THR RinTinTin Recovery Thread

[RinTinTin]

Uhm, are you ignoring us? seriously, I know you aren't but would love to hear how you are doing this week.
Are you seeing some improvement in the healing of the new hip? I'm sorry you have to wait until December for the other surgery. sigh.
Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

Hi @CricketHip and @Layla... not ignoring you... thanks for thinking of me and asking for an update.
My operated hip is healing well. I firmly believe it would be much better if it wasn't for the other one which is getting worse by the day. I had to even reduce my daily walks because of it as I am having hard time to bear weight on it even using the walker. Hopefully it will hold until Dec 3rd. I got a call from my OS office today - my new surgical journey booklet is waiting for me. Soon I'll need to go to all the consults and pre-operative assessments again. So looking forward to this.

 

[CricketHip]

Aww, RinTT. I hate that you have to wait and endure. At least that extra time will help your new hip gain strength for the second recovery. I can't wait until it's completed and you are healing up for good!
I hope you have a great weekend..

 

[ceezee]

I just had two hip replacements within 2 1/2 months and i feel it’s important to get the just operated on leg as strong as possible before the second surgery after which it will get quite the work out supporting the newly operated upon leg.

Soon it’ll be all over and you can concentrate on getting everything better. Hang in there.

 

[RinTinTin]

I just had two hip replacements within 2 1/2 months and i feel it’s important to get the just operated on leg as strong as possible before the second surgery after which it will get quite the work out supporting the newly operated upon leg.

Soon it’ll be all over and you can concentrate on getting everything better. Hang in there.

Thanks @ceezee
I am trying my best to strengthen my operated leg. I am doing few PT exercises which are designed to do exactly that... like stepping up the stair with the operated leg first then stepping down with the "good one" first... then do the same but sideways. My operated leg is getting stronger but the non operated is weak and making noises and sometimes I am afraid it will not hold my weight.
It's tough but I am determined to succeed.

 

[Mojo333]

You are doing very well my friend especially with a wonky hip ready to get with the program.
Glad you are sharing your wisdom with others and hope the next month flies by.
Hope you're weekend is sweet.

 

[Layla]

Ugh! I can't even imagine. You're working toward making one leg whole while hoping the other will hold out another four weeks. I'll bet you feel like you're limping to a finish line. Just think how good you'll be feeling by the time we're ringing in 2020. Righty will be almost four months along and free of supporting Limpy Lefty. Lefty will have a month of healing in and I bet you'll be feeling so good.
Hold on...it's coming!
@RinTinTin

 

[RinTinTin]

Hi @Mojo333 and @Layla... it's always nice to find your encouraging posts... you are simply wonderful!
Yes, my lefty is bad... very bad... bad to the point that I didn't do my PT exercises for the right one for the last 2 days. I even drastically reduced the walking to an average of 2000 - 2500 steps per day.
The operated hip is okay... I hold all my weight on it when I get up. The left one is very sensitive, especially in the morning when I get up from bed... it takes time to "warm' it up and feel a bit better.

 

[Mojo333]

I honestly think you are very wise to see that grumpy number two could be straining "trying to get well and behave" #1.
It makes one weary and there will be time to strengthen and tone after all the healing is done.
Try not to stress too much.
It will get there

 

[CricketHip]

Awww well, you can only do what you can do. I am always impressed with how sensible you are in your healing/waiting approach. You are a true hippie hero. I mean that.

So sorry that you need to wait until December 3. But I know you've got this.

 

[ahipgma]

Your day will come again @RinTinTin and then you will be set. My first hip was May 1 second August 21. That second hip was the one holding me back too, but I respected my surgeons staging them apart.
Dont be surprised if your right one does complain a little bit postop supporting the left, but! @ nine weeks out for my second hip it is amazing how it feels to have all that preop pain GONE on both sides, no limp and for the first time in 3 years no daily NSAIDs.
That in between time is tough that you're going through now but better days are ahead for sure!!!!

 

[Calgal]

Don't worry about how many steps @RinTinTin , just moving counts. You don't want to overdo poor lefty to the point of collapse! He's gotta make it a few more weeks. Don't feel guilty either about ramping down the PT exercises. I agree with @Mojo333 that there will be plenty of time to tune everything up after your second is done and dusted. Just be kind to yourself these next few weeks...The countdown has begun!

 

[RinTinTin]

I honestly think you are very wise to see that grumpy number two could be straining "trying to get well and behave" #1.
It makes one weary and there will be time to strengthen and tone after all the healing is done.
Try not to stress too much.
It will get there

Yes @Mojo333 ... I have no choice but take it easy and listen to the signals mu body is sending every day. Earlier... when I was very active, I ignored those signals and ended up where I am at the moment.
I just hope my lefty holds till Dec 3 and I don't make a wrong move.

 

[RinTinTin]

Awww well, you can only do what you can do. I am always impressed with how sensible you are in your healing/waiting approach. You are a true hippie hero. I mean that.

So sorry that you need to wait until December 3. But I know you've got this.

Hi @CricketHip. One thing I learned in this whole process - is patience. You are right: I can only do what my body allows me to do. Dec 03 is on it's way... I can feel it
So windy and rainy here this morning.

 

[RinTinTin]

Your day will come again @RinTinTin and then you will be set. My first hip was May 1 second August 21. That second hip was the one holding me back too, but I respected my surgeons staging them apart.
Dont be surprised if your right one does complain a little bit postop supporting the left, but! @ nine weeks out for my second hip it is amazing how it feels to have all that preop pain GONE on both sides, no limp and for the first time in 3 years no daily NSAIDs.
That in between time is tough that you're going through now but better days are ahead for sure!!!!

You are right @ahipgma, I was thinking about what is going to happen after I have the second surgery. My right one is doing fine but the healing and strengthening is postponed because of the left one. I am sure the right one will complain in some occasions but then I think about all this people that had bilateral replacement - they are the real heroes here!

 

[RinTinTin]

Don't worry about how many steps @RinTinTin , just moving counts. You don't want to overdo poor lefty to the point of collapse! He's gotta make it a few more weeks. Don't feel guilty either about ramping down the PT exercises. I agree with @Mojo333 that there will be plenty of time to tune everything up after your second is done and dusted. Just be kind to yourself these next few weeks...The countdown has begun!

Hi @Calgal! You are right... steps are not important... I use my walker and canes just to move around the house and outside when needed. December is just around the corner. We were never been able to do something - and this is to stop the time.

 

[Barbaraj]

Oh, ugh, @RinTinTin I, too, remember how discouraging it felt after hip #1 was replaced and then hip [HASH=46]#2,[/HASH] which had been behaving so beautifully before the first surgery all of the sudden started squawking and demanding attention! Fortunately, the discomfort I experienced before my second surgery was nowhere near the levels I was dealing with before surgery #1. To be honest, I could probably have waited longer to get it done but my husband asked me why I was waiting, why not get it done before I was more miserable? And it made good sense to me as less than a year later, this past July, I had the second hip replaced. I hope you don't suffer too much in the lead up to [HASH=46]#2,[/HASH] but think about how great it will feel to have 'em both done finally--no more hip surgeries! Yes, the recovery will still be long and tedious, but you will get better and around mid-2020 I am betting you'll be very happy. Best wishes!

 

[RinTinTin]

Oh, ugh, @RinTinTin I, too, remember how discouraging it felt after hip #1 was replaced and then hip [HASH=46]#2,[/HASH] which had been behaving so beautifully before the first surgery all of the sudden started squawking and demanding attention! Fortunately, the discomfort I experienced before my second surgery was nowhere near the levels I was dealing with before surgery #1. To be honest, I could probably have waited longer to get it done but my husband asked me why I was waiting, why not get it done before I was more miserable? And it made good sense to me as less than a year later, this past July, I had the second hip replaced. I hope you don't suffer too much in the lead up to [HASH=46]#2,[/HASH] but think about how great it will feel to have 'em both done finally--no more hip surgeries! Yes, the recovery will still be long and tedious, but you will get better and around mid-2020 I am betting you'll be very happy. Best wishes!

Hi @Barbaraj... both of them were pretty bad. I remember my OS telling me I can flip the coin on the day of the surgery and decide which one is going first. For some reason he did not want to do both at the same day. I never asked him why but I've heard they will do it only if you are in a wheelchair and completely unable to walk. It is what it is... I have another month in front of me...I'll be careful as much as I can be!

 

[ceezee]

I remember my OS telling me I can flip the coin on the day of the surgery and decide which one is going first.

My OS said exactly the same thing to me.

I chose the one that hurt the most and for the longest time. But after the second one was done he said the second one was in the worst shape. Go figure.

Hang in there, it'll be over in the not too distant future and then you can concentrate on getting them both into shape. For now, just baby hip #2.

 

[Calgal]

Many times the one that causes the most pain isn't necessarily the one that is the worst clinically in x-rays or true physical situation. Weird but true. I think both you and @ceezee did the right thing doing the most problematic hip first. Gotta take care of the squeaky wheel!

 

[Elf1]

@RinTinTin you are doing really well and have to agree with what everyone has already said. I am so glad to see that you are exercising that patience muscle, it is one of the hardest ones to exercise during recovery when we so badly want to be out and about! Hurry up December!