what now?

[helpingmom]

as my user name suggests i am not the hip replacment patient but i am trying to help my 75 year old mother recover
her surgery went very well and after 10 days in hospital with 7 days in rehab she is back home
we do have some outside help from private insurance nursing to administer the anti coag shots and a personal support worker but what seems to be lacking is any sort of home based rehab plan
although we understand the retrictions on bending and positioning the pelvis correctly trying to interpret those rules to her home environment and activities is challenging
also getting a sense of what would be the safest, most effective strength building activities she can engage in on her own is a challenge
mom has always been very active and although in the last 5 years her exercise have been restricted or modified due to advancing osteo arthritis, she was doing qi gong, aqua fitness and"healthy bones" classes on a weekly basis as well as working out with weights etc before her surgery
now we are kind of lost
i guess what i am looking for is resources that will say here's what to try here's what to expect in the month following 3 months later etc
any suggestions members may have would be greatly appreciated
besides, based on the way i'm hobbling around it ain't gonna be too long before this will be my personal concern as well! hard to say whats going to give out first the knees orthe hip but the writing is on the wall...
i am going try to interest her in engaging in this forum herself but she has a rather antagonistic relationship with her computer at the best of times but if there is anyone out there who is my mom's age contemporary who would be able to engage her in a little note comparing or be a " come on you can do it!" buddy that would be great
(or any cranky menopausal overworked guilt ridden daughters that are lurking in the background behind your brave "hipsters" i'd welcome someone to chat with

 

[Texas]

Well Im a knee so I wouldnt give any advice on a hip. Im sure others will post soon. Im glad she is atleast doing well. And she seems to have great support in you which is fantastic. Hang in there. Ohh no you next? Well we will be here for you as well...lol..Hang in there it gets better.....Post anytime...Tell her to join in even just to chat, we would love to hear from her..........

 

[TBONE]

Helping Mom-- Congrats to your mom! Your instincts are right to get sme adivice here as I have found it invaluable. I cannot advise much as I am in a different situation. However, please realize also that all people and recoveries are different. Your Mom's best advice is her own body's voice. Of the exercises you mentioned, aqua fitness sounded the best if, and when, she is allowed to get back into the water. But scars need to heal to avoid infection and one needs a pool with ingress and egress. I am about 3+ months out and have started swimming again with a local masters group. I wish I started earlier. Best of luck and I'm sure others will add their own advice.

 

[Josephine]

YouTube has some good stuff

YouTube- Hip Replacement Exercises

YouTube- Hip Replacement Exercise Program (second half of vid)

But you could also look out a good book (not actually read it so not recommending)
Getting Hip

 

[Judles]

Welcome Helping! Your Mom is blessed to have you look after her! Just remind her..and keep reminding her that recovery is a slow process! We're here so post on!!! .

 

[Jamie]

Welcome to the forum, Helping. How wonderful of you to be your mom's advocate as she recovers from the surgery! It does sound like some therapy might help her and I hope you are able to arrange for that.

We have had plenty of folks on the forum your mom's age and MUCH older who did very well. I can't recall if any are active right now, but it's possible they will see your thread and decide to post their experiences. Until that happens, continue to reasure your mom that things will improve and she will be better than before! This is a wonderful surgery that almost always gives a person back their life at whatever activity level they desire.

 

[tahoe1009]

Welcome!! You have gotten great advice so far!! I hope things go well for you guys. Keep posting and we will be here. Great support here for you and your mom!!

 

[helpingmom]

thank you all of you for your responses of course not being so technologically savvy i had concluded that y'all were a snooty lot and hadn't replied til i got an email saying politely"read your responses, dummy!"
i still haven't quite figured out how it works but i shall stumble about in the dark til i get it!
it looks like we are on track for healing moms scar makes her to quote her gp (who took out her staples)"the poster child for how a surgical wound should heal!"
it is amazing no gapping no swelling no infection no bruising and this less than 3 weeks from surgery
we had a hiccup (read terse unpleasant exchange here) when i failed to understand that she wanted her gp to administer the last anti coag shot
actually what she wanted was for the gp to tell her she didn't need to have it as she has a pathological fear of needles
needless to say she was told in no uncertain terms that a little fear was better than a big old bloodclot
mom them turned to me reluctantly and said "well you better give the doctor the final syringe"
whereupon i had to tell her i had failed to comprehend her cryptic musings on which was the empty syringe and which was the remaining full one to mean "bring the last shot with us to the doctor so she can give it to me if i absolutely have to have it!"
sigh
we ended up with the following options her friend marg the nurse from down the hall could give it to her or i could

marg was away so i was up to bat
she was frantic i was nonchalant (read terrified to mess up)
and she ended up with the final shot administered by a rank amateur that was the only one that didn't cause significant bruising!
mom and i are having adventures
i'm still trying to interest her in getting on to the computer to the site herself but so far no go
i've checked out the youtube stuff and hopefully today can at least get her to look at the exercises
i have also contacted a local facility that caters to disabled people and therefore has excellent accessible pool facilities
so that when she is fully healed she can resume swimming

one thing (which i think in the menopausal haze i live in, i noticed in some of the threads here)
she is having spasms normal part of healing right?
her surgeons office is a great big zero when it comes to any "what to expect afterwards" they are not cramps per se like a charly horse but muscle spasms that wake her up at night i apologize for asking if this is old news for people to take up on but would like to reassure her

i do so appreciate everyone's responses and wish you all continued improvement and healing

 

[Texas]

Aw you sound like you are such a trooper and sweetheart....lol...Im not computer teckyy either, but I assure you we will always respond. I hope she will get on here soon. We lould all love to here from her. Tell her she has alot of bonesmarty friends praying for her, for a great and speedy recovery !!!!!!

 

[Josephine]

There's some helpful tips about using the forum here, helping - click on the link below

https://bonesmart.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=76

 

[DianeC]

Helpingmom,

I remember having muscle spasms after my surgery, especially when I was icing my hip. They were rather painful! I can't remember when they stopped, but I haven't had one in a long time. My surgery was 6 weeks ago tomorrow.

Hang in there; things will get easier for your mom and you.

Diane