THR Toddlermom, a double hippy at last

[Toddlermom]

or, almost! Check in is 7:30 am central. All is quiet around here. It has been raining all day, and it sounds lovely outside my window. My family is all asleep, and of course you are left alone with your thoughts and reflections.

My last snack was a slice of homemade pumpkin bread. AND I baked one loaf for the surgical team too (a happy surgical team is a good team, right?).

This time tomorrow, I will be on the path to recovery and my new hippy story will have it’s first chapter. Eight years of wondering ‘how long until the next procedure?’ ends in a few short hours. If I am lucky, no more hips left to fix!!! Mommy’s robot hips will last until the kids are grown. Fingers crossed, extra prayers and super surgical jujitsu today for Dr. Cahill and her team.

Thoughts:
1. The kids went wildly crazy with the hospital bed and the grabber today after school. My mother is gonna have her hands full keeping those kids outta my bedroom tomorrow night..
2. If you are going to be in PJs the week of Halloween, might as well be festive right? I bought some silly Halloween ones for this week. My 5 year old daughter has been trying to figure out how SHE can get a matching set. Wish that I had been that prepared. Too late now!
3. What great friends we have....I am in awe of their kindness. They have organized meals, and this week my Italian friend from NY is bringing us a tray of baked ziti and another friend from the Carrebean is making homemade chicken stew that is a family recipe.......score!
4. I wish that I had thought to dance with the kids last night. They will be asleep when I leave in 4 hours. Next dance party will have to wait until November, I guess. And I will be back to wobbling to the beat for a bit. Probably a good idea to keep the tissues from being too inflamed this morning.
5. TED hose this round. My last doc didn’t use them, but new doc and different surgical approach. Since I have hardly been able to put on socks for months, Not looking forward to those suckers. I keep imagining anacondas around my ankles and up my legs.

That’s it for now,

 

[clodaghcov]

@Toddlermom What a lovely beginning, you are going to do well I can feel it! Dont rush, be patient and those kiddywinks will help you out and certainly stop you getting boardxx

 

[Mojo333]

Sending you all the best...
You will be dancing with your babies pain-free when this LAST one is done.
Healing hugs in advance @Toddlermom

 

[Jaycey]

TED hose this round.

Tell your surgeon that you won't have any help putting these on. They are impossible to put on by yourself!

I'll leave your recovery articles here for you just in case you need a reminder:
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
elevate
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

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity progression for THRs​

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 that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Layla]

Thinking of you while you're most likely in surgery as I'm reading your latest post. Just sent up a prayer.
Will look forward to your first post.
How thoughtful to bring a loaf of Pumpkin Bread. Sounds yummy as I'm drinking my morning coffee
Between family and friends I think you'll be well cared for. Comforting.
You'll be able to watch the kids practice (through your direction ) for the first big dance party in November.
What a happy day it will be. Big hugs!
@Toddlermom

 

[Toddlermom]

I am out, in a roon, and recovering. Catch up once I get home-

I am finally a double hippie, thank heavens. Bye bye knife feeling in my femur. Nerve block and sedation made the recovery room easier. However, getting the correct equipment in my room was far more difficult. Surprising for an ortho floor.

 

[Alitm]

@Toddlermom Congrats on being a double hippy! Sorry to hear about the equipment issues earlier...hope that was sorted pronto!
Wishing you a comfortable night. You'll home in your halloween PJ's with the kiddos very soon

 

[Mojo333]

New double hippy!
So glad to see your post.
For some reason, as good as my surgical center was...never offered me ice and I didn't think to ask.
Hope you are as comfortable as is possible at this stage.
Sending healing hugs!

 

[amb3k9]

Hope recovery going smoothly, ted hose are not stylish but good to use. I think anything mechanical to prevent clots is a positive as this complication can really set you back or be life threatening. As you may know, you will need help to put these on or there are some extended products to help place socks on without bending over.

Wishing you a speedy recovery

 

[Jaycey]

Welcome to the other side! You are now an official member of the double hippie club! Hope you are getting some rest!

 

[Layla]

Happy Saturday!
Wondering how you're doing. Hope you're home and resting comfortably.
Let us know how it's going when you're feeling up to it.
Hope today is a good day!
@Toddlermom

 

[Toddlermom]

Good morning! This new hip has already been a hip ee, I would no. brought such relief. I am so grateful to have those terrible hips gone. My surgeon said it was definitely time! I had mentioned earlier that my new doctor was new to me and o here were several things that were unexpected.

First, I was asked if I wanted to be a part of an NIH study. My doc had come from the VA and they are testing infection rates while using a special type oh HEPA air filtering system over the surgicalthe surgical site while operating. Fingers crossed

Second, this time I did the nerve block & sedation. The plus......my blood pressure was FAR more stable following surgery. Last time it was very low and it took while for it to get high enough blood pressure that they could give me pain meds. THIS time, I was awake as they were pulling me into the recovery room. I didn’t hear or see anything in the operating roon.

Third,......nap attack. Share more later.

 

[Jaycey]

@Toddlermom Sounds like you are off to a good start. Good you are napping during the day. Rest = healing.

 

[Mojo333]

How wonderful you already know how much better things are going to be after this recovery business is done with.
A pain-free Mommy!
Nice that you can participate in a study that may help lower infection rates.
Glad you were in better shape with the sedation used this time.
On the way....

 

[Layla]

Nice to read your update. It's wonderful the surgery is finally behind you.
Each day brings you closer to the first dance party with the kiddo's
Take advantage of those healing naps. Hope there are many to come.
Best wishes for a great Sunday and week ahead!
@Toddlermom

 

[Harryn1]

@Toddlermom , nice to see your’e doing so well. I wish you a pain free and uneventful recovery!

 

[Toddlermom]

Soooo....the third bit of antics happened at the hospital. Forgive all of the typo mistakes. My eyes have been having trouble focusing to write.

In recovery, it took several hours to get moved up to a overnight room. This is when life got interesting. I had been told to hold on, and I could use the restroom in my room. ( They used an external catheter device during surgery). , So the new room is on the 18th floor, the ortho floor. It is 3:30 pm. And a whole series of.....WHAT???? IN the WORLD??? BEGINS HERE

1. NO walker - My husband had left to pick up the kids (with my personal walker in the back). My mom and I are reassured by the nurse that PT will be able to loan us 1 overnight. And they are across the hall. Forever. Seriously, I think they finally brought it over at 6 pm.
2. NO raised toilet - My mom noticed that the restroom door is too narrow for a walker, and the potty isn’t raised. When we mention this, they say ‘yes, we need to bring a portable toilet for the room. The nurse disappears.
3. NO phone/menu -By 4:20, PT has not arrived with a walker and I don’t have a usable toilet. Oh boy. We decide that we should place our dinner order but cannot find the menus or welcome packet. We pick up the phone to call....it doesn’t work.
4. MISSING bucket - The nurse brings a toilet, but it is missing the bucket to catch the pee. So it is still unusable. I have now been waiting in my room to go to the bathroom for an hour. They offer a bedpan, but I am uncomfortable since my incision is posterior.

At 5pm, no phone, no walker, no food menu, and no toilet...... PT is literally standing outside my door and won’t come in until she fills out her reports from her last session. (Which takes another 30 minutes). I am about to lose my cool Because their response rate is abysmal in my first 2 hours upstairs.

A PCA named Tika comes to the rescue, and she sorts everything out between 6-6:30 pm.

 

[Toddlermom]

After Tika’s rescue, life and surgical recovery rapidly turned around. Next update after a nap-

 

[sequin98]

congrats on the surgery!!
Now for a smooth recovery, and no more surgeries!!

 

[Layla]

To Be Continued....
Unbelievable...all of it. Thankfully you got someone in there to crack the whip.
Happy nappy time!
@Toddlermom