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Miss Muffet wishes to ditch her tuffet and get mobile

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And just one postscript to the chilliness issue, if you can advise ..... As I will be sedated will I be compus enough to be able to relay things like "I'm freezing cold!" The whole sedation business is a new one on me - I mean being in the twilight zone yet able to talk and cooperate but not remembering a thing ...? Can any of you veteran hippies advise please?
 
The purpose of the sedative is to put you in such a relaxed state that you go to sleep while they work on you. Chances are extremely slim that you will feel cold. They do a pretty good job of making sure that doesn't happen. But, you can voice your concerns to the anesthesiologist and he will make sure you are comfortable during the surgery. As I said before, once they start the "cocktail" in your IV, you go out almost immediately with no recollection of anything, until you come to in recovery. I have never felt the chill in the OR and have had numerous surgeries under general anesthesia and locals or spinals. Hope this helps ease your mind.
 
Hi @Miss Muffet just wondering how you are doing today. We have had the most foul weather here in Wales, howling gales and driving winds so I havent had much to report. Today was better though. I have been feeling confident enough to move around the house using only one crutch. I trotted off for my physio appointment this morning hoping she would be pleased with my efforts. Unfortunately she wasnt because she said it was putting too much strain on my left knee (which has the same probs as my right hip did). It was interesting that they are concerned now to reduce strain on the knee until I have the surgery on it. She did though show me a different way to walk using the crutches (a bit like Nordic walking), much quicker and smoother so that was good. She also helped me to sit properly in the front seat of our car (one step nearer to the drivers seat ha ha) so that felt good too. Then I had my Waitrose.cupcake. Lovely. Thinking of you and hoping that the days will pass quickly for your surgery to come soon. Loads of hugs and fondest thoughts xx
 
@Nana757 - thank you that really helps to put my mind at rest. All these things may seem small and like I'm worrying the bone but I'm better placed if I ask and you lovely people on BS leap in and put me straight.
@Gillywigs - you're doing really well and these small tweaks like getting your walking and sitting will presumably pay dividends in the long run. It's been wild here too - grey, wet and huge winds.
I'm longing to walk nicely again in a pair of modest heels (worn flat for soooo long now) in a favourite dress (having trimmed up after regaining my fitness and figure once again) and just feeling my age and not ancient. Patience!
 
OK everybody - and today's bother is ..... "The 90 Degree Rule" .
I've been YouTubing and am now concerned I'll end up with my new hip in the wrong place because I've broken The Rule. :bignono:
My bed is quite high and I'm quite short (5'2") so my bottom is adjacent to the mattress. I've practised what they've told me and am unsure whether I'll accidentally lean forward as I scootch backwards to hoik my legs in. I ADORE my bed it is massive and has a lovely memory foam mattress which is nice and cuddly :chillpill: . Are we being told that you can't sit at 90 degrees OR mustn't go LESS than 90 degrees? So does that mean I'll not be able to sit at a dressing table/desk until I'm out of restrictions? :oyvey::oyvey::oyvey:I'm sure I'll be put right on this when I go to the preOP session, but you lot are so good at racing in and squaring me up I'll be ahead of the game - and even start perfecting the technique ahead in preparation ... :angel:
 
Hi @Miss Muffet. How are you doing? I was really interested to hear about the height of your bed as mine is similar. When I spoke to the physio in hospital she said that higher beds were no problem but that lower beds were. I am only 5 ft and watching me trying to get my bottom and legs up onto the bed at the start must have been hysterical. I never had a problem with leaning forward but needed my hubby to help me to move the operated leg onto and across the bed with the good leg (only at the very beginning though). I am now confident at getting into and out of bed independently without breaking the hip restrictions. Dont worry too much about dislocation though. The physios will show you exactly how far you can bend safely both before and after the op. Things are getting better every day now. Today we went out for lunch and felt almost back to normal. Hope your wait will be a short one. Lots of hugs. Stay in touch xx
 
Sorry @Miss Muffet should have also said that silky nighties or jimjams or any sheets or nightwear that help you to slide across the bed more easily make getting in and out of bed much less difficult. Ditto for underwear when pulling up undies over your dressing xc
 
Hi @Miss Muffet
I am assuming you are having the posterior approach for your THR, which is why you are asking about the 90 degree restrictions. First, you will come to realize it's not that difficult to adhere to and before you realize it, it will become second nature.
Picture yourself sitting on your bed in a L shape. Your upper body should not bend forward towards your legs...that would break the restriction. You will certainly be able to sit in a desk chair as long as the seat of the chair is high enough for your hips/thighs to be above your knees/lower legs. If you have any doubts about whether or not your chairs are in proper position, add one or two pillows to the seat.
Getting in and out of bed can be tricky, but try not to stress too much about it. I found it easier to back up to my bed, sit down, with my arms behind me and hands flat on the mattress (this automatically leans you backwards a little) I used my arms for support to scoot back far enough where most of my legs were straight on the bed. Then I would bend my good leg and use it and my arms to get into a settled position. You will still be able to use your good leg...it won't have any restrictions. Once your in bed, you'll be able to (with help more than likely) prop your op leg up on a couple of pillows for elevation. Whenever you are in a reclined position, it is almost impossible to break restrictions, even with a ton of pillows under your op leg. With practice,you will soon conquer getting in and out of bed. If you find that you are unable to back up to your bed and sit on it without leaning forward, you may want to consider getting a sturdy foot stool to help get you at the right height. Hope this helps with your question.
 
I'm about 5 ft 1 with a nice high bed too! I figured it is just the right height (comes to just under my bum when I turn to face away from it).
The silky jammies tip is very good @Gillywigs !
 
@Nana757 - you are always such a gem! Thank you. :roseshwr: I must confess I've got to establish which approach they are going to use - all I can say is the surgeon said I'd have an approx 4" scar down the side of my buttock. Is that lateral? So does that mean that different approaches carry different restrictions I wonder? And reading between the lines :reading:- 90 degrees is the max you can sit at, and not to go beyond that? I know I'll learn more at preOp, but just trying to get my ducks organised so I know what to expect. @MI Chickie - hello, another shortie eh? Silky jamas according to @Gillywigs are a wonderful excuse to indulge aren't they. And @Gillywigs - thanks for being in touch. Hubby is taking me out in the car shortly for an airing - probably because I've been a bit mis lately and possibly too cabin happy? I'll be in touch later to update. Have a nice day - it's sunny here which is good for lifting the mood. Hugs back x:friends:
 
Miss Muffet said:
Is that lateral?
Click to expand...
Yes that's lateral. I found my lateral surgery much easier to recover from. You are never sitting on your incision.
Miss Muffet said:
So does that mean that different approaches carry different restrictions I wonder?
Click to expand...
This is all surgeon dependent. I had the 90 degree restriction post LTHR and no restrictions post RTHR. Don't assume you will have restrictions and don't worry too much about them. You will find your hip just does not want to move past the restriction in the first few weeks.

A sturdy foot stool to help you get in a high bed is a great idea. You can get non-slip bath steps that would add a bit of safety as well.
 
@Gillywigs - hello I'm back now. Lovely drive out into The Peak on a gorgeous sunny day and a light lunch. Had a Doc appt this afternoon and getting my bloods checked for iron and thyroid due to my worrying hair loss and the fact that I have other symptoms which may suggest a problem. Have to wait 10 days for the blood test then another week or so for results so I guess it is just possible all of this will collide with surgery (?) and I don't suppose even if I get the results they will necessarily have any influence on my treatment. I seem to bounce from confident and let's get on with it to imagining that any and everything that can possibly go wrong will happen to me. :kickedout: I know the odds are against it, it's just that my imagination runs riot (especially in the wee small hours and immediately on waking):tiredwheel:. Have the silky knickers and think they'll work a treat- thanks for these wonderful snippets all of which are always added to my notes :reading::type:. Keep up the good work and thanks for caring and keeping in touch :thumb:
 
Hi @Miss Muffet and thank you for the "gem" reply. That was so sweet.
Now, imagine yourself sitting upright and you lean forward to either get out of a chair or lean forward to grab your blanket or something below your hips...that would be a :bignono:, if you have any restrictions. Make sure you have a grabber/reacher handy at all times, and a cane comes in very handy for scooping something up, including your op leg. Also, when sitting, always put your op leg straight out in front of you and use your good leg and arms for support to ease yourself into your chair or bed. But all these maneuvers will/should be shown to you either in your pre op class or during your hospital stay. They will also show you the techniques for getting in and out of a car, using the bathroom and managing any steps/ stairs. The library on this site and YouTube has many videos that were extremely useful to me. I just googled hip replacement recovery and up popped a ton of responses. And I think I must have watched and practiced every one of them.
 
@Miss Muffet here's broken link removed: https://www.eoc.nhs.uk/hip-replacement-dvd.html that might help ease all this stress about pre and post op. Click on the video. This is where I had my RTHR and their patient information was excellent.

Please don't be concerned about all this. You will be taught by PT about how to move around post op.
 
@Nana757 @Jaycey as always HUGE thanks. :) This string is fast becoming an encyclopaedia of vital info and is much valued. :reading::reading::reading: I cannot express how wonderful it is to have so many fabulous friends on here. It is almost overwhelming to know you're all there. I simply could NOT count on that support anywhere else. I don't know where I would be without you and Bonesmart :friends: xx
 
That's what this site is all about dear @Miss Muffet. To share all your fears, tears, anxiety, thrills, accomplishments, milestones and most of all, support. You are going to be just fine. We, who have been there and done that, learned very quickly that the wait is far worse than post op. We also learn how to improvise with our tools and equipment and what will and won't work for each of our particular circumstances. One thing I'm sure of, 99% of us are far much better off for having gone through with the surgery. And I have no doubt you will be too!
 
@Nana757 - don't worry there will be more. In fact I reckon I'll fast overtake my dear friend @Cynthia777 by the time they get me on the slab.:eeeuw: Booked a Doc appt for Friday as I've re-developed a bit of a skin condition on my buttock (all glamorous stuff here) and @Gillywigs helpful video link states that things like psoriasis are a no-no presurgery because of the risk of infection. That worried me as there is NO way I want things delayed now and our Doc surgery appointment booking system is a miniature nightmare, so I'm lucky to have secured one so quickly. Yesterday I developed a new one to add to my list of preOp anxieties .... an eye twitch Now everyone thinks I'm winking at them .... :xmark: I can't get over the relentless patience you Hip Vets have with me - just love you all :angel:
 
Hi Miss Muffet, I hope your surgery being put off fears come to nothing! I just got a date for me second hip of May 26 and I am doing a it of that worrying too. Now I just want to get this done and put 2016 or the year of the Hips, as I am calling it, behind me!


RTHR 1/15/2016. Posterior approach. Due to AVN. LTHR in my future.
 
Both symptoms sound like stress my friend. You might want to ask your GP for a mild sedative to help you through these nerves. I was a basket case pre-op my spinal surgery. Doc gave me 10 valium. Only ended up using 1 or 2 but it was a comfort that he understood how anxious I was. You are going to be fine!
 
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