icing correctly? From your post it doesn't sound it, you'll find the recommendations in the guidelines. I've luckily never had anything aside from bad hips to deal with adding MS to the mix must make it challenging. If I were you I'd call time out until after New Years. I'd gladly let everyone know that you're in the early stages of a long recovery and I'd take it easy. As for the PT I don't know what they expect you to do, there is no hard work pushing yourself in this recovery.
 
This is gonna be a long journey. My kids, (adults) come in a few days and it is Christmas. I am gonna need to no overcompensate, pretend I am doing great.

No need to pretend anything IMO. Your kids will know you are going to be limited in what you can do and that you need to heal. There is nothing wrong with reminding them about this or asking for help if you need to.

It will work out fine.
 
Do not worry about posting too much. We are all here to support each other and at different times we all post a lot. It is a great place to let the feelings out and with people who understand. Your kids are there to see you and not for you to do extra work. Sometimes simple is best. I hope you have a good night.
 
Thanks :plugging-in-xmas-tree-smiley-emoticon: I was reading through other posts and I copied these two writings - I wish I had the authors but I don't - they are so good I want to re-share:

You may be tough stuff, but your’e still just protoplasm in a period post surgical regeneration

I asked my surgeon what separated his patients who had better-than-average recoveries from those who had more difficulty (surgical complications aside), and he said, “They take me literally when I say slow and steady.”

He told me to keep using walking aids until I stop limping, no if’s and’s or but’s. He told me to focus on walking on flat secure surfaces - even if that means laps in my living room - for physical therapy. He wants me to concentrate on a smooth, controlled transfer of body weight onto and off the new implant - no pivoting, no jarring, no twisting, no leveraging. He said to count steps, increase very incrementally, and wait two days between increases because inflammation can show up as much as 48 hours later. He told me to wait on any other exercises - specifically strengthening - even upper body - until he has confirmed the implant fixation. He said to keep going up and downstairs one at a time, even if I don’t have to, because the angles involved in that full body weight transfer are unnecessarily problematic.

He pointed out that any setback in the first 6-8 weeks that results in jarring the implant or reinjuring soft tissue typically means a 3 week timeout on the couch and back to square one. He advised me that it wasn’t worth the risk, and there was all the time in the world for the other parts of my recovery after the implant was secure and the soft tissue healed.

Mojo333 haha:xmas-snowball-fight-smiley-emoticon: :wave: :kayak:
 
:loveshwr:I love your surgeon's recommendations. And I remember this, also...
You may be tough stuff, but your’e still just protoplasm in a period post surgical regeneration
Can't believe you repay me for my assistance with the emojis with a snowball in the face so here's one back at you.:xmas-snowball-fight-smiley-emoticon:
Hope today is a good day...all temporary my hippy pal.
 
I asked my surgeon what separated his patients who had better-than-average recoveries from those who had more difficulty (surgical complications aside), and he said, “They take me literally when I say slow and steady.”

I love this statement! I think I love your OS also.
As for your worry about posting too much, I've enjoyed your thread! You are circling the airport, waiting for your landing and of course you are wanting to ask questions and talk to others who have experienced what you are going through.
In other words, post away! :heehee: :banana-santa:
 
I just came back from my 3 weeks - physio, surgeon, and Xray. It was good. The adventure was better than I expected. I walked further than I had to date, car rides, etc, etc. The physio folk were good, very gentle and very much in line with the advice here.
My surgeon is a man of very few words but he says all is well. He said I could drive in 2-4 weeks whenever I felt like it, that I could move to a cane whenever....lol kinda glad I have this forum just so I can actually gauge my needs as he seemed pretty ...meh..whateves'. Off the opioids, well I have 10 5mg to titrate down with then just Tylenol and if I want my Celebrex...whateves' again. Such a big deal for me. Such a nothing for them.

50 staples taken out...I have a pick it is pretty ugh but very straight and very little bruising. I may well post it in the oh so sexy hip gallery.

I am happy. I think I shall recover at a slow but quality pace and I am going to be so much more able-bodied than I imagined. We will see, it is a long road ahead. when you have MS you think all ailments are it and you kinda accept the progressive limitations. Hip arthritis is a different beast, it snuck up on me, it hurt but not in my hip but in my back. It tricked me, then when the pain moved to my groin I assumed I had groin bursitis (which I don't think is a thing). I started limping more and more, tippy-toe, two, canes and soon a walker. The really painful part just took 6 months...it was fast and debilitating. Hip arthritis untreated is very hard. I wish every-one here a successful journey and loads of gentle walks, or lawnmower riders or running if that is your thing - heck even ballet dancing if possible.

Yesterday was **** and sore, today was so much better. Three weeks, a resounding wow for now.
I was like a mom with pics of my babies, telling everyone I found this great site; bonesmart I said multiple times. lol :rotfl::loveshwr: (it is called bonesmart isn't it?) :flabber::heehee: BoneSmart yes and thanks
 
Sounds like you had a good visit with the surgeon and physio. It is funny that most of the surgeon's seem to be pretty much like, ok, my job is done, bone looks good go live your life! Always feels so much better once those nasty staples are out. You have a good outlook, recover slow but steady, take everything as it comes!
:santa-dance:
 
Thank you and yes I must remember that these are steps and worthy of celebration. I%0 staples and a very fine, very straight clean scar. I posted in the Blues section so I will leave that part there and here try to remain positive and truthful.

I am still having some bladder issues, just late at night but I really will leave that for later to consider. I am moving around ok, I can sort of use my cane. Two canes are better. I have finished my good pain meds and that is ok except my MS spasticity has kicked up again. That leg has a spasm that goes right up to my new joint early in the morning when I first move. This may just be my MS and I might call my neurologist nurses and perhaps they can help guide me.

I had this problem big time prior to surgery. My leg would lock in a flexor spasm and again go to my hip. BUT with the old arthritic joint this was so painful. With my new joint, it is like an advanced pilates core move that doesn't hurt but does leave my leg fatigue and stiff.

I feel like I am not doing enough. I don't want to do my exercises. I look around and I wish I could do other things. GIANT whiner today. :tantrum2:

ugh...I need to get it together. My children come soon, and fiances. They are wonderful so it will be ok. This can be a hard journey. :snow:
 
You do not have to do much - you are doing your primary job of recovering. There are many days I do not do PT exercises or only a few but try to walk around the house which helps the hip a lot more.

Enjoy your family and let them help you a lot and do the majority of the work. It is early in the recovery so try not to overdo.
 

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