THR Let the recovery begin....

[MajorHeidi]

Pam, this was a very good appt for you today.
Good that you can swim in the ocean, and snorkel. That will be such a treat!
It sounds like you can do any swim stroke, even the breast? I had wondered about that frog kick...
You will be all set for fun and sun!

It's good to know about the press machine, I had wondered about it...
I had planned to avoid it, now I certainly will..

I'm glad you are happy, and feel it was a good decision for you.
I am feeling the same and thought so just today.

Happy driving again! Funny you drove home. Lol...


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[Jp9294]

Great update Pam. Sounds like you are doing amazing. I just celebrated 12 weeks and feel completely back to normal. Continued success! Jackie

 

[Dmcfad2]

Yay, Pam. I love this report! You are doing awesome and so happy you will be able to go snorkeling. Thanks for posting this report. I go for my 6 week follow-up tomorrow and am hoping that all systems will be go for me, too!

 

[AndisMom]

@Jp9294 Jackie how great that you are back to normal at 12 weeks! I love hearing that and look forward to feeling that way...almost half way there!

@Dmcfad2 Debbie good luck with your follow-up appt today! I am confident you will get a good report. It sounds like you are a bit ahead of me in your recovery in terms of your activity so I am betting all systems will be go for you!

@MajorHeidi Claire, yes I was like a prisoner released from jail! Mom was driving my old car and it felt very comfortable and I was so happy driving didn't make the pain in the thigh worse. I was a little worried lifting the leg to engage the pedals would hurt but it didn't at all. Oh, and I did specifically ask him about the swimming kicks and told him I had read some recommendations from other OS's and he said any of the normal strokes are fine, just not to do anything overly exaggerated for a while longer, but he said I would have to try very hard to dislocate the hip. BTW It was then that he said the best exercise to help heal that painful IT band is the side leg lift either standing or lying on the side, and that when it was stronger the breast stroke might be more comfortable. (He is a big athlete himself...he and his daughter did a triathlon this weekend so he is in favor of as much activity as I can do I think.).

Thanks all for all your support and following my thread. It is so good to have hippie buddies who share this experience!

 

[Dmcfad2]

@AndisMom Very interesting about the side leg lifts for painful IT band. I have been dealing with that, too. I have been giving myself IT band massages with my knuckles that the PT showed me. There is a good video on youtube that shows how to do the self massage. I was able to hold the side leg lift for a minute the other day, so it must be working and I have noticed the pain is lessening as I continue those massages, too. He also told me to lay on my side and put my thigh/IT band on a foam roller and roll from my knee to my incision and back, but i couldn't get comfortable on the floor to do it yet.

 

[AndisMom]

@Dmcfad2 Debbie great suggestions! I will check out the you tube video . Thanks for this good info!

 

[MajorHeidi]

Pam, your OS sounds great!
I just want to do some lazy breast stroke (not going under; just staying on top but using the basics of the stroke).
Sounds like I'll be fine.
Will the rain/storms ever leave us? Ugh.

 

[AndisMom]

@Major Heidi since I have had him replace two of my joints I'm a little biased but I think he is amazing!

I think you would be safe with a modified version of the breast stroke without exaggerating the frog kick...that's my basic lazy swimming-for-fun stroke too and I am pretty sure I can do it without hurting anything...hope so anyway. It actually worried me a little more with the knee so I waited for close to 6 months before I did that after my TKR. I'll let you know as soon as I can get to the Y and take this new hip out for a spin.

I know I won't ever get back to my youth when I was a lifeguard, but I want to get back to swimming laps and my water aerobics classes. Those are as strenuous as I want to make them. Some of the folks just sort of stand there and chat with others, but I like to get into it and use the water for resistance. I'm thinking it will give me good exercise without the impact or stress to the new joint(s).

For someone who grew up surrounded by mountains, I am SUCH a water person. I cant wait to get back in the pool and ocean!

 

[AndisMom]

Well I'm clearly not progressing as quickly as some of the other hippies here. I have been doing a ton of walking for shopping, attending events and working lately and every night I am beyond exhausted and just collapse in bed . I have had to take a pain pill several nites to get the pain to calm down enough to get to sleep.
I slept in a firm hotel bed last nite and woke up so stiff and in such pain it was difficult to get through a long day of walking sitting in meetings and driving 2 hours back home.

I am panicking a bit about next week because I have to travel to Denver, covering 3 airports each way, sitting in long meetings, walking around downtown, etc and I am not going to be able to do it without my cane and will have to ice at nite and take pain meds. I am very frustrated that at week 7 I am not feeling better.

I am trying to keep up the exercises and it helps but I can't shake the exhaustion at the end of the day, and I cant comfortably walk long distances yet. Pretty much like before the surgery. And still the worst part is getting up from a chair or getting out of a car. Had hoped the surgery would fix this but so far not so much.

Venting a bit but also just documenting my own journey here. It is clear everyone recovers at their own pace, and mine is slower than I wanted.

 

[MajorHeidi]

Pam, I understand your frustration, but if you step back and look at all that you are trying to do.... you really
are 'overachieving'.!!!!
Seriously.
What you are doing, is hard. (for anyone; surgery or no surgery and NO OA)

I feel that exhaustion about 6pm each evening, and think its a bummer, but it is expected.
You are doing all the right things to mitigate (cane, ice, meds, rest when you can).
7 weeks is still young in the recovery lifecycle.

I was thinking today about maybe trying to go back at 8 weeks. (Thursday will be 5 weeks for me).
AND I HAVE A DESK JOB AT HOME.

Remember, it will get better all the time, and in a while it will be exactly what you want.
HUGS!!!!

 

[barbaranna]

@AndisMom ...Hi just checked to see how you are doing and it looks like you are coming along just fine. Actually some of the issues you have I have so it must be normal. My front bottom of my leg below the knee is numb. When I went to shave it was funny it was like watching someone else do it. I have this number in the thigh too when I touch it but also when I touch it hurts just in a small area and I don't know why. I feel I have a little more pain now than I did a couple of weeks ago and its probably doing a little more than I should I guess. I also notice when I get up I start to limp until I start walking for a bit almost like I use to and I wonder why like my back hurts me or something. I am afraid to take that first step on my operated leg first for some reason and stand there a minute and wait lol and I don't know why ..going back to work on the 27th of this month though hope it all goes well. I cant sleep at night for nothing until around 4 and then when 6 am comes I feel so relaxed and cant sleep but seems to wake up at 8 because I am so use to that. I want to start riding exercise bike and not sure If I can or not I have gained weight and sad about that because of me not smoking anymore I guess and want to exercise some way

 

[MajorHeidi]

@barbaranna My OS told me at 3 weeks out that I could start riding the upright exercise bike a little bit.
NOT the recumbent bike!!! And, to petal backwards a few times first helps the hip flexor feel better.
I havent yet tried it, but you are about 6-7 weeks out, so I think you could try that?

 

[Dmcfad2]

@AndisMom Oh, Pam, I feel your pain. I am having a lot of the same issues as you and I'm not even working! I don't think I could be working right now. I just get so tired. You are doing a lot for just over seven weeks. Remember, it is still early in our recovery, Pam. I am definitely taking two steps forward, one step back. Just when I see progress, something happens to set me back. The day before yesterday, I was feeling pretty good. I took a mile walk without my cane for the first time. Then, yesterday I woke up and my lower back was killing me. I had to stay on the couch all day and I feel better today. Last week it was my knee. I think my body is adjusting and it is showing up in different areas of my body. I am walking without my cane, but it doesn't feel natural yet. I really have to concentrate. Everything still feels like a struggle. I do errands during the day and by the time I get home, I am sore and exhausted. I have made progress, for sure, but it is slow going. I read some of the miraculous recovery stories on this forum and I have a hard time believing them!
I have just recently stopped taking Norco for the pain. I am still taking Tylenol every day, but it doesn't work as good as the Norco. I still have swelling in my thigh, calf and hip. I ice and elevate every night. So, I just want to give you some encouragement. It is still early days! My surgeon told me it would be three months before I started to feel somewhat normal again.
You may feel you aren't progressing as fast as you would like, but I think you are doing amazing! Don't lose heart. I am here for you anytime you want to vent! After all, we are March surgery buddies!

 

[MajorHeidi]

I agree @dmcfad about the energy drain. It hits daily with a thud!


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[AndisMom]

Thanks you guys for the words of encouragement. It helps to know we are all feeling the same issues and gives me hope for more progress. This phase of my recovery has been especially frustrating...I feel better enough to at least try to get on with a normal routine and people expect me to, but I just can't keep up the pace yet and have zero endurance.

I think you are all right about the exhaustion being part of the process but I've gotta get back to work and that is stressing me out. I am really dreading next week but I will keep my eye on vacation starting the following week and I will get through it.

@Dmcfad2 Debbie your experience is so similar to mine in that pain appears in different places unexpectedly. My right knee hurts so badly after walking a lot that I'm sure it's going to be next in line for replacement. But then it stops, and the pain reappears higher up on the thigh or I have stiffness in the hip and pelvic area. And then there are days when my "new" knee hurts...I'm pretty sure that is from overworking that side and everything being out of balance.

I cant even find time between work meetings and calls to get to my PT to work on the walking. I am hoping that being able to do a lot of swimming on vacation will help get some flexibility and strength back.

You guys are amazing and supportive and I am thankful to have this place to go for a reality check. I will keep plugging along as I know you guys are too. One day I hope we can all post that we truly feel normal again!

BTW Debbie I will be in San Diego (and LA) the last week in June. I will have work colleagues with me, but it would be fun to meet you for a quick drink! ;)

On another depressing note...I will be SIXTY in 2 days. I'm not happy about this.

 

[Dmcfad2]

@AndisMom I would LOVE to meet up with you at the end of June. I just checked my calendar and I don't have anything going then. Where will you be staying in San Diego? I live in Oceanside, about 40 miles from downtown. I can meet you wherever is most convenient! You can PM me if you want. I'll send you my phone number.

 

[Dmcfad2]

By the way, Happy Birthday and welcome to your sixties. You're just a baby compared to me!

 

[MajorHeidi]

Happy Birthday Pam!!!! @AndisMom
Awesome to have your big trip to Mexico coming up to enjoy.
So nice that you and @Dmcfad2 can hook up in SD.
The swimming will help you in so many ways, as will just the enjoyment of being on vacay.

xo

 

[AndisMom]

OH MY!!!! I couldn't have EASED back into work travel...oh no!!! I had to have a 16 hour marathon just getting to Denver today. Flight delays, broken planes, big storms in Denver and circling Oklahoma for hours...
The good news is I survived it! My Fitbit says I walked almost 2 miles today and never used the cane.

The bad news is by the time I sat for nearly 5 hours on what should have been a 3 hour flight- in coach - I had to get a wheelchair to get me out of the airport. Then the rental car shuttle was no piece of cake...you have to jump out of the thing into the curb and it is high. Then had to drive in a storm to the hotel. Man am I glad this day is over.

I am in my hotel room with ice and I took the first pain pill in weeks. Aggravated at myself that I had to do that but I have to be in walking condition tomorrow for downtown streets and corporate office buildings.

This was a textbook nightmare travel day but I got through it and am kind of pleased about that. So I will get through the rest of this week and then I will fly home and pack my bags and go to Mexico!

I'm not to the place yet where I don't think about the new hip, and I'm still concentrating on not limping when I walk, more from the knee pain than from the hip I believe... but I think I can do this!!

 

[AndisMom]

Sorry for the extra post but I wanted to thank you guys for the birthday wishes @Dmcfad2 and @MajorHeidi! We celebrated for 3 straight days and I am really OK with the number. I truly feel better than I did on my last 2 birthdays so that is a gift!