THR Surgery is over and I'm home

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Well, my surgery on November 30th went very well but the beginning process has not been smooth by any means:
  • Had the surgery and the when I woke, did not have any pain (probably because the spinal had not worn off);
  • The pain eventually came with such ferocity that I was having a really hard time dealing with it. I did not have a pump and it was difficult getting the pain under control. The group of nurses I had on the first night were great but starting the second day it was a different story.
  • On Saturday, I was either feeling sick or in excruciating pain and when I was in agonizing pain around supper time, I asked the nurse for pain medication. She told me that she'd get to me in around an hour once she had handled a discharge. I told her I couldn't wait that long and she told me I'd have to. I called my husband in tears and told him what was going on. He called the head nurse and they handled it so that I got my medication in a couple of minutes. I never understood what was going on and I got to the point where I would keep an eye on the clock so that I knew when my medication was due so I could hopefully stay ahead of the pain. Unfortunately, this same nurse (when she was on duty) would always tell me I was an hour off. I knew I wasn't but there was no point in arguing with her.
  • Other than that particular nurse, the rest of the actual nurses were wonderful. The PT people were incredible but the nurses aids were horrific. One of them actually dropped my leg when helping me out of bed. I thought I was going to die! The worst situation was this one particular aide kept telling me I needed to take a shower and I agreed to it. She got me on the chair in the shower and shoved a shower head at me which was freezing cold water which made me jump and in turn made me hurt. When I complained she did something to the water and then shoved it at me again and I complained it was too hot. She yelled at me and told me that I should have handled it - little difficult to do since I couldn't reach the faucets. She then left (I thought she was getting a towel) - I was in there cold, shivering and crying for at least 10 minutes. The whole time I was constantly pulling the string but nobody answered until she came back. I have never been so miserable and upset in my life. I did complain but have no idea if anything was done or not.
  • My husband got me home the following day and I have never been so relieved. I am having a very difficult time getting the stiffness out of my body. I am walking several times a day with my walker and trying to sit in the living room a few times a day
  • This morning I had somehow ended up on my side (non-operative) with pillows between my knees but i apparently moved wrong and woke up in terrible pain. My husband came in immediately, helped me get comfortable and got some pain medication in me but my pain level has been a little higher today. I don't think I dislocated as I can still move my feet and can still walk with my walker.
  • Yesterday was a great day with a lot more movement but today not so much.
Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know how things were going.

Snow
 
You poor thing! I trust you have pain meds for home? And that you got the nurse's name so you can file a complaint? Just do what you can, and listen to your body. I can't offer anything but sympathy, but you have a lot of that.
 
Hi Snow it sounds like you have had a pretty rough time of it in the hospital but hopefully now you are home you will start to recover, but remember, as all the bonesmart warriors will tell you " Slow and steady wins the race". I have slept on my unoperated side with a pillow between my legs, but i also wake up with more pain than I go to sleep with, so maybe its our bodies telling us it's a bit too soon for this. My friends on here have made me realise how important using an icepack is as part of the painrelieving process, so give it a go. Good luck with your recovery and looking forward to reading your progress
Linda :friends:
 
Thanks - I truly appreciate the sympathy. I have been in this hospital a few years ago for a non-ortho issue so I know they have good nurses and aides there - I just had bad luck with mine. I have been using a lot of ice and I do find it helps with the swelling. Have also been using tylenol in addition to the oxycodone that I am using. I will try sleeping on my back again but somehow always find myself on my side. I am hoping that I can do a little more each and every day but I am not pushing it as I know that can lead to more pain.
 
Hi Snow, Your hospital stay sounds like a nightmare. :( I hope you feel a little better every day!
 
Snow, sorry that you had a tough go of it in the hospital. I hope you bring it up to your OS staff when you have your follow-up appointments. Anyway glad to hear you are safe and sound at home. It might take you a little while to figure out which positions are most comfortable and they will change as your recovery continues. Just know that it will get better every day!
 
I am truly horrified at the care you did not receive while in that hospital. As a nursing executive I would want to know so I hope you make sure you let others aware of your experiences when you feel a bit better. I am so sorry you had to go thru all that. But you're home now & on your way to recovery. And you will feel better with time, rest, ice & elevation. It will get better!
 
Thanks so much Mary Beth - I do intend to make sure this is documented so that nobody else has to ever deal with it. I did document it with the hospital but have not heard anything further from them and I will let the doctor's office know as well.
 
If you need any suggestions of who to contact at the hospital just let me know. I don't know how you documented it with the hospital, but there are some hot button people who should know, not just the unit manager. The doctors office really won't impact the actual care delivery on the unit. no one should be treated the way you were. I'm appalled. I didn't have a pump after my surgery, but my pain management was superb - and it was all because of the diligence & caring of the nursing staff. And no, I didn't have my surgery at my hospital!
 
What an awful hospital experience. I agree, you should document and make sure risk management is also aware of how you were left shivering and crying in the shower.

It sounds like your husband is a good nurse. Be sure and keep your pain controlled---take your meds on schedule before your pain gets ahead of you. You need rest more than anything right, especially after that rough start in the hospital.
 
2 big hugs.png
You need these after an experience like you had. Please take your pain meds on a schedule (the maximum dosage right now), get lots of rest, use ice, and just gentle easy exercises (if you do any at all) and keep your walking to a minimum here in the beginning. Give your body a chance to heal. Things will get better and better---just don't over do. Take care of yourself and keep us posted. We care.
santa & reindeer dancing 1.gif
 
I always figure if you'd get in trouble for doing it to a prisoner, it's abuse no matter how you slice it. I'm glad you've reported it. If it were me (and I do have a tiny bit of an inclination to hold a grudge) that would be my recovery hobby! I'm VERY glad your husband is being as good as he is. Mine was too, and it was a gift beyond measure.
 
Snow, use your pain meds now to get through the difficult part. Take your maximum dosage allowed, as often as allowed. Don't wait till you start to hurt again; take it consistently on schedule. Sleep as often and as much as you want....your body is healing while you sleep, and it helps enormously. You have no other job right now except to rest. By the time Santa comes, you should be feeling a whole lot better.

Sharon
 
Hang in there, Snow. This is day 5 post op for me and I woke up in a lot of pain myself. I think I over did it yesterday and then got off schedule with my pain meds. I tend to expect too much too soon. I think we both just need to take it slow and allow some pampering for a few days. That's very had for me to do but after waking up in so much pain, I'm willing to try it. Hang in there...we will get through this! :flwrysmile:
 
hang in there Deb, you doing so well....day 5 only seems like yesterday to me and I'm now on day 19!! Am just about to embark on a shower for the first time since the op! Hope you are resting now :flwrysmile:
 
Thanks again to all of you. I do need to figure out who to send these letters of complaint to and will be focusing on them when I am feeling a little bit better. I had a good night last night and have been having a good day today. My PT guy helped me practice with a cane today, going up and down the stairs in my home, along with practicing sitting on the couch in my living room. Getting ready to take a nap as I've had a pretty busy morning
 
I am so glad to hear you are feeling better. not a good experience with that nurse and people ought to know about it,
 
Congratulations snow on your shiny new hip what a dreadful experience you had in the hospital so pleased you are home now!

Are you elevating, icing and taking your pain medications as prescribed?, don't cut back at this stage. It is easy to forget a dose, but I set an alarm just incase I napped through my med time.

It is really so important to keep ahead with pain control, that way you won't suffer what we refer to as 'break through pain', which is what you appear to be encountering now.

'Slow and steady wins the race' is the name of the game for the first few weeks.

Here are some articles from the library to get you started. But don't hesitate to ask questions, we love questions:)

Pain management and the pain chart
How Long Does Healing Take ......
Chart representation of THR recovery
Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy Drain for THRs
Elevating your leg to control swelling and pain
Activity progression for THR
Some suggestions for home physio (PT) and activity progress
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

I look forward to following your journey of recovery and celebrating each little (and big) milestone with you, we are here to support you :)
 
I have a question for those who are further along in their recovery. I had my total hip replacement on November 30th and feel I am doing very well but I had my first "out of the home physical therapy" a week ago and I experienced really serious pain for several days to the point that I couldn't sleep. I had cut back on my pain medication quite a bit and had to increase it again. I called my doctor and they said that it wasn't "normal" to have that much pain so I had to take it easy for several days - they tried to add Celebrex but I had a bad reaction so it as just constant icing, pain meds, Aleve and rest.

My question is since I am now at 6 weeks, shouldn't I be just on over the counter medication? I guess I thought I'd be further along than I am. Although, I must admit, I feel I am walking pretty well once I get moving (well, as long as I keep ahead of the pain) - guess I just thought I'd be pain free by now. Anyway, just trying to figure out what is normal although I know it differs a lot from person to person.

Thanks.
 
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