THR On the other side and now in the right forum

[Maeve]

Thanks zauberflöte and@Poppet.
The Rehab was certainly a very good place...but, which ever way you dice it and slice it, it was still hospital.
So very good to be home and tonight i'm exhausted. Anticipation +nervousness = one very tired hippy.
Had to pick up the dreaded meds from the chemist. Rehab Dr wrote scripts for. Endone(20 tablets) Oxycontin 5 mg ( 28 tablets/14 days and aspirin.
He says I should continue with Oxycontin night and morning, 3x2 Panadol and Endone as needed for break through pain.
Hope to not need the endone. I return to rehab as a day patient each Monday and Wednesday for 4 weeks. 1-3pm for back to back hydro/ gym.
Am on 2 crutches - one only round the house where possible. Hope sleep doesn't elude me. I need to sleep in our spare room as our bed is a water bed...bummer!

 

[Poppet]

Hi Maeve

So pleased you are home, there really is no place like home.

It is a bit scary leaving the hospital environment and being home, at least I was a bit nervous after 11 days.

The main thing is to rest and recover a little. You have had fairly comprehensive Physio. Don't forget to elevate and ice and don't be worried if you need to take the Endone for breakthrough pain. They prescribe the combination of pain meds because they recognize you have had major surgery..

Sleep well tonight

 

[Elosarabrab]

Maeve, god to hear you are going home. I think it's nice to be in your own surroundings and you can do stuff on your own schedule. Have lots of rest and prune juice
Barbara

 

[zauberflöte]

home sweet home.... soon you will be sloshign around in that water bed-- I'm gonna miss mine, too!

 

[Josephine]

Maybe it would be helpful if Josephine said those pearly words of wisdom about hips that has reassured so many of us all around the globe and allowed us to spend more time resting and feel less pressured to behave as if we were training for a marathon...

All my 'pearly words of wisdom' consist of is that hips have a way of sorting themselves out given time. They really don't need oodles of PT and hard work to get better! Just sensible activity and lots of rest.

 

[C Mac]

Those were the words that I was thinking of...


Cardie

 

[Anniepops]

Just wrote a long post and it disappeared...how annoying..anyway Fran, it basically said sound advice from Cardie who is a font of knowledge on CDH, that girl knows her stuff for which I personally am very thankful.

Great that you are home, hope you are all settled in now. Shame about the water bed but you will be back in it before you know it.

Take care

Ann.x.

 

[Maeve]

Hi Anniepops.
You're right, Cardie has great advice re congenital hip issues. I think I buried my head in the sand all these years and did not understand the complexities of the operation and recovery for my long standing hip issues...especially the fact of the deformities in the muscles. Kidded myself my op would be just like the hip replacements of people whose normal hips had just worn out through OA. Maybe it's just as well I didn't comprehend the difficulties!
Home is good...lounges all padded up with cushions for the correct hips higher than knees, all meds at hand gadget for the awful stockings and newly installed stair bannisters. All very workable. I'm very tired today and have only done one lot of the home exercises but I'm trating myself a rest day! Work starts tomorrow. Elevating and icing today.
I also enjoyed a small glass of my favourite Chardonnay....Scarborough. The Dr said OK! Might have one each night as my treat.
I am on 5 mg Oxycontin morning and night plus Panadol. No endone required on this lazy day!

I know boredom is going to be my biggest problem so will just have to plan some challenging diversions.
Have some bookings to make for our trip in August so might make Trip Planning the project.
Cheers
Fran

 

[Maeve]

@CMac,
Hi Cardie,
Forgot to tag you just now in the previous post to Ann.

 

[Poppet]

I didn't get bored, I mainly slept for six weeks then went back to work at seven weeks.. I recall so many times hubby saying to me that I would fall asleep in the middle of a sentence.. My time in ICU with all the drugs they pumped into me did a 'right ol number on me'!

 

[Maeve]

Well, I realised I have been postingbon other hippies' threads and haven't updated my own. So the easiest way is for me to copy and past a few extracts so my progress is logged here:
1.I found it easy be patient in hospital where being but finding it harder at home. I am very tired, can't sleep on my back and bored witless as well as hating how infirm I am. Very frustrating and not a good day for me. Going out has it's challenges... Car travel, appropriate seating etc, what to wear with TED stockings can't wait for the Ok from the OS re the implant. Of course I have a long way to go with 3cm lengthening. Muscles don't like it.
2.Small breakthough today. Siting on the side of the bed ready to get in I discovered I could lift my thigh....this lump of lead that is my leg might work again!
3. Starting day patient rehab tomorrow. 1 hour gym,1 hour hydro. Can't figure how I will get dressed as I won't be able to pull up my pants and I guess they wont let my husband into the change room! Lol.
4. Haveva GP appointment tomorrow as required by the hospital. Need to deliver my discharge notes. Don't know where/ how I will sit in the waiting room.
5.Have the same issue next week when I go to a local restaurant for a very good friend's birthday lunch. Wondering how I manage if they dont have chairs with arms. All the warnings about dislocation have scared the bejesus out of me,
6.Gave my husband a day off today for golf and managed well. My cleaner was here fo 3 hours in the morning so that helped. Need a trolley however for meals, coffees, books etc.Managing on one crutch in the house but not confidently! Will hire a trolley tomorrow.
7. While Jamie and Poppet and Anniepops and Josephine have convinced me of the importance of taking the appropriate meds I need to get off this slow release oxycontin. Will talk to the Dr about replacing that with endone. Same opiate, same strength but not slow release. Sickmofbthevawful groogybfeeling.
So that's me. Another slight step forward overall I think!

 

[Elizak]

Hi Maeve,

Glad to hear that you are home. It seems as if you have quite a few activities planned for so early in your recovery.

Have you read the suggested activity progression for THR in the library ? Sorry i can't provide the link, but you can look it up.

At this point in recovery (18 days), I was spending 80% of my time dozing on and off on recliner, with leg elevated and iced. I continued this until the 6 week point, only leaving house for absolute necessities as I live alone. If I had had a helper, I would not have left at all except for PT.

There is a good reason that pain meds make one sleepy/groggy ! To help one to rest which is necessary for the body to heal from surgery.

My advice is to take it slow.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[Littlejem]

Small breakthough today. Siting on the side of the bed ready to get in I discovered I could lift my thigh....this lump of lead that is my leg might work again!

It's amazing isn't it the difference just one day can make to our recovery and doesn't it make you feel good and inspired!! That's a lot of work 2 hours exercise, even if one is in the hydro it's still hard, oh and how did you manage with your pants???
Don't forget to take a pillow or cushion to the restaurant and get someone to help you getting on and off the chair and you will be fine, it'll be nice to get out so enjoy it.

 

[Maeve]

Thank you@Elizak. I think I need to accept the reality of this healing process and just go with it!
Rest is mandatory and the meds too. Tried extending the time between doses of oxycontin and now my hip is aching. Lesson learnt. Keep the pain at bay.

 

[Elizak]

Hi Maeve,

I did not have anyone to help me dress and so wore very loose lightweight running shorts for the first 6 -8 weeks. You can get these off and in yourself with a grabber. Use these for PT and hydro.

Your schedule of Monday and Wednesday 1 hour PT plus 1 hour hydro seems odd in my opinion, but maybe there is some rationale. Why not 4 sessions spread out over the week ??? Or some other schedule ?

I know that at three weeks out I could not have handled 2 hours of upright activity without paying for it with major pain and the subsequent need for major pain meds and major rest.

All the best for your recovery and take care

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[Maeve]

Hi@Elizak,
The schedule is not ideal. I guess they figure Day Patients want to get there, do their PT and leave! Not ideal, but some people come long distances and don't want to wait around. Also, no one is at the drive yourself stage yet. Luckily I live about 10 mins away. My husband drops me and can either go home or do some errands. I also appreciate not having to hang around. Luckily it's gym first and then hydro. I used the hydro session to do lots of stretches and lots of walking which complemented the gym work. I was exhausted at the end!
Wore my swimmers under gym pants. They gave me a "grabber" to pull up my pants and pick up swimmers but it didn't work so I managed by using a crutch as a hook! We quickly learn to be inventive!
Took an endone to avoid breakthrough pain and elevated and iced when I came home and I'm OK.
I was used to 2 sessions every day for the ten days I was in rehab. I'm also very aware of stretching, resting between rep etc.
Amazingly my wound is almost invisible! Totally healed and absolutely no bruising. So lucky.
Now I just need to get my pelvis straight and practice walking! Pain is not a problem with the meds I am now taking. Thought for a few silly moments I might taper the oxycontin. Last night it was due at 7.00. By 11pm I knew I need to take it. Will continue with morning and night slow release. The fatigue and sleepiness is the killer. Only solution is not to fight it but elevate, ice and read! Must reread your thread and catchup with your progress. Hope it's going well and thanks for your advice.

 

[Poppet]

Hi there Maeve, just catching up with your progress.. sounds like all is going to plan.. Great that you recognize that it is all about recovery, rest and some exercise.. you have this hip for life, so slow and steady is the best way forward

 

[Elizak]

Hi Maeve,

So glad to hear that your PT is going well. Great that it is so close to your home. The hydro sounds really good as well. Congrats on the getting dressed/undressed ! That was always frustrating for me because it took so darn long at first.

I overdid it many times during the first months and feel that I caused more pain than was necessary. Easy to tell in hindsight !!

I did not mean to be a downer. It sounds as if you are managing your recovery very well. Glad to hear that pain meds are working.

I see OS for one year checkup today, so will report back later.

All the best for your recovery.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[Maeve]

Hi Elizak,
Just read your thread from day 1 of your recovery.
What brilliant progress you have made! You should read it again so you really get how far you have come.
It gives me real hope! Fingers and toes crossed for today's OS appointment!
I am writing this at 3.00am sitting in bed iced up! My leg really knows what it went through yesterday!
Actually insomnia is just a given now at this stage in my recovery. I used to get upset that I couldn't sleep but now I just accept it, get out the trusty ipad and fill in the time on the internet or writing emails. I can always sleep or at least doze during the day.

 

[Maeve]

Thanks Poppet for checking in. Your support and encouragement is much appreciated!