THR The marvels of recovery

[Liznwiz]

Good to hear your swelling has started to subside Julie. Tiredness is not really something that I seem to be able to control. Most days I need a little nap in the afternoon, I go to bed earlier than I have done in a long time.
I long for an activity day though, but with this stupid left leg I am under instruction to rest it completely, not that its having any effect at all.

 

[Gummy Bears]

Sounds like the swelling is a headache to deal with. But glad it's getting better.
Have you all seen an X-ray with your new hip, yet? I have my first post op appt tomorrow and am hoping to see. Does anyone know what to expect at the appt?
I don't feel a big energy drain but I will say I had a day out and about yesterday, feeling good, and today it was so hard to get up this morning. While today isn't terrible, I am more tired. I'm not sure my husband understands that fully.

 

[Jaycey]

I do like the idea of an activity day followed by a rest day.

I was very strict about this at first. But you will soon see progress as the rest days fade into activity days.

I'm letting my body call the shots!

Well done! Remember this is a short space of time for a lifetime without hip pain.

 

[JulieJF]

@Gummy Bears

I don't go back to see my surgeon until six weeks. I'm also eager to see my new x-ray. Actually, I'm eager to see pre- and post-op x-rays together!

Do you have stitches that will come out tomorrow?

 

[Gummy Bears]

Nope they used glue. i will let you know what happens!

 

[JulieJF]

Today is going to be a long day. My husband has choir practice on Wednesday nights, so he'll be gone till almost 10:00 - goes there straight after work - and my son will probably have plans with friends. Last week, Wednesday didn't seem so long because my husband was working from home, but this week, I have a really long day stretching in front of me.

Okay, on a more positive note, I've been meaning to post something about a couple of things that I didn't purchase - I already had them - but that have been really useful during recovery.

First, the Contigo water bottle. After knocking over my water bottle several times when I had the lid open, we finally wised up and starting using the Contigo water bottle that I carried in my work bag. It was in the car, where all good water bottles and travel mugs go to get lost, which is why we didn't start off using it. Anyway, with this water bottle, it's impossible to spill.

Second, our ADK Packworks Grocer / Packbasket. This is a handy re-usable bag with an inner frame that provides structure and a strap that can be configured multiple ways - a long handle that goes either over your shoulder or cross-body, a short double handle, or backpack straps. I've been using the long handled cross-body configuration, and I use the bag to transport stuff from room to room while I'm using my crutches. Yesterday, I felt pretty darned independent because of that bag.

 

[Gummy Bears]

Well, that stinks about being alone all day!
Can you post a pic of the bag you are describing? Can't picture it.
I'm waiting for my 2 week post op visit right now!

 

[JulieJF]

@Gummy Bears

Sure thing. Here's the bag: In addition to how they have the long strap handle configured in the picture below, you can also hook the strap to opposite corners (rather than corners on the same side as below) which makes it easy to carry cross-body.

Have a great two week appointment! I'll be eager to hear what you see in your new x-ray!

 

[Sagefemme]

Julie, you don't shop at the Park Slope Food Co-op by any chance? My sister, who lives in Brooklyn, became a member last year after trying to get in for something like 4 years. She thinks she died and went to heaven. Last time I visited (in March) she took me there. I must say it is a fantastic place with great prices and great produce.

Sounds like a perfect day for some friend or neighbor to bring you a midafternoon treat and a visit. Don't forget to say "yes" to people who want to do something for you!! One of my friends showed up yesterday afternoon with an amazing piece of carrot cake (the size of a small building). The interesting thing is how full I get after a few bites of anything. My husband was happy to consume the leftovers when he got home later.

I know how you feel when your spouse can't be home. My husband has a relatively new and demanding job where, before I had surgery, he would routinely get home at 7:30 or 8:00 pm. He's trying to get home earlier since my surgery, but I know that feeling of a long, long day stretched out in front of you........

 

[Gummy Bears]

@JulieJF hope your day went smoothly and all is well!

 

[JulieJF]

@Sagefemme

Sorry to say, but I don't shop at the Park Slope Co-op. Grocery shopping here in NYC is a real pain in the tush. We have a nice market that is on the first floor of our building, and the prices aren't outrageous. For most of the things we can't pick up there, we opt for delivery from Fresh Direct (which makes me feel lazy but is actually fairly efficient). I actually live quite close to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and the big news from last week is that we will be getting a Wegmans in the Navy Yard. We lived in Western New York (Buffalo, to be exact) for a long time, and I'm a complete Wegmans devotee! Having a Wegmans here will make grocery shopping sane again for me!

 

[JulieJF]

Okay, Bone Smarties, I need some advice on pain meds.

I understand that it's a good thing to get to the point where you "forget" your pain meds and that's a sign that you can cut back. Righto. But what is the right progression of cutting back from 10mg to 5mg of oxycodone?

Currently, I'm taking 10mg of oxycodone with acetaminophen (percoset) every 6 hours. I just forgot to take the next scheduled dose and made it to seven hours. I think I'm ready to cut back to 5mg oxy, but what is the time interval that I should try?

 

[Gummy Bears]

I get grocery delivery bc I'm too busy to drive to Wegmans 30 minutes away. The delivery has really saved us these past 2 weeks, as my husband isn't the greatest shopper. But I LOVE Wegmans, def the best store ever. I make sure I go once a month!

 

[Gummy Bears]

I kind of went with my intuition. I found if I was making it for longer stretches of time, I could either cut back the dose or stretch out the time I was taking it. I'm no expert, this is just what I did. I took no meds yesterday and felt great but took half a 5 mg of oxicodone this morning bc I was a little sore today. That was 7 hours ago and I'm feeling good.

 

[JulieJF]

@Gummy Bears

You've really been a lucky duck when it comes to the pain meds. You're way ahead of me!

As of yesterday, I started cutting back to 5 mg oxy as percoset (so includes tylenol). So far, so good. I'm taking it every five or six hours. I'm wondering, though, if cutting back is causing the swelling at my knee to kick up a notch. I'm so sick of the knee swelling. At this point, the front of my knee is more noticeably knee-like, but the sides of my knee and the back of my knee are terribly swollen. I keep the left leg elevated and rest the back of my knee on an ice bag. I guess it's not getting worse, but I'm feeling impatient for it to be noticeably better.

 

[Gummy Bears]

@JulieJF that really stinks about your knee being so swollen. It's been over 2 weeks now, I really hope it goes away soon!
I've been more active today than any other day, so I've taken half an oxicodone twice. I hung out a lot with my kids today, made them lunch and we made cookies. We went to a friends house just now for a BBQ and now my family is at the neighbors doing smores. I really want to go but my hips getting sore and I know better. But smores are indeed my favorite!!

 

[JulieJF]

@Gummy Bears

Sorry you missed s'mores!

Yes, this swelling is getting really old, but my surgeon did tell me to expect it. His nurse said that some patients have swelling up to 6 weeks. Can that be right? Yikes!


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum

 

[JulieJF]

@bottomshollow

I had weight bearing restrictions for 8 weeks---had to take pain meds for 4 weeks

I remembered that you had said you had weight bearing restrictions following your surgery, so I wanted to reach out for any insight you may be able to share regarding pain meds on a longer path to healing.

I'm wondering about how and when to taper back with the pain meds. I'm taking percocet (5 oxy - 325 acetaminophen mg per pill). At the beginning of last week (ten or eleven days post-surgery), I was taking two pills (10 mg oxy) and getting to six hours, so I thought I would try cutting back to one pill (5 mg oxy). That didn't seem to work out so well. Taking 5 mg, at four hours, my leg felt heavy and stiff, and I was aware of nerve pain down my leg. (One of the consequences of lengthening my leg - my OS said that he would have to stretch nerves, so there is additional nerve healing to do.) I gave up on taking only one pill, went back to two, and felt more mobile and comfortable.

Now, we're another week on: today is 18 days post-surgery. I'm at the point now where I'm skipping doses of pain meds that would happen in the wee hours and sleeping through the night very soundly and successfully. Yay! Yesterday, I also forgot the pain meds and went beyond six hours before I noticed the heaviness and stiffness return to my leg.

This morning I woke a full eight hours after the previous night's dose of percocet. The heaviness and mild pain were there, but nothing excruciating. Took two percocet to start the day. It feels to me as though it's time to try weaning back to one pill of percocet, but I'd love some advice and insight on how to do that successfully. My priority is to remain mobile and pain free.

Many thanks!

 

[JulieJF]

Last night, I fell asleep around 8:30. It was like someone hit me over the head.

Really went to bed around midnight, with my last dose of 5 mg percocet in my system at 8:00 p.m. and slept through till 6:40. Wow. I feel rested, and when I woke up, my leg didn't feel in too much pain. It was stiff and there was some pain, but I wouldn't rate it above a 1 or a 2.

Took one tab of percocet (5 mg). I'm going to see if I can officially cut back to one tab every six hours today.

We're back at Wednesday again. Ugg. The choir my husband sings with (the Brooklyn Community Chorus) has its spring concert this weekend. That will be an outing for me! I guess I'll have to sit at the back of the hall and keep myself on the aisle in case I need to stand up or move around at all. Huh. I wonder how that will go.

Tomorrow, I've got a lot of unusual activity, too. I've got a haircut that is, according to Google Maps, 0.3 miles from my apartment. It's two short blocks west and one long block south from home. The long block south is up a hill (we living in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn, so this is the eponymous hill). I honestly don't know whether I'm up to a walk that distance / terrain on the crutches. So far, I've only made it two short blocks before turning back and completing a round trip. Oh, geez...should I try to walk it or have my son drive me?

After my haircut, I've got an interview. Well, not immediately afterward...I should have a couple of hours in between. I'll take a cab there and back. I'm not up to trying to navigate all of the stairs down to the subway or deal with the train just yet. Fortunately, the interview is in lower Manhattan, so it won't be a long cab ride, either. Cab. I wonder how it will be to get in and out. Ye gads!

I hope I have enough stamina for both the haircut and the interview!!

 

[Gummy Bears]

That's a tall order! I notice when I go out in the heat my feet get swollen and I feel ever so slightly light headed. I'd have your son drive, if it's hot outside. I'm working at home this week and it's exhausting!