THR THR - One year on

[Elf1]

@Gloucestergal65 happy to hear that overall you're doing well, sleep is great and no pain! Agree that there are still more improvements to come and "boring" posts are definitely worth posting so others can see there's light at the end of the tunnel!

 

[Law]

My preop folks were lovely.

 

[Gloucestergal65]

Just beginning to manage 10,000 steps a day without too much trouble but life sometimes gets in the way of walking now that I’m able to be out and about more just generally living life.
When I read other people’s posts on here I am struck by how well informed people are and how people search out information and surgeons and different options.
I did pretty much no research and still couldn’t tell you much about my op other than it has been life changing, if not yet 100% perfect. Would I have been better off knowing more in advance? Who knows?
I’m still not really clear on the difference between osteoarthritis and avascular necrosis. It seems I had both in my right hip, only one in the left hip. Perhaps that means I’ll be lucky enough not to need surgery a second time. Again, who knows?

 

[benne68]

Great update, @Gloucestergal65! Glad you are feeling so positive and that you are getting back to life!

 

[Gloucestergal65]

Longest walk to date yesterday at almost 13,000 steps (5.6miles) along the estuary at Emsworth near Chichester. Had a good 8 hours solid sleep without moving or waking up at all. That’s the way to do it.
Not sure I can manage that every day though but I feel fine today.
Still using a cane for added stability against the slight lurching gait. Walking asymmetry even with the stick went up to 35% from a recent average of about 12%. Can’t have everything!

 

[Gloucestergal65]

Walking asymmetry down to 8% today. 1 mile in the wind and rain on pavements home from my daughter’s birthday meal.
Not going to get hung up on the data but it’s interesting to note what it says b

 

[myglasshalffull]

I love when my asymmetry is 0% but don't get too caught up in what your tracking device tells you. I've had mine say 32% when I'm in small space in house & can only take baby steps back & forth (washer & dryer close by but not together), so then device registers high count on asymmetry but I know why.
The most important is your posture & walking heel toe & feeling good.

 

[Gloucestergal65]

Now laid low with sore throat, streaming nose and constant coughing. Probably caused by a carshare/room share with a coughing friend at the weekend.
Lying around at home feeling sorry for myself is giving me backache. Oh, the ups and downs of the scribbly progress chart.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well. Here in North east Noro virus is spreading like wildfire. My partner got the flu almost two weeks ago & just starting to feel better last two days, still his appetite isn't back. Lots of chicken soup!
Fortunately so far I've escaped his sickness!
He cares for his Mom 2 days a week at her home & sees way more people than I come in contact with plus babysits his grandson once a week at his daughter's house & kids always seem to have runny noses so I think he has more exposure than I do.
Chicken soup for you! Rest & cold meds & hopefully you will start to feel better.

 

[Gloucestergal65]

I don’t know who was talking about alignment recently but it made me have a think because one of the things I noticed quite strongly to start with was that the foot on my operated leg turned out quite significantly after the THR whereas I have always been a bit pigeon toed. So I checked just now and the alignment is perfectly straight so it really did settle down without me even noticing.
Two shortish walks today before midday mean my back is feeling better too.
Still snotty and coughing. Sore throat has passed. And although I blamed contact with a friend, it could just as easily have been contact with a snotty two year old who is also coughing.

 

[benne68]

I noticed quite strongly to start with was that the foot on my operated leg turned out quite significantly after the THR whereas I have always been a bit pigeon toed. So I checked just now and the alignment is perfectly straight so it really did settle down without me even noticing.

Thanks for sharing this.

A newer member just asked a question about whether the surgery will help his foot straighten out, so I am going to tag him here -- @ajhines19 -- so he reads your post since it might address his concern.

 

[Gloucestergal65]

@benne68 - I knew I’d seen someone asking but I couldn’t remember who.

 

[Gloucestergal65]

Almost fifteen months and another milestone. My first long hot soak in the bath. Bliss! Not that I haven’t stayed clean but the heating element in the walking shower has gone so faced with a warm strip wash (which was how I started post op), a freezing cold shower or negotiating a nice warm bath, I obviously chose the latter and wondered really why I haven’t done it before. I guess I didn’t need to. Anyway, if course everything was fine if the getting in and out wasn’t very bit elegant. Too much overthinking what to put where and in what order. A bit like thinking about how to drive when you haven’t driven for a couple of months! I think I have a bit of a tendency to overthinking which leads to anxiety so having to do something helps. I did notice though how stiff my back is so I think I need to work on some loosening up and flexibility. In the plus side, I think the steam is good for my cough.
Have a good day everyone. The sun is shining here.

 

[Mojo333]

Nothing makes my spirit smile than Good old Vitamin D
Hope your day is Sweet!

 

[Gloucestergal65]

Fifteen months post op yesterday. Went to a Tai Chi class. Not quite the first time ever - that was at sunrise on a misty boat deck in Halong Bay - so not quite as atmospheric. Managed all of the exercises to some degree although my back is definitely very stiff, my knees are a bit creaky, my balance is a bit rubbish and the breathing made me lightheaded. Still, those are all reasons for going and a chair helped.
Got to keep on moving forward.

 

[mendogal]

You'll get there!!!
I just yesterday returned to tai chi after a long absence (a year of conservative knee treatment, then both knees replaced last year).

It felt like coming home, even if I had forgotten some smaller transitions.

 

[Gloucestergal65]

Still enjoying tai chi and getting the hang of the breathing and the moves now. I still feel the need of a chair for support at times but I don’t feel as exhausted afterwards as I did a few weeks ago. Now to crack the Aqua aerobics tomorrow. That really does knock the stuffing out of me.
Otherwise nothing new to report.

 

[Elf1]

@Gloucestergal65 happy to hear you're still doing your Tai Chi. I need to pick it back up, was following an instructor on Facebook that I loved and his sessions were usually between 20-30 minutes so not to tiring. I also did a version of yoga that was actually called chair yoga. Really enjoyed that, it was geared so that you could do everything from a seated position or there were movements you could stand up for if you were capable but no getting on to the floor. It was geared for seniors, people recovering from surgeries or injuries.

Oh I so wish there was some place close by me where I could do aqua aerobics! I'm so jealous! Enjoy for both of us.

 

[Gloucestergal65]

I’ve seen some adds for chair yoga online but I haven’t tried it yet. @Elf1
I’m also better at getting out to do things than doing them at home.
Plus it’s twenty minutes walk there and twenty minutes back.
And the tai chi is followed by coffee with friends afterwards.
Win, win, win

 

[myglasshalffull]

I've also found Year 2 of recovery to be even better than Year 1. Even though I could do most of what I'm doing now, I now have better overall stamina.
It was taking me a couple days to do all my house cleaning, now I'm back to getting it done all in one day & no ill effects.
Plus walking close to 4 miles a day & not sore after.
So for me I did continue to improve in Year 2 even though I thought I was perfect after Year 1!!!