THR THR tell me about your recovery

HAPPY ONE YEAR HIPVERSARY, friend @Eman85 !:egypdance:
We've come a long way, baby. Right?
I remember you always reminding me, and others about long term recovery vs the short term get up and around and it has certainly resonated with me.
Lots of improvement even after a year...less aches and pains after activity...better ROM and fading scars.:ok:
Thanks for being there for all recovering hippys.

Hope things keep getting better and better!:yes:
 
I'm back home after round 2 and all is good. I had a 6am arrival time so my wife and I stayed at a motel near the hospital. Had a nice dinner, went to the room and took my last shower with the antibacterial soap. Easily there on time and the ball started rolling. A few little difference from last time. They swabbed my nostrils with betadine this time. Also had some pills to take pre-op that I didn't remember having last time. My OS came in and we talked for a while and then it was time for the spinal and off to the ER. Woke up in recovery hungry and thirsty again. The nurse gave me a can of ginger ale this time instead of ice chips. The anesthesiologist came in to see how I was doing and how the feeling was coming back. Then off to the room and right onto my Polar Pack ice machine. Pretty much the same as last once settled and after lunch the PT came in for the lap around the floor. This time I was sure to get ahead of the pain. My memory might be off but I didn't remember my thigh hurting as much when I got up. Stayed ahead of the pain and slept pretty good and no where near as many bathroom trips as last time. After breakfast my OS came in and visited and he told me how it went. Had a cyst and a hole in the pelvis so he did a bone graft of some sort. I stayed ahead of the pain and got dressed this morning to get ready for the group PT. It's their requirement to be released so we all went to the PT room and did our simple movements. They like leg lifts and last time I could easily do them, this time not so much. Got through all of that and came back to the room for lunch. After lunch they let me go, we stopped for ice cream on the way home. I've been home almost 2 hrs and I've already had a bowel movement! Forgot how much I hate the raised toilet.
 
Hi @Eman85 :wave: It's so nice to see your update!
You're doing awesome! So happy to hear all went well and you're already home. Wondering if the leg lifts were easier last time because you weren't dealing with the bone graft? I'm betting you'll have a great recovery with the sensible measured approach I know you'll engage in. Wishing you comfort and a peaceful evening in your own space.
I look forward to following your recovery. Yay....you did it!! :happydance:
 
I know the Recovery Guidelines are on the first page of this thread but I'll leave a copy in case anything has changed since the last time you received a copy-

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
6. Access to these pages on the website

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask the at each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
@Layla I can't say about the bone graft deal. The first hip had the pins and that was a complication in itself and made for a longer surgery. I told MY OS last time that he did the hard one last time and this one would be the money maker for him. So much for that!
 
That right...I forgot about that! (The pins on the first)
I'm betting this one will be easier overall because you've had the experience and you know what works and most importantly, what doesn't.
I'll bet you're relived you're done. :yay: I'm relieved for you, it's anxiety producing for all it seems.
@Eman85
 
I was second guessing right up to being called into pre-op. Sitting in the chairs my hip locked, that was the sign that it was going to be OK. There's also the 13 thing, we were married on the 13th, my L hip was replaced on the 13th and my room number this time was 5013.
I appreciate the guidelines, I've been a good student. I didn't have to go to joint replacement class this time but they gave me another book and I studied it. I've read the guidelines over again too.
 
So glad to see you are home and hope you are well medicated and frozen!:ice:
Healing mojo coming at you, my friend!
:ok:
 
@Eman85 The hospital let you bring your own polar ice machine?
" No they gave me another as a parting gift for playing the hip replacement game again."


OMG, too funny! I'm "playing again" in December, but all I got the first time was a huge re-freezable blue ice pack. Should I expect more this time? LOL
 
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I was second guessing right up to being called into pre-op

Ha! I wonder how many of us wanted to bolt up until the very last second?
My hand is raised, lol.
 
Hi @Eman85 Glad to see your first post op update.. you sound like you are coping extremely well, too.
So ice cream on the way home, I hope you don't fall into my pattern of wanting ice cream daily.. it was great in the beginning but now I am trying to lose those extra added pounds! Boo hiss!
Seriously, congratulations and look forward to reading about your recovery.
 
Glad to hear You're back on the right side @Eman85 ! You've always been so supportive of others on here - just let us know what we can do to support you! I refused to do those nasty leg raises. They didn't feel good and I didn't see any sense in pushing it (about the only thing I didn't push!).
 
Congratulations on now being a double bionic hippy! You've been such a calm, informative and supportive member to so many of us here. Hope you sail through this one - but if not we're here for you this time! :thumb:
 
Welcome to the double hippie club! Your comments are just more proof that every THR is different even on the same person. I look forward to your updates!
 
No doubt about no 2 hips being the same including your own. I slept much better last night than I remember with the first. Took longer for the fluids to start pushing through but I get my exercise walking to the bathroom. This leg is more of a log leg than the other, but I can still get in and out of bed unassisted. I've been able to walk a little with no walker, not pretty but rewarding. The one thing I like is I feel great just like the last time. Between the Celebrex they gave me at the hospital, the one a day aspirin and the pain meds all of my other aches and pains have vanished. My back,shoulders and wrists feel great!
On the ice cream that was a treat and I needed to stop and get out of the car 1/2 way on our 2 hr ride home.
 
Welcome to the other side--again, @Eman85. I found that there were differences between recovery between #1 and 2, although I also admit my recall of the process was pretty hazy the second time around. But sounds like you're doing well so far and I bet having been through this once before you'll do great--you know what to expect to some extent and that relieves a bit of anxiety, I'd guess. Hope these early weeks of recovery go smoothly and you'll be well on your way to a great 2020!
 

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