THR Sarak - There's Life After a Hip Replacement

[MammaT]

@SaraK on her own and unchained! Love the T-shirts they hand out.

 

[SaraK]

Dangerous concept, isn't it @MammaT ! I already have two other t shirts from them but they've changed their logo. I don't wear t shirts but my son will wear just about any t shirt (except the one the surgery center gave him that said "COACH" on the back!

 

[MammaT]

I’m actually a jeans and T-shirt girl, carryover from youth in the 60s!

 

[Layla]

Good old "Stones" tee with the tongue, jeans, tennies and a ponytail.
Great bumming around attire!
C'mon @SaraK....you could rock it!

 

[SaraK]

Nope - t-shirts just accentuate all of the bad features of my body shape! Long flowy shirts are more my style. Maybe if I lose another 40 pounds or so (which will be awfully darned difficult with crazy people talking about ice cream and chocolate experiments - can't imagine who could be responsible for that sort of talk)! . And then there's @Berber7227 and her chocolate cherry cordial kisses. I think my blood sugar just went up 20 points just thinking about it!

Off to pamper myself with a massage to celebrate - no gym tonight!

 

[SaraK]

Dental appointment in the morning. I had to cancel the appointment in May because it was too soon after the first THR and my sons rescheduled me to early December (not having any idea I would be having another THR). Then my surgery got scheduled for the same day as the dental appointments. I rescheduled for tomorrow for just my sons (not knowing if OS would be ok with me doing it that soon) and then my oldest went out of town for the week. OS said anytime after 30 days (tomorrow is 35) is OK, so we'll see how long the cleaning takes tomorrow with not having been to a dentist in over a year! Going dancing tonight to compensate in advance!

 

[Dive17]

Good luck at the dentist. That is one of those things that we all hate and have to do. My OS said no dental work for 3 months. There is no uniformity in post surgery recommendations. You would think that they would have some guidelines.

 

[SaraK]

@Dive17 - and my OS isn't consistently conservative or consistently liberal on things! He tends to permit dental procedures and skin biopsies earlier than some (and my dermatologist waited longer than he said we needed to) but just changed from pretreating with antibiotics for dental from 2 years after THR to lifetime! On the other hand, he doesn't require pretreating before skin biopsies and other "clean" procedures but dermatologist insisted on pretreating (with different antibiotic than OS uses for dental). It would be nice if everyone could agree on what to do!

 

[jaydub63]

I don't even have my next dental appt scheduled yet and my OS office already has me prepared with the antibiotics. They called in a prescription for me during my 2 week appt even though I can't do it for 3 months. Luckily I did my colonoscopy in Sept otherwise I would need some for that as well.

 

[SaraK]

With a colonoscopy, they may also do differently because of anesthesia - may do iv during procedure instead. My next not due for 4 years so I have some time to let them get their act together on guidelines in the interim!

 

[Tomgirl]

Hi @SaraK don't mean to derail your thread but just playing catch -up today with posts, re the ones about Tee-Shirts reminded me of the funniest one I've seen for a while. Worn by a man in his 60's I'd guess, and was a bit on the large size, he was cleaning his motorbike at the time, Tee Shirt said, 'Sex and drugs and Sausage Rolls' Made me laugh. Good luck at the dentists, it never occured to me that dental treatment might have to go on hold. My front crown dropped out a few weeks ago ( the day before my FIL's funeral) managed to get temporary repair done, and despite what I ate over Christmas the repair held. But will have to see dentist soon I guess.
As a fellow gym person, can't wait to get back there, I keep getting conflicting advise about using the treadmill which surprises me as I thought this would be one of the safer bits of gym equipment to use. The rowing machine is the one I'll avoid for a while. Can't wait for the weights too, loved those.
Love to hear you go out dancing, hubby and I are probably gonna wait till end of summer to get back to that.
Have a good weekend. take care.

 

[SaraK]

@Tomgirl - I asked OS about the weight machines when I saw him 2 hours after surgery. With my approach, doc is fairly liberal on what he permits. Nothing strenuous (I didn't count dancing in that category) for 2 weeks but then anything as tolerated (but told to limit weights to 30 lbs until 1 month).

On treadmill, my PT used treadmill after about a week with first THR (walking backwards some to loosen hip flexor, passing with operated leg to increase stride length and forwards). He didn't have me use it this time because he knew I was already using it almost every day. I used treadmill and cycle beginning day after surgery this time around. I think the issue there is balance (just hold on instead of swinging arms) and speed (start slow and gradually increase) and don't use incline. No "programs" because those could cause issue. And if you start to have pain, stop!

Dancing really depends on type - swing dancing or ballroom dancing may be more problematic because of twisting while weight bearing (although I did a rather good job of doing the twist on NYE). Good old freestyle? I just looked at it as adduction and abduction exercise! My OS wasn't too shocked and certainly didn't scold me when I told him I'd gone out dancing 6 days after surgery. Just be prepared to take more breaks than you might have before.

 

[Tomgirl]

Hi Sarah, my thoughts exactly with the treadmill, hold on, take it slow at first and no incline for a while. I feel as though I just want to use it to improve my walking - and be fully aware of HOW I am walking - no need to keep looking down for bad pavements, curbs, wet leaves or anything to trip me up. And my trainer will be keeping a beady eye on me when I get back to his gym. Can't wait! The weights - starting with those for upper body strength - should be ok and will just give me the 'feel good' feeling till I can progress to other exercises.

 

[jaydub63]

@Tomgirl I found a treadmill useful for all those reasons in early walks that were longer than what I could do at home. You can really focus on how you are walking and control the speed, etc. If there's a mirror available you can see how you are doing. My trainer has me doing some light upper body stuff (at least lighter than I was doing) and it gives me little sense of normalcy. No one-legged stuff yet and nothing bent over, but that will come.

 

[SaraK]

I was lucky in how I was doing and OS' restrictions (or lack thereof - no 90 degree rule or other hip precautions). My first day back at the gym (cycling and treadmill only) was the day after surgery (I gave myself the day of surgery off for some wimpy reason). I went just about every day (essentially, any day I wasn't dancing) for the next two weeks and cycled, did treadmill (back and front) and PT exercises/stretches. I had my first session with my trainer at 2 weeks (upper body mainly and PT exercises for legs), started using the weight machines for legs (under 30 pounds) at 2 weeks and had my second session with my trainer at 4 weeks, when we started back with more stuff, including modified squats, wall sits, modified dead lifts, as well as lots of core and upper body stuff. The general rule was that, if it hurt, we modified to see if it could be done without pain and, if not, it got scrapped. We did not do any "partner stretching" and it will depend on how I'm doing in a couple of weeks when I have my next session on whether we do it then.

I had never belonged to a gym before my first THR and had come so far towards getting into shape (which had also helped my diabetes and blood pressure) and didn't want to lose too much or get out of the habit of going to the gym. Of course, I've never been accused of being singled minded or stubborn or anything like that!

 

[Mojo333]

So happy all is well with you wonderful Sara.
I'm hoping this next year brings you all the happiness and joy life can bring you.
Your ambition and optimism are infectious.
Hope you are having a super day.

 

[SaraK]

Latest corollary of Murphy's Law - when I was just out of surgery and tired and should have been at home, I had to go back to work from home the first week and go back into the office at one week post op because it was so busy at the office. Now that I feel much better and more capable of being here (other than needing to write more reminders to myself), the year-end rush is over and it's not busy!

Eternal optimist that I try to be, though, I have to focus on the "now that I feel much better" part of that statement. Recovery has slowed down in general (which is to be expected) but, now that I've had my first post op, I'm cleared to start doing more physically. I'm certainly not at the fitness level I was before surgery, but I am now able to climb stairs without pain (not planning to try a Stairmaster for a while, if ever, though). The piriformis is also starting to loosen up some - I can (just barely and with a little pain in the stretch) put my socks on with my leg crossed at the knee. I've gradually increased the weights on various leg machines from 30 to 50 lbs (did in 10 lb increments) but suspect I'm not going to be ready to go much above that for at least a couple of weeks. Now that the hip flexor has settled, I've been able to pick up the pace and increase the time on the treadmill, but still not where I was before. I'm still going to tell the trainer next week that lunges and "split squats" are not happening!

We're taking a trip to my mother's house this weekend (the trip was supposed to be Christmas weekend but got delayed because of strep throat). 4 hours there and 4 hours back. Unlike 3 weeks ago, though, my biggest dread is being in the car with my sons for that long, not the physical side of riding in the car! I love them both but they like to gang up on me and build off of each other. The trip for Memorial Day weekend (when I was at the same point out of surgery on the first THR) caused me to rescind my offer to let the oldest move back for the summer! I'll just hope that one or both of them decides to sleep the entire way (a good possibility). They've already been warned that, even though they're both considerably taller than me, I claim one of the front seats even when I'm not driving (hmm, may make it more likely that they want to drive there - I may have to make this a rule going forward).

They generally tease me about my small bladder and needing to stop halfway there - now I'll just be able to blame it on needing to stop ever hour to walk around!

 

[Mojo333]

You have done so well. My two sort of grown children, 21 & 24 are both out of the house. My daughter has contemplated moving back in as she is having a kerfuffle with roommates etc. Love her...love her more easily when she isn't living with me.
Times to savor though.
Good job on your recovery progress.
Best days are ahead!

 

[MammaT]

Figures work would slow down now, but I have a feeling you’ll keep busy. Glad you are getting to mom’s this weekend. Hope the boys behave!

 

[SaraK]

@Mojo333 That "I love you but" conversation wasn't easy to start! It went over a little better than it might have because I offered to pay his rent somewhere else instead. Best investment I could make for my own sanity and peace of mind!