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THR Sometimes peachy, sometimes the pits

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Hi, Barbara. Yes, I did contact the surgeon's nurse about everything. She seemed to think the scar is fine, that I can remove the final steri strip (there were only two) or not. (She and the surgeon had seen a photo of the scar that I emailed last week.) I am scared to tear off the strip. I will play it by ear. She said to do stretches for the lower back pain and that I can start sleeping on my side as long as I have a pillow between my legs. I would have thought it's too soon to do that, but I attempted it briefly this a.m. when I woke up too early. I was scared the whole time, and my leg ached a little, so I stopped doing it. I hope the PT will give me stretches for the lower back that are specifically for a THR patient. The lower back pain whenever I lie down is now getting to be a problem, as it means I can't lie down for a rest or nap with any success. This was not the case last week or the week before, so why is it NOW a problem?

I can report that yesterday was a fantastic day! I took a Norco with breakfast and then one at bedtime; in between I took Tylenol. I was able to do my exercises, a few things around the house, numerous walks down the corridor, stair practice, and a one-block walk round trip. There was a lot of pedestrian traffic and that unnerved me because even though I had a cane, people don't look where they're going and I was kind of unable to just relax and enjoy the walk. I'm sure if I were walking outside in a less congested area it would be less stressful.
Today I will go earlier in the day, when I think there will be fewer people and I will be "fresher."

Then ... right after getting into bed, I had a throbbing in my operated hip side. Almost as if I had wrenched it or something. It was there when I got out of bed this morning, too, and the Norco has dulled it, but it is still there.
I think I will be able to walk and do exercises, but am concerned that every day or two it's something new to worry about.

My employer has been nice and has not overtly pressured me. But the expectation is that I'd return after six weeks. They hired someone to fill in for me and had to give him a time line. If the surgeon said I'd had a setback and could not return, they would have to abide by that, I suppose. But here in the States there really is a company culture that one has to deal with. I spent a lot of time explaining why it couldn't be sooner. So six weeks is stuck into everyone's head as the maximum time. My surgeon even said at the outset that while 6 weeks is average, a fair number of his patients return much sooner, around two weeks. So this is the goal I am working toward.

Yes, the sun, especially at springtime, helps enormously!! How are you doing?

Maeve, I hope you are doing better and I'm sorry you were having a rough patch yourself. We all have our reasons for needing to get back to normal, whether it's work or whatever--it's all a challenge and difficult.
I can understand why you'd think you could attend those plays; you were trying to be positive--we are all told that being positive plays a role. But reality tempers that.

Giraffe44, I love your silhouette! Thanks for reminding me that over time the highs will be higher or more frequent and the lows less frequent. I am trying to hope for that. So many unknowns on this road! How are you doing?

Thanks again to everyone for letting me come here and just tell it like it is.
I will try hard to report all the good stuff that happens. And it does happen.
Here's to a good day for everyone!
 
Peaches, I think its important to report how we are feeling both when its good and bad. We can help each other through it. Plus when someone new reads the threads they get a better idea of what to expect in recovery. It would be awful to have only good stuff recorded, then a newbie hits a hard patch and thinks they are not doing as well as they should be.
 
Peaches You are still early into your recovery. today marks 3 weeks for me and I can't believe how far I have come in that time. I can only imagine what it will be in 3 more weeks. I will start out patient therapy and will see what they have to say. Hopefully I will be cane free and all on my own.If all keeps going as it has might be driving next week. Doing a little more every day ( when hubby lets me).Take care and hope you start having more good days than bad.
 
detazlady said:
Peaches You are still early into your recovery. today marks 3 weeks for me and I can't believe how far I have come in that time. I can only imagine what it will be in 3 more weeks. I will start out patient therapy and will see what they have to say. Hopefully I will be cane free and all on my own.If all keeps going as it has might be driving next week. Doing a little more every day ( when hubby lets me).Take care and hope you start having more good days than bad.My biggest issue is till the dreaded constipation, I can live with that. Have a good day.
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Peaches. I took my first outdoor walk yesterday with the PT and barely made it one block when I turned around to come home. Today was better because of something I wanted to share. When I was I pre op PT trying to avoid the surgery, my PT taught me to engage my abs and glutes before taking my first step. Today I remembered that and it helped. I walked a little further and my gait was better. I pulled my abs in and up, and tightened my glute muscles. It takes practice. And, don't forget to breathe.
 
Thanks, Lenora. Will try to remember those walking tips. And, yes, breathe! I feel I hold my breath a lot these days.

Had two really good days! PT came and gave a few more exercises: on the stairs; to add more weight on the operated side; stretches that she hopes will help with lower back pain. I felt great yesterday especially and did many more hallway corridor walks, plus the new exercises. You guessed it: Woke up 3 a.m. today with pain and even took a Norco. Woke up early as usual; then went back to sleep till 9:30!! Have groin and hip pain, so am assuming i overdid it. Will lie low today with the ice bag. Scared to tackle outpatient PT since it involves public transportation or a rollicking cab ride and I don't feel up to either. Also scared I will not find the "right" PT once I get there. I got very lucky with the PT who visits me at home. She is terrific. Maybe lightning will strike twice. I hope everyone is having a good day.
 
Hi Peaches - it sounds as if you're doing well! Sorry for the middle of night pain. I have had some, too, and have taken some of the meds in the wee hours - though you get the prize for sleeping "in!" :) I was shocked this morning when I woke and the clock read 8:20 - I thought that was late! lol
I understand your nervousness about finding the right PT once you start outpatient. Do you think you'll really need it, or might you be able to continue the things your "good" PT has shown you, on your own? Just wondering.
One day last week I had extra pain, and had probably overdone the day before - so I was pretty much a couch potato for that day, with a good book, and I swear I felt better and stronger then next day! I think we still deserve to coddle ourselves some!
 
Hi, Songlady Meg:
Good question about the out-patient PT. I assumed that since it is mentioned to me frequently by the PT who has the home visits, it is considered a good thing to do. I would have no problem if I were being driven to it. But I will have to take public transportation or a cab, which is costly, and I am nervous about either right now. I was told that the out-patient facility will be sorta like a gym of sorts, which "machines" or things to work out on, and that the PT will be knowledgable about hip replacement patients. What are your thoughts?

I guess the sleep is much needed! I am not sleeping well during the night at all, though it hadn't been too bad. So I am waking up early to take various (non-pain) meds; then am sleeping an extra hour. Plus taking a nap. I figure if I can actually fall asleep for a while at any time, that's good. I need that. It makes up for the nervewracking sleepless nights. I attribute all of this to my inability to stop worrying about it all, and also how uncomfortable it is to sleep on my back.

I took your advice and took a day off yesterday from everything except the PT's exercises on a limited basis, and a walk outside. I cut back on all the hallway walking. I needed the day off. Thanks for suggesting it. I don't think of it as coddling--but more like pacing ourselves. I firmly believe that slow and steady is the smartest way to go, but I get lots of well-meaning comments from friends and coworkers wishing me a FAST recovery.

I hope your mother is okay. How are things on the home front?

I wish everyone a really good day!
 
Peaches, You are right to ease up on the exercise and rest as much as possible. If you push yourself too much it can delay recovery. Be gentle with yourself. Have you tried sleeping propped up? I cannot lie flat on my back it is too uncomfortable. Worth a try
Barbara
 
Peaches I bought a large wedge type pillow for sleeping and that seemed to help.I'm now sleeping on both sides and have slept much better. I use a body pillow ( with elastic sewed across the pillow case to put my other leg through to keep it in place) and that seems to be enough for me. I hope you can find a comfortable position and get some much needed sleep. keep up the good work.
 
Good morning, Barbara and Detzalady:
I hope you have a good weekend and things are going okay.
I confess I am blue about having pain. Maybe I am expecting too much. When I read people fresh out of surgery here saying they are pain free, I think I should be too. The lower back pain persists. I have only started doing stretching exercises (from my PT) this past week; maybe it's too soon. I tried sleeping semi propped up. Maybe it's not enough. I don't have pain all the time; just sometimes. But it is the same old pre-op lower back and occasionally groin pain. And I don't understand. As for the wedge pillow, do you mean the "official" LOL hip replacement patient wedge pillow? Or just a pillow that's wedge shaped. I continue to feel a little better about turning onto the non-op side, with a regular pillow between my legs, for a little relief. You are clever to have sewn that elastic thing to strap your leg into the body length pillow! The bonesmart community is a lot more resourceful than the people who manufacture these "durable medical" products!

I think we are supposed to have all of our post-op things in ONE thread, is that correct? If not, please excuse me for mentioning something not too fun ... how the heck does anyone clean their toilet-seat riser? I bought one of the plastic models, with the handles on the side. It came with the hip kit the hospital was selling, so I assumed it was okay. It rocks around a little, but I can handle that. You have to continue to adjust the plastic "lock," which is a little hard to do with the restrictions, but my main concern is that it has a funky urine smell after a couple of days or so. I finally very carefully lifted it up, trying to use the golfer's stance, and put it into the bathtub to see what was going on. It sounded like "water" or something is sloshing around inside! But I can't see where. I wipe it dow all the time, of course, but am reluctant to hose it down so to speak because of the water already sloshing around inside. How on earth does anyone clean this thing? I am wondering, too, down the road how do you dispose of it? I no longer have the box. Well, I'm being premature. LOL.

I am going to hope that the hallway walking and other exercises today will get the kinks out and I won't be in so much discomfort. This begins my fourth week, so I guess I was expecting too much.
 
Peaches, I leave my raised seat on the toilet. I wipe the surface with bleach. Mine is made from solid plastic shaped to fit on the toilet with a screw and block. There isn't any way for it to fill with liquid. Your problem has me stumped I'm afraid. As for disposal when I'm finished with it I haven't thought that far ahead. You have raised a good point. Hopefully someone will have an answer to both questions.
 
Barbara, I take it yours doesn't emit a funky smell after a while? Boy, mine sure does. Drives me nuts.
I went online to read reviews about this model and a couple of reviewers said the same thing: funky urine
smell. It lifts off the seat very easily, too easily in fact (I wouldn't recommend it for a very old or very frail person who is unattended), despite the "lock."

Is anyone planning to take one of these things to the office with them when they return to work, if their restrictions have not bee lifted? That was my plan, but now there is no way I am going to do that. If I have to, I guess I will hover over the toilet for a while. Honestly, someone has to invent a portable/disposable thing to take with them when they go out prior to restrictions being lifted. When this whole saga is done, something tells me the last man standing will be that dang toilet riser, like an albatross. Space hogging the bathroom, noplace to dispose of it easily.
I can park it in the tub for a while, where it will glare at me maniacally, taunting me. Honestly, that thing is so hideous. But it does offer some much needed comic relief!
 
Peaches, I'm hoping to be restriction free by the time I go back to work. There are disabled facilities at my office so the seat is higher with grab rails if I still need them. The thought of taking a raised seat for the toilet in to work is the stuff of nightmares.:yikes:
My raised seat only needs wiping down with bleach to take care of smells. It is designed in such a way it cant fill up with liquid. As I said I cant understand how yours has liquid inside it.
 
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