THR New "hippy" as of 11/7

[Jaycey]

Well done Lou - 10 days after your op! That's fantastic. Keep up the good work!

 

[Josephine]

Excellent! You did one of those repeat loops on us, eh?

 

[girlienerd]

Great recovery story! I'm thrilled you're doing so well, I can only hope mine is close to as good. My left leg is about an inch shorter so I find myself standing on my right leg all the time. Can't wait to feel the need to NOT do that!!

 

[joanna]

I'm sooooooooo jealous!

 

[Hoops68]

That is fantastic Lou. Certainly gives us all hope that our recoveries are as good as yours.

 

[NH_Lou]

That is fantastic Lou. Certainly gives us all hope that our recoveries are as good as yours.

Thanks Hoops. It's great to have a place like this that lets you share good, and bad, stories. It's nice to know there are others in the same boat.

I'm sooooooooo jealous!

Thanks Joanna. I've been following your thread on your recovery as well. I'm sure you made the right decision and you'll be loving the fact that soon, you can walk the dogs without any pain!

Great recovery story! I'm thrilled you're doing so well, I can only hope mine is close to as good. My left leg is about an inch shorter so I find myself standing on my right leg all the time. Can't wait to feel the need to NOT do that!!

Thanks Girlienerd. I hope my story encourages you about your decision. I'm sure you'll do great this week and then you will be on the other side with the rest of us. Then we can talk about ways to remember that we do not need to put all of our weight on our right leg anymore!

Seriously, I'll be thinking of you and the remaining November hippies this week. I definitely had some anxiety leading up the surgery, but I am soooo glad I did this. I've been able to take walks again with my children. Three weeks ago, that was impossible. Listen to your doctor and you'll have your old life back soon.

 

[Jamie]

That walking looked great. In fact, when you came through I thought you must be the neighbour or something. I was still waiting for the patient to appear when you strode through again!

Lou.......

Boy....ME TOO!!!!! What an excellent gait you have going there!!! You better start limping around a little more or you're going to be expected to get back into chores!!!:hysterical:

 

[Anitawants2tango]

Lou,
Fantastic progress! Thanks for posting the video. I am two weeks post op, but still not ok without at least a cane - also had the anterior approach. Hoping to look like you by next week.
Delighted to read the joy in your post about being able to walk with your children. I'm sure they will be looking forward to snowball fights with dad in the coming weeks.
Anita

 

[NH_Lou]

I hope people don't get sick of videos of me walking, but here is a video from yesterday. My wife is narrating. I still have a bit of a limp. My lower quad is pretty weak. It's funny as I am more sore in the area of my old surgery from when I was 18 than the recent surgery. My old scar (In addition to my new 4 inch scar, I have a nice 8 inch scar down the side of my [poor] leg) was very painful at first. Apparently old scar tissue does not like to be stretched.

I started PT in a clinic yesterday. They did a lot of testing on strength and range of motion. Everything seemed to be "normal" for where I am in recovery. I was sore and fatigued after though. Looking forward to seeing where I go from here.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uT0rA5bzdTo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[djklaugh]

I find the videos very encouraging! And if that is "limping" I sure hope I look as good 3 weeks after hip replacement!!! Thanks for sharing these - sounds like you are doing very well in your recuperation.

 

[NH_Lou]

Thanks Deb! Would you expect anything less from Dartmouth? :wink1:

 

[Jamie]

Lou, I never, ever tire of seeing happy people with good results after surgery!!! This visual image of life after joint replacement is so helpful for those who are trying to decide whether or not to have the surgery or who are waiting for their day. Keep 'em coming!!!

 

[Anitawants2tango]

Ditto on the videos, Lou. I totally plan on "boring" the heck out of both BS and FB friends with my videos! Happy filming!

 

[Poppet]

Go Lou with the videos, they are so encouraging and your progress is fantastic, you must be pleased?

 

[NH_Lou]

SMJA, thanks for your message. So far, so good. I do not want to curse myself by saying too much. Tomorrow I will have a follow-up appt. with my OS. I would expect a good report. Fingers crossed...

 

[nanamac]

Can't wait to hear !

 

[NH_Lou]

I had my 1 month follow-up appt. with my surgeon. He said the hip looked great and we were both very pleased. I had a super busy day with the drive to the hospital (90 min. each way), x-rays, and the appt. We zipped home and I was off to PT. My PT worked the daylights out of me today! Heat, stretching, lots of leg lifts with ankle weights, 10 min. on the stationary bike, and ice. I'm ready to drop! But I am very happy as everyday, I am feeling stronger and the stiffness I get from the first step after sitting is starting to go away. I have also been able to stop all pain meds, coumadin (I needed it because of my parents history), stool softeners, laxatives, and TEDS! So, a two week course of aspirin is all that is remaining for meds. I think I'll sleep well tonight!

Anyone visiting from the pre-op side, if you ever want to talk to someone who had 20 years of chronic pain and MAJOR anxiety about a THR, feel free to ping me!

Lou

 

[nanamac]

You are really doing exceptionally well Lou. DON'T let the PT over do it though. I had one of those that was training me as if for the Olympics! All I wanted was to recover :DOH:...slow and steady!

It really isn't necessay, as a body can only heal as fast as a body can heal, and you surely don't want any set backs. I bet you are pretty tuckered out today. Give yourself a little break...

 

[Jaycey]

Wow - well done Lou! You are a THR poster boy!

 

[NH_Lou]

Thanks Jaycey and Janet. I do not know about poster boy, but I am very pleased with my recovery so far. Today was something of a milestone for me. I picked my daughter up from gymnastics and was handed a grocery list on my way out the door. I have not taken any pain meds since last Thursday, so I thought a short drive would be a good first start. The local grocery store has very hard, cement floors and it used to do a number on my hip. In the past. there was more than one occasion where I had to leave the store before I finished what I was doing because I was in so much pain. Today, I walked through the store with no problem at all!

It's funny how people take something like a walk down the street, or through a grocery store, for granted. I know I never will! But I do foresee the day when I can walk through the store without thinking about, or experiencing, pain! :yes 4: