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THR Let the recovery begin....

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Hi @AndisMom....do hope you get the nausea sorted out and get your walk outside. It does make you feel like you are in the land of the living. I found I went copious times to the loo after my THR...wonder if it's the bladder waking up properly after spinal? Take care....Chrissie xxx
 
@AndisMom I hope you get some different pain meds that don't make you nauseus so you feel better.
Sounds like you are getting your exercise just with the bathroom trips. :SUNsmile:
 
@GaRosehippy. Please reconsider your decision to make that trip......you have done more that enough for your DMIL..looking after her when she was in hospital in the summer. It's your time now....why jeopardise your recovery now when you are going so well.....? Jamie's suggestion sounds a good ' get out of jail' card. I know I wouldn't do it at this stage in recovery....think shes being a wee bit selfish to expect you to do it......think about it and say that little word ...that's so difficult to get out.....NO!! If you do go I wish you well......Chrissie xxxxx
 
Trying to think of something remotely interesting to post ...this stuff could only be interesting reading for someone preparing to go through it...or comparing notes on your own progress...so here is an update for today..

Nausea is under control!! Double YAY!! Think there were a couple of issues working against me there...I have not eaten very much at all since coming home from hospital. Just light toast, scrambled egg, chicken soup or a Banana Popsicle or something like that is all I have felt up to...probably not enough food to be taking any meds at all.

I have lowered the dosage on the hydrocone to a half pill about every 4 hours...I take a whole one at bedtime with a zofran for nausea... so far so good. Keeping crackers handy and eat a couple when the queasy feeling first starts. That's helping too. And I just had a full, real meal (chicken and rice casserole, weight watchers pineapple upside down cake (yum!) so I am attacking the nausea on all fronts. Pain is not completely controlled at this dosage, but for me that's the trade off.

I had a lot of pain during my bath today but it was worth it...I feel so much better after a nice bath (on the transfer bench) and I can sit in living room and visit with Mom for a while after. Still the most comfy place to be is my under-sized double guest room bed with the amazing gel foam mattress...supports in just the right places and I have mastered the art of getting on and off the bed (not pretty but it works). If I didn't have to share it with 2 cats. They are being so sweet and cuddling with Mom, but bless their little hearts they are in mama's way sometimes.

I have only used the walker for trips further than the bathroom since about Friday. The cane is steady enough for those short bathroom runs. The walker is still needed if I need to stand in the kitchen for more than a few minutes..gives me something to lean on.

The bladder issue exhausted itself...literally. (Whew!) As one posted suggested it may have been the bladder waking up after the surgery. It was a major inconvenience but I'm humming on all cylinders now.

I cant help but compare this to my knee surgery (LTKR) last January. So far my impression is that the surgery itself is a lot more traumatic..not surprisingly. I also find the pain to be worse than I remember from the knee at 1 week post-op. But I'm still hopeful that the progress picks up and that the overall recovery will be shorter.

Have not made it outside yet. Those 3 brick steps from my front door to my driveway are looming in front of me but I will get out there tomorrow or sometime this week. It is SO gorgeous here and I'm happy to have lots of sunshine and warm days...I can even get out to my big back deck to sit with my cats and watch them play. :SUNsmile::flwrysmile::SUNsmile:

I had 4 conference calls today and was told I sound very groggy. Tried not to but I guess the voice is not hiding the pain very well...napped between a couple of the calls . It's nice to give myself permission to take it easy.

About to get comfy for the nite.
Hoping everyone is having a great and pain free nite!
Pam
 
@AndisMom I feel the same way about the posts I have made,not very good reading. But yours have that flare to them that mine lack. Your sense of humor comes thru loud and clear, so don't think they are bad reading, cause they aren't. I am sure the shower felt great, I remember when I got my first one when I got home it wore me out but was so worth it. Also glad you have the nausea issue at bay as well. I was lucky in that I never had any, really felt blessed. I will be needing a knee done in the next 2-3 years and I have heard they are rough, but coming from you it wasn't as bad as the hip. If that's the case, I could do it standing on my head, LOL!! Hoping that each day things get better and better and soon you will be back to your old self, doing whatever you please. In the meantime, take it easy and let your body heal. Take care my friend, and I hope you have a restful sleep tonight.
 
@AndisMom Oh my.... In my joint class, they told us TKR was 4 x more painful than THR.
Woooo, you've not had that experience.
UghOh.
I am glad you are feeling better, and moving forward.
Thanks for documenting your progress. Its so helpful to us who are coming next.

I know your kitties are a lot of comfort; both my dogs share our bed.
They will be in the kennel for 10 days to keep them out of the bed. Ha! Won't they be surprised.

Ok... so what are you doing conference calls for at this point. ? Are you nuts???
My job is doing conference calls. I cannot wait to get away and have some surgery. Haha!
 
@MajorHeidi OUCH!!! Now I went from not too worried about the knee to absolutely dreading it!! Thanks Claire,LOL!! Just teasing, I know joint replacement of any kind isn't a walk in the park, but so worth it to get rid of the pain. And I am sure by the time I get to the point that I need it done, it will be bothering me like my hip did and I won't care what it takes to get rid of the pain.
 
@AndisMom Hope you're starting to feel better by now. I meant to write earlier and ask if you have ever used a product called Sea-Band. It's designed for sea sickness and nausea and I wore them all during my hospital stay and for the first couple of weeks at home while I was on the pain meds. They are elastic bands with a plastic button strategically located for the accupressure point on your wrist. They come in a little plastic carrier with instructions on how to locate them properly. They really do work, and you can probably get them at Walgreens, or any major drug store.
 
@mystikfairy61 Oh Donna, let's not worry about knees today. I am in the same boat without a paddle just like you. Ha! Glad you are recovering well.
 
@birdlady thank you for the tip on Sea band. I will find one and see if it does the trick!
Claire and Donna, didn't mean to scare you on the knee pain comparison. If I have learned anything here it's that everyone's' experiences are unique ... I'm still hoping I turn out to be wrong from a look-back perspective anyway..

Day 8 was pretty uneventful. Pain still needs some meds to manage it well enough to move around. I am cutting pills in half and playing with time between dosages and so far I am one step ahead of it. The pain is less at the incision site now, and centered more in the deep tissue that was so traumatized. It's deeper than the knee pain that I recall, but that is easy to understand considering the location of the hip joint.

Today's little victory was that I managed to roll myself over to my left (non-surg) side, get pillows wedged just right and took a nice nap on my side for the first time since surgery. It has been too painful to maneuver into the position, let alone sleep that way up til now...so that's some progress! Starting to need to move around and find new positions as a little neck and shoulder soreness is coming from lying on back so long.

Still pleased with my slow and steady progress, but occasionally get impatient and a bit cranky. My Mom deserves a medal for putting up with me so long. Bless her heart!
 
:boohoo:Oh man I found it and it IS real! The "blues" hit like a ton of bricks today and I have been crying for no real reason on and off today...my own personal pity party. Not proud of myself for that.

There is nothing really wrong...actually I am very pleased that I haven't had a ton of pain today but haven't taken anything except extra strength Tylenol . I had a long sleepless nite with some cramping and found it difficult to get comfortable...the lack of sleep could be contributing to the melancholy.

I think overall I wanted (expected) to be moving around better than I am at 10 days post-op. I can walk around the house briefly with the cane but get tired soooo quickly and have to lie back down. I have not moved much today except for short bathroom and kitchen trips but have been elevating/icing.

My OS did not prescribe in home PT (didn't with the knee either) and I have a script for 6 sessions of outpatient PT that the discharge nurse suggested starting after my first post-op appointment. So, one of my concerns is I'm not doing enough yet to rebuild strength...I am doing my self PT exercises but it sounds as though some good PT is helping some of you progress more quickly.

My follow-up with OS is Tuesday and I am looking forward to having the staples removed so showering is not such a hassle. Something to look forward to, and then starting the PT will help I am sure.

Pretty sure this is one of those valleys on the winding road to recovery...this will pass.
 
Oh Pam @AndisMom, you are doing great. I didn't do much at all the first 2 weeks. All I did was rest, ice and elevate. No PT aside from the generic exercises everyone is instructed to do. I had all the same feelings you are having right now. Am I doing enough? Should I be doing more? I want to feel better than I do. And then I would have my own little pity part, tears and all. Let me assure you there is nothing else you should be doing right now other than resting, icing, elevating and focusing on all the things you will be doing in another few weeks that you were unable to do before your surgery. I know this part of the recovery is difficult. We just want to be BETTER! But that is not how it works. I promise you will begin to see tiny improvements and reach new milestones very shortly. Just be patient. And remember, the energy drain lasted until 8 weeks for me! Then is was smooth sailing. Hang in there my friend...
 
@AndisMom Pam, I had the blues today, too. I am 13 days post op. I am really doing great, but the long recovery looming in front of me just hit me this morning. I am already tired of sitting around....I am still sore and stiff....i want to be able to bend my leg more... I am still needing narcotics to take away my pain, and I don't sleep well. So, I had a pity party myself this morning, but I'm better now. I a not doing much in the way of pt. Just the exercises they send you home with and walking a little more every day. It will get better. You're not alone. Hang in there!:console2:
 
@AndisMom @Dmcfad2 Those blues can catch you by surprise, :boohoo:but you are both exactly where you need to be for where you are in recovery. I felt like I was sleeping all the time for the first 2 weeks.:zzz: I had my own little pity party at around 3 weeks when I felt like I would never be able to walk normally again. It is just a speed bump on recovery road, :bicycle1:one which you both will get past and before you know it you will be doing all the stuff you enjoy without the horrendous bone on bone pain. Keep your chins up ladies, it gets better!! I promise!! :flwrysmile:
 
Aww, @AndisMom , hang in there, I don't know why some docs have home PT and others don't. And I am not sure that it works for everyone, either, as some have said on here. I truly think that walking is the best therapy for my hip, it seems to love the movement. I know that sounds weird, but it's true. And let me just say, at 15 days, I have seen milestones by the day. 5 days ago, I was struggling more than I was today. And after all, it IS major surgery and our body is going though a major healing process right now. Go easy on yourself, steady and sure. We all have different scenarios, and I love reading everyone's story. Keep posting, even when you're frustrated, it's cathartic... and we understand.
 
AndisMom.....have you read the links that Poppet left for you last Thursday? They are on page 2 of this thread. Please read them!!! You need to understand that you have had major surgery. Your body is injured and needs to heal itself. This takes time....certainly more than a couple of weeks.

Right now the best thing you can do is to rest, ice, elevate and take your pain meds on a schedule. Strengthening comes later. The only activity you need to do is basic moving around the house as needed a few times a day....short walking trips from room to room.

The fact that you're having a bout with the blues this early in recovery may mean that you have untreated pain. The cramping you experienced is a form of pain. Problems sleeping are usually the result of some level of discomfort while you're lying in place. I suggest that at a minimum you take your prescription pain meds before going to bed and maybe again if you awaken during the night.

Be sure you are not limping when walking around the house with a cane. If you are, it means you need to still be using your walker until your gait is stronger. You cannot hurry this recovery. While it likely won't be anywhere near as challenging as recovery from a TKR, it is no walk in the park!!!
 
@Jp9294 , @Dmcfad2 , @mystikfairy61, @glmrphy , I cannot thank you all enough for your words of encouragement! Your words are from experience and from your hearts and it is so comforting knowing it does get better from here.

I will try to be more patient and allow my body the time it needs to heal. Will be working on setting more reasonable expectations for myself too.

@Jamie, you made some very good points. Maybe my trying to lower the pain meds too soon is not allowing me to rest comfortably. Not sure why I think I have to win all the records for stopping the pain meds . I am rethinking that and just took a full hydrocodone for bedtime tonite.

Thanks again hippie friends! Tomorrow is another day!
Pam
 
:thumb: Smart woman!!!
 
..."blue cloud" lifting, though I'm replacing it with the slightly uncomfortable groggy feeling from the meds...getting them back on schedule is helping move around a little, but I dont like the way they make me feel.

Much better sleep with the meds which helps everything...
Lots of trade-offs these days but for today I'm going to follow the rules. :ok:
 
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