THR Me2 and Recovery

[Me2]

Well, so much for my day of rest . . . on Day 17, I woke at my 6 a.m. spent two hours on here catching up, showered, and then one thing after another . . . went with hubby to do weekly shopping, visited my parents for first time since surgery, hunted for a recipe for my 94 year old dad who "needed" to make waffles like his cousin, Dorie, used to make (picture climbing to reach old recipe collections tucked away in top to bottom kitchen cabinets), and then decided to go to wedding with hubby that I was planning on skipping - but it sounded too fun not to go -- a "costume" party for his group of Pensic medieval reinactor friends - these people put thousands into their costumes. It was great fun! I can't say that I danced, but did try some toes and hips moving to the music!

Also, by the way, I put my own panties and socks on on Friday! It wasn't pretty or elegant but they did get on! I also wore pants for the first time rather than one of my sweater dresses.

For those of you who are amazed that I returned to work -- at least I get my "scheduled" nap with the kids!! Also, big reason I limit my pain meds - I would never have even gone to wedding without 1000 mg Tylenol - I would have spent the night resting, elevating and icing. Maybe I'll get to rest today?

 

[Carriemay60]

@Me2 You are really having a remarkable recovery though I certainly get why you are sleeping 12 hours a night with all that you are up to! I have just been catching up on your thread and am stunned by your your overwhelming bravery in approaching this 2nd surgery! All the emotional stuff that you suffered the 1st time around is a ton to overcome and face head on this time around.

Your son lifting you and giving you a little pep talk made me smile. I was with my kids when I had the surgery and had to trust them more than once to lift or support me. It usually resulted in my tears at being so dependent and getting a similar little "talk" from them

 

[Meggzie]

Wow Sheryl @Me2 you are one busy girl! That's a whole lot to pack into a couple of days. I had such a smile on my face to hear about the Houdini pony - oh yeah, the things we do for our equine buddies. Why is it that when it comes to them all our thoughts of self preservation seem to just fly out the window?

And way to go on being able to get dressed by yourself - people who haven't been through this don't get how huge a deal that is - that is such a milestone!!!

I sincerely hope that you get a chance to have a quiet day, you're gonna need it sooner or later. Maybe better to give it to yourself, rather than have your body force you into it! I feel just like you though - there's a whole lotta life going on around me and I feel so great this time around that I cant see a good reason to say no - and then BAM - the body tells me that it's back to the recliner with ice and meds if I even wanna THINK about a full recovery in the future!

Hope it was a lovely restful day!!

 

[beachgal]

I'm trying to keep up with everyone's recovery and I'm so happy to read some amazing stuff, particularly on your thread. Just can't tell you how broad my smile is, especially your episode of the runaway horses. Love that!

You really are a rock star! I'm so proud of you.


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[Me2]

I once again fell asleep early evening so though I've thought a dozen times today that "geez three weeks ago I was ...." I didn't get to posting my update. My wound is looking better

and I'm beginning to recover from my adventures on Friday and my "restful" weekend. I wanted to visit my parents on Monday evening as I hadn't seen my 93 year old dad since before surgery and didn't get to bed til after 11 which resulted in crashing on Tuesday about 5. When the last family left, I literally crawled crying upstairs to my recliner and slept off and on til this morning. I scooted out of work early this afternoon and actually shopped for 3 stores at the mall for 2 hours before coming home to crash again this evening. So, still needing and taking lots of rest and sleep time.

My hip/thigh is still quite tight feeling, but then I realized today that I have not been doing my basic PT exercises as religiously as last time hoping that indeed I would heal just with the amount of walking I do during day. Just doing some of the basic three times today that was suggested and I already feel a little better range of motion and less tight. So I will work those in for a couple of days. I'm still one step at a time on stairs, but getting quick at that. I can easily put shoes and socks on no-op leg and I can put on op side buts it's not pretty or quick. I am driving much better, no more than I need as I still ask for hubby or son to chauffeuring available. I'm comfortably wearing pants again rather than dresses. I guess most important to me this go round is I am still okay with no crazy thoughts. Some normal emotional roller coaster and feeling like recovery will never end and questioning whether I can do it, but, for the most part, patience has been my middle name this go round.


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[Hoppy Nanny]

Good for you @Me2.... Loving your ' recovering' horses story ! Can't believe how much you get up too....!! So glad your crazy thoughts have not returned!! Xxx


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[Me2]

, woke up this morning, walked across the room, and realized how smooth new hip was moving with absolutely no achy tight feeling - just smooth movement!!!!! Even better, mid way through my cuppa coffee, I realized I felt truly good Its now 7:30, and though my day was quite full, I don't have that a truck hit me exhausted feeling. I can make a cup of tea and grab my ice and snuggle in for the evening. Maybe, I'll even stay awake until 8

Another first, I put boots on and off today almost all by myself -- does asking my preschoolers for a little help count?

A little scare, after I took 3 week picture last night, I took steri-strips off to find a quite funky looking wound, a little smelly, too. After a little heart failure, I cleaned it up, put clean dry gauze on, and pretended I wasn't worried. Fortunately home nurse came by early on a scheduled visit and said it looked okay, and the wound did look much better this morning.

 

[Meggzie]

Hey Sheryl! Sounds like you are going great - not that I'm surprised!! We beautifully bilaterally bionic types are pretty awesome!!

I am so happy for you that this time round you're feeling so much better emotionally - I'm sure that's helping with your super recovery. And a great relief too to have the home nurse give your wound a clean bill of health, to, I'm sure. I had mine checked yesterday too - it's always nice to have an experienced eye put your fears to rest - especially when they say "oh! That's looking really good" when I think I look like Frankenstein's bride!!!

And I think it's perfectly acceptable to enlist the help of the preschoolers for getting boots on and off!! Getting socks and boots on here is quite an unattractive contortionist performance too - I WISH I had a pre-schooler to help me!!

 

[beachgal]

You are doing SO well!! I couldn't be happier! BTW, I dug out my aunt's iron skillet in preparation of baking cornbread for our Thanksgiving dressing and thought of you. In fact, any time I look at it now, I think of you! What a tribute because I loved my aunt.


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[Me2]

I thank you again for the use of that skillet -- and am quite honored by your tribute! I had one of those aunts, too.

 

[Me2]

Wow, here I am, Hip Surgery 2, Week 4 (28 days). I went back to have a look-see where I was with my first surgery in April, and some differences . . .

I felt a big bump in energy and focus at Day 22 last week, but I still have a few (normal) pity parties as I do hit that wall of exhaustion (energy drain) fairly regularly. I try to catch a rest but some days I miss it and bam, I'm down. I'm trying to find the balance of rest/sleep and activity. I get tired about 9, but if I go to bed then I wake up at my favorite time of 2:40 and have difficulty falling asleep until 5 but then its time to wake up at 6! I've been giving myself 15 minutes to fall back to sleep and then getting up to do and make a cup of sleepytime tea or have banana and PB snack.

I haven't yet gone to that crazy place, though I do have a few moments of panic and/or OCD thinking. I breathe, focus on that, no, I can't remember everything about the surgery, I did doze through some of it, but I do also remember enough to "anchor" me in the efficiency of the OR, how everyone was doing their job of taking care of me, the things I do remember give me comfort. That is compromise: I was awake more than they wanted, I dozed more than I wanted. I did hear so much that gives me comfort, but I didn't get to see nearly as much as I wanted -- mostly overhead surgery lights and the CNA.

So, what at 4 weeks can I do?

• within inches of putting on my own socks and shoes - even boots - not pretty but so close
• I can put my own pants on, undies and all - again not elegant or even pretty but can do
  
• able to lightly dance, do exercises with preschoolers, walk around yard, up hill and down,
• bit challenging to get in and out of vehicles although driving is much better
• doing an hour or two of necessity shopping okay, but I get tired and hubby has been wonderful putting everything away when we get home
• just beginning to alternate feet up and down stairs -- top of thigh is still tight but I can do -- I actually tried because I was going much too fast with the up with the "good" down with the "bad one step at a time and had a few near falls from going to fast
• still get stiff if I sit upright (meals, computer, in car) but not so bad

This recovery seems so slow and steady -- I guess I was so so so limited before first surgery that everything was new and exciting and things like some of those listed above I had not been able to do for many years. I am so satisfied that I did not waste the years waiting for this one to get that bad, but, as I suspected, I don't have the huge exciting difference. I still for the part have more patience though for this slow and steady recovery knowing the soon, soon, soon I will be able to do all and feel so healthy again.

 

[Me2]

A picture of my wound at week 4 -- not bad, even seems to be disappearing at the top ....

Sheryl from Pittsburgh
LTHR on 4/2/2014
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[beachgal]

@Me2, you are STILL my hero! So, so proud of you and your determination to stay the course! We've all come too far to risk any setbacks and yet, we're finding (or rediscovering!) our way through these glorious days without pain! I know, I know, there are still bumps and tweaks that will haunt us, perhaps until we grow old, but it's not going to stop us from making our THR the best thing we ever did. You will feel that way as you get further from the surgery, I know!

 

[Me2]

@beachgal There is already no doubt in my mind that taking care of this is the best thing I've ever done for me - and my family. I really do feel like I am being given a second chance at life!

And I couldn't and wouldn't have ever done it with out YOU and all the other individuals and the total of what BoneSmart is!

 

[beachgal]

Agree, agree, agree!! You make me smile!!!

 

[MajorHeidi]

@Me2 Sheryl you are doing great, as expected!
An amazing horse story about you having to herd your horses to the paddock. Whew!
Glad you got to visit with your parents.
You are good to post your scar pics. They are coming along well.
I remember waiting for the scabs to fall off before I would be allowed in the pool.

Keep up the great work, and enjoy yourself.

 

[Me2]

Now, this deserves a mid-week update!!!!! I started alternating feet up and down stairs Wednesday and am able to go all the way up and down with alternating feet this morning!! Slow and steady but getting pretty! I also slept for a quite a bit on non-surgical side (my preferred side) . . . not intentionally, but woke up at my 3:40 and tried and tried to go back to sleep and woke up on side with my alarm at 5:45 feeling very well rested!

@MajorHeidi -- at my 2 week check up, I asked about earlier in the pool/gym than last time . . . He said he'd see how well wound looked at 8 weeks and maybe . . . I am so hoping for a great Thanksgiving weekend of swimming and riding . . . my lofty goal/dream from way back when I first picked date! I have tucked in back of my mind for Christmas week so as not too disappointed but a girl can dream?

 

[Meggzie]

Sheryl you are continuing to do great! You are hitting some very significant milestones - you go girl. Of course, none of us here are surprised - 'cos you rock!!! I too remember last time the wonder of each new step in recovery and the pure joy each new milestone brought. This time, I know the milestones will appear and I get a real sense of quiet satisfaction (rather than the fist pumping elation of last time) as I am beginning to check each one off. This time, for me, my oh feelings are coming from the speed at which the milestones are whizzing by - yes it's still slow and steady - but not as slow as last time. But the big thing here is - regardless of how long (or short) a time it takes we KNOW just how awesome our new beautifully bilaterally bionic bodies will be

I'm cheering you on for a Thanksgiving ride - show me the way, oh trailblazer!!!

 

[beachgal]

@Me2, I'm thankful for you this year. Blessings to you and your family during the holidays and throughout 2015.


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[Me2]

Week 5 (Day 35). Can it really be 5 weeks?

In just a blink of an eye, I am doing an update five full weeks after surgery! And you know I am beginning to believe you all who say that someday I'll have "forgotten" hips! I actually don't think about my hips a good part of the day; each day is not planned around how my hips are.

Now, I do think about wanting to avoid the "energy drain" -- but, of course, I didn't have time for my "rest" after work yesterday and thought I could stop at a clothes store on my way home from son's dentist appointment -- nope, 8:00, and I thought I'd roll into puddle on the floor right at the register. I keep thinking I should be done needing so much sleep but I guess I need to go back and read. I am so relieved that I am sleeping with no "crazies" that I'll take the wall of exhaustion til whenever.

So, at 5 weeks, what can I do? Let's see

• alternating feet up and down steps most of the time; slow, but doing so so somebody who didn't know wouldn't know. In the early morning or later in evening, I'll still one step it and rely heavily on railing.
• I rarely use cane except again early morning, late evening, or if I sit for more than 15-20 minutes. I walk so so so amazingly smooth, both feet so very straight and never ever dragging. I really cannot feel anything in my hips when I walk! Even gave a little jogging run in yard!
  
• I can put my own socks and some shoes/boots (no tying) on with just a little maneuvering
• I get in and out of vehicle with just a little thought, and I don't have any problem driving.
• I can do almost all of my dance and exercise songs with my preschoolers
  -- I even did almost jumping jacks, and my little Natasha exclaimed with big round eyes, "Sheryl, your hip is all better!" She watches me close as her mom is a physical therapist. They started this summer long after first hip, and Mom was quite concerned before surgery and very amazed after with my recovery. She has "done" many therapies for posterior and none anterior.
• I can sleep for awhile on either side but usually wake up "uncomfortable."
• I still have a little tightness on top of my mid-thigh, much numbness to the right of incision and down to the knee although not much more than still remains in left thigh. The incision itself still hurts when touched, little to no collagen under it, but the scab catches on things. The redness around worries me a little and that it still is painful when touched and feels warm.

I was really excited that my appointment was before Thanksgiving holiday and hoping for horseback riding, biking, and gym/swimming clearance. My assistant's birthday is that day, and she asked to leave early on day of appointment as she has theater tickets.I had to cancel, and no appointment is available til the following Tuesday. I guess I just have to be patient or take a little ride without official clearance . He did clear me last time at this visit, and I sure would like his blessing before I go. Life is too short to worry about it, so many other things to treasure. I guess I'll just hope the weather stays much too cold and wet - its been in the teens most nights and hovering right at freezing during the day.

Good day to all!


Sheryl from Pittsburgh
LTHR on 4/2/2014
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