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Out an on the other side of revision

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Danni, he's only days out of surgery yet - give the poor man a chance! :hehe:
 
Too all my well-wishers,
I'm a week out from surgery and doing pretty well (I think). I'm moving around pretty good, and I haven't had to take any pain medications since about Wednesday (11/10) after the surgery on 11/08.

I understand that the surgery was nearly three hours and my eyes dried out a bit, so I have been using eye drops over the last week to get lubricated. I've also felt some irritation sliding on the bed with about 30 staples in my rear (they really opened me up). As all of us THR or Revision patient do, I'm really looking forward the nurse clipping them out. The incision, as long as it is-about 12 inches, looks pretty good. But these seem like minor problems right now.

I'm moving around the house as much as I can now. I had to take an oath to use the walker and crutches up to 3 months to usure bone growth into the devise. That makes will take me up to a total of 15 months or so in the use of them (not counting the month or so I used them with the initial THR).

But when I was laying in recovery and the surgeon -did I say he was the one who orignially worked on both hips?- came in and told me what had gone wrong with the devise, I actually felt, I think, like a man who had been proven innocent of a crime of which he had been convicted and had served time for one and a half years. I'm inclined to be "happy" in recovery anyway, but it was a tremendous relief to know that I was right in my intuition. My layman and lame description of "grinding in the wheel-well of my pelvis" proved to be accurate.

So I go see the surgeon tomorrow. It would be great if they pulled the staples, but it may be too early. I'm really glad to be on the other side. I feel better right now (excepting cotending with the incision) than I did when I went in the hospital.

I know we have to take recovery as it comes. There may be problems around the bend. But I'm excited about what's happening so far.

I hope to ride a bike and swim again some. As for chasing squirrels in the woods, I'll have to let Pete :dogkiss: do that. But hopefully I can at least be there to watch him flush them out.

Thanks again to all of you for your concern and well wishes.

Jim
 
Jim, Glad to here things are going so well, although I can't imagine not taking any pain meds...

So, if I'm understanding you correctly, with all the searching that you did, you returned to the original OS for this surgery? Just curious as mine did the revision as well.

I've got a pretty good scar too after the revision. In fact I posted a 7 month picture this past weekend. Mine is on the side of my thigh though, not my backside...it too is about 12 inches long...

Hope your recovery continues to be smooth sailing...Best!
 
Hey Jimbo, thanks for the update. Sounds like you are well on your way there! Great stuff. Just keep on doing what you are doing. So glad you are on the other side of the pain!

Take care!
 
I am sooo pleased for you, Jim. So pleased. Now you're past your turning point and I bet that soon you'll be competing with Pete to get to those squirrels! :hehe:
 
Jim.....your post today brought such joy to my heart. Normally I would say it's a bad move to be back in the hands of the same surgeon who twice operated on the same hip, but in this case it seems to have done the trick for you. Just reading that you are basically without pain almost seems unbelievable to me after all you have been through. I'm sure it must seem like an absolute miracle to you.

I think you had better serve notice on those squirrels. They get this winter to romp and then watch out.....you and Pete will be on their tails!!!

God bless you, Jim! I do believe you've finally made it to recovery!
 
I am absolutely thrilled for you, Jim.

Has anyone done a 25-hydroxy vitamin D test for you? It's just done by drawing a little blood and sending it off to the lab. Your family practice doc or internal medicine doc will do it.....just give them a call. If your level is below 40, you should take 5,000 IU vitamin D per day, plus magnesium supplements and calcium rich foods. Unless you can go out in the sun with a lot of skin exposed, or go to tanning beds, you can't get enough vitamin D from the sun. Most of the United States is too far north to get enough this time of the year even if you could go out in the sun.

I hope you have a smooth recovery!
 
:agree: I enthusiastically agree with Pat's suggestion about Vitamin D levels.

Four years ago my hubby's internist at Mayo, Rochester, MN, after reviewing our 'supplements, without testing, strongly urged both of us to be sure to take at least 4000 I.U. of vitamin D-3 daily, specifically vitamin D-3.
 
Happy for you Jim!!!!!!!I agree with the D, I have stopped goingto the pool everyday and the first thing my blood test said was I needed D. Never would I have believed that if I hadn't experienced it myself!!
Best Best Best to your recovery. You have been through such hell I think and so patient!!! Yes you wern't loesing your mind..You hurt and you had a good reason. YourDoc should give you some freebies!!!!
It's so goodto hear good news on here especially everything you have been through!:jump::jump: Take it slow and easy now..no trips or falls!!!!!
 
Sunshine, Yes, everything seems to be on the upswing. My operated left hip/leg aleady feels stronger than it did before the surgery. So of course I am eyeing the cane or even thinking about taking some free fill-in steps, but I have taken a oath to use the walker and crutches for at least 6 weeks to allow for bone growth into the device . Whereas I am day dreaming about walking and using both hands freely after these 13 months, I need to trust that a careful recovery will come to that.

The fact that they didn't have to work with the prothesis into the femur has left me with less soreness down the bone than the first and second time around. They pulled about 30 staples out yesterday-Oh, blessed be!-and the sensitivity of the incision is dissipating fast.

I asked the radiologist-I got some good lookin' xrays yesterday too!-if the technology existed so to see a moving skeleton (and thus see loose screws and such in the hip) like I saw in an old Schwartsneger action movie. She said they could do it, but the radiation needed for it might wipe out a whole town. Well, actually I thought that after she described the how massive the dose would be.

And you're right-we all need to take it easy. It's the matra of recovery. We are all bionic people now, and even with our highlights (potential feats and such) and in the best of recoveries, we have to be sensitive in an even improved condition.

I have tremendous support around me. My wife deserves a medal for what she has done for me. Pete :dogkiss: has been very patient and cooperative through this long process. The support also includes comments, like yours, from members ofnthis site.
I hope that as I can stand to sit longer at this computer that I might be able to return some of that less-than-expert support.

Sunshine, thanks for your supportive reminder.
Jim
p.s. I'll talk to the sugeon about getting some freebies or at least trading xrays and such for baseball cards or something.
 
Jim,
How wonderful that you have reached this point! Best wishes for a continued and speedy recovery - your optimism has been awesome!!!
 
Pat, Now there is a great suggestion. I can go into my primary doctor (an internist) loaded with this request). Like I said earlier I'd like him to test my bone density in the affected areas.
Thanks a bunch, Jim
 
Junebug,
My frustration has also been a little awesome at times (Pete :dogkiss: gets anxious for me at those times), but I try to make a note of it , express it and move back to fiinding hope.
Now, if I can just find where I put my grabber....
Thanks, Jim
 
Jim....I know since you are feeling better the temptation is there to "push" just a little. But.....stay on your schedule! It's only a short period of time compared to all you've dealt with already. What's a few more weeks?

I sure like the sound of your posts now! More, more!!! It's just so great to hear that you're not in horrible pain!
 
Agree with Jamie Jimbo. Your posts sound SO much better. But please do be very "good" and follow the surgeons instructions. I know it has been a long haul for you but it's only a few more weeks and then you have the rest of your life to chase Pete while he chases the squirrels!
 
Jamie, Yes, I'll keep to the schedule to a large part because I am so greatful for the changes that have already occured. My left side is already much stronger than the day I went to the hospital. It's been a joy to move around on a more solid, less painful foundation even with walker and all. I sure don't want to mess things up now.
Thaks for your support, Jim
 
Jacey, I'll try to be "good". It's hard for a former traiathlete to hold back on pushing. I've never been too competitive (although I did win a triathlon at 60 before the hip problems became prominent), but I am inclined to disguise my pushing with words like "touring" (on a bike) or "taking a pre-soak in the pool before a shower" (swimming).
So yes I'll have to watch my thinking.

Fortunately, Pete :dogkiss: has another side beyond charging for squirrels. At home he can be a very big lounge lizzard. Like I said, he's about 50 in dog years and is just now thinking of retirement. So I can take some cues from him. The only thing I have seen him do for his hips is the infamous "dog pose", but my daughter (a yoga instructor) says that's not even a good idea for me right now.
Thaks so much for your supportive word of caution.
 
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