Become an Insider

THR Ouch's Odyssey the Other Side

Status
Not open for further replies.
Sounds like you're moving forward - onward and upward!!! So happy things went relatively well in the hospital, all things considered! There's just no easy way through recovery (and you'll see why when you view the actual surgery on YouTube!) - our bodies have been through a huge jolt of trauma, and as much as it's easy to want to push recovery and get going, our healing hips are the ones calling the shots. I remember someone on the forum telling me to be gentle with myself. It was such great advice, because I was determined to be THR poster child, do everything well ahead of schedule, etc. It didn't take long to realize that the oft-seen saying here on people's threads - "Slow and steady" - really is the best adage to take!!!
I'm so thrilled you're on the other side!!!!!!

P.S. Your incision looks GREAT!!!!!!
 
Thought I was going to come write another detailed post about the hospital discharge and home.

Nope, coming asking for prayers. My temp is going up. It's not scary high yet, but it's getting there. It's 100.9 in one ear and 100.0 in the other. Husband is at the grocery store so I called him and asked him to get an oral thermometer. I have a call in to surgeon's service.Hopefully the on call people are more attentive than the surgeon was in the hospital. He really is just a mechanic. I haven't seen him since my first appointment back in the summer.

Please send prayers or healing vibes or good energy or whatever you believe in. I will update when I know something.
 
Sending up prayers right this second, Carol Anne, not only for healing and a reduction of fever, but a quick and satisfactory response from those who'll be getting in touch with you from the on-call service!!!
Much love!!!!!
 
Ok, according to on call PA I shouldn't worry. Interestingly he didn't give me a number I should worry about. He said since my pain isn't worsening and my incision isn't oozing it should be fine. Hope so.

Oh and I watched a video. Fascinating. Only thing that made me squeamish was watching them dislocate it. OUCH! No wonder my whole leg hurts now. Ok. Keep the positive thoughts coming that
 
@OUCH! So glad they called and said there was nothing to worry about! Sending out positive vibes for you. Hang in there and get some rest. :)
 
Duh forgot to hit Post Reply last night.

Anyway, last nights post is kind of a moot point today since my temp is down to 97.7. Phew!

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday was a rough one. Today is so much better. I woke up feeling more like myself than I have in weeks.
 
I've been glancing in on your recovery....and kept you in my prayers. After your post of today, you now fully understand why this recovery process has been referred to as a "roller coaster". Wishing you continued good days, and patience thru the 'bump' days.
 
Hurray, hurray!!! With the fever concern resolved, now you can concentrate on resting, icing and recovery!!!! So happy you're feeling so much better! Just know, as you've read in everyone's recovery threads, that you'll have some rough days here and there. It's part of the process.... and something that was (and still is) hard for me to keep reminding myself? Healing isn't linear. It's 3 steps forward, 2 back sometimes.

(Can you believe what they do to our legs during surgery?!? :yikes: Glad you had the chance to view it - and if anyone EVER says, "Oh, you had hip surgery? That's not a big deal!", all we have to do is take them to the YouTube video to show them that indeed it is!!!!! Dislocating, cutting, sawing, reaming out the femur, hammering, etc. - it was a bit shocking when I saw with my own eyes what a BIG deal it is!!!!)
 
Thanks for the positive vibes @Tweetybrd I'm sure they helped. It was so weird, I felt great except feeling like I was having the Mt. Everest of hot flashes.

@Nana2-8 Thanks for the prayers. I'm sure they helped.

@DizzyBlond Robin, thank you so much for the prayers. As I told Nana, I'm sure they helped. You are so right about recovery being one step forward and 2 back. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I have been around this block a few times before, so when I was weepy and ticked at my husband, I kept my choicer words to myself. I knew the storm would pass, but his hurt feelings might not.

My earlier post was cut short by the arrival of my PT. I wasn't sure about her at first, but I really like her. Maybe that is just because she has opened the door to my getting outside! Today we walked on the street and on the neighbor's driveway and did all the exercises. It actually felt really good. She had me only using a cane which was fine, but when my husband and I went out later I used a crutch. I find later in the day I need more support. At night I still use a walker to get to the bathroom. Partly for the support and partly because I'm the only person sleeping on the first floor. I'm not sure how long it would take me to wake someone if I had a problem.
wound
Before she came I had walked around the house much more than I have since coming home just putting. Tidying putzing a little, washing up etc. I found I wasn't obsessively planning every action to make every time on my feet as short as possible. It felt good to move!

I am thinking about going commando for awhile though. I have been wearing long maxi skirts because I can put them on over my head and because they accommodate the swelling. Have still had to pull underwear up and down though. Somehow today on one of my bathroom trips, they dropped lower than usual but I didn't realize it. I moved wrong and holy cow did that hurt! Scared me too. I see how dislocation can happen and I'm even more paranoid now.

Speaking of swelling, mine has gone down significantly. PT noticed almost as soon as she came in saying "I can see your tibia now". I didn't realize my swelling at extended all the way down my leg.

Thanks everyone for the well wishes and for keeping me company on this journey. It helps so much.

Carol Anne
 
Last edited by a moderator:
One week post op. I couldn't go to sleep without marking the occasion.

I am so amazed. I walked around the house today with only a cane. I even went up the stairs on my own with just a cane. My 15 year old and I had a bit of an argument and I was unduly harsh. I couldn't go to sleep without apologizing. My apology came through much stronger since I actually climbed the stairs to his room to offer it. He was so thrilled to see me upstairs that he practically forgot the argument all together. Most bizarre thing is he has grown in the last week! First time I have hugged him without sitting down or without a walker in the way. Holy cow. I look up at him!

I'm a little nervous because my pain meds are quickly dwindling. Not sure if I call over the weekend if they will call in a new script. Good news is I really only needed 5mg of oxycodone during the day today and even stretched the time out in between without realizing it.

Other thing to note is that the waterless shampoo caps work but they leave a residue on your hair. I used one a couple days ago and wished I had waited as my hair wasn't unbearable yet. I Used one again today, but we were able to rig up a way for my husband to rinse my hair afterward. He put the shower bench in the kitchen and then held the basin from the hospital behind my head and poured water from a pitcher while I leaned back and massaged the suds out. This wouldn't have worked to do an entire shampoo and rinse with regular shampoo. But it worked for this. These are the caps I bought https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009I12STI/?tag=ate362da-20

But I'm pretty sure I found them for a lower price.

Hope everyone is well today. Onward and upward!
 
Oh, I almost forgot. I got the link to my hospital records today. Included in it was the pathology report. Not the same as getting my hip, but still kinda cool. May need to get a doctor friend to interpret it for me.

"GROSS DESCRIPTION:
The specimen is received in formalin labeled with the patient's name and
"bone and tissue, left hip" and consists of a 6.0 x 5.3 x 4.3 femoral
head with attached portion of femoral neck measuring 3.5 x 3.2 x 2.5 cm.
The articular surface is tan-yellow to pink-red, focally nodular with
severe cartilage erosion and eburnation of the underlying bone.
Sectioning reveals tan-pink to red trabecular bone with focal softening.
There are no discrete lesions identified grossly. The femoral neck
margin is grossly viable. Additionally received are multiple separate
tan-yellow to pink-red irregular fragments of bone and soft tissue
measuring in aggregate 6.0 x 5.4 x 3.5 cm. The specimen is for gross
examination only. BAW"
 
Ok, bonesmartie friends, I need advice. I'm almost out of oxycodone. I was sent home with a script for 50 5mg pills with instructions to take 1-2 pills every 4 hours as needed. I was also told to take 650 mg of Tylenol every 6 hours. I have been pretty good with taking both by the clock. In the last day I have started stretching out the oxycodone.

I have 3 pills left. I am not one to ask for narcotics, nor one to call a doc off hours. I am wondering if I should in this case. Are they likely to prescribe more or to just think I'm a pain in the neck? Can they even call in oxycodone or is it one of the controlled substances that needs a paper script?

Thank you for any advice.
 
@OUCH! I know in New Mexico you need a paper script for any narcotic pain med but call the doc to find out.... They will also advise on how to cope for the day until you can get a new prescription.
 
It needs a paper script now. Call the OS office. You can have someone pick up and fill
 
Thanks @Medfordart That's what I thought. No one there on a Sunday. I will call in AM. I'm ok right now. And do have Tylenol 3. Maybe I will use that if I need it today and save the oxy for overnight when pain is worse
 
Just went for my second walk of the day. Now I"m sore. Just realized I havne't taken anything since 5am. I just took a Tylenol 3 and am in bed icing. 1636 steps today. Twice as many as yesterday!
 
Thanks @Tweetybrd I was hoping to go for another walk outside today, but my husband is out with my son and I fear they won't get back in time. I might be able to do it on my own, but don't feel comfortable without a spotter.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Corganics CBD

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 944 (members: 0, guests: 944)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom