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THR Okay so it's over! 12/17/13

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Hi @dkirk0530,
So nice to hear of your progress! We are blessed to have a smooth recovery and the wisdom and support of our friends here at BS. I think of you often, fun to hear of your day's adventure. Thrilled to hear you are almost back to pre-pain days. The same here - as impossible as it sounds, it's almost hard to remember exactly how bad the pain days were, since all I do is keep monitoring my current daily stiffness or soreness which is minimal, but present. Like you say - we're only 6-7 weeks!

I still take Tylenol regularly to reduce the stiffness and soreness. Yesterday, I was out & about from 7a - 10pm, I was tired & the hip was stiff. My daughter's school had a square dance, so decorating & being on my feet took its toll, but w the Tylenol & a good nights rest, I feel good this morning. Also, after my PT appt on Tuesday, the hip was tender. When I saw my PT on Thursday, she reminded to ice 3-4 times/day to reduce inflammation. It's a good reminder - it's so easy to think I don't need it.

Hope you had a good workout at the GYM (go girl!), and hope you didn't splurge too much on shopping. Keep up the smiles, I'm celebrating with you!

My PT Is out of network, so my co-pay is $45 out of pocket, ouch, but we've funded our FSA to the max this yr, so that helps. Trusting that's all the medical I need this yr :). She's worth going to.

To all of you...wishing blessings....thank you for sharing our journeys. It really does get better! Big hugs, God bless!!
 
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Congrats, @dkirk0530 on your amazing recovery. Yours is the kind some of us dream of. I would be on cloud nine! So happy your mom is doing well, too. I'm sure that eases your mind tremendously. Take care and continued good luck with your post-op progress!
 
I take Tylenol when I need it...that's not too often @Hibbe hope you had a good day, we are blessed bs friend! Glad you are well too. It is awesome!! Haven't iced in awhile but will do if I have swelling or overdo. Trying to build up slow.

Shopped a lot today. First day I was really out and about a lot since surgery. After twenty mins this am on recumbent bike and some minor weights, I did three flights of steps, still a little tentative of steps so need to build muscle strength and flexibility on operative leg. Pt will help. She said we will start treadmill next week. Excited to return to my elliptical too.

Also...Using regular potty! No potty chair and great thing is no more leg going out to side when I do sit...sorry tmi ;). If you have bone on bone you might understand weird leg position out to side upon seating. Leg had mind of its own!

Love standing straight up doing hair or getting ready and being even on legs and solid footed and not in pain. Out with a friend of mine today and she said only way she could tell I had surgery was getting in and out of car. This is mostly due to tight quad. Also I'm tall and have had back issues so I'm cautious about potentially jarring back or neck! Also so used to being careful and swinging legs in car was ouchy with the bone in bone! This friend has a really good take on my pain as we shopped a lot together prior to surgery and she said today... Yea I used to ask you if you were okay and you just said yep and kept on going! I cannot believe how much pain we endure for so long and sadly how normal it becomes!

Oh..Bad side affect of surgery I spent more money!! Had so much fun at TJ max...that spent time browsing clearance racks over and over!!! I would have been get me out of here pre surgery! Life is good.
 
Fabulous to know that you are doing so well....love TkMaxx....can do some serious damage to the bank balance there...!! Great to hear. Chrissie xxxx


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Hey Chrissie, fellow Maxxinista!! That clearance isle gets me every time!!! haha.. thanks for always being so positive and for supporting us newbies! You are the best @Hoppy Nanny
 
Thanks honey....I too love the clearance aisle...trouble is I could have a clearance sale of my own from things 'I just had to have' but never used...oops...that's a cupboard to hide from hubby!!! Take care...onwards and upwards..love Chrissie x


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Hey Diane. As the date of my surgery nears (2/3) and my nerves and anxiety increase I just wanted to tell you that reading your posts have a calming affect on me. You are such an inspiration. Love your positive attitude! Looking forward to joining you on the pain free side. Keep up the good work! Jackie
 
@fulafoto Hey Bill.. thanks for checking in. So this is my six almost seventh week post..I'm doing GGRRREEEAATTT!!! I continue with PT, I'm off mostly all meds, occasional XS tylenol now.. only because I have other aches and pains not the hip pain! the ROM is returning nicely. I sometimes forget about my hip surgery. i.e. got into bed left knee first.. old way of getting in instead of sitting and pulling.. weird I know but it's amazing that I don't even think of it. Getting in an out of cars, using rest room nomal, no chair, back to gym, I cannot even say enough about the new lease on life I have. The best though by far is walking normally without a limp!!! Not feeling like everyone is worried bout me at work and watching me limp through our call center. I used to feel sickly, now I feel almost normal!

Funny story.. I work in Atlanta some days and of course it's a big city with big city streets and cross walks. I used to have to painfully walk from the parking garage to my office bldg and cross over a big street with fast cars.. well, folks I was walking with saw the light changing and they looked at me and said.. can you make it?.. I said not sure but let's test the new hip out. Well, I blew across that road.. haha. They said.. wow..five weeks out and you are walking better than before surgery.. and I added, with no pain! It was a true.. I've arrived moment.

At PT, I've added the treadmill to my routine and recumb bike continues. Did 20 minutes the other day at gym by myself on bike, doing upper arms weights again too. Today I'm going and will be doing both bike and treadmill. Waiting to get on elliptical although as my PT says I have no restrictions.

Bldg muscles slowly with PT, not intense, if something hurts.. I stop. The big thing now is rebuilding muscles that were not used due to limp and pain.. I love it. Have a retention/flex band to use at home too.

Okay.. so what lingers.. hip is still numb and to the touch it is still sore. Incision looks great, about 4 inches long.. it still blows me away how small it is! I still have a mighty way to go on recovery and I realize it will take a full year before I'm back and healed for the most part.. and based on what BS moderators write, even more than that. I cannot tell folks enough, you will have the highs and lows but keep focused on the final outcome, health and well being. Some of my lowest points and what I did to overcome:
  • Inability to sleep.. find a good series on netflixs (or DVD's) and watch it. I watched four years of "new girl".. needed a comedy to get me through the lonely nights.
  • Back pain due to bed after returning home and sleeping on back. Used pillow between legs, rolled on side, slept in recliner, recliner saved me!
  • Bad pain day two, due to surgery and inadequate meds by nurse at hospital, don't be afraid to ask what you need and point out if nursing staff makes a mistake.. they are human. We need to advocate for our health and well being and not be brave soldiers, get meds early on.. don't be afraid of addiction, you will be fine. Follow all your advise on BS friends and then make best decision for pain meds based on your personal experience. You know best.
  • Itching week four - awful, scary and lonely, thought I'd climb wall. Had benedryl on hand. Helped with sleep at first and then helped with itching.. life saving med for me! Makes me groggy but I'll take that over itching any day. Iced too.. got that from BS too.
  • Worry about stabbing pains as nerves came back, read this on BS and felt relieved it was nothing honey! Iced a lot! Had a great ice packet from chiropractor that saved me!
  • Inner groin pain as I started to re-use muscles, thought I had hurt something or screwed up replacement...wrong, OS told me disappears around week six as implant melds with bone. He was right! If you are worried ask.. don't just worry take action and find out.
  • Annoyed and depressed I could not do anything around holiday. I sat next to a basket of ornaments that had yet to be put on the tree. Time seemed to drag on forever.. pain when I was wrapping presents a week after surgery.. all of that seemed so depressing and forever.. it was hard but I made it through and now seems like a distant memory. Still won't forget that box of ornaments.. my kids fell through on decorating tree! lol. I guess the message here is just be prepared for a little down feeling, and some of you have two at the same time.. I look up to those folks and admire them and think if they could do two and get through it, then heck why am I complaining! Seriously.. bilateral folks rock!
  • Worry over walking normal again.. PT told me you have to bend at the knee.. yep.. she was right, did that and watched myself walk in the mirror and wow.. walking normal.. no limp.
I almost feel bad about being so positive ;) I'm being totally honest here folks, it's rough but so worth it. I hope this gives some of you hope that even though bad things can happen, many have a good gradual healing experience and are grateful for the help this site has brought to us. I'm blessed and fortunate to have had a good experience and to have you all there looking out for me and boosting me when I was low.. and cheering for me when I'm up. I'll keep posting progress. Next progress for me is to lose sixty pounds! haha.. and that my friends will be the rest of my story now that this hip is back in line. Happy Hippy Days all.

Diane
 
@dkirk0530 - Diane, great summary of how it went for you! I never have had any itching but the biggest surprise was being emotional, crying for no reason. Not sure if was surgery, pain meds or both. But that seems to have passed too... I have not been to PT except in the hospital (my doctor does think hips need it in most cases) but happy with how I walk now - my legs are finally the same length (due to wrong angle on my bone going into hip socket, they were not before), much less pain than before surgery and its pain that is going away. Working on range of motion slowly now that I'm past 6 weeks. I feel bad sometimes too because my complaints seem so minor... but when its YOU, its not that minor. Just hoping for all the others to end up well too.
 
@dkirk0530 Diane, thanks much for that great report summary. That kind of nets it out in one place what you experienced. I hope I can be so lucky.
:tada: Well done!
 
Hey Diane @dkirk0530 - thanks so much for that summary - it must be a GREAT feeling to not even take into consideration the hip - like forgetting about it when getting into bed - that sounds so awesome given most (if not all) of us think of nothing else pre-op.
It must have been so good also getting across that road with your workmates - I bet they were all so pleasantly surprised and there was a great sense of achievement for you!!!
I am so glad you also mentioned the down side of things for us pre-oppers knowing it is such a normal part of recovery.
Good luck with loosing the 60 pounds too - given what you have been through I am sure you will knock them off with perseverance and attitude.
I have bookmarked your post for me to go back to when I'm on the road to recovery - whenever that may be!
 
Oh and I forgot - in relation to the numbness - I still have an area of numbness around the hip from my surgeries 40 odd years ago so I am guessing that wont get any better for me :heehee::heehee:
 
@dkirk0530
Great to read your wonderful summary....isn't it awesome to look back and see how far you've come in such a short time? However, when you're going through it, the days and nights can be so long!

Loved your crossing the street story....I did a similar jaunt with my daughter across the school playground around the 5 week mark, too, just as the morning bell rang. Her classmates were chanting at her, "Go, Alana....go". We laughed together, knowing that 5 weeks prior, I would not have been jogging like that :).

You've beat me to the gym :)....you inspire me. Keep me posted on your progress - losing weight. I'll share a tip. I lost weight during the past 6 months prior to surgery and have managed to keep it off (although Im struggling the 2 past weeks after hitting the Harry & David store close-out 50% sale, where I splurged on bags of my all time fave candy - chocolate covered gummy bears). The chiropractor I saw, futilely, for a couple of months recommended I go on a gluten, dairy & soy free diet to reduce inflammation. I didn't stick to the strict, all exclusive diet he wanted me to, but figured I try my best for 60 days. What did I have to lose? I was at my highest weight, attributing it to decreased activity and middle age. I had heard plenty about cutting out gluten, but never figured it'd be for me. I finally tried - what I realized was just how much stuff in the pantry that I couldn't eat that, that I would normally, out of habit, open the bag, grab even just a few pieces. Now I had to make a healthier choice. I ate rice, but not bread. Potato chips (yes - i can say I lost weight eating gluten free chips, olive oil) or popcorn instead of crackers. Boiled eggs, omelette's w sausage/bacon/avocado (gluten free!). I just didn't add the cheese or bread. I read labels now - use to think a few pieces of red licorice were ok, as they're fat free - no, they have wheat flour. I'm no longer strict on it, but just more conscious, before I automatically stick it in my mouth....ok, what can I eat then? Do I really need it? This really reduced, what I realized was impulse eating or snacking - that added on the extra. Anyways...food for thought.

I'm doing great, even though the hip and back are stiff & tired this weekend. I' m icing right now. I've been out in the garage, on the floor, coaching my daughter, as she creates a backdrop project for a play. I'm happy I'm able to be down there w her - 7 weeks ago, no way! Thankful for having the surgery behind me and I didn't wait longer. Thankful for meeting dear friends like you through BS.

Wishing all continued strength and peace as you face surgery or are recovering! God bless!
 
Awesome update too @Hibbe .. I am afraid to get down on the ground to do yoga, fraid I won't get up.. so you give me hope too that I'll get over that fear. Funny how steps and flights of stairs were from when I first did Up Good Down Bad.. haha.. and then this weekend my daughter encouraged me to try the stairs at church and I did it! w/out a prob.. she was so proud she made me walk back up them on the way out ;) love her.

I have been to the gym once this week and did my walking video. Have also started to set my alarm on the fitbit to go off twice a day to remind me to walk, while working! If not, I'd be a stiff mess! so that's helping me keep me focused as I transition ( working fifty hours a week plus again already) back to work!

Good info on diet! I had lost fifty pounds prior to surgery.. I know that really helped me with my recovery.. really really helped! I have not gained back but felt myself slipping the past few weeks. It takes me looking at the bat flaps on my upper arms a few times and I'm re-energized, now I have no excuse.. the hip and depression were my excuse last time now I just have a new lease on life! I don't follow a really strict gluten free diet but I can tell when I eat more gluten, I feel sick! will take your suggestions as I also feel it attributes to inflammation. Need to check out the gluten free chips! Hha.. and also found some boxes of gluten free sweets.. although I believe sugar is the devil! and the devil I do love! :) Well.. thanks for the encouragement! I will keep you posted.

To all.. know that those steps you dread today will be the triumph you experience tomorrow.. baby steps and then big steps.. and then back to the real world when we don't even think of it as an issue.. that's the world we are all heading and hoping for!
 
@charmed-life Good to see you are doing so well and sleeping on your side now too! is it not amazing! are you walking a lot these days? It is funny about the itching... I had a weird pain tonight in the thigh.. then it went away. All so odd but then passes then okay.. that was just a phase! Yes, can relate to crying jags.. I disliked not being able to do things. Gave me an idea of what it will be like to age. I also attended a session for my mom on assisted living, paying for it. Should have waited, in my state that was very depressing but now it's been very empowering. I'm seeking info on an assisted living insurance so I'm better prepared and do not have to rely on kids for my support. So how I don't think my kids will be able to support me! Son still home, not doing anything sigh :(.. hip better though so trying to help him navigate next steps! Glad you are feeling better too fellow December 17th hippy!
 
Diane, your quote : "know that those steps you dread today will be the triumph you experience tomorrow.. baby steps and then big steps.." this is so profound and meaningful. thanks
 
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