THR Looking for input from those who are 1 yr+ post op

[Miss Muffet]

Who would've guessed that having your recently-operated glutes massaged would actually feel wonderful?!?

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Hmm - with you there! Unrelaxed muscles are sore muscles. And your long newsy updates are superb. Have to agree that you need to pace your recovery. Hopefully this is your one and only LTHR, so my advice (having done it once already) is to simply Freefall. There's no benefit in rushing and you could actually delay a full recovery. Being pain free is a blessing to relish and the rest will follow.

 

[Jaycey]

@DizzyBlond Here's an article from our library on Acetaminophen (Tylenol, paracetamol) safety Regarding weaning off pain meds, when you start forgetting doses you know it's time to start weaning off. Trying to tough out the pain gets you nowhere and can set your recovery back. Still early days!

 

[Chihuahuan]

@DizzyBlond My PT said the same things -- just take it slowly, stand tall, and do it well.
I'm enjoying watching the Olympics while I rest, ice, and elevate. I love the elegance of it all.
After feeling "disgusting" yesterday I decided to drop my morning Percoset dose in a half and add in one 500mg Acetaminophen so I'm well within the safety limits. Think I'll do that for several days depending on how the pain goes and then reduce again at another time period. Eventually I should be down to all Tylenol.

 

[Cynthia777]

Way to go @Nana2-8! . Getting off the Oxy as soon as possible is a good thing (less withdrawal symptoms), but not too soon that it affects your increasing physical activity (walking), which will slow down your recovery progress. It's a real balancing act.

@DizzyBlond
Btw...you are getting very close to moving to the cane. You mentioned that you aren't gripping onto the handles as hard, which is what happened to me. When I got to the point that I was pushing it more than leaning on it, that's when I switched to the cane (for short periods of time). I started using the cane inside my house or when I had an OS appointment (which entailed very little walking) and then I only used the walker if I was doing my laps around the pool. One day I decided to try the cane for one lap around the pool and did the rest of the laps (a total of 10 laps) with my walker. I increased using the cane around the pool each day and stopped using the walker all together after about a week or ten days. So, as you can see, just experiment and see how your pain levels go. I also found walking one day and then resting and icing the next day really worked out well for me.

 

[Jamie]

But now reality sets in! Healing takes TIME, and I'm thinking maybe I didn't quite give that fact the attention it deserved!!! (Those of you still waiting for your THR, be sure you're all "studied up" on healing and activity timelines! Really prepare to give yourself permission to take the time it's going to require to let your body heal from the MAJOR surgery it's undergone! It's SO easy to feel that with every little bit of improvement, there should be a few more chores I could be up and taking care of! RESIST THAT TEMPTATION!!!!! )

Truer words were never spoken!!! I'm so glad you've realized that this is "your time" and you will do better if you set your mind to healing as a priority. All those chores and activities will be there once you've healed properly. We're going to have to start calling you "UN-DizzyBlond" here soon! You're pretty smart there, girl!

Because of my 8th day post-op cane fiasco, I'm so hesitant to move off the walker. My last home PT visit was 2 days ago - she said to just relax and stop worrying about going to a cane, and simply plan on using the walker for another couple of weeks. No big deal.

Your therapist is a good one and she's absolutely right. There is no hurry at all to move to a cane. In fact, some people prefer to stay on the walker to better work on their gait and then skip the cane because it's not needed once they are stronger. Your body will tell you what is right and when.

I don't think I'll ever like the way the oxy/acetaminophen (5 mg./325 mg. every 6 hours) makes me feel. Just when I think my body's become accustomed to it and I won't get nauseated anymore, WHAM! A fresh wave hits, and I have to fight the urge to throw up.... SO..... (I'm wondering if anyone else has tried this with any success).....I cut the oxy in half, and just added 2 extra-strength tylenol, and seem to be doing ok.

As far as the Oxy and Tylenol, I'm very concerned that you may be taking too much acetaminophen. Each extra strength Tylenol has 500 Mg's of acetaminophen and your Oxy has 325 Mg's of acetaminophen.

I wouldn't recommend what you're doing with the oxy and Extra Strength Tylenol. You are exceeding the dosage that's recommended (1000mg). You have a couple of options. You could take one Extra Strength Tylenol (500mg) and one regular Tylenol (325mg) along with your oxy. Or you could ask your surgeon or GP for a prescription of Tramadol (50mg) that you then could take with the 2 Extra Strength Tylenols. Tramadol is a couple of steps down from the oxycodone for pain relief, but it works quite well for a lot of people once they get past the "extreme pain" stage immediately following surgery.

 

[Tweetybrd]

@DizzyBlond Catching up on a few threads this morning as my hubby took me up north a few days to get out of the heat. I love your updates. So filled with details and tips that I am trying hard to learn from. Glad to read your OS post op appt went well. Sounds like the med stuff can get confusing. I am not looking forward to having to remember all of the "rules". :(
Back to the Netflix stuff, I tend to like more dramas or mysteries. I really like some of the BBC tv series as well. But am always open to trying new ones. So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I hope you are having a great start of a new week! Rest and heal

 

[DizzyBlond]

3 Weeks Post-Op Today!

It's almost impossible to believe that 3 weeks ago today I was fresh out of the OR and wondering what in the world I had just subjected myself to! This morning I was "zipping" around the kitchen, reveling in the absence of the horrid bone-on-bone misery ( it STILL takes me by surprise that I can walk without pain!!!!), amazed at how much can change in the space of 3 short weeks!!! I'm able to bear full weight on my new hip - in fact, I totally surprised myself this morning by deciding to grab my cane for a quick trip to the bathroom (that walker is so big and clumsy in such tight spaces!) - and it was wonderful!!! I'm not going to push it - but the freedom from that unrelenting pain in addition to the ease of walking with a cane? Fabulous!!!!

Now that I'm home alone quite a bit, I'm finding that I drop a lot more things that I realized! Is anyone else getting as proficient as I am at using the "grabber?" (I think this might be a great time for the grands to take me to one of those pizza party places with all the arcade games - I think I could pretty much guarantee picking up each one of them a prize in the "grab a toy" booth!!! ) The only problems I've encountered in terms of not being able to pick things up? My iPhone. Ugh! It simple does NOT want to be picked up. I finally left it, hoping my husband wouldn't call and freak out when I didn't answer! My ice bag slipped to the floor this morning, too. It's pretty heavy, and after 10 minutes of trying to maneuver it into every possible position for easy grabbing, I finally (GASP!) broke dislocation precautions and just bent down to pick it up! I came out of that one unscathed, but know I need to be more firm with myself! If I can't pick it up with the grabber, then leave it there until someone else can pick it up!!!!

I'm wondering how swollen anyone else is? I'm icing round the clock, but I'm still shocked when I look in the mirror and see this "bubble-hip" sticking way out! Anyone have any ideas as to how long I might expect this new "look" is going to last? No jeans for me in the near future, that's for sure!!!

My OS's office automatically sets you up for a PT assessment in the outpatient clinic, so we'll see how that goes tomorrow afternoon! Feeling so well-educated and equipped to handle whatever I might hear PT say (with so many thanks to this forum!), I'm interested in hearing what sort of recovery philosophy I might encounter at tomorrow's appointment.

Thank you, each of you, for all of the input on how to best lower the oxy dosage!

@belweav - I think you hit the nail on the head! I just need to relax and enjoy the freedom from pain, and allow my body to inform me as to when the oxy can be gradually cut! I can tend to stress over the little details, losing sight of the big picture!!

@Nana2-8 - I can't say that I'm at all surprised by the speed of your recovery, girl! You are amazing!!! I tend to want to compare my recovery to everyone else's, but I realize that's a completely futile exercise and waste of time! We're all so completely different, and my body will heal at it's own rate, no matter how much I "urge" it to move forward! So I'm taking your advice - I'm making my lists of things to get done as soon as I'm able to, and till then, just enjoying my downtime, since I know it won't last long!! Husband is now gone lots - and frankly, I'm enjoying having the quiet house to myself, as much as I have so appreciated all his help for these first few weeks post-op. He's admitted that providing round-the-clock nursing care probably isn't his forte - I'm just glad he's back at work and out on the golf course and getting a much needed break from all things THR-related!

@Cynthia777 - Once again, I'm feeling loved and cared for by you!!! xoxox Thanks so much for the articles! I think I've got the dosages all corrected and set, but I'll also be keeping in mind that comfort is of utmost importance in these early weeks of walking and getting up and mobile! (and you're so right - the cane is beginning to come in hand for those trips of just a few steps! )

@Miss Muffet - Yes, yes, yes!!! I needed that reminder from you, Jane!! You are in an exceptional place to be able to remind us newly-healing THRs that it will all take place in due time- and the better the pain is relieved, the better the muscles can relax and do what they need to do! I've wondered what it must be like to be in this "in-between" place you find yourself - one hip now taken care of and quite a ways into the process of healing and wholeness, while the other hip no doubt continuing to "complain loudly" about being the last one in line! Is it difficult to enjoy the new hip with the soon-to-be-replaced one still causing problems? Just a little over a month now till you have 2 brand new hips to celebrate!!!

@Jaycey - Thank you so much for the article, as well as the reminder (which I SO need to hear) that these are still early days of recovery for me!! It's difficult to not want to push ahead - especially with the joint pain gone! Remembering that trying to rush anything (including activity AND the discontinuation of pain meds if still needed) can just prolong the recovery period is something I need to hear repeatedly!!!

@Chihuahuan - I think you and I must be close to the same recovery timeframe! I was doing 3 (5 mg.) tabs of Percocet a day.... This week I am aiming for comfort and pain relief with one 5 mg. tab in the morning, one-half tab with one extra-strength Tylenol in the afternoon, and then one full tab when I go to bed. Next week I'll see if I'm ready to cut the nighttime dose in half, and then like you, eventually find myself completely done with the oxy. I don't like that stuff!!!!

@Jamie - Thanks so much for the warm and kind words in your post!

Truer words were never spoken!!! I'm so glad you've realized that this is "your time" and you will do better if you set your mind to healing as a priority. All those chores and activities will be there once you've healed properly. We're going to have to start calling you "UN-DizzyBlond" here soon! You're pretty smart there, girl!

As much as I'd love to be called "UN-DizzyBlond," I'm afraid it's a nickname I'm stuck with - I had vestibular neuronitis about 8 years ago, and have dealt with dizziness on a regular basis ever since. :rolleyes:

Your therapist is a good one and she's absolutely right. There is no hurry at all to move to a cane. In fact, some people prefer to stay on the walker to better work on their gait and then skip the cane because it's not needed once they are stronger. Your body will tell you what is right and when.

Learning how to listen and to trust your body after it's "betrayed" you is difficult!! I'm constantly second-guessing my ability to try more.... but in just the past few days I've seen how right you are - as I've taken steps without support (when I wasn't thinking about it), I discovered that my body DOES indeed know what it's capable of doing, if even for just a few short steps! Time for me to relax and just let this happen!

You could take one Extra Strength Tylenol (500mg) and one regular Tylenol (325mg) along with your oxy. Or you could ask your surgeon or GP for a prescription of Tramadol (50mg) that you then could take with the 2 Extra Strength Tylenols. Tramadol is a couple of steps down from the oxycodone for pain relief, but it works quite well for a lot of people once they get past the "extreme pain" stage immediately following surgery.

Thanks so much for this input! Right now I think I'll try and go with the 1 extra-strength Tylenol and 1/2 oxy for the afternoon, and see how I handle it this week. Again, I'm so thankful to have a few other options, including the possibility of inquiring about the Tramadol, if I find myself in a bind with things as they are.

@Tweetybrd - So happy you got to go away for the weekend! I hope it was a wonderful respite from the heat!! I have to tell you, I remember being a bit (ok, a LOT!) overwhelmed as I read people's recovery threads before I'd had my surgery! I thought, how in the world am I going to remember all of this??? What if I forget what everyone has said about all the things I'm going to need to know??? The beauty of it all is that you don't need to remember it all at one time!!! The experience happens and unfolds just one day at a time. And when challenges arise, it is SO wonderful to have this forum to jump onto - send out your "SOS" of the moment, and know that a whole lot of fellow "hippies" will be right there to walk you through whatever the concern or issue is!! You're going to do GREAT!!!!
Hope you continue to feel as good as possible as you rest and wait.... I'm still praying for a cancellation to open up an earlier surgery date for you!!

 

[Miss Muffet]

Good morning from The Old Country - interesting you asked about being an "in-betweener" (or soon to be double amputee as Mr M describes me. He used to tell everyone I had a couple of flat tyres). After the early part of recovery from Hip #1 I had a Honeymoon period where I was pretty much painfree (though still stiff) whilst tolerating Leftie who managed to make its presence felt if I overdid things. The wonder of my OS is that he clearly read that I would definitely need that troublesome one dealt with - even though that came as a surprise when he first mentioned it. He was spot on. Like many of us have commented, once OA kicks in it bites hard and fast and refuses to be ignored. So it was written, and what I tolerated I now cannot ignore. Remember we who have this condition seem to learn to "accept" pain as part of our daily life. Basically what is happening is new hip is supporting Leftie - and Leftie is on a fast downward slope. This has slightly impeded my recovery inasmuch as my gait would be much better if I had a second good hip to rely on. I took note of the comments here that say our brain remembers a limp, so I concentrate hard on not doing the Drunken Sailor roll and think I'm doing reasonably well if I remember to keep my brain fully engaged.

Meanwhile, you at 3 weeks ...? Well I found at that particular point anything that involved grey matter was chucked to one side as I found concentration practically impossible, so I yielded to sifting through gossip mags and immersed myself in trashy TV, napping, regimented icing and elevating and walking - nothing too much, but regular. And hubby was also off the hook by then, I managed showering and was dealing with stairs perfectly confidently. It's great to feel you're making progress - so easy to get deflated and think things aren't happening fast enough. That's partly why I kept a brief note of what I could and couldn't do each day. Small improvements were huge successes to me and proved to me that I was on the right road. I'd encourage anyone to do the same as a yardstick to recovery - and, for me, it will be a sort of guide for my next Op.

The swollen hip is very familiar. I got Mr M to photograph mine every day so (being posterior) I could watch the changes. I'm approx 12 weeks now and almost normal, though still have some residual numbness, which I understand can take up to 12 months to disappear, and may not necessarily go altogether. I count that as a small price to pay for such a great success in every other respect. I think I got into jeans around 6 weeks, possibly much less than that (afraid I didn't make a note). I do have a dip in my thigh which I mentioned to my OS, which he referred to as adipose tissue (for that read common or garden fat) which had been disturbed in order to get at the troublesome little blighter. So I asked if might balance me up next time. We laughed but he said he'd take a view when the time arrives!

You're doing really well - attitude counts for a lot in this game and yours is on-track

 

[Tweetybrd]

@DizzyBlond Good Morning!! Great update! Your husband sounds just like mine. Being the caregiver is not his forte either nor is sitting around not doing much.

It was wonderful to get out of the heat. Though I could not do what I wanted to up there we still had a great time. Would have loved to go hiking to get out in the woods. We kept saying "This time next year we will do XYZ" LOL


I too am sometimes overwhelmed reading all the recovery threads on here. But they are so helpful also. I was doing pretty good last week and had the thought going around in my head of, why oh why am I going to go through what all these people are going through on the forum, I'm not hurting so bad, maybe I can wait another year. Then we go up to Prescott and I cant walk around the town to hit the little shops and I cant get out of the car to go hiking. And after walking the little bit I did to watch a band in the park and have a nice dinner with my husband, I "paid" for it. So I'm back to, how many months do I have to wait for my surgery?! HAHA

Thanks for the recommended tv shows! I do have Amazon Prime also. I love Downton Abbey! Call the Midwife is on my Netflix list but I have not started it yet. A few years ago I had watched Grey's Anatomy but didn't finish it. Might have to go back and do that. I will look up the documentaries you listed. I try to find other things to do and not just watch tv. I don't want to get too burned out on it because I have a long way till surgery and then a few (or longer) months of recovery. I think I have read more books this year then I have in the last 10 years put together. LOL

I hope you are having a quiet relaxing morning. Keep taking it easy and resting and healing. Hugs

 

[BizzyLizzy]

Hi @DizzyBlond. I'm so glad to hear that things are looking good at the week 3 mark. I found week 3 to be the turning point for me too. It is so good to start seeing progress and to realise that the horrible pre-op pain has gone. It gets better from here, too! I can totally relate to your exploits with the grabber. iPhones are not designed for this kind of picking up. I'm surprised I didn't smash mine in the process. I did get quite good at picking up some things, but others got left on the floor for days!
You may find that concentration improves a bit now, although as @Miss Muffet says, TV and light reading will probably be as good as it gets. If you like Call the Midwife (which is a huge favourite of mine) I was thinking you might also like Doc Martin which is about a doctor in Cornwall. If the storylines don't grab you, the scenery most certainly will! This may be the time to tell you that I am off to Cornwall with my family for a week at the end of the month - we decided it was time for me to try out my new leg in a different environment! I am beyond excited at the prospect. I don't expect to be able to walk miles, but I will be able to participate, rather than just standing on the sidelines, which is how it's been for the last couple of years!

Anyway, it sounds as if you are trucking along with your positive attitude working in your favour. You are doing so well and I know you will continue to do so.

 

[DizzyBlond]

@Miss Muffet - Oh, my goodness, Mr. M sounds like quite a handful! I would guess that the thought of being rid of both of those "flat tires" come September 29 will be quite a celebration! (And if that means the amputation of hip joints that can no longer service our very full and active lives, then we don't mind WHAT anyone want to calls it! ) I do have a hard time trying to imagine what it must be like trying to cope with that cranky left hip while at the same time enjoying the pleasure of being without pain since your surgery on the right side! As I think about my own daily challenges of coping with one recovering hip while still having full, pain-free function of the other, I would think it be quite hard! Thank goodness it will soon be just a month away, and then after a bit of recovery, you'll have the joy of two wonderfully functioning hips to be dancing upon, never to have to be conscious of avoiding the drunken sailor roll ever again!
As to how the grey matter is working at week 3? You are spot on, Jane! I have so many books I set aside to read as I waiting for surgery, thinking this post-op period would be the perfect time to enjoy caching up on some reading - but I simply cannot concentrate!! Reading (staying engaged in the storyline) is difficult, and much to my surprise, as you did, I'm finding myself watching much more TV than I EVER have! (Typically I would much rather read than view a show, so this has totally taken me by surprise!) Today one of my sons stopped by to ask for help in rewriting a resume and cover letter for a job application. Wow, did I ever have to exert some brainpower!! But it did feel good, and was one of those small to-make-note-of accomplishments! I am getting better, and the brain is slowly kicking back into gear!
12 weeks or so for the swelling to noticeably reduce, was it? I'm not quite up to having my hubby photograph my posterior each day - at least not yet! I believe he got a little queasy when I first showed him the incision with the staples in place; when the OS went to remove the staples, he couldn't even look. I'm just noticing how oddly my clothes fit - I've always had generous hips, but this left one seems to have taken on a life of its own! I also have an indentation, I'm sure for the very reason your OS mentioned! But truly, as you said, to be rid of the debilitating joint pain, I simply don't care! It feels wonderful to be able to walk again!
Thanks for sharing your experience, your insight, and most of all, your wit and humor. (Or would that be "humour"? ;-) Your posts always bring such a smile to my face!

@Tweetybrd - So glad to hear you had such a refreshing weekend, even if you weren't able to do all the activities you would have loved! You're right - next year you WILL be able to do X,Y AND Z!!!! Sometimes it truly gets overwhelming reading recovery threads and see the issues, struggles and challenges that people can go through... I was just like you before surgery! After a not-so-bad day, I'd ask my husband if he really thought I needed to go through with it... he'd smile and remind me of the 10 previously pain-ridden days where I simply had to stop walking. I knew there were no other alternatives, as much as I wasn't looking forward to the process! Something I had to keep in mind is that the great majority of people who have THR get through their recovery period, and then are back to living such busy lives that they don't spend much time on forums like BoneSmart! So when I see sad or discouraging posts and start to worry if I'm going to have to deal with a similar problem, infection, etc., I have to get things into perspective. Sometimes I find I need to limit my time on here and remind myself that I have a very real and busy life just waiting for me as soon as I'm up and running! (Oh, what a God-send this forum has been for me since the day I found it! It has been a tool of support, encouraging me all the way to the OR, as well as every step I've taken since getting home from the hospital! I'd love to be someone who can, in turn, encourage someone else who is scared and overwhelmed at the thought of having a THR! But this amazing procedure is just a part of our lives... our THR's don't define who we are!)
Yes, you are wise to not watch too much TV, Netflix, etc, now - it will probably be all you'll be up to doing for the first bit of your recovery!

@BizzyLizzy - I'm so glad I'm not the only one who practically beat her iPhone up half to death while trying to get it off the floor! Now that I'm using the cane a bit more, I'm finding that I need to keep the grabber with me all the time - I don't know how many times I've dropped the cane and needed the grabber to pick it up! Getting dressed with the grabber has become a new art-form in my house, as well - I'm getting quite adept at it, and much quicker than I was in those first days home from the hospital, which I'm greatly appreciating! (It was difficult and exhausting to need a block of several hours to get myself up, showered and dressed each morning!)
Yes, though I feel a bit less foggy than a few weeks ago, TV seems to be about my best form of entertainment these days! I did love Call the Midwife so much, and gobbled up the episodes like they were popcorn! (And just like a box of popcorn, soon I'd gone through every season far too quickly!) I will definitely take a look at Doc Martin - I believe I've seen it on Netflix. (And I'll be keeping in mind that you will be taking in all that gorgeous scenery in person, while I jealously watch from far across the pond! ) How wonderful that this year you'll be able to do more walking, the joint pain gone!!!!
I am getting a bit busier with work-related projects now - though I haven't been able to go into the office for a number of months, I'm on the phone (even THAT takes concerted effort to think straight and make sure that what I say makes sense! hehe!), emailing and texting - and it feels so wonderful to know that beyond this surgery and recovery awaits a big, wonderful life for us to "rejoin!" We'll be leaving for a week on the coast in September - I'm a bit apprehensive (is there a reason why I'm so concerned about toilet seat heights in the various places we'll be going?). I'm wondering how I'll handle it all, but so looking forward to a much-needed change of scenery, as I'm sure you are!
As always, thanks for the uplifting words and encouragement, Liz! You are a dear!

 

[Chihuahuan]

@DizzyBlond So glad that you are doing well. I'm finding it a challenge to use a cane --mine was at the wrong height so I'm hoping that it will be easier now it's adjusted properly.
I'm still needing to ice at times and haven't made much progress in reducing the Percoset --think my body is telling me something?
I so agree that TV is the way to go in the first few weeks. I got Acorn TV and watched Ms Fisher's mysteries (Australian) and Vera (set in the north east of England). We have Amazon Prime so have lots to choose from.
I've been reading cozy mysteries on my Kindle -- nothing much in them to tax the brain. The daily crossword is becoming easier especially when I do it before taking Percoset.
I love watching the Olympics and perform my own routine as I glide around the house with my mobility appliance of choice. I've even added glides onto the walker to make it easier to transition from wood to carpet to tile and back. One day I will walk elegantly...

 

[DizzyBlond]

@Chihuahuan - Thanks so much, Jen! My husband has been quick to point out the things I'm doing, the way I'm now walking (with the walker), etc. and reminding me of the things I couldn't do last week that I'm doing this week. (I think it's a bit more difficult for us to tell - progress can feel SO slow!) I'm still icing all the time - I've got a lot of swelling still, and I'm hoping the ice will help bring it down. I'm not using the cane all that much - the muscles get quite sore quickly, so I'm just using it for small trips to the bathroom, etc. and trying to build up strength bit by bit.

My recovery seems to be slower than everyone else's - maybe it's just me, maybe it's the posterior/lateral approach I had? I'm just trying to relax about the whole deal and remember that 6 months from now all these little details I can so easily stress about will long be forgotten! The same thing with the Percocet! You should see me trying to analyze how many hours I've gone, how much longer I think I can go before needing another one, etc... (Right now I take 1 5 mg. tab in the morning, another one in the afternoon, and experimenting with cutting to a half before bed.) It was a wise woman who reminded me that we are still early on in the recovery process, and to not worry about needing to take pain medication right now! So again, trying my best to not compare my progress and needs with everyone else, I've got to daily decide to relax, enjoy the freedom from the bone-on-bone pain that had so disabled me, and know that I'll need the Percocet less and less with each passing week.

I'm assuming Vera and Ms Fisher's Mysteries are only available on Acorn TV? I'm always looking for possible shows to add to my "to view" queue - I wonder if either might be available on Amazon Prime, Netflix or Hulu? I'll have to take a look! I'm a word game fanatic (I play quite a few people on the game Words with Friends), but even that isn't always easy when I can't concentrate! I have no doubt our mental acuity WILL return in full force before too long! Until then, let's enjoy the Olympics, marvel at the skill of those athletes, and know that before long we'll be gliding about as graceful as swans!

 

[Chihuahuan]

@DizzyBlond
Hi Robin: Think we are pretty much parallel with each other.
I've had a rough pain day today --partly due to not enough ice packs being ready Think I just need to go with the flow and take the Percoset as my body needs it and not what my head thinks I should do to get off it. Same with the cane -- I'm just not physically ready yet. I have to remind myself that we are only a few weeks into a long process of rehab and then retraining.
Not sure what TV series are on Netflix -- is Longmire still on there? I use Amazon Prime with a Roku box in our bedroom. I would check to see if any of the Ms Fisher and Vera series are on there. I know Vera used to be but the latest ones are on Acorn.
I play Words with Friends on my own against the computer --it's an ap on my Kindle. I find it relaxing before I go to sleep.
Jen

 

[BizzyLizzy]

Hi Robin - it sounds like you are doing well, to me! All progress is in the right direction (I may have said that before!) You are so right - 6 months down the line we will all be in the same place and these early recovery weeks will have receded into memory . I think you and I must be rather alike. I too had the irrational fear of "foreign" toilet seats. The first few times we went out, it rather spoilt the trip as I agonised over whether I need to go or if I could wait until I got home - I always waited! We have two toilets in the house and I had a raised seat on both and a frame around them. I hardly use the one downstairs, so a couple of weeks ago my husband asked if he could remove everything. I happily said yes. One day I decided to use that toilet and as I came out he asked me how I had managed. You can guess what I'm going to say - I hadn't even noticed!

I also became paranoid about pain relief. I take co-codamol, which I think is only available in the UK. It contains a fairly low dose of codeine and I want to come off all narcotics as soon as I can. However, at 7 weeks I still need to take a couple most days. I do manage to miss days now and then and I'm just trying to relax into that, without worrying too much. I'm sure I will eventually stop them altogether. At 7 weeks I am certainly not completely free of pain, but the absence of the grinding, bone-on-bone pain continues to delight me every day!

With regard to TV shows, if you manage to get to see Vera, it is set in the North East of England, where I live. I quite like it, but whenever we watch it we spend the whole time location spotting. It can sometimes be a bit annoying as they take a lot of liberties - she can be standing overlooking the sea in one shot, and in the next shot she is in another town 30 miles down the coast! The scenes shot in Newcastle are pretty accurate, however and you get to see all our lovely old buildings and bridges.

Great to see your updates and to get to cheer you on through this "interesting" process! Xx

 

[Nana2-8]

Good morning my fellow "Hippie Olympians" - @DizzyBlond @BizzyLizzy @Chihuahuan ~ and THIS is our "going for the gold"....(notice I didn't say "RUN"!). As we have all learned.....each at their own pace....all in due time....there is not specific time frame....other than listen to your own body!
You've touched on something I've been thinking about. I feel good enough to possibly go to our Club for dinner. I know I could easily get dropped at the door, valet would help me with the walker, it could be easily stashed, I'd be among our usual gaggle of dear friends......BUT.....the transitions between wood floor and carpeting, the space between the tables, the maybe too-cushy chair seats......getting to and from the bathroom if necessary....and then...is the toilet seat high enough? Add my favorite drink to the mix (haven't had a drink since 5 days before surgery!!).......final decision?......wait another week! I'm chicken! ~ Plus, I walked around court yesterday - twice - and felt it....big time! I can't imagine those who have been 'assigned' walking a mile a day at this point!!! So, I returned to reclining, elevating, and icing.....and watching the Olympics!!! Embrace the process. xxoo

 

[Miss Muffet]

Toilet seat heights ..... Anyone heard of a SheWee? Recommended to me and available on Amazon. Almost for a laugh I purchased one, thinking it might be useful for popping in the car glovebox for walks in The Peak District or when we next have a fly fishing excursion where the Ladies Loos is any convenient bush (but minus vase of flowers and scented pot pourri). Granddaughter, Skye, is given to impromptu short-notice visits so she'll need some training- should be hilarious! I read the reviews and checked the pretty variety of colour choices - the most amusing and highly recommended was the NATO green (issued to female military personnel) over eg Neon Pink (less visible from a distance when out on a hike). Would strongly suggest practising in the shower to avoid unwelcome spillage. Not the most gainly piece of equipment but practical and invaluable in a hip/loo emergency for popping on your handbag!

 

[Chihuahuan]

@Nana2-8 "Handicapped" toilets --no problem at all. Your snazzy red walker will initiate all kinds of help .....
I went for a hair cut this morning then we had coffee at my favorite latte place and a stroll around Tuesday Morning. Could not manage all the aisles but joint felt a little easier as I'd taken Percoset first thing. Hubby found some of our favorite British crisps (chips) so we will have some with lunch.
Icing, elevating, and watching the Olympics --think I'll need a nap after lunch.

 

[DizzyBlond]

Oh, friends.... how happy it makes me to know that I'm not the only one worrying about toilet seat heights, if my doctor-prescribed pain medication is something I should quit because I want to be strong and over it, if I'm doing enough, progressing enough... on and on it goes!!!!!
@Chihuahuan - Look at you! After a difficult and painful day yesterday, today you're off to the races, getting your hair cut, enjoying a latte, and browsing through Tuesday Morning! You're doing great!! Should I be embarrassed to admit that I haven't tried any outing (other than my post-op with the OS)? I really just haven't felt up to it! Friends are stopping by more often now, but I find that after a few hours, I am thoroughly exhausted, my mind can't keep up with the conversations, and I really just want to ask them to leave so I can go lay down! It's all going to be fine! We're just working through the process, Jen!! (And as far as pain meds go, when I saw my OS at 2 weeks post-op and asked him if I was going to be relegated to the little bottle of Percocet I brought home from the hospital, he said, "Oh no! I'll give you pain medication for 6 weeks!" and proceeded to write me out another script. If he's not worried about, why, for goodness sake, should I be?)
I do think I saw Longmire when scrolling through Netflix... another "to add" series! As far as Words with Friends - I think you've got it right playing against the computer! I only play people - some I know personally, others I've met from all over the world and in the 5 years I've played with them, feel as if I've made some dear friends in the process! (The problem is that everyone wants to chat.... not conducive to bringing on the drowsiness!) Hope you're resting comfortably this afternoon after such a busy morning! Ice, ice, ice!

@BizzyLizzy - Oh, Liz, you make me laugh out loud!!! I now know the name of my most current condition!!!! "Irrational Fear of Foreign Toilet Seats!" I'm afraid that even the seats in the handicap stall might not be adequately high enough, and there I'll be, writhing on the frightful floor of a public restroom, having broken dislocation precautions and my popping my new joint out of its shiny new socket! (Yes, if there's ANY sort of thing that can be concerned about it, I'll find it and spend some time stressing about it! ) It's so interesting to me that when it finally came time to use the regular height at home, you didn't even noticed!!! I've taken over the en-suite bathroom - toilet riser, shower chair, etc. (My husband simply has moved completely into the other full bathroom, where he can lift and lower the lid with ease!) I'm sure I'll figure something out as it pertains to our get-away in September! This morning my husband was gone golfing, the house was so quiet and peaceful.... I pushed my walker down the hall, standing straight and tall, mindful of each step as I tried to lengthen them, and I, too, was absolutely delighted to not feel that miserable joint pain! It was fabulous! Pain is present, but oh, what a different and much more do-able type of pain that will fade with each passing week!
Oh, and you're now going to flaunt yet even more beauty of your home! ;-) "Vera" is filmed in your neck of the woods, is it? I had to smile when you talked about watching the show and getting distracted by the fact that the actual geography is so switched about! I live in Southern California - so many films and TV shows are filmed here, and we do exactly the same thing when watching something showing familiar cities! Having spent every summer at the beaches of the greater LA area, I have to laugh at the way things are presented on film. It's not always as it appears on the big screen, is it?! My husband and I have dear friends in Oxford, and have often talked about how wonderful it would be rent a car with them and simply drive through the beautiful countryside, staying in small inns or B&Bs along the way, enjoying the buildings, the bridges, the absolutely gorgeous lushness of the rolling hills! Maybe someday!! xoxox

@Nana2-8 - Yes, we ARE going for the gold!!! Right here in the comfort of our own homes, ice packs, and raised toilet seats!!!! (Can you imagine how much fun it's going to be to look back on these posts months from now and laugh at the things that so consumed our minds during these weeks of post-op recovery?) I think I would make the same decision you did - give it a week.... you'll be that much more sure-footed, stronger, and ready to deal with the various floor finishes, toilet seats, and anything else that might crop up! When you said you went walking around court yesterday, about how much distance would you estimate you covered? And what did you do when you needed to sit down? (I don't think I ever asked you exactly what your procedure was! Was it anterior? I remember you mentioning it was some sort of specialized type of surgery with a quicker than normal recovery - do you not have dislocation precautions?)

@Miss Muffet - I thought about looking on Amazon for some sort of travel toilet riser (now that sounds a bit ridiculous, doesn't it?), but thanks to you sharing the news about the She-Wee (in combat green, no less!!!!), maybe I'll have some other options! (I'm seriously wondering what in the world this device is, and can't wait to finish this post so I can go take a look! Maybe it's the answer I'm looking for!!!!) We're not going to break any dislocation precautions using this thing, are we?

Thanks for brightening my afternoon so much, dear hippie-sisters! You've brought a smile to my face yet again!!!! How I appreciate you all!

 

[Miss Muffet]

some sort of travel toilet riser (now that sounds a bit ridiculous, doesn't it?), but thanks to you sharing the news about the She-Wee

Not quite what you imagined @DizzyBlond - and I mis-remembered, it was in fact EBay I got mine from
Shewee Extreme Nato Green. Don't laugh - well you can if you want. Actually it is quite funny, but it does work and can be a life-saver in an emergency when out visiting or there's no loo available to save your embarrassment