THR Shopping Trips

[lisanewmc]

Smja - your kind words had me tear up a little. Thank you.

No nap but I'm just having a little post dinner rest before I go out to meet up with the girls for a glass or two of vino. I'm a little bit peeved because the husband came to lie down too.....he's now snoring! Mind you, he always says he could sleep on a washing line.;0)

 

[C Mac]

Hi Lisa,

I hope that your psoas does settle down and get back with the program. Are you having a tendon issues as well? Do let us know what your OS says in response to your call about the 4 weeks passing and 40% improvement. Do you know about how much length was added with your new hip? How much LLD do you still have and do you correct for it?

You seem to do a lot of walking. I find walking is my hardest activity because both my stride and my gait are different on each foot -- the strong, seemingly normal leg and the HR leg that never hits the ground in the same place twice!

Have a nice time out with the gals this evening.
Take care,
Cardie

 

[lisanewmc]

Hi Cardie

I think my legs are pretty much the same length. LDD has fortunately never been an issue for me and my OS has done a great job of keeping it that way. My pelvis felt a bit higher straight after surgery and therefore my leg felt longer than before but that feeling soon disappeared.

I think it's funny that you think I do a lot of walking:th_heehee: I don't feel like I do at all. I still feel quite restricted in how far I can walk, but my mobility is improved post op because I have no pain. I'm looking forward to getting over the iliopsoas tendinitis and being able to pick up exercising to build up the muscles again. My OS said that eventually I should be able to walk 1-2 miles unaided and that would take up to 2 years to achieve. That's my goal. I have noticed that the wear pattern on the soles of my shoes is much more even post op though already

At the moment I'm keeping my walking to necessity and using one crutch as per instructed. Am pottering around the house unaided though. I'll keep you posted once I've heard back from OS Office tomorrow.

Had a great night out with the girls, chatting and laughing is good for the soul.:cheers_wine::cheers_wine::cheers_wine:

 

[Poppet]

Hi there Lisanewmc

So pleased you had a good night out with the girls, so good for the soul. And ther are many, many more to come.

I had a 45 minute chat with a friend on the phone and have found that apparently I spoke to her second day in ICU, but have absolutely no recollection of the conversation or ICU.

I seem to have developed selective memory!

Funny though, I can remember the bad food!

What is it with me and my obsession with food.... Maybe if LisaP reads this she can enlighten me.

Take care and good night from OZ, no tears now, it will all be fine and it is going to work out. You have had your share of problems, now you are on the albeit slow road to recovery and a full and active life - you deserve this and will get it ((( hugs )))

 

[lisanewmc]

Quick update ......my OS is pleased that I'm seeing an improvement and has advised me to continue with one crutch until I feel it's no longer required and my psoas is healed. He will see me at my 12month check up in January. No surprise there, I expected as much and will do as I'm told.

 

[GrandyGirl]

IKEA!...IKEA!...You go Girl:yes 4:

I can't wait until the day that I can give a similar report. That is no small feat!

Congratulations on reclaiming your life and keep up the good work!

 

[Jamie]

Lisa, I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed yourself. And it does sound like you are doing better! Way to go......

These things can take a long time to resolve and sometimes it's difficult to keep the patience. Hang in there.

 

[LisaP]

Ok, I just caught up with this thread... (if you don't come here at least twice a day you miss a lot!!!)

First off, Smja, I understand your obsession for food. I've lived with it all my life. What I do now is "THINK" before I stuff it in my mouth and say outloud "Food is my enemy". I know it's really not but it works for me. I'm still very good friends with it but most of it is "green". I've lost 7 pounds since my "pukefest".

Lisa... since I can't read everything you've ever written I'm going to ask you to give me a little history about your psoas? The reason I'm so interested is because that is my serious stiffness problem that I've been complaining about since I came here. I have a very very "short" psoas. I never knew what a "psoas" was until last week and now I see it everywhere when I search the internet (which I have to quit doing). Someone back a page or 2 (maybe Cardie.. I apologize but I can't remember for sure) asked you about the psoas because she is having lower back pain. Since I have researched this stupid psoas muscle so much I can say that it does affect your lower back. It starts at your last couple discs of your spine and wraps around your pelvis and hips, through your abs and down your legs. My short little psoas is pulling in every area that it is attached to and I am so concerned about my lower back and my groin area because of it.

It is the largest muscle in our body and what allows us to walk. I like Cardie really can't walk without my cane right now because of that stupid psoas muscle. It just won't give. The worst thing for the psoas muscle is "SITTING". I think all OS should tell patients to limit the amount of hours per day sitting. Right now they have me laying on my stomach to help stretch the psoas and also doing the Thomas Test exercises and lunges.

Ok, enough about me.. Lisa could you tell me what happened to your psoas and how they are treating it?

 

[Jaycey]

Hi Lisa, good news about your OS recommendation. Just keep at it. You will be off that crutch in no time!

 

[C Mac]

Hi Lisa,

I hope that your psoas will be feeling better each day and that soon you'll be able to experiment off the crutch again. Are you able to swim or do anything in the pool yet? You are SO lucky that you don't have the LLD issues from all the other CDH related stuff. I also experienced the feeling that my HR leg was longer than the normal leg for a bit after surgery and that eventually settled down.

My PT had told me that they see continued progress in range of motion and flexibility for hip replacement patients up to 5 years after surgery -- wonder if those are the people like some of us on the forum that had congenitally dislocated hips and/or Perthes??? Let's hope so!! :yes 4:

Take care,
Cardie

 

[Josephine]

Lisa, there's an article in the Library with all that info Iliospoas Syndrome

 

[Jaycey]

Cardie, I agree with your PT. You will continue to see improvement for quite awhile. I am over 18 months out and I am still seeing improved muscle tone and ROM.

Think about how long you limped around with a bad hip. It will take awhile to correct all that adjustment your body made. Don't get discouraged!

 

[lisanewmc]

LisaP - if you go to page 16 of my thread and see the 2nd June post - THAT was the fateful day when I did too much!

I was feeling so overjoyed and elated with being able to actually walk further than 10 yards that I got completely carried away and based on my successful walks a couple of days previously - wham!

And Cardie - no, I'm doing no actual exercise at the moment, just daily pottering around, no stretches, no swimming, nothing. Totally trying to get the tendon back to where it was 1st June!! And then I'll build up again to moving around a bit more. And yes, I realise I am lucky not to have LDD - Had a lifetime of my legs being measured. They did try a 1/2 inch lift on my shoe when I was a teenager to help with my limp but it didn't work as I didn't limp due to LDD. My pre op limp came from 'lifting' my pelvis and swinging it round rather than using the psoas......which is probably why it's troubling me now with my new style walk. Lightbulb moment :ideaIPB:

I'm struggling to lose weight that I've put on and really need to do something to help things along. I've lost 9lbs but it's soooo slow coming off - that's taken weeks! Hopefully I'm over the worst bit now and will be able to increase my movemernt soon.

I can however, walk very quickly using my crutch! I've ditched it when I'm at home but still using it out and about at worlk and so on. I've got quite used to it now.

 

[nanamac]

Don't worry about the weight honey. Especially with the holidays. Be kind and gentle with yourself right now. You have been through a lot. Soon winter will be over and the good weather will bring us out of doors again. Plenty of time to burn the calories.

Right now your focus should be on healing and getting stronger. The rest will fall into place. You will get there eventually. No need to set yourself up for disappointment. Easy does it ..

 

[C Mac]

LisaP - if you go to page 16 of my thread and see the 2nd June post - THAT was the fateful day when I did too much!

Hi Lisa,

I remember reading and seeing the pictures you posted from those dates, that's probably part of where I got the idea that you walked a lot! I'm sorry it flared everything up, I had a week where I did something similar and guess most of us probably do the same thing at some point in our recovery...

And Cardie - no, I'm doing no actual exercise at the moment, just daily pottering around, no stretches, no swimming, nothing. Totally trying to get the tendon back to where it was 1st June!! And then I'll build up again to moving around a bit more. And yes, I realise I am lucky not to have LDD - Had a lifetime of my legs being measured. They did try a 1/2 inch lift on my shoe when I was a teenager to help with my limp but it didn't work as I didn't limp due to LDD. My pre op limp came from 'lifting' my pelvis and swinging it round rather than using the psoas......which is probably why it's troubling me now with my new style walk. Lightbulb moment :ideaIPB:

Gotta love those lightbulb moments... I bet that is why your psoas rebelled -- your change in gait and stride after surgery.

I'm struggling to lose weight that I've put on and really need to do something to help things along. I've lost 9lbs but it's soooo slow coming off - that's taken weeks! Hopefully I'm over the worst bit now and will be able to increase my movemernt soon. I can however, walk very quickly using my crutch! I've ditched it when I'm at home but still using it out and about at worlk and so on. I've got quite used to it now.

Go easy on that crutch, you just got done saying you are not doing any exercising... rest that tendon so that we can read more about your walks again. I firmly believe that my body cannot both heal properly and loose weight at the same time -- might be faulty logic, but it helps me be easier on myself... :wink1:

Take care,
Cardie

 

[lisanewmc]

Don't worry about the weight honey. Especially with the holidays. Be kind and gentle with yourself right now. You have been through a lot. Soon winter will be over and the good weather will bring us out of doors again. Plenty of time to burn the calories.

Right now your focus should be on healing and getting stronger. The rest will fall into place. You will get there eventually. No need to set yourself up for disappointment. Easy does it ..

Oh Janet, I keep swaying between 'been through a lot' and 'being so overweight is not good for my health' and 'being fat makes me feel horrible' to 'been through a lot' again........... my BMI is nearly the same as my age!

I've got a high pressured job too and it all just takes soooo much energy. My danger time is the evening when I'm relaxing - that's when I take in the extra calories. And of course I like a :cheers_wine:or a :ccheers: when I'm socialising with friends........

I suppose I just want to feel better about my weight and I just know that one day a Doc will bring it up (so far they haven't). When that day comes I'd like to confidently say that I'm being pro-active and not feel embarassed that I've just ignored the issue.

Thank you for your support

And Cardie - like your logic :th_heehee:

 

[nanamac]

Uh huh! I didn't say throw caution to the wind and ingore it, did I? YOU are aware of it, very aware of it. As am I. Being realistic about it and the holidays and likeing the food and drink, hey, we are only human! Right?

All I'm saying is you can't do it all. It just sets yourself up for disappointment. Enjoy the holidays and feeling good. As soon as they are over, have a plan. Good weather is a chance to get out of doors and walk more. Right now, kind of hard to burn caloires both working and hurting.

Just go easy on yourself. You should see my face from the prednisone! I look like a balloon! But, it is what it is. And, on top of that, I quit smoking just before my THR and gained 20 pounds! SO, I added 20 pounds, became less active because of all my problems and now my sweet tooth is working overtime!

I just know that as much as I want and need (healthwise for sure!) to lose weight, now is not the time.

You look beautiful and happy! Be happy with it!

 

[Suzieslips]

Hi Lisa.
Actually, I would say you have done very well in losing 9lbs.
So what if the weight loss is slow. It's coming off and that's what matters.
And you take care walking at speed with one crutch (although it sums up a great picture) :wink1:

 

[Jyoti]

I was just thinking Lisa, are you having problems in your leg being in extension, meaning when your leg is behind you it doesn't stretch properly due to to your Psoas. If so, that's what I have also, which reading the threads here is quite common.

As many have already said those with various condition ie Perthes, CDH etc I think that will take a long to time to get better, however, I'm unsure whether we recover fully. Not wanting to put a downer on it, but I'm sure with perseverance we can get to our best which will help our gait etc.

Anyway, keep at it and I wish I could lose 9llbs. That is really good. Well done
Jyoti

 

[lisanewmc]

Feeling like there has been further improvement this week - still worse when I'm in bed, front sleeper - lying flat is not good.

Yep, Jyoti - we can get to our best ...that's all we can do.

I've been reflecting a lot this past week or so. Lots of 'this time last year' feelings.......I really was at my absolute worst pain wise, snowed in and going stir crazy, extremely nervous and frightened of the THR, couldn't get any relief from pain or even imagine how it could be any different.

How different things are this year:biggrin: