THR Lucy's Recovery

Glad everything is " going" well.
That definitely makes things more comfortable.
Hope your weekend is restful :ice:
 
Day 5 post-op and still not doing much but resting and icing. Stomach still doesn't feel great and no appetite. It's nice to feel tired after being energetic all my life. If I feel up to it, I'll get dressed and walk down the hall of my apartment building this afternoon. I live in a studio, so trips to the bathroom and kitchen aren't very long.
 
:hi: Happy Saturday!
Sounds like a typical day five. Lots of resting and icing, just what the doctor ordered. How does a Smoothie sound? Unappetizing? If not, a protein smoothie might feel sustaining enough for now.
Thanks for updating. We'll be checking on you.
I hope you have a peaceful relaxing day! :)
@HipLucy
 
Evening came then morning: the sixth day. I woke up a little headachy, queasy, and stiff, but now I'm feeling pretty good. Working on the New York Times crossword puzzle, which is taking at least three times as long as usual. Tomorrow the physical therapist comes, so I'll try to make myself presentable. He sounds very laid-back, so I don't anticipate any unreasonable demands. I'm ready for some exercises and stair training, though.
 
:hi: Good Afternoon...
Thankfully the headache, queasiness and stiffness eased.
Best wishes with PT tomorrow. I hope you like your therapist. Only unsolicited advice I'll offer is if it hurts, don't do it.
Have a great Sunday and stay in touch!
@HipLucy
 
Achievement of the day: After finishing the crossword puzzle (finally!) My pen dropped on the floor and rolled under my recliner. I was determined to get it myself, but knew I couldn't violate the 90 degree rule. Tried the reacher-grabber, but nope couldn't get it. Kept trying various techniques and feeling like a chimpanzee in a lab. At last I threw down one of those plastic belongings bags from the hospital and pushed it under the chair with my reacher-grabber. Voilà, success. I really felt good.
 
HipLucy.. it’s all the small accomplishments along the healing journey that bring confidence and a real sense of knowing that this stage is just another in the many stages of healing from surgery. By the holidays you‘ll be back in the swing again... no pain and loving all that you did to regain strength and bounce back in life . Spot on!

many healing blessings sent your way.:yes!:
 
Thanks, Hippie. It's great to hear your confidence that by the holidays I'll be grateful for this surgery. That's not something I'm feeling right now. But I sure am glad it's not this time last week: the night before my hip replacement when I was facing the unknown.
 
:) :-) (:Glad your little issue resolved easier for you.
I lost a water bottle cap on day five or six...it rolled under a TV stand...and try as I might, I couldn't retrieve it.
It brought about my first post op meltdown.:shrug:
My husband came back from a short errand to a blubbering mess...asked did I need it?
Nope...but not the point, I say. I couldn't get it.

Actually it was a release of emotions post op due to the fact that feeling dependent and anxious was very foreign to me.
Things will level off and get better and better.
 
Sounds like you were faced with the same challenge, Mojo. I wonder if there's a flexible teacher.
 
One week post-op: Had my first in-home physical therapy today. Really like the therapist, who has 24 years' experience and a calm manner. He gave me eight exercises to do two or three times a day and reassured me that bending to change my garbage can liner was OK.
 
@HipLucy
Guess where you will be at Christmas! 9 weeks and I bet it will be a wonderful holiday for you!
I did not have to use the reacher much post op per se but it is so helpful
to get stuff out of upper cabinets that otherwise I'd have to climb a stepladder
Small victories at first. Vanquish the trash!
 
Christmas is a beacon. I'm amazed that you didn't have to use the reacher much @mainegirl1. Did you have the posterior approach? I'm under the precautions for three months I think.
 
Welcome to BoneSmart @HipLucy

You have come to the right place for advice and encouragement. Sounds like you have already made it through your first week with some modest improvements. All hail pumpkin puree!

@Layla is very wise to speak of weekly improvements. It does take the pressure off to know this will take time and that steady forward motion is the focus. This group of people have held my hand through a long journey and it feels like family at this point to me. Hope your healing journey is uneventful and steady.
 
oh, the creative lengths we go to figure out how to pick things up! I remember early in my first THR dropping my iPad. I was on my own and didn't want to wait for a visitor to pick it up. Reacher didn't help. I finally got my long handled dust pan and broom and was able to sweep it up. I use my reacher even when I'm not in recovery--I figure it saves wear and tear on my lower back.
 
@HipLucy my surgeon uses an anterolateral approach. Any would have been fine with me. I did not have precautions but with the little voice in the back of my head saying don't stress the new hip I used the golfers reach. Bending my other hip while keeping the op leg back and straight. I had been doing that pre op because the bad hip would lock if folded so it was natural.
Layla is right .. there will be good days and awful days and look at your progress week to week. That is one of the things this site is for ; your opportunity for a personal log so you can look back and see how far you have come. There will be down days even a couple of months from now so its good to review your story from time to time and see how things have improved overall.
 
Loved hearing about your dustpan trick @gertie. That was next on my list of things to try. And it's so helpful @mainegirl1, to remember there can be setbacks. I woke up in the wee hours with stomach woes and don't feel terribly motivated today. It's good to know that's normal. Pain seems to be at its worst first thing. Could that be because the Celebrex 200 mg (which I take around 8:30 am) has worn off? I'm not taking the narcotics anymore, and Tylenol only occasionally.
 
Hi @HipLucy
I hope you slept well last night and are having a good morning so far.

I believe you're waking in pain because the Celebrex has worn off.
If interested...an option that the forum Nurse often recommends (which you could talk over with your physician) is Extra Strength Tylenol at 1000 mg every six hours, not to exceed 4000 mg in any 24 hr period. You must calculate in anything else you're taking that contains Acetominiphin so you stay within the safe range of 4000 mg / per 24 hrs.

Most meds only remain fully effective in the system for 4-5 hours, no matter what the dose. So if you're taking something less frequently you may be going hours with no medication in your system at all, giving pain time to build so the
next dose takes longer to get effective.

pain-chart-jpg.66967


Assuming you experienced posterior approach due to a comment you made a few posts up. Many surgeon's don't prescribe pre-cautions with posterior approach these days. I speak from experience as my surgery was posterior and I was only cautioned to move thoughtfully, slowly, cautiously and if anything hurt STOP, allowing my by body to be my guide.

Please understand I'm not suggesting you toss out the precautions your surgeon suggested you follow, only trying to take off some of the pressure and fear you may feel if you think you moved improperly.

You're doing great. Keep it up and have a wonderful Tuesday!
 
Thanks for the suggestion @Layla. You are definitely right about waking up in pain because medications have worn off. I'm not taking anything except the Celebrex and aspirin morning and evening, so Tylenol might be a good idea. I wake up at least twice to pee so maybe will try Tylenol at the 3 am wake-up call.
 

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