THR Jojool rides to the other side...

[marcopollo]

Jojool, glad you are doing so well. It is great to be home...I remember.

My dogs (two big Labradoodles & a medium Shepherd-Akita mix) also knew to give me extra space...though they came up gently to nuzzle my hand or thigh when they could safely. They are amazingly aware creatures, and what love and support they have given me through this recovery process.

 

[Runaround Sue]

Oh, and i have these blowy-uppy things on my legs (another plug in) that go off every 20 seconds or so. It's annoying....but I did manage to sleep through some of it. I guess it's to keep the circulation going in your lower legs. I have the compression stockings too. Why can't they make them in fun colors instead of that crummy white?

I actually liked the blow uppy things on my calves. (I know, I know, I am weird!) The one on the right leg stopped working the last night I was there (Tuesday). I was disappointed that they didn't replace them but it did allow me to get out of bed and walk around on my own. But then they put that darned alarm on the bed.

I had to buy a second pair so I could wash the hospital ones and I saw that Kendall does make them in colors.

Tie dye would be great!

I don't know what colors, tho' I am pretty sure no tie dye :-(

OH, and for those of you getting ready to have surgery, the waiting WAS the worst part. I know you may be scared (that's normal) but please understand that the surgery is a breeze and it was incredible to walk without that bone on bone pain!

Yup! I can walk without lurching away from the bone pain and you actually feel better once you work out some of that stiffness so don't be afraid to move!

 

[BeckyR]

didoan, I wonder if you are aware of how much you have changed since the surgery. Now that the pain is gone, and the fear is behind you, a new personality is emerging -- your real personality -- so funny and witty and forward-looking. They put that alarm on the bed for people like you, rebels who don't follow their rules. Your theme song should be "Runaround Sue," if you remember that golden oldie! I am so happy for you. Get two pair of the socks, in different colors, and wear them mismatched.

 

[Jojool]

I just found some compression socks in tie dye...but they're 65 bucks a pair. That aint' gonna happen.

 

[marcopollo]

I just found some compression socks in tie dye...but they're 65 bucks a pair. That aint' gonna happen.

Make your own. A couple of colors of dye and a rubber band: https://www.wikihow.com/Tie-Dye-Socks

 

[zauberflöte]

Jojool welcome to the other side, I know just how you feel! You waited so patiently for half an eternity, and here is your reward !! One day at a time, slow and easy wins the race, you know all that stuff. Since you had Superpath I wonder if there was less trauma internally?-- that would be very nice.

I vaguely remember the blowy-uppy things, and I distinctly remember the stockings. I shudder to confess that i only had one pair and wore them 24 hrs a day except on shower days when I washed them, dried them outdoors, and then washed me! I have saved them for the other hip, heh heh.

I'm glad your dogs are behaving-- at least they're not lap dogs! Enjoy your frivolous relaxing all-about-you time, and I hope your a/c works impeccably!

 

[Jojool]

zauberflöte thank you! I just took my first post op shower, and it was awesome! I cant remember a shower feeling so good.

 

[Poppet]

Ah! That first shower, we forget the pleasures of daily living until we have a THR... Good for you, pleased you enjoyed it

 

[Jojool]

I know it's only a few days out from surgery, but I feel like I'm not progressing....I've walked in my house (too hot to go outside, 111*today!) with the walker, but really haven't been doing much else. I've done my exercises, but I'm pretty stiff and sore. What am I doing wrong? Is this normal? I didn't think I'd be up and dancing a jig at this point, but thought I'd have less pain than I have. I'd say it's around a 4-5 when I'm up and around, 2-3 when I'm at rest. Frustrated.

 

[zauberflöte]

Jojool well, I'd guess you're not taking enough meds? At your stage I was taking 1 1/2 percocet and 1/2 tylenol every 6 hours, with the bedtime dose being 2 percocet. I set my alarm to wake me up in the middle of the night if I had to, to keep those meds rolling. I would have taken 2 percocet every 6 hours but my BP was very low and I was working around that.
I see from a recent post that you're taking one percocet every 4 hours or so. Can you up that dosage? My prescription was for 1-2 every 6 hours (down from every 4 hours in the hospital...) and I took that till I really truly could cut back.

Good luck, I hope you get more responses from others!

 

[zauberflöte]

I left out something that I still find useful-- don't sit for too long, unless you're napping. So sit, walk around the room, sit, walk--etc. That helped me not to be stiff all the time.

I am regretting not having marked pain levels in my journal.... but I don't think I got up to a 4-5 at all, except if I slept wrong somehow.

 

[octopus]

Hi Jojool, sounds like everything is going great. I agree with @zauberflote, check you are taking your meds regularly. I also did find that walking helped ease up the stiffness and pain, but take care not to overdo it at this stage, just small walks, walking to the bathroom, kitchen etc. Are you icing too? I had ice (gel pack) on the wound when ever I wasn't moving around, so pretty much constantly, even changing the pack in the night when I got up to the toilet. It really helped. The worst part passes quite quickly.

 

[Jojool]

Thanks zauberflöte I think you're right and I'm not doing the meds as I should be. I'm going to set my alarm on my phone to go off every 6 hours. I have been icing and elevating, and I did get up quite a few times today but it was painful so I think with the meds on board that will help. I KNOW the BS Mantra, but of course haven't been following it to the letter. Silly me! I've learned my lesson.

 

[zauberflöte]

Jojool good BoneSmartie! Take those meds and you will feel enough better (or if you are like me, loopy enough!) to be funny! octopus is right, this part passes quite quickly, and I promise you you won't remember it (because I don't!) in a couple of months

 

[Runaround Sue]

I just found some compression socks in tie dye...but they're 65 bucks a pair. That aint' gonna happen.

AWWWWWW! Why not? Go for it, you know you want to wear them everywhere with some purple or lime green sneaks

Believe it or not my and 2 little lap dogs dogs are being really good ( for the most part), They are under my feet in the bathroom until I yell at them or they get stepped on, and they do want my food if I have any. The little guy who always sleeps with me wants up in the chair and when we put him up here he stays on my left side with his head in my lap. He has stayed all night right in that crook between my left hip and the left arm of the chair. The bigger dog stays alongside and half under the lift chair all of the time. I am so afraid he will get caught in the mechanism. He ususally sits in my lap all evening in front of the TV. He looks at me so sadly now but I cannot trust him not to hurt me so I can't let him on the chair.

I keep having to put the laptop down as it gets so hot even tho I have 2 bunched up quilts between it and my left thigh.

 

[Runaround Sue]

@ Jojool You are doing just fine girl! I am and have always been abnormal. Just remember that everyone's recovery is different. My wound hurts all of the time too. The pain meds they gave me never make it feel all better, The ice helps a lot but it hurts just to sit and lean against the ice bags. I get up and walk every hour as instructed and for now I am counting the days until I can take care of myself.

Just RELAX and take each day as it comes, slow and steady, it's better than the one before it and they will keep getting better, Everyone on this side has been through the aame thing and will tell you the same. You are doing just fine! Don.t stress over it, the wound is bound to hurt for a while longer but it will get better, it always does I promise

 

[Runaround Sue]

zauberflöte

I wish They had given me percoset, the stuff I got was below that on pain relief. I told them it didn't last 3 hours and wanted to take the 2 oxy as prescribed but the nurses said no. I do set my alarm for all night long. Maybe I will try just adding a tylenol with 1 oxy.

 

[Butterfly]

Jojool I am so glad you seem to be doing OK -- it gives me courage. I am still pretty scared but I am dealing with it and am doing better. I am so happy for you and didoan who have made it through the surgery and are now on the recovery side. Can't wait until I am!

Peace and love to you both.

 

[Runaround Sue]

Jojool I saw this posted for someone else and thought of you. I just wish I had gotten who to credit for this wise comment, I hope my thinking and eyesight improve soon. I hope the deserving person claims this quote:

"be nice to yourself. You can't set a schedule for your healing. Your body will do that. It's been 8 months for me and I still have pain in my thigh when I overdo. It is a long, slow, emotional, frustrating but ultimately extremely rewarding process. "

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Right total hi

 

[BeckyR]

Jojool, My physical therapist told me something that may be VERY helpful to you right now. Hip replacement patients usually feel BEST in the first few days, because the swelling acts as a cushion, holding things in place. That's why we were able to walk and even go up and down stairs almost immediately (I remember doing that in the hospital), only to find a few days later that walking, etc., is more painful than it was earlier. We feel we are slipping backward, but what is really happening is that the swelling is going down and now we are feeling the movement more. Recovery from hip replacement through SuperPath is definitely faster than through other methods, but it is still a process, and we need to be patient. Bit by bit, it will come back. I'm now 5 1/2 weeks post surgery and I can walk a 3/4 mile loop outside my condo, can cut my own toenails and put on my own socks (sounds crazy, but important to me), and I'm improving my range-of-motion in subtle but noticeable ways. Most important is that my internal sense of energy and "presence" is back to normal. Even though I still can't do everything I used to, it's a huge step forward. I was able to drive at three weeks (even though my surgery was on the right side), I do some of the shopping, and I have no discomfort whatsoever in my hip, at any time. I still have knee problems, but that's a separate issue. I'm going back to work a week from tomorrow and will let you know how that goes.

zauberflöte, Yes, the SuperPath does MUCH less damage to the soft tissues. That is one of its biggest differentiators from other techniques, and one of the reasons recovery is generally much faster. There is even less soft-tissue trauma than with the anterior approach. Nevertheless, there is a healing and recovery process, and that can't happen in a matter of days.