THR Newbie! Anterior hip on May 19, 2015

[Molly12]

I haven't even tried to do steps normally yet!! Perhaps today I will give it a go. I am not prescribed any PT at all...just walking. My motto at home is if it hurts quit doing it. Do you have someone come into your home? @donor

 

[donor]

@Zumbamama can you go up normally with cane? The home pt has been here 3 times and has not touched me! The agency was to also send nurse and they told me I fell into a crack. I had called 3x early on with questions and concerns about my neverending nausea, meds and swelling etc. I never received a call back. I have spoken to surgeon. ...and recommended they find a new home care agency. Anyway I've been on my own except for you folks!

 

[donor]

@Molly12 yay I won't stress about my toddler two step then. I'll keep up with the cane.

 

[Zumbamama]

@donor. I guess you could say I'm going up normally in that I'm alternating right and left but I'm very slow and leaning a lot on the rail and the cane. I view it as a PT exercise and try to use good form! I never had anyone, nurse or PT come to my home. I had to request a prescription for outpatient PT which I started last week. Because I rely on teaching dance and exercise for my income, I feel it is really important for me to have guidance with my recovery from a physical therapist. If you are not happy with your physical therapist, maybe try to find someone else? I personally place a lot of importance on developing symmetry in the body in terms of both sides being equally strong and flexible, and I think it's very important to use proper form doing the exercises. The PT should help you discover what you can and can't do at this point.

 

[wcgirl]

@donor I still use a cane for the stairs and not foot over foot just one step at a time. If you are not happy with the PT you should be able to change. Sounds like you need to have a heart to heart. Are you expecting too much. I was still doing the exercises that were recommended by the OS at 3 weeks and the PT was there to make sure that I was doing them correctly. Slow and steady. Now that I am at out patient at 6 weeks I am doing much more. I'm pretty sure Poppet had a good reference on healing. Believe me, I thot I'd be doing more by now, , but I've read too much hear about nerve pain and tendonitis that sets you back. Sending more patience

 

[donor]

@wcgirl thanks for the kind words. Yes I'm frustrated I think. I have been increasing my slow walks with my cane outside and that helps the mood. My husband says he sees daily improvement but I'm not sure I see it as clearly. There is still a very good deal of groin pain especially when lifting my knee. I'm trying to be patient. reading everyone's posts really helps.

 

[Poppet]

@donor -- it is hard for us when we have had the surgery and coping with the various stages of recovery. I remember one day saying to hubby - 'get this thing out of me!!!.... I want my own hip back!' - he then said but you are doing so well, and started listing off all the positive achievements. Often others can see the recovery better than us

 

[donor]

@Poppet thanks for the reminder.....

 

[fearbox]

@doner

This is a fantastic wealth of information. Maybe you can request going to a physical therapist. My PT said to absolutely NOT try and do any leg lifts. All you are doing is aggravating the soft tissue and such. I am 5 weeks out. I can finally go one left/right down the stairs. I can only do it part of the time. I still have weakness in my left hip that was replaced last July. That hip will never be the same. I think my newest hip (R) is stronger than my left hip. Be thankful you didn't have a surgeon that cut your flexor muscle. That recovery is very painful and takes forever to heal and rebuild.

I to get very impatient and want to do more. Then I tell myself , this is a marathon, not a sprint!! I actually tried to drive yesterday. That was definitely a bad idea. I almost rear ended 2 cars. My reflexes are just not there yet. Plus you use muscles that you forgot you even had maneuvering the gas and brake pedals. Thankfully no one was hurt

Try to take it one day at a time and remember MARATHON!! Good luck to you.


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[donor]

@fearbox oh gosh....don't drive yet! Hope today is better for you. I am at day 22 of this long journey. It truly is not what I expected....it's more than I expected I think. I see pt today at 1pm. He has done nothing so far, no stretching no exercises etc. Perhaps he felt I wasn't ready. We will see today. I'm getting better sleep...easier to move around in bed. I rolled into my hip for a moment but it still feels foreign to me. Pain meds are down to tramadol 2-3 times a day if I need it. Sometimes I take it like an insurance policy. Walking has increased but today its raining so not sure how much I'll get in. Mentally I still go up and down. The incision is healing well but still very tender to the touch. I still cannot say that I am happy I did this. I'm happy it's over because the last couple years were wrought with anxiety about making this decision. I had two prior surgery dates I backed out of because I was terrified. So making the decision and going thru with it was huge for me mentally and spiritually. Thanks for listening and holding me up the last 3 weeks.
Chris

 

[sharonslp]

Oh Chris, fear not! 22 days is still the newborn stage of recovery. Of course your incision is still very tender. Walking is still slow and you probably need some assistive device. Many still need walkers. I used a cane for a full month. Many need the cane even longer. That's okay....you are learning to walk with your new normal gait....the assistive devices help you learn to undo the abnormal gait you had adapted to. Turtle pace now...you'll be keeping pace with the crowd later.

You'll see huge gains around 12 weeks when you look back at today. By six months, you'll be feeling mostly normal. But FULL healing of that disturbed soft tissue takes at least a year...often up to two. It's good your PT is taking it very slowly. Walking is your best exercise, and very gradual increases are the way to do it.

You're right where you should be. Keep up the rest, icing, and stay ahead of pain. Your insurance policy schedule is a good thing.

Sharon

 

[donor]

@sharonslp thank you. I still have my trusted cane with me everywhere. Ice is my new hobby it seems. Today the am walk was more painful than yesterday. I'll talk to pt about it today. Thanks to all for the hand holding. It's raining here today which doesn't help the mental state at all.

 

[Molly12]

I still am using my cane and icing my thigh as I sit here typing to you. When I do have pain I quit doing whatever I am doing and rest. This morning I headed out for my walk and my groin started to bother me so I turned around and went home. Take this time and listen to your body...rest and ice. We will both get there. I hope tomorrow brings you some substantial gains.

 

[donor]

@Molly12 thanks. PT just left and was a little concerned about my mental state. He cannot say how far along I should be by a certain day. I'm laying very low....using cane and icing all the time. I guess there are some improvements, very small still. This entire journey is just much more than I thought it would be.

 

[Sullivand]

@donor
It sounds like you are having a down day~ I am at day 37 from my left THR Revision. During the same day you are now~ I was fatigued and not doing as well as I had been~ I improved and then just stopped! I took three days to sleep and rest and walk a bit and stopped the PT exercises. I just read and quit thinking about all the things I needed to do. It is also when I found this great forum. After that few days of rest and down time~ I got a bit better and this week 5 is even better. Hang in there and listen to your body. It's hard I know! Be good to yourself and rest! This is MAJOR surgery.

 

[Great Aunt Janet]

Gently does it @donor - the best advice this forum gives is just that, don't rush it and don't force it - there is no one way to recovery, so be as kind as you can to yourself and let the goals take care of themselves. One day soon you will realise how much better you are feeling and how much easier things are. I have 3 weeks to go till my 3 month point when all restrictions are lifted, but my life is basically back to normal anyway. I am so amazed that I have to stop myself talking about it to non-hippies I meet.
Hope your day is full of good stuff

 

[donor]

@Great Aunt Janet @Sullivand thank you.....I didn't know what to expect afterwards I guess. Not that I could have prepared right ?
The fact that my in home care has been terrible and the surgeon's office didn't return my call either left me feeling totally alone....except for all you folks. Today I am getting out of the house. Just being cooped up is taking a toll. In my normal life manage a doctor's office so going from a million miles an hour to zip is hard. I have cancelled my in home nurse due to their horrible lack of care...today I sign a form and they are history. Luckily I am a strong person. Had I been am elderly patient relying on them I would be bad shape by now. It's unacceptable. Anyway it's a new day here in CA. Will report back later. Best to all today.
Chris

 

[Sullivand]

@donor
Oh my goodness~ that is just not right that your home care was lousy and that your surgeons office didn't return your call! No wonder you are down. None of us can fully prepare for this ~ you are right! We can line everything up and buy the tools but the emotional side is a bit of an unknown~ the best part of this forum.
I do hope you are able to physically do what you need to take care of yourself~ remember to eat healthy and don't worry about chores~ my dishes are piled in the sink and the dishwasher needs emptying but I got tired and just stopped! Oh I have ironing set out to do and it's been waiting for three days! I too am a busy person~ a teacher and then during the summer I do home projects and travel! But not now! :( Enjoy your outing today and when you get home~ take a nice long nap!
Give yourself permission to do "zip" as you said!

 

[donor]

Here's how we start the day. .. Ice packs and warm puppy. However I need a bigger lap. ♡♡♡

 

[Sullivand]

Aww so cute! I think it's hard to take care of doggies after THR! Mine has been so neglected in the cuddle department~ I can't lift him and he can't jump up! When friends come over they make up for the lost attention! Have a great day!