THR Two Years Post THR and Life is Great!

[Granny Di]

Yesterday -Day 17 - I rode for 5 minutes on the stationary bike and had (needed?) a 2 hour nap in the afternoon. Part of the exhaustion was from having company for 4 days and missing my afternoon nap. I still feel that my leg is longer than the good one. My knee feels numb and tight but I feel strong and can walk around the house easily. I may try walking outside on the wknd as it is raining and getting rid of the ice and snow. I used to go outside every day to do some kind of exercise and I really missed it this long winter. We are lucky here because we can cross country ski which is easier on the joints than walking or running - unless you fall of course! I can ski 100 days in a season if I don't go away although it is getting harder to put the miles in every year. Maybe with my new hip I will be able to ski more next winter without the pain I was feeling?
I have to give myself an injection of Lovenox -a blood thinner - every evening for 4 weeks. I hate doing it! I haven't read of anyone else having to do that.
I am still figuring out how to use this forum and follow people. Brain fog - pain fog?
Love this sight!

 

[sunbunny]

Glad you are progressing. The weather is getting better and brightens your mood with spring emerging. Sounds like you are getting back to everyday activity. I had the blood thinning shots after both of my knees. Black and blue tummy.

 

[Granny Di]

Beginning of WEEK 3 Post -OP: It's a beautiful morning for a walk so I ventured out on my first walk outside and managed to go twice around the block in 16 minutes with my Nordic walking poles. Now I have my leg up with ice on it. I was walking on pavement though and it will be a while yet before the snow is gone from the trail by my house which is sandy, softer and easier on the joints. I am sure I will be able to do more on the softer surface. I hope your day is going well too!

 

[Granny Di]

@Josephine - Hi! Could you please change my thread title to My Recovery Thread and delete "swelling question.
I couldn't find the "Thread" button and finally gave up after much searching. Thanks!
Diane

 

[Josephine]

You should be looking for the Threads Tools which is in very tiny print just above the top post and to the right, beside "Watch Thread".

Anyway, I've change your title for you.

 

[Poppet]

Hi @Granny Di I note that you are Nordic Walking - I thought you might be interested in the following..

I suffer chronic back pain and after lots of research I decided to give Nordic Walking a go.

This is an article I wrote about Nordic Walking. I find using the lighter Nordic Walking poles help - it is in the Social Room, here is the link -

nordic-walking-poppet-walks-the-talk

Also, I thought you might like to get a snapshot of where you are in the process of healing.

The following is a link to an article which provides the current science regarding the healing beneath and around the implant and the medically acknowledged approximate timeframes for our bodies healing phases and processes.

Healing Phases & Nutrition

Nutrition plays a huge part in surgical recovery, in fact it is one of the 'forgotten topics' of recovery..

This second link is to other nutritional articles which you may find interesting, including one relating to bone health.

Nutritional advice for pre op and recovery

This third link refers to my ongoing research..

nutritional-snippets-did-you-know

 

[Granny Di]

@Poppet Good Day! You article is very well written! I have been Nordic walking for over 20 years because I am a cross country skier, instructor and coach along with my husband (who had Finnish grandparents) and we used NW for summer conditioning, ski striding up hills and so on. I gave up running long ago (I'm almost 69) and I always use my poles when I walk. We ski here 6 months of the year and I usually ski 1000+ kms. This is the first year in 47 that I have not skied cross country!
I have also taught Nordic Walking at our ski club in the off season and I meet with a group of 9 women every week day for skiing, N. Walking or snowshoeing.

I found N Walking so much easier on my joints than running and it did get my heart rate up. Doctors are amazed when I tell them I am not on any medication- sad comment on the health of the people in my town. I can get my heart rate up as high as I can jogging so why put that strain on the old knees and hips? They also help to prevent falls especially when it is icy in the spring and fall.
We have spent time in Finland and many people uses NW poles to go shopping!
I think it is great that you are encouraging people to use NW poles!
Thanks for all you do here!
Diane

 

[Poppet]

Excellent Di. Yes I agree with regards the health benefits of NW! I studied with a International Nordic Walking Master Trainer here in Australia. I also spent some time in Norway and learned to love Cross Country skiing. There are many Orthopedic Surgeons here in Australia who advocate NW for their patients and indeed NW themselves.

I am pleased you find the articles informative.

 

[salsss]

Thank you for that!!! I just emailed a youtube of this to my husband...something to look forward to!! Where are you in Canada? We might be nearby.

And the blood thinner...ugh. My new surgeon prescribed ted hose and aspirin two times per day...I'm so relieved. It sounds like you're more active and shouldn't need as much??

Yay for spring! We can go out of the house now!!

 

[Granny Di]

Hi Sally! I am a long way from you - 8 hours north of Toronto -BUT the snow is going quickly now. Usually I don't want the snow to go as skiing is so much more fun than walking and although I love running I haven't run for years.
I see you have had both hips done and one on April 8th .right? I will check out your thread.
I got my socks on by myself this morning! YAY! I used the reacher to pull it on. My husband usually puts it on but he left early to go skiing- I didn't get a sock puller-onner with my gear for hippies. Only a few more weeks to go with the 90 degree rule. How are you feeling? I will read your recovery thread now.
Thanks for posting on my thread. I am going to walk outside again today. My knee really hurt after my first walk outside.
Diane

 

[Granny Di]

Today I walked around the block (with my Nordic poles) stopping to chat with neighbours shovelling the snow off their lawns. After walking my knee hurts and feels swollen and numb but my hips are fine. I am not getting cold anymore and sat out in the sun wearing only a fleece shirt. It was 10 degrees celsius today and yet the cross country skiing was fantastic this morning. I sure miss skiing. Next year!
My leg with the new hip still feels longer than the good leg so I have inserted an insole to even things out.
Things are getting better every day.

 

[sunbunny]

You are sounding so good. Great progress. Lol...our air conditioner went out this past weekend and they have to replace the whole unit the day of my surgery. Last night we had five fans going to sleep. So spoiled and you have snow. Today is cooler though. crazy North Carolina weather. Keep posting updates you give us newbies great information.

 

[souldancer]

@Granny Di - wow so sorry to hear about the shots for blood thinning. I have 325 mg aspirin daily to
prevent clots, wearing my teds, plus have compression wrappers on my calves too. Found out
they cost $780 US but my insurance covers some of it. Havn't gotten the bill yet...

You are certainly in good condition, I tried to get in shape before but have found this is kicking my butt-of course it is
only 3 days post op...

 

[Granny Di]

@souldancer - Only three days out so you are in the early stages - very early. I just find i want it to go faster but keep reminding myself to be patient as it is MAJOR surgery. In Canada we don't get billed for anything so we have no idea what it costs for these operations. I called a company that will arrange the op for you in the USA and I was told it would cost either $22,000 or $65,000 depending on which location I chose. I didn't want to travel nor spend the money and was able to get a date at home after only 4 months which is lucky.
I had those electronic compression wraps on my lower legs in the hospital -would have been hard to sleep with them pumping all night if it wasn't for the drugs.
@sunbunny - I'm just telling what is happening with me - hope it is helpful - but everybody is different. I will be 69 in May but I am told I am in good shape -its the cross country skiing -great all body workout. I did mini-pushups and granny sit-ups before the surgery along with leg lifts but basically sat for 4 months getting out of shape. I find I get so tired so easily now.
I don't think I told about my misadventure hiking in Patagonia- Chile and Argentina -in November. I did the first 5 days (80 kms - around 50 miles with a full pack) and got more and more sore and could not do the last three long hikes as my hip was done. My hip was sore in the summer and fall and I thought it was just a flare-up but it wasn't. I don't want to admit that I am old! So I arrived back home on Dec.10th and was able to get the hip on March 23 which is very fast. I kept phoning and asking them to call me if there were any cancellations. It worked!
Thanks for posting! I find it hard to connect with people on these forums.
Stay positive!

 

[NuMe2014]

Hi @Granny Di, I just want to comment on the cost of our hip replacements here in Canada. I asked my surgeon what the cost of one of my prosthesis was( I have had two replacements) for my particular ceramic on ceramic prosthesis the cost of one is $7000.00 so I have $14,000 worth of hardware in me! The cost of the surgery, hospital stay and outpatient physiotherapy here in Saskatchewan is aprox. $90,000.00.( for me that would be x2). Thank goodness for our healthcare system.
Your recovery sounds like it is progressing nicely.

 

[sunbunny]

@Granny Di thank you for your encouragement. Our journeys always help when we share. My knees started giving out in 1995. I was very active playing tennis and volleyball on teams. Also teaching school and raising a family. Was told I would need knee replacements by 2000. Hardheaded I made it to 2006 and 2007. Unfortunately I had loss a great deal of mobility along the way. I now go to a water class three times a week with about 15 other woman ( we chase the occasional man out of our class as we want to use the men's locker room to shower...lol ) Within the class are many knees, hips, and back surgeries. Great group of Ladies, we workout and then go out to lunch! I really do enjoy being active so look forward to this hip as moving back into that lifestyle. Your adventures sound amazing. I can imagine how beautiful those places must be. We will make it through this adventure as well. Thank you for your encouragement.

 

[Granny Di]

@sunbunny - Aren't we lucky to have a group of women to work out and socialize with? I have really missed it this long winter. Spring is here and I have been out- drove the car twice looking for birds and waterfowl -still lots of ice on the lakes but the river is open.
I see the physio tomorrow so I hope she has good news about my knee which is still numb and sore.
How are you doing sun bunny?

 

[Granny Di]

Start of Week 5 Post Op Report: Saw my expert physiotherapist today and she prescribed exercises for my muscles and sore knee. She told me not to limp - if I start to limp when walking it is time to stop. She did a thorough assessment and I will see her again in two weeks. This woman is an excellent communicator!

 

[Granny Di]

I had a real shower today! Took the bench out of the tub and stood under the shower. It felt soooo good!
I made a table/chart with my 6 physio exercises plus cells for walking and biking - so 8 things to do every day. So far so good but I find the indoor bike so boring I am looking at my watch every two minutes. Watching family photos on the PC helps me pretend that I am travelling. Snow is going fast so walking on soft trails will be possible soon. The physio checked the numbness in my op leg and said it is nothing serious. I have a bump on my thigh -muscle tightness I guess - and she advised me to heat it, roll it with a rolling pin and then do a stretch. It seems to be working as I can feel improvement. YAY! Love my physiotherapist. Getting better every day!

 

[healthgal46]

I had a real shower today! Took the bench out of the tub and stood under the shower. It felt soooo good!
I made a table/chart with my 6 physio exercises plus cells for walking and biking - so 8 things to do every day. So far so good but I find the indoor bike so boring I am looking at my watch every two minutes. Watching family photos on the PC helps me pretend that I am travelling. Snow is going fast so walking on soft trails will be possible soon. The physio checked the numbness in my op leg and said it is nothing serious. I have a bump on my thigh -muscle tightness I guess - and she advised me to heat it, roll it with a rolling pin and then do a stretch. It seems to be working as I can feel improvement. YAY! Love my physiotherapist. Getting better every day!

is the bump where your incision is? if so that is fixable. i have the same. MY Pt told me to do a light massage on it with Vitamin E cream or oil to break up the bump. what it is, if its in that location is the dried up blood from the surgery and if you massage it frequently it will eventually break up. and the vitamin E will also help the scarring look. let me know! though i am not on here as much love to hear from you.