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THR Ouch's Odyssey the Other Side

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@ouch- I must commend you for getting all that done. I could never have done all of that in my current condition- heck I can't even drive yet. Of course you overdid it but you did set limits. I would have done the same for my daughters birthday too. You must be pooped now! Your job now is to rest as much as you can before the party so you can be a strong as possible for the big event. I know your son will appreciate all that were able to do for him.

Your scar looks great! Mine looks about the same- what parts I can see- I still have steristrips over half of my scar. I'm told our scars will fade and smooth out and will be barely noticeable in time. Honestly I will wear mine like a badge of honor.

Regarding a cushion for taking places to accommodate lower seating, I purchased a " hip cushion" on Amazon for just that situation. It might work for you. It's not inflatable but sturdy foam with a cover and carrying strap to take places. I will try to post a link but if you go to Amazon and search " hip cushion" it you should find it.

Enjoy your day tomorrow!


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@ouch- just checking in on you. Hope you are doing ok and continuing to rest and heal.


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Oh my, just realized that I must not have hit post after I updated. @jaymo thanks for the check in. Its been up and down, but overwall I'm doing well.
Overdid it a bit today. I will write a better update tomorrow. Basically this was my first day back "on the job". My Hubbie caught the early train and didn't get home until after 7pm so I had to get kids to and from school, fed and to their extracurriculars. I also had PT and a long lovely visit with a friend afterward. When I dropped my son off at his music lesson, I then put in some volunteer time stuffing envelopes before going to a Board of ed meeting. Tomorrow I have to get my kids to school, and then I plan to be in my bed icing and whimpering. :)
 
@OUCH! - glad to see an update from you! I was a wee bit worried about you overdoing things! It sounds like you have been very busy so rest and ice sounds appropriate. Take it easy if you can.


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Oh @OUCH! - you're packing in a lot. I think you are due a day of bed and icing. Hope you're coping okay
 
So, I owe a way overdo update, but before I write a novel, I will get my questions out of the way so they don't get buried.

First, I have a follow up with my surgeon. Anything I should be asking? I'll ask about the need for continuing hip precautions and will ask if there is anything I can't do long term.

Also curious about pain meds. When did everyone stop taking anything more than tylenol? I was pretty much off everything but tylenol until last week when I overdid it. I ended up taking a few oxycodone over the next couple of days. I'm wondering if I should ask for more "just in case"


OK now for the update. Son's birthday party went great. My husband was so great. He knows me so well. He insisted on packing everything in his car and carting it to the soccer game. He planned to drive right from soccer to the party venue and get set up before the guests arrived. I didn't feel comfortable going to the soccer field anyway and escpecially after overdoing it while doing party prep. So, I stayed home and drove my oldest son to the party location. Made me slightly crazy to not head up early and get it all set up, but my husband was right, if he had let me take anything I would have over done it. It was not set up quite like I would have done, but they 're boys for the most part, they don't care. I stayed to greet the guests, serve everyone pizza and then see the activities (board games) get started. Then everyone agreed I could go home. I had brought my rollator with a thick cushion to sit on, but I felt so in the way. This store it was in is a comic book store where they also hold Pokémon and Magic The Gathering tournaments. If the store had a scent it would be eau due testosterone de teen nerd. Don't get me wrong, I love my nerds, but I don't necessarily feel comfortable in their natural habitat. Anyway, after the party, I spent the next day or two just in bed resting. Went back to PT that Monday and felt good. Starting trying to do more around the house, but mostly still felt very lazy and tired.

Last week, I was feeling really good. Went to a family session at my son's special needs school. Husband drove. Its half hour a way and I haven't driven that far yet. Challenge was the main floor of the school is up a VERY tall set of stairs and the chairs in the therapists office are all low. Good call on the stool @gullimac we actually borrowed one from the science room. I couldn't quite imagine what you were suggesting. This was a fold up stool though that I can imagine getting at target or walmart, so if my restrictions aren't lifted tomorrow, I may get one. After we got home, I actually walked to pick up my youngest at school. School is about 5 blocks away. I was TIRED when we got home and moving very slowly.

Weds was the first day I had to get all three boys out the door to school. After that, I came home did some dishes, rested and then went to PT. Then to a friends for a visit while we sat around her pool and watched the pool men close it down :(
After that I went home to ice a bit and then I made mashed potatoes to go with the meatloaf that i had frozen before my surgery. Fed my guys and then raced my 13 year old to his sax/jazz groups the next town over. I stayed and did some volunteer work for them getting out a mailing. Went home, ate my own dinner, and then went to the board of education meeting. I made over 5800 steps without even trying. My step goal before surgery was 6000 and I stopped wearing my fit bit because i almost never made it.

Anyway, I have hopefully learned my lesson, although I am sure I will have to learn it again. I've been pretty useless since them. Like I said, I ended up back on the oxycodone for a day or two. Went to PT on friday, but other than that, haven't done much of anything.

Tomorrow surgeon and PT and otherwise I'm going to force myself to chill out. There are so many things that I am itching to do now that I am feeling better, but they will be there next week or the week after.

Hope everyone else is doing really well!
 
Gosh @OUCH! all that and so soon after surgery. No wonder you've had a tricky time. It is hard when things crop up just after we've had our Op but I really don't think I could have coped with what you've achieved. BUT you've done it and well done, but now you need to give your body some payback and rest/ice so I'm glad to see you plan to chill out now. I do understand the desire to get back to things we've yearned for for such a long time but, as you say they won't go away, and you'll manage things so much better when your body is ready for it. :chillpill:
 
@ouch You have done so well! So happy for you! Take care!


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Thanks for the update - I love long posts, no worries there! You did so much, no wonder you were feeling "useless" after all that! Just going to surgeon and PT would have worn me out at that stage. And you have those 3 boys... Do try to take it easy as much as you can, as there is still a lot of healing going on in that hip. Keep asking your husband and boys and others for help as you need it. You don't want to get any soft tissues angry, as that can really throw a wrench into recovery.
 
Thanks @Krista and @Miss Muffet. I know you are both right. I knew I was overdoing by the end of the night, but honestly, it felt sooooo good to feel normal. Probably should have gone to bed as soon as I had youngest home from school, but my sax player had to get to class. This is such an amazing program. One of the leading Jazz education places in the country for kids and he has a partial scholarship. Husband had to be at work because some of the big muckety mucks were in town so I had to drive him. Because of the scholarship, I feel compelled to offer volunteer time.

Both of those things were even more important because I hope to go under the knife again in January for a RTKR. That recovery is likely to be longer and harder and I will be at least 6 weeks without driving. I feel the need to do as much as I can now because we will have to lean on everyone's kindness and compassion again soon.

Now off to the doc. First I have to write my list of questions. I have both hip questions and knee questions. I called to ask if I should have a longer apt., but was told it wasn't necessary. Hope the surgeon is patient. :)

@Krista isn't your op this week? I'm so excited for you!!!!!
 
Follow up went great. Range of motion is very good (frankly probably better than pre op)

Doc essentially discharged me. No restrictions. I can frog kick with the breast stroke and am even allowed to ice skate. :flabber::shrug: Which frankly surprised me. I friend was told ice skating she should never ice skate again because of the fall risk. :shrug: Even said sex was ok, but I may not tell hubby that yet since I don't feel quite ready :whistle:

Now I have decisions to make. I talked to the coordinator about scheduling my TKR. He has had a cancellation for Dec. 9. Two weeks before Christmas. My kids are still really into Christmas. I really don't want to disappoint them, but I also REALLY want to get this done and over. I want the pain and rehab mostly behind me by spring so I can garden and hike etc etc etc. If I don't take this date, I will have to wait for February. Sigh.....

I put off my hip for our California vacation, I guess I could put off my knee for Christmas. Just not sure.

Oh final thing. Doc had no problem giving me one more oxycodone script. Said "don't use it if you don't want to, but use it if you need it". I told him I mostly want it in case I'm stupid again and overdo it.
 
@OUCH! - that all sounds incredibly positive. Well done you!
Ooo err about the next Op, that is such a tricky one for us who care about you and watch on. It is a real balancing act between keeping the family happy and shouldering that pain and whether you can manage to last till February. You're clearly a good and caring mother - I wish I could give you an answer, I guess everyone will have a view, but at the end of the day you either toss a coin or plump for whichever you feel is the best choice. Let us know what you decide either way and we'll still be here :friends:
 
Thanks @Miss Muffet There are lots of things to tick off in both the pro and con colum. In the pro december colum is the fact that my husband's work tends to calm down in Dec. and he will be off for the week from Christmas to New Year's. In the con colum, I won't be able to make batch after batch of peanut brittle as I normally do. In the pro colum, no deductible or out of pocket expenses. That will save us thousands of dollars. In the con column y'all have seen how I tend to overdo to make my boys happy. Who wants to make bets on my doing that again?
Hmmm. I have PT this afternoon. I will ask his opinion.
 
OUCH! said:
I won't be able to make batch after batch of peanut brittle
Click to expand...
Buy the peanut brittle this year, or pay someone to make it for you
Do all your grocery shopping online
Do all your present shopping online
SIT down to wrap presents

Keep it simple wherever possible - there will be other Christmases.
I had a poorly Christmas in the past and modified everything to keep things less onerous. I was the one who wanted to feel guilty but I don't actaully think it made a scrap of difference!
I'd take a bet that having a happy and healthy Mum is going to be the best present. Explain it's going to be a little different this year and ask for their help. They'll probably like being involved. :angel:
 
Awe .. it is a hard decision but maybe your family's best Christmas present would be to have mom at her best for next year! Glad your THR recovery is going so well!
 
@OUCH!, yes, my date is in 3 days, with two other bonesmarters, we are surgery triplets! I am beyond excited. Still have to see one of the surgeons tomorrow for final OK, but otherwise, good-to-go.

That's wonderful news, about being cleared for everything. Beware, though, about ice skating. I fell hard on an elbow about 20 years ago, and cracked the bone. It was pretty awful. Haven't skated again, and will stick to non-slippery ground only forever!

Regarding getting your knee done and not being able to do much for Christmas, I saw your list of pros and cons. The pros seem to be awfully good to me - especially having your husband more available to help, not to mention saving a bunch of money. It may be good for your kids to learn that sometimes traditions have to be altered when conditions are not ideal, such as when someone is ill or recovering. You can make new traditions, ones that are easier to do, but no less fun or delicious. Perhaps you can spend time with your kids reading fun Christmas books with them, or playing games, or watching movies. Other people can make the food and goodies, or buy them in a store, or do the decorating, or buy and wrap the presents. The Christmas message is about more than what you are able to do or not!

I am struggling a bit with not being able to do much for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, due to my 8 weeks of a brace and 20 pound weight-bearing that starts on Oct 27. I am giving it up to the universe, and will enjoy the small things. I will make no cookies and bake no turkeys FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, but I am sure I will be well-fed and surrounded by love.

May you have peace with whatever decision you make.
 
@OUCH! - fantastic news on being discharged! You are making great progress and must be excited to have the worst of the hip recovery behind you! I'm impressed by how much you have been able to do so far.

Regarding your TKR and the timing I can see how difficult it may be to decide when to do that. I tend to agree with @Miss Muffet- she said it perfectly. The only thing I would add for additional consideration is to think about how your knee pain has limited your daily life (just like the hip) and ask yourself if you really want to live with that pain for a bit longer. Whatever you decide we will be here cheering you on and wishing you the best.


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@Miss Muffet store bough peanut brittle? Sacrilege :bawl::yikes: :wink

Its a bit of an art and tradition in my family passed down from my dad to my mom and then to me. That said, it gets really painful standing on a hard tile flow stirring batch after batch after batch. I was looking forward to doing it with only a painful knee, but maybe this year I'll give myself a pass. :)

We have had a few rough Christmases. 3 years ago, my mom was very ill. I dragged my whole family to her house 4 hours away did almost all the work to "make Christmas" up to her standards and was trying to take care of her. 2 years ago, she was in a nursing home. We took Thanksgiving to her in the nursing home, but had Christmas here and then went up to be with her the day after. Last year was our first Christmas after she passed. It was hard, but in many ways went really well. So, its been several years of "different" at Christmas, but maybe "different" is actually the norm.

@tamra, thanks for the encouragement. Maybe the best present I am giving my kids is that after taking care of everyone else for years, mom is finally giving herself permission to take care of herself. Also giving them the joy of giving and of helping with holiday prep. Also will allow them the time and space to identify what really matters to them.

@Krista, I am sooo excited for you. I can't wait to start reading your recovery thread. You have been such an inspiration. Thank you also for your encouragement. You may have really hit the nail on the head. By not trying to live up to my mom's standards, I can make some new traditions with my kids. Snuggling up on the cough watching our favorite christmas shows sounds pretty awesome to me. Some of my favorite THR post op memories are having my youngest join me in my recovery bed to read a new book he had just gotten. Honestly my boys are also getting old enough to do a lot of the prep themselves. You want Christmas cookies. Great! I'll come sit with you and supervise while you do the work. Maybe I'll start teaching them now how to make things like mashed potatoes. Or maybe just this once, I'll just buy frozen.

I hope you have family or loved ones near to surround you with love this holiday season. Honestly, seeing you not be in pain or at least in less pain is likely the best present you can give them.

Thanks @jaymo, don't get me wrong, I still have a long way to go, but it is nice that I can bend over and pet my dog now without worrying about doing damage. :). And you know, you are right, I accepted a lesser vacation that I would have liked because of my hip pain. I want to get this knee done and dusted sooner than later. I'm tired of having my life limited. I hope you are also doing well.

Oh @Krista I don't know if I ever will skate again. I will certainly not be strong enough to even think about it this winter. I was just surprised he gave me permission to do it at all. I accepted a long time ago that I will never down hill ski again. I have had enough broken bones in my life, I don't need to invite more. Then again I was never a very good skier. If my boys ever want to learn to ski, they will have to go with friends or join their school ski club like I did as a kid. :)

OK, enough time for ice and rest.
 
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