THR New hip at 37! How it went, how it's going!

[KittensMom]

Good luck at that doctor! Hope they advise everything will be okay. Good heads up about the cat. My cat has been avoiding me and my (previously) walker and (now) cane. She is very skittish about things like that. Maybe it’s best we avoid each other a few more weeks.

Good luck! Glad things are going so well otherwise!

Thank you ☀

Yes when I read on the internet cat scratched is not something we want.

 

[Layla]

Ugh! I am so sorry about the cat scratches. Just when you're feeling better. Thankfully you're getting it checked out right away. I hope it isn't hurting.

It's good you have a plan in place for your return to work, hopefully it takes off any pressure you may be feeling. It's also nice that you'll be able to look forward to vacation only a little over a month after your return. That thought will be consoling if you're struggling at all once you're back in the workplace.

You're making good progress in your recovery! I hope you get in to see a doctor soon! Let us know how it goes.
@ChickensMom

 

[LaKarune]

OMG cat scratches can definitely be bacteria-filled @ChickensMom, I’d be anxious if I were in your position. Not as bad as cat bites though! I hope you get a good dose of antibiotics and some good antibiotic ointment for the wounds. Cats can be such jerks. Hope you’re doing ok!

 

[KittensMom]

The clinic doc was not concerned with my scratches yesterday, but prescribed penicillin just in case I see any signs of infection. I felt super reassured and went home with no intention of taking the antibiotic, but this morning (only after showering), some redness appeared, and I immediately started with the pills.

Perhaps a rash decision (no pun intended), but I was not about to chance it, and who am I to accurately determine that a cut is not infected? ;)

I went to physio at 11 and boy, my PT put me through the ringer today :D 15 minutes on a stationary bike, some nice load increase on the strengthening machines, finished of with first stretches past 90 degrees, which if you read in "previous episodes" had no give before.

It felt very satisfying to be able to do the exercises but I am not going to lie, I am a bit weary how I will feel tomorrow :D

The OS office called in the afternoon to check on how it went at the clinic yesterday and how I am feeling. Bless them. The nurse actually put me at ease about the antibiotics and said it is alright to be cautious and I should call them if I have any other concerns.

Also received my surgery + hospital bill today. SEK 110. An equivalent of $11. That's crazy. Not that I did before, but I will never complain about how high taxes are in this country.

I managed to do some sewing in the evening and noticed that sitting for a longer time does't bother my hip at all anymore when I have an ergonomic chair. Maybe I am ready for going back to work after all :D

This is how far I got. It's going to be a summer button up blouse. I may make the sleeves 3/4.

Now it's time to ice and elevate, to give myself a fighting chance at the gym tomorrow (I signed up again to cycle and do upper body stuff!). Hope everyone is doing well

 

[Layla]

You have a talent sewing and knitting. It must be a nice pastime as you’re healing from surgery.
I‘m guessing you like the color Ivory. I do too. The blouse looks as though it will be casually elegant when you’re finished. Nice work!

I understand why you started the antibiotic. I likely would have also. It was thoughtful of your surgeon’s office to check on you after your visit to the clinic and alleviate any concerns you had. You’re lucky to have them as your care team.
I hope you have a nice weekend!
@ChickensMom

 

[KittensMom]

You have a talent sewing and knitting. It must be a nice pastime as you’re healing from surgery.
I‘m guessing you like the color Ivory. I do too. The blouse looks as though it will be casually elegant when you’re finished. Nice work!

I understand why you started the antibiotic. I likely would have also. It was thoughtful of your surgeon’s office to check on you after your visit to the clinic and alleviate any concerns you had. You’re lucky to have them as your care team.
I hope you have a nice weekend!
@ChickensMom

Thank you Layla. I dabble in many crafty things, but I am very much self taught so... I am a beginner at all of them ;)

Ivory this season especially is making my heart sing!

 

[KittensMom]

I realised today I can just about to reach my toes, and with the bravado of a teenager I went ahead and trimmed my toenails. I think most of us who have gone through this surgery probably agree that there comes a point where you start to be aware of your toenails. And that is not a state anyone wants to be in :D

Now I have paaain. Silly, silly, impulsive brain. Aaaand I only managed to get the inner 3. Shucks.

I took some ibuprofen and hoping it will pass till tomorrow. I was supposed to go back to the gym for some cycling and such, but I think a walk and doing laundry will have to cut it. Just to give my butt muscles a rest.

Speaking of impulsive decisions... now that the weather is warming up quickly, I am very tempted to get tickets for a 3 day music festival on the west coast of Sweden. It will be on 10-12 of August, 4,5 months after surgery. The rational side of me is thinking: risky business. I have a wedding in France the first weekend of September, why take any chances. But this would be so much fun with friends...

 

[djklaugh]

@ChickensMom Ugh, toe nails! Do you have a friend who could come over for fun and frivolity plus toe nail clipping? Mine got so long after my BTHR I was afraid I'd trip over them! And a lovely day with a friend did get that problem sorted with no strain on my healing hips.

The music festival does sound like a wonderful experience! And do consider all aspects before getting tickets - will there be seating or just standing or can you bring your own chair? What about lodging for nights? And transportation to and from? How do you think you could manage with long lines for food and "facilities"? I'm not trying to be a nay sayer -- just giving some things to think about.

I traveled cross country for a school reunion plus visit with my brother at 6 months post BTHR and did fine with all the aspects - travel, hauling suitcase, driving around New England, lots of walking, dancing, playing in the ocean, riding a carousel horse, etc. And had zero problems with the new hips. So I think the September trip for you should be an easy one.

 

[KittensMom]

@ChickensMom Ugh, toe nails! Do you have a friend who could come over for fun and frivolity plus toe nail clipping? Mine got so long after my BTHR I was afraid I'd trip over them! And a lovely day with a friend did get that problem sorted with no strain on my healing hips.

The music festival does sound like a wonderful experience! And do consider all aspects before getting tickets - will there be seating or just standing or can you bring your own chair? What about lodging for nights? And transportation to and from? How do you think you could manage with long lines for food and "facilities"? I'm not trying to be a nay sayer -- just giving some things to think about.

I traveled cross country for a school reunion plus visit with my brother at 6 months post BTHR and did fine with all the aspects - travel, hauling suitcase, driving around New England, lots of walking, dancing, playing in the ocean, riding a carousel horse, etc. And had zero problems with the new hips. So I think the September trip for you should be an easy one.

It would have been a lot wiser to ask friends, I agree. Thankfully the pain has gone away, today I have done a bunch of gardening work, plus laundry (in progress ;)). I am balancing now having my energy back (and then some), with trying not to upset my hip area.

I think I will pass on the festival for this year. I could make it a goal for next summer to mark my progress

 

[KittensMom]

In the last two days I've been doing a lot of house and garden work, and the hip felt a bit "spicy" at the end of the day. I did hold off on the regular walks since I was up on my feet all day, lifting, cleaning, planting, and frankly something had to go.

Today I went into the city centre, which with the tube comes to just over 6k steps. I walk without crutches for some time now, but something came over me to take one, just to feel a bit safer. I also find it when there are big crowds out shopping, people are a bit more respectful of your space when they see you have a crutch. Even if I just casually carry it in my hand. Well, the last 1k steps walking home was a bit ouch and so I was grateful to have the crutch with me.

For a few days now I have been having these really uncomfortable zaps in my incision site, as well as furious itching. Guessing the area is coming back to life, healing and all that. Incision site got its last inspection by the nurse today, it looks so neat and faint, I'm very happy. Green light for swimming, but I will wait a few weeks just to be extra cautious.

Issue at hand? This restlessness is bubbling up in me after weeks of recovery and... as presented in my last update, I have a sudden urge to adventure! My first summer vacation is booked for 2 weeks at the beginning of July. I plan to stay in town and enjoy the beautiful Swedish summer. BUT! I am thinking mid August for a trip somewhere beach-perfect, and with landscapes that will fill my heart for the Scandinavian winter months. I landed on Sardinia. I may have already emailed a company about a camper van to rent... I'm dreaming of taking my tent, portable kitchen and just basking in the hot Italian sun for a week or two. I think I can totally handle it... flights are probably getting booked tomorrow

 

[Layla]

I may have already emailed a company about a camper van to rent

You MAY have? hahaha
That vacation sounds so lovely! You will be ready by then and I'm guessing you will thoroughly enjoy creating memories there. You're doing great!

I'm happy you're willing to wait a bit longer on the swimming. Especially because the wound was a little slower closing. My OS suggested three months post op, for baths, pools, hot tubs, lakes...all of it! Sounds a bit extreme, but surprisingly he is not the only surgeon I've heard of recommending this since I've been involved here. However, they are few and far between.

furious itching.

Itching normally occurs during the second phase of healing referred to as the Rebuilding or Granulation and Proliferation stage. While itching is an uncomfortable distraction, it is considered normal.

During this phase new skin tissue is formed to replace the damaged tissue. Histamine, a chemical released by the body as a protective barrier for the newly enclosed wound site, is what causes the itching sensation beneath the skin around the wound. The itching can last for as long as the chemical is released for wound healing, which can amount to several weeks.

Follow your surgeon's protocol for wound care. If the itching becomes severe, you may obtain relief through the use of a frozen gel pack (cold compress) which helps by numbing the area, reducing the itching sensation. Do not use topical agents close to, or on the incision without the approval of your surgeon for risk of infection before the wound is fully closed, which normally occurs between 4-6 weeks post op.

Some of the more common creams and lotions used on a healed incision are Bio-Oil, Vitamin E Oil, E45 Cream, Palmer's Cocoa Butter Lotion with Vitamin E, and Coconut Oil.

Enjoy the rest of the week!

 

[MissFanny]

Are you in Sweden, @ChickensMom? For some reason, I thought you were British! My brother and his wife and children live in Värnamo. I am going to a festival in a couple weeks, but it’s local so I can duck out if needed. Your vacation plans sound divine!

 

[KittensMom]

Are you in Sweden, @ChickensMom? For some reason, I thought you were British! My brother and his wife and children live in Värnamo. I am going to a festival in a couple weeks, but it’s local so I can duck out if needed. Your vacation plans sound divine!

Very much in Sweden, trying to live this Scandi lifestyle of outdoor sports. Thank goodness for my new hip haha.

I've haven't travelled much south of Stockholm, but I hear these areas enjoy much nicer weather. I hope your family likes it there

 

[KittensMom]

Update: I ran for the bus yesterday.

I am still in one piece.

I forgot myself.

Mea culpa!

 

[MissFanny]

My brother loved it when they first moved there. We are German and US citizens. We lived in Germany until the late 1970s, then spent every summer in Germany with our grandparents and the school year in the US. He decided to stay on for school in Germany one year and never came back to the US except to visit. He met and married a woman who is Swedish and German. They bought a vacation home in Sweden and my brother fell in love with the culture. After they had children, he became Mr. Mom and his wife got a job at a Swedish university. He really loved it at first but he’s become disenchanted with it since Covid. Didn’t like their handling of Covid, nor the hands-off approach to healthcare generally. He doesn’t like the cold, dark winters. After their oldest daughter graduates, he wants to move back to Germany.

Anyway, another one of my long-winded stories! Lol. I was supposed to visit them in Sweden last summer, but my hips were in too bad of shape. They are a very active family and I would not have been able to keep up. I had excruciating lower back pain before my first hip replacement.

 

[KittensMom]

He doesn’t like the cold, dark winters. After their oldest daughter graduates, he wants to move back to Germany.

I can see how one can grow tired of the winters. Every year it seems they get longer ;) I only moved here 2,5 years ago so I am still very much in love, especially with nature. It is still wild to me that I live in a capital city and I have deer and squirrels in my back yard every day. When they help themselves to my flowers and tomatoes, that is another story, but regardless, I have never lived in a city where it was this easy to feel close to nature.

I hope you do get to visit before your brother goes back to Germany

 

[MissFanny]

Me too! It looks beautiful and I am sure they will keep a second home there.

Do you speak Swedish? When my nieces and nephew were learning the language, I asked my brother how his Swedish was coming along. He responded, “Well, you know, everyone can speak English!” His children are pretty remarkable. They all speak English, German, and Swedish now. I speak English (well) and German (rusty). I have been working to learn Spanish and polish up my German.

 

[KittensMom]

Having a bit more pain since last night. I blame it on my period, I think everything just hurts more.

I got one of those automated updates from my hospital today saying “you are almost at 8 weeks from surgery, you should be doing a few chores around the house by now, going for longer dog walks and doing some of the grocery shopping yourself”

I was reading it after I planted hydrangeas in the garden, done 2 loads of laundry and baked a rhubarb cake, all in one morning.

I am not trying to sound like I am nailing recovery (it does not feel like that at all), but rather reflect if maybe I am doing too much / having too high expectations. Or keep doing what I’m doing but still take Panadol or Ibuprofen?

I so don’t like the pain coming over for a visit (I’m sure no one relates ;)). And it’s the annoying one, right in the middle front of my thigh, ehh. I am having a little pity party, and that is okay.

 

[KittensMom]

2 months today!

The last few days there were many many moments I completely forgot I had this surgery. Mornings are still a bit achy most days, but I notice after 10 minutes the discomfort melts away and I am on the go.

I am walking with a lot of confidence, I have to remind myself to still watch my step and be careful. I may get some minor discomfort when I get up from sitting for a while, but overall I feel really good.

I have some trouble sleeping on the side (non operated), my hip really doesn't like it for now. I will wake up at night sometimes, when I had unknowingly I moved to the side, because "ouch".

Gym is going well, doing mostly cycling and upper body, and PT assigned exercises. I've been back at the office (50%) since end of last week, and people have been commenting that I look well and rested. If only they knew the rollercoaster this recovery has been... ;)

Stairs at work leave me winded. I need more practice.

I had a really painful boil in my ear last week that just wouldn't ease up, and I was worried again about infection and having to go on antibiotics. Thankfully, with religious alcohol compresses, it finally went away on Saturday.

Now it's all about summer. Planning vacations, eating a year's worth of vitamins in all the fresh fruit and veg, swimming (hopefully soon), and getting back on a bicycle.

Have a great day all!

 

[Layla]

Great update! You're doing so well. The ear issue sounds miserably painful! Thankfully it resolved.
Happy Two Month Anniversary...I hope you have a great week!
@KittensMom