- Joined
- Jun 26, 2017
- Messages
- 47,909
- Gender
- Female
- Country
United States
THR Lerwick8 Begins the Road to Recovery
- Thread starter Lerwick8
- Start date
Mojo333
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
So sorry so much swelling. My appetite was the pits for first weeks...I ate grapes, little green ones, little red ones, big purple ones....freezing cold. Kept a cup of them.
OP
OP
Lerwick8
member
@Mojo333 .. thank you! Can't believe Monday marks the second week since surgery, and the beginning of the third week of recovery. It feels like it was just yesterday!
Home PT came today, but he just did some lymphatic massage on the swollen leg, since I told him in the nicest possible terms that it was possibly the exercises he had me do last Friday that resulted in the swelling/setback.
I spoke with my OS on Tuesday and he was unaware of the PT order (the hospital PT ordered the home PT) and was not happy about it as he did not want me to do any PT for awhile. So much miscommunication between all staff involved. I also got sent home with another patient's discharge instructions.
Okay.. I am just rambling on. Time for a nap!
Hope you are safe from Irma...
Home PT came today, but he just did some lymphatic massage on the swollen leg, since I told him in the nicest possible terms that it was possibly the exercises he had me do last Friday that resulted in the swelling/setback.
I spoke with my OS on Tuesday and he was unaware of the PT order (the hospital PT ordered the home PT) and was not happy about it as he did not want me to do any PT for awhile. So much miscommunication between all staff involved. I also got sent home with another patient's discharge instructions.
Okay.. I am just rambling on. Time for a nap!
Hope you are safe from Irma...
OP
OP
Lerwick8
member
Mojo333
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
Get some rest. You have had a really hard start. I'm going to pray that you get better fast. You will be okay.
You're a tough lady I can tell.
Mandatory evacuations all around me, but we are OK I think. I'm staying right here. I love a good storm.
You're a tough lady I can tell.
Mandatory evacuations all around me, but we are OK I think. I'm staying right here. I love a good storm.
GrannyC
post-grad
Yuck on the swelling. I am VERY glad you have appt with OS tomorrow to get all the orders straight. You can verify about the meds and it sounds like you already discussed the PT. My OS said we don't need PT also. Hopefully that swelling starts to go down soon as it looks very uncomfortable. Keep on posted on Dr CB's report.
zauberflöte
alpha
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2013
- Messages
- 5,540
- Age
- 74
- Location
- Central Virginia
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United States
@Lerwick8 are you kidding?? You got sent home with the wrong discharge instructions? Who got sent home with yours???
My percocet label says, "Take 1-2 tablets by mouth every 4-6 hours as needed for pain". I took that to mean "Take 1-2 tablets by mouth every 4-6 hours as needed for pain". Notice the two are the same. My home nurse didn't have my pain (nor did she order me to stop taking it, in fact when I told her I was stretching to 6 hours from 4, she said, no, take it more frequently, you'll end up taking less-- and she was right!) so could not know what my own "as needed" was. Likewise with other people's home nurses, who are not inside their patients' bodies. Nobody is going to take a patient to court if they ignore their home nurse and instead take the script literally.
It sounds like you got a hard sell from your hospital regarding home care-- I did, on my first hip. They required me to sign legal documents while I was under the influence, and made me think I HAD to have home PT and a home nurse .(OS was advocating it at the time, not so much now). So I picked one, from the top of their list, which Just Happened to be under the same health care umbrella corporation as the hospital....(!). Hard Sell....I didn't know that my insurance didn't cover home nursing. I asked the discharge manager about that, and she said she'd find out. She came back from wherever, and said she was sure that my insurance would pay. Heh heh heh when I found out that they didn't, I whacked the discharge lady over the head with that, but she passed the buck to the home care people, who ended up bashing her over the head some more, I think. Anyway, home nursing had to foot the bill for two visits! The home care intake nurse, when I queried her about the insurance thing, said she had me down as being on Medicaid! She laughed and said she'd looked around the (nice old 60's ranchers) neighborhood and wondered about that....but she hadn't mentioned it to me!!!!!
That swelling looks exactly like my leg did, only your skin is prettier. It started to go down when I stopped wearing those tight stockings, and left them off at night (which it turned out was what I was supposed to do anyway, only I hadn't read all the way). I know exactly how that feels, and it will be a blessed relief for you when it goes down. I spent lots of time with my legs actually elevated while that was going on, too.
This is a rough start for you, and I hate that! It will get better, and a year from now you may not even remember how you felt, you will just remember remembering it, as it were. In the meantime, how about a nice little nap?
My percocet label says, "Take 1-2 tablets by mouth every 4-6 hours as needed for pain". I took that to mean "Take 1-2 tablets by mouth every 4-6 hours as needed for pain". Notice the two are the same. My home nurse didn't have my pain (nor did she order me to stop taking it, in fact when I told her I was stretching to 6 hours from 4, she said, no, take it more frequently, you'll end up taking less-- and she was right!) so could not know what my own "as needed" was. Likewise with other people's home nurses, who are not inside their patients' bodies. Nobody is going to take a patient to court if they ignore their home nurse and instead take the script literally.
It sounds like you got a hard sell from your hospital regarding home care-- I did, on my first hip. They required me to sign legal documents while I was under the influence, and made me think I HAD to have home PT and a home nurse .(OS was advocating it at the time, not so much now). So I picked one, from the top of their list, which Just Happened to be under the same health care umbrella corporation as the hospital....(!). Hard Sell....I didn't know that my insurance didn't cover home nursing. I asked the discharge manager about that, and she said she'd find out. She came back from wherever, and said she was sure that my insurance would pay. Heh heh heh when I found out that they didn't, I whacked the discharge lady over the head with that, but she passed the buck to the home care people, who ended up bashing her over the head some more, I think. Anyway, home nursing had to foot the bill for two visits! The home care intake nurse, when I queried her about the insurance thing, said she had me down as being on Medicaid! She laughed and said she'd looked around the (nice old 60's ranchers) neighborhood and wondered about that....but she hadn't mentioned it to me!!!!!
That swelling looks exactly like my leg did, only your skin is prettier. It started to go down when I stopped wearing those tight stockings, and left them off at night (which it turned out was what I was supposed to do anyway, only I hadn't read all the way). I know exactly how that feels, and it will be a blessed relief for you when it goes down. I spent lots of time with my legs actually elevated while that was going on, too.
This is a rough start for you, and I hate that! It will get better, and a year from now you may not even remember how you felt, you will just remember remembering it, as it were. In the meantime, how about a nice little nap?
OP
OP
Lerwick8
member
@zauberflöte ..I shudder to think who has my discharge papers, but I returned the elderly genleman's papers to Dr. CB at my post-op appointment today. He just shook head in disbelief. I had mentioned it to him when we spoke earlier this week and he reported it to the head nurse, who in turn, called me and is filing a formal complaint, for whatever good it will do.
On the home care front, l personally requested a single visit from an RN. I am prone to UTI''s and thought I might have one. The home RN route was the only way to get a proper urine test/culture done without leaving home. Fortunately, insurance does cover the cost and fortunately the test came back negative!
Dr. CB was pretty ticked off today when I went over the RN's Oxy taper down plan. That said, he would like me to taper down too, but on a slower schedule than the RN who would have me quit altogether today. He wants me
to rely more on Tylenol in the interim, but would also like to see me gradually decrease that too from what I am currently taking. Despite the swelling, my pain is getting better and he did emphasize that I could always take the Oxy if needed. Biggest problem right now is that my asthma, which has been pretty much dormant for the last few years, is acting up. Dr. CB thinks it might be due to the 2x daily dose of aspirin @ 325mg each dose. Only a little over two weeks to go and l'll be done with that. But is was unnerving using my nebulizer tonight.
Frankly, if getting off of all of the meds means that I can finally enjoy a glass, or more, of sake than I am a bit more motivated
Hmmm, between the boxer shorts and Ted hose, I really don't know which is worse. Doc did instruct me to get the thigh high Ted's and wear those daytime only for the next week. I was using a knee high that was actually making the bruising worse.
At the end of the day, l was instructed to keep elevating, icing, etc for the next 2 weeks, so no walks to the coffee shop/park for me by week 4 after all. Not what I wanted to hear and I had a quiet sake-free pity party late this afternoon.
It is hoped that the swelling will be gone in 10 days. Only time will tell, but I am encouraged that you went through similar swelling and made it through.
Okay, I can barely keep my eyes open as I sit in bed nodding off, so I will sign off.
I hope that you are having a wonderful weekend
On the home care front, l personally requested a single visit from an RN. I am prone to UTI''s and thought I might have one. The home RN route was the only way to get a proper urine test/culture done without leaving home. Fortunately, insurance does cover the cost and fortunately the test came back negative!
Dr. CB was pretty ticked off today when I went over the RN's Oxy taper down plan. That said, he would like me to taper down too, but on a slower schedule than the RN who would have me quit altogether today. He wants me
to rely more on Tylenol in the interim, but would also like to see me gradually decrease that too from what I am currently taking. Despite the swelling, my pain is getting better and he did emphasize that I could always take the Oxy if needed. Biggest problem right now is that my asthma, which has been pretty much dormant for the last few years, is acting up. Dr. CB thinks it might be due to the 2x daily dose of aspirin @ 325mg each dose. Only a little over two weeks to go and l'll be done with that. But is was unnerving using my nebulizer tonight.
Frankly, if getting off of all of the meds means that I can finally enjoy a glass, or more, of sake than I am a bit more motivated
Hmmm, between the boxer shorts and Ted hose, I really don't know which is worse. Doc did instruct me to get the thigh high Ted's and wear those daytime only for the next week. I was using a knee high that was actually making the bruising worse.
At the end of the day, l was instructed to keep elevating, icing, etc for the next 2 weeks, so no walks to the coffee shop/park for me by week 4 after all. Not what I wanted to hear and I had a quiet sake-free pity party late this afternoon.
It is hoped that the swelling will be gone in 10 days. Only time will tell, but I am encouraged that you went through similar swelling and made it through.
Okay, I can barely keep my eyes open as I sit in bed nodding off, so I will sign off.
I hope that you are having a wonderful weekend
Mojo333
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
@Lerwick8
Craziest recovery story ever...you have GOT to be on the end of your bad luck streak. I know it's easy for me to say, but TRY to keep a little sense of humor. You honestly could not have started this journey much crazier.
Remember memoir.
"It was the summer of '17...hottest on record..."
Craziest recovery story ever...you have GOT to be on the end of your bad luck streak. I know it's easy for me to say, but TRY to keep a little sense of humor. You honestly could not have started this journey much crazier.
Remember memoir.
"It was the summer of '17...hottest on record..."
GrannyC
post-grad
Not a good way to start, that's for sure but now that things are all sorted out, let's hope your recovery looks brighter. I know taking it quiet for the next two weeks is not what you wanted to hear, maybe you can see the bright side that is your body will have nothing to do but heal. If you were walking more, your body would be busy with that and not healing. Even though we can't see it, there is so very much internal healing that needs to be done and it takes months to complete. In the grand scheme of things, two weeks isn't that long. I do like @Mojo333 's comment that it will be a good story for your memoir 
All kidding aside, you will do just fine. You just need to muster up lots of patience 
All kidding aside, you will do just fine. You just need to muster up lots of patience 
gaulsuerou
senior
Hi Lerwick8
So sorry to hear you're having such a tough go of it, yikes I looked at the photo of your leg, I never swelled it all! It looks so uncomfortable. Hopefully things will get better from here just checking in to say hi and that I'm thinking of you better days are coming!
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
So sorry to hear you're having such a tough go of it, yikes I looked at the photo of your leg, I never swelled it all! It looks so uncomfortable. Hopefully things will get better from here just checking in to say hi and that I'm thinking of you better days are coming!
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
OP
OP
Lerwick8
member
@Mojo333 ..isn't it just! Everyone kept telling me that I would do well and bounce right back, so you can imagine the difficulty of the reality.
The worst part is the part that I envisaged....being stuck at home
. I will never ever take a walk to the corner store for granted again!
It is somewhat of a consolation to know that others, such as @zauberflöte , have had similar swelling and got through it. My OS said he does have patients who swell like me. Everyone is different and nobody can predict how well they are going to do until they begin the recovery process.
I have had some interesting experiences in the last few days...for example, I will be walking with the walker in my apartment then stop to do something and start walking without the walker. With the exception of the odd heavy feeling in my leg, the walking is not difficult at all. The PT came this past Thursday for an evaluation and a lymphatic massage of the swelling, and he was astounded by my good balance and overall strength. I am also having far less difficulty lifting my leg to get into bed, etc. I can use my hands now, and not the leg lifter strap.
I will take these as positive signs with the thought that once the swelling subsides, I will indeed be on the way to achieving my goal of walking to the coffee shop/park a few blocks from my apartment.
Quick question..last night I woke up to go to the bathroom and noticed a sharp/shooting pain coming from the side of my lower thigh. This morning I felt a small 'lump' or hard spot. The pain is not constant, but comes and goes. As another anterior person, what do you think it might be? A friend thinks that it is just some muscle/nerve pain as the leg heals?
Hope you are ready for Irma..I think it must be growing up in Atlanta that contributes to my love of storms, just like you. After 35 years in San Francisco, it is the southern storms l miss most. That said, Irma is no average storm and it breaks my heart to think about those caught in her path and the devastation they will experience.
The worst part is the part that I envisaged....being stuck at home
. I will never ever take a walk to the corner store for granted again!It is somewhat of a consolation to know that others, such as @zauberflöte , have had similar swelling and got through it. My OS said he does have patients who swell like me. Everyone is different and nobody can predict how well they are going to do until they begin the recovery process.
I have had some interesting experiences in the last few days...for example, I will be walking with the walker in my apartment then stop to do something and start walking without the walker. With the exception of the odd heavy feeling in my leg, the walking is not difficult at all. The PT came this past Thursday for an evaluation and a lymphatic massage of the swelling, and he was astounded by my good balance and overall strength. I am also having far less difficulty lifting my leg to get into bed, etc. I can use my hands now, and not the leg lifter strap.
I will take these as positive signs with the thought that once the swelling subsides, I will indeed be on the way to achieving my goal of walking to the coffee shop/park a few blocks from my apartment.Quick question..last night I woke up to go to the bathroom and noticed a sharp/shooting pain coming from the side of my lower thigh. This morning I felt a small 'lump' or hard spot. The pain is not constant, but comes and goes. As another anterior person, what do you think it might be? A friend thinks that it is just some muscle/nerve pain as the leg heals?
Hope you are ready for Irma..I think it must be growing up in Atlanta that contributes to my love of storms, just like you. After 35 years in San Francisco, it is the southern storms l miss most. That said, Irma is no average storm and it breaks my heart to think about those caught in her path and the devastation they will experience.
OP
OP
Lerwick8
member
@gaulsuerou .. Thank you ! Well I am not surprised that you didn't have much swelling.
If there were such a thing as the 'immaculate conception ' of hip replacement then you would certainly epitomize it
For now, I get to live vicariously through your recovery and subsequent adventures, but I can hardly wait until I too can realize some of those experiences !
If there were such a thing as the 'immaculate conception ' of hip replacement then you would certainly epitomize it
For now, I get to live vicariously through your recovery and subsequent adventures, but I can hardly wait until I too can realize some of those experiences !
OP
OP
Lerwick8
member
Hi there @GrannyC ! Thanks for your messages.
Swelling is beginning to go down, slowly but surely
I am certainly resting, elevating, and icing as much as I can; however, my doctor does want me to be walking too so that the leg will build some strength. Obviously I won't be walking around the block or anything like that, just around my apartment for now. He did, however, say that next week I could venture outside and do some short walks on the sidewalk outside of my apartment if I wanted to.
I think I will play @zauberflöte's driveway game where she would set walking goals for herself and measure them by the distance to the different driveways on her street.
I hope that you are enjoying some sewing this weekend..
Swelling is beginning to go down, slowly but surely
I am certainly resting, elevating, and icing as much as I can; however, my doctor does want me to be walking too so that the leg will build some strength. Obviously I won't be walking around the block or anything like that, just around my apartment for now. He did, however, say that next week I could venture outside and do some short walks on the sidewalk outside of my apartment if I wanted to.I think I will play @zauberflöte's driveway game where she would set walking goals for herself and measure them by the distance to the different driveways on her street.
I hope that you are enjoying some sewing this weekend..
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2017
- Messages
- 47,909
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United States
Hi @Lerwick8
Mini detours, blip on the screen in the whole scheme of things.
You had a bumpy start but it doesn't determine your future.
Life is awaiting as are walks to the coffee shop and relaxing
evenings dining, or in front of the tv enjoying your sake.
Time will fly, you will soon realize this yourself. In addition, you really do forget at times
you are the proud owner of a prothsetic. I forget already, often, at only 10 weeks out!
Life is GOOD!!!
Mini detours, blip on the screen in the whole scheme of things.
You had a bumpy start but it doesn't determine your future.
Life is awaiting as are walks to the coffee shop and relaxing
evenings dining, or in front of the tv enjoying your sake.
Time will fly, you will soon realize this yourself. In addition, you really do forget at times
you are the proud owner of a prothsetic. I forget already, often, at only 10 weeks out!
Life is GOOD!!!
Mojo333
Former BoneSmart Staff Member
Yes, I do think it's nerve stuff. Rather startling. Doesn't last long and the lump...not sure if that's a tendon/muscle/ligament contraction but its seemed to get less and less intense although I got somewhat concerned about allot of numbness on my lateral thighs and as they have 'awoken' they get these zingers.
You sincerely have been a trooper and I also did not have the severe swelling but this was a MAJOR surgery and despite all of the mishaps, you are holding up brilliantly. There will be back and forth but that hip pain being gone will eventually trump all the unfortunate healing issues very soon.
You are an inspiration to me as you are doing this pretty much on your own...except for all of US you know. We are on your side.
You sincerely have been a trooper and I also did not have the severe swelling but this was a MAJOR surgery and despite all of the mishaps, you are holding up brilliantly. There will be back and forth but that hip pain being gone will eventually trump all the unfortunate healing issues very soon.
You are an inspiration to me as you are doing this pretty much on your own...except for all of US you know. We are on your side.
OP
OP
Lerwick8
member
@Mojo333...OMG ..Kinder words have never been spoken (to me) and not sure they are deserved, but they are certainly appreciated from the bottom of my heart!
I figured what I was experiencing was probably the first of many odd sensations. A good friend who had a hernia operation over a decade ago still gets the odd nerve twinge.
Aren't our bodies something! My body is finally beginning to really heal in that the swelling has gone down noticeably since yesterday. It is still there but not as bad
I see that there are numerous more counties in Georgia that have been added to the warning/watch list. My cousin in Atlanta is all prepared with flashlights, etc.
Please stay safe during Irma!
I figured what I was experiencing was probably the first of many odd sensations. A good friend who had a hernia operation over a decade ago still gets the odd nerve twinge.
Aren't our bodies something! My body is finally beginning to really heal in that the swelling has gone down noticeably since yesterday. It is still there but not as bad
I see that there are numerous more counties in Georgia that have been added to the warning/watch list. My cousin in Atlanta is all prepared with flashlights, etc.
Please stay safe during Irma!
gwenc
member
Hi @Lerwick8 - so glad you are over the worst hopefully! I am in Florida, so hunkering down for Irma with hubby, another couple we know, and our 5 horses.
@Layla -- really? you actually "forget" you have an implant? That is amazing! The only time I have experienced that was on my recent trip to Maine, after swimming. I got out of the water and everything felt normal. And I was walking up and down steep flights of stairs 4 or 5 times per day without pain.
However now back in Florida, its back to where I was a couple of weeks ago. Thigh pain when walking, pronounced limp. I wonder if it could be weather related?
@Layla -- really? you actually "forget" you have an implant? That is amazing! The only time I have experienced that was on my recent trip to Maine, after swimming. I got out of the water and everything felt normal. And I was walking up and down steep flights of stairs 4 or 5 times per day without pain.
However now back in Florida, its back to where I was a couple of weeks ago. Thigh pain when walking, pronounced limp. I wonder if it could be weather related?
