THR New September Sapphire here

[Woodstockhip]

First post, and glad to have found you. I survived kicking smoking and open heart surgery with the help of online support groups so finding you was a real relief. I’m scheduled for September 22 for a left THR. I’m 69 years old and this is my first go round with hip surgery. I didn’t really know all the questions I should have asked during my initial consultation so now I have about a gazillion questions for the surgical coordinator. I’ll be reading this forum a lot over the next weeks and thank you in advance for this online connection during these isolating days of COVID. I look forward to meeting you all and see I already share my surgery date with one other person.

 

[Pumpkin]

@Woodstockhip
Welcome to BoneSmart, glad you joined us .

Here are some articles to help you as your THR approaches.

New BoneSmart members like you are in various stages of their journey to joint replacement. Making the decision whether or not to have surgery and preparing for surgery can be easier once you have done your research and know what lies ahead. Here are some tools that can help you decide what is best for you.

If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:
Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic hip?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?

If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:
Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced hip, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:
Stories of amazing hip recoveries

 

[leejaa]

Hello and Welcome. Glad you have joined us. This forum has helped me through all four joint replacements and is a fount of information. Read and ask anything that crosses your mind and I am sure someone will have a suggestion or an idea. Have a great day.

 

[Layla]

Hello and welcome! Thanks for joining us. I look forward to following your hip journey.
We’ll be with you all the way, if you’ll have us!
Stop back often and have a lovely week.


PS Did you go to Woodstock? If so, you’d be the first person I met that did.
Well, kinda / sorta met, lol.
@Woodstockhip

 

[Woodstockhip]

Thanks, all, for the welcome. @Layla, I didn’t go to the Woodstock Festival — was 5 hours away and a senior in high school and I think my parents would have tied me to the bed rather than let me go. Guess I showed them! I got here, but about 30 years too late. As I said, I will have tons of questions, so I will start out with one about prepping the house. I have a used Stressless recliner that I find to be the most comfortable place in the house. It looks kind
of like this:

I guess you’d call it a zero gravity chair — you just lie down in it and recline to a comfortable position. Do you think this would be okay for post-surgery, maybe with an extra cushion?

Also, in terms of clothing post-op, lots of folks are talking about sweats and comfy pants but to me, a dress that goes on over the head makes more sense. It should still be pretty warm in September and I’m thinking less might be more in this case.

 

[Mojo333]

Your chair looks comfy and may be your favorite sleeping spot the first early days.

Also, in terms of clothing post-op, lots of folks are talking about sweats and comfy pants but to me, a dress that goes on over the head makes more sense

Yep, worked very well for me.

 

[Layla]

Oh darn, I thought maybe I found someone that could tell me if Woodstock was really that crazy.

I got here, but about 30 years too late.

That’s funny.

I really wish I could advise on the chair, but I’m unsure. I’ll tag @Jaycey and @Jamie from Admin. I’m sure they’ve come across this question before. Possibly someone will stop by that has used one post op.

As for clothes soft easy dresses you can pull over your head would be perfectly comfortable. My best advice is soft, comfy and roomy. You don’t want to be battling with any fitted clothes that feel the least bit restricting...at least early on.

A peaceful evening to you!

 

[Jamie]

The chair should be just fine. You'll just need to use some pillows to properly elevate your leg toes above the nose.

I was in my last year of college when Woodstock happened. I didn't go......no way would my parents have allowed that! But I knew people that went. According to them it was the event of a lifetime, but because of the huge crowds, lack of food and services, the rain and the mud...it wasn't very glamorous like they try to make it seem now. In the Midwest where lived, it was barely talked about after it was over. It wasn't until later when the movie came out that people started talking about what a monumental event it was. It probably will be the only time that many pop bands and singers ended up on one stage. But back then even the biggest singers and bands played tiny venues, especially universities. I can recall going to sock hops in the university gym with The Vogues, The Four Seasons, and Paul Revere and the Raiders. We would dance and the groups were on the small stages right by us. No one stormed the stage and we just had a regular dance to these big name groups. It was just a different time. There were no big concert venues at all unless maybe in New York City.

 

[Woodstockhip]

Word is, Woodstock WAS that crazy. A bunch of high school and college friends went and came back with stories to tell!

I've learned more about my prospective surgery, having talked to the surgeon's office. It will be a posterolateral, "minimally invasive" muscle-sparing procedure which, I guess, means a slightly smaller incision that can hopefully be glued rather than stapled. My heart-valve repair was also called "minimally invasive" so those words mean different things to different people, I guess. It was pretty darned invasive, but I have a 4" scar instead of an 8" one, so I guess that's something.

I have a pre-op visit scheduled with the surgeon for the week before and am in the process of booking two medical clearance appointments. I reserved space with an out-patient PT starting 2 weeks post-op which I can cancel if necessary, and found a hotel about 15 minutes away from the hospital, which is about an hour and a half away from home. So things are moving along. I'm one of those people who wants to know everything in advance (anybody else watch a youtube of their proposed surgery?) and doing all this research makes everything less scary. Well, almost everything. I'm not scared about the anesthesia (spinal and twilight sedation) or bleeding or pain or being alone in the hospital. I'm scared that when it's all over, I'll forget and cross my legs! How the heck do you stop yourself from doing something that seems so automatic???

Thanks again, fellow hippies.

 

[leejaa]

I worried more about bending my leg up past 90 than crossing my leg. We all have different but similar worries. There is something about being post surgery that disrupts what you normally do. I used my recliner a lot to keep elevated and it just does not work for crossing legs. I was supposed to avoid crossing ankles also and I did 98% of the time. With icing and elevation you are not in your normal sitting position for a while to cross your legs so do not worry too much.

I read a lot here as to what to expect and how to prepare as my way of making sure I was as prepared as possible. I had worked in hospitals so did not worry about that part though I hate being a patient and was very happy to come home (I like to control my environment). I also had a list of questions written down for my OS and wrote down his answers at our pre op appt. Knowledge is power and helps me at least to keep stress to a minimum.

 

[Woodstockhip]

Today's question: Because my hip kind of "gives out" when I'm walking or standing, I've been gently swimming for an hour, several days a week. My PT had given me some strengthening exercises to do, in hopes of getting me a little stronger before surgery. Clamshells, bridges, supine terminal knee extension, hip abduction (side-laying) and straight leg-raise (one knee bent). Unfortunately, after these exercises I find I'm in quite a bit of pain. I get that we are meant to "listen to our bodies" and if it hurts, don't do it, but then, there's that whole "no pain, no gain" philosophy. I'm kind of tempted to ditch the exercises and just stick with moving my arms and legs in the water until after surgery. Anybody out there dealing with this issue? Also, how long did those of you with postero-lateral THR have to stay in the hospital?

 

[leejaa]

Well, I did absolutely no exercises before surgery. Too much pain. I had no issues with recovery and can do pretty much anything I want right now. I did not see any point in causing more pain for myself while waiting for surgery. Just waiting and hurting with any motion of the hip was enough torture for me. You are doing some arm movements and legs in water and if this does not cause pain continue and enjoy the water.

I had a posterior hip replacement which is quite close to the postero-lateral and stayed in the hospital one night. I had surgery on Wed. and was out the next day after lunch which was right around noon. It was so great to get home to my own space.

 

[Layla]

I'm kind of tempted to ditch the exercises and just stick with moving my arms and legs in the water until after surgery.

That’s what I would do. I didn’t do any exercises before surgery. I received a copy of some exercises at my joint camp one week pre-op and was told I could do those for a week, but I forgot to do them. Not really...just didn’t want to.

 

[Mojo333]

I agree those pre-op exercises are not helpful and I'm glad you are able to use the pool if it makes you feel less sedentary.
My Bad hips hurt terribly when just walking and climbing stairs, and Sleeping so those exercises not only wouldn't have helped, they could have been harmful.

. I get that we are meant to "listen to our bodies" and if it hurts, don't do it, but then, there's that whole "no pain, no gain" philosophy.

That no pain, no gain philosophy is also not helpful after THR...you will not be training, you will be healing from a major surgery that will give you your life back.
Your patience muscle will be the one to practice flexing.

 

[Woodstockhip]

Thanks, Layla, Mojo333, and leejaa. I'll stick to the swimming! I’m scheduled for what they call a 23-hour stay, which in the US is about staying in the hospital over one midnight. It’s all about the insurance here. I expect I could get out sooner if I get cleared by OT and PT or stay longer if needed. Since I’m more than 1-1/2 hours from the hospital, I’d rather play it safe.

 

[leejaa]

I am also 1.5hrs from the hospital so staying the one night was great. It made me less concerned and more importantly less issues for my husband to worry about. I would have worried if I had gone home earlier though I was doing great. I liked the fact I was with support staff just in case. It goes with my mentality of prepare for the worse and celebrate if it does not happen. With a couple of winter surgeries we even considered staying in a hotel prior if the weather turned to snow storm but luckily did not have to do this. I was much less tired and dopey for the ride home and did not have concerns. After my first knee replacement I did end up staying an extra night and that was OK as I was more prepared to get in the house and for the ride home. It is nice to have options.

 

[Layla]

Hats off to you! You’re braver than many. I could not watch a surgery before my THR. I think I watched an animated version several months post op and couldn’t even tolerate that once debris from the router starting flying.

You’re in a great place not fearing anesthesia, pain, bleeding or being alone in the hospital. You’ll be watched over and well cared for. Wondering if you’re able to cross your legs at this point? I wasn’t for quite some time before my surgery as it became too painful. It was most likely beneficial as it broke the habit because I don’t even think of doing it now. Some doctors don’t frown upon it either, but I’d rather err on the side of caution, avoiding anything that could lead to a dislocation or an additional surgery. I think you’re going to do very well. You seem to be in a very healthy place mentally regarding your upcoming THR.
Have a wonderful Thursday!
@Woodstockhip

 

[Woodstockhip]

Well, yesterday I had the last of my presurgical clearances, this one with the cardiologist. Blood work is back, primary gave the green light and, at least on paper, I’m the very picture of good health. The surgeon wanted me to have a Doppler ultrasound of the lower extremities, which I hadn’t heard mentioned. Did anyone else have one? It was fine, just lots of blood pressure cuffs up both legs and arms, inflating and deflating on command. Having heard nothing to the contrary, I presume it was ok. So...next week is the final preoperative visit with the surgeon and then, on the 22nd, it’s Surgery Day. I keep thinking there is something I forgot to do, but I chalk it up to Pandemic brain. Hope all of you are coping with the wildfires and the craziness imposed by quarantine.

 

[Layla]

@Woodstockhip
Moving right along. It sounds like all is progressing as it should and you’re almost to the finish line. I hope you’re not in too much pain as you wait. Only nine days to go. You’re going to love the result.
A lovely Sunday and week to you!

 

[leejaa]

Pandemic brain, pre op brain - all get confused together making memory difficult at times. I started making lists and it gave me focus and I only had pre op brain to deal with. Have a peaceful evening.