THR torment's recovery

[torment]

The adventure continues.

Saturday and Sunday ended up both being pretty good days. The larger part of Saturday was essentially pain free except when I moved in forbidden ways (moving leg past center line, etc). Sunday was uneventful and relaxing until that evening which I will detail in a moment.

My wife and I decided to be brave and removed the dressing Saturday night. I've attached a picture of my incision. It's about 5-6 inches long (13-15cm).

My wife hurt her back last week but it seemed to get better after a day or so. Last night as we were getting ready for bed something went wrong while she was herding our cats and her back spasmed bad enough she ended up falling in the floor. It took her and my son about 30-45 minutes to get her up and into the bed where she tried to sleep it off, but about 2am she tried to roll over and couldn't unassisted. At that point I insisted she go to the ER (she is hard to convince to go to the ER). Since I'm not medically cleared to drive and I didn't want her driving with her back in that shape I had to call my parents and get them to come pick her up and take her. She had to use my walker to get around and I had to help her get dressed, etc. At the hospital they gave her several shots and acted under the hypothesis that she blew a disk in her back, but they didn't take any x-rays or imaging to confirm that which boggles my mind. She's back home and well medicated in bed. I'm now in the position of taking care of both of us which is a challenge since I can't even bend over or pick up anything substantial.

I have to say it's quite the helpless feeling to be less than 2 weeks out from a hip replacement and have your spouse experience something like this. Every one of my limitations became glaring to me, and I'll be honest and say I broke more than a few of them helping her. I've always placed her well being before my own, even if it's foolish to do so. I managed to really make my hip mad helping her last night and woke up in a fair amount of pain and kinda stiff, but I'm gonna suck it up and deal with it until she is doing well enough to nurse me back to health

 

[copsham]

Oh @torment how impossible a situation you are in. The expression of "the blind, leading the blind" comes to mind. I have no helpful suggestions. I am sure others will but in the meantime all I can say is look after yourself, which is nearly impossible!

Copsham
X

 

[Great Aunt Janet]

@torment - adventure? Yes, probably best to describe it as that, seems to be keeping you positive. That is definitely an additional hurdle for you and your new hip. I can only imagine how much extra stuff you have had to do on your feet and how sore it must be making you. Even picking up the cat food bowl and putting it down again is damned awkward.

Keep on doing things as slowly as possible, don't do anything that doesn't have to be done (just leave the dusting and lawn mowing for some other month - or year if you are like me!) and ask for help! If this happened to me here, we have a local home community care set up - it is designed for older people but they can fix things like shopping or lifts to important appointments etc - and I am pretty sure they can help anyone out in this kind of emergency. Do you have anything like that you can access?

Also a time to call in the cavalry of well wishers who ask if they can do anything to help - yup, wash/dry the laundry, take out the garbage. Phew, easy for me to say it, but swallow your pride and let some friends lend a hand during this emergency.


Have you got the grabber things to pick stuff up? You will BOTH need them for a while now, and I have to say, that and the sock-putter-onner are vital bits of kit when you don't have a spare spouse to bend over for you.

I do hope you and your wife will be able to reduce your respective pains quickly, you have made my little hippy trip seem very simple in comparison - kudos for the calm demeanor!

 

[IMs]

@torment , Here's wishing both of you speedy and steady progress...God bless!

@IMs

 

[torment]

Today is the 2 week mark. My wife is doing a little better, at least she's able to get up and move around on her own so it's not all on me keeping the house in order. We're both now equally medicated though.

The biggest change in the last week honestly has been getting past the constipation. As far as my hip goes it doesn't really feel any better or worse than 1 week ago. It's liveable but I wouldn't say my range has improved any. We're planning on doing a short shopping trip next weekend to both get a little exercise and work out my muscles a little more, plus I haven't left this house in 2 weeks now. The lack of progress since last week is a little discouraging, but I keep telling myself I'm already ahead of the curve getting around with no aids and it's still only been 2 weeks since a major trauma. The long slow road of recovery continues.

My first follow up appt with the PA is next Monday.

 

[Great Aunt Janet]

No aids at all round the house! My house would fall off its piers if I did that right now, what with the rocking and rolling. So glad to hear the missus is a bit better, tummy better too. Sharing the meds, must be love.

 

[torment]

Had a bit of a setback yesterday, of my own doing. While I was working I got up to get a snack and because my hip was feeling so good, I forgot about it. When I went to sit back down in the office chair I went to fold my right leg under me as I sat down, which was how I often used to sit in office chairs. About halfway down I realized what I was doing but it was too late and my full weight came down turning my hip sideways (think sitting on the floor cross-legged). It hurt quite a bit and is still aching today. Lots of random groin and hip pains ever since. It's getting better today but I'd say it set me back a couple of days at least. I'm just amazed and happy it didn't dislocate on me.

 

[Great Aunt Janet]

arghh, good warning, mindful movements at all time (easy to say)! Glad you are ok apart from the pains, phew!

 

[copsham]

I thought I was all plain sailing, have been swimming many times without problem but on Sunday took 4 yr old g/son swimming. From all the kneeling in the pool, lift, dressing etc my hip and whole body hurt. Had secret thoughts of has it loosened but by Weds/Thursday improving. It is a hard process, get confident but not too confident, ignore hip for a while but not too much. How many times has my hubby said "should you be crossing your legs?" We all survive to tell the tale !

 

[torment]

Not crossing my feet has been a real challenge for me. Due to the nature of my old natural hip it was much more comfortable to sit with my feet crossed in some fashion, usually with my right hip turned out to a large degree. While the underlying issues which caused that are now gone it's still a habit reinforced by 40 years of doing it, so I constantly catch myself trying to cross my legs. I've been really good about catching and avoiding it but that one incident Wednesday escaped me and I'm still paying for it. It got much worse last night when I went to bed. I medicated myself and packed my hip in ice and so far it's a lot better today.

@copsham I love swimming but haven't had access to a pool for a couple of years. I'm thinking next year I may set up an above ground in the yard to celebrate 1 year on the new hip!

 

[copsham]

@torment I think swimming is something to be aimed for. Amazing that 17 days post op you are planning for your anniversary - really great! I love swimming although I know not everyone does. Have you got what we call a public swimming pool near you?

I got tickets for Cirque de Soleil for the day before my op in January , "to take my mind off it" but I could not go and had to be conscious not to think of op etc. Maybe my HIP anniversary should be getting tickets for that again if they are in UK. Anyway you have set me thinking - hopes to celebrate anniversary in 9 months time -
thank you!

 

[torment]

No public swimming pool around here, though I prefer swimming privately anyway.

I worked the day before my op then ate and went right to sleep.. I figured that was the best way to not dwell on it.

I'm big on anniversaries so you can bet I'll celebrate it next year!

 

[Josephine]

At the hospital they gave her several shots and acted under the hypothesis that she blew a disk in her back, but they didn't take any x-rays or imaging to confirm that which boggles my mind.

Most unlikely. Most back pain is caused by muscle spasm which is every bit as disabling. She should go see a chiropractor who could get her back on her feet in no time.

which is a challenge since I can't even bend over or pick up anything substantial.

Of course you can! Have you never heard of the golfer';s reach? It was in one of the articles you were left earlier - this one Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule.

Every one of my limitations became glaring to me, and I'll be honest and say I broke more than a few of them helping her.

Well don't get too obsessive/compulsive about it. Just remember, as far a restrictions go, that there are far more surgeons who don't require them as do. It's just a precaution and nothing dire is going to happen if you break one or two here or there!

 

[torment]

My wife's back is back and forth between better and worse. Today it's pretty bad. She got one of the Dr's she works for to order her an MRI which is scheduled for Wednesday so we'll see what's up either later this week or next week.

I had my 1st follow up appointment today. Nothing new but I did get new x-rays and I have my old and new ones now. I'll upload a before and after in this post.

 

[torment]

3 weeks today! The incision is healing up nicely. I had my wife take a new picture last night but I didn't grab it off her phone before she left for work today. I'll post it later. I'm trying to sorta chronicle the healing process in pictures. I'd like a nice progression when I post to the hippie scar thread.

Did some very short and light shopping on Sunday, and some longer strolling through the grocery store yesterday. It went well, far better than before surgery for sure. After walking a bit the muscles around my hip begin to get very tired and mildly ache. There is a much more prominent pain which delvelops behind my hip, what I would describe as in the buttocks. It's the area that has given me the most trouble since surgery but it definitely feels like it's getting better.

Moving in the wrong direction still smarts, as does sudden tension on muscles around the hip. While walking yesterday I inadvertently caught my shoe sole on a carpet which stopped my forward leg motion and that hurt quite a bit but I just winced and kept going.

They took me off percocet and dropped me down to hydrocodone. I honestly feel like I may just come off the meds entirely in another week or so. Things tend to get a bit more achy when off the meds, but it's not intolerable and generally doesn't hurt or ache anywhere near as bad as it did before the surgery, and I didn't take pain meds for it then.

My next appointment with the OS is in 4 weeks at which point I expect all restrictions to be lifted.

And a wife update. A friend of one of the doctors she works for is a neurosurgeon who has his own MRI machine and he agreed to do one on her today so she is pretty happy about that. This will also expedite getting the results back to the docs she works for so hopefully they can get her fixed up this week. She's really been a champ and has been doing a great job of taking care of me and the house even while she's been hobbled by her back. Luckily I'm back into a condition where I'm able to start taking on some of the load again.

 

[Constanze]

Hi @torment,
I think you and your wife are both Champions and are coping incredibly well. Good luck from
Constanze

 

[Great Aunt Janet]

Good to hear about your progress @torment - we sound like we are on the same page - I have the same tiredness and stiffness in the muscles if I overdo it - or if I stay still too long. It is all a balance I suppose. I walked down to work yesterday (only 4 blocks) and showed off for my 3 week anniversary! I am going to go in from Monday for an hour, just to cover so my boss can get out, and so I can gauge how it is all going to be. Looking forward to it, although I know I may have adjust plans as I go.

Hope your wife gets some answers and relief for her back soon too - it must be a battle to decide who is going to wash up! Fingers crossed everything keeps on getting easier for you.

 

[torment]

As promised, here is the picture of my incision from Monday night.

 

[copsham]

Brilliant and only 22 days ago! Mine is more erratic as the infection I had has left my scar a bit lumpy.

 

[torment]

Well last Saturday we had some people over to extend our driveway a little and bury a drainage pipe. I took the opportunity to sweep out both sides of our garage, which was quite a task since our vehicles track in mud from around the driveway (hence the extension to allow us to not drive off the pavement while backing out of the garage).

Between that and a couple of hours of standing, walking, and traversing stairs I pretty much way overexerted myself. The muscles around my hip were quite displeased, and honestly so was the rest of me. A month of laying around has obviously taken it's toll on all of my muscles. I spent the evening and most of yesterday recovering. I'm still a bit tender today but it's reasonable. While overall it wasn't a great experience, I was actually very pleased with how well my hip held up. It was barking the loudest, but at no point was it debilitating.

Oddly enough my incision has been bugging me more in the last week or so. It's a bit more sensitive and a touch achy. I guess that's just the side effects of it continuing to heal.

Tomorrow marks 4 weeks!

My wife's MRI showed she has 4 bulging disks with 1 impinging on her spinal cord. The doc she works for will decide this week if he wants to do anything about it. That being said, she's doing much better now. It's still not back to normal but she is getting around fine.