Hi,
@octopus ... I've been wondering how you were doing. I'm so glad your osteo's visits have given you some relief. And yes, climbing a ladder is a huge milestone. I remember being afraid to do that and probably talking about it here. When that mid-thigh "twinge thing" cropped up I continued walking but made a point of doing "heel toe" walking (I don't know why; it just cropped up in my mind to do that) and it seemed to help. It's all a big guessing game. I'm impressed you painted your ceilings, as I need to do that. But, yeah, maybe that had its side effects afterward.
I see your tag line says "developmental dysplasia." I have that too. Shallow hip sockets. What about you?
Let us know how you are doing, okay? Take care.
Well, it's now been 1.5 years since the THR!
... almost to the day! So I guess I should give a report, despite the absence of dramatic milestones and achievements. in the usual sense. But I keep thinking that the bonesmart stories should include those of us (me, that is) who are plain-vanilla THR sugery recoveries.... It might help someone.
My goal was not to get back to the gym, since I never went to the gym. And it wasn't to climb mountains, do marathons, etc. I just wanted to get back to everyday living, in an urban area, being able to rejoin and stay in the work force as long as I can, with mass transit, and my feet. Be able to stand in long lines, be on my feet and walking most places, not be afraid of stairs anymore.
The surgery has enabled me to get back to most everything. But not everything. It'd be a fairytale to say I have a completely pain free and hindrance free life, as I imagine it mostly was up until early fifties (when the hip went wonky). But that seems to be more from my bad back (spondylolisthesis--a vertebrae slipped atop another one and impinged the nerve) than the operated hip. So that's the good news.
I actually do wonder if the surgery made the back worse--and I don't exactly know how I think that could be. But I wonder about it. Having said that, I would still have the surgery. It's made a world of difference in being able to walk and function.
I walk much more quickly, am able to scamper quickly when I'm running late to work, and seesaw and zigzag around slower people (people who text while walking). It's nice when you don't have to be hurried like that, but the fact that I can makes me feel so much more normal.
I occasionally, and very very briefly, "run (that is, jog) for a bus that's pulling away."
None of the above is unlimited. I have a shelf life before I start to feel pain. But that's all because of the back and not because of the hip.
I do stairs without any qualms. I have forced myself over time to do steps without holding on to the railing since i'd found myself approaching stairs with a sense of "weakness" (mental and physical) if I didn't hold on to a rail. I wouldn't hold on for dear life, but did feel I "needed" it. I have found that over time (maybe starting two months ago?) I feel a big improvement in balance and strength in doing stairs without rails. It makes me feel more confident. What got me started on this was noticing in old movies that a lot of senior women were doing stairs without holding on, and these women were in heels and were not particularly slim and fit. So I kept thinking if they can do it, it must be a pretty normal thing. And maybe my tendency to semi-freeze unless holding on to rails was more mental and being out of practice than anything else. So I started trying it bit by bit and found at first I couldn't do it too well, but now see a huge improvement. (But no, I'm not wearing heels when I do it. Maybe that'll be another goal some time.)
Like I said, this is not an update of dramatic feats. But I thought it might belong here among all the other recovery stories, in case it resonates with someone else and helps someone in some way.
Thanks again to Bonesmart--moderators and everyone else--for your incredible help and support. I wish everyone well, and will be back. To paraphrase a character in "Brokeback Mountain" ... "I can't quit ya."
United Kingdom
A fold up grabber is an excellent idea. 
I wonder if anyone actually makes them ?
