THR Take a deep breath! Jump in!

[Jaycey]

Sounds like you are doing well - listen to that hip. It will tell you when you have gone too far. I hope your return to work is uneventful. Ease in if you can. And don't plan on doing anything else but going to work and then coming home to rest. Best good to yourself!

 

[Krista]

Way to go, @gertie, my surgery triplet! I am nodding my head in agreement with what you say. Sounds like you are recovering, step by step, and headed in a very positive direction. I can't believe you have to go back to work. I am your same age, and it just would not be possible for me. All the best to you in 2017!

 

[gertie]

@Krista Re: work--I have mixed feelings. I like my colleagues, I like much of the work I do, just wish I didn't need to do it full time--but that's the gig right now. Working on an exit plan that would involve some sort of part time or contract work that I could do on my terms, from home--that's a top priority in this new year.

 

[gertie]

A sequence of "yes, hip replacement takes time to recover from" moments. I'm generally looking pretty good these days, no limp and no cane. I went out for coffee with some friends this afternoon. A friend picked me up--I was obviously moving stiffly and feeling a twinge of pain when I reached to close the wide open car door. "You're still having trouble bending?" she said with surprise. Well, yes, there's a lot of healing tissue in there.

We sat at a table that was up on a raised area with a high step up and when we left I asked to put my hand on a friend's shoulder to cushion my landing when I stepped down. Then, I asked the friend I rode with if she'd pull the car up a bit so I didn't have to slip and slide over ice to get in. "Wow," another friend said. "You're still having trouble with your hip?" Well, yes.

I went out to a dinner party last night and was the first to leave because my hip was starting to protest sitting in a hard dining room chair. Again, someone commented with surprise that I was still having issues. I thought I was doing well to last as long as I did! Grrrr...this is not a fast recovery folks!

 

[Krista]

@gertie, they have no idea! I haven't had those kinds of responses from anyone, but if I did, I'd give them a polite mini-lecture about recovery from THR. They should consider themselves lucky that they haven't had personal experience with such a surgery.

 

[baclectic]

I've had probably the most horrific 2 1/2 months of my life. I have a friend who's always calling asking how I'm feeling. I keep telling her about the pain I'm in. She's always suggesting I cut back on my pain Meds and do more activity.
Well..... after 2 1/2 months she dropped by to visit. She told me tonight that it wasn't until she actually saw me that she realized how hard it must have been for me. AND she saw me at a good time when I'd taken my pain Meds the last hour and thought I felt pretty good. People don't understand. That's why this forum is so important.


Sent from my iPhone using broken link removed: https://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=75543

 

[Jaycey]

@gertie Unfortunately friends and family often have no clue as to what this recovery requires. I think my OH thought THR was similar to having your toenails clipped. You are in and then out of hospital, looking pretty much the same. All back to normal, right? WRONG!

This is major surgery - carpentry at it's best. And recovery can take up to a year. Please don't get discouraged. You are doing well!

 

[gertie]

@Jaycey Thanks for the support! I'm more frustrated than discouraged with these responses--and know that it's at least in part because on the surface I look like I'm recovered. As I return to work I'm going to need to refine my answer to "how are you doing?" so that folks don't expect me to be full on, top energy, rarin to go, at my desk for 8 hours a day. Something along the lines of "doing well for this stage of recovery" or "doing well but still recovering."

@baclectic I'm so glad you're feeling better--and glad that your friend visited.

 

[Silvrafox]

Almost 6am been awake 2 hrs. Fabulous husband feeding my dogs. I feel guilty and a little down in the dumps. I'm retired so no work, and to those that do be kind to yourself, you'll find that perfect answer. As I struggle to walk not so dependant on walker (surgery 12 days ago) I keep reminding myself how much pain I was in simply turning around I the kitchen. How much pain must our ancestors must have endured. We're so lucky.

 

[WELSHRUTH]

@gertie I know exactly what you mean about the reaction of friends/family. Some people are thrilled for me and so supportive and encouraging and other people have no idea. I often find it difficult to explain about the huge variation in recovery from this major operation without sounding sorry for myself so I let it go - but fume silently!
I was at a friend's house with a group of girl friends before Christmas and as I had been sitting for a while on a dining chair, my hip and my knee had stiffened up. As I gingerly got up and walked to the kitchen (without support), a friend called out 'stop limping'. Wouldn't mean much to most people, but It really got to me. If I'd retorted, I think she would have been taken aback at how a seemingly innocuous comment affected me when I had spent a few days wondering whether I would even attend or cope with the event in the first place.
Anyway, that's my moan! I think you're doing so well and find that this forum makes us realise about the ups and downs that everybody experiences and as you point out, it is not a race!

 

[gertie]

@WELSHRUTH What an unhelpful comment from your friend (and I bet she thought she was being supportive)! Yes, this forum helps keep us focused on what is realistic. I also have a couple of friends who have been through this and remind me that recovery is a process whenever I moan about increased soreness after increased activity or worry about the ups and downs.

 

[gertie]

10 weeks post-op as of yesterday (5th January). All in all I'm doing well I think.
--Back to work this week for 4 hours a day. Mostly I've worked from home but did spend all 4 hours Wednesday in the office. It was a bit challenging but doable. OK when I was in my comfy desk chair but less OK when at other meetings or out to lunch, sitting on a hard bench. Next week I'll be in the office every day--will try to keep the hours to between 4 to 6 hours but I can feel that pull...
--Unfortunately, as I've returned to work I've also had a return of some insomnia issues--I'm sure it's related to anticipating the work day to come. So, fatigue has been an issue--it's been helpful to work from home b/c I can nap if I need to. We'll see how next week goes.
--I was having some problems with groin pain that I think was due to increased activity pre-holidays. That seems to be calming down. Mostly bothers me now when I go from sitting to standing then quiets down as I walk. Have also had some low back pain--I'm sure it's all related!
--Went for a 1/2 mile walk yesterday and today--not a great distance but more than I could do immediately pre-op. No hip pain or groin pain once I got going. Feels great to know that the hip is not about to yell at me or give way!
--I was scheduled to go for an outpatient PT assessment this week but postponed it. Felt like returning to work was enough to deal with. I'm practicing my limit setting statements in anticipation of the appointment!

 

[Cas]

sounds like you are doing so well. I'm a week behind you so will be 10 weeks on Thursday and you are doing much better than me LOL. We all recover at a different pace. It's sad that people don't often get what we are going through especially when nearly 3 months on we still stiffen and have the odd limp and they think we should be better by now!! If only they knew what we go through!!!! This group is so wonderful and the people so helpful and supportive. When we get down they prop us up. Good luck for your return to work and keep well - onwards and upwards - cheers carol

 

[gertie]

Ah, but you've had a nasty flu @Cas which is bound to slow you down. I'm sneezing a bit right now but have otherwise avoided any plagues.

 

[Cas]

hope you avoid this one @gertie It's a nasty. You are doing so well keep it up. I don't care if I've gone back a bit at least the old hip has had another week plus of rest so will be happier to do a bit more. I will be thinking of you at work this coming week . Take care.

 

[gertie]

@Krista and @SwimGirl My surgery triplets. How are things with you?

 

[Jaycey]

Felt like returning to work was enough to deal with.

Returning to work is ALL you should do for now. This includes the walks. Focus all your energy on your return to work and resting only. The energy drain is real and the insomnia is part of it. You need your rest. Soon you will be able to add activities but you need to gradually build up.

 

[Krista]

I'm practicing my limit setting statements in anticipation of the appointment!

Always a good thing, @gertie. As I said to you before, I can't imagine going to work at my age, and I really can't imagine adding PT to that. Are you having any specific problems that you thing a physical therapist can help you with? I have an appointment for PT next week. My surgeons really like for their patients to go to PT, and I've had a nice long delay, since I had the 20 pound weight bearing for 6 weeks, then the month of December with horrid cold and snow and the holidays, so I didn't go then. I am walking better all the time, although I still have weakness in my surgical leg and stiffness in the area above my glutes and up into my lower back. When I first get up in the morning, I absolutely cannot walk without aids, as everything in both legs hurts. Then, in the morning and early afternoon, I can walk around without aids, trying hard not to limp. Later in afternoon and evening, I use the rollator again.

I'll see what the PT says on Tuesday. I have no problem with deciding exactly what I need, rather than adhering to the 10 weeks of 2 - 3 sessions per week that the surgeon recommends. I have my goals, which are very different, I am sure, from that of a younger person who, for example, wants to return to strenuous sports or exercise. I want to walk easily and pain-free without aids for several miles on uneven ground, to be flexible and strong enough to do work around the house, and to be able to balance and be steady enough that chances are better that I won't fall.

How nice that you feel your hip is steady and you felt no pain with the half-hour walk! May all of the improvements continue.

 

[gertie]

@Krista I like your list of goals for PT and they sound similar to mine. I feel like my gait is OK but I'd like someone to eyeball it. I'd like some gentle strengthening. And I'd like pointers on how to safely begin to regain flexibility. I'll soon be off precautions (and am already breaking the 90 degree rule). I want to safely get to the point where I can tie my shoes, zip my winter boots, clip my toenails, etc. Balance work would also be good.

 

[gertie]

Thanks for looking out for me, @Jaycey! And next week, your words of caution will be needed. This past week was pretty easy and I worked from home most days. The 2 walks were on work at home days and felt refreshing rather than tiring but next week I suspect I'll come home and flop on the couch.