THR My journey, if only I had known<

[Josephine]

6 weeks

. Pain 3-7 activity, 0-2 at rest

okay .....

3. Oxycodone 1-2 tabs Q4: 1st week post op
Tylenol 500mg, 2 tabs 4 times a day
Celebrex 200mg twice a day
Gabapentin 100mg 1-2

Are you not taking oxycodone now?
I suggest you take Tylenol 1,000mg 4 times a day at 6hrly intervals, less what ever acetaminophen is in the oxycodone
Gabapentin is not actually a pain med - it's an anticonvulsant medication for neuropathic pain

4. Icing 45-60 mins 2-3x post activity and before bed.

okay but you should ice at least 40-60mins and more than 4 times a day.

5. Elevating leg anytime I’m not active and at night.

Then you should. And elevate while you ice.

6. Light housekeeping: dishes, laundry, vacuuming, etc; shopping 1x week; social outings 2-3x per week.

That's far too much. Did you read the Recovery Guidelines in the second post of this thread? Specially this one Activity progression for THRs

Exercises at home:
Hospital “warm ups” 10 reps before getting up
Walking: 4-5x per day: 2, 20-30min walks with 1-2 rests, half of each session need to use cane.
2-3 sessions around house 10-15 mins, no cane.
13 stairs, foot over foot, x 2 per day

Pool exercises: 2-3x per week:
Gentle leg and arm stretches
water walking: 50 yards, 2x per session,
In place marching 30 reps x1 per session
Standing side leg raises x15 per session
Standing back leg raises x15 per session
Half sitting squats 15 reps, 2x per session
Kick board: 50 yards x 2
Laps: gentle free-style: 25 yards, 50 yards x2, 100 yards x 2, with rests in between. Above exercises interspersed with the swims.
Back stroke: 50 yards.
All of the swim takes place over 30-40mins, still following precautions, no flip turns[

No PT: My Orthopaedic’s philosophy

If your surgeon's policy is no PT, why are you doing all those exercises I have crossed out before? Did you think they didn't count?

 

[Hip4life]

Thank you, Josephine and everyone else for your advice, support, and encouragement. I guess my biggest quandary is that the activities that I’m doing now with the rests in between are still far less than what I will need to do even in a phased return to work in 2 weeks. With a visit to my OS and then a heart to heart with my boss, maybe we can figure out the best course of action. What my hip is saying and what “real life” is demanding, well, unfortunately, they are not yet on the same page. I will keep you posted.

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

@Hip4life
With my first THR 6 years ago it took me a good 3/4 months & then some before all that tightness & stiffness abated ... but it did.. but the recovery was so slow & steady ... however 6 years out its been fabulous...

Had my other done 7 weeks ago & Ive had no stiffness or pain.. it’s a real lottery.. but each hip demands its own recovery...like recalcitrant children [emoji23][emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Hip4life]

Thank you, @Hoppy Nanny. That helps a lot and I agree with you totally. I’m so happy your second hip went so well. I have a whole new perspective on these “recalcitrant children” and have realized that there is no job worth suffering over like I did before surgery. So, this time it will be on my terms for my health. It has inspired me to make it a new mission of mine to try and help others through the journey as well. No one else understands unless they’ve been there and that’s why I am so immensely grateful for the support here at BoneSmart.

 

[Fit4Family]

Just read your thread @Hip4life, because I noticed your thread title. Can REALLY relate. I have been feeling the same mind push to do more. Work, family demands etc. Especially as people I’ve followed here, and had surgery after I did, are much further along in recovery. My body screams when I do too much. Endless cycle I guess.

I hope you find your happy medium on moving enough, but not too much. The floating in the pool sounds heavenly. Hope you have a good week! Sarah

 

[Hip4life]

Thanks, Sarah @Fit4Family. If this experience has taught me anything, it’s you need to take care of yourself first for once especially in this instance. This is not what I expected but I quickly learned that my hip was in charge. I was supposed to go back to work April 15. Now it’s May 28 because I needed that time, insisted on it and guess what? Everyone involved has made it work. Not everyone is blessed like that but usually I would just “push through” for others. Not this time. I think it helped me be able to build up my exercise in a little more step-wise fashion and be able to back off when I did too much that has worked for me even though it has taken longer. I hope you can find what works for you. Happy to help if you need any advice. Now I truly need to prepare for back to reality. That post follows.

 

[Hip4life]

Update on appointment with my OS: Xrays are still excellent (of course! He does excellent work and that’s why I chose him. ) My issue apparently was I re-irritated my iliopsoas muscle/tendon and it wasn’t even very glamorous how I did it: just elevating my leg onto a pillow. I felt something “slide” on the front of my hip/thigh and then it got pretty sore and thus affected my walking, etc. My OS was very kind, patient, and reassuring. He encouraged me to be patient with myself and the healing process, as it will take time, especially with these occasional minor setbacks. He wanted to give it a chance to correct itself but if it doesn’t, then he could treat it.
So, cue the music: dun-dun-da-dun, time to really face reality. OS readying the paperwork for my return to work May 28. Knowing I was still having my issues and that I needed to walk longer than 5-10 minutes, he compassionately asked me if I was ready to try. My first thought was No! Then I remembered that my only other options were quitting or being terminated so the answer came out yes. There it was, feeling ready or not. The only thing that keeps from running away from home is that one, I have a keeper of a husband and two, I have the most amazing boss who is going to phase me back in to work however I need to. I am truly blessed. Onward!
BTW: my OS has no issues with my current physical activities. Just to keep doing as tolerated and listen to my body and be good to it. You know I will! Next to my house, my hip is the most expensive thing I own!

 

[Fit4Family]

Great update @Hip4life Happy to hear that everyone is on board with letting you put your body and health first. That truly is the lesson I’ve learned in all of this. We only get to live forward, so wishing you a pain free, phased re-entry to a job/boss you appreciate.

Laughed at your hip value. Onward and upward!

 

[Layla]

Great news! Thanks for the update.
Its wonderful your boss is so accommodating and will allow for a phased return to work. You're lucky.
Thankfully you have another couple of weeks to rest up. Enjoy your remaining time off.
Have a wonderful week!
@Hip4life

 

[leejaa]

So glad that you have an understanding boss and will be able to phase back in. You are lucky since as you said you need to return at the 3m interval or lose your job.

 

[Hip4life]

Has anyone else had this surreal moment, almost “out of body” when it is hard to believe that you have even had this whole experience: pain, limping, doctors, surgery, a new metal/ceramic part replacing an actual body part, a different pain and now, well on the way to feeling normal again. What an amazing and freeing shift in the psyche when what has defined you for so long, no longer applies. Way cool!

 

[Mojo333]

I felt the same way..isn't it a wonderful feeling?
Lots of happy times ahead!

 

[Fit4Family]

Truly is way cool. I’m so very grateful. The happy tears come from no where some days, when I realize I can do something that I could not weeks ago.

 

[Hip4life]

It brought to mind the quote from Einstein: There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. And “A Course in Miracles”says “1. There is no order of difficulty in miracles. One is not harder or bigger than another. They are all the same. All expressions of love are maximal.” I am so grateful for mine and I wish many for those here in their struggles and successes.

 

[Mojo333]

Love my man, Einstein.
I like...
"Be grateful for your challenges, setbacks, adversity and disappointments. Be grateful for your opportunity to overcome every single one, because doing so contributes to your growth & your ability to help others overcome theirs." Hal Elrod

It is what I found to be so amazing about this forum when I was in early recovery days.

 

[SE Florida]

Has anyone else had this surreal moment, almost “out of body” when it is hard to believe that you have even had this whole experience: pain, limping, doctors, surgery,

So funny, just last night I was thinking this whole journey was really no big deal. Duh, REALLY??? Yes it was! Fortunately I have that selective memory problem that my husband hates!

 

[Hip4life]

Amen! @Mojo333 and @SE Florida I love paying it forward, memory not withstanding.

 

[DinVegas]

"The 2 biggest issues I’ve had are a lot of swelling in my thigh made worse by compression stockings (resolved by POD 6 but maybe sooner if I had known about this site)"

What is POD 6? I've been told I'll be wearing compression stockings, not looking forward to that.

 

[Hip4life]

Hi, @DinVegas and welcome. It means post-op day. Everyone is different. I had “sequentials” in hospital which are wraps on the lower legs which pump up and then release on regular intervals. I didn’t get the stockings until I was basically rolling out the door to home. Just make sure, and I can’t emphasize this enough, you elevate and ice as much as you can. If you still have swelling, then elevate higher. You’ll thank yourself. I’ll start following you. Feel free to keep those questions coming!

 

[Fit4Family]

@Hip4life Love your determination to pay it forward.

Making daily notes of goals and accomplishments. No matter how small. One today was to personally thank everyone who has helped my family this last 8 months. Several had tears, it felt great to make it up many driveways. Give hugs, deliver gifts and cards. Really good day.