THR Sissie's recovery

[cnydutch]

ahhh, sleep, good for you! i am also finding it hard to get a decent amount of sleep,
i truly have no pain, but, i just seem "fidgety", always bringing my knees up and down,
and i'm even trying to sleep on my side (been 2 years since i could) but i just can't seem
to find a way to get good sleep. maybe i should take something for it.

i broke a toe this summer myself, doing something stupid, jumped into a pool
and hit the bottom part of a railing with my foot, of course, i was trying to
splash a few people that were on the stairs there!

 

[Josephine]

I broke a toe having a shower!

Dutch, you do need to take something for pain even if it is over the counter medication.

btw, would you please put your surgery date in your signature like the rest of us do? You can find the instructions here How to create a signature. But please also remember that our membership is international and for clarity use the International Date system being 7th August 2000 rather than 2/8/00 or 8/2/00.

This also applies to anyone else who is reading here. Thank you.

 

[nerdgrrl]

bellaroma, yes inquiring minds want to know.... If it make you feel any better, I broke my toe walking into a door. No impairing substances involved.

sissy46, I hope you had a great canoe trip today. I miss my hiking and seeing wildlife, but at least we can see them in town some times. Yesterday, I saw a bald eagle, and noticed the buffleheads are back. In the winter, we have some great bird watching because some of the migratory northern waterfowl winter down here. You must have some of that too?

My brother and family are headed to your general area today. Visiting his inlaws for thanksgiving. I have (other) family north of Orlando, and they always have to warn me when we go out hiking - watch out for snakes, you are standing in poison ivy, make sure that log isn't a gator. We have such sheltered hiking here in wester WA. I guess it is what one is attuned to. We do need to be aware of bear, cougar,(and lately territorial juvenile barred owls!). Eastern Wa has rattlesnakes, but I am more attuned to where they hang out, more so than those sneaky Eastern snakes ;)

-nerdgrrl

 

[sissy46]

cnydutch Hey, one night I had the fidgety, restless leg sort of thing going on, and I remembered the Robaxin I was given for muscle spasms. It wasn't a spasm, but it wasn't pain either, so I said what the heck and took one. It seemed to work.

nerdgrrl Your brother and his family should have great weather while here---the low pressure that's been hanging around is moving off to the east now. You're lucky to have cougars, although I know they can be a problem if they eat the children. Our Florida panthers are very scarce now; one did make his way up to Seminole County last year but some redneck shot him. The alligators, however, are thriving.

 

[cnydutch]

bellaroma, yes inquiring minds want to know...No impairing substances involved.

l

um, i can't say the same!
we were on vacation, at an RV park, and sometimes the days are just too good not to have a couple
drinks during the afternoon! then i had to have a few more after!!!!

 

[Damn!]

Well, since we are playing true confessions here...I too have broken a toe . I did mine while trying to prove to my children that I could still do a cartwheel. Broke my big toe on the sidewalk! Ouch!

 

[bellaroma]

sissy46, cougars eating the children well I guess that's population control
nerdgrrl, we also get the buffleheads in the winter
darn!, yes we are kindred spirits as you were out to prove.
So now the story, I was playing a friendly game of ping pong and was leading, my friend hit a shot to the left corner while I was on the right side, I lunges across to slam it with a nice forehand and landed on the floor with a brokentoe. My friend did miss the return shot, but I lost by default

 

[Cookie42]

Do broken toes mean later hip surgery? I have broken both of my baby toes -- one while rushing to answer the phone and catching it on the door jamb. The other I only remember the pain, not how it happened. I went to the doctor with the first, hoping he could do something about the pain. All he did was grab hold of the toe and playfully suggest twisting it so it would set straight. I suggested (not so playfully) where I could easily kick him from that position and we parted ways! That was my first experience with walking with a cane so I guess it was good practice.

 

[sissy46]

bellaroma I'm sorry you lost the match by default, adding insult to injury of broken toe.
Cookie42 I've never broken anything but vertebrae so far, and I hope my association with all you toe people doesn't change my luck with that. I like the way you handled your doctor, Cookie---he didn't know he was dealing with a BS warrior.

 

[sharonslp]

Sissy, and Dutch, and anyone else with the restless legs thing going on....do try magnesium supplements and see if they help. It doesn't stop my restless legs completely, but it does cut it down to ignorable proportions.

No broken anythings, ever. Except my heart, on occasion.

Sharon

 

[sissy46]

sharonslp I only had that fidgety, gotta move the leg feeling that one night, but boy, I really have sympathy now for those who have it often.

bellaroma I sometimes have that Zen feeling of oneness with a grabber, when picking up trash from my kayak on our creeks, so perhaps with practice I too could get a raw egg (or 4) off the floor

 

[Josephine]

Depends how painful and disabling the toe is. Smaller toes are not such a problem and once suitably companion strapped to a neighbouring toe, present no problem. The large toe or the first on next to it is a different problem. Anything that makes walking a problem risks be significant to a hip or knee replacement.

 

[cnydutch]

I tried a muscle relaxer last nite before bed, but was up shortly afterwards. Finally around 3 i took a
tramadol, and i have to say, it helped me sleep better. I think i just have to concede to this and
take some before bed and maybe again in the middle of the nite to help me sleep.

Back to the toe, it was my middle toe, i knew it as soon as i did it, so i did my own yank on it
to make sure it was straight (not sure if i did any good), and 2 days later i did go get an xray,
they confirmed the fracture, and taped it to another toe. Never really had a problem with it since.

 

[sissy46]

Eight weeks post-op today:

1. No real pain, just stiff and sore with walking. Ibuprofen 200 mg twice a day, or ibuprofen 400 mg once daily in the morning, seems to be adequate to relieve this, although even after the ibuprofen the first few steps I take are stiff. I could do without the ibuprofen but afraid I'd be limping a little. I've been walking without the cane since second week but I still use a trekking pole when hiking on trails. Able to walk several miles.

2. Totally comfortable lying down, and can sleep on either side now---operative side comfortable since about the third week, just a weird feeling of pressure before that. I didn't have any restrictions.

3. Incision healed and fading, anterior, 4 inches long. I had glue instead of sutures or staples, so no hassle there.

4. I've been paddling my kayaks and canoe since 4th week, have found that 4 hours is about enough at this point, and sit-on-top kayak more comfortable than my pack canoe right now.

5. Riding bike on pavement and easy dirt trails---feels great, but a little stiff when I get off and walk.

6. I've been driving since post-op day 8, automatic transmission. Driving is comfortable while I'm doing it, but after even a 20 minute drive I'm limping the first few steps.

7. I haven't been to the YMCA to work out for the last couple of weeks, as I was concerned about not being pain-free without meds yet, but will start back today or tomorrow.

8. I've had my second post-op follow up with my OS. Xrays looked perfect and he gave me the go-ahead to increase my level of activity, and he isn't concerned about my still needing a little ibuprofen. I see him again in 3 months.

9. My post-op crit was 24, and I was easily fatigued and could get a little breathless with exertion, but energy and stamina have rebounded almost back to normal.

I would love it if folks who are 4-8 weeks ahead of me would chime in with their experiences. I'm so much better than I was pre-op, but I'd like to be encouraged that improvement will continue.

 

[cnydutch]

9. My post-op crit was 24, and I was easily fatigued and could get a little breathless with exertion, but energy and stamina have rebounded almost back to normal.

Sissy, that was one of my hangups while in the hospital after the bilateral surgery, my hematocrit was low, and it
seemed to fluctuate day to day, anywhere between 23.1 to 24.5. It is amazing at how debilitating that is, especially
to somebody that is very active. You just feel so weak and tire so easily. I was told to eat, eat, eat, and am taking
iron pills 3 times a day to rebuild the blood, which they say is a very slow process.
Thanks for the update.

 

[sissy46]

cnydutch I should have said my post-op crit was 27. I elected not to take iron, just eating iron rich foods. I think the anemia actually worked in my favor, as I certainly rested more those first couple of weeks than I would have otherwise. We haven't re-checked it yet, but my primary care physician will, I'm sure, when I see her in a couple of weeks. My OS said it would take 3-4 months to get back to where I was, but I feel good now and don't tire so easily.

 

[Foggymama]

Wow! I am a bit younger than you guys, and I am in awe of your recovery! Sissy, I think you might just be super woman! I am at 4 weeks post-op and I am just now getting around without any walking aids. I can't even imagine a hike or bike ride at this point! But then again, I have never been the most active person:( however, my goal since my surgery is to become more active and healthy. I never again want to take for granted my ability to walk! You never realize how thankful you are until you experience that loss! Anyhow, you all amaze me keep up the good work

 

[sissy46]

Foggymama "a bit younger" Girl, you are half my age! But remember, I didn't get tossed in the hospital for a THR with a broken hip like you did, and also, my OS did the anterior approach, which makes it a lot easier---for the patient, anyway; I think the posterior approach is easier for the surgeon.

And I hear you about walking! I am so excited to be able to walk a reasonable distance again. Heck, I may even go to Disney World!

 

[bellaroma]

Happy 8 Week Anniversary sissy46, you are doing great, I agree with your assesment about kayak vs canoe, I was a little concerned for you on that one. If you read other posts, you are definetly in the fast track zone of recovery, so don't let it get you down, and work on your egg grabber capabilites, you will achieve

 

[sissy46]

bellaroma Thank you! You are a month behind me, but I will never equal your grabber skills---although once I did grab a baby alligator thinking it was the edge of a flip-flop. That was alarming.

The problem with the canoe, it is a pack canoe with a seat just an inch or two off the bottom, and foot braces, and it is paddled like a kayak. But there is a thwart behind me which prevents me from stretching out like I can do with the SOT.
Also, as you well know, it is so easy to turn sideways and put both feet down in a foot of water to stand up and exit the SOT---same with getting in it, so weight is never on one foot alone. I love my canoe because it weighs 25 lbs and is fast as all get-out, but I may stick with the Phoenix for a while.