THR Rainbow Hippy on the other side!

[souldancer]

3rd day of recovery:

I definitely had a grace period with whatever they put into the incision area because I had
difficulty in using walker to the bathroom. More like shuffling than picking up leg up and using
upper body/shoulders more.

Last night I made it up the stairs (19 steps) slowly to get into bed and slept until I had more tramadol
to take, using walker to the bathroom was slow, long ordeal in the middle of the night.

Mostly I slept today, have a pounding headache from both the percocet and tramadaol. Just
took 2 ibuprofen to relieve. But thankfully I no longer feel like I'm sick on top of being
stiff and sore.

No pain when I'm lying down on bed, still difficult to move operated leg over to edge. Usually husband helps
me straighten and then bend so I can get on the walker. It's easier now to sit on the toilet and finally
had a small bm! I'll take any progress.

@Joydancer - have had husband measuring right thigh and the swelling is slowing coming down.

 

[souldancer]

All I can say right now, is that I'm having a hard time dealing with pain-even though it is
healing pain. I tried hard to get in shape for this and it's kicking my butt. I have had my husband
helping me a lot and don't know what I would have done without him. His work wants him
to come back friday, but he and I both believe that I cannot do without him yet.

 

[sunbunny]

Good thoughts and wishes for you. Hope you can get the pain under control and find the right mix of pain relievers. Kudos to you and your husband working together. On the lighter side when I had my first knee replacement I overheard my husband begging my daughter to just get me ready for bed before she left. It was the dreaded TED stockings and they were such a pill. Or maybe I was the pill. Anyways with the second knee, the nurse struggled and finally threw them in the corner and said you are done with them. All obstacles but you are strong and looking forward to your journey updates. My hip comes Friday and there had better be good at the end of the rainbow or the hipzilla is coming out. Hope this finds you smiling!

 

[sunbunny]

Not good but gold..dang auto correct!

 

[souldancer]

@sunbunny - good luck friday, the surgery itself goes by so quick. It's the recovery that's
quite the journey. I will be thinking of you and sending good energy

 

[sunbunny]

@souldancer thank you.

 

[Joydancer]

Souldancer, I'm concerned about you doing those 19 steps, I could stretch to do the set of 6 steps in PT Room that was Day 4 post-op in hospital. Day 5 I went home and I know 19 steps would have been impossible for me and still would be 2 wks post-op...

Is there a way for you to avoid doing those, staying on one floor....recliner or sleep sofa downstairs?

re: Tramadol = headache (are you taking on empty stomach, you might want to try taking it with food, yogurt, toast, applesauce)

re: Bathroom trips - pain level - during night

I set up bedside container for urinating during the night with soft-wipes and to not have pain & difficulty plus being half-awake...I'm so glad I did that...with those wake-ups and urinating with extra meds (pain-meds & drinking water to flush out anethesia/drugs from surgery out of my system.

That's great your hubby is able to be off work & be with ya....hoping it gets back to where that pain level is back to a "3" with your previous to your last post....and you know what...you had that before you did those 19 steps !!

Knowing things will improve and these days will be behind you with days and a bright colorful rainbow gracing your walking and in days ahead less and less pain !!

 

[souldancer]

4th day of Recovery

@Joydancer - Thanks for your concern.

I have to stop and pause a couple of times on the stairs but husband is behind me going up
and in front of me coming down. I have only been going up at night and coming down during the day,
which is do-able, no more pain then normal and it's been getting slightly easier. I figure this is my rehab
along with going to the bathroom since I drink so much water.

Last night I thought I could go 6 hrs without pain meds, but I kept waking up on the hour and falling
back asleep, but my hip joint was very achy and had to take 2 percocet at 6am. I also tried to turn
onto left hip but couldn't manage it and gave up. I am usually a back sleeper but since having hip
issues I would sleep on either side with a big body pillow.

But again, I feel like I have more control sitting down (not so uncomfortable) and moving around with
the walker. The OS said 1 week on walker then onto cane.

I think the surgery itself was slowing down my colon. I did a gentle colon massage to my abdomen and had 1 tablespoon of mik of magnesia. So have been eating more since I had a bm finally. I've been drinking kefir
which has lots of living acidophilus to restore the healthy bacteria back into my stomach. Antibiotics can sure
mess you up.

Still haven't sched any PT. Think I'll wait and see how I feel after this weekend.

Right thigh swelling continuing to come down, did lymphatic drainage on both thighs before I got
out of bed. Didn't ice overnight since that seemed to make me more more stiff so had an easier time
using walker to the bathroom.

I am feeling half way decent now, if my husband can pick up a shower stool.....we have an old fashioned
claw foot tub so hard to get my leg up and over into.

 

[narnybose]

@souldancer Hi glad you are done and on the other side I send you healing thoughts and hugs xx Mags

 

[webbie73]

You have a wonderful husband! My guy is pretty good but can not take anymore time off from work. He took so much time the last 6 months during his chemo treatments. I plan on going to a rehab center for a bout a week post op.

The shower transfer chair is a great aid. I did use one for the my first hip. It gave me the independence of a daily shower.

I hope the pain gets under control soon.

 

[souldancer]

@narnybose - thank you hugs always appreciated. Good luck with your upcoming surgery too!
Hope to see you posting about your rainbow hip. I am very happy I had it done and now I can
focus on the recovery aspect.

@webbie73 - I was a little worried how my husband would do but he has really stepped up to the
plate. He's kept a schedule for me on the painkilllers, gets ice, brings water and food, rubs my calves
and feet. Usually I am the provider so its been nice to see him in a different light.

All in all a good 4th day of recovery.

 

[Great Aunt Janet]

Congratulations @souldancer! Welcome to the April Rainbow Hippyies too!

And Especially on your clear-headed reporting - I would not have been able to write like that, I just know!
I took a little notebook in with me and scribbled away in it ... can't read a thing entered on day 1-2 !!!!

Awful to hear about the pain in post-op - could you remember it very clearly afterwards? I just remember waking u and feeling soooo comfy. Wore off quick! Sounds as though you are doing so well now though, and so quickly too. Hope your rests are deep and even.

 

[souldancer]

5th day of Recovery:

Able to pull myself over and onto my left non-operated side and sleep with body
pillow between legs. Did that twice and not long 20 min before going onto my back.
No need to rest coming down and up 19 steps. Through trail and error have figured out
what pain is tolerable (good healing) and what pain I need to take painkillers.

Percocet makes my mouth extremely dry, very sleepy, head pounding but takes the pain away.
Tramadol makes my eyes funny - double vision like, not as sleepy or dry mouth, head pounding and
lessens the pain. So I have added ibuprofen 800 mg (4 ea) to the mix during the day. That seems
to be working and my head is not pounding so.

 

[souldancer]

6th Day of Recovery:

Did my PT in bed (ankle pumps-20ea, quad stretches-20ea, butt squeezes-20ea). Made it much easier
to sit up and inch my right operated leg out and down off the bed. Stood up in walker and tried to
balance weight between left and right foot. I'm putting down about 40% of my weight on my right
operated leg, which is an improvement from 25% on day 5.

Husband didn't wake up when I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, so I'm
handling the walker well. No hesitation or resting coming down the 19 steps with the cane.

Last night the husband made me perfectly cooked pasta dinner. Very simple but excellent ingredients,
lots of roasted garlic, lemon, parsley, parmigiano-reggiano cheese. If only could have had a glass of
wine.... or martini....sooooooon

 

[Poppet]

Great update @souldancer - I thought you might like to get a snapshot of where you are in the process of healing.

The following is a link to an article which provides the current science regarding the healing beneath and around the implant and the medically acknowledged approximate timeframes for our bodies healing phases and processes.

Healing Phases & Nutrition

Nutrition plays a huge part in surgical recovery, in fact it is one of the 'forgotten topics' of recovery..

This second link is to other nutritional articles which you may find interesting, including one relating to bone health.

Nutritional advice for pre op and recovery

This third link refers to my ongoing research..

nutritional-snippets-did-you-know

 

[souldancer]

@Poppet - thanks so much for the articles. I have been having a friend also do home delivery
of vegan and organic food to take the pressure off husband. In fact, I could probably be
vegan but not husband so anyway I arranged to help my friend start her business and get my
body up and running before surgery and continue after surgery to help in the recovery process.

My body was so out of whack, my gums were pretty colorless, had low blood pressure in the
hospital, flushing, head pounding from painkillers, even had cold sores pop out on top and bottom of
lips.....used straight up sandalwood oil to get healed quickly...been taking kefir to restore the healthy
bacteria in stomach. My poor body !

Have you completely recovered from your fall?

 

[Poppet]

You are very welcome @souldancer - you have had a rough trot, however it will improve.

Thank you for enquiring about me - that is very nice of you x

I posted the results if my hip X-rays on my thread "Poppet survived a major fall" yesterday - feel free to visit me there

 

[hippy52]

Soul dancer thank you for sharing such a detailed account of your recovery. I have surgery on Monday and it's nice to see what to expect with each passing day. I'm sorry to hear that pain has been such an issue but it seems like you are doing a bit better on that front lately. I can't believe the 19 steps....very impressive. Was it nerve wracking the first few times? I hope that your DH can take more time off work if that is what you need. He sounds like he has been very helpful and quite the good 'nurse'. My DH is a bit nervous about being in the 'nurse' roll but I have faith in him and we'll do fine once we settle into a bit of a routine.

I am glad that you are doing well and hope for continued progress as your body gets used to it's brand new hip.

Jojo

 

[souldancer]

7th Day of Recovery:
Had a meltdown yesterday evening due to pain. Was grumpy, had queasy stomach from Milk of Magnesia,
and deep soreness/achyness in middle of butt - would try to stand/straighten and massage area. Front
of thigh pain not the usual stabbing peeling off muscle pain but deep inside... right...didn't you just get a huge
stake hammered into thigh bone!! aaahhhhh....long painful process up 19 steps - took my percocet and off
to bed. Felt like I had taken 2 steps back.

This morning, my attitude is better but the body is still in total control. Lots of stops and resting coming down
stairs. Both hands are sore from gripping the walker, plus top of one hand sore and bruised from the IV removal.
Deep pain in gluts still there but not as intense. I will be adding tramadol back into the pain cocktail mixture for
the afternoon and see if that continues to help.

My darling husband just finished rubbing my feet with clary sage and lavender oil aahhhhh

 

[souldancer]

@hippityhop Jojp, my thoughts and positive vibes for your big day Monday !

Soon you will be traveling the rainbow bridge and getting the gold

I too, believe your husband will be there all the way and a great nurse to boot !

My DH has proven his worth in helping me with the most intimate details, making me laugh,
assisting with the smallest movements and if he could take the pain for me instead he would.
This has been a great opportunity for us to reexamine our relationship and a new appreciation
for what we have.
Sending healing energy to you faith