THR THR Posterior - Slowly Healing

[mendogal]

@msart I strongly recommend you continue to self rehab. You're having a safe and sane recovery, and as long as you don't run into nagging soft tissue problems I really don't see any benefit to picking up a PT "wild card."

 

[msart]

@mendogal - I think I agree. With no surgeon onboard yet or ortho Dr, I’m afraid if I hurt myself I won’t be able to make the 5 hr trip to see my dr. I am just going to keep doing what I’m doing & hope my stretches pay off eventually. Everything else seems to be going quite well, not fast enough… but that’s another story.

 

[myglasshalffull]

I wouldn't wander into "unknown" PT therapy, you seem to have come this far & listening to your body.
After I was a little over one year post op I went back to work, I have been in food service business majority of my adult life & really love it. It was probably end of March beginning of April I went back & it felt great to be back in the craziness of a busy restaurant. Everything went fabulous until about 3 weeks in. Started to get very sore & woke up & could barely walk. Actually needed my cane! Oh no, I must have messed up my hip with my over zealous excitement of getting back to what I loved. XRays & ultimately MRI revealed no hip damage but I had spinal stenosis & that was my issue. In a couple of weeks I was feeling better but decided this line of work was no longer for me. I was sad to stop working. I only was doing 2-3 days a week not full time. Now I dog sit. Dogs come to me & I get to walk them & get paid for my walking (which I love) & dogs are happy too. So even after you feel 100% fine you can have a set back. Thankfully that's been my only big setback & it was of my own doing.

 

[msart]

@myglasshalffull -I agree. I’m sorry you had a set back-but walking dogs seems like a fun job-and you get lots of love from the pups!! That sounds like a wonderful job. I think I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing-seems to be working for me. I’m hoping in a few months-if I keep working on stretching-I’ll be almost good as bf surgery. Trying not to get my hopes up too high-but I do believe I can do it!!!

 

[Layla]

I have done my own pt-simply bc my surgeon did not recommend it.

Then I wouldn't get involved with a PT since you're making headway on your own. I only meant to inquire about it IF you were working with a physical therapist already. You seem to be taking a slow measured approach that is working for you.

Honestly, after 7.5 years while I can accomplish what you're attempting to do, it's not with the greatest of ease. Not as graceful as it could be, is what I'm saying. I do believe it indicates weakness or limited flexibility. I don't feel it critical since I can put on socks, tie shoes and do pedi's so to me it's good since I'm able to perform the activities important to me in my daily life.

Continue to do the gentle stretches you're doing to improve flexibility and ROM. Take care not to force the movement though causing strain.
Have a great weekend!

 

[daisyduck0801]

Hi msart.
Regarding the above conversation, let me add my 2 cents. You are so lucky that you have come this far and doing well!

"If it ain't broke... don't fix it."

 

[flamingoprint]

My only complaint for the day-was when I woke this morning my knees were bent & it was strange feeling getting them straightened out. This is the 2nd time that has happened. I suppose they had been like that for some time. But once I got up, all was well. Wonder if anyone else has had that happen?

I wake up repeatedly in the night on either my operated or nonoperated side with both legs bent up together. I also notice that when I first turn onto either side I automatically bring both knees up. That seems much more comfortable and natural for me. I do wake up with aching after a while but don't know if that's just from being in the same position? I always straighten and stretch both legs out for a while when that happens and the ache eases off gradually. I do worry that I'll cross my operated leg over the other and fling out as that's what I've always done...but was warned sternly against that! Not sure how long that applies?

 

[msart]

@flamingoprint-i do the exact thing now that I’m thinking about it-with the knees coming up on either side. How far along are you? I used to-pre surgery cross my legs over but for whatever reason I’m not now. I have gotten back to rubbing my feet together at night for a little bit-I did that pre surgery. Idk when I started that back but it was a good while. I can sleep for a bit on either side now, but I seem to be preferring the back which is crazy bc I’ve never been a back sleeper. Sleep has remained an issue for me-I think I’m most comfortable & feel safer on my back. I’m still achy some days. But usually once I get going ok. It’s all crazy to me. The body has strange reactions I guess. Hoping time will straighten it all out.

 

[msart]

@Layla -thank you for your confidence!! I haven’t lost my determination yet. Although there are moments-that I let my mind wander there-but I quickly remind myself on how far I’ve come. It is a battle. I have to thank my dad for my not give up spirit.
After this experience, I’m just hoping to be back 1/2 of what I was physically. I did cry yesterday when I ran across a picture of my dad & I, literally a week before this accident. And I just thought about how much I missed her & how much I took for granted. So, I think in some way-if I do get back I will definitely not take anything for granted. Maybe that’s my lesson here. Idk, still trying to figure it out.
And obviously I just learned how to use emojis-lol.

 

[Layla]

You'll get there!
Slowly but surely. You need to "keep on keeping on" and let your body fully heal and recover from the trauma of two recent major surgeries.
@msart

 

[msart]

@Layla -

 

[myglasshalffull]

I was a side sleeper but somehow got used to sleeping on my back during recovery. I'd try & roll to one side after a few months & if it wasn't comfortable roll back & stay put. Of course now I can sleep however I choose but sometimes I do just lay still on my back & doze off. Sleep escapes me many evenings. It's more my age than anything else, so I'll take a 20 minute "power nap" here or there. Sleep when you can. And when I just can't fall back to sleep at 3AM I get up & lay on my couch & watch TV or I crochet. Nine times out of 10 I end up dozing back off.

 

[daisyduck0801]

I can relate to the sleep thing. Ever since I overdid it (a week ago today) I haven't been sleeping as well as I was. Not that sleep was perfect before overdoing it. But since then, I fall asleep around 11:30 to midnight. Sleep for 2 - 3 hours. Wake up. Take another Tylenol. Then doze off between 5 and 6. Sleep for another couple of hours. I am a HUGE advocate of "get the sleep when you can" because while we're going through this (recovery) who knows when the sleep will come, especially while dealing with the unpredictability of pain and achiness, etc.

 

[flamingoprint]

i do the exact thing now that I’m thinking about it-with the knees coming up on either side. How far along are you? I used to-pre surgery cross my legs over but for whatever reason I’m not now. I have gotten back to rubbing my feet together at night for a little bit-I did that pre surgery. Idk when I started that back but it was a good while. I can sleep for a bit on either side now, but I seem to be preferring the back which is crazy bc I’ve never been a back sleeper. Sleep has remained an issue for me-I think I’m most comfortable & feel safer on my back. I’m still achy some days.

Msart - I'm at nearly 12 weeks now and nights seem to be when I still get aches/pain (though I do get very stiff after sitting especially later in the day). I wake up several times each night with my op leg aching and painful and have to change position.That usually calms it down after a few minutes. I find it hard to sleep on my back much so am increasingly swapping from one side to the other - feels fine till I wake up later. Sometimes I worry that I'm crossing the leg over and stretching it out on the opposite side (something I often did pre op) and worry that the aching means I've 'done something' but it seems to always calm down.
I've also had some weird sensations - the other night I got up for the loo and felt as if I had little spiders runnng up and down my calf! I also get cramps in strange parts of both legs (back of knee, inner thigh etc). I guess it's all the nerves/muscles sorting themselves out...For a long time at night I would also get very strong 'prickling' sensations on the surface of my thigh (non-operated side), sometimes so fierce it almost felt as if it was on fire! The skin still feels a bit numb there (not on the operated side though!) but gradually becoming less noticeable. Noone has been able to explain that one at all.
As you say, strange old things, bodies.

 

[daisyduck0801]

Yes. Healing is a wild, wacky experience. Just so annoying that it disrupts sleep. Back in November of 2022 I had my first ever (in my life) bona fide panic attack. It severely affected my sleep. After close to a couple of years, finally recovered from the awful insomnia. Was sleeping sooo good before surgery. And now...here we go again.

Of course, I understand that the sleep issues since surgery are a completely different animal than the insomnia I battled previously. But, oh man, it's just another thing that makes this hard. Ugh.

 

[msart]

@daisyduck0801 healing is a wild & wacky experience & so interesting that we have have some type of issues relating to sleep. Not the same-bc we are all different. I get the panic attack-I have had several sadly. Pre divorce-when I found out my ex husband was having affair I had my share until Dr put me in Xanax temporarily. My dr said sometimes you have to do what you can do to get through the day. How right he is-with regards to more than that experience. My sleep had ironed out then I broke my hip, lucky me…lol. Thankfully my sleep has improved a lot in past few weeks-still so weird though. Good nights & bad.

 

[msart]

@flamingoprint I am just a few weeks ahead of you. I get or have had exactly what you are describing as far as nerve sensations. I have been experiencing them especially after I go to gym. I do believe the nerves are waking up for us finally. Glad some things are calming down, I have found much calms down after a few hours rest of just putting my legs up. I’m still going to loo quite a bit more often I think that I used to, but I drink a ton of water also. I have not (that I know of) crossed my legs over in middle of night-I’m on either side with pillows or flat on my back now. I think I used to be a side sleeper but now I’m sleeping whenever it’s comfortable. Things are just weird now-I’m hoping once my body starts feeling settled-and more comfortable I will eventually find a comfortable way to sleep. This operated leg-is still making sure I remember my hip surgery-lol. I can’t wait for healing to be done & my body gets all straightened out. Can not wait!!!

 

[msart]

@myglasshalffull sleep when you can is great advice!! Maybe I should take up crocheting!! I don’t know if my RA hands would love that though-sadly. I wonder if sleep is due to my age too-but idk. I did have my lovely granddaughter for 2.5 hours this afternoon & I am usually worn completely out when she leaves, so I will probably get some good sleep tonight!!

 

[daisyduck0801]

Oh good grief! With what you went through in your personal life, I can certainly understand the panic attacks. That's awful. I, too, was put on a benzo (Klonopin) after my panic attack to try and keep them from happening again. Took a while but it all worked out ok. I always have some on hand... just in case. Haven't felt the need to lean on them until - a couple of days before my surgery. As I mentioned in a previous post, I struggle with health anxiety the older I get. I checked with my surgery liason team before my surgery and was told it was safe to take the Klonopin before the surgery date. It was a very small dose, but enough to calm me down. My doc just said it was vitally important to NOT take the Klonopin while I was on opioids for pain post surgery. Extremely dangerous combination.

 

[msart]

does anyone know why my picture has an OP on it in left hand corner?? Just curious.