THR My Christmas time recovery

[Sdfoxy1]

And thanks all for your replies I don’t need to be so needy.

 

[Jaycey]

I don’t need to be so needy.

You are recovering from major surgery and it's scary. Please don't be hard on yourself. Asking questions and raising concerns isn't being needy. Life will get back to "normal". Just give it time.

 

[myglasshalffull]

My surgery side foot pointed outward (to right), and slow but sure it's just fine now. I really concentrated on heel/toe walking instead of scuffing along.
the rule of thumb is if you are limping or feel unstable an assistive device is your best friend. No shame in using a walker or cane.

 

[Merrimay]

@Sdfoxy1 , I've not had spasms since surgery but had them really bad preop. I've read some other posters ask about postop spasms and charley horses. Someone on staff may respond soon with info for you. Hang on. Spasms are the pits. So sorry you're dealing with them on top of everything else.

 

[Sdfoxy1]

11 days out. I felt pretty good yesterday morning decided to walk 15 minutes. Still in walker. Now mind you this is slow around my kitchen. My leg is still sore. I’m almost out of pain meds. I take one in the morning and one in the afternoon. When I went to walk later in the day my leg was so painful and sore I felt like I did a week ago. Maybe it was feeling so much better before bc I was in pain meds around the clock or I just over did it. I feel like I’m a week back in time. I will be going to the dr Tuesday for a check up and I’m nowhere near coming off the walker. A man at church asked about me. He had his done this fall. He was nice giving recommendation to my husband to tell me. Buy he mowed his grass the same week. I was feeling mean and said he was an idiot. Then I felt bad he is a wonderful man lol. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.

 

[Layla]

I am sorry you were dealing with increased pain yesterday. Hopefully after some sleep you're feeling better today.

Try following the Activity Progression for THR HERE and see if it helps you stay active enough, without overdoing it in these early weeks. I'd also recommend reading the articles on ICE and ELEVATE in the Recovery Guidelines and putting both into practice, if you're not already, as it will help with swelling and the resulting pain. Give it a try!

Also, please address your concerns with your surgeon on Tuesday in regard to your pain management so you have a plan going forward.

I am sure the man at church had good intentions, but I'll never understand why people who been through THR like to share how they supposedly progressed faster than you. Some things are better kept to one's self.

I hope today is a good day and your holidays are happy.
Wishing you comfort and joy!
@Sdfoxy1

 

[Elf1]

@Sdfoxy1 sorry you're still having quite a bit of pain. Layla left you some great info on icing and elevating. @myglasshalffull said, practicing heal/toe walking is very helpful with getting you more stable and losing any limp you might have.

Being on the walker is nothing to feel bad about, we all recover at our own pace. Many factors involved in the process, try not to sweat the small stuff. I was on the walker for a good 2 months or so. Was sent to physical therapy for my gait and therapist watched me walk with walker, with cane and without. She had me stay on walker a bit longer than I originally wanted but it was done to make sure I was completely stable before switching to the cane. Its always good to err on the side of caution.

Try taking it extra easy for a while, ice and elevate any time you're not up and about. Maybe try breaking up your walk into three 5 minute walks or two 7.5 minute walks. Slow and steady is what gets you through recovery and on to living your life.

 

[Sdfoxy1]

Hi. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Tomorrow I go for my 2 week checkup. My husband wants me to use the walker which I still use at the house when I feel unstable or tired. I can walk with the cane but feel a limp when I do. I’ve never seen anyone in that waiting room wirh a walker. I guess I’m going to have to get over it. I’m doing my exercises and can almost lift my knee all the way up. I could not get in my car before surgery without manually lifting it in. Is it normal to still feel wiped out and sometimes shaky. Thanks Shawn

 

[djklaugh]

@Sdfoxy1 2 weeks after major surgery? YES it is totally normal to still feel wiped out and shaky! I had what I called "nap attacks" for months after my hip replacements (and also after each shoulder). If you still need the walker ... especially when out and about, that too is normal! Do what feels best to you and don't even think about what anyone else is doing or using. In waiting rooms it's impossible to tell if another person is 2 weeks post surgery, waiting to have surgery, or 6 months post surgery.

 

[subie2021]

OK, I need to ask...who set these recovery guidelines you're imposing on yourself? Whoever it was needs a good talkin' to

I'd rather be embarrassed about using a walker across the parking lot, than be embarrassed about the office staff and/or EMS has to pick me up off the pavement in the parking lot.
Use your walker as long as you need it. It helps you to walk carefully and mindfully, heel toe, heel toe. Consider it PT.
You'll get where you want to be, but it happens in its own time. It takes as long as it takes.

 

[Sdfoxy1]

Thanks I think since my surgeon gave me a booklet that doesn’t really say things like this may take many weeks etc. I have imposed what I have seen from others that I know on myself. It doesn’t help that he doesn’t talk much. After surgery when I was in pain and mentally out of it he said any questions I felt like a deer in the headlights. My mind was blank. Today is two weeks and I’m having just a bit of soreness. And some swelling and incision soreness. I feel that this is normal for this stage. I will use the walker if I feel unstable. Your right I don’t want to be splattered on the parking lot. Lol

 

[Elf1]

@Sdfoxy1 at 2 weeks out you're going to still have soreness, possible swelling and discomfort at your incision. This is all very normal. Like i said, i used my walker for quite some time, especially in public. It helps give people a signal that you need space.

Even when I used my cane I had a sales person at Old Navy literally run past me so quick that she spun me around. Luckily I had the cane and was close enough to a rack of clothes I was able to steady myself. She heard one of their door alarms go off, probably because someone forgot to remove one of the security tags. Once she happened to realize what she had done she came back to apologize.

Just a recommendation, even when you do ditch the walker keep it close by. I used it for my late night trips to the bathroom for safety sake and sometimes on the cane you just get tired and sore so you can switch back.

 

[Layla]

My husband wants me to use the walker which I still use at the house when I feel unstable or tired.

There is no shame in using a walker at only two weeks post op, most are still using one then. Please try not to be influenced, or pressured by what you see or hear others are doing because each recovery is unique for various reasons.

You likely will get tired and be happy you have the walker with you tomorrow. Those first outings do wear you out. Stability is important, you don't want to lose your balance and topple over! As long as you're limping you should be using an assistive device around your home as it will help with the limp. This involves striking the ground with your heel first, then rolling through your heel to your toe, and pushing out of the step with your toe. It takes a concentrated effort, but I believe you'll notice a difference. Give it a try.

Consider icing, if you're not already for the soreness and swelling, if you're already icing, try icing more often for longer periods of time. Elevation will help also. Check out the articles on ICE and ELEVATE in the Recovery Guidelines if you haven't had a chance to yet. Always remember to place fabric between bare skin and the ice source.

Best Wishes for tomorrow! Let us know how it goes.

 

[Sdfoxy1]

Went for my two week checkup today. Had the waterproof dressing removed all looked well. I used my walker and there was actually a traffic jam of walkers. Maybe I never noticed before ?
Worry for nothing. Still sore. Stiff when I stand in both legs. Incision pain. Still icing and hoping for better days. It’s easy for me to get depressed when sitting around a lot

 

[Layla]

Hello @Sdfoxy1

It’s easy for me to get depressed when sitting around a lot

Ugh...I'm sorry if you're struggling with some down days.

Try to find things to do to alleviate the boredom so these early days and weeks don't drag on.
Attempt to get outdoors and sit for a time each day if you live in an area of the country where it's warm enough. The fresh air, sunshine and sounds of nature are mood boosters.

Other ideas - Crossword puzzles, colored pencils and an adult coloring book, plan a vacation for when you're feeling better, start a recipe collection or add to your current collection, play online games, give yourself a manicure, send emails or texts to friends, re-arrange or fill a photo album, listen to your favorite music, read a book or favorite magazine. Invite someone over for coffee and dessert, or better yet, go meet someone for a quick lunch once you're feeling up to it. It is likely still a bit early for that. Call a friend you haven't spoken to in awhile. Watch a series on Netflix. Check out the Social Room here also if you haven't yet. Lots there to engage in and occupy your mind. Social Room

I hope you have a pleasant evening and week! We're always here if you're bored and want some company. Lights never go out!

 

[Mojo333]

Hi @Sdfoxy1
Glad to see you on The Healing Side

Stiffness will be prevalent these early days and will hang around for quite some time... All normal, and All Temporary...
It can be hard to relax and heal and stave off those post-op blues (also normal, and also temporary) but this recovery really does take the time it takes so stay chilled and take the literal "one step at a time" approach.
Well worth it in the end!

 

[myglasshalffull]

Depression is quite normal after this type of surgery. Read "Post op blues"
I had many crying jags. Thank goodness for my partner and good friends.
Surgeons heal the broken bones but not the broken mind. My Dad suffered from PTSD after WWII. It wasn't addressed back then like it is now, thank goodness people are not ashamed of depression any longer.
You will recover, do not compare yourself to anyone else, this is your journey.
I'm speaking from experience because I did same as you, my PT at hospital told me in 30 days I'd be doing what I was doing before the surgery, set very high expectations for me so of course I felt like I was not progressing as I should.
Thank goodness I found bonesmart and all the hippies that have come before me!

 

[CricketHip]

I fought a good bit of the depression and restlessness by getting hooked on old reruns. I liked using re-runs because if I dozed off I didn't miss anything. I could pass several hours at a time doing this.
My faves were:
Medium
Seinfeld
Golden Girls ( I never grow tired of watching them)
If I were recovering now, I would try to find the series on PBS, Downton Abby.

It was the afternoons that got to me and that's when I would get all cozy with my ice packs and watch my shows.

I still had some sad and down days, I think it's just part of our healing. We do the best that we can and look forward to better days.

 

[subie2021]

@Sdfoxy1
Don't feel guilty about feeling bad, it's normal.
My recovery was in the winter also, and in Flyover Country, so going outside for pick-me-ups wasn't much of an option. I had to search for things to do in the house. What worked for me was to...

Watch movies and reruns that I'd enjoyed before and indulge in a treat while doing so. It had to be a special treat because I need to watch calories, but once or twice a week worked out pretty well.

Find busy work around the house that I could do within restrictions. The junk drawer got de-junked, the pantry got organized, and every waist-level shelf and drawer in the house became magazine worthy.

Plan for nice weather when I could garden again. I found plans for flower beds online then searched websites of local garden centers for the plants.
Now I have a Hip Garden! It's beautiful and just happens to be on the spot where I fell, precipitating this whole journey.

Stay in contact with friends and family via email or texts. It was easier than phone calls because on bad days I could delay replies, or fake-it-til-I-make-it mood wise; sending words that were more cheerful than I felt helped buoy me up.

Keep your chin up, things will get better!

 

[Sdfoxy1]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I’m not sure what I would have done if I had not found this forum. My son who is 22 and in college said who are these “my people “ who are helping you. I said it’s the hippies. I was on FaceTime and him and his gf burst out laughing. Then she said wait hippies. I get it. Lol. Just to see the advice. And the word “temporary “ makes all the difference in the world