THR LaKarune's Journey Back to the Dance Floor - Recovery Thread

[LaKarune]

Here are photos of my current elevation strategy — one on my belly (my wound is on my side buttock and it feels good to stretch my hip flexors on my belly!) and the other in my recliner. The Lounge Doctor is ordered but a few days out from delivery so we are making due in the meantime. What do the pros here think of the elevation techniques? My swelling is minimal so far but I’m only 2 days past surgery and want to get ahead of it.

 

[MissFanny]

@LaKarune Personally, I count surgery day as day 1 while I’m still measuring recovery in “days.”

 

[MissFanny]

I have those same ice packs! I have one wrapped around my hip and one around my knee as I write.

Elevation looks good. I elevate almost around the clock. I didn’t really start swelling until about day 6-7.

 

[Hip4life]

Wow! I don't think I could have gotten on my belly like that! LOL. If you're comfortable and it doesn't go against any restrictions you have, good for you. We're just looking for "toes higher than the nose." The wedge will help make that easier. Our guidelines for icing are fine as long as you have a cloth between the ice and your skin. Just follow your instincts if you have any qualms.

Days are counted post op. Surgery is '0' then the next day is POD (post-op day) '1'. After the first week or two, it becomes less important and most of us start counting by weeks. I went the extreme route and kept track of the 'days' in my journal for a year just for fun. When I discussed my recovery time it was in weeks, then months.

Sounds like you're doing well. Just be careful not to do too much, too quickly. Continued blessings for good healing and recovery.

 

[CricketHip]

Your elevation looks good! Does it bother your feet to have that little overhang? I know it would bother me and would need to roll a towel somehow to prevent that. But you have figured out some nice elevation techniques.

I was an anterior approach so the tummy positioning was a big no-no for me but as Hip4Life said, if you can do it and not break any restrictions then it looks good for you!

Early days for you and I think you are doing very well.

 

[KittensMom]

Wow I wish I had one of those triangle pillows in the first few weeks 4,5 weeks out I am still putting a pillow between my legs as I turn to my stomach. Although I had no restrictions, it makes me nervous. But it is great to be able to alternate between resting on the back and stomach.

It is lovely to see that you seem to be doing really well

 

[Eman85]

I find it interesting when people talk about restrictions or not having them. We all have restrictions, they are dictated by our bodies, not some piece of paper or a Dr.'s words. If you understand the procedure and the structure of our body it's clear why some things shouldn't be done soon post-op.

 

[KittensMom]

Sorry @Eman85 I should have maybe said no restrictions around it from my doctor

 

[LaKarune]

I have those same ice packs! I have one wrapped around my hip and one around my knee as I write.

Elevation looks good. I elevate almost around the clock. I didn’t really start swelling until about day 6-7.

These ice packs are genius. @hhhooray posted the link in @Merrimay’s recovery thread and I ordered a second one yesterday!!

See I keep hearing that swelling doesn’t start for a bit so I’m concerned. Hoping I can get ahead of it by icing and elevating before it hits. Maybe wishful thinking? I don’t know.

 

[Eman85]

@ChickensMom , wasn't directed at you, just a generalization. No matter what the approach the hip capsule is weakened and dislocation is possible despite the no restriction belief.

 

[MissFanny]

I think I am a sweller and a bruiser. No matter how much I ice or elevate, I end up puffy and black and blue. My husband took a picture of the back of my surgery thigh and it is bruised. My butt isn’t but last time it was! I’m through the worst of the swelling now—I can sit up and/or walk throughout the day as long as I also take plenty of breaks to get those feet back up.

But a woman I work with said she never swelled or bruised. I hope you will be one of those lucky ducks! I also hope you are still feeling well!

 

[LaKarune]

Wow! I don't think I could have gotten on my belly like that! LOL. If you're comfortable and it doesn't go against any restrictions you have, good for you. We're just looking for "toes higher than the nose." The wedge will help make that easier. Our guidelines for icing are fine as long as you have a cloth between the ice and your skin. Just follow your instincts if you have any qualms.

Days are counted post op. Surgery is '0' then the next day is POD (post-op day) '1'. After the first week or two, it becomes less important and most of us start counting by weeks. I went the extreme route and kept track of the 'days' in my journal for a year just for fun. When I discussed my recovery time it was in weeks, then months.

Sounds like you're doing well. Just be careful not to do too much, too quickly. Continued blessings for good healing and recovery.

Phew thank you for answering my all important “how do we count?!” question! I’ve been mentally prepping for Days 3-6, which seem to be everyone’s worst days (based on my copious Recovery Thread reading).

I love that you counted days in your journal for a whole year. Reminds me of the funny ways we count babies’ ages… when we get to 26 months old it all starts to sound funny, but makes developmental sense somehow.

 

[LaKarune]

I think I am a sweller and a bruiser. No matter how much I ice or elevate, I end up puffy and black and blue. My husband took a picture of the back of my surgery thigh and it is bruised. My butt isn’t but last time it was! I’m through the worst of the swelling now—I can sit up and/or walk throughout the day as long as I also take plenty of breaks to get those feet back up.

But a woman I work with said she never swelled or bruised. I hope you will be one of those lucky ducks! I also hope you are still feeling well!

You know it just occurred to me that the aspirin we have to take for a month after surgery might be part of why people bruise a week or so into recovery….

What surgical approach did you do for this most recent hip?

 

[LaKarune]

Your elevation looks good! Does it bother your feet to have that little overhang? I know it would bother me and would need to roll a towel somehow to prevent that. But you have figured out some nice elevation techniques.

I was an anterior approach so the tummy positioning was a big no-no for me but as Hip4Life said, if you can do it and not break any restrictions then it looks good for you!

Early days for you and I think you are doing very well.

Thank you for signing off on my elevation! It really is so helpful for me to be able to rely on you and others who have been through all of this already and know all the tips and tricks.

The foot overhang is a little annoying sometimes and then sometimes I want the overhang so I can move my ankles around. I tend to be ancy and want to change position a lot, so options are key for me.

 

[MissFanny]

Anterior approach with both hips. I usually research everything thoroughly and saw in your pre-op thread how much research you did, but I wanted to know as little as possible about this surgery. I stumbled on a few things I REALLY didn’t want to know reading people’s threads. I told my husband I will read up and tell him all about it about a year after I get through this. I know that probably sounds strange, but I once had an anxiety attack (30 years ago, but I will never forget it!) over medical stuff. I am pretty mellow these days but I don’t want to chance getting myself into some anxious state. I found a surgeon I trust and he recommended this approach and said I am a good candidate for outpatient, so I said, “Let’s do it!”

I am with you on the feet overhang. Sometimes it feels good. Sometimes it bugs the hell out of me. My husband was helping me with my wedge the first week and he complained he never knew where I wanted it!

 

[LaKarune]

Day 4 - AM report. I slept through the night last night for the first time in PostOp. That was nice, except I ran out of ice and missed a dose of Tramadol, so woke up a little stiffer than usual. My hip is responding well to ice, and I'm back on the pain meds so overall I'm pretty comfortable.

Had my first home PT visit today. She's an ex-ballerina! Fantastic. I think she would be BoneSmart approved, for sure. She just reiterated the same six gentle exercises that I got from the hospital PT (all done laying on my back in bed), and told me to do four dedicated walking laps 3x per day in my little hallway. She told me to do the exercises very gently, to relax my foot and all other muscles other than the ones each exercise targets, and told me to stop if anything hurts. (Nothing hurt.) She wants me to do them 3x per day so when she was leaving I said "So do these 3 more times today?" and she said "TWO more times". LOL. Clearly she's not going to put up with any ODIC invitations.

I can walk without support but she wants me to use the cane anyway and corrected my timing - cane, operative leg, non-operative leg. I was sort of just plopping the cane down in an auditory rhythm. :P

Still waiting for the other shoe to drop with pain and swelling. So far it's all been manageable and the swelling isn't too noticeable. Crossing fingers (not legs, that's against the rules) that I somehow avoid what sounds like inevitable discomfort these next few days.

The only weird thing is that Gabapentin seems to make me nauseous. I requested an anti-nausea from the surgeon's office, hoping to get it today. Haven't felt nerve pain so I imagine it's working as intended.

I appreciate @MissFanny and @tanvat's updates particularly since they are one week ahead of me. Looking forward to being able to support the peeps who are due for surgery in the next few days -- such a wonderful benefit of this forum to have the monthly lists, in addition to all the expert advice from all of you who have done this way before us. Let me know if you have any addl advice for me as I get into the dreaded Day 3-6 zone...

 

[Jaycey]

So far it's all been manageable and the swelling isn't too noticeable.

Unlike pre-op pain, post op is totally manageable. Take your medication as prescribed and ice and elevate. Yes, there may be discomfort. But just take the slow and steady approach. Listen to that new hip.

 

[LaKarune]

Anterior approach with both hips. I usually research everything thoroughly and saw in your pre-op thread how much research you did, but I wanted to know as little as possible about this surgery. I stumbled on a few things I REALLY didn’t want to know reading people’s threads. I told my husband I will read up and tell him all about it about a year after I get through this. I know that probably sounds strange, but I once had an anxiety attack (30 years ago, but I will never forget it!) over medical stuff. I am pretty mellow these days but I don’t want to chance getting myself into some anxious state. I found a surgeon I trust and he recommended this approach and said I am a good candidate for outpatient, so I said, “Let’s do it!”

I am with you on the feet overhang. Sometimes it feels good. Sometimes it bugs the hell out of me. My husband was helping me with my wedge the first week and he complained he never knew where I wanted it!

I researched the heck out of this surgery, it's true. I'm a very physical person, and not being able to access my body was such a spiritual and emotional crisis for me, that I wanted to make sure I was choosing my surgery with my eyes wide open and with the best-case possible outcome for me and the way I move. But I'm a nerdy researcher at heart and knowing the details helps focus my busy brain. This breakdancing cat is meant to be my brain bc I couldn't find another appropriate emoji, lol >>>



I have really specific movement goals post-surgery, which is why I chose the approach and surgeon I ended up with, but I'm one of those picky people that is hard to buy gifts for too.


I am with you 1000% on seeing stuff in threads that scared the beejesus out of me... the last little freakout I had was about nerve damage. I actually told my surgeon right before I got wheeled into the OR that my creative brain had decided to give me anxiety about nerve damage, and we had a quick little chat - he said "very rare complication" and I said "but more common with dysplasia and that's me" and he said "true but we aren't going near your nerve" and then I basically went under. But get this: he wrote in my detailed operation report "sciatic nerve was protected posterially through the entire procedure", which I read as a little love note to me. <3 Maybe he puts that on everyone's report, but I'm choosing to see it as he heard me and wanted to make sure I was reassured. (Did I mention my busy brain? Yeah, welcome to how it works.)

Anyway, long reply! Thanks for the support these last few days and for your daily updates on your thread. You've been super helpful for me.

 

[thepuckhead]

I’ve been mentally prepping for Days 3-6, which seem to be everyone’s worst days (based on my copious Recovery Thread reading).

If I'm remembering correctly, you had Exparel injected into the hip joint during surgery? I also had this and was sweating bullets as t-minus 78 hours loomed and it was due to wear off, as well as any of the other pain relief I may have had from surgery that was clearing my system. I'd been told at the surgical center to definitely start taking the narcotic after 78 hours to head off any breakthrough pain resulting from the Exparel clearing, so I took the max dose the night before as instructed and....good news! I was one of the lucky ones who didn't have breakthrough pain. After that one max dose of painkillers, I took single doses at night and that was more for prevention than need. So, just to let you know that days 4-6 don't always mean instant, agonizing pain for everyone. You've been icing and elevating and taking pain meds as prescribed, so you're certainly doing everything you can to prepare for the worst, but just wanted to share that day 4 isn't always a guaranteed doomsday. ;)

I seriously thought you were posting a picture from the wrap on the pillow showing a model comfortably reclined, in perfect position. And then I realized that was actually you! Maybe you have a second career in modelling wedge pillows? And now, after reading your description of using the cane, I'm stuck with the picture of Debbie Allen in "Fame" thunking her cane on the floor as she said, "you've got big dreams? You want fame? Well fame costs!"

You're doing really, really well - so good to see you making the most of the time and recovery!

 

[MissFanny]

I’m glad you have found my posts helpful and I am tickled you are doing so well! Fingers and toes crossed it just keeps getting better and better!