THR Teri's Recovery-Hip #2

[Bfam85]

Good morning @Hoppy Nanny! Had such a marvelous sleep last night. Since I have anterior, I slept a bit on my non-op side and it was bliss! Thank you so much for your support in this LLD issue...since my OS assured me all is well, I will accept his professional opinion. After all, he has been doing these surgeries 6/day 3x/week for years! I trust you are getting out and enjoying your wonderful new bionic life!!! All of us behind you are thrilled for you!!!

 

[Mojo333]

Post op euphoria (I made it!) replaced quickly with Post op anxiety (Is this going to be okay?)
My early posts were rife with concerns.

Early days, dear Bfam...
I hope you are able to ease your mind and have a peaceful Sunday!

 

[Bfam85]

Hi @Mojo333! I have recently gone to your thread and started reading your journal....how far you have come, my dear!!! I have never participated in a support website before so there's nothing to compare it to, but I must tell you it is the most giving, and loving!, fellowship of people from all of the world....Quite beautiful, isn't it? Thank you so much for your encouragement today. xox

 

[Mojo333]

Just peruse...I was quite the whiner.
It was really helpful for me to have great advice and reassurance from the staff and members too!
Getting the scoop from those who know was comforting to me.

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

I’m very, very jealous of you sleeping on your side [emoji99]
I’m so over it with back sleeping... but so glad for you that you had a great sleep... more healing than anything!! xx


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[Kim22]

Hi Teri,
You sound great and to be sleeping on your side so early is totally amazing. I am a side sleeper so it was difficult staying on my back for 6 whole weeks. One of the benefits of having the anterior approach is you don’t have such restrictions.
Well you are almost at the end of week one and you are making very good progress.Have a great second week.
Liz

 

[Kim22]

@Kim22
Fancy seeing you on here again.
How are you doing? Chrissie xx


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Sorry Chrissie I thought I had already replied to your post but it doesn’t seem to be there so I must have done something wrong.
I’m doing really well thank you, doing pretty much what I want to do. I am still very grateful for my two new hips which have given me my life back. Before I had my second hip all I could do was limp a few steps with a stick and now I am very active, I can walk 5 miles do yoga and Pilates and run around with my grandsons.
So you and Teri and everyone else going through this process have so much to look forward to once you get over these first few weeks of recovery.

 

[Bfam85]

@Kim22, it's so kind when "graduates" come back and encourage us going through it again to keep going, one day at a time. It brings me total joy to hear what a marvelous life you are living, Liz. This is exactly what you always wanted and are now enjoying. I'm so glad to have been a very small part of your recovery xox

 

[Layla]

Dropping by to say
Wishing you comfort and a wonderful week as you continue healing.
Happy Monday!
@Bfam85

 

[Bfam85]

Thank you so much @Layla … What a rollercoaster recovery can be, both physically and emotionally. It is truly a 2 steps forward 1 step back process... Not necessary for me to go into detail because it would just weary me even further, so I will just say what we all do, and that is it will be worth it!

 

[Layla]

Hi @Bfam85
Wondering if you've had a good week. How are you feeling at 11 days post op?
Hopefully you're able to rest comfortably and get the sleep you need.
Wishing you a sunny and pleasant weekend!

 

[Bfam85]

Hi @Layla I am feeling well. Just took a wonderful shower and I am determined to live life as normally as can be expected at 11 days out. I gently massaged my leg last night (it is numb/tender near the incision) so I was just gently giving it a little TLC, and I woke up this morning and my leg was definitely less swollen, plus I lost 1.4 lbs! Of course, I don't know what actually caused it, but I will take it!!! Every little step is a blessing. My incision looks good through the steri strips and 3 more days until I get to ditch the TEDs (but who's counting) I am of the Josephine camp where I am not doing any outside PT except for gentle stretches and small movement. With my last hip, I was too overzealous and I wound up with a nasty tendinitis. So, less is more this time. Thanks for checking in and have a wonderful weekend xox

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

Well done... such a good post..
seems like you’ve got it sussed.

Hope your recovery continues upwards only & you have a great weekend x


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[Bfam85]

Thank you, dear girl xox @Hoppy Nanny You as well!!!

 

[Bfam85]

Hello again and Happy Mother's Day to all who are celebrating. I do have a question with regards to this massive bruising that had originated on my inner thigh almost 2 weeks ago after my surgery. After reading Josephine's article about these bruises and how they can be caused by not having a drain (I did not have one this time), my question is that, as the bruise coloring is moving down my leg and past my knee into my calf, so is the swelling, especially behind my knee. I didn't have this kind of swelling back there until today. It's also very tender and feels quite sore. I am asking if the swelling is a normal sequence of events. The swelling at my hip and upper thigh seems to be subsiding, so everything seems to be heading south. Anyone go through something similar? I also went on my first outing yesterday and walked more than just inside my home....@Josephine

 

[Layla]

Hi @Bfam85
Mine moved downward also. I had swelling, bruising and tenderness in the entire area of my knee that showed up 17 days post op. I didn't have a drain either. Ice any / all painful, swollen areas and elevate also. Toes above nose is what I was advised to do.

Yay on you're first outing away from home. I'll bet you felt like part of the human race again!
I hope you have a great day and wonderful week!

 

[Bfam85]

Thanks @Layla … sounds like the same thing happened to you just a few days past where I'm at. I had a drain last time and had none of this type of swelling. (A photo of my bruise would make Josephine's "Best of" list!) I am going to ask my OS when I see him why he didn't put the drain in this time.

It was wonderful being out again I won't be doing anything this week except icing and elevating since our twin grandchildren's birthday party is Friday night and I must attend

Thanks again for your wonderful support xox

 

[CricketHip]

hi @Bfam85 ! You sound like you are progressing right along.. sorry to read about your traveling bruise, though. I hope today was a good day of rest and ice!
BTW- I've never heard of a drain being placed! For what it's worth, the bleeding after surgery forms a lovely bruise and it travels with gravity. I hope that is all that it is in this situation.
And the birthday party for the twins???

Sounds so exciting and yes, you MUST rest up and be ready for the party!!

 

[Mojo333]

So nice to pop by your thread and see you doing so well.
I had drains with my hip surgery and had very little bruising or swelling..so I too think it helps!
I hope you have a restful week and can really enjoy the party.

 

[Bfam85]

Three Week Update (almost-tomorrow): Greetings! So in one week, I am off all pain meds (even aspirin), TEDs stockings, and my aquacel dressing. BTW, that dressing can be like pulling your skin right off! So, I googled it! I did not know that you should pull around the adhesive so that it stretches and detaches from the skin before you remove it. I also found an adhesive spray that makes very light work of it. It's called SensiCare and it works. I'm bringing the box to my OS on Friday. Hopefully, he can recommend this to his patients, saving them lots of pain....I still have 6 steri strips over the incision which look like they are permanently attached....I was told they will fall off, but I may have to pull out my SensiCare for them too ...

The huge bruise that started on my inner thigh and worked its way down behind my knee is pretty much all gone. There is still some bruising but the painful swelling is resolving. Yay!!!

I was at our son's home this past weekend celebrating our twins' 2nd birthday...I had the challenges of swelling at night, but I am fine today. A couple of "concerned" folks remarked on the 1" differential in my gait. I was so tempted to put a lift in my shoe just to keep everyone off my back, but I didn't. Other than that one concern, I am feeling as if I turned a corner. When I see my OS on Friday, we will get more information on the LLD. From what I am told, I will need some manual PT to correct my tilted pelvis and to fit in the new hip joint which obviously takes up more space since I was bone on bone, probably leaving about 1 inch of space. Funny, I did not experience pain with this hip prior to surgery, and my gait was perfect....oh well...

I write this journal to encourage others who may have experienced some of my recovery bumps in the road. It really does get easier....Now, to go out to my deck and plant some flowers in pots. Spring has finally arrived!