Painless hip clunk: should I worry?

[debkakes]

Cleared for outpatient PT, will make appointment for next week. Very excited! Having said that, the exercises I have been getting from the in-home PT have whupped my butt. (Between that and miscalculating how long I can sit in a normal position, I am elevating and icing today.) I have read good reports of the PTs I plan to use. They have a non-chlorinated aqua therapy pool, which I will be thrilled to use once my suture is healed.

We are having a houseful of people visiting tomorrow (two couples, one with baby), plus two tenants moving into our downstairs flat next week, and I am not able to do squat to prepare. I HATE having visitors while my house is messy; my partner is a lot more laissez faire than I am. Fortunately these are very good friends and will not even notice. Also fortunately, I have housecleaners coming on Monday who can help tidy up for our tenants. Giving up control over these things is REALLY hard for me, but I am fully grateful that I have some help.

I have a favor to ask of an admin on this page -- could you add this recovery thread to my signature? I cannot seem to capture the URL to make a link. Or tell me how to do it, that works too

 

[beachgal]

If you think your inhouse PT folks are kicking butt, wait until you get to the facility. There are little trolls everywhere just looking for weak muscles and such to prod! No, seriously, it really helped my recovery tremendously on a couple of levels. One, it made me have to get up and get dressed to ride in a car and amble in with walker /cane. Two, it helped build my confidence that I could handle more exercise and get some expertise from an unbiased individual on my status.

Your guests will likely leave your home better than they found it if they are truly good friends. In any case, you will enjoy seeing new faces and so will your sweetie.

Keep on doing your rehab at home. You're doing great! You got this!!


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[debkakes]

Thanks, beachgal! I have the blessing of incomplete memories from my first THR. I know it'll be tough and most of all will get me back on my bike and on the hiking trails!

 

[dede62]

@debkakes sounds like you are doing so well the 2nd time around! I was a few months behind you after your first surgery, and hope to be quite a few more after your 2nd!!!

You've got the "inner rule follower" thing going on in the back of your mind - remembering to set the alarm for pain meds and keeping ahead of it, deciding not to go further on a walk, knowing you'd pay the price if you push too hard or too fast, ice and elevate (mantra, mantra, mantra). It's good to let others take on the things that are bugging us (like the prep for visitors and "cleaning" for your new tennants). This is your time to rest and heal. I'm so proud of you!

To update your thread in the signature, I find that this is easier to do this in Word then copy to your signature page. First go to the first page of your thread and copy the URL at the top of the page. Then go to Word and paste the URL. If you right click on the URL, go to edit hyperlink. You can change the text at the top of the Edit Hyperlink screen to your new description and then save it. Then, copy the new hyperlink from Word and go to your profile page (top of Bonesmart) and go to Signature. Paste the URL (from Word) in your signature where you want it and then save your changes.

 

[Poppet]

Why hello @dede62 - my favorite inner rule follower warrior - I miss our pleasant times spent on by gosh's porch..

 

[debkakes]

Thanks, dede62! I will get on my big girl computer this afternoon (iPad mini is nice but doesn't have easy functionality) and do some copying and pasting. Thanks for the words of encouragement, too!!

This weekend went beautifully. Our guests were perfect, I sat up for long periods, but headed to my recliner when I got uncomfy. It was great to get out for breakfast at our favorite Santa Cruz joint, and ran into my walking partner and her little family -- now am motivated to go for longer walks, as long as she can be patient with my lack of speed and distance.

My incredible partner got the room painted and loft bed assembled for our new tenant, who is thrilled! He also cleaned and vacuumed the room. He has really taken up the slack, and even if the house is messier than I would like (because I care about certain things more than he does), I really cannot complain. Our monthly house cleaners will be here today to do the heavy stuff. I have been doing a lot of lighter duties like laundry, picking up surfaces, and keeping the clutter at bay as much as possible.

I cleaned up the "nest" around my recliner today. I no longer need my grabber or my leg lifter, but the sock-putter-onner stays.

Milestone: completely off the oxycodone, using tramadol for all pain relief. I noticed in my 2012 recovery thread I was still using oxy after 6 weeks. I am NOT depriving myself of pain relief -- but I am very happy to be away from the opioid after so short a time. I am thrilled almost to tears that this recovery is going so much better than my first, so far. Now I have to really get my PT going, and make sure I don't get any nasty adhesions in my scar tissue.

 

[debkakes]

Question: My staples were removed last Wednesday and the surgical site is healing well. HOWEVER, my skin is quite hard around the suture. My PT told me to gently massage around the suture site (not directly on) to prevent adhesion (I had a real problem with that last surgery). Is there anything else I can be doing, and is there such a thing as too much massaging? Will icing and elevation help this, or is that just a whole different thing? I have heard such hardness can be attributed to fluid around the site....

 

[Jaycey]

@debkakes , I would not do anything around your incision. Icing may help. But massaging is just going to irritate the soft tissues that are healing. Let's see what @Josephine advises.

 

[Josephine]

HOWEVER, my skin is quite hard around the suture. My PT told me to gently massage around the suture site (not directly on) to prevent adhesion (I had a real problem with that last surgery).

Well it has to be! You have a wound under there the size of the Grand Canyon! This is good scar tissue that you need to keep that wound closed and heal securely. Don't confuse this with adhesions which are totally different thing.

is there such a thing as too much massaging?

Yes there is. As Jaycey said, it can cause inflammation.

I have heard such hardness can be attributed to fluid around the site..

Whoever told you that priceless bit of nonsense! I love these silly ideas of logic, invariably from peopkle who don't even know the anatomy of the skin!

Sorry this is not aimed at you debkakes. It's aimed at the old wives who create these priceless myths!

 

[debkakes]

Thanks, I don't take it amiss, Jo. I had some very painful adhesion last surgery, and I just want to be cautious this time. I know the body mostly knows what to do all by itself. I am grateful for the way my suture is healing up, the human body is a beautiful thing! So many milestones every day. My abductor stretches are showing improvement from just a couple of days ago. I am moving a little bit without assistance, carefully. And I start out-patient PT next week. I am still uncomfortable laying on my surgery side -- so I'lll continue to sleep on my back for a while.

 

[Jaycey]

Still early days for sleeping on that op side @debkakes - but it will come. Try the other side with a pillow between your legs.

 

[muckingabout]

@debkakes I'm 4 weeks in and have been cleared for sleeping on my op side or non op with pillow from day one but I still find either side very uncomfortable and can't do it.

 

[debkakes]

Took a really nice 3/4 mile walk today using my cane. Was a little pooped, for sure, esp. with a session of PT right after. Took a nap, my first one in days (I have been resting, but not napping). I'm going to try driving this weekend, I think I am ready for short trips out (romantic walks on the beach with myself). Being able to drive myself to PT will be a weight off my partner. And more fun for me!

 

[Jaycey]

Some great milestones @debkakes ! Well done!

 

[Carriemay60]

@debkakes Quite the walk! Your recovery is going very well it seems. Gaining some independence through driving will be wonderful ~ I can hardly wait for that day! Be careful about walking in the sand though; I saw a woman here recently that did a bit of that and paid a real price for it.

 

[debkakes]

@debkakes Be careful about walking in the sand though; I saw a woman here recently that did a bit of that and paid a real price for it.

Thanks for the advice, Carriemay! I will bring a little chair to sit upon (since I cannot get down to the ground and back up again without pain and/or high comedy) and just enjoy the ocean from a comfy place near the parking lot!

So at 3 week anniversary and beginning my fourth week of recovery. Discovered one thing last night, I am not quite ready for OTC pain relief. Need to keep with Tramadol, especially at night. I did a little driving yesterday, and feel I am ready for short trips. PT exercises definitely making me stronger, but I am worried about my surgical site scarring: it is super hard, and I feel a fair amount of muscle discomfort in the vicinity. My PT showed me some gentle massage techniques and recommended I do that regularly. I had some serious adhesion with my LTHR scar, and it did retard my recovery a bit. Would sure like to avoid it this time. But I know Jo recommended not bothering the area too much: I have my first out-patient PT session on Wednesday, and I will do whatever he says!

I am doing a lot of light to heavy housecleaning, laundry and kitty litter cleaning and sweeping. But at four weeks, I know I am still very much in healing mode and need to still honor rest, icing, and elevation. At this point, a great deal of patience is required, as the speedy improvements I have enjoyed thus far start to slow down and are much more incremental. I know this from last time, and from much advice from other hippies. It is still difficult! For now, I will enjoy a beautiful day in Santa Cruz, the promise of a nice walk, a little shopping, and some time with my flowers out on the deck.

 

[muckingabout]

@debkakes, I was just thinking today that I would like to try walking across the grass to see how it goes. It was so outlandishly painful pre-op that I'm dying to try it out.

 

[beachgal]

@debkakes, be careful with your driving if you are still taking pain meds. That usually is the reason the OS won't allow it if you're still needing narcotics for pain. Just be safe.

Yes, to be able to walk on grass or sand or even up a little hill would be so encouraging. It's overcast here today which is keeping our temps a bit lower which makes for a more pleasant walk. Enjoy your day! Four weeks out was heaven for me!!


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[dede62]

@debkakes sounds like you are moving right along. Try not to dwell too much on the "last time" an the adhesions and focus on this time. You've already been keyed into how you are feeling and making the necessary adjustments. I got the OK to sleep on my side after my 2 week check with the PA, but it was a week or more later before I could spend any time on that side; being a side sleeper by nature, it sure did feel good when I could mix it up a little. You're in a great part of the country for a recovery, so that's a bonus! Just be careful with the driving not only the meds, but your reaction time since it's your right leg.

@Poppet so glad to hear from you!! I do miss our discussions across the warrior threads! We had some of the best online times to help us all get through our healing together. Thanks for all your encouragement, as we've all done quite well!! Did you hear Tammy had the other side done? I think it was about three months ago (ish). p.s. when is the big day (or have I missed it???)?

 

[debkakes]

Ooops, I guess it's been a while since I posted my progress! 6 weeks today I returned home from the hospital.

1. Mostly walking around the house without assistance. Have to watch my gait constantly, though, to keep from dipping to one side.
2. PT progressing really well. Land and aqua, with plenty of work on my tight muscles and scar tissue.
3. Cleared for swimming! Heading to the pool tomorrow.
4. Still having some pain side-sleeping. Nighttime pain most annoying, it is the only Oxycodone I take.
5. Almost 100% off of daytime painkillers, except right after PT. Muscle pain is annoying, and I've been cleared to take ibuprofen, so I may try that.
6. Still icing a couple times a day after doing my home PT.
7. 6-week consult with surgeon went great. He said "See you in a year." Joy!
8. Walking 2 miles regularly (I use my cane on those outings). Driving still uncomfortable, so I just drive around town, no more than 20 minutes or so at a time.
9. Feeling FANTASTIC for the most part. Still get a bit pooped after those walks and PT. Must call on my patience a lot, since improvements are slower and more subtle at this point on.
10. Took my first bubble bath in 6 weeks last night. Not particularly graceful getting into and out of the tub, but I did it!