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I haven't slept for 8 years.

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You'll get there....honest!!!
 
Has anyone waited so long to get their hip replaced like me that their foot on the bad leg starts to turn out a little? And what about rebuilding leg muscles. How hard is it to get your leg muscles to grow and get strong?
My muscles in my legs both feel like they're dying.


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@2 for Jeff

Chloe is absolutely gorgeous but more importantly she looks so happy! You done good Dad!

How was trick or treating? How long did your hip last? Hopefully the pain didn't interfere with the memories you were making with Chloe!

Cheryl
 
@2 for Jeff I didn't wait nearly as long as you, but my bad leg did turn out a little. I walked slightly like a ballet dancer, except with my rear slightly sticking out, and my legs in a wide stance. I could not bring my legs together because of pain, and when I tried, the good leg would dangle about an inch above the floor-- talk about tilted pelvis!
Second day post op I stood straight with my feet firmly tucked together, NO PAIN!!! The op leg still "felt" longer, but it wasn't really, and as the swelling went down that sensation went away.
You will regain your leg strength!! Wait until all thr healing is accomplished, and you'll be able to work out in a big way :)
Your daughter is such a beautiful girl! :)


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@2 for Jeff , I walked like an 80 year old man as my mother and wife would state, my left leg was turned out a bit and everyone that saw me asked me what was wrong.. Funny story about flying, when I would fly and you know how they do that blurb from the flight attendants , how to do the seat belt, oxygen, and crash position. Well the crash position required you to bend over and put your head close to your knees. Since my hips were so messed up my crash position was putting my head down, just looking down because I couldn't bend forward, my hips were just locked. Terrible.. I would never want to go back to that, that is no way to live. I couldn't even attempt to try and touch my knees together and I could not sleep on my side either and I was a side sleeper.. Now I can sleep any way I like, it's so invigorating.. Think about all the things you are missing to do with your daughter that you are missing out on, simple things like just running after her without grimacing in pain. You will get all your leg strength back as muscle has memory, you will just have to be patient and not rush it otherwise you will have setbacks as the muscles get traumatized from surgery.

Here is some reading material about Oxynium if you haven't read up on it yet.
https://www.smith-nephew.com/patien...l-techniques/advanced-wear-reducing-surfaces/
 
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@CanTriMom Thanks, I hope she don't grow up to fast, but I know there's not much we can do about that accept make ever minute count.
I hung in there trick or treating and Chloe pooped out before me. She was exhausted from school. She had her regular full day of school plus a Halloween parade and had to walk around the school a few times. She was beat.
I'm watching the news and there's lots of coverage on the NY Marathon, and I can't stop thinking about you.
Is that something you've done in the past? ( Wow! 26 miles) I know your conditioned for it


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@zauberflote Thanks for Answering my question because I feel so twisted up. I'm a mess. My right knee looks straight to me but my right foot is at 2 o'clock. Pelvis is at a angle and I don't know what's up with the left side. Somedays it looks straight and sometimes turned out. I'm a twisted mess. I asked my OS if he would have to replace my knees to straiten me out. He said my knees are fine, my body is just trying to compensate for the pain.
I can tell you one thing, with me feet towed out, it puts so much pressure and torque on my knees that they hurt more than my hips.
Funning thing is when x Ray technicians tell me to put my legs strait together I just pause and say THEY ARE !


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Hi @2 for Jeff - I limped and had a terrible leg length discrepancy (LLD for short) for a very long time...plus I had very little range of motion (ROM). I couldn't even stay still or even my legs out for the xrays. I also had/have bad muscle atrophy in my bad leg. Looking back now, I believe it was an accident that I had when I was little and it was never corrected...I think this because it looks like my other hip is ok...but the OS doc says that's neither here nor there and he just calls it developmental hip deformity. Anyway, since the operation, he evened out my legs and my leg could now point or stand normal like my other leg. I still have a slight limp and ROM difficulty, but with exercise and building up those atrophied muscles, my leg will strengthen and i will have full range of motion, it just will take a while for those muscles to work correctly. My PT and OS doc said muscles have 'memory' and we need to retrain all those muscles to forget the old way and memorize the new way of walking and moving. All my gluts need to be built back to normal and PT is showing me those exercises...plus walking and squeezing the gluts helps as well. I have a wonderful and intelligent team of dr's. and PT people who are able to help me with answering all my questions.
 
@bsilvers Funny stuff with the crash position. I wish I could have seen your face, LoL, yeah right, head on my lap, good luck with that, LoL
Thanks for reading material


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@bsilvers Wow! Oxynium sounds durable. Thanks for the link. I guess your OS went with the Oxynium ?


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@toohip Boy oh boy, it sounds like you and I walked the same. I bet if the old you and I were walking side by side on a side walk, people would definitely get out of our way. Just get out of our way! A little waddle left, a little waddle right, and we're not giving up any space, So move out the way! LoL
Yeah I showed my OS that when my left leg is straight and knee locked, look at my right leg. It looks longer and my knee is slightly bent. I think my right leg is growing. And I guess he sees this all the time. He says I'm just standing that way.
Anyway, time to start mentally preparing myself for tonight's 13 hours.
As Ralph Kramden use to say from the Honeymooners, "PINS AND NEEDLES, NEEDLES AND PINS, IT'S A HAPPY MAN THAT GRINS"


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Re crash position-- I am only 5'9" on my best days, but my head runs into the seatback of the next seat up! I do not have a contortionist back... Lol


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@2 for Jeff

Jeff

I have run a couple of marathons within the Ironman but I tend to stay away from anything more than a half marathon to train for my races...I focus on swimming and cycling races in a big way and let my conditioning for those carry me through the run portion. I use the Galloway method which is run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute.....let's your different muscles rest!

We had about 30 trick or treaters, so those Reeses peanut butter cups are staring me! They are my favourites. Good thing I did a ton of yard prep for winter today plus we tested all the Christmas lights for hanging in the beginning of December. Rest of today is college football....yeah!

Cheryl
 
@2 for Jeff

Speaking of painful positions.....I would cry in the MRI tube as they would put a wedge between my ankles and the a strap around the ankles to keep the hips in position while they took the pics for the consultation. My knee would just be screaming in pain....if I had known, I definitely would have loaded up on Tylenol and Bioflex to numb my leg!
 
@CanukTriMom sounds like a horrible experience you had with that MRI.
There definitely in my top 5 scariest things. I even had the open MRI. I'm just not a big fan. I can't stay calm in such a tight place.
And pace yourself with those peanut butter cups.


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Work was miserable last night. My leg muscles are so weak. I just have to make it to the 16th. That's my last day. With my schedule it's only 8 more days including tonight.
Of Course the little snake with the big ears slithered up to me last night at my job asking for what seemed to be the 100th time "When are you going on disability"? He knows the 16th is my last day, he have such big hopes that I don't return and he gets my position. Such a snake!
Not only am I coming back but if I could roller blade to work I will.
The fear I'm having now is my left hip, it's hurting more than the right, and I'm getting my right one replaced first.
Has anyone had one hip replaced and had to deal with the other one hurting while trying to recover ?


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Jeff, so sorry you had such a miserable night. Hopefully, you've since found some relief. This is going to be the most difficult stretch for you, unfortunately, but if you can, muster up some of that excitement of knowing the first one will be over in just a few short weeks (compared to that 8 year stretch you've waited). Once you're home you definitely want to take advantage of the pain medication, as that will be the opportunity to keep you mobile and you don't have to drive anywhere yourself. Being diligent about it on the front end will make the remaining part of your recovery more successful.

Also, check with the hospital to make sure they aren't letting you take home one of those foam pillows home with you as a lovely parting gift (mine did). Also see if they'll let you sleep or lay on the unoperated side while you're with them. If your wife can watch how they turn you, that will be helpful when you are back at home. I was able to sleep/lay on that side for about 20 minutes at a time while I was there and could mostly turn myself (which they were thoroughly surprised about as most people have trouble keeping everything in alignment as they turn). Biggest worry is to not "roll off" the edge of the bed so get those pillows to put behind you as CanukTriMom suggested.

Sending you comforting vibes across the miles...:kittykiss:
 
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Jeff,

I remember how my legs hurt before I retired: I had a desk job, but I needed to attend a conference, answer questions about a new product we were releasing. I spent a lot of time on my feet over 2-3 days. It was really painful. But you'll be over that pain once you get the hips replaced. Good times.

Mark
 
@dede62 Strange feeling to be scared and excited at the same time. That's where I am right now. The major thing that keeps me from calling the hospital and canceling the surgery is reading how far you all have come.
We've all experienced pain in the worst way. No one else can relate to the severity of it all except the Hippies here. There is no relief in sitting down, no relief in standing up, and no relief in laying down. That's suffering in the worst way. I hate to ask this question but, can it get any worst ? The fear of the answer keeps me marching right behind you all
 
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