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THR Well here I am on the Other Side... :)

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I walked a couple of hundred yards to the physio room, on sticks, because they couldn't find a wheelchair, and then climbed stairs. They're changing my dressing and sorting out my drugs, and then I'm going home! :)
 
As expected, it took awhile. Rest now - in your own bed! Bliss!
 
"Yup, it's caught up with me... This morning I feel like I've been run over. Or like someone's sawn off my leg and hammered on a new one...
Oh yes, they have.
Morphine and tramadol are my friends. :)"
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, I had to laugh because this was my sentiment exactly at the same point. Once most of the spinal wore off, it came on like a ton of bricks and now, home and 100 hours post op, I'm still reeling. Yes, this is doable - but it's a challenge. I've been reading all these posts about ppl being out of bed within a few hours and practically dancing in the hallways. Personally, I think the drugs give them amnesia. LOL. The truth should be told here - and the truth lies somewhere between sawn off limbs and a piece of cake, but definitely we face a challenge that requires humour, perseverance and grit. There is no room for pride at running the race faster than someone else - it's not a competition. We're here to be real, to encourage and to cry when we have to - even if that's a bit scary for those who'd love the piece of cake scenario. HARD work.

Is it worth it? I'll know the day that my post-op pain is less than my pre-op pain and when I can not only do things I couldn't do before surgery, but I'm also able to again do the things I COULD do pre-surgery. I'm not there yet - but that's the point. I shouldn't be expecting to be there, even after 100 hours. If I had to figure that out on a calculator (which I did) I'm not better yet and that's ok!


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Thanks for all your good wishes. :)

My first night at home has not been as restful as I hoped. I was shattered after so much physio - and actually, I probably walked as much yesterday as on a good day in the 4 months pre-op - and went to bed quite early - about 9:15pm. But I was restless and had backache, and of course I can't adjust my bed at home like I could at the hospital. A pillow under my knees helped. I slept approx 11:00-4:30 but woke at 1am too, to use the bathroom. When I got up again at 4:30, I hoped I'd be able to go back to sleep, but here I am, still awake at 6am. It's time for a cup of tea I think. :)

In the plus side, I still have no real pain, although I have come home from the hospital with just tramadol and paracetamol (plus my usual etorycoxib) - no morphine. And I climbed my stairs at home, all 12 of them, twice, without any more difficulty than I was having pre-op. It maybe worth mentioning at this point that I have been taking homeopathic remedies too - I have a friend who is a homeopath who prepared a 'surgery recovery pack' for me, and tho I'm not sure that I 'believe' in homeopathy, I am taking the remedies in the spirit they were given - with love, as a gift, if that makes sense.

I have nowhere to go and nothing to do, so can rest as much as I need to. And I do feel much better than I expected to at this point, tho I am anticipating a bit of a 'crash' over the next few days! :)
 
Actually (and warning: here comes too much info for some people!) I think the backache is partly constipation! I am seriously clogged up from the meds and have a bit of gut ache now too.
 
Dozed again but now awake and having some breakfast. I'm shaking/trembling a bit and my operated leg is a bit swollen now... I assume that's quite normal, is it?
 
@FionaW I also had that trembling feeling. The visiting nurse advised more water to avoid dehydration and that did the trick. Wishing you a restful, pain free weekend:)


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Thank you teakea. :) I feel a bit better now. I think the trembling was a combination of things: meds, stopped meds, low blood sugar, muscle fatigue from yesterday and tiredness. It's gone now. :)
 
So my leg went a bit too red and hot for peace of mind. A friend drove me back to the hospital to get it checked, and they're keeping me in, just in case. They think it's only bruising coming out, but they'll check again in the morning, and give me antibiotics if it's an infection.
And here I am again, back in exactly the same bed. Ho hum. Fed up, obviously. :(

I'm absolutely shattered but can't sleep. The ward is noisy tonight and the woman in the bed opposite is in pain, awake and restless (poor thing). Being on my back is generally weird anyway, but I have odd twitches and spasms in my calf muscles, operated thigh, arms and face. Each time I start to drop off to sleep, something jerks! I don't know what's causing it, but I mentioned it to the nurses and they didn't seem bothered. I also have pins and needles coming and going in various places. And my ribs feel like they've had a kicking.

On the plus side, I still have almost no pain and the heat in my leg seems tone subsiding. :) Fingers crossed.

Thank you for reading. It's boring in hospital, especially in the middle of the night when you can't sleep, and there's nothing to do but waffle on...
 
Sorry to hear you're back at the hospital but better safe than sorry. I'm still at the hospital since Wednesday. It's very quiet in the ortho wing here at least. My roommate left Friday and there has been no replacement. I'm thinking I'll be here till Monday as long as my heart rate keeps dropping.

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@FionaW sorry to hear about your set back but good for you for seeking help right away. Hope you're able to get some sleep and that all will be straightened out tomorrow. Including you in my prayers:)


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@FionaW Sorry you are back in the hospital, but its better to be safe....
I hope you feel better with those odd jerky spasms, too.
 
Thanks everyone. I am still awake and now my whole body is twitchy and wired. I'm pretty sure that's just exhaustion - I have occasionally felt like this in the past when I've been unable to sleep. I'm getting that 'tripping off the pavement' sensation every time I fall asleep. In the past, I've got up and gone for a walk or exercised, but of course that's not possible when you're in hospital after a hip replacement!

Kevin, how are you feeling, apart from your troublesome dropping heart rate?
 
Actually my heart rate is too high and it needs to keep dropping. :)

Overall I feel pretty good. I have virtually no pain also but start feeling a little achy and uncomfortable near the end of 4 hours after the last pills, so ive continued taking pain pills every 4 hrs. I get some pain at the incision site occasionally and ice seems to help. There is still some pain when moving the leg and walking which is to be expected. The doctors ask me daily if I have chest pain or shortness of breath and my answer has always been no.

Have you gone off pain medication completely already?

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