TeeJay's recovery tale

[teejay]

I’m back home 54 hours after being admitted to the hospital for RTHR. So far the journey has been magnificent. The RNs and PTs were fabulous – real compassionate and professional (the staff named me Speedy, I wonder why?). My surgeon is one of the two that operate utilizing the anterior approach in my neck of the woods (capital of state), and I think this is what made the difference.

</p> My meds include Vistaril 25 – 50 mg up to 4x (muscle relaxant), MScontin 10-20mg 2x (slow release pain), Percocet 1-2 /4h, Celebrex, and Coumadin. I dislike the Coumadin. These meds are for the next two weeks until I'll meet my OS.

I was discharged with no weight bearing restrictions. I need to be careful with the 90-degree rule and twisting, though, but that also will pass. I truly feel great, but I’m expecting the shoe to drop.

I’m going approach this new life of mine with a positive attitude. And, if you don’t mind, report regularly on my progress.

I’m quite tired. I’m going to eat a little, take my meds and go to sleep.

I’m on the other side and life is beautiful

 

[Texas]

Im glad your home........take it easy.......your wife is a great lady standing/helping you this whole time its hard taking care of one of us.....lol.........keep us posted.......get some rest........)

 

[Plumber]

:thmb: Right on TJ! Sounds like things are going well. I know the feeling. And remember one thing (my Doc & PT's said the same to me) Just because you can, doesn't mean you should! I pushed a bit too hard a few times, just being impatient. Take it easy this first week & only do what is allowed. You'll be feeling great in no time. Actually sounds like you already are.
You'll be strut'n around before you know it! Good luck.

 

[SheriALS]

It is interesting that you have the 90 degree rule with the anterior approach. I thought it was the norm to be without restrictions. I didn't have any and was able to sleep and move however I wanted. PT told me I couldn't sleep on my stomach but days later when talking to a Physician's assistant at my doc's office I was told I could sleep on my stomach and that they shouldn't have told me that. I also had an OT tell me I couldn't reach down to pick things up and then when PT came in they said that was wrong and I could.
When I had my 1 week post op the doc said I could start doing yoga again but just not to "torque" my leg and only because the hip capsule was still healing. I am not ready for that degree of yoga anyway but have been happy to take up child pose, downward facing dog, & pelvic tilts.

Was it the doctor who gave you those restrictions or the PT , OT, or nurses?

Rest well,
Sheri

 

[tweedy57]

I'm eager to follow your recovery as I will be having RTHR on Dec. 8th with the Anterior approach. It has been great to read of your experiences just ahead of what I will go through. This forum is real encouragement to the rest of us looking forward to surgery. Provides great formation. Thanks for posting your hip journey.

 

[Josephine]

It is interesting that you have the 90 degree rule with the anterior approach. I thought it was the norm to be without restrictions. I didn't have any and was able to sleep and move however I wanted. PT told me I couldn't sleep on my stomach but days later when talking to a Physician's assistant at my doc's office I was told I could sleep on my stomach and that they shouldn't have told me that. I also had an OT tell me I couldn't reach down to pick things up and then when PT came in they said that was wrong and I could.
When I had my 1 week post op the doc said I could start doing yoga again but just not to "torque" my leg and only because the hip capsule was still healing. I am not ready for that degree of yoga anyway but have been happy to take up child pose, downward facing dog, & pelvic tilts.

Was it the doctor who gave you those restrictions or the PT , OT, or nurses?

Rest well,
Sheri

It differs from surgeon to surgeon. Very little rhyme or reason - just different.

 

[JudyS]

Teejay i hope you continue to feel good. Life with a new hip is great and gets better every day. If you don't overdo it!!!
judy

 

[teejay]

First night at home, and what an experience it was. I’d to wake up every two hours or so to take my pain meds, because I could not sleep (or stay awake) without. A Percocet seemed to do the trick, not too much discomfort. On the negative side, I slept on my hand; so pecking the keyboard with one finger is my communications mode for the morning.

I found new muscles, aching new muscles. My thigh appears to scream the most. Also, as expected, the temperature went up a bit 100.2.

My wife and I noticed some problems we need to deal with in the discharge papers.

The battle plan for the day is to eat a good breakfast, do the exercises, visit the lab for an INR draw, get the rest of my meds, and get used to living in this house of ours as an Other Sider. I need to catch up in the communications department as well.

I’m one BM away from being happy.

TX, Plumber, Sheri, Tweedy, Josephine, Judy and the rest, I thank you for your support.

BTW, my younger schafer is staring at me from the other side of the bed totally quiet waiting for an invitation. I’m not sure what my wife told the dogs, but they’ve been avoiding me like plague. I’m impressed.

Smart girl, Sheri, namaste. The miscommunication throughout this journey has been amazing, from no bending forever to no restrictions at all. I did not want to provide any info that could be misinterpreted, so, when my written orders say 90 degrees, I posted 90 degrees. I was, in fact told I have no restrictions by the PT and RN that discharged me. I’m going to take it easy regardless.

Tweedy, welcome to the club. These people are wunderbar. Stay, read and participate. This anterior thing is great, good for you for choosing it.

Gotta run.

 

[JudyS]

Teejay hope your hand recovers quickly!!!
No running!!!

Every time i've left the hospital the discharge nurse has asked my what my restictions and orders are!!!!!
judy

 

[Plumber]

It differs from surgeon to surgeon. Very little rhyme or reason - just different.

Very true. I was told "do not go beyond 120 degrees right after surgery". That caught my attention because 90 degrees is the limit I always heard. My PT & doc said 90 degrees is achieved every time you sit down.
Mine was a posterior approach. does that make any difference?
Bottom line, be careful!

 

[Josephine]

Bottom line, be careful!

Was that a pun, plumber? :hehe:

Yes, posterior makes a difference. Slightly increased risk.

 

[teejay]

TX,

You’re absolutely correct regarding my wife – I could not accomplish my recuperation (or anything else for that matter) without her. I truly feel sorry for folks that have to go through THR recovery without a partner.

You guys are absolutely part of my team.

Plumber,

Thank you for your encouragement. I really enjoyed reading your story as well.

I know exactly what you mean by taking it easy; the problem is, though, that reading another hippie’s experiences is a light-year away when the issue arrives at my door.

I’m trying to take it easy, but – again – the information I was provided with has all the colors and hues of the world. I asked many times (PT, RN, etc.), for example, what is the limitation as regards to PT and walking. I deciphered their responses to mean that basically no set rules exist, and the only harmful result is pain; that comes afterwards. I’m kind of on my own.

I’m overly confident that I’ll be able to read my body and mind, but I’ll take it slowly.


Judy,

I hear you. It is amazing how much information gets lost, and then they the nerve to ask the patient to correct their mistakes. For this voyage, I enlightened at least 6 persons about my currents meds. My discharge papers still carry six-year old stuff. Not really reassuring, is it?


3 days from surgery

It’s about 3 pm, and my wife and I just returned home from the clinic (blood work) and surgeon’s office (medications). Somebody in the food chain had prescribed me 4 days worth of pain meds! The communication is definitely the weakest link in my THR experiment.

I can’t comprehend either the lack of rudiments of pain management in America Sheri and others have posted about. What kind of cerebellum suggests a person undergoes a THR just to acquire Percocet?

I’m quite sure, my operated leg has gained some strength - it feels easier to lift. Walking feels great, and I’m able to do most of my current daily chores independently. The darn walker slows me down.

The pain is being well controlled with 10+10 mg Oxycontin daily and 1 Percocet every 2 to 4 hours. I just got the Celebrex going, so I can’t say anything about that. That little excursion to the clinic feels in the thigh, and the it is a bit swollen. My wife changed the dressing and said the wound looked good (how does a wound look good?). My temperature jumped to 101.6 for a second.

Everything feels and looks good. I wish I had more interesting news to dispatch.

 

[teejay]

Sheri,

I’m so pleased to learn that you do Yoga - ONE week after!!!

The concept of Yoga has been so corrupted over the years that a definition of Yoga is obligatory prior to any dialogue – way too off topic here. I never bothered to learn the English names for asanas, for example, Sanskrit is still the most descriptive language.

I think you can apply the principles of Yoga to almost anything, i.e. you’ll be able to accomplish any exercise. I’m not sure what your approach to Yoga is, but should you perform for example the Ankle Pumps with concentrated breathing, you’d receive all the benefits of Yoga: more stretching, more sensitivity, more safety, more concentration, etc. The movements do not need to be big; it is the degree of Yoga in it that counts.

Most people would benefit more from doing Uttansana with the help of a bench (bend forward as long as your hands meet the bench.) or bending knees. I’m doing my home exercise program as if I was doing any other Yogasana.

Quite impressive, Sheri.

 

[Josephine]

teejay, don't forget you also have a primary care physician or GP. They can provide you with prescriptions too.

 

[teejay]

Day 4

Dia duit ar maidin my Irish friends

This mending is a total trickster. I descended the basement stairs and went to my studio, fired up my bank of computers and sat there for a while staring at the desktop photos displaying my wife. I swear, I felt like I ought to commence working. Am I starting to lose it? Is it the drugs talking? I really, really feel good. I even walked a few feet without the walker, but that was scary so I need to confess: I don’t feel completely Superman - yet.

I read somewhere here that a reasonable expectation for time out would be anything from two to three months. I’m going to have to argue with my boss (I) about it later. A few have managed to get emancipated in a month. We are all different Q.E.D. My goal is to experience a comfortable overseas trip in April.

A hypothetical: If I’m able to surf the Internet now for hours daily with my (wife’s) laptop, why couldn’t I accomplish the exact same mission downstairs with my occupational computers? (I’m not trying to be difficult.)

Back to business … Well, the night went well. I took one 10 mg OXY and one 5/325 Percocet for the nocturnal escapade and one additional Percocet at 2 am subsequent to a restroom break. I slept better than the night before. My body temperature was 97.3.

I drink a lot of fluids, so I urinate frequently – kind of vicious circle I adopted while studying in India. I did not experience pain over night; I’d rather describe it as mild discomfort, and none of it even adjacent to the incision. The numbness in the thigh is decreasing. I’m imagining that my body is already much more suited for bungee jumping.

I found two new body parts: 1. The right heel, and that is painful. I figured that it’s due to my position in bed; sitting knees little bend pecking the keyboard; 2. Finally, my hip is finally starting to send coded messages. This is progress.

I feel good, no other way to put it.

Today’s plan consists of doing the exercises, taking meds, and trying to create an atmosphere where my wife feels less need to worry. Yesterday was rather bad day for her, and she does not need any additional burden.

 

[teejay]

Josephine, I’m certain that what you highlight works in most of the US, but my hospital provided system wants to be different. Consequently, when my OS (or any specialists) prescribes meds for my care, my primary will not touch it with 100 ft pole. I learned this the hard way years back, and I’ve been thanking gods of all sorts for being rather healthy ever since. </p>
There is the common sense way and the my clinic way.

 

[sasvermont]

TJ, so glad you are doing nicely so soon.

I am on day #18 post op and I must confess that each day has been different for me. I had only one day that I would consider to be a set back.

Keep yourself busy and exercised. Take your meds on time and when necessary.... and REST....

Keep us posted........

 

[Josephine]

Well, most people have reported success with their pcp. Of course, you could always self-refer to a pain clinic, I believe .....

 

[teejay]

sasvermont,
I’m rather pleased about the state of affairs myself; I did not quite expect such a confidence building improvement in considerably short period of time. I’ve no doubt that there will be cloudy days ahead, but I’ll take them as they come. Today was really the first I’d any control over my healing, and I liked it.

17 sunny days out of 18 on this beautiful planet of ours is so encouraging; something to look forward to. That is remarkable progress, I’d say. Thank you for sharing that.

Excellent suggestions, sas. I’ve been so busy trying get organized that I’ve not had time to even open a book (I usually read a book a day), watch a movie, not to mention check my mail. All that tells me, as you recommended, that I should pay more attention to resting. In fact, I’ve been napping in and out all day and evening, but the med diary illustrates that I’ve not taken extraordinarily large amounts of medications. On the contrary, I’ve taken about half of the maximum amounts of pain pills.

I’m still on the phase one of the Other Side initiation program, I assume.

I was trying to conceive a daily and weekly recovery plan all day. I’ll need to start from scratch tomorrow – today really. I thank you and the others for all your support and knowledge. I’m quite certain I’ll be lurking around from time to time.

I wish you speedy and uneventful recovery. All the best.

 

[teejay]

5th Day

Josephine,
My prescriptions are now all in order. There was initially some confusion; but my surgeon’s assistant straightened those out in a minute.

I appear to have a very high tolerance for narcotics ( I do not drink or smoke, nor have I ever used street drugs), and that, as you can imagine, always creates predicaments of all sorts. In an attempt to avoid all these troubles; specifically: inadequate pain killer prescription, I informed every person involved in my care prior to going to the hospital of the issue in writing and verbally. In addition, I swear that I went through my medications at least with seven doctors, RNs, or other people involved in the registration process.

It came as no surprise to me that my primary care clinic, the surgeon’s office and the hospital failed miserably.

Today is technically the 5th after the surgery, and a self assessment tells me all is well. The pain is hardly there, either because I believe in your pain management demonstration and take the pills, or no pain exists. No overly swelling or other problems of concern with the incision. I’m less stiff, I walk better, and I’m rather positive. No temp. In short, I’m doing acceptable.

It was a pleasure to meet all of you and receive the unconditional support. Even though, I do not want to name names, I must name the two main culprits: Josephine and Jamie. Also, shugaplum was a real delight. The rest of you Other Siders (and I count you in Ronnie) are hopefully aware how much I appreciate your contribution, support and concern.

Signing off,

TeeJay