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THR Recovery post op 21st Nov.

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Its not easy Spid but I can manage to turn over on both sides now and keep the pillow between my legs. I can't stay on my operated side for long though as it's too uncomfortable, but it's a start. Spent yesterday out Christmas shopping with family and am exhausted today, so that's me winding down now to slob out over Christmas. The time will go fast Spid, especially with Christmas and New Year in between because it always does fly by! Hoping all my Bonesmartie friends have a fabulous time and remember that whatever presents you get under the tree, the best one you ever got was from an operating theatre near you! Godbless xx :merrychr:
 
Spid, I see that you regularly comment on my thread and those of many others...but somehow you seem to miss updating your own. Soooooo....how are things going for you? Where are you in your recovery? What amazing things are you now doing?

Inquiring minds want to know?

Tammy
 
Well since my last appointment with the physio about a week ago I've been using the walking stick. I was just thinking this morning that my recovery seems to have stalled a bit.

But then I took some Diclofenac for the first time in a few days and felt a lot better this afternoon. Done a fair bit of walking and then went to do some reading in my usual spot, in bed, and fell asleep for a quick hour! Trying to get out of the habit of naps but I guess it was needed today as my activity levels have increased.

So yeah, still limping if I try to walk without the stick but hopefully I can push on with the new exercises this week as I haven't been doing them as much so it's my fault for the lack of progress
 
Listen to what your body is telling you. As long as your daytime nap doesn't interfere with your night time sleeping, I would say you needed the extra rest.

I think at this point in our recoveries, it is a lot like watching a new home being built. At first it appears that rapid progress is made. That's because we can watch the foundation being poured, the framing goes up, the brick or block walls get built and then the roof goes on. Once the windows and doors are installed, the progress that we see seems to come to a screeching halt as all the work is now going on inside where we can't see it. However, one day out of the blue, the builder comes out and says it is all done!

I think right now I am working on the plumbing and electrical phase :)

Merry Christmas!
Tammy
 
Excellent analogy Tammy!

Gonna get on with some exercise today, see if I can do the leg lifts whilst on my side. Not optimistic...

Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas!
 
Very interesting observations, Damn! and Spid. I too have felt at times that my recovery had stalled. Looking back, between 9 weeks and 12 weeks, I had quit taking any ibuprofen, just wasn't haven't discomfort enough to warrant it, but that's when I noticed the stiff soreness on just starting to walk, and wondered if something had gone wrong. I hadn't noticed it before, probably because I was still taking ibuprofen once or twice a day most days. Now I'm not taking anything, and my hip feels normal, solid and strong and no pain. I hope I don't have any set-backs ahead.

I think there are two things here.
1. you get to feeling good, do too much, get sore and feel like you're stalled,and
2. you get to feeling good, quit or decrease your pain med, then feel aches and pains that had been masked, and feel like you're stalled.

This seems very obvious, now that I'm stating it, but it hasn't always been obvious to me when I'd get anxious.
 
Spid, speaking for myself, progress has not been a continuous and unimpeded graph of improvement. It has been two to ten steps forward, then one or two steps back. Some days still are less good than others, though overall my progress has been very positive. The trick is to look at how much progress you've made in the past week or so, and then to congratulate yourself on how far you've come. From what you've posted here, you have a lot to congratulate yourself about. Looking forward to reading more in the weeks to come.
 
Josephine sorry to bug you again, I just had a couple of questions. For the 6 week appointment in the UK what is standard procedure? An X-ray and quick consultation? If I'm not feeling any discomfort now is it likely that the X-ray will be fine? I just don't want anything to go wrong so I'm nervous already, sick of these precautions!

Also, do you know any good companies for travel insurance for post op travel for us hippies. I'm not getting ahead of myself but I just fancied going away with my friends in a couple of months for a 30th.
 
30th what? I thought your birthday wasn't until September? I've no idea about insurance companies, you'd just have to ring round and see what's on offer but I can't imagine your new hip would influence anything in that regard.

As for the appointment, nothing out of the way. You'll be seen by the registrar (though I don't think they're called that any more - I'm getting old!) and he will have you xrayed, ask you how you are doing, examine your hip function, and walking maybe, and tell you when you can stop your restriction - if he doesn't, ask. Then it will be "Goodbye Mr Jones, see you in 12 months!"
 
Is the new term SHO (senior house officer?). I think it'll still be the consultant because its at a private hospital. Also whenever I've had a orthopaedic appt I've always been seen him, even at the NHS hospital. Rheumatology, however, I used to get palmed off to the registrar or whatever it is now.

It's not my 30th, it's a good friend's. Planning on going away end of Feb if I can get the all clear. Hopefully should be ok as it's only going to be Europe somewhere.
 
Tried doing some side leg lifts, wow they really are hard. Could only manage a raise of couple of inches today, I look forward to seeing the improvement over the next couple of days.
 
Spid, it will definitely get easier. When I first got that exercise it was the hardest thing I'd tried and I could barely do three. Now I do 30 at a time with a 2.5lb ankle weight.
 
Oldyellr, you are putting me to shame with the side leg lifts. I am doing them with PT assistance in 3 sets of 10. By the third set, my leg is shaking and it is a real effort to lift it much at all. I'm so bad at it I make them let me take my shoe off first.
 
Happy new year all. Wishing you all a pain free and prosperous 2013.
 
So I'm finding getting strength back into my leg a bit of a slow process. I was thinking maybe getting an exercise bike would be a good idea? Would this help strengthen the abductor muscles?

Damn! You're our resident fitness expert, what do you think?
 
Walking, cycling, swimming are three of the best forms of exercise following a THR.. Is there somewhere you can try a bike out first for a few visits?
 
Don't think so but Amazon have a 30 day return policy even if it's used so I may give it a go.
 
That sounds like a wonderful idea Spid :)
 
Spid, while biking, cycling and swimming are all great forms of exercise, they won't target the abductor muscles. Specifically you are trying to strengthen the gluteus medius muscle. Clamshells and side lying leg lifts are still your best bet. If you can get to a gym, you might also try to use the abduction machine. It looks like this:


I tried one out this week for the first time. Did it with just the machine...no added weight. Squeezing in was pretty easy. Pushing out was another story.

Hope this helps. Google some exercises designed to strengthen the gluteus medius and modify to suit your needs.

Tammy
 
[Bonesmart.org] Recovery post op 21st Nov.
 
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