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THR tomorrow's the day !!!!

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Unfortunately I learned the hard way. Any major change you make to the way your walk or carry yourself can cause discomfort just post-op. Trick is to ease into any change so muscles and soft tissue don't complain.

Keep us updated on your progress.
 
Hi Sharon

Glad to hear you are doing well how far away is the school maybe your body telling you It,s to far, you will get there.

Billy
 
Forgot to ask Sharon are you still using a crutch for support.

Billy
 
Hi Billy, I am not using the crutch very much around the house. To be honest, I keep on forgetting to pick it up and I can walk fine without it. However when I go outside I take both of them with me. My PT advised me to always take them both out, even if I don't need them, to give myself a bit of protection against being knocked, as people tend to respect the crutches and keep their distance.
School is not far at all, just around the corner, but I think its probably like Jacey pointed out, my body has to adjust to my new ( hopefully ) correct way of walking and as i am someone who is always barefoot, i dont wear shoes or slippers in the house, I guess it will take time to get used to walking in my new shoes and trainers.
 
Hi Sharon
It sounds like you are doing so well. I hope your knee pain will go away soon. Maybe it's the new shoes.
What a great recovery you are having. Just don't overdo it.
Bea
 
Wow! Good for you for walking around the house without aides. And very smart to take them when you go out. I told a friend that even after I don't need my cane anymore I may still take it when I go out because people are so nice to me HaHa! but true!
 
Ha, I agree, although I have been confronted by the odd mum with a buggie who expects me to get out of her way .....charming !
My knee / leg is definintely objecting to my new trainers, school is literally a two minute walk away but by the time i am on my way back, my knee and leg are aching.
I am wondering if it's best to try wearing them more, so my leg gets used to them or should I just not go outside much, I don't know what would be best ..............I really haven't been out much at all since my op and although I haven't got cabin fever I feel I should try to start getting out more, like I used to pre op.
I find it quite amazing how my leg has gone back to the correct way of walking, all by itself. I tended to have my right foot slightly turned out, rather than straight in front of me, as it stopped by hip joint rubbing as much. So I know I am walking in a completely different way. I am perfectly fine walking round the house, with crutch or without, all day long, but those few minutes outside with my shoes on feels almost like the pre op aches and pains I used to have.
I have arranged for a morning out with my friend, as i woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed and raring to go, now I am just hoping I will be ok to walk around, oh well, at least I can stop for a coffee. Can't stay out too long though, don;t want to risk needing the loo, as I cant take my raised seat with me ! ....better just make that the one coffee ! ....wonder how other ladies get on with this problem ???? :th_heehee:
 
Hi Sharon

You are about four or five weeks in now and at a stage hopefully that you will be able to do short distances lets say around the block, mind you I don't know how big your blocks are or maybe up and down the street may be better. :thumb:
I was about to say after breakfast but you do the school run then after lunch and after tea and do them daily Sharon, I know up and down the street might not feel worth the bother but best to do small walks first so that nice new shiny hip can get used to you walking.
If for any reason it is giving you any pain or small aches cut it down to shorter distances, hope you are still icing that wound as there will still be lots and lots of bruising on the inside.

Billy
 
PS

Forgot to mention would it not be better to try comfy supported training shoes rather that what you have got on just now [ or have i missed something ]as if they are firm and not flexible like a trainer when you put your foot down on the hard surface ie the pavement you might be feeling the pain from your op placing your foot down on the surface.
 
Sharon, the public restroom problem has been a problem for me too. Yesterday I went out to lunch with a friend and wanted to go to a shop afterwards, instead of driving back home immediately, so I decided I was going to have to really get something figured out.

I explained to my friend that I might need her help getting up off the toilet and didn't lock the door. Fortunately, although the toilet was a regular low one, the wall on my left had a great long grab bar. I sat down by keeping my torso straight, holding the bar and using my cane with the other hand sort of like handles on a chair. Kept my operated leg extended out in front so it wouldn't flex too much at the hip. Success!

Getting off the toilet was actually very easy too. Again, I kept the torso straight, kept my leg extended, and used the combo of the grab bar in one hand and the cane in the other to boost myself up without leaning forward.

So, I've found that I'll do fine as long as the bathroom I encounter has a good solid grab bar. The important thing is to keep your torso straight up and down and keep your operated leg extended.

Of course, that won't work everywhere you go, but maybe you can go on an inspection run to some of the places you want to go to check out if there are bathrooms in the area that are set up for your hip and frequent those places.

Your ability to walk normally without a cane is wonderful and amazing! I still use my cane for anything more than just a quick walk across the room because I find myself falling back into a limp. The leg muscles just aren't quite strong enough yet, but they are getting there :-)

Dorothy
 
Actually, reading your post has made me realise, I could use the disabled toilets, they have the bar thingy and are a lot higher than normal ones. Don't know why I didn't think if that before....duh :DOH:
My walking is good, but I do nowhere near as much activity as you seem to be doing. You are always off doing things, looking after your horses and dogs, all your housework and cooking all your own meals, I do a lot of daytime tv watching and reading and internetting !
I must say, I was quite pleased with my stamina though, I was out for a good few hours today and yesterday and I had no aches the next day, I was tired, but it felt like I was getting back to normal....finally :biggrin:
 
Yes, why don't you! I use them all the time because they have a hand basin in there and I hate having to leave the loo without washing my hands! Plus because of my back, I always find it difficult to use the very low loos in the general ladies! You should get yourself a Radar key then you'll always have access!
 
Actually, I've found the "disability access" toilets are about the same height as the regular ones at most public places I've been--all too low for our hip restriction, and you still have to be very careful how you get on and off.

Maybe things are different in the U.K., but I think the U.S. missed the boat about designing their disability accessible bathrooms. The stalls are a little bigger and they have some additional hand rails, but I find everything else to be about the same. Sigh ...

Dorothy
 
Hi Dorothy.
What a great conversation :blush:
In our area most of the disabled toilets do have higher seats and bars on the walls. This is so helpful. That is if there is a disabled toilet available.
Actually since all of my restrictions have now been lifted I will start to try to use the regular toilets again.
Sounds like your recovery is going well, Dorothy. I am still using the cane most of the time so I don't get used to limping. Maybe one day soon I can give it up. There are times I can walk just fine but not very often yet.
Bea
 
Our disabled loos do have the super high seats, which will be great in the big shopping centres for my last week with restrictions ....what I am really missing is not being able to sleep on my side, stomach or any position I choose. This lying on my back is driving me nuts now, and I dream of the day I can have a lovely bath again. According to the literature I brought back with me from the hospital, that will only be allowed at 12 weeks
And I'm going on holiday in April and I doubt I'll be allowed to lie on a sunbed, it says, no lying on low surfaces until 12 weeks and I wont be able to swim in the pool as the breaststroke is forbidden too ! ..............looks like I'll be spending a lot of my time at the poolside bar ! :th_heehee:
 
Love the pool side bar thought hehehehehe!

Maybe by the time to go away you can do a few little things that won't hurt you. It's funny how all these drs have different rules on the restrictions. Maybe you can call your OS before you leave unless he's scary then maybe not hahaha!

Happy healing :)

xxooxx

PS you will be sleeping again on your side soon!
 
Hi brit1chick
I agree this sleeping on the back sucks. Keep waking up with my mouth open and taste like parchment paper in the mouth. :sleep:
I am finally now comfortable sleeping on my unoperated side but still with a pillow between my legs. My operated side is still not yet good for sleeping.

I didn't think that the breaststroke would not be good. I love to swim but that is all I know. I grew up in Europe (Germany) and that is all they taught in those days. My restrictions were all lifted at six weks post op.

Going on vacation sounds great. Poolside bar does not sound to bad either. Might as well enjoy yourself.
I just looked at my last post on your threat, and I see that I must have though that I was on Dorothy's threat. Sorry about that. Didn't mean to ignore you on your own threat.
Bea
 
In our area we are fortunate to have an abundance of handicapped toilets just about anywhere you go. I know for sure they have higher toilets because I am so short that my feet dangle like a kindergarten kid when I sit on one....:th_heehee:
 
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