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THR Z's Postop thread

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Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Josephine,

PT is coming in a few hours and I'll get a better sense then...but although back extenesions seem fine, I seem to have a week spot with abduction. At the hospital they said that the muscles have been stretched and beat up pretty good and it may take a couple days before they are willing to engage.

I have a 4 inch incision plus a couple little holes for cameras (??) and that area is reasonably swollen with minimal bruising.

The day after the surgery they did put on a dressing that allows me to shower (YAY) and that comes off after 3 days.

BTW...not sure if I mentioned it....but they had me eating normal the evening after my surgery...just avoiding dairy...and that was great and all the systems are working.

I'll keep you posted on the impact of the Piriformis...

Z
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

The little holes would be for retractors, I think. They don't use cameras for this.
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Really interesting vid Z. Thanks for sharing that! Hope you are getting that much needed rest, icing and elevating. Keep taking those pain meds. No matter how "minimal" your op was - it was major surgery. You are right - it sometimes take awhile for the pain to catch up. Just stay ahead of it and you will be fine.
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Cardie,

My doc does a couple things in that regard...He uses cat scans as input to a 3D Modeling technique that looks at the shape of your parts to determine optimal alignment. I've seen this mentioned before on this board...it is something that he feels makes him more successful BUT insurance will not pay for this. I guess they feel that lots of people do not do that step and do just fine. I figured if he thinks it makes him better...than that is good enuf for me..

As far a alignment during the surgery, he uses this:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hipsextant-navigation-system-receives-its-first-commercial-use-132048778.html

and that is a patent of his as well.

The ceramic hip that he uses from Wright has his name on the patent also. It seems that the SuperCap technique can only work it the hip components go together in a certain way...and that is what the hip is designed to do.

Really cool stuff...these advances are awesome...

Today is actually more comfortable than yesterday....48 hours ago I was IN surgery!

Z
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Hi Z

You seem to be doinf fine and everything appears to have went well, Time for some rest now and take things easy.

Billy
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Outstanding! Keep up with your pain management so that you can continue to do such a good job in PT and get lots of good rest.
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Congrats Z! Glad to read about your progress and the procedure. Sounds like you're going great!
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

New technologies and new inventors of technology... Wonder where it will be in another five, ten, twenty years .... Magic stuff!

Well done Z, so pleased for you.
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

about the same place we are now, Sandy. Innovations are slowly drawing to a halt as they have gone about as far as they can go ..... according to recent studies!
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Ah, yes Jo, when I really think about it the basic process of a hip replacement is the same.

Just different surgeons, different approaches, different prosthesis...

In the end we all end up with a total hip replacement and a better quality of life.. at least that is what we hope and pray for :yes 4:
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Hi folks,

My recovery has been pretty boring so I got quiet here on the board. Everything is moving in the right direction, but no real milestones worth mentioning.

I did have some questions brwing that I am more comfortable with the answers to now:

1. My doc ADDED some length back to my repaired leg in anticipation of re-doing my other hip in a few years. He did not put it all back as it would've been too much in the interim. But, my issue, which is diminishing by the day, is that my pelvis was tilted TOWARD the worse hip. That tilt PLUS the added length feels like a lot, but PT says that my pelvis and brain will adjust...and I am sure it will. Worst case I wear some shoe inserts until I get my right hip done. But for the first few day on my feet it felt huge.

Here is a view of me walking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXy2vp5Df-w

2. I had at least one muscle that felt ABSENT initially (having to do with abduction...but a very specific aspect). While on my non-operated side, lifting my operated leg against gravity was a non-starter for a few days. But now it is quite manageable and coming back fast, but I need to be cautious when rolling over in bed that I do it in a controlled and thoughtful way. I think if I were to roll quickly without thinking thru the support and transitions it might not be pretty.

3. Lastly, as I tranisition weight, while sitting or standing (or in the Hula exercise) I feel something short of a clunk (more than a click)...no pain or instability..just a very subtle something. I do still have a fair amount of swelling (which started going down in the past 48 hours) and PT thinks it is a ligament riding over "stuff". I'll buy that..but will look for more specific answers once the swelling recedes.

So...I am down to one crutch, but I do use 2 on longer walks as I feel it keeps me more disciplined on posture.

I still take pain meds regularly and the muscles feel beat up when I try to back off of the meds....At this point, I would say the discomfort is as much from the exercise and stretches as it is from the surgery at this point.

I did add a stationary bike to my routine a couple days ago and that feels great. I will likely do 10 min twice a day at VERY low resistance...you might as well say it's NO resistance.

The pain meds lead to stool softeners and at age 53 I have drank my first prune juice and I will say...not bad! Still tuning those ...

I have a nurse coming to my home twice a week to check my INR (??) to adjust my Coumadin dose.

Sorry for the long update...nothing exciting, just slow regular progress.

I should've worn sweat pants or something looser in the video that allowed freer movement...but I had friends from work coming over and I was trying to seem as "back to normal" as possible. As it turns out I changed into my cozy clothes before they arrived. :cat-kittyandsmiley:

Z
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Morning John,

Your recovery time is amazing...congratulations. The video is brilliant and you look really well.

Wishing you continued success!

All the best,

Sarah
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

John,
Congratulations on such a successful surgery! Just wanted to say thanks for posting so much info and a video about you MIS. Had an old fangled THR on the left. Have been told to anticipate the need to do the right side at some point in the future, so knowing more about alternative procedures is great. Wishing you an ongoing speedy recovery.
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Thanks Anita...I realize that we all have our paritcular situations and priorities and nuances to what we have done and what we need done, but knowing the options and hearing the stories is always educational for me.

Any idea how long till you do the right? My doc originally thought 2-5 years and I can't tell if this lovley new left hip will push that out as I rely on my right hip more, or pull it in as I get some of my life and activity back. At this point, I'm fine either way.

And I absolutley realize that I've only been a week and there may be bumps in the road later that I can't even imagine yet...but, we deal with those things as they come.

Have a great weekend,

Z
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Great video John! It's nice to see how quickly you are progressing from the surgery. What a success story!
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Great vid - thanks for posting!

As you will read over and over again here that feeling of leg length happens to every hippie. This will settle but give it 3-4 months. Although you may have a slight difference - as you say the brain and the body do adjust.

You are really doing well!
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Hi John,

It looks and sounds like you are doing just fine! I hope that your "absent" muscle will join with the forces once it's healed from the trauma. Lovely that you shared your experience with prune juice, it really doesn't taste so bad when you are bound up by the meds...

Unsure about your #3 on the list but hoping that's a normal issue as well. Just take your time while moving around and wondering if you are taking an anti-unflammatory?

Take care,
Cardie
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Not a long post at all, Z. Just about right actually! May I send that video to our IT department for use on www.bonesmart.org, our parent website?
 
Re: Z out surgery and doing well

Jo,

I have no problem with that, if you think it will help someone. I've been very fortunate so far and if that's a useful example then that is great.

I realize that after just 10 days there is still plenty of healing and steps in the process...and I'll take 'em as they come

Z
 
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