Bilateral THR My post op journey has started

[cnydutch]

Happy Holidays to you too Puddle Fish!
:bells:

 

[dede62]

Puddlefish, I'm so amazed at how well things are going for you. I know some days are better than others, but you are gathering strength to push to the next milestone. I have to say you bilats are a brave bunch (PF, Dutch, Mary Beth, Weezy, et al.) Heck my doc wouldn't do the arthroscopy on both sides at a time, let alone THRs. I'm hoping the other side for me is in the way off future!! My hat's off to you all for showing us how it's really done!

 

[bellaroma]

Happy Holidays Puddlefish and to you famliy, may your new hips keep shining:xmasdance:

 

[puddle fish]

So for my 12 week anniversary I took the bike out, no steep hills, a gentle ride along the seafront as it off road on tarmac so a nice stable route, of about 9 miles. It was however very windy and a bit cold. As far as the hips go still slowly improving if I keep up with the exercises its a bit of a shock how quickly my range of motion on the left hip goes if I miss a few days.

 

[dtmbf]

You are way braver than me! I'm sticking to my stationary bike - especially since we got 11 inches of snow last night & the winds are howling today. I'm a fanatic about my exercises - at least I was till I went back to work. And then it caught up with me - the return of pain & swelling. So my therapist got me straightened out last Friday & I can once again be called a fanatic. Lesson learned.

 

[djklaugh]

Great pictures, puddlefish! It is wonderful to see you doing so well. Wishing you a very happy New Year with health, joy, and adventures.

 

[dede62]

Puddlefish, you have to be so beside yourself with joy! You can see it in your face how glad you are getting back on that bike! Yay for you!!

 

[sissy46]

I've found bike riding to be the greatest for my spirits, my heart, and my new hip

 

[bellaroma]

It is so great seeing you get back to doing things you love, Happy New Year and many more miles to come

 

[puddle fish]

Well thanks to the advice from you guys I've been taking things slowly
And resting when my body wanted to. My excercise bike is causing me more problems
As the saddle is the wrong shape.

 

[puddle fish]

Anyone else with Heberden's nodes?
The lumps on the first joint of the finger, mine are tiny I do remember the one on my index finger causing some problems using a pen but it settled by the time I thought I should get it checked by a gp.

 

[puddle fish]

Ive been taking it a bit easy the last week or so even gone back to using the stick as both the muscles near the incisions hurt. I just overdid things last Thursday after PT then stood too long at work. Although resting over the weekend and using the stick helped I decided to go for a bike ride on Tuesday the cold just made my joints ache especially my hands. Today I had to travel to London re a possible job it hurt and Im exhausted. So now I actually hope I dont get the job as I'm not up to the commute and do a full days work for a job I dont really want although the money would be good. Its hard to explain the tiredness but I guess some of you would know that feeling where your body is not sure wether it wants to burst into tears, collapse, or throw up.

Davefd and Vida Im also stugling with the fine line of doing too much or not enough. I have found there is a huge difference between being able to do something when you want to as in I can bend down and pick things up but not on a regular basis. I also know what popping a shoulder out is like I used to have to put it back fairly reguarly after comming of horses. As for the lose hip one hip my right can feel like its dropped and the right hip can almost feel as though the muscles have shoved the femur under my chin only a bath and a lie down can sort it. I have also had trouble with numbness although it is slowly getting better.

Final whinge the nodes on my fingers are agony in the cold wether.

 

[Vida]

Oh dear PuddleFish, I love your user name! You should feel so strong and powerful that you have been out on your real bike while the rest of us lazy one-hippy slugs are delicately pedalling on our indoor 'toys' while you whip out on the open road. No wonder you feel you have overdone it. After all you have been through, you need to be kind to yourself. Its easy to say I know but hard to do. I just self-flagellated for 10 days because I backtracked... now I'm pain free again, more or less, thanks to going back on the right meds. Pain puts me into a big depression. I am sorry about your numb er.. area. Could it just be from the bike seat? I believe I have had this happen before and it goes away in time. I'm also sorry your hands are hurting so much, feel free to whinge away. Are you taking calcium and magnesium? Fish Oil? I know they are supposed to help..... I would have though Poppet might also have a suggestion or two. Personally, I think you need a good laugh. I was looking at another website today and there was a question from a 64-year-old woman who was 2 days post bilateral THR. Two days. Her question was, my husband wants to know when we can have start having sex again. You should have seen the responses, all the way from unmentionable suggestions to dump the dolt. Only put much more rudely. So it could be worse.

PF, you should be very proud that you went for an interview and very possibly aced it. What a morale booster in such tough ecnomic times. I cannot for the life on me imagine showing well in an interview situation right now. I can barely rmember my name, thanks perocet. Whatever you decide, I hope it is absolutely right for you.

 

[Davefd]

May I suggest staying off the bike a while yet?

I think I'm finally at the point I was in mid-Dec, so my 'stunt' set me back a month. I think that was the most depressing time- just knowing I really felt like i was recovering quite nicely, then all of a sudden I'm not, and a slow climb out of that hole it was. I know you are ahead of me by 2-3 weeks, but I sure couldn't go back to work yet- I tried to do a couple multi-hour work spells, and after a bit, i just couldn't focus and it was driving me mad. but then I found this site and it went into perspective. I still can't do more than the odd project here and there, and only on certain days can I handle doing something complex that requires brainpower and loads of thought (and today is NOT one of those!). I have clients begging me to help them out, but I just can't muster the capacity and have to explain the 'recovery drain' - and they are very understanding- but then the money sure would be nice- and I'm hoping I'm doing well by spring, as come March I need to try and find a 'real' job.

I'm with you on the tired/collapse/puke thing- I'm not in a bad mood today, but my body is just messing with me I think and over the last few hours my brain turned to mush and i am soooo frustrated. Especially since the last 2 days I was so clear-headed and feeling pretty good (shoulder aside). Maybe they just drained me out- I did probabaly walk between 3-4 miles each day, plus lots of thinking. So crazy how each day can be radically different!

And also I've found quite a bit of relief for the groin stiffness by incorporating some stretches into my day, plus keeping up the PT regularly.

 

[puddle fish]

Hi Vida not though of magnesium and calcium before as I assumed I was getting enough from my diet I tend to like most of the foods rich in them. However, I am a terrible sleeper never sleep for more than 3-4 hours at a time, with an addiction to marmite and cheese, so perhaps I am lacking in something. I currently take a plant derived omega 3-6 complex as I have never been able to get on with the fish oil suplements and evening primrose oil. I have taking glucosamine and chondrotin sulphate for at least 3-4 years but not sure it has actually done any good.

Davefd I went on the road bike as I cant get my stationary bike seat to just the correct height and it is a bit too wide. The stretching helps and I do try and do some most days its amazing how quickly you can stiffen up again.

It was only a pre interview to see if I get to the next round of submitting a more detailed application which in itself is a good 3-4 days work.

The bike is a no go as we have a little bit of snow not yet an inch but as a snow flake has fallen in London the met office has issued the following

 

[dede62]

Puddlefish, sorry the weather's not agreeing with you and hopefully the pesky stiffness will be gone shortly and you can get to peddalling again.

I love the posting from the Met Office. Kinda like the reactions we get in Seattle if there's a sniff of the white stuff in the forecast. I think nerdgrrl can appreciate it as she lives on a big hill!

 

[nerdgrrl]

puddle fish, I can totally appreciate the posting from the Met office. I just have to add "go sledding with the neighbor children" to my list. Whenever it snows, the street in front of my house becomes the neighborhood sledding hill. Also, I just noticed from your sig that I have the same hip system you do coral stem, pinnacle cup, ceramic and poly. My stem is collared, are yours?

I sure hope your stiffness clears up soon! What stretches are you finding helpful? I am having some stiffness as I am becoming more active.

 

[puddle fish]

dede62, we also live in a small micro climate so now we have about 15cm of snow and as we live on a hill the road is only possible with a 4wd. Hubby yesterday cleared a path from our door all the way to the road for me no small task as we are set back about 100m from the road and its all steep slopes . nerdgrrl im too scared to go sledging at the moment will take some pics later. I think the stems are non collared, Im now not fussed as they are working its just the rest of me. The stretches im doing are the ones we all know and love so much, leg lifts and the side lifts and squats, i have also been doing step ups two steps at a time to combine both reach and height it kicks i the muscle that is a bit slugish. Also step ups onto a stool so just height no reach. The last lot of excercises invovle walking on something squidgy I been using an air bed this is for ballance. Then the one that may have casued the flare up involved turning the thigh inwards or outwards using the thigh and not the knees. This was definately a new movement for my hip and although it seemed fine at the time Im sure I over did it for a new range of movement. It is getting better it all apears to be muscular, hard to cope with the huge range of reactions from people. Job centre advisor why didnt I apply for that job on the other side of London becasue although its 90mins in theory on public transport it would take me 2 1/2 hours no way could I do a full days work. Employers as Im not actualy disabled Im finding it hard to convince them of what I can do. Then theres your family its either over cautious or just plain unsympathectic.

 

[Nannyannie]

puddle fish, just like me, the hip is fine, it's the rest of me! As regards snow I think you are further west than me, we have a little but we are threatened with a dumping from France tomorrow!
As regards getting to the other side of London for work - joke! My son's fiancee gets the North Kent Line train to Charing Cross, officially 40 mins journey. Can take 2 hours! Then a day's work and get on the train home, she usually texts him when at station next to ours so he can meet her in the car. Job centre people need to be sent on these "easy" commutes (at rush hour), their attitude might be different when they have stood on a train for an hour or more!
The right job for you is out there somewhere - I am so glad to be retired.

 

[nerdgrrl]

Puddle fish, I have to admit if it were to snow today, I would probably not go sledding, just take pictures Good luck with the snow. Does it look like it will be staying around for awhile? I understand about the varied reactions from people. Luckily I am still at my same job, but they are quite amazed at what I am able to do. SO is learning to be less protective, but it is probably a good counterbalance to my overdoing tendencies. The job center seems to be unrealistic. Even 90 minutes seems to be an overly long commute to me. Where i live, that woul be several towns away. I am spoiled by a 20 minute drive to work, though. You will find something. How are your hips feeing today?