BHR Novv 19, 2008

[JohnS]

9 days post-op

I am very grateful that I feel like I'm improving every day.  Although Thanksgivng day put my mobility to the test.
I was sitting downstairs enjoying a coffee and just getting ready to post here and I heard a crash/thud upstairs.  I called up to my wife, but she didn't respond.  I then became aware of just how quickly I could get out of my chair and up a 1/2 flight of stairs.  Turns out, she had slipped on the second to last step comming from the upper level and when she fell, she must of gotten her left ankle under her.  She was in pain and it was swelling fast.  With one turkey in the oven and a second needing to go in an hour later, we felt we could wait at least that long before going into the ER.  She has had sprains before and this felt different, we were afraid it was broke.  We got the turkeys under control and made sure the kids would be there when the second one needed to come out.
So, being it's her left foot, she can drive (and I obviously cannot).  Lucky that I we had just gotten a handicap sticker for the car, we were able to park close to the ER door.  So I hobble with my cane into the ER to get a wheel chair for her.  This was a pretty funny site in itself.  And so-on-and-so-forth.  It turns out to be funnier than it was serious, she turned out to have a bad sprain and as of today she's able to get around the house pretty well.  What made this funnier was last year, a close friend of ours had a RTHR.  2 weeks later, his wife fell down a flight of stairs and busted the heck out of her foot.  We thought we were doomed.  The care giver becomes the care needer.
At any rate I did a lot of walking and standing on the new hardware.  Although I was pretty tuckered out, I'm none the worse today and had no problems going down for the mail and doing PT.  Many thanks to the kids who helped greatly (essentially the wife and I just stayed put and were waited on hand an foot).
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  I sure know what I'm thankful for this year.  And thanks for your patience reading this babble.
JohnS
(ps - it got into the fortys today - ouch, that PMS really kicked in today.  Oh! PMS, Parked Motorcycle Syndrome  8) .)

[JohnS]

I am glad to hear that your recovery is going well. I had RBHR with Dr. Palmer on November 3.  I concur that Lakeview Hospital and the nursing staff are outstanding. Stick to your PT and you will get stronger every day.

So, toroqu, you are like 2 plus weeks ahead of me.  I'd really like to hear how you are doing.  How Are you driving, back to work yet, still on a cane, sleeping on your side?????  Were you happy with Dr. Palmer?

If you want to keep it private email me at mjstolte@comcast.net.

I sure hope you are recovering quickly and begining a more normal life.  Looking forward to hearing from you.

JohnS

[JohnS]

2 weeks post-op today - RBHR

I am still improving daily.  2 days ago I was able to lift my right leg into bed without help.  I can even do a few unassisted leg lifts from a prone position (PT) where as a couple of days ago, I'd needed help just getting the leg started.  Tomorrow is my first follow up with the Doc.  and I start offical PT Monday.  I have been on ibuprofen now for the last 5 days or so.  It just took me a day or two to get the dose right.  My biggest problems still are getting a good nights rest, a comforable place to sit (I wish I would have gotten a lazy-boy before hand), and there is still a muscle in a knot just above my knee in the back along with tenderness on the outside of my calf.  Then incision is healing nicely (all of the steri-strips have fallen off) and I can even lay on my operated side for a 1/2 hour or so.

From what I've been reading on the post here, I guess I'm pretty typical - so I continue to post for whatever it's worth to others starting the journey.

JohnS

[dvander]

John,

I had the RBHR on 11/18 in NC.  Since we are a day apart, wondered how you are doing at the 3 week mark approaching.  There are so many benefits I have experienced already, but have tightness in the lower leg and ankle.  Interested in sharing stories along the way.

Hope your recovery is progressing well!

Dwight V

[JohnS]

3 weeks post-op

Dwight & all,

I still feel lucky in that I have not had any significant setbacks.  Just a couple of times overdoing it.  This typically results in a pain point on the inside of my hip, near the groin.  Certain movement will make the pain spike for a seconed.  It usually goes away in 24 hours.

At 16 days I got back my driving privilages (had to be off the "good" pain meds) so I've got that freedom now.  I'm even off ibuprofen (except I'll take a couple just before PT).

Yesterday was my first out patient PT and that went well.  Got to add a couple of new exercises and delete a couple old ones. One thing nice is that the therapist is actually measuring my ROM so I hope to be able to see a measured improvement.  Also, I'm starting some strengthing exercises.

I still can't lay on my operated side for more that a 1/2 hour of so.  I can lay on my non-operated side much longer, but there is a constant pressure or pull on the other side so I have to resort to laying on my back to sleep.  Sleep has been OK, but as has been the case for the last several years, I've gotta get up to pee in the middle of the night so that seems to be the only interruption (unless the stupid cats start acting up).  Actually now that I think about it, I used to have a problem with a siatic (sp?) nerve problem in my left leg.  But I could move just slightly and it would go away.  Now it seems to be significantly worse.  The physical therapist said that it is probably due to the weakend muscles and should improve as I strengthen and move more normally.

The incision is almost to the point where I could take a bath (instead of shower) or even swim.  Like Dwight, I have lower leg, ankle, and foot pain.  There seems to be a knot in the muscle in my calf near the bottom.  I am assuming that this lower leg pain is mostly due to the gorilla that was manipulating my leg during surgery to allow the surgeon to access what he needed.

I can hobble around the kitchen and close spaces without the cane, but I'm significantly more comfortable with it.  I am walking more now and its getting easier to get in and out of the truck.

Of significant note to me is the fact that I can sit in this kitchen chair (where I'm writing from) now without pain.  Before surgery, I had terrible pain in my right hip and almost every time I would have level 10 pain trying to get out of the chair.  There are also many other examples of the improvement due the the BHR.  I'll let you know if I meet the optimum improvement when I attend a motorcycle show in Feb and I can get my leg over and sit COMFORTABLY in the saddle  8)

Tomorrow - - - back to work  :-\

Take care,
JohnS

[dvander]

John,

Sounds as though you and I are so close in our recovery.  We have similar difficulties and advancements.  At 3 weeks and 1 day (Wed), my loving wife talked with someone who had blood clots and symptoms such as my leg pains.   To give her peace of mind (she said she wouldn't be able to live if she found me gone due to a blood clot - not sure how she feels about my departing in other ways......), we had to go to my PCP (since my surgeon is 2 1/2 hours away).  He promised me that I do not have blood clots, but severe tendonitis.  It was as though a light had come on.  All the symptoms pointed to this and he gave me suggestions to relieve pain.  Two days later it is much better.  I alternate ice and heat and have taken one dose of IB each morning for the past two days.  It really relaxes the tightness by mid-morning.

Hope your recovery stays on-course!

Dwight V

[JohnS]

Dwight,
Thanks for the advice.  I wouldn't have thought of the cold/warm approach, I've just been using ice (bag of frozen peas).  I'll give it a try tonight.
Glad to hear you are also on track.  From what I see here on the site, we are probably average or a little better in our recovery.  One of my goals is to be able to get my leg over my motocycle by March (March, ha.  Wishful thinking for Minnisota).
Keep up the PT.
Johns

[JohnS]

4 weeks post-op
Ok, actually almost 5 weeks but I wanted to get in a couple of milestones on the first day of week 4.  I actually put on my own sock without the help of my sock-puter-oner (and that includes the blue thingy with the rope and the lovely Mrs. JohnS).  Also, on that day I was able to lift my operated leg into bed without any mechanical aids.
So on to today, 2 days short of 5 weeks.  I've been back to work for over a week and have had zero issues (I'm and engineer and have a desk job).  I'm grateful for the handicap parking sticker, being in Minnesota and I'm terrified of slipping on the ice and falling.  Actually, my tennis shoes seem to have the best traction in the snow (with cold feet resulting on a morning like today, 14 below).  Nothing short of "ice-grippers" will work on ice, but I haven't had to deal with that yet.  I’m still dealing with lower leg and ankle discomforts, but they are better that a few weeks ago.  I’ll discuss this with my doc when I seem him next week.  It seems to me to be lasting a long time.
PT is moving along.  The therapist has added a couple of new exercises including permission to use the treadmill in 10 minute segments.  Also, he put me on the stationary bike for the first time last week.  The leg lifts while prone are improving.
I've been using a cane from the day after surgery and still am.  However, for short walks, the cane is mostly for balance and stability so I can walk without a limp.  There are times here and there when I can walk without the cane and without a limp.  I prefer the cane for safety sake and for longer walks I would get tired quickly.   And, I can now lift my right foot about 2 inches off the floor when I am seated.  I couldn't do this at week 4.  Other gains are sleeping on either side (what a relief from just being on my back).  With help, I can put my right ankle on my left knee (long enough to make putting the sock on easier).
Here’s wishing all of my fellow Hippies a wonderful holiday season with lots of family and friends to share it with.
Take care and keep getting better,
JohnS

[JohnS]

8 weeks post-op
A brief update.   Walking:  I’ve got that start-up problem that was the subject of another thread, but onece I get moving I can walk pretty good and without a limp without my cane.  I probably look pretty silly walking in circles around my cube at work, but I need to get past that start-up so I can leave my cane while I walk around the building.  Also, I actually shoveled (the snow blower won’t start so I really did “shovel”) snow the other day with little consequence.  (Note: Ice grippers on the boots work wonders for traction and confidence.)  I can take stairs normally now, no longer one at a time.
Pain: The tenderness in my lower leg and ankle, operated side, has essentially gone away.  Also, I still have a little tenderness at the incission site that I feel on occasions where my butt is up against something, like the back of the chair, or lying on my side.
Clunking:  Yup!
Physical Therapy: PT at home is leg lifts lying on my back and lying on my side and stretches where I grab my knee and bring it toward my chest.  Well past the 90 degrees at this point.  In fact, I think I have better range of motion now in my operated side than the other.  I have to admit that I’ve been slacking somewhat on the PT.  I am taking a class 6 to 10 pm two nights a week and that’s put a pinch on my available time and energy --- AND I CAN FEEL IT --- so I better get back on track.
Sleep:  My sleep pattern has pretty much returned to normal, such as it is.  Still a little discomfort sleeping on my operated side.  I can also comfortably lie on my stomach.
If it wasn’t 20 below, I’d try to see if I could throw my leg over the seat and sit on my scooter, but that’ll have to wait.  Best of all, I had my grandson over last Fri night and Sat and was able to chase him around the house and get down on the floor and play with him.
Smooth recovery to all,
JohnS    8)

[Pat Walter]

Hi John

Sounds like you are doing great.  Start up stiffness is quite common and eventually dissapears.

I hope you continue to do well and use that scooter this summer.

Thanks for posting your story.  It will be very helpful to others.

Good Luck.

Pat

[JohnS]

9 1/2 weeks

Well today I left the cane home.  I've been carrying the stupid thing around for 4 days now and not really using it.  Start up is getting better all the time.   Range of motion also improving.  In fact, I've got better ROM in my new hip than the old one.  I guess it'll be time soon to have that orthoscopic surgey my doc suggested for that side.  Like every one says, there seems to be a little improvement every day, and that keeps you looking forward.  I still have a few issues with getting down on the floor to play with the grandson or whatever, but the flexibility limitations are not my new hip.  It's more likely due to limiting myself over the last few years because of the original hip problems.  PT should surely help that issue.

Speedy recovery to all.  JohnS

[Todd]

Congratulations John S!  Everyday is an improvment isn't it.  I see that you are from Minnesota.  Were you a Dr. Palmer Hippy?  Nothing like the snow to impede walking and exercise here in the land of 10,000 lakes.  Only 4 or 5 more months of winter right?  I'm really impressed with the positive experience everyone has been having with their resurfacings.  It's amazing that the hip pain that we have endured for so long is gone and we have to relearn how to move the right way again.  Good luck to you!

[Tekka]

Hey John S,

I'm day 4 post op, but your dead right about the old hip doing what it used, i was doing pt with my physio and she said why are'nt you bringing your leg up in a straight line and i said because it will not do that...but guess what, it did it no problem.

Well done on your recovery sounds likes its going well.

Terry

[JohnS]

1 year anniversary yesterday 8)

1 year and 2 days ago, I had problems playing with my Grandson, chasing him around the house and getting down on the floor with him to play with Thomas the Train.  Also, I couldn't even sit on my motorcycle, much less take any fall rides.

Recently, I've been having a blast with my Grandson and been riding the cycle all summer, this fall and even to work all last week (about 7000 total miles this year -- so far).

I feel so good it's almost hard to remember that I couldn't even do every day things like mow the lawn (but I can now), or walk from building to building here at work (but I can now).  The every day pain is a faint memory.  My wife has to remind me of my daily limitations before the BHR -- then I remember.

The skill of my doctor and support from all of you has made the difference.  I feel great.

John

[B.I.L.L.]

1 year anniversary yesterday 8)

1 year and 2 days ago, I had problems playing with my Grandson, chasing him around the house and getting down on the floor with him to play with Thomas the Train.  Also, I couldn't even sit on my motorcycle, much less take any fall rides.

Recently, I've been having a blast with my Grandson and been riding the cycle all summer, this fall and even to work all last week (about 7000 total miles this year -- so far).

I feel so good it's almost hard to remember that I couldn't even do every day things like mow the lawn (but I can now), or walk from building to building here at work (but I can now).  The every day pain is a faint memory.  My wife has to remind me of my daily limitations before the BHR -- then I remember.

The skill of my doctor and support from all of you has made the difference.  I feel great.

John

Wow there's a thread from the past, I thought my computer was goofed up when I looked at the date on your post haha.
Congratulations !!  Isn't awesome when you forget about for awhile ?
Congratulations again. I think you should celebrate by blowing off work, and going out and doing......WHATEVER THE HELL YOU WANT !!!   Good news, I hope it keeps getting better for ya 8)