Bilateral THR Jwadds Recovery (2 hip to be square!)

I'd be crying too! That sounds awful! If they try that again, ask to sit on a pillow and have one at your back. I feel getting upset only makes pain worse and certainly harder to cope with.
 
You're having a bit of a rough start it seems. I'm sorry to hear about Hanz and Franz tagging teaming you.
Two physio's....why? Because you're bilateral?
Wishing you comfort and hope today is a good day!
@jwadds
 
Hoping you find some comfort today. It's easy for us to say that it will get better everyday but we are certainly wishing that for you!!! :console2:
 
Thinking of you @jwadds Hoping today is a bit easier for you. Those first few days and nights are rough. Hoping you start feeling some relief. I felt similar with leg feeling super heavy and stiff. Good news, it passes pretty quickly. Stay up with your pain meds and ice. So glad you got the recliner. Take care. ❤️
 
Ok interesting development today. Had Physio with “Hans” and a student PT, Sarah. Hans kept calling me princess and told me to use his walker because mine was too low. After taking a few excruciating inch steps, I stopped and said, no I want to use my walker. He said ok it’s a free country. Well I ended up being able to walk much better with mine, because it’s the right height for me. He had to admit that mine was better for me. I told him, see you’re not always right.

Anyway I didn’t cry this time because I was so ticked off at him, even though PT was excruciating. At the end, he said ok you are independent and you can go home anytime. I’m like... I don’t think so, I cant even get out of bed by myself! He was just trying to get under my skin!

The nurse practitioner doesn’t think we have my pain meds under control and that’s the reason I’m not doing as well as expected with Physio. So they are putting me on Oxicodone and tramadol to see how I do over the next few days, before making a decision to send me to a rehabilitation facility. We also talked about me being behind the 8 ball with my level of fitness going into surgery which was of course going to make it harder to recover. The last 2 weeks I couldn’t stand long enough to brush my teeth with the searing hip pain and sciatica.

Sigh.....hopefully tomorrow I will have turned a new page! :cheers:
 
Oh bless you love. It's a thoroughly miserable time when pain isn't controlled . I really hope they manage to sort it for you.
 
"Princess"? Pffft!!! Good for you advocating for yourself - that is very hard when we are down physically & mentally. Only wish you'd only had one hip done so you could have kneed him in the...... have you seen the price of kiwis?
I get your description pre-op. I reached the point of preparing my toothbrush and then having to sit on the toilet seat to brush them. Have faith, I was out for a walk in the sun yesterday with just a cane - you will get there! Keep it up but don't let that PT bully you!
 
Just want to add. I had the opportunity of going to a rehab facility 5 years ago with my 1st hip op. I turned it down to get to my daughter's wedding, which I would do again in a heartbeat but I also really regret not going to rehab. Might depend if you have help at home.
 
@jwadds
I had a horrible PT experience and hurt my feelings...real feelings in my legs...and my emotional feelings which is almost worse.
You know what you can do right now, and I will tell you I was Terrified when they said they were sending me home on the morning of day 3!
The nice LPN says, honey, you will do so much better at home...and she was right.
I did need some help for about one week after so if you don't have someone staying you might consider the rehab ..but either way, I bet in a few short weeks you are going to be so happy that hip pain is gone and on your way.
Keep the faith, my friend.
All temporary and you will be happy you got this done!
 
What a jerk! I hate patronizing people! You have enough to contend with.

I couldn’t get myself out of bed (and certainly not back in bed) on my own when I got home. I was able to get my legs out of bed by the next day, and in bed took some clever McGuyver-ing with the input of some friends here!

If you have help at home, don’t be scared... it will be just fine![emoji5]


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart Forum
 
I'm thinking old Hans is lucky he's not having to remove one of those walkers from places where the sun don't shine! There is absolutely no reason to treat people that way and by the way he works for you, not the other way around.
:holysheep:
 
So my problem is I don’t have help at home. I have family and friends who can drop in, bring meals. My daughter can probably stay overnight but she gets up at 6am to go to work. This is her first dietician job after years of university and it’s only casual hours so it’s important that she go. I had Physio bed exercises this afternoon, AFTER I had the new meds and did sooooo much better! So I think that really is the issue. I’m going to tell them to stop making pain meds optional just give them to me. There’s so much judgement around pain meds especially opioid meds, not just me judging myself but I also feel like the medical community is trained to try and keep pain medication at minimum.

When the nursing staff comes in and you are comfortable in bed, packed with ice and asks how your pain level is I truthfully answer that I’m fine. The problem is if I move so much as a muscle I’m in agony so of course I’m not going to do well in Physio! From now on, it’s going to be: give me the pain meds and give me the opioids not just Tylenol!

They took the catheter out (apparently it shouldn’t be in more than 3 days for risk of infection). So I will need the pain meds to do bedpan/get to commode as well.

Onwards and upwards!! Thanks my hippie bonesmarties for all the love and support❤️ If this experience/thread helps one other person to advocate and realize how important pain meds are then it will be worth it.
 
If you have no-one at home this is going to be very tough, lonely and frightening in that first week or two so if you have the option of re-hab please please go. I stayed in hospital for 6 days and had a great husband who did everything for me. The nights are the hardest and getting in and out of bed very tough. I would definitely recommend you setting up some kind of carer system afterwards and at least for the first 3 to 4 weeks. After that everything comes much easier and you'll be more independent. Us double hippies have to have that help as we have no 'good' leg to help us plus if you were not able to be fit beforehand it will take you longer.
 
I agree that the pain meds are essential in order to stay mobile and for rest.
Staying ahead of that pain is very important to recovery.
Hope today is a better day @jwadds
 
Oh boy, I dont think I would have been as nice as you when that 'person' PT was pushing his own agenda on you. Kudos to you for standing up to him even being in the vulnerable position you are in but know what is right for you.Take the rehab. I think more than likely I will have the option and it is about 10 blocks from my house. I have hubby but I would like to be autonomous. Let us know how it goes ha-after you have had your first visit to the loo.I sure hope it wont be the same as you with the meds thing. Hope all days forward are a breeze.Keep posting.Positive vibes to you.
 
I had bilateral surgery and was also on my own to recover. At first I felt fine as long as I laid very still. I found that the PT's were too pushy and in way too much of a hurry. It really hurt me to walk for the first few days. I was okay with the exercises, but I chose to do the lowest number of repetitions. The marching they're having you do concerns me. That can really hurt the hip flexors.

I had a good cry on the second day, and it was a relief to just let out all of that negative energy. I think it scared the nurses, but I just let myself bawl. Tears are truth, and crying can be healing. It seemed to me that the people in the hospital didn't have a clue as to how intense this surgery is. They gave me Tramadol and Oxy, too, and the Oxy gave me tremendous relief from the pain. It's good that you're taking them on schedule.

I think you're doing fine. My dad stayed with me for two nights after the three nights in the hospital. I had two walkers and a commode. I slept on the couch at first, with pillows for elevation. I had done a lot of strength work before surgery on my abs and arms. It helped with getting out of bed.

I hope you get the assistance you need. Some rehab centers are excellent. There's plenty of time for PT. That can make your pain skyrocket. Yoga breathing and rest can do wonders.
 
I did pain regime on regular schedule all night (oxy, tramadol and anti-inflammatory). I slept well but woke up groggy. After breakfast I had another 10mg if oxy and started to feel really dizzy, then nauseous. Did spectacular in physio, was able to get out of bed by myself, stand with walker and walk down the hallway and back, with very little pain!!

Sat in chair and then nausea really hit and up came all of my breakfast.

So I’m scaling back to 5mg oxy and we’ll see how that goes. Was able to take a shower and now have anti nausea meds and saline in an IV. Looks like I’m going to be here at least another day. Today is day 4.

I’m on the fence about rehab. If I can get out of bed and to the bathroom by myself and nuke something in the microwave, all without throwing up, I think I’d rather be home. They are thinking of sending me to nursing home extended care type facility so that doesn’t appeal to me at all.

We’ll see what tomorrow brings!
 
I don't blame you for wanting to go home to your own space. If your daughter can help in the evenings with a meal and preparing you for the next day, it is probably doable. It's really hard to ask our adult children for this kind of help, especially when they are in new jobs, etc. and have so many of their own personal demands. I would suggest having a very clear, honest discussion with your daughter to see if it will work and maybe offer to pick up the slack with some dinners delivered. Once you're better, you can treat her to a spa day or a little getaway.
 

BoneSmart #1 Best Blog

Staff online

  • Jamie
    Staff member since Feb, 2009

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
65,179
Messages
1,597,054
BoneSmarties
39,363
Latest member
HikerWalker
Recent bookmarks
0
Back
Top Bottom