THR three weeks in, scared to walk unaided

[Layla]

Hi @lalibeila
What a nice update. It's wonderful to read you're doing so well and are happy with your progress.
Your garden sounds lovely, please ignore the temptation to dive in too deep.
Don't want to read you fell and hurt yourself

Being out in the beauty of nature, watching / listening to the birds is all so healing. I'ts refreshing to read how you're enjoying it. The discomfort in your non op hip might be because your gait is changing since surgery.
Seems like it takes time for all to even out. If you're limping, remember heel-toe walking. Heel strikes ground first, followed by toes.

I hope you have a lovely weekend as you move forward on your healing journey!
A flower for you....stolen from your garden

 

[lalibeila]

Hey Layla, thank you so much for the flower, I've been busy with my youngest daughter's birthday today, spent most of the day making a chocolate cake and cooking for the family. It knocked me out but in a very good way.
I have a question for everyone who has been itching (literally) to get rid of the pressure stockings. I had to get mine off today for a while, it was such a relief to get them off and keep them off for a few hours - now the family have gone home and I can't get the op leg stocking back on. My grabber and the sock putter on I got from the hospital are useless for this. I will have to wait until tomorrow for help, one night won't make a difference will it?
The grabber is my favourite tool at the moment, I can pick up almost everything off the floor now, I feel like an expert - even my lap top.
So I'm almost five weeks out and yesterday was my first day of the blues, I was a bit mrs grumpy and then today woke up and had to have a cry, it was necessary and I felt better after.

 

[Layla]

Hi @lalibeila
Birthdays are always fun. I hope you had a great time!
I'm in full agreement with you on the grabber. My favorite piece of recovery equipment.

Re: the socks
Because I am not qualified to give medical advice, I'll tell you what I was instructed to do by my OS.
Original instruction was to wear Compression stockings for 20 out of every 24 hrs for three weeks until my first post op appointment.
Boy....did I look forward to the four hours I could be sock-less every morning. After two weeks of this
I called the office of my OS asking to toss them. I was told at that point that they (OS) are happy if you wear them 50% of the time. My conclusion is that they take the lowest common denominator into consideration when setting these guidelines knowing that a good majority will do less than what they advise.

I'm sorry you were feeling a little blue today. It happens to the best of us and usually it's fleeting. Thankfully all it took for you was a good old cry. I'm going to leave the article on Post Op Blues for you to read again.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/post-op-blues-is-a-reality-be-prepared-for-it.7591/

Let's see if @Josephine is around just to offer some peace of mind on the subject of compression socks.
Hope you have a great week!

 

[anny]

Hi @lalibeila ..... I graduated from one crutch to a cane, as I wasn't confident enough to go support-free....the cane doesn't feel as weightbearing as the crutch, but helps a bit, particularly with balance, so you might find it a useful interim support. Also, my surgeon was quite happy for me not to have the stockings, just gave me aspirin instead....might be worth you phoning and asking if you can dispense with them now?

 

[Mojo333]

If you can't get them on, you can't wear them, can you.
I lost mine...so I couldn't wear them.
Mind your doctor if you can, but I just couldn't found mine so...

 

[1stSurgery]

I got such fierce foot and leg cramps with the compression hose in the hospital the nurses ripped them off and refused to put them back on - sent me home with some blood thinning meds. But my OS doesn't have strong feelings on the hose so I lucked out all around on that part! As I approach week four soon I'm noticing quite a few people say they get depressed around week 5? I'm glad the info booklet they gave out stressed that we should expect an uneven recovery, good and bad days. Chocolate cake sounds like the best distraction in any case!!

 

[lalibeila]

Thought I'd update everybody. Last Friday I met with my consultant for my late 6 week post op appointment. The X-ray showed a perfectly positioned implant with the bone and my body accepting the new hip very well.
The only concerns I had were the slight limp I have when walking independently, I still use one crutch outside. The consultant assured me that this will correct itself in time.
Many of the things I am not yet doing are me imposing my own restrictions - like bending, I still straighten the operated leg behind me when bending, I think about how far I raise that leg, I haven't been swimming, I won't walk up the stairs on the operated leg yet. There are so many things I am not yet doing.
The consultant told me take it at my own pace - I realise that this is the best advice I get on this site. I am lucky to have the time to take that advice.
All the way through it's all of you who have given me the comfort, the advice and the knowledge I needed to get through.
Progress is slow some weeks, really fast others but it's all about listening to your own body, resting when you need to.
I'm walking independently most of the time and still have to really concentrate on the heel/toe, when I do I walk straight and strong, when I forget I do the hip roll like I used to. I'm gardening and doing more and more. Walking more distance every week and generally beginning to feel like my old self.
The world is full of opportunity again, I can see a future where the oa made me feel like it was all over for me.
Can't thank bonesmart enough for helping me through the hard days, and applauding the good ones.

 

[Mojo333]

@lalibeila Good for you doing things the smart way.

Progress is slow some weeks, really fast others but it's all about listening to your own body, resting when you need to.

And look at all this good advice YOU are imparting!
BoneSmart was a super helpful tool during my recovery also.
Glad we have been of help to you!

I will say as I agree with your observations that listening to your body is key...
Don't be too afraid of the new things. Try some practice on the steps when you have someone to help in case you become unstable.
Do some bending gently...you might be surprised.
Those muscles do need to be used and yes, we should baby them but don't want them to stay unused completely.
Thanks for your kind comments and hope this week will be a Good Week.

 

[Eman85]

The 6 week exam and the OS saying everything is healing good is great news. Just my opinion but moving, not straining, will get you the ROM this operation was done for. I have a co-worker that had his done 4 years ago. He didn't move and stretch as much as I did and he has less ROM and still gets pain if he bends too much. I remember after the 6 week exam I would bend to tie my shoes or wash my feet and it was very tight. I had to go a little further each day, and some days it hurt. Now I don't think anything of it. The stretching seems to loosen things up but you only go until you feel the slightest stretch. Each day the stretch will have more movement before you feel it.

 

[lalibeila]

Thanks Mojo and Eman, good advice, the 6 week check and x-ray were what I needed to feel confident to take the next steps, I am slowly pushing a bit further, realising the I have to test out the operated hip a bit more. I will get down to cut those toenails this week and noticed that I bent differently to do a bit of weeding. ROM is already improving a lot and I am now sleeping on the side, that was something I was waiting for. Planning to go swimming tomorrow. Onwards and upwards.

 

[Layla]

Thank you for your kind words in regard to BoneSmart. It's appreciated.
Sounds like you're doing well, taking it slow and progressing naturally.
At not even two months post op there's a lot of healing to still happen.
Keep up the good work and stay in touch.
Hope the rest of your week is all you want it to be!
@lalibeila

 

[Mojo333]

Onward and upward
Glad you got a reassuring report!
Have fun tomorrow!