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THR Relieved and excited!

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I totally agree....those of us that can afford to have the time off either in leave or in terms of loss of income are very lucky. We shouldn't judge anyone for taking too little or too much time off. We all do what we have to do

Xxxx
 
doggievet said:
@rider1960

I think the hardest thing right now is that about 4 hours after I fall asleep at night, I wake up terribly uncomfortable and toss and turn for at least an hour. It's just so hard sleeping on my back! I've propped up legs and stuffed pillows on both sides and underneath, but can't wait to be on my side again. The PT/OT guys did say I could side sleep, but worried even with pillows stuffed that I'll slip and hurt myself anyway. So my poor hubby has to get up to get me fresh ice packs and then I can go back to sleep after a bit.
Click to expand...

The 4 hour sleep... this I can relate to also lol.
My internal clock is set for 4,15am it seems, irrespective of when I crash.
The next hour is spent wide awake, like you, with the rest of the night fitful.
We are not the only ones, I'm sure!
 
The 4 hour sleep does seem to be common .... My first guess would meds wearing off but mine is 24 hour one. I've pretty much eliminated day time naps tho I get really tired mid day but if I take one I can't sleep thru night. Without naps at least I sleep the 4-5 hours. Hoping it continues to stretch It now that first post op visit was good I'll stop "night terrors"


Sheryl from Pittsburgh
LTHR on 4/2/2014
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart®
 
4:00am is the witching hour for me, too!


Debbie
LTHR 3/20/14
Posterior-lateral approach
 
@Me2 -- I'm with you...no naps and just 24hr meloxicam (I keep wanting to type metcam because it's the same drug we use on dogs and cats & my own 13 yr old collie takes it too!). I figured out that when my ice pack finally warms up, that's what wakes me. But the last 2 nights were a little more solid for sleeping. And excited for tonight--finally got to ditch those stupid leg pumps that prevent clots. Well, I guess they're not stupid since they helped me avoid blood thinners, but still can't wait to sleep with my calves not confined! I really think it'll be a blessing when I'm sleeping on my side though. How long has it taken everyone? Is there a magical marker point? You're about a week further than I am...hopefully it keeps getting better!

Yesterday I took off all my steri-strips and got to see my ugly scar. time for Mederma I guess. I had no idea it would feel weird...first scar for me. Strange how the feeling is different for about an inch surrounding it. I hope that changes as well.

I've also been excited that I ditched the walker a few days ago and have been using only 1 crutch. Today I dashed across the room after something (was either the puppy or the 3 year old, can't remember!) and then realized mid-room that I was wobbly and hopped back for the crutch. Good thing I didn't crash! The 7 year old appeared and asked me what the racket was. Geesh.

I have one week left until I'm back to seeing patients on the van. I hope I can keep with small kitties and table-top small dogs for awhile, but I know I've got 2 rotties scheduled in May who think I'm their play toy. Might have to round up some extra friends and lots of treats to get them to behave!
 
I wish my doc had prescribed the leg pumps rather than blood thinner -- the stomach injections for two weeks caused my 14 x more pain than the whole surgery! The injections I could do but "7" pain for ten fifteen minutes after. They used the leg pumps in hospital and felt great!
The first night of no restrictions, I woke every time I moved. Second night and last night, I woke up only enough to snuggle in realizing how comfortable anything is if not on my back. :sleeep:
I chased after my cane so many times -- it was a relief when doctor said I didn't need to use it anymore than I felt like. Every once in a while I'll use it. It is good to be back at work --- I was worried about all my little one bumping or otherwise jumping on me . . . little children like your little/big critters are not always gentle. I noticed a huge difference it my wariness and "protecting moves" last week at Day 14-16 and today at Day 19. Even the tenderness of the incision area is greatly improved.
My scar is greatly improved also --- some areas seem to be quickly disappearing. That "different feeling" an inch or so around is greatly reduced too.
 
Wow, is there that much of a difference between day 14 & day 19! That'd be great! I completely understand about the "protective" movements and find myself still doing them. My 3 year old keeps asking which leg he can sit on ("Is this the broken one mommy?"). Soon he can choose either and I can't wait! For now, I have had to chase him across the room when he steals my crutch. I'm slow, but finding more stability as the minutes eek on. And surprisingly, I did manage to shave my legs last night. I was quite proud, but think I'll pass another few days...it was exhausting trying not to break the 90 degree rule and accomplish the task!

I only just managed to sleep on my non-surgical side last night for part of the night and ended up on my back after I woke up at the witching hour of about 4am...starting to think I should blame my husband's snoring or my sheltie moving across the bed to get more comfy!

Question about scars, since this is my first...has anyone had an acute, stabbing/burning pain that is very concentrated and lasts only a few seconds, then disappears? Today this just started and it's random and driving me nuts. Well, that and the itching. Assuming it's just healing, but my dog & cat patients can't tell me about it!
 
Lol on the stealing of the cane -- I am preschool teacher and have one little one who every time I forgot my cane would find it and bring it to me! He didn't always give it to me but at least it was within reach. I am able to hold the littler ones on either leg this week (Day 20). I still guide the 3-4 year old to non-surgical.
What is it about 4 a.m.? :bored:
For the first week of surgery, I had an acute. . . pain perpendicular to incision lasting only first few steps -- surgeon said could be from where cut was made to bone? Itching is still crazy but comes and goes.
 
I've been using a single crutch and decided to try my mom's "hurry-cane" but it didn't feel as stable to me--it breaks down into 3 pieces. So keeping with the crutch and may go can shopping this weekend.

The stabbing pain has gone, but the itching continues, sigh. @Me2, I wonder if the perpendicular pain you had was from where they placed the surgical retractors. I was thinking, from where my pains were, that could be the cause as well--right where I would've placed them to get a better surgical field.

Sleeping has definitely improved since I'm on my side, but still can't sleep on surgical side yet. I would've made it through the whole night last night except the 3 yr old came down scared. If it's not one thing, it's something else!

I'm going to rest up this weekend and then it's back to work for me on Monday. Trying to keep it light--only 2 to 3 visits per day, cats & small dogs only.

Almost forgot--another question about walking around. I made it nearly 2 years before the surgery and had this awesome limp going on. Well, now the bone-on-bone pain is gone, but I'm still limping. I'm assuming this is all muscle loss/wasting and should improve with time and re-learning to walk & stand properly. Has anyone else experienced this? And at what point did you start re-walking slowly on a treadmill (so not going to run--never was a runner unless I was being chased!).
 
From all the YouTube videos I watched, I was thinking that, too, but it didn't really last long enough to overly worry about - only first few steps and first few days.

I really had to just focus on not limping. The PT pointed out to me the third/last day in hospital that I didn't need to limp anymore and to just focus on walking with toes straight, even steps and look up. Haha! Only. . .. but for me it was just that and my limp was quite awesome, too.

I'm going to go to outpatient therapy for first time on Monday and see what they offer. I'm not big treadmill fan - I walk all day long - I need something to strengthen my "squatting" - for picking things/small children (and for you small animals?) up off of ground. That's something I gave up long ago. I blame some of my back issues on not being able to squat down to lift anything -- or just to squat down to be down with the children. Do you go to the animals or do they come to your office? What are you envisioning for working with/lifting your little ones?

We have 50-60 year old vet that comes to work with our horses -- she's really one tough cookie! Usually one of my sons help her when she comes to the barn, but she is amazing.
 
@Me2 you are totally right about the squatting/bending down for little kiddos and animals! I was feeling so good today that I squatted down to pet my senior collie and then almost couldn't get back up! I have zero muscle strength in that leg. I'm assuming that my doc will call for PT after my recheck in mid-May. Until then, I'll work on some PT at home and my treadmill, which I actually don't mind because I can zoom into my favorite TV shows (2 birds with one stone in a way).

I did pick up my 3 year old today and had him on my opposite hip for about a minute, then had to put him down. Going to have to do baby steps for sure. With the cats & dogs, I have a technician who rides along with me. We see cats and small dogs (40 lbs or less) on the lift table and big dogs I usually see on the floor (or sometimes they end up on the client's chair or my front seats of the van!). I have a 26' custom mobile unit that I drive around to clients' houses, so it literally is a clinic on wheels. I can do surgery on board as well, though probably will hold off on that for awhile as that's a lot of standing. I haven't done any large animal medicine since vet school...decided at that time that my body wouldn't allow it, plus I didn't enjoy pulling calves at 3 am (even tough I really love farm animals)! You definitely need to be a tough cookie for large animal medicine.

Overall, things are improving very quickly--you were right about the leaps & bounds by day 20. Haven't even used a cane or crutch for 2 days (though my boys keep chasing me with them, just in case mommy needs them!). Tonight we went out for dinner and my husband remarked that I'm walking better now than I was before the surgery--so definitely doing great!
 
Your clinic on wheels sounds awesome!

After I read Claire's restrictions of not over 50 pounds, I started experimenting a little. My instructions from hospital where nothing "heavy" so I was figuring 20. But I did a little more holding my 20+ babies towards the end of last week and felt fine with it. I justified too that had I not lost 35 pounds just before surgery I would still be carrying around more than 20 pounds that the kids weigh.

Are you back to work this week. Hope all goes well


Sheryl from Pittsburgh
LTHR on 4/2/2014
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart®
 
Wow that's great--35 lbs lost! I need to do that as well, sigh. Actually, shouldn't sigh--that's another reason I did the hip, so that I could actually exercise! So hoping to get that extra weight off asap. I generally don't lift things over 25 lbs anyway and dogs over 40 lbs don't feel safe on table tops. I do have a lift table that goes down to the floor so I can get a 100 lb dog up if I need to do surgery. But I'm going to hold off that for awhile.

Starting up limited appointments today, 2 cats and a very sissy-sweet Golden who sits in his mom's lap. That being said, I tossed and turned all night because my mid-femoral shaft area is aching. I think I really over did it this weekend. I am counting the minutes until I can take my meloxicam...have to make it to noon. Definitely going to play up the leg today and not doing anything unless I have to. Of course, my husband and older son are down for the count today with stomach bugs. So it's going to be a looooong day!
 
Sounds like a good morning -- this is actually my first real full day almost by myself all day. My assistant is back to her normal 10-2 work week. She mostly does back up -- clean up after meals and messy projects, bottles for babies, supervision for play time but she has been extraordinarily fantastic taking over the days I was in hospital and first two weeks of recovery so I could rest when I needed to and not be picking up my wee ones. I didn't close at all. When first diagnosed, I absolutely could not have imagined recovery time would go down so drastically in such short time. Back then, I knew several who actually did close to do knee or hip replacements and never re-opened.

I do feel so much better with being back to work fully now. Dancing with the kids, playing in the yard, and having them share the PT marching with me!

We have a sissy sweet 100 pound Zeus who is blue tick coon hound, mastiff and lab . He is a big baby who sits on my son, his dad's lap to see the vet . . . and whimpers and shakes. Good day for you to be working and staying away from hubby and son -- hopefully they will take good care of each other!
 
Hi @doggievet I'm so glad to find you doing so well....I feel awful that some how your thread fell off my radar!!!

Your van sounds awesome. How do you do surgery in the van???? As a vet nurse that sounds fascinating.

I hope work went well this week

@Me2 you have done so well to juggle your recovery with your work and not close your doors...well done
 
Thank you -- good part of recovery -- the children's families have all been wonderful
 
@Me2 I really wish there was a daycare like yours nearby! I have to use the commercial ones, sigh. I think it's amazing that we're both getting up and around so soon.

@Vetgirl I'm pretty sure that you have more than enough going on than to worry about posting. Holy moly, when I read your threads and see your other comments, whew, that's a lot to be handling. No worries! I'm actually worrying about the vet student getting her hip done in June (can't remember what her tag was), but hope that goes well too.

As for me, today was better than yesterday. I over did it a bit yesterday. I crawled home around 6:45pm and my husband commented, "Wasn't this supposed to be a short day?" Yep, but I got stuck in traffic and the last client said, "While you're here, can you also see our other cat?" Sure, why not. And I had the kids with me too. So that was just exhausting. Sad thing is, my right hip was hurting a little. GRR. I know the right hip will need replacing within the next 1 to 5 years. Starting to think I should've had 'em done at the same time.

@Vetgirl, forgot to answer the surgery question. I have a fully stocked 26' mobile unit built by LaBoit. It has an isoflurane anesthesia machine on board and I added a forced-warm-air patient warming system as well. I have a fridge with propofol and other meds as well. And all the IV caths/fluids/meds/etc you could want. You can see a tour on my website that my husband built: www.HealthyPetMobileVet.com And if you ever come to the USA to the DC area, glad to show you around!
 
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