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THR Psychteach is ready to move on to the other side

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Hey, Jen! Your hubby is helping because he wants to & you need it. It's not forever...!! This is part of the deal when you vow " in sickness and in health..." Be glad you're not alone through this process as so many are -- it really makes it easier. And speaking of help...

Since we're giving kudos to our spouses, allow me to throw in my own thanks & gratitude to my hubby of almost 49 years who has been there every step of the way -- literally! Bringing me stuff I needed in hospital & rehabs, food shopping & meal prep including goodies to cheer me up, finding & buying me makeup & other girlie unmentionables, finding solutions to problematic situations (like getting me over my front doorstep in the early days via a series of little mini-ramps he invented), assisting with first showers, walking practice, & exercises, tying my shoelaces, picking up stuff I dropped, dealing with walker & wheelchair transfers, doctor appointments, & providing emotional support during anxious moments, pity parties & just bad teary times. And through pretty much all of it he has been gracious & pleasant. He'd be a hard act to follow...
 
@psychteach I know how you feel. My husband has had to take over the reins at home. This has been bothering me too. I know that I will need to depend on him after surgery as well, but as mentioned this is only temporary. You keep rocking on!
 
Sounds like your going wonderfully well @psychteach - my hearty congratulations and I look forward to reading more about your continued recovery! Great stuff !!!!!!
In relation to spouses doing it all I have to send kudos to my wonderful wife who has been a saint since I have been off work last December. She still does everything for me including mowing the lawn even!
 
I'm single, so I haven't had a spouse around to help me out. I don't have any living parent or willing sibling, either. My two boys have been helpful - they're 14 and 19, so can do a lot (when they're in the mood!) and have been able to look after me a bit, rather then me looking after them. But most of all, I have been incredibly lucky to have a good friend who came to stay when I went into hospital (so that I didn't need to worry about the boys or the dog), and who stayed for just over two weeks. She has been home for 3 nights, but she is coming back tonight because one son is away and the other is working a 9 hour shift. I don't know what I would have done without her, and I am hugely grateful. :) One of the things I have had to learn during the past few months - because I became quite disabled before my op - is to accept help when it is offered. I'm not so good at asking for help, but I'm getting better. It's not easy, and as a long-time single parent, I am used to doing most things for myself and my kids. This process is a good lesson in humility. :)
 
Oops, pressed 'post' instead of 'return'! :blush:

@psychteach , I think it's normal to feel emotional and vulnerable, in the early weeks at least. Our bodies have been through a lot, and natural to need some outlet for all the stress and upset. Also, I think feeling fragile can be useful because it helps us limit ourselves, rather than rushing ahead doing too much. Tough, but useful! This too will pass! :)
 
Yes@VF ...what would I have done without you:)
Day 5: so yesterday nurse came and PT . Nurse filled all a million forms just to tell me I do not need a nurse( duh?) as my vitals were great . I am walking well.. No limp. I have swelling in my thigh and around knee that makes my knee hurt so bending it feel really tight while walking. Anybody have some above knee swelling? It is actually my thigh swelled but is around knee too. No swelling at all below knee. Slept through night ( 10:30- 8:00) with just a bathroom trip once during night. I had this weird little sore pain in back of heels in the middle of night. Like nerves coming alive. Overall for 5 days I am feeling confident. I have a long way to go but feel I am on target for this teacher to have some fun this summer:) for those who are ahead of me what is the time frame for anterior for walker to cane or nothing? I know all are different but curious to know when you moved from one to another. I have been doing PT exercises from hospital and PT starts next week.. Walking around house great. Today's lofty goal : get out side to sit in some fresh air and florida sun.)



LTHR Direct Anterior May 19, 2014
 
@FionaW . I think that is why it is harder for me to let others help and not be independent. I was a single mom since my kids were 2 and 3. ( now 21and 22) . I only married when they were already grown up and being a single parent is a huge thing. I give you credit for doing this surgery and also being a single parent!!! I went to graduate school , worked full time and ran to a hundred sporting events my kids were in all week long. I look back and wonder how I even did it. The key.. I had to be sure I did everything and did not slow down for a second .. Cause if I got a cold or anything.. All havoc would break loose!!! Lol. That mentality is what makes asking for help so difficult for me. Keep up the amazing work .. My hat goes out to you for what you are accomplishing:)


LTHR Direct Anterior May 19, 2014
 
@psychteach , are you icing and elevating? Sounds like you need to get that swelling under control. Ice is also a natural pain killer.

That heel pain drove me mad! Got so bad I developed a sore on my heel. Fold a towel lengthwise and put it under your leg lengthwise so it ends just before your heel. Raising that heel just a bit will ease that heel pain.
 
@Jaycey yes I am icing all day.. I found that I need to stick a pillow under leg for it to be really elevated on the recliner. The swelling is mostly by knee.. Above ..


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Yup, heel pain killed me, too! Developed a blister-thing that took ages to go away. Believe it comes from the added pressure on the heel from so much lying flat on back, at least for me. A rolled towel or a pillow under foot so that heel extends over it without touching bed or chair will help, like @Jaycey says.
 
@psychteach I also had pain and swelling in the knee of the operated leg. I assumed it was due to the twisting/torquing of prothesis placement during surgery. Elevating my leg and icing the knee, as well as my hip, helped tremendously and it cleared up after a few days. I didn't have any issues with heel pain, but I think I was saved that by all the trouble I was having sleeping on my back. Early on I took the recommendation here to put pillows under my knee, calf and foot - "layered" along the length of my leg rather than stacked - and that not only eased the swelling I was experiencing in my knee, ankle and foot, but it kept my heel off the bed. Whenever I'm on my back now I have the pillows elevating my leg. I also place a pillow next to my unoperated knee, so I can bend it and let it fall to the outside onto that pillow. Helps my back. Try both and see if it helps any with both knee and heel, and any soreness in your lower back as well.


2014May5 - RTHR Direct Lateral Approach
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Hey Psychteach, just checking in on how you are doing. I saw somewhere you said, 'and the pain is not near as bad as I imagined before surgery'. Yay. :)
I am back in the pool daily now, but my right leg hurts so bad I have to stop a day I guess. I hardly used my right leg at all, just kinda drag it behind doing breast striokes and it is doing this to me, really a bummer... But the good news is the surgical leg paddles and kicks and works with no pain, yay!!
 
@psychteach Glad you are coming along nicely.

My progression was stay on walker til first OS visit at 2 weeks. OS wanted to ensure any limp
was gone by keeping you as sound and structured as possible with walker.
Then, 2 weeks with cane; then nothing.

Pool opened today, but its only 73 degrees outside. Can't imagine how cold the water will be.... brrr
 
Brrr Major! That is a cold pool. I am a member of an indoor heated competition size pool even in Central Florida. I would think they would be easy to find the further north you go. I cannot tell you how good it feels to get in that pool after this surgery - hope you can find a warm one!
 
@MajorHeidi you are doing awesome:) I am figuring close to 2 weeks .. I will try cane mid week next week. I had a little fracture that my OS said will not affect recovery at all but I want to be really steady and sure.


LTHR Direct Anterior May 19, 2014
 
FionaW said:
I'm single, so I haven't had a spouse around to help me out.:)
Click to expand...
I am sure there are more of us like you, without 'significant others' to help for a variety of undisclosed reasons. :) My 20 yr. old daughter dropped a college class, ran the family business, pretty much moved in with me, and showed respect and love beyond anything I expected. Friends and family - we can never say too much in thanking them through times like these!! This too shall pass, how true FionaW...
 
@waterman1 you made me realize I also need to say thanks to the most amazing young man (21) a woman could have as a son. He was there with me in hospital all night and has checked in with me a couple times a day since . Always always been there for his mother and is my best best buddy ever:)


LTHR Direct Anterior May 19, 2014
 
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