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THR Shrinkette Has Arrived!

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I kept moving the ice packs to every spot that was swollen or hurting and yes, walking was exhausting. I remember my first walk after I got home Ellen was with Hubby and my walker and we walked to the end of the street... then I say for ten minutes before I could walk back.. it is a slow process, but then all of a sudden around six weeks it changes, more energy, more stamina, less swelling etc.. You are on the way honey!
 
@shrinkette Just checking in with you to see how you are doing and how your foot is. Still wish I could come down there and sit with you for a while! You're in my thoughts and prayers, as always.

Love,

Milli
 
Ellen the stamina issue is a big one in this recovery. We get more people complaining about being tired than we do about being in pain. Rest when you can - around the clock if needed. Slow and steady - you'll get there my friend!
 
Yup, I'm still dealing with the "energy drain" even this far out --13 weeks. It is getting better, but I'm sure not back to 100%. But I'm NOT in pain all the time!!! Slow and steady, and all that . . . .
 
Hello, dear Bonesmartie family. Guess it's time for an update, & the reason I don't sound berserk with joy is that I am obviously marching to the beat of a different drummer than most of you guys who all share SOME degree of normalcy in terms of progress; unforeseen problems have prevented me from pursuing a similar recovery. (I just realized how pompous this sounds!)

I am still in the rehab, which is a very excellent one & picky as to criteria. I was lucky to get in & don't know why I did. The main cause of my "delay" is, I believe, that numb foot on my surgery side. I can't feel the floor. It's very hard to walk under these circumstances, which include the famous "cement leg". I clump along with the walker like Frankenstein's daughter. (No, of course I don't clump --'I'm wearing grippy socks!) Sensations in my foot seem to be coming back slowly, but not fast enough for me. I can feel touch in various areas. The other day one of the PTs used a regular vibrator on my foot to try to stimulate the nerves, & I believe it worked. According to those in the know, it's a matter of time. I got real excited last night when I thought I felt my heels ache!

Rehab per se is of the gentlest variety, utilizing exercises to get me moving and strengthened & to prevent constriction in the tissues of my new hip. I'm following the BS mantra. Everyone is considerate & careful & shows no desire to overdo.

THE GOOD NEWS: that whole complaint I had about the non-op side --the pain down my right butt and back of thigh area -- is gone! I can stand up straight and reach up to my right, which was not possible pre-THR. I am not hunched!I am also unaware of any leg length discrepancy issue now; OS did promise to even me out!

Hubby seems to be doing better emotionally & physically after a precipitous weight loss & other strange reactions to some drugs for a pulled muscle, which I wrote about.

Right now I'm in a decent frame of mind other than worrying about when the nerves in my foot will fire & it'll feel normal. It could take quite awhile. I'm very relieved I'm on the other side, of course, albeit disappointed that I'm stuck where I am, but so be it. I just wanted to clarify my situation with the most comforting, friendly, empathetic group of people I've yet to meet. Your caring & support & interest have touched me profoundly.

@Butterfly, I'm writing a separate note to you about my MRI experience!

Ellen ❤❤
 
Ellen I am so glad to hear from you and knowing you are getting the best care possible is a blessing. I am so sorry about the foot but glad there is some degree of improvement. We are excited for any improvement for you and will continue to pray for your steady recovery!
 
So @shrinkette /ellen. You've exchanged quasimodo for frankenstien's daughter ! Well at least yr upright. Also so relieved about the smiling pancreas. Good to put all those unrelated worries behind u. Oh and then theres the tortoise. alot of rich imagery. Glad yr hubbys better too. Ok so its slow but improving. Thats good. Hang in. Thinking of you. Devorah
 
@shrinkette...Oh I am so glad to read your post. I was so worried about you. Yes we all march to a different Drummer. I am certain that you will come through this ordeal. You aren't stuck...its you way your body wants to handle this,slow and steady. Its strong women like you that can handle this. You will get there Ellen. Warm wishes to you and your family. You are on the other side....it will only get better.:console2:
 
Fantastic update Ellen, @shrinkette, the real Ellen is peeping through. Get that foot sorted and we won't be stopping you then ... Lovely to hear from you x
 
Ellen, I'm happy that you seem to be feeling much better - cement leg notwithstanding! Really good news about your non-operated side, too. You said you don't know how you qualified for the rehab but clearly it was the right thing to happen. Glad your husband is doing better as well - it's all looking up, isn't it?
 
@shrinkette ............Ellen just catching up on you and it sounds like you are moving forward, slowly but surely! I know you feel so blessed to be getting the care you are in the rehab, sounds like an excellent facility. Hope things continue to progress and you stay upbeat!
 
@shrinkette Ellen, glad you are moving forward in progress, slow but sure.
You will get there and be sooooo happy!
Glad your unop side is feeling no pain anymore.
Let's get a leg up on the op side now!
:SUNsmile:
 
@shrinkette. Small progresses every day! So glad you are moving forward, albeit slowly and that they are looking after you well in rehab. It will all come together soon...hugs. Chrissie xx


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart®
 
@shrinkette Ellen, glad to read your update! So glad to hear you're making progress albeit not as quickly as you'd like. Keep hanging in there, those nerves in your foot will fire soon and there will be no stopping you! Will keep praying and sending good thoughts your way. Hang in there and know we all care and are pulling for you!
 
@Josephine. I really need your input, Jo. My recovery seems to be SO different from everyone else's. it's day 13; I'm in a very good rehab; I'm not having much in the way of pain & what I do have is controlled with 1-2 Norcos 7.5.

I'm having what BS calls cement leg. I'm not sure if this goes away by itself in time or must be strengthened as they are doing in rehab. I'm feeling fine generally. The major fly in the ointment is the numbness in the foot on the operated side, from the minute out of surgery. I have feeling in various places on the foot, but it basically feels "asleep". They are telling me feeling will return "in time"; I can move it, do minor pumps, but can't feel it when I walk.

The rehab here is gentle & not pushy. I just don't know, even after all my BS exposure, what I should be doing, especially with the numbness that is terribly impeding my walking! I'm probably going to be discharged on Friday; the issue then is whether to go home or to another rehab for further strengthening. I know you've said the UK is not big on rehabs like the US; I just don't know what to do. I haven't been shown anything about getting into a car or shower yet, I guess because of my walking problem. I feel very confused as to how to proceed because I seem to be proceeding differently from most & it's getting me down. Any thoughts? Thanks.
 
@shrinkette. I iced the area of the incision, and around it, as well as my knee and ankle, for about 20 minutes every couple of hours, all day long, and whenever the electrical stuff happened. As time passed I did it less often but used ice for at least three months. My surgeon only approved prescription painkillers 24/7 for two weeks. By about three weeks I just took one at night so the ice was crucial.
I was pretty tired from the weight of the leg. I started walking in the pool six weeks after surgery and the first time I only was able to walk in the pool about 8-10 minutes. Pre-surgery I did laps for at least 25 minutes, plus water,aerobics. It was pretty scary to be so tired. By the summer I was doing much better.
 
shrinkette said:
I'm having what BS calls cement leg
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we do? I think it's generally been referred to as a log!
shrinkette said:
I just don't know, even after all my BS exposure, what I should be doing. I feel very confused as to how to proceed because I seem to be proceeding differently from most & it's getting me down.
Click to expand...
No you're not! You said yourself you're only 2 weeks out which is very, very early in the game. What you need to do is chill out and let things settle down. So far as I have seen you are doing just fine!

Read the recovery articles, especially the one Activity progression for THRs. You will see there that you need to do very little at all, especially in the first three weeks.

Even more remember this: hips don't need much exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all these sore spots and aches and pains. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

I expect you had these articles before but way back in your thread - so here they are again!

First are the BoneSmart mantras ....
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!
- be active as much as you need to be but not more than is necessary, meaning so much that you end up being in pain, exhausted or desperate to sit down or lay down!

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery
Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Activity progression for THRs
Home physio (PT)
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?
 
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