THR Pain popping out

[Giraffe44]

The problem is when you are at home resting, you've got all the time to sit and worry about things which you can easily become over obsessed about. For example my worry is everytime I do some sort of activity then I get a pain I think I've dislodged the implant or cup. I had irrational fears about pushing the stem further down my femur. Just folllow your surgeons advice. Dont let the worry delay your recovery.

You are so right. I am a worry wart anyway and this just gives me a wide range for my talents.

 

[Josephine]

The instructions are "one to two tablets by mouth every four to six hours as needed for pain."

So I trust you are taking two tablets every four hours at the moment? Because you need it.

 

[Giraffe44]

So I trust you are taking two tablets every four hours at the moment? Because you need it.

I'm working my way up. I've always avoided pain medication but I guess this is pretty different.

 

[Damn!]

!!!! Yes, please be sure to check the toilet lid first.

 

[Giraffe44]

I am so bored. I can't do the simplest things and I feel really sorry for myself. Poor me. Seriously, is this to be expected? It's not depression, just a frustration that things don't go faster than they do.
I'm grateful for this group--only we hippies know what it's like.

 

[Damn!]

Giraffe, please check the pre-op forum for the article on the Post Op Blues. What you are feeling is normal. Every one of us has been there in some form or fashion. It is very difficult to go from being able to do whatever you wanted whenever you wanted to having to ask someone to help with almost everything you do. I have had my share of tantrums from something as silly as not being able to carry my own cup of coffee out to the porch to dropping my hairbrush and having it slide under the bed where I couldn't reach it. It's hard, but it does get better. I promise.

I take it you are like some of the others on this forum...Type A personality???? If so, you are not alone. The rest of us want our bodies to HURRY UP and heal. We are not a patient patient. But we will get there!

Please keep your chin up and your fingers typing. We will be there!

Tammy

 

[PlanetJanet]

It's hard being patient and gracious and grateful all of the time. Throw in clumsy and lopsided and you have a meltdown just waiting to happen. Do you have some fine-motor-skill, sit-in-one-place thing you can do? I bead, so at least I can "accomplish " something that's actually tangible. Handwork of some sort? And last weekend I proved I was up to baking, even though it was tiring. We used live in Germany and one of my daughters' teachers used to say "children need success experiences " (which I promise sounds more sensible in German) and that's what we need, too, success experiences.

 

[Giraffe44]

I did have a breakthrough yesterday. I got dressed all my myself! Then I walked out to the living room and hubby said, "oh I thought we'd take a shower." Drat. I have to say showering together is one of the few positive side effects of all this. I wish I had a hobby like beading but I don't. I do have a blog about the movie star Robert Taylor so I've begun a new entry for that. Wish me luck--I'm seeing my surgeon for a check-up this afternoon.

 

[HippyShani]

I could not believe how often I had to go to the bathroom when I first got home. I would wake up and think, you have got to be kidding. Eventually you will sleep through the night but make SURE you drink plenty of fluids no matter how bad you don't want to get up in the middle of the night! Same advice on pain meds as above. A few times I waited to see how I would do without the pain meds. My leg seized up like a cramp and it was not fun. As for feeling like you will dislocate, I know you aren't alone. Its drilled into us to maintain restrictions so you think its just about to pop out at any moment. One of my first walks outside with PT on my walker I was trying to work on a follow through gait and I felt a "twinge". Scared the beetlejuice out of me! Lok to the site and I bet you will find someone else who is going through whatever you are going through. We all are on our own journey, but there are many similarities between us. Good hip to ya!

 

[Josephine]

I loved Robert Taylor when I was a kid! Or Spangler Arlington Brugh as he was born! I loved the idea of him being mediaeval English noblemen trying to twist his American accent around those ancient English phrases! So funny.

 

[Damn!]

Ok, I will say it: YOU GO GIRL!!!! Did no one else see that Giraffe has found a positive....showering WITH her husband. Way to stretch out the foreplay Giraffe. Not once have I thought about how much easier it would have been to have my husband jump in the shower with me and wash the hard to reach areas. Way to go!

 

[Giraffe44]

Well, I saw my surgeon yesterday and got a positive report. The wound is healing nicely and I don't need a dressing any more. They also took the stitches out of my leg. Apparently they stick a tube up inside the leg to measure to make sure your legs stay the same length--which they have. They x-ray tech said I was moving well for somebody only two weeks on. I don't have to go back for a month. All very encouraging although I'm very tired today from all the extra effort and walking.

 

[Damn!]

That's fantastic news Giraffe. I am so happy to hear that you are well on your way to a full recovery. Having the stiches taken out is a much celebrated milestone. Be sure to schedule some rest, ice and medication for yourself to compensate for your increase activity today.

Have a great weekend.

Tammy

 

[Josephine]

Jolly good! Keep taking the tablets!

 

[YoungGma]

Glad to hear things are improving!!!

 

[Giraffe44]

3 weeks now. My physical therapist says I'm ahead of where I should be at this point. The other night I had a funny experience. I got up to go to the bathroom (again!) and was half way back to the bedroom when I realized I didn't have the walker. I had to go back and get it. I've also done some walking with only a cane. I've actually used a cane for years off and on first because of a broken knee and then because of the deterioration of the hip. Mylene (PT lady) says I should continue using it the way I have been even though it's not "by the book." (It was the opposite knee.) The reason is because I'm more confident and walk much more strongly the way I'm used to. I'm graduating from home PT this week and will continue at the Winter Haven hospital outpatient facility.

I am taking my pills, Josephine. The more I do, the more it hurts. It feels like my hip has been replaced by a painful grapefruit. There's this sense of something foreign and inflexible. Nonetheless, I was able to feed the animals last night. They were grateful and so was hubby.

Someone wrote here about not being able to go to rehab when he wanted to. He was sent directly home from the hospital. I had the opposite experience. The surgeon discharged me to my home on Nov. 16. However, the hospital people said I had to go to rehab. We argued for hours and hours. They sent my husband home and finally, in the evening I gave up. They had grabbed my discharge papers out of my hands and said "you're not discharged." They sent me by ambulance to a horrible nursing home. They told me to lie to the ambulance men and say I couldn't walk so the insurance would pay. On the 18th a friend rescued me and I got home. It was terrifying. I'm filing complaints with everyone I can think of. When I told the surgeon last week he agreed that the hospital had no right to do this, it wasn't their decision to make. I'm still obsessing about it because it was so awful--I couldn't talk about it before.

I really appreciate all the comments you've made. Support is so important when you're going through something like this.

 

[HippyShani]

Glad to hear things are improving for you! I am at 5 weeks today and I must tell you I have probably more "pain" than I did in week 2. Primarily because I have gone back to work, started outpatient PT and increased my activity level. As some of these muscles wake up, they remind me they are there.I started laying on my unop side and boy did it feel like my hip was gonna pop right out! With a few days, the sensation is going away, but I can only stay on my side for about 20 min at a time. As you continue to use these muscles, you will feel them "awaken" and it can be painful. I am so sorry about your experience at the hospital, that sucks! I hope you get some resolve from that, I would be complaining too!

 

[DebB.]

Hi, Giraffe! My surgery isn't until tomorrow and I've already started to worry about popping the new hip out. Everyone's suggestion's to you seem very logical and I too am benefitting from them. Watch your threshold on your pain and stay ahead of it. I've been a hospital patient advocate for 22+ years and have received my share of complaints regarding pain control. In almost every situation it has been because the patient did not advise the nursing staff soon enough that they needed something. Once it gets out of control it is very difficult to get the pain back under control. Take the pain meds as directed...you won't get addicted if taking them as prescribed. Keep us posted on your progress...I'm right behind you, sister! Deb

 

[DebB.]

Giraffe - Just read your post about being forced to go to Rehab. I am horrified. You need to lodge a complaint with your State, Joint Commission, and Medicare. If they truly sent you without your consent then they broke the law and also ignored a number of the Patient's Rights. They will get a heavy fine when investigated and it sounds like the need a good lesson in how to treat and respect patients. Keep us posted.
-Deb-
Your friendly Professional Hospital Patient Advocate of 22+ years.

 

[Damn!]

Giraffe, look at you already leaving your assistive devices behind. That's great. Your body is already telling you that it is well on its way to a full recovery. Congrats!