THR Hitch & Get Along<

Hey there ~ Kim here. I have a rather odd question. I am now 60 hours post op and I have soreness all over my body. The sides of my neck, underneath my chin, my upper back . . . all hurts to the touch. Has anyone else had this after surgery? I know I have the raspy voice because of the problems with the breathing tube but is all of the soreness from being contorted during the surgery? I have to go have the dressing changed in the morning so I guess I wll ask then if the soreness is normal. I don't remember this kind of soreness from the hip replacements or the fracture repair but then again, my hips, legs, thigh muscles were all screaming in pain. I also had a spinal with the two hip replacements (general with the fix).

Anyway, just thought I'd ask to see if anyone else had this or does anything think I'm coming down with a bug (that's what my husband is leaning towards). I took an oxy pain pill early this morning and then a tramadol about 3 this afternoon which led me to a very comfy, cozy nap by the fireplace (complete with ice pack and electric blanket)!
 
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Hi Kim, I got moved around quite a bit this second surgery, as the spinal failed and I had to have a general. I was intubated etc. while under the sedation. I don't recall my chin, neck or upper body being sore post op. I had a gravelly voice for a couple of day post op from the intubation. That was it in the neck department. Have you taken your temperature? I would think if you were getting a bug you would have general all over soreness. Good that you are having your dressing changed in the morning, as the medical personnel you will be seeing should be able to shed some light on the soreness.
Hopefully you are having a great sleep tonight, and you will feel better in the AM! :snowman:
 
Hi Kim,
I hope you're feeling better this morning, or have spoken with the office of your OS about your symptoms if you're still experiencing the same. Please let us know.
@NanaKP
 
I am feeling much better today, much less sore. Saw the surgeon who closed up the incision on Friday, everything looks good and should heal just fine.

Have a good day everyone.
 
Good news! Hope the discomfort continues easing.
Wishing you peaceful relaxing days ahead.
@NanaKP
 
Yay for you! I'm so happy to hear that you too are experiencing instant relief and a big difference once the cable and claw were removed. Yes, it makes perfect sense! How are you doing now? When will they remove the bandage so you can see the magic work of the plastic surgeon? I guess I was lucky, my surgeon's assistant is a master with plastic surgery stitching and did all mine. At 7 weeks, I can hardly tell the difference between the new scar and the one from the replacement surgery which happened over a year ago.

One of the things I noticed after the cerclage removal was that I didn't have the awful setbacks I'd had after the hip was replaced and the cable installed. Rehab from this surgery was easy. I just graduated from PT on Monday and am amazed at how much I can do and not have a setback. For the first time since this whole hip adventure started, I'm believing I will soon be back to my old self in a few months! It does take awhile for the strength to come back and it is best to pace yourself and listen to your body. I don't know about you, but a lot of my muscle atrophied on the side of my right leg where the cable end was. I did have to tell the PT's to back off on a couple of exercises that were too much for me. They quickly modified them and I've had really good results. I will try to update my video here in the next day or so and will add the link to this thread. It shows my progress through both my hip replacements, what I couldn't do before the cable was removed, and will show what I can do now and as I progress from here.

Continuing to hold you in the Light and wish you all the best in your recovery!

Here's a funny aside... I did get my cable after the surgery and had been using it for show and tell these past 7 weeks. I kept it in my purse and would reach in and pull it out to show people who hadn't seen it. It kept biting me (terribly ill mannered thing, no wonder it hurt so much in my leg!). I was wondering what I should do with it, as most everyone had seen it and I was tired of getting bit. Well, a couple of nights ago, I showed it to a friend while out to dinner and forgot it on the table! It was thrown out in the trash. So, alas, my nasty cable truly is gone! The next day I graduated from PT. I figured it was time to let it go and move on. I'm surprisingly not upset about it.

I do hope they find yours and get it to you, because it is a great conversation piece and helps you and everyone else understand what the problem was!
 
I just saw your post about feeling sore. I did have the sore throat for a few hours after the surgery, but not the overall body aches you are describing. Have they gone away now?
 
Hope you are feeling better...healing hugs coming your way!:santa hug:
 
hello @BionicButt - I actually was able to see the nice incision on Monday when the plastic surgeon removed the dressing. It looks pretty good though an inch or two longer than the previous incision (apparently necessary to remove hardware)??? He thinks it should close up really well but as of today, one week from surgery, I look like someone fingerpainted with black and blue paint all over my thigh/hip. I'm pretty sore but it is in terms of muscular soreness/surgical soreness and not joint pain. I am amazed that every time I go up the stairs leading with my left leg, there is NO PAIN. I'm still in shock and somewhat relieved that it WAS the wiring causing so much discomfort and I wasn't imagining it. (A fear that I would go through this surgery only to discover I was STILL having a lot of pain when lifting the left leg).

I am really encouraged by your words and your recovery thus far. I am opting NOT to go with PT for the right hip, I feel like I learned enough from the first time around that I can do my own PT and not set myself back any. I am really REALLY anxious to see Hipster in January (followup with xray on 1/3/19) so I can get a timeline for getting back on my own treadmill, for getting back to the gym to start working out (swimming first) and also to be able to safely travel so I can go see my Mom in FL. My husband and I have made a pact that on snow days, I will remain at home and will not venture into work. We are both very concerned about the risk for falls so we have decided I will try to eliminate all unnecessary trips out when the weather is nasty. It's just NOT worth it after everything.

I appreciate all of your kindness, your words of encouragement and the sharing of your story. As I have told my husband, I was feeling pretty alone in my own saga until I read your post.

Merry Christmas to you and your new "hips" - may 2019 be our year to SHINE - hardware free!
Kim
 
Wire Free!:yes!:

No falling...it's in the rule book.:no-fin:

Hope your holidays are hopeful and sweet.
:window:
 
Thank you @mojo - I hope you and your family have a WONDERFUL holiday season. We are excited to watch all 5 grandkids enjoy the treasures of believing in Santa and celebrating the birth of Jesus.

No falling . . . No falling . . . No falling . . . No falling . . . No . . .
 
Had the older grandsons here for the night last night as baby is sick and had to go visit Urgent Care. Having the two older ones (5 & 3) meant lots of laughter as they ran the Polar Express train around the tree while building a village made from Fisher Price Little People schoolhouse, farm, two ceramic villages I have, a salt and pepper set made into the shape of a station wagon and trailer with a Christmas tree on top . . .the Bruder workman . . . etc. Imagination Explosion!!!! I ran a few more errands yesterday so with the last 3 days of working, running errands, playing with the boys, trips up and down the stairs doing laundry . . . I'm spending this Saturday with my second icepack of the day, a Tramadol and the Hallmark channel. It's COLD here today - good day for Nana to stay home.

Funny thing, I never watched the Hallmark channel until last year recovering with my foot in a boot. Perhaps it's my age, maybe it's having 4 surgeries in the last 7 months, but I am feeling particularly sentimental and wanting to keep everything simple and meaninful this year.

On a different note, @BionicButt I'll be heading over to your blog to check out more of your writing. I am really curious about the path of PT you have been doing. I am structuring my own instead of going to my old PT place. I am going to compile thoughts of several of fellow Bone Smarties and their favorite exercises/stretches for recovery.

Be well, eat Christmas cookies, sing some carols that have always made you smile and feel the Blessings of the season!
 
I remain grateful for getting my life back and ridding myself of chronic hip pain.
Hard to be happy and hopeful otherwise...
Puts it all in perspective I think.
The what is important and not missing the simple joys...
Children laughing...silent nights...small kindnesses that make big differences.

Hope your holiday is healing and happy!:dancing:
 
Hallmark Channel is great. The home's are always decorated to the hilt. Everything looks warm and cozy,
There's always someone who's mildly Scroogish but converted to LOVE the season and all it has to offer. It usually has a cute guy pining for a cute girl, or visa versa, who end up kissing in a gazebo, what's not to love?!!

Have a great Sunday! Had to think about what day it is! I'm getting confused on my days with this loooong holiday weekend.
@NanaKP
 
Yesterday we received a letter from the Anesthesiologist that stated I have a serious condition known as "Difficult Airway" and I should keep the letter in my medical records while also providing it to my PCP, dentist, etc. There are a variety of terms in the letter describing the different levels and classes of my "condition" also that the larynoscopy was successful with external manipulation (which is probably why the sides of my neck, shoulders all were achy). I find this to be rather odd since I've had general anesthesia before and this has never been mentioned.

Anyone else run into something like this? My throat still hurts when I swallow and the muscles in the sides of my neck are getting less sore but still feel bruised. I'll ask Hipster about it when I go in next, my husband did say that Hipster told him there was this 'complication'.
 
While the news may feel disturbing, I'd count it as a blessing it was discovered, documented for future, and you experienced a successful intubation and surgery. External manipulation - I'd agree that it sounds like the reason for your discomfort early on. You can always pose your question to Josephine and get her take on it. I'll leave that decision up to you. Maybe we should add your procedure name and date to your signature. Your story could be of interest moving forward to another who's experiencing the same procedure.

I hope your throat and neck discomfort eases soon, Kim. :)
@NanaKP
 
Hi Kim!

Sounds like you are in the throes of Christmas celebrating with the grandkids! We are about to head over to my aunt and uncle's place, but I wanted to get this out to wish you and yours a Blessed Christmas and a pain and hardware free year in 2019 (and NO MORE surgeries!). I, for one, am really looking forward to that!

I agree with Layla, it's good that you know about your throat condition for future reference. I had only a minor sore throat for a couple of hours, but yours has gone on now for 10 days... Hopefully, all the soreness in your throat and upper body as well as your leg and hip will soon melt away. I have a PA sister-in-law who suggested I take arnica and bromelain for bruising. I get the arnica from Amazon in the form of little tabs that melt under your tongue and bromelain is in my digestive enzymes I take with meals. I've taken these things religiously before and after my surgeries and have had very little bruising, which goes away within a week. I had no bruising with the cable removal.

I did just update my videos at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/qXWaMSt2tW0TuBJf1. The last two videos show what I could not do before the cable removal and what I can do now at 7 weeks post-surgery. There are also photos of the cable and my xrays before and after. The PT definitely has helped me to strengthen the atrophied muscles under the cable along the right side of my right leg. These are stabilizer muscles that have prevented me from putting weight fully on that leg, so stairs were a bummer, as well as a one-legged yoga poses and some of the tai chi moves. Now, like you, I have no pain due to the cable and was able to strengthen the weakened muscles by challenging them carefully. I'd be happy to share some of the exercises my PT had me do if you are interested. All of them can be done at home. I've also found easy tai chi very helpful.

I would love it if, after your recovery, you would add a synopsis to my thread on successful cable removal, so we will have a record there of TWO successful cable removals! I too felt totally alone in my quest to have it removed and it would be nice if our stories could continue to help others not feel alone and have hope that removing the cable could help solve their pain problems.

Merry Christmas!
Rhonda
 
Hi @BionicButt - I watched ALL of your videos and I recognize that "cable/claw" walk as being very similar to my own. I will add to your synopsis as soon as I can figure out how to do that (technically challenged here - LOL).

Today I am two weeks postop from having my hardware removed. I thought I was chugging along quite well but yesterday morning I woke up with a very tender left side right where the hardware had been (side of hip), perhaps I slept on it accidentally? I went to work because we are really busy but as the day progressed, I noticed I was getting even more sore. At one point, my newest right hip lip lagged when I was walking quickly to get back to the phone so I stumbled and "crashed" into the doorframe of my office with my left hip. I went home soon after and sat with the ice packs, pain pill taken, fireplace on . . . today I'm still sore and every once in awhile if I stretch one way or another (like reaching for something), I get a little 'zing'. I sure hope I didn't do anything but rebruise it. I go see Hipster on the 3rd and I don't want to bother him over his holiday weekend so I've given a very stern lecture to that hip to simmer down and behave.

We have no snow or ice on the ground here but our temperatures are going to get verrrrry cold (single digits). I will NOT be leaving the house over the holiday weekend. I'll be sitting fireside with my icepacks and electric blanket on, maybe with a glass of wine or two.
 
Oh, no! Not a great way to start out the weekend.
Maybe it's good the temps will be cold, it will be easier for you to laze around in front of the tv and fireplace
with comfy clothes on, ice packs in place, covered with a warm blanket. I hope you feel better soon. :console2:
@NanaKP
 

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