THR Surprised and glad to have op!

[Constanze]

Hello @isolde ,
How are you getting on? How is work and swimming? Did you go to Northumbria? And if you did - did you have some fine weather? After all those years when they should know better, Germans still have this stereotyped idea that it's always raining in England. That's absolutely wrong. When I went, I had a lot of sunshiny days, and during one of my summer holidays (in Exmouth) I spent every day on the beach and developed a beautiful suntan. But of course, I've ony been to southern England - I don't know the north and the Midlands and the Lake District.

And how is your other hip? Is your OP still scheduled for 3 December? My other hip doesn't need replacing (not yet ).
Take care - Constanze

 

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

Wow...I just read through your whole thread. Amazing. What a story. I hope you are doing better. I felt worried when I read about your infection. It's making me very careful with my recovery. I didn't realize you could get an infection so late after the surgery. I thought I was out of the woods. I hope you are all right.

 

[isolde]

Hi @copsham
Yes, the second op is still on 3rd December and I'm touching lots of wood that it won't get cancelled, while getting really nervous at the same time! You all know what it's like!

We have been visiting our families, while I can still sit in a car for hours - Devon, Southampton, Derby, Wales - over the last few weeks. And now the reality of being stuck in our village for weeks, walking, walking like before, has made me want to go up to London as much as possible before the 90 degree restriction starts! We are going up to the London Coliseum tonight to see Verdi's The Force of Destiny and on Sunday will go to the Cosmonauts exhibition at the Science Museum. My darling hubby talked me out of doing both today as he knows how hard it will be on my right hip to do either. And I've booked for 3 shows from 12 weeks after my op onwards! That hip won't dare not heal cos I've got stuff I want to do!

That's quite enough about me, I will go and look at your thread and see how you are getting on. Thank you for being so caring.x

 

[isolde]

Wow, I just scrolled up my thread and saw some more messages on there that my emails hadn't alerted me to. Hi @Constanze and @Hip Hip Hooray! and thank you for your kind messages. Don't worry too much, Hip Hip, the infection was absolutely nothing to do with the hip op so if your scar is all healed up it's fine. The thing is, for some reason artificial hips attract infection from elsewhere in your body, so they advise routinely using antibiotics for dental procedures for example. Because I'd been told this at the hospital and in their literature, as soon as I realised I had an infection in the area I went and got treated; luckily it was in the soft tissue and hadn't gone straight for the joint, so it never got there. Just something to be aware of for the future, and I still don't know what caused it really.

Constanze, I think you would love Northumbria. We had quite good weather, and although the north gets worse weather than the south of Britain, the east is drier than the west. The first day was very warm - it was the day of the Great North Run and people were collapsing - and I managed to swim in the sea! Lost feeling in my toes after 20 mins of course as it's the North Sea and doesn't do warm! Wonderful long white gold sandy beaches, lots of castles from the days of raiding Scots (!) and the Cheviot Hills and moors. Holy Island, driving across the causeway while the tide is low. Marvellous mining museum that happened to have the weeping window of poppies draped over the old winding wheel of the mine when we visited, very moving. Plus for some reason, Northumbria is always empty, unlike the Lake District. Very friendly people too. Oh dear, I sound like an advert, but it really is lovely.

My right hip is so bad I've had to go sick from work as I can't stick the pain without painkillers, and I'm not allowed to drive on them. Work are being very good about it again and are also aware Hubby will need time off to look after me again. We are very very lucky, I know. I'm still swimming, but it's much more painful now and I only manage it 2 or 3 times a week. However, my left hip that got replaced in March, is doing very well. It still clunks (not loudly!) but I've stopped worrying about that! xx

 

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

Oh, thanks for the explanation, @isolde. That's interesting that an infection will travel to artificial hips. I guess I'll keep eating fresh garlic every day. I'm glad that you're getting that right hip done. I had both of mine done together, and it's such a relief. I think the joint starts to "give up" just before the surgery. I swam before my surgery, too. You sound very determined.

How wonderful to be able to travel and experience all of that. It sounds very scenic. I love traveling.

Why does your left hip clunk? You and @Constanze inspire me...I'm off for a bike ride now.

 

[copsham]

Good luck @isolde for tomorrow. Hope it goes well. Look forward to hearing your news and will be thinking off you.

 

[isolde]

Hi, I haven't been able to get on here because something strange and technical stopped some servers accessing Bonesmart. Their techies have fixed it now. I had my second (right) hip replaced on Dec 3rd as booked, uncemented and lateral again and the same surgeon. I bled loads again so low blood pressure and not allowed out of bed till the 3rd day. They didn't manage the pain well this time at first (I threw up the first oxycodone, or whatever it's called, and as they gave it by time that seemed to blow the system!). I was in with a lovely group of women (our hospital do the normal NHS 6 bed bays which work well) and they were very supportive when I needed it. I got home on the 3rd day evening, Sunday 6 Dec. After sleeping off the strong hospital opiates I have been on max tramadol (2 x 50mg, 4 times a day) plus ibuprofen and paracetamol as needed. It didn't quite cover all the pain at first but does now. The big difference this time is that I don't feel exhausted and breathless like I did for the first 2 weeks last time. My mum said she always feels like this from anaesthetic, but I think they gave me so much saline fluid in hospital this time - about 6 bags on top of the 2 units of blood - that I pee-ed it out! So from the Monday I felt well and lively, had a day indoors to adjust to being home and started going for walks outside on the Tuesday. Having previous experience is helping so much: I know what length of walks to start with - I could never feel when I was over-doing it and then would get nasty pains later last time - and the techniques for getting around the house and out of bed. This time I did a lot of sit-ups for the 2 months before the op - makes it way easier to swing my legs in and out of bed. Also, last time I felt under pressure to be walking as well as possible by the 6 week (ended up 8 week) visit to the consultant so he would put me in for another op based on good results. It worked, but I can relax this time. I do 3 days of 4 walks a day plus all my recommended physio exercises and then take a day off all exercise to let it just repair. It is working a treat - by the third night all the tendons and muscles are tired and after a day off feel springy and ready for action again. I have got to the end of our road and back x 4 and after today off will do that for 2 days so it becomes easier before probably trying for short walks on one crutch. I'm on one crutch indoors so I think that will work. This is all being powered by my lovely hubby getting me nutritious meals with loads of fruit as well - I am craving all good things and not fancying rubbish at the moment as my body goes into survival mode. It was 2 weeks post op yesterday and the nurse took my staples out and was nice about my walking which was sweet. The scar doesn't look bad at all. Anyway, to sum up: I am very lucky again and am having an easy recovery so far, with the bonus of not feeling tired or down. And I am very aware that this IS a matter of luck.

 

[copsham]

Sounds great @isolde, you are seeming to pace yourself beautifully. So the two THR's are over and now a bit of recovery then dare I say it's back to norm. You will have to plan holidays from the sofa while you are off work!

I will do an update on my thread to fill you in about my saga.

 

[Kim22]

Hi @isolde congratulations on your second new hip and how well you are doing.It sounds like you have put all your experience with hip one to good use and paced your activity really well.I also had problems accessing Bonesmart recently but it seems ok today.I hope your recovery continues to go really well.

 

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

Congratulations on doing so well. You are wise not to over exercise. You sound really happy. Great update.

 

[Constanze]

Hi @isolde,
Congratulations for your successful Operation on the new hip. It Looks as though you're recovering fast - also because you are approaching it in such a wise way - eating healthily and all the rest of it. But it's Christmas, soon, and I'm sure you deserve a few yummy treats and sweets - biscuits, chocolates etc, slim and healthy as you are. Enjoy it and don't get too stressed out.
Hugs
Constanze

 

[adriver]

Hi @isolde - how have your employers viewed your current situation and operations please?? If you would prefer not to say on here please feel free to PM me.

Thanks,

 

[Jaycey]

@adriver Welcome to BoneSmart! Why don't you start your own thread so that you can get input from other members as well as isolde? Please note that we prefer members to post their answers on threads versus sending PM as the information may help others as well.

 

[isolde]

Hi everyone, and happy new year! My recovery from the second op is still going well. I'm on one crutch since 2.5 weeks post op for my walks outside. Still doing 4 walks a day plus physio exercises for 3 days then 1 day off, and this seems to give good progress without pain. Am now only medicating for the walks, so Tramadol 2x50mg plus paracetamol and ibuprofen twice a day at minimum interval then nothing till the next morning and rarely getting pain at night. Am using no crutches in the house a lot of the time and thinking I will probably try outside the house next week. @Jaycey could you tell me how to put this second op on my description? It was 3 Dec 2015 RTHR lateral approach.

@Constanze, I am definitely not slim! I was very good till Christmas then went mad! Am now stopping and getting back to healthy eating. @adriver, my employers are being brilliant about my current situation. I had bad arthritis pain since 2009 and didn't take time off until the end of 2014. I can't take strong anti-inflammatories as they make me ill, so the only effective pain relief I could get was from Tramadol, an opiate that I can't drive trains on until 48 hours after taking them. Therefore even though I told the railway I was prescribed them, I could only take them on leave or long weekends, until I couldn't take it any more and went sick. I kept myself mobile, did physio stretches plus swimming, cycling and walking and managed to do my job, just in pain. My employers were very nice about my sickness pre and post op for both ops. My manager said they appreciated how I had always tried to help myself by keeping active and also I didn't take the mickey when I went back to work earlier this year: I worked out a quick programme of route-refreshing and then resumed my duties. You sound worried, and if it's about your own health you are young to be going through this - I was too, but you are much younger. Feel free to ask what you like and if you want to pm me for privacy feel free. Although as Jaycey said, you can join and they really are a lovely supportive group of people on here.