THR My recovery thread: day 4 nausea and dizziness

[Mojo333]

I agree....
Recovery is BOOORING

 

[Tuppence71]

I agree....
Recovery is BOOORING

Exactly. Eleven days on from surgery, all the dramatic stuff is behind me. Pain - when it comes - is just a dull muscle ache somewhere at the back of my mind, nothing major at all. I don’t need even paracetomol any more. I’m moving fine - although carefully - without crutches. I’ve resumed pretty much all domestic chores. Highlight of the day is a short afternoon stroll - no longer than 3km so far - taken so slowly my heart rate remains at more-or-less resting pace.

So basically, I can do the laundry, empty the bins…. but I can’t even go for a gentle swim. I am SO bored. This recovery business is going to take a lot more mental toughness than any marathon.

 

[HollyNY]

Yay @Tuppence71 you are on the right track!

I have not been doing any exercises other than the ankle pumps, quad squeezes and glute squeezes.

I am trying to stick to recovery of basic tasks. Setting or clearing the table. Emptying the dishwasher. Small load of laundry.

There is some other stuff like covering the large grill that I leave to my boyfriend because the cover is big, heavy and you sort of have to twist your body to get it in place.

Or changing the sheets on the bed. The mattress is just too heavy.

I am going to start w some light weight training for upper body only. All seated only. If I can find my free weights.

The doc says anything I want to try w exercises that I can try.

 

[Hip4life]

@Tuppence71 I am an avid swimmer as well. Even though my OS was very conservative about restrictions, he allowed me to go back to swimming after 8 weeks. Of course, that was after he had seen my incision and saw it was healing well at 6 weeks. I got into the pool and did some walking up and down the lanes but then I had to start a real swim. Very gentle with touch turns. It was so amazing to be able to do this without pain. And to get out of the pool like a normal person, what a gift! I built up slowly but as my strength and stamina improved, I added the flip turns and breast stroke kick-gently and with a kickboard. I don't remember ever being sore after swimming so I must have done the re-introduction right. It will be so worth the wait when you're able to return. You're going to love it.

The only word of caution I have is to be careful to not overdo things. It's so easy to get carried away with getting back to normal that we get ahead of ourselves and our healing. Your hip will be happy to remind you and it's usually the next day or so. Just remember to be kind and gentle with yourself for a while. It's a short time in the scheme of things.

 

[Tuppence71]

I am going to start w some light weight training for upper body only. All seated only. If I can find my free weights.

It sounds as if we are very much on the same track, @HollyNY . I’ve started some gentle upper body work, using the very lightest weights I have, just to keep moving. I’ve moved on to the standing versions of the rehab exercises - I see my very wonderful physio every Friday, and I think that tomorrow we may try adding a very light resistance band to some of those (only the ones I find very easy right now). I was lucky to be able to work with her for a few months in advance of the operation, so while some of my muscles did lose a lot of strength because I simply couldn’t use them, I’m in a lot better shape than I would have been otherwise. I’m very grateful for that.

Instead of moaning about being bored, I do need to remind myself of the little improvements I can already see, the things I can already do. Lying in bed and straightening my left leg! Standing up without being wonky! Walking without my bum sticking out! Moving my leg forwards and backwards without my whole pelvis shifting! Hooray for all that

 

[Tuppence71]

Thank you @Hip4life - that is exactly the kind of clarity I was looking for. Great advice, and I shall take it on board. Xx

 

[Tuppence71]

14 days! Lots of lounging (and icing) with animals, some gentle autumnal walks, and plenty of paracetamol.

Everything is going about as well as I could have hoped, and I am very grateful for that; although with the majority of my recovery still ahead of me, I do have moments when I feel a bit down and overwhelmed.

 

[Jaycey]

@Tuppence71 Lovely photo! Sounds like you are doing really well! Glad you can get out and about already. Early days!

 

[DK63]

Just wondering @Tuppence71 if that is the largest ever book published. It must have taken a team of three to pick it up...still, be difficult to lose and if you did then M A R P L E could find it for you.

 

[Tuppence71]

Now you mention it @DK63, I was finding it very difficult to get up off the sofa that day. Obviously it was because the book was weighing me down…..

 

[Layla]

Aww, I love the photos! You and your furry pals are cute and you look so happy outdoors and with friends engaging in life once again. Just think...its going to get even better. I'm happy for you!
@Tuppence71

 

[Tuppence71]

So, it’s day 17 (I think). I’m making great progress on the whole - most days I have some kind of step forward to celebrate. From little things like being able to reach and close the car door once I’m seated (which makes me feel a bit less dependent) to big things like walking mostly without a crutch, I don’t have much to complain about.

But complain I shall! About my knee. I know limb pain comes with the territory and is the price I pay for my newly lengthened leg - but it is so much more aggravating than the hip (which is, after all, the bit that was carved up). It’s my knee that keeps me awake at night, or sends me back for my crutch (which I do pick up again at the first twinge). Whereas my hip feels better the more I move about, my knee would like it if I lay down with my legs up the wall all day. (I currently spend two hours around midday and two hours in the early evening resting in bed, reading - I’m not bombing about all the time).

How long until this knee starts to settle, and is there anything I can do to ease it? Ice packs? Heat? Compression sleeves?

Plus if anyone can explain the mechanics of it, that would be great. I know it is to do with leg length - but what is causing the pain? Muscles? Ligaments? I do much better when I understand what is going on.

 

[DK63]

Ay up @Tuppence71 . Icing and elevating are very good ideas. Knee will hurt because of all the adjustments, been quite a lot of pulling and pushing and stretching going on to accommodate your new bits that have been installed. Eventually, hopefully, it will all settle down and like most of this recuperation business, is a matter of time. Congrats on ditching the crutch, good work. I am still using one. The last Hip op, Lefty 4 years ago, I ditched the crutches after 5 days.....then strangely was back with them 3 weeks later. I was a young pup then and in a hurry....oh well. Now I am of the age of specs and drugs and sausage rolls. As far as the mechanics go, not got a scooby....

 

[Tuppence71]

The last Hip op, Lefty 4 years ago, I ditched the crutches after 5 days.....then strangely was back with them 3 weeks later

I am not ruling out a Return of the Crutch (‘Crutch - the Sequel’) - it still stands waiting by the door. But I have a bunch of trapped nerves in my right hand - the legacy of my first 10 days of tight crutch-clenching - and am enjoying giving them a chance to recover while I am feeling strong(ish).

 

[DK63]

Research pays off. Here are the answers to the mechanical logistics https://youtu.be/hYeQUXXYvK0

 

[DK63]

crutch-clenching @Tuppence71 10 days of tight crutch clenching? Is it a dance? Is it an exercise? Thank goodness you spelt it all correctly. I wouldn't like to try it and fairly sure I couldn't say it, especially after a couple of pints.

 

[Tuppence71]

Your ability to find the funny side of everything must be better than the strongest pain relief on this long road to recovery, @DK63

I confess I failed to see the funny side this morning when I got back from a lovely walk with a friend to find my husband had gone out and wouldn’t be returning for some hours. Not normally a problem, but I was wearing very muddy boots and had not a hope in hell of removing them myself. So I had to yell out of the window to get my mate to return and unzip them for me.

I live for the day I can take off my own shoes!

 

[Woodstockhip]

@Tuppence71 and @DK63, you both keep me laughing through my tears, and I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am for that. No crutch-clutching here, but the white-knuckle-death-grip on the walker sounds like a contender in the Recovery Olympics.

 

[HollyNY]

Return of the Crutch.

Gotta be.

I gave not been as diligent w the icing now that I am back to work and doing more myself.

Today there is a painful spot about 1/3 of the way from the knee on the op side

So I sit here waiting for my ice packs to freeze.

 

[DK63]

Hi @Tuppence71 @Woodstockhip @HollyNY I have found that the more I laugh, the less time I have for worrying about the aches, pains, twinges, twitches, spasms and everything else that goes with this recovery from what, after all, is major surgery/trauma. So generally, it takes my mind off stuff I worry about but don't want to. Here are the film titles listed for this year's awards:
Revenge of the Crutch - Tuppence
The Stick Returns ( Boomerang joke)
The Cane Mutiny (Actually a great film Humphrey Bogart)
The White-knuckle-death-gripper of Whitechapel - Woodstockhip
The Ice Packs Cometh - Holly
The Inbetweeners starring A Pillow
And the winner is.....