THR Kay9s Recovery

[copsham]

Hi @Kay9
If Kerry is reading your thread I want to say welcome! Like all of us she might have been having an off day and hope she feels a little better now. Hope she posts and benefits like we all do.

I think it is criminal the way so little information is given out. Having had a foot op recently I relied on information that I had gleaned from my hip/Bonesmart times. I was told to elevate but nothing about to icing. When my other heel was getting sore from sleeping on my back I knew what to do thanks to Bonesmart. I knew to keep on top of pain meds even though the nurse was trying to wean me off paracetamol on day 2! We are lucky to have the info and support from Bonesmart but it is terrible for those who do not know of Bonesmart or are computer illiterate.

On the ward 12 days ago there were 3 women who had had knee operations. None knew of Bonesmart. One did not use a computer and 2 did. I told them about bonesmart but given they were 1-2 days post op do not know if the info would be remembered.

It is strange how our perspective changes. I feel I can recognise a "hipster" now and have something in common.

Well done Kay for your heart reaching out.

I hope you have Wifi on your train holiday to keep us posted. I went to Venice by train some years ago and wished the journey was longer as it was over too quickly. We were planning an Australia trip for this August including a train across but then with my broken foot have had to postpone ... oh well next year!

 

[Suzette]

Hi @Kay9 and @copsham, totally agree that there is little or no information when in hospital and when out. On my worse day in hospital, day 2, I asked for ice, they were giving knee replacement ladies ice, so I asked for some for my muscles. Half hour later I was told by a nurse that ice is no good for hip replacements. ..Trouble was I then fell asleep from morphine and forgot to question this attitude.

I will be telling anyone who listens when in the out patients knee and hip replacement waiting room on Friday and I will be leaving posters every where too. If just a few people read them that will be great.

hopefully kerry will find us .

@Kay9 when is your trip

x

 

[Kay9]

Thankyou everyone.
@Constanze wow what an idylic sounding childhood you had, it sounds amazing. I was brought up in a large city and can remember watching episodes of "Heidi " lol and being so envious of her living that blissful life. I cant wait to see all that lovely scenery!

Thankyou everyone for your posts, and for keeping an eye out for Kerry, I really hope she is reading and decides to post. I wont have time today to be on here much so hopefully I can get an email alert if she does post so I can pop in to say Hi and well done!

I hope I did encourage her, and didnt just make her feel worse. I cant believe she wasnt told anything about icing or elevating, plus she was worried because she had 3 months of restrictions and she thought that must mean her operation didnt go well, so was relieved when I told her I had 3 months of restrictions too. How bad is it that nobody even told her about how to bend! She has a grabber and uses that, but to think she has been dealing with this for 8 long weeks with no help is sad. Im assuming she must have had a 6 week check up, we didnt talk about that, so Im shocked no advice was given then either, unless she just didnt ask any questions?

She said shes doing loads of exercises as much as she can loads of times a day...obviously not helping at all! Just causing her more pain and likely delaying her recovery? It sounds like shes pretty much been left to get on with it. Its disgusting how some patients are not told a thing, how are they expected to know? Not everyone comes straight onto the WWW to look stuff up, some people just dont go on a computer much.

Kerry if you are reading this...Join! Please, you wont regret it ! You will see that your recovery is like a lot on here, it doesnt mean you arnt trying! I know its hard when you hear of people who seem to be doing better, I felt like that only a week ago, its depressing, but look at it another way...it shows there IS improvement, no matter how long it takes. This is YOUR journey and nobody elses, we all move forward at different paces. The difference in yours and mine recovery is just that...a difference. Maybe my recovery has been fast, yours has taken longer, it means nothing. You will get there. Read all the threads here, you are among lots of like-minded people, we all struggle at times, you will see everything you are going through is normal. 8 weeks on from Major surgery is nothing! You are doing good! You were out, in a cafe with your daughter ( who is lovely by the way) and doing normal things, dont forget that. I hope you are reading and Im not talking to myself.

 

[Liznwiz]

You did a great job @Kay9 hopefully Kerry will join us and see how we all progress at a different rate.
Please don't feel guilty because you have made a great recovery, you had all of Bone Smart to help you and she will have the same if she joins.

 

[zauberflöte]

@Kay9 I don't know if Bonesmart has an evangelical mission, but you certainly personify that!!! What you did was wonderful!
Kerry, if you are reading, please join! Don't be disheartened: as you see from just this thread, you will be among warm and caring people, who know exactly what you are going through. Each one of us has had/is having a different recovery journey. Even those who have had two hips done years apart will tell you that each hip had a different recovery.



My phone sent this using BoneSmart Forum, clever phone!

 

[Legin]

Had a wee pic of the film theBlues Brothers and those bright red shoes dazzling all as the.light shone down..
So chortling. Thing is tho this is how this support thingmabob works, its listening and being guided by people who know what you are going thru. You dazzle me not with shoes, well those too, but your enthusiasm and spirit. Nice one

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[Kay9]

Well I keep checking on the threads but cant see Kerry...hopefully shes reading here though and maybe is learning enough that she doesnt feel she needs to actually join. Im sure shes reading.

Went to my 6 week check up, the Surgeon was very pleased with my progress and that Im walking normally. Its amazing to see the xray of my new hip, isnt it incredible what modern medicine can do?

I told him Im in very little discomfort and can now do practically anything ( within the restrictions) but the main thing thats holding me back is lack of sleep. Im awake still at least 5 times a night, because sleeping on my back is causing me lots of back pain now. I keep trying to sleep on any side but cant lay like it for longer than a few minutes. My back is in half every morning.

And now Ive got decisions to make...the Surgeon wants to do my other hip in around 8-12 weeks time. I feel its too soon after this one. I dont feel I want to go through this again so soon, Im only just starting to feel normal again. He said the arthritis in the other hip is bad, but to be honest its not that painful at all, and Ive got full range of movement with it
I dont know what to do, because if its causing me no problem.....

And Ive got my holiday booked for next March...would I be recovered fully enough to do all that travelling ( 5 train changes to get there and lots of walking) lugging suitcases etc. if I dont have it done though, what if my hip gets a lot worse anyway?
I think I just feel like I dont want to go through another major op so soon. I know my recovery has been fast, but its still been a struggle, especially the first few weeks, and what if my next recovery is harder, I dont want anything to mess up this holiday for my Daughter. Seems daft to go through it all if the hips not even hurting me much.
Oh well...Im sure I will know what to do when it sinks in a bit. Does 8-12 weeks seem a little soon to all you lovelies?

 

[Kay9]

Well my new hip has just passed a major test. I was locked out, with a dead phone and a Daughter who was unwell and sat with head between her knees on the lawn and no-one about. The only window open was a small top window so I had no choice, either break a window, call a locksmith at considerable expense or climb up the ladder and through the window . My hip definitely went way past the 90 degree restrictions, I was bent double to squeeze through the window, then had to jump down onto the bedroom floor. Its a bit sore but at least nothing scary happened. Dont want to have to do that again though!

 

[Legin]

Omg and OMG.
Only you lass. Glad it was OK but what could have happened, sheeeeeesh.
Re your decision of other hip again only you can decide iif you get opp done as soon as you can you should be fine for holiday but again there are no guarantees.
Still thinking about window malarkey. I thought I was the only numpty on the site. Meant nicely btw

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[copsham]

A thought - that would be easy to burgle then. Glad you are okay though... no more excitement pre your op and or holiday though. Says I shaking my head like a headteacher!! I suppose you were wearing your red high heels x

 

[Kay9]

@Legin Yep I am a numpty, so no offence taken. If somethings going to happen its going to happen to me.
Im a walking disaster most of the time
Somehow though, I survive

@copsham it was scarily easy to get in! Which Im glad of in a way but it makes you realise. My own fault,took house keys off of car keys because was walking, then took car keys instead of house keys.

At least it showed my hip is good and strong though

Ps...I had trainers on, thankfully lol

 

[zauberflöte]

@Kay9 you are such an adventurer and super hero! It was a good test of your hip, and should build confidence. DO NOT TRY THIS AGAIN :lol: :lol: :lol: I hope your daughter is feeling better!
As Legin said, you are the only one who can decide whether to do the other one. Oddball me would actually ask surgeon if he could/would do it ASAP! Believe me, I wish with all my heart that my other hip warranted being done very soon after the first. If he did it early September, March would be month 7, and no matter what kind of recovery you had, you would be good, God willing, to travel by then? Practise packing very very light! Black trousers and skirt, brown top and sweater, walking shoes and tiny ballet slippers that fold up, down jacket, and disposably cheap undies. :lol:
Pay me no mind, I'm just jealous of both your second hip offer and your glorious holiday booked!!!!


My phone sent this using BoneSmart Forum, clever phone!

 

[Kay9]

Hello @zauberflöte my friend.
I definitely will NOT be climbing through any windows again in the near future, I promise you that. It was very sore. My daughter got in and was sick for the rest of the night, poor thing, was actually throwing up as she was holding the ladder for me!

I understand why you would lean towards having the other hip done, it makes sense really doesn't it? I just dont feel psychologically or physically ready. I keep changing my mind. On the one hand I guess it would be good to get it out of the way before the Holiday, but then I think, well, the hip isnt giving me much grief so maybe I should wait until after? But then run the risk that it could suddenly get a lot worse.

I dont know why the Surgeon thinks it should be done soon...ok, he said it looks bad on the xray, but Im not in pain?. A slight ache now and then, a little stab now and then, thats the full extent of it. Im not crippled with it like I was the other one .

But the main reason I dont feel ready is that Im bloody tired! I NEED sleep, Im Praying for the day I can sleep on my side, in no pain, and not wake up every hour. So the thought of going through months of no sleep again makes me feel like crying. And Im only just getting back to feeling like ME.

Also, I asked him if I would be able to have G.A next time, and he said that would be up to the anaesthetist but if my blood pressure was too low to have it last time, its likely to be the same. So it means I might have to be awake again, and Im still trying to forget the noises I heard last time .

Im making excuses arnt I.Not good. I have to be sensible. It doesnt come naturally to me though

 

[Suzette]

Hi @Kay9, it's a tricky one , it needs doing but it doesn't really cause you problems yet. All I can say is, my right hip was probably the same as your hip is now. I went to Egypt in march with my really bad bone on bone left hip and right hip that ached now and again. We had a cruise down the Nile for 7 days , starting from luxor stopping off at various places along the way, visiting temples etc. Finishing at aswan. Then back up to luxor. We then caught an internal flight to Cairo, went to the pyramids etc, then flight to hughada for our stay in a hotel.

I can honestly say my bad hip was agony a lot of the time, my nearly bad leg throbbed some of the time, but it didn't stop me doing what I wanted. I also packed light. I also had from the Dr, morphine and tramadol as back up meds if needed. They were needed for bad leg.

I got home wrote to surgeon and asked for my nearly bad hip to be done the same time as really bad hip. No way was I going to put up with that hip pain again, and end up with one good hip with metal in it and my own hip hurting and getting to bone on bone . Funny though once I had asked for a bilateral, my nearly bad hip starting to give way and aching. But not too often, but often enough to be glad the surgeon agreed to do both.

The reason for my waffling is, if you don't do the other hip before you go, you will cope, as I did, and you will get on with your holiday, make sure you are prepared with pain relief to help just in case, and a copy of your prescription meds to take with you, the dr can give you this.

If you do have the op, you will know what to expect, know how to handle any pain you have and know how to get back on your feet. You will go on hols and it will be ok.

There that didn't help did it, but it may xx

 

[Kay9]

Hi @Suzette it did help, thankyou
Your holiday sounds fantastic! I cant imagine doing all that in agony though, although it doesnt sound as if you let it spoil your enjoyment at all, and I would likely be the same.

I think if I was in agony like I was with the other hip, it would be an easier decision. Its because its only hurting now and then,that I dont know if I want to go through it all again just yet. But Im also mindful of the fact that March is a ways off, and the hip could get a lot worse by then, I dont want it to spoil my daughters holiday.

I keep wavering constantly. Im getting on my own nerves, I wish I could just make a decision and stick with it.

Ive been out since ten this morning and have just got in and taken my shoes off and Im tired, my hip is a bit angry from climbing in the window last night, and the way I feel right this moment is that I dont want to go through this again yet. This morning though I had decided I was going to have it done...chopping and changing all the time.

Im SO bad at making decisions at the best of times...it takes me 20 minutes to decide between Toast or cereal in the morning So an important decision like this is a nightmare. My brother said " just do it and shut up!" my friend said " dont do it, theres no need yet" and just when I think Ive decided, I question that decision again.

Oh well...maybe tomorrow I,ll decide

 

[Suzette]

Kay9, yes there's always tomorrow, you will hopefully know what to do soon, hopefully. It sure is a tricky one though. I too would be indecisive, and I am with loads of things too, but once I have made my mind up I want it NOW !!

Did you discuss your super holiday plans when at your appt ? you know, I truly think that what ever you do decide you will still have a brill holiday and nothing will stop that, due to the fact you are a positive person and will just get on with it.

And no more climbing through windows!!!

X

 

[Legin]

I don't know lass, oooooops, chortle. You really are getting in a tizzwaz, not demeaning it by any count. You could try doing the old write down all the yes reasons and all the no reasons. Then try to take any medical points to PT and or OS. Its just a way of formalising the procedure as the pantomime scenario is wearing and in its self becomes a problem.
Oh BTW iv locked your windows.

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[copsham]

Hello @Kay9
Decisions .. decisions ... With my hip I was indecisive for months, then suddenly, I remember the occasion 2am in bed, I decided I am going for it. I surprised myself rang the surgeon the next day.

It seems that there is an element of risk what ever you do

Risk of not being healed in time versus risk of hip giving in before travels. Are your bookings transferable?

You can climb a mountain so what ever you decide it will come right x

 

[Kay9]

@Suzette @Legin @copsham thanks again for all your help...always there.

I dont think the holiday is transferrable but I could have a look and see, maybe even putting it back a month or 2 would help?

I think Im going to post in the pre-op forum, this probably needs to be there and not clogging up post-op with this. I will do a pros and cons thing too....I wish I was more decisive. I want someone to take it out of my hands but I know its got to be my decision and mine only. I asked my ex Husband what he would do and he said " make better career choices" ( I was a dancer and prob lot of stress on my joints) so he really wasn't any help at all. I expect everyones sick of me asking their advice. One day soon, I will make a decision, all by myself

 

[Jaycey]

o it means I might have to be awake again, and Im still trying to forget the noises I heard last time

Just tell them you do not want to see or hear anything. They will give you sedation and you won't remember a thing. I woke up during my LTHR. Wasn't the most pleasant experience so just before my RTHR I told the anaesthetist I didn't want a repeat performance. When to sleep and that was all she wrote!