THR Tweetybrd's new hip!!

[gertie]

@Tweetybrd You're making great progress! I love those walking--and other--milestones. I went to the movies this weekend for the first time in months--such a treat.

 

[leejaa]

Happy to hear of your progress and sleep. Totally agree that the surgery is worth it.

 

[Tweetybrd]

@gertie Oh! The movies!! Fun!! And you didn't have to dread the steps to get to your seat.
@leejaa Thanks! I hope you are doing well.

 

[OUCH!]

So awesome to hear how well you are doing!!!

 

[gertie]

And you didn't have to dread the steps to get to your seat.

That's exactly what has kept me away from the movies all these months. The theater was crowded so we needed to go fairly far up to sit together and it was a bit of a challenge since my new hip is just now getting used to stairs--but I made it!

 

[jaymo]

What a wonderful update! I'm so happy to hear you're doing so well. Five houses today- keep up the walking it IS the best for healing that hip. And it helped my gait big time.

 

[Tweetybrd]

Thanks @jaymo ! I forget, did you do any PT or gait training? I am feeling very torn on the subject. I feel like I want to start stretching but don't want to do the wrong ones. I know I need some gait training but am afraid if I go to PT for that they will try to push actual PT on me.

The five houses up might have been a little much. My thigh on the front and my knee got a bit achy after my walk for a few hours yesterday. I did two short walks of 3 houses a few days ago and that was fine, so I told my mom we will go back to that. It just was a tad warm on the afternoon walk. (Sorry all of you who live in the snow) In the morning it is perfect.
My daughter is grabbing us lunch and picking up my grandson from school today and they will come hang until he has to be back for class. Only an hour but I am excited to see him. He has been sick and so they have been staying away so I don't get it the last week. Really bad timing.

 

[Tweetybrd]

Two weeks today since my surgery!!
I cant believe it has only been 2, feels like 4. LOL I cut out another Oxy that I have been taking when I wake up in the early (5 to 6) morning this morning and took two Tylenol instead. I am doing ok but had more achyness when I got back up at 7:30. I feel more tired today but it might be due to people in my house being sick the last few days with a cold and now I'm fighting it. We were so careful with my grandson being sick and then my son brought it home from college!! Now my mom has it too.
Thankfully, I can take extra vitamins and seem to be fighting the good fight.

Overall, I am doing way better then I though I would at this stage. Keep having to remind my self that I am only 2 weeks out and not to do too much.

Oh!! And I can now close the couch recliner with my non surgical leg! So my family can not longer keep me captive sitting on the couch.

 

[gertie]

@Tweetybrd Another milestone (closing the couch recliner!) I've had good luck taking zinc to fight off colds. I'll be interested to hear how your transition to Tylenol goes. I was surprised at how little pain I had (and I think the approach my OS uses is similar to yours). Felt like I'd generally been handled gently during surgery.

 

[Misslucky]

Can't believe it has been 2 weeks already ! How time is flying ! Glad to hear things are going well on the hip front and keep fighting that cold. Least you are already resting and as they say sleep heals so fingers crossed those germs get going ! Hope you mom feels a little better soon too

 

[SwimGirl]

@Tweetybrd Greetings! 2 weeks now. GOOD FOR YOU!
Sounds like you are so happy with your results. Yay!
Keep on the vitamins to stay healthy. We cannot always
avoid the germs. Have thought of you often and wanted to say good luck on recovery! A day at a time! Hope the whole household gets well! So happy surgery is done!

 

[OUCH!]

Yay!!!! Great news! 2 weeks was a turning point for me. Of course that is also when I started over doing it, so be careful.

I hope the cold takes it easy on you. Hopefully you can get lots of sleep and that will knock it out. Zinc, vitamin C and lots of sleep often helps me kick colds before they really dig in.

 

[Tweetybrd]

@gertie That is exactly what I have been taking, zinc and vitamin C. So far, so good. (knock on wood!!)
I have done pretty well switching out the early morning Oxy to the two Tylenol. All along I have alternated them. My pain level has surprised me also. Way less then I thought it would be. I really think at the beginning I was taking too much Oxy. At day 7 I cut out some and have been taking only one 5mg three times in a 24 hr period along with 1000 mg of tylenol 3 times in between. Now I have cut out one more. So am taking a 5mg Oxy at bedtime(10pm) and at nap time (1pm) with Tylenol otherwise. Honestly, I probably could stop the nap time one too but didn't want to cut out too much too soon.
I looked up your approach is very similar to mine. I am amazed at how I am able to be moving around so easily so early! I too felt like I was handled gently during surgery. I barley bruised at all. I had more bruises from the nurses having issues getting iv lines in then from the surgery. LOL I know that everyone has to do what their surgeon is using and what their surgeon feels comfortable with but boy am I glad mine was good at this one. You did PT correct? How much and was it gait training too?

@Misslucky Thanks!! How is your injection holding up? I hope you are doing good. My mom is still sick but I think she is better today.

@SwimGirl Thanks so much!! How is the job hunt going? Have you been able to get back in the water to swim?

@OUCH! Thank you! Yes, I can see where now I am going to have to be careful to not overdue it. I told my mom this morning, I needed to find something to do while sitting because I keep thinking of things that need done like my closet straightened or the garage cleaned out that I know I am months away from doing. LOL I hope you are well and Nigel and Hazel are getting along.

 

[Misslucky]

So glad your mom is feeling a little better and you are too! I'm still absolutely fine no pain at all not a tweak so all good my end. I go back the 4th April. Decided that I will see my consultant to discuss the long term plan and if I'm not happy will seek further advice. Thanks for asking. Keep up the good work your thread is amazing

 

[gertie]

@Tweetybrd I had a PT come to the house in the early weeks--she was really low key, suggested some simple exercises I could do if I wanted, mostly to gently improve range of motion, but she didn't push anything. Her big focus was on helping me safely do things like get into and out of the driver's seat of the car or up and down from chairs without arms--and a lot of that was giving me confidence that I could do it. She also watched me walk and said my gait seemed pretty good. She cleared me to walk outside by myself and to start walking without the cane, etc. She said I should wait to start outpatient PT until I'd healed more so I just started working with a PT again at a little over 3 months out--we're doing strength, range of motion, and balance work--but again, she doesn't push anything that's painful.

 

[chatterz]

@Tweetybrd, I am impressed with how well you're doing! If you feel like you need some PT (for gait training or stretching or whatever) you just need to tell them what you want and don't be afraid to tell them what you don't want. They should listen. You're paying them, after all. I liked getting massaged and the ultrasound and the stim treatments at PT. The few exercises I did were mostly balance things and things to strengthen my quads. I liked getting out of the house and talking with people at the PT place. That's probably why I went for as long as I did. They did help me get my gait back to normal after decades of limping.

 

[Tweetybrd]

@gertie Thanks for your PT story. I think that is great you didn't start until you had healed more. I have wondered myself why they thing we should start just a week or two after surgery. Seems like it would be better to let things heal good and then start working those muscles. You sound like you are doing well at 3 months out. How is the right hip?

@chatterz Thanks! I am really surprised with my recovery. Might be in part to my mindset before. I had it all planned out that I would be needing help and using my walker/cane for a full 6 weeks. My husband kept saying I think you will be fine before that. I kept telling him. Yes maybe but this way I wont be upset if I'm not and pleasantly surprised if I am.
That is exactly what my husband said, you are the client if they dont listen to you go somewhere else. Oh yes.. getting out of the house sounds nice. LOL I can totally see why you went longer. Wow decades of limping!? So glad you are doing well.

I did make it up the street and to the mailbox yesterday. I also cooked french dips for dinner last night. (With lots of help from my crock pot and my mom ) But I did feel like I am getting more helpful to everyone. LOL

 

[mlsread]

@tweetybird You sound amazing and your postings are encouraging. I have been pretty low key for this first week, as I should but now I am going to follow the recovery/activities info guide in the recovery forum. Thank goodness for BoneSmart!

 

[jaymo]

@Tweetybrd - I'm so happy for your continued progress - you are doing great! While I know you are aching to get back to 100% don't forget it's only been 2 weeks so take it slow and and steady.

As far as PT I had 8 weeks of formal PT. Excercises for strength and balance, some gait training and massage. My PT initially thought I might need more in the way of gait training but as my muscles got stronger and I walked more my gait improved on its own. PT really stressed heel-toe walking so I practiced that ALOT. I made myself walk twice a day every day, in the beginning it was just down to the end of my street and back. I would do that same distance for a minimum of 5 days before trying to go farther. If I tried to advance any faster I paid for it the next day. So just take it slow, be minding of form, and just enjoy the miracle of pain free walking! You may find that your gait issue resolves on its own. Best thing my PT told me was to swing my hips and walk like a girl. It helped a lot. Now I find riding my stationary bike, in addition to daily walking, really helps with strengthening the legs. Yesterday I walked the farthest I have in years on my favorite trail, 3 miles, still in awe that this is possible after all the years of pain.

Stay healthy and keep up those vitamins! We have bad colds going around my office and I wash my hands at least 20 times a day! That's my secret weapon. Gotta try to keep the colds at bay. Keep up your wonderful progress and keep us posted!

 

[gertie]

Best thing my PT told me was to swing my hips and walk like a girl.

Ha! Had to laugh when I saw this. I got the same advice from the PT I'm now working with--and I've NEVER been able to swing my hips. I try, I really do, and I just feel silly! So good luck swinging those hips!