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THR left it TOO long: Left THR Posterior

The first time I was able to get on my hands & knees to wash the bathroom floor I was sooo excited! Now how to get back up! lol!
Bathroom isn’t big but I like to be able to bleach everything & scrub.
Crazy the little things you did before hip replacement so easily & couldn’t do for awhile after surgery can bring you joy, who knew????
The best thing is it gets better. Year one is tough. Year two is amazing! I’m in Year three & if I didn’t check in here everyday I might forget I had a hip replacement.
Patience is a virtue, one I didn’t possess but I was forced to listen to my body & don’t worry about being somewhat of a “ regular “ in ODIC, most of us made more than one visit. The good thing is more than likely a day or two off rest & ice or heating pad gets you out if the club quickly.
 
I'm really looking forward to all of the milestones that are now possible to achieve because of joint replacement. It may be challenging but it's such a blessing to be in recovery!

Thanks @myglasshalffull
 
Deni444 said:
I'm sick of using crutches and the chores are piling up around the house after six weeks of being unable to do them
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While my husband was a loving caregiver and I'm thankful for that, there were always dishes teetering on the edge of the kitchen sink, empty bags and packaging on the center island, dust bunnies on the kitchen floor etc and it began making me crazy. I had a mini meltdown on the phone one morning with my mom and within a couple hours my mom and sister were at my home vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms and especially the kitchen! I felt so much better knowing that it was clean and that I could hopefully / slowly begin keeping it up myself. Wondering if you have close family nearby, or friends that have offered "let me know if I can do anything"? If so, consider taking them up on their offer to do some of the chores that you're incapable of right now...you'll feel so much better. OR, even a cleaning service once, or twice, if the budget allows. Consider meal prepping (dinner) in the morning, when your energy is still high and pain level low? I know it's frustrating but you are making great strides and it will continue to get easier week by week. Hang in there, Deni! :friends:
@Deni444
 
@Layla Thank you! Some brilliant suggestions. Unfortunately, we live quite remotely and family are the other end of the country. We retired early from work in exchange for living on a small pension. A blessing in itself but no money in the jar for a cleaner.

In reality, slowly I'm reclaiming it all bit by bit, I'm just going to have to dig deep and be patient. You wouldn't believe the dust bunnies I got up yesterday :) I emptied the canister before starting in the kitchen and it was full before I'd finished! It's now looking lovely though and I know now I can do it, it won't get bad again. Today the bathroom got a clean and looks almost normal again.

Meal prepping is a great idea but hubby jumps in and says he'll do it if I don't look like I can do it in normal time. That is also a blessing that I'm trying to be thankful for and not resent :). All in good time is my current motto. Yesterday, the hoovering and tomorrow the washing. Oh how I wish I hadn't traded in an automatic washing machine for an old fashioned twin tub :heehee:
 
Wow you've achieved tons I only just did some hoovering yesterday 11 weeks post op! You must be joking re: twin tub surely I had a 2nd hand one 45 years ago!!!!! Use a long grabber for getting clothes in and out the washing machine** I still use mine really helps do smaller loads if able to
Keep going you're doing amazingly
 
@Deni444 @Constanze

I think almost all UK orthopaedic consultants run a private practice alongside their NHS work. You can look up the operations performed by any UK consultant on the National joint registry database, and you will usually see that as well as doing surgeries at an nhs hospital they are also performing surgeries at one or more private hospitals. Of course some of this may be subcontracted from the nhs to help reduce backlogs. Had I stayed with my NHS path it would have involved surgery in a private hospital. I just couldn’t choose the hospital or surgeon I wanted, nor would I have got any choice about the surgery itself.

The Spire hospital I am using has quite a lot of orthopaedic surgeons using it and their private work is a mix of self funded (like mine) and insurance funded. I would imagine it’s a lucrative sideline. Whilst I am paying a fixed price for the work, the quote broke out the fees for both the consultant surgeon and consultant anaesthetist. If they can free up a weekday afternoon for a couple of operations plus clinics (there is a separate fee for an initial consultation), plus also do a couple on Saturday mornings, it’s a very nice earner for them.

I think Deni is right that they don’t tout for private work when they see someone referred by the nhs, but they are very easy to find and book privately.

Unfortunately a two tier system with speed for those who can afford it or have suitable private medical insurance. Unfortunately the length of NHS waiting lists drives people to spend a lot of their savings on operations or take out loans. I am in the privileged position that time is a much bigger concern to me than cost. I lost the summer of 21 to my first hip (after of course the limitations we all had during the pandemic). Summers of 22 and 23 were both impacted by chemotherapy and last summer I was still recovering from everything that had happened. Whilst my cancer is in remission it may not stay that way, so realistically I don’t know how many more summers I will have and am not prepared to lose another to my hip.
 
@Coddfish

Here's hoping praying that you have many, many more beautiful summers ahead of you to enjoy with the added bonus of two good new hips!

My heart goes out to those without the funds to avoid the long wait! I'm certainly hoping that I'll be recovering from my second hip replacement before this year is out! I'm planning my crops next year for my greenhouse and polytunnel, so I hope so.
 
@Mich`ee My twin tub is a modern reproduction, Hotpoint style. Made out of plastic but it's good. Generally, I love it and have the time to devote to a wash a week. I get everything done in just over an hour. Mostly watching YouTube videos whilst it does its thing. I did a load a couple of weeks ago but the bending, even with the grabber was a bit too much. I underestimated the weight of a wet towel! I've been avoiding it since but I'm running out of socks and the Ali babba basket is spilling over :)
 
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@Deni444 Ah the impatience and frustration of recovery! Actually I think that is a positive sign that your healing is progressing normally. Of course the brain wants to go faster while the body says "No, not yet". I do sympathize with the urge to get rid of the dust bunnies and get all the big and small chores done! Been there, done that!

One of the best things I ever did (besides having painful joints replaced) was hire a house cleaner. Oh, 14 years ago I was helping out a young friend who was just starting her own house cleaning business - being altruistic, you know? But 14 years later she is still a line item on my budget and one of my best friends! During my various recuperations it sure did help a lot to have her come each week to change sheets, clean bathroom and kitchen, dust and vacuum, etc. Plus we spend some time laughing, sharing our lives, and solving world problems ( "If I ran the zoo....").
 
@djklaugh Thanks for the encouragement! I think the biggest frustration is, I can do chores or I can do walking exercise outside. I'm catching up on the house, bit by bit but nothing left in the tank for walking outside. I think I'm getting the steps in but it doesn't feel like it when it's just around the house. I need to dig out my step counter.
 
Deni444 said:
@Mich`ee My twin tub is a modern reproduction, Hotpoint style. Made out of plastic but it's good. Generally, I love it and have the time to devote to a wash a week. I get everything done in just over an hour. Mostly watching YouTube videos whilst it does its thing. I did a load a couple of weeks ago but the bending, even with the grabber was a bit too much. I underestimated the weight of a wet towel! I've been avoiding it since but I'm running out of socks and the Ali babba basket is spilling over :)
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If I remember twin tubs were almost worktop height good on you it does get easier I actually managed to hang out my washing today on the line was 27° here in Kent by the seaside
 
Deni444 said:
@djklaugh Thanks for the encouragement! I think the biggest frustration is, I can do chores or I can do walking exercise outside. I'm catching up on the house, bit by bit but nothing left in the tank for walking outside. I think I'm getting the steps in but it doesn't feel like it when it's just around the house. I need to dig out my step counter.
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Take Care
 
@Mich`ee Well done, hanging out the washing. That's quite a bit of hip movement! We're on the coast too and it's been pretty hot, even up in the far north of England
 
Deni444 said:
@Mich`ee Well done, hanging out the washing. That's quite a bit of hip movement! We're on the coast too and it's been pretty hot, even up in the far north of England
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Eyesnlegs said:
Week 11, first visit to hairdressers for a trim and blow dry and then a pedicure yesterday. A much needed treat and feeling more normal. Still leaving most of heavier chores to the other half but as he pointed out these ‘treats’ are important too. Walked around the local park today stopping at a couple of benches. It’s only about 0.6 of a mile but there was no pain in the hip, just some aching in calf and ankle probably due to hip flexors still causing a few issues. Then off to our favourite cafe for lunch! Keep going @Deni444 and @Mich`ee, the weathers gorgeous and life will get better.
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I'm week 11+ too I've been having private* physio every other week absolutely amazing I have been seeing her for 3 years she comes to my place so very beneficial gives me motivation much needed tips on what's what so to speak I'm very overweight for my 4ft 8" unfortunately physio has no magic therapy for my eating habits
 
Another recovery milestone today! I was finally able to resume taking antiinflammatory medication having finished all my blood thinning medication. I'm hoping that will help my right leg and in turn mean I can start to walk a little more consistently.

I've been able to do a little light work in my greenhouse this morning which is pretty significant. I left the greenhouse late last summer because walking to it was just too difficult and painful, even with two walking sticks. It was the beginning of a long period of being pretty housebound.

I was on crutches today but it was easy and pain free. It honestly felt miraculous and such a blessing on a personal level. Another huge reminder that I really should have had the surgery sooner... Better late than never though!
 
That is a great step forward. @Deni444 Well done :flwrysmile: It must have been miserable for you being in such a lot of pain that you were virtually housebound. Hopefully you will get the second hip done before too long and then lots more progress.

I walked down to the village again today (on crutches) to go to the farmers market. Took ages (normally 5 minutes) partly because I'm so slow but partly because I kept meeting people who asked what had happened. Getting there felt like another step to being more 'me'
 
:friends: @IndigoKnee We're both moving forward and it's just such a thrill! I know we have ups and downs but the ups feel absolutely wonderful!
 
I love the stories of gratitude often found here. They always warm my heart. This surgery certainly reminds us of all we take for granted until our mobility is compromised. Thankfully there is the miraculous option of joint replacement whereas in the not so very distant past many of us may have been wheelchair bound. Glad you made it out to putter around in your greenhouse. Always a fantasy of mine to have one of those. Sounds like fun. Work...but enjoyable work!
Happy Saturday! :flwrysmile:
@Deni444
 
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