THR VSlowLife's Recovery Thread

It makes one feel like a new person when these wonderful things occur.

Yes! Thank you. It was a very sunny day yesterday. Today will be rain, and a good day not to practice going outside.

It will take a bit to build up strength - you were limited in your abilities for a while with that bad hip.

You are so right. Last night was an example of Mojo"s squiggly line recovery. Must have used some different muscles. I was fine during the day and then at night oddly enough, both calves, started to be very upset with me. Ended up using the Lounge Doctor for elevation again, after walking for a bit to see if that would make it feel better. It was not easy getting to sleep.

Also, half of my incision, suddenly had some sharp, throbbing pains, like a protest. I took it has internal healing pains, and hope it was a muscle engaging.

However, you will be surprised that it does come back with just doing things around the house eventually and being able to move without pain.

I believe you! I can feel, just slight movements, can feel very new. I am just doing some simple heel lifts and toe lifts at this point, holding onto the walker. I am getting more fluid using the walker.

I find I am using PT to practice new things safely. So far she has been good about not pushing me any farther with groups of exercise. Next session I want to be sure how to get in the car and try to start it. Other friends have been doing that for me. I do not feel ready to drive yet, with the right leg, but will see what PT thinks. My discharge instructions say I can drive at 2 - 2 1/2 weeks, but that doesn't mean I should.

I get some stiffness when I get carried away but it eases up quickly and I still find myself smiling that I can walk across the room or get in and out of the care without pain.

I am glad it eases up quickly!

You are doing so great taking it slow and steady.

I am pleased with my progress, even with the occasional squiggly line event. You and Rin Tin Tin, I remember, both did a slow and steady recovery.
 
Good morning Sunshine...:SUNsmile:
We will have to make our own today, it seems. Rain here too.
Good day to rest.
I had the sharp incision pains at about this same time and was frantic on my recovery thread.
Maybe my reminder to take things slow.
Perhaps the heal and toe lifts led to your calf pains...
Still extremely early days and I really think just normal walking without the "exercises" will get you just as far along.
I didn't have a lot of visible swelling after the second week, but the ice was still extremely beneficial...as much or more so than the elevation. I feel like the internal inflammation was sure to be there and nerves are easily aggravated so I hope you will chill today.:ice:
You are doing well...the not doing is the hard part.
 
I had the sharp incision pains at about this same time and was frantic on my recovery thread.

Laskyd who is two days ahead of me said she had the same thing, recently, too. I think that healing, bump layer, under the incision, is thinning out, and the skin can stretch more. It was giving me zingers as I sat for breakfast. Ice helped to calm it down.:ice:

I occasionally rub around the incision to increase the circulation, not that a medical professional told me to do, this, just something I remember my mom doing. I do it over clothing. Most of my scabs are gone at this point.


Perhaps the heal and toe lifts led to your calf pains...
I was thinking that as I wrote. Instead of one set of ten, I did a second set later in the day.

Such a delicate recovery!

Still extremely early days and I really think just normal walking without the "exercises" will get you just as far along.

Yes, absolutely! Think I will stop the heel and toe raises to trade for better sleeping tonight.

Today will be an”easy” day.

Have a good day, Mojo! Thanks again!
 
I slept for three hours 9 to midnight. Knee pain. Icing above and below. Trying to calm it down so I can get back to sleep. Hip is pretty calm. Little zingers from breaking scar tissue have not re-occurred, but would not be surprised if I have a few more over time.
 
2 am, still up with knee pain. Ice has not done much. Trying ice on top and heat on the bottom.
 
2:30 am switched to recliner, a little better, muscles around knee are spasming at times. Oh gee. PT did not call last night so probably coming on Friday. I need to put this on the list of things I want to address.
 
:wave:V ... a lot of us suffered with knee pain and this is probably caused by the positions they oik you into to perform the hip op! I didn't find ice helped the knee much and my Surgeon said not to keep ice on the knee for more than 15-20 minutes although okay for long periods by/on the hip/thigh.

Sending you hugs for a calmer day ... and be careful with the exercises!

Hang .. Better.jpeg Izzy xx
 
Hoping you figured out a way to sleep. @VSlowLife

Sorry your knee is giving you trouble. It is a pretty common trouble spot after surgery. Try not to aggravate it and get plenty of rest and elevation. Swelling is probably the culprit. Even if you can’t see it, all that surgery inflammation traveled down your leg. Hang in there. Still early days.
 
Thank you @Izabel and @Fit4Family! After getting up at 4:30am I was able to sleep until 9, so the day is not wasted.

I am going to try and elevate more during the day, today, and see if that helps.

PT texted and she is coming today. My goal for PT is to get into my car and see if I am ready to drive. Also I would like her to evaluate the muscles on the side of my incision and see if there is a way to determine if they are engaging now. Then I would feel more confident using the cane a bit more.

No Zingers for 12 hours or more, so I am happy about that.

Hope you have a good day!
 
Ahhh, zingers and zaps, muscle cramps at night, sounds like you are right on track! :loll:
But seriously, you are doing so well and I know you are thrilled! You were so patient, waiting to get your turn on the surgery table and now you are beginning to reap the benefits.
Congratulations @VSlowLife . :banana-santa:
 
I think I am doing as well as can be expected. Was hoping for less knee pains since no Hanna Table was used, but I guess that doesn't matter. I am very happy I only have extreme angle restrictions. It makes life so much easier.

I got into my car today and started the engine up. I am not allowed to drive yet since I still have some groin pain when I use my leg on the peddles. When that goes away, my PT says I can start to drive.

Finally my OS is calling me tonight, regarding how to manage these pains and to tell me why my incision is longer than I was expecting. He went on vacation after my surgery, so I want to know what he would have told me had he not been away.
 
Good Morning.jpeg V

Isn't it strange how different we all are! I was reading through your progress (which is going very well) and noticed how everyone likes the grabber. Well, I couldn't manage it for love nor money! I found it clunky and often dropped it or what I was grabbing. In the end I found ingenious ways of picking things up ... often with my right toes/foot! :whistle:

I also couldn't use objects to lift my leg onto the bed so amused the nurses by hooking my right foot under my left ankle and swung myself up onto the bed. :heehee:

I know a lot do not approve of it, but I have a small cylindrical bean pillow (with the tiny styro beads) and squoosh it under my knees to gently arch them slightly .. a bit like the angle of a dentist's chair! When I turn to my side I just move it to between my knees. Although I now have some meat on my knees I can bear them touching each other but it is just more comfortable padded.

Weekend.jpeg Izzy xx
 
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and noticed how everyone likes the grabber. Well, I couldn't manage it for love nor money!

I have three grabbers. :heehee: The best one came from the previous residents of my home. That one folds, and has these rubber cups at the end.I use a piece of long twist tie from a red leaf lettuce,to hang it from my walker. A larger, all plastic, grabber works perfect for getting my clothes on, and then I have another which is the perfect size, to grab my tub faucet, to switch the water to shower mode, so I do not need to bend too far forward.

Hip 2 is on its way, so I will be prepared for that one,too, one day.

In the end I found ingenious ways of picking things up ... often with my right toes/foot! :whistle:

You have talented toes/foot! We do find a way!

When I turn to my side I just move it to between my knees.

I can’t wait to be able to turn to the side. Whatever works for you, I think is fine. Tiny styrofoam beads sound comfortable. I have various sized pillows, with a variety of materials, and when I can turn on my side, it will be interesting to see what works.

I am hoping for a better night of sleep tonight. My OS called and sent some Tylenol with codiene to my pharmacy. Icing is just not enough for my knee to ankle pain. It will just take time for everything to adjust.

Also found out why my incision is not 3 inches. He avoided cutting any muscles, (depending on the strength of your muscles) so I was glad to hear that. It is 6 1/2 inches and very neat, and I imagine it will get smaller as I heal.

Thank you for checking in with me and telling me a bit more about your journey!
 
Happy 3 week anniversary Marianne!

That's pretty cool how your surgeon avoided cutting muscle. Some of the surgery videos show them slowly picking through the muscle groups while others just go to town with the electric scalpel.

May the sleep fairy visit you soon :sleep:
 
I hope your knee and ankle adjust soon as you are doing so great with the hip. Great steady progress. Have a lovely day. Sun shining at my house - I hope you are getting some of it also. :SUNsmile::flwrysmile:
 
I hope your knee and ankle adjust soon as you are doing so great with the hip.
Yes, I hope so too, but I have been impaired with that hip for a while, so I imagine there is much adjusting going on.

It is a blue sky, sunny day, here, too! Always good for the spirit! :flwrysmile:

Friends will pick me up and take me to a local friend’s birthday party later today for a little while.
 
Happy 3 Week Anniversary! You're doing good and yes there is much adjusting going on. Time and patience. Good that you're getting out for a while today, know you've probably already thought of this but maybe take a cushion to sit on and some ice packs.
 
know you've probably already thought of this but maybe take a cushion to sit on and some ice packs.
Thank you! I thought about the ice packs, forgot about the cushions. Thank you! Yes, great to see something different and be around good company. The couch is low, so not sure I should lay on it, unless I carefully do something with the cushions.
 

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