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Rider1960, Dorothy, back home finally!!!! (the long version!)

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Dorothy!!!! So glad to hear that you're doing well. You were such a wonderful support to me during my pre-op phase and I'm glad to hear you're experiencing better things already on the other side.

It's so funny that you mention Animal Planet, as I spent a lot of time watching Animal Cops during the second or third day and also got a lovely visit from the hospital therapy dog! :biggrin: I am so glad you had such a supportive environment and I hope that you will be easy on yourself and not push so hard!
 
(((Dorothy))) I'm sorry you hit a down time - but as others have said - this happens to most of us. The absence of the preop pain plus the meds plus being able to actually DO things we haven't been able to do in a long while does make it seem like we are fully back to normal - but alas our bodies know differently. As Jo said you aren't the first and you won't be the last. It does sound like you've learned from the experience - slow and steady, patience, etc etc - that will help you progress at a good and consistent rate.

I know what you mean about missing the fur kids! I have 2 cats and missed them horribly when I was in hospital! And they had so much to tell me when I got home - but they are some of the best "medicine" we can have for encouragement to both do and not do! My cats are fascinated with my exercises (lol though doing some with a cat underfoot can be challenging) , follow me all over the house when I'm getting back to postponed activities, and also love to snuggle when I'm snoozing in my recliner. Last night as I was doing bridge exercises one of my cats (fortunately the smaller one) decided to "help" - she jumped onto my tummy and wanted to have a ride - ooffff! 16lbs of cat does not make that exercise easier! I had to shoo her off before I could continue through the set.

Despite the attack of fatigue it sounds like you are doing great! Just the fact you could get through all the activities you describe is amazing! :doggieshmooze:
 
After having just a couple of decent feeling hours in the morning, the severe fatigue continued through Sunday and it got me scared. I phoned the surgeon's office in the afternoon and talked with the on-call nurse. She didn't like the way I sounded on the phone--she said my fatigue seemed to be bordering on incoherency in my speech and thinking at times. She wanted me to go to the hospital ER or to a walk-in clinic (only places open on Sunday).

I went to the walk-in clinic and a friend's daughter who is a physician's assistant saw me. She is quite good, so I was glad she was on the schedule that day. She couldn't find anything obvious on exam and wanted me to have a bunch of blood tests and a urinalysis. I went over to the hospital lab and had all that done. I got a call later in the afternoon saying that everything came back normal.

I got a call from my surgeon's office this morning to follow up on yesterday's call. I explained all the fatigue, sleep problems, lack of concentration, etc. Since my walk in clinic visit I began thinking that maybe some of this is due to my having discontinued my estrogen replacement patch prior to surgery--I'm being thrown back into menopause ... combine that with the stress of surgery, and it makes sense to me that this may be why I feel so bad. I had a lot of these same symptoms after my hysterectomy until I started using the estrogen replacement patch. They are just worse now.

The nurse at the surgeon's office called me and said she thought that was something to consider and she would discuss this with the physician covering for my surgeon, who is away this week, and perhaps they will consider allowing me to start using my patch, which would be 2 weeks earlier than they had told me. I'm at almost 4 weeks post op now and they had told me to hold it for 6 weeks post op. I haven't heard back yet.

I think the sleep deprivation is the worst--since I backed off on the heavy duty pain meds round the clock, I have had trouble sleeping, even though I feel SO tired. I think THAT is causing most of the fatigue. I rarely sleep more than 5-6 hours per night and rarely nap during the day.

I just feel SO exhausted!!! I have been taking it easy today (relatively) and still feel so out of it! I can't remember things from one minute to the next. My body and brain just feel SO worn out.

I'll keep you posted.

Dorothy
 
Hi Dorothy,

Sorry you are so tired, then again this isn't unusual...you are not even at a month yet and after reading your posts you really are doing a lot of things which doesn't help with the healing part. I don't think not sleeping is unusual either, I was getting up every couple of hours for weeks. Its hard to relax if you have a lot of activity, playing with dogs, visitors and walking to see horses that's a lot so soon! I vaguely remember being wiped out either the 3rd or 4th week. Rest and relax do mindless lazy things like watching movies, tv and pretty much nothing im sure it will do your body good!

Be good to yourself.

xxooxx
 
Dorothy,

I know the moderarators tell us all the time how long we are healing for and how much it takes out of us....but I still find the reality of it shocking. I can't believe how easily I get wiped out...so join the club...and I mean that in a "club-like" way. We are the club of tired folks with new hips who will take a lot of months to get over it....

But we will,

Z
 
Z and Sarah, you are both absolutely right. I guess this is a huge wake up call for me about how my body has been sapped of its reserves from this surgery. Even though I can understand it in theory, it just seems odd for me to understand it because the hip itself is doing great ... that feels like it's getting stronger by the day ... but the rest of me is having the problems. It must be sucking the life out of the rest of my body to heal. I think I should have taken that "energy drain" thread of Jo's in the library more seriously.

I did take it easy yesterday with the exception of two short walks and a few moderate hip exercises. I took 75 mg of vistaril before bed and slept more than I have in several days and I awoke feeling pretty good.

Because I felt pretty good this morning, I was tempted to jump into the day and do a marathon run type day--like, "I'm all better now--I can zoom, zoom, zoom again," but luckily I caught myself and did some things, but made myself take it easy for the most part. I find lying down in bed (vs staying in my recliner) each afternoon to be especially restful, even if I don't fall asleep. I took a short walk outside a little while ago and I'm now feeling pretty fatigued. That's it--time to rest for the remainder of the evening.

It is truly amazing to me how energy-sapping this surgery and recovery have been for me. It took me by surprise! Maybe part of it is because I was feeling so painful and barely getting around for the last 6 months before the surgery. That had to have taken its toll on my body. I was trying to do a normal routine with a body that I had to literally drag along. Or, I'm simply not the tough Superwoman that I thought I was, lol.

I do think my lack of my estrogen replacement patch is contributing to some of my sleep and fatigue problems, but the weekend crash is looking more and more like I just simply wore myself out. BTW, they reached my surgeon who is out of the office this week to ask about restarting it before 6 weeks and he said NO until he sees me for my 6 week check, which is actually closer to 7 weeks by the calendar. I'll just have to deal with any additional problems from that ...

Dorothy
 
Dorothy-Im glad to hear you caught yourself and rested instead of pushed through the fatigue!! Your body still needs to be pampered some more:wink1:

Oh and Im sure you are the Superwoman you thought you were:thumb:
 
Dorothy, post a copy of that energy drain thread on your frig where you'll see it any time you're tempted to beging normal activity again so soon. You are still early in your recovery and your body DOES need all the rest you can give it!! You're going to feel much different a few weeks from now, so for the present....embrace the nap!!!
 
Lots of naps prescribed Dorothy! I am sure the procedure combined with being off your hormone therapy really zaps your energy. Easy does it for now. You will regain that stamina in time - not to worry!
 
You are all absolutely right! And, I've been much better about pushing myself. I feel really good today and was tempted to do a lot ... but I didn't! One load of laundry, one trip out to see the horses, one breakfast out, one short grocery store run, and that's about it.

The home physical therapist came today and told me that I am doing so great with the hip range of motion and strength--better than any patient she has worked with in a long time! :-) That made me feel really good. At least I'm doing something right! She discharged me today and doesn't think I will need any outpatient PT.

I can do all the easier hip exercises with ease. The tougher ones--I'm getting pretty good at the straight leg raise (almost to 90 degrees!!) and still working on the lying-on-my-side abduction exercises (leg goes up just a couple of inches without some help from me by pulling on my pantleg, but the range of motion abduction is coming along nicely--just need to strengthen the muscles). The PT said my surgeon's rehab protocol is quite aggressive, so she is amazed that I'm able to do as much as I can at this time.

I've noticed that my old back pain and my other hip still bother me quite a bit after I've been inactive for a while--first thing in the morning or after I have been sitting for a while. I may need to continue on pain medication just for those problems indefinitely. But, the operated hip feels SO much better than before. No comparison!

I'm taking ibuprofen 3 X day and taking one or two oxycodone per day, depending on how I'm feeling. It's mostly needed because of the other pain, not the operated hip. The hip still has a ways to go before it's really good, and I'm still on the hip restrictions, but it's really doing very well. I still need a cane to walk or I have a significant limp and would probably get sore pretty quickly. I walk a little room to room without it without the limp, but I could never leave the house without it.

Funny, that the hip has healed beautifully and without complication ... but my general body has shouted "UNCLE!" I guess so much of my energy went to the hip that there was little left for other things.

Dorothy
 
Dorothy, the energy-drain really is a shocker isn't it? Last week I was out of my house for longer than usual as I had some shopping to do. By the end of the trip I was ready for my bed. As you said, the hip may be shiny and new but the rest of you has to have a chance to catch up too. Keep resting when you need to and don't push unless you have to.

Great job on the PT :thumb:.
 
Hello Dorothy,

Rock star status on your PT congratulations! Promise to still take it easy especially when out and about, I vividly remember how quickly I would get tired then the clumsy part would kick in. What I've realized now at 12 weeks in those early days you might feel super strong, your bone is still healing. That's why all those restrictions and time frames are recommended. It only takes a split second for a boo-boo to happen. I'm tickled how well you are doing its brilliant news!

xxooxx
 
Hi Dorothy,
I found there were times particuliarly early on that I did overdo things. Sometimes now but less so. You will re adjust again once you've had plenty of rest and your energy will return. I vowed not to overdo it - until the next time. Most people are probably guilty of the same to some degree. You do seem to have an amazing energy so all this resting can't be easy. Trouble is taking it easy for a while is the task that will aid recovery. All this resting is too easy to be easy- but you can do it! Sounds like you are making fantastic progress.
:cat-kittyandsmiley:
Gizmo
 
Dorothy, the back and other hip pain will ease off with time. Everything is still adjusting to your new way of walking.

Congrats on the PT - you are a star!
 
You are so sweet and supportive. Thanks for everything.

I did go back to the church gym to walk today, after pushing myself there last week and having problems on the weekend. I vowed to be careful and rested every time I felt that I was pushing it. I left before I was tired.

The amazing thing to me is that the new (still recovering after just 4 weeks) doesn't hurt when I walk there, but the other hip starts hurting ... and THAT is what makes me need to stop. I don't notice it as much except at the gym--maybe I move a little faster when walking on such a smooth, safe surface with a few people around me cheering me on than out on the sidewalk or where-ever else I am because I don't worry about falling as much. That was something that really scared me at first--fear of falling or having someone else run into me. Nothing like that happened, but I was very anxious about that the first three weeks.

Gizmo--I don't know about a lot of energy ... maybe it's more stubbornness! I hate to give in. But, I've learned that this doesn't get me anywhere but feeling awful ... so I'm trying very hard to behave :-)

Thanks again for all your support!

Dorothy
 
I am so glad you are doing so well. It is easy to overdo it. So take it easy and let your body heal. Pretty soon spring willbe here and you can ride your horses.
What did your surgeon say on how long you have to wait before you can ride?
Mine said 12 weeks and then take it easy. I will ride my old 29 year old arab first. A lady in my Back Country Horsemen group had her surgery (different surgeon) a month ago and her surgeon said to wait six months. She has an uncemented hip, so don't know if that makes the difference. I know some people who rode after six weeks, but I think that is a bit soon. It is so easy to mess things up.
Keepon healing and resting Dorothy. We will all get there when our bodies are ready.
Bea
 
Bea, my surgeon said 12 weeks until riding. Mine is uncemented. I don't know, though, if I will be able to do so physically because I have significant arthritis and pain in the other hip.

At this point (4 weeks post op), the left abduction (leg out to the side) is still limited and I'm not able to get it out to the point I would need it to be to straddle my stocky QH mare. Of course, I lot can change and improve by the time I'm 12 weeks post op.

The last time I tried riding, the right hip and leg hurt almost as much as the left and had a problem getting the right leg over the horse's butt. My bet is that I will have to have the right hip replaced too before I will be able to comfortably ride.

I'm going to discuss this with my surgeon at the next follow up, but if I can afford to, I want to get the right replaced in July. By then, the new left hip should be strong enough to take over while the new right hip heals and I can just have both replaced and over with ... and then get on with the kind of life I want to lead!

2012 may be a wash for horse back riding, but at least I'll be headed in the right direction. I haven't been able to tolerate riding for almost 2 years anyway ... another year of waiting isn't going to kill me. My mare is very much in favor of this vacation too! :-)

Dorothy
 
Dorothy, I am in admiration of you. You are doing so very well. Keep up the good work!
 
My OS said six months before I could ride again. My LTHR was uncemented also. However, now the right hip is really starting to bother me and is scheduled for April. At this point, I might have to wait also......don't have the mobility to lift the right up and over.......
Dee
 
The mere thought makes me go
[Bonesmart.org] Rider1960, Dorothy, back home finally!!!! (the long version!)
 
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