I would like to see a poll, "How Long Till You Could Cut Your Own Toenails?"
Please Pat, I am not being flippant. I think cutting your own toenails is is as much about freedom and regaining dignity as walking unaided.
I am one month out now, and just use a stick for confidence, I can put on trousers without sitting down, I can drive an automatic. So I am close to being independent.
But I would still like to know how long it took others to get to get their foot high enough that they did not have to call a family member. I think this would be a useful poll.
Dan
OK, Dan, you crack me up! I thought only girls cared about this. By the looks of my husband's toenails... never mind!
I think I could do it at about a month and 1/2. Because I knew it would be a problem, I cut them down to "nubbins" a day or two before my surgery (a very painful ordeal for my hip even then!).
Now,at 3 and 1/2 months postop, I sit in a chair or on a stair-step and put the heal of my foot on my HR'd leg at the edge (of the chair/step) to be able to steady it and reach it well. Not really painful to do anymore, I think the position is more due to range of motion issues I'm still working out.
PS. if you think cutting them is hard, try painting them! :D Lu
Lu,
Once again, I am glad you take me seriously.
Dan
Do you think any one else will take us up on this issue? Perhaps they haven't even thought to cut them yet? Yuck! Lu
Quote from: Luann on September 20, 2010, 11:44:53 PM
Do you think any one else will take us up on this issue? Perhaps they haven't even thought to cut them yet? Yuck! Lu
I really hope other people will get on this.
Either no one else has cut their nails, Yuck! As you say.
Or no one else considers this important, which I fail to understand.
Painting nails might also be important, but applies to fewer people.
I suppose this could have been
how long till could tie your own shoe laces, or
how long till you could dry between your toes, also important.
But I think for a benchmark that would be as useful as any poll, toenails will do.
In the meantime, Lu, it is just you and me.
Dan
Okay...I'll jump in too. ;D
My surgery was mid June. I cut my toenails solo around 2 weeks ago...felt a little weird stretching the connective tissue, but no real pain. I sit on the bed and prop my heel on the box spring (slide the mattress back about 2 inches...) also a great way to easily put on socks.
Done it, nearly two months!
Not particularly easy, or comfortable, and not the most even cuts. I did it sitting in the chair drawing my knee up. Although I can just about get my knee high enough, I cannot twist at that height, so my knee was in my field of view for the two smallest toes.
Independence, dignity, and roughly cut toe nails. That's what a lump of steel in your hip does.
Yeah Dan! Glad to hear you were finally able to make the world a more beautiful place (nothing harder on the ol' eyes than unkept toenails!). How are you doing overall? Lu
6-7 weeks
8 weeks
No data here since I haven't become a hippy yet. However, that particular move - pulling the knee up to face and looking over your knee to cut your toenails (Ouch) is the first move that I made where I noticed inflexibility. That was at least 5 years ago, I'm 41 now. Now I can barely tie my left shoe. I will be extremely happy when I can officially vote, because it has been so long since I have been able to do that within a lot of pain. You should see my toenails! Just kiddin, my lovely wife cuts mine, and the kid's, and the dog's. My kids run away when I ask them if they can cut my toenails for me and tie my shoes,... Hey, I did it for them.
For all of these activities -- tying shoelaces, clipping toenails, etc. -- I found it helpful to sit on stairs, once the proper healing time had elapsed, of course, and reach down to do whatever. In fact, even after almost three years, I still do a stretch every morning where I sit on the stairs and reach down as far as I can.
just came across this thread.
my nails needed cutting badly at 6 weeks and it took me another 9 days after till i could just manage it. independance is a wonderful thing indeed ... ;D
I cut my nails before surgery knowing that it may be a while after surgery until i could cut them again. I never had them cut by someone else. I managed to cut them by sitting on the living room couch and leaning over. The couch was just the right height and I could just manage to do them, although it wasn't easy. It would not have been much longer until I would not be able to cut them myself at all.
I managed to cut them right before my 6 week post op recheck using the same method. It was much easier although it was tight stretching to do them. I was very careful. I guess that would have been 5 1/2 weeks post op. I didn't want the doc and nurse to see long ugly toenails on me. What things vanity will make us do! ;D ;D And yes, I cleaned up my nail clippings after I was done.
After both surgeries by 3-4 weeks (probably 2 weeks after the first) I could, while sitting in a chair, put the foot of my operated leg on top of the other knee. This allows fairly good access for putting on socks and cutting nails.
My initial reaction to the thread was "that's what pedicures are for." And then I realized what a fabulous idea it would be to have one before the HR on 4/27. Spa, here I come!
8)
kate
I had the spa pedicure on my to do list before tomorrow but I ran out of time so I had to get hubby to clip them. I can't remember the last time I could cut them - so have been going for pedicures mostly. I asked my health fund if I could claim them since I couldn't reach my toes (half jokingly) - they said no (if they had of said yes I wouldn't have been joking). So now they have to pay for bilateral BMHR tomorrow. Think they might have been better off paying for the pedicures for a little while :) (cost wise for them it might have been a better business decision... lol... just kidding)
Quote from: Lori Cee on April 07, 2011, 09:23:24 AM
I had the spa pedicure on my to do list before tomorrow but I ran out of time so I had to get hubby to clip them. I can't remember the last time I could cut them - so have been going for pedicures mostly. I asked my health fund if I could claim them since I couldn't reach my toes (half jokingly) - they said no (if they had of said yes I wouldn't have been joking). So now they have to pay for bilateral BMHR tomorrow. Think they might have been better off paying for the pedicures for a little while :) (cost wise for them it might have been a better business decision... lol... just kidding)
Funny. I admire your comic guts in asking them. I never even considered a pedicure, since I'd have to overcome all of that south american machoness to do that, and I'm not mature enough for THAT.
I was able to cut them at 5-6 weeks, on the bed, I sat, put my leg on the bed, turned my knee out and bent my knee, putting my foot on the bed. I had been doing stretches at outpatient PT to put my foot on my knee, but this gave me a lot more stability. It was still tight, but eventually became more comfortable as my ROM increased.
I'm 7weeks post op. I'm aloud to be full weigh bearing for a week. I can't touch my toes so I just went in and had my first pedicure. Hay it works. :)
still can't paint my own toenails but loving the pedicure excuse. it sounds like lots of you have more ROM than me. am 8.5yrs post LHR with Cormet. Shoes and socks can be difficult, but i guess i am just grateful not to be in such pain anymore. I am loving this page with all of you out there who have gone through the same thing, i'd been feeling pretty alone. thanks guys. Sal
cutting them ok, painting them good job. being able to bite them off "priceless" bahahahaha. brad.
2 days ago I managed to cut 2 of them. :)
Hi, 10 weeks after a revision to THR from re- surface and that was with a bone graft. I got my niece to do them before that and she made a real mess of them and they drove me totally nuts (doesn't take much lol )
Take care all
Hi daylily, how are you? How does it feel?
I went and got a pedicure last weekend (sans polish since I couldn't remove it timely when it started to go away) and the bonus was they had really awesome massage chairs as part of the pedi. Yeah Baby! I may never cut my own toe nails again!
To Sal,
I know how you feel.I don't have family, so I've been on my own. And this forum has been great! I do way to much thinking :)
Hi Hernanu,
I am really really good thanks... My new hip is just perfect. I was out helping the builders clear the car park yesterday complete with a spade and not a twinge. ;D
It actually feels strange being able to move without thinking about it.
Hope you are keeping well. I keep popping in to read the latest posts every now and again.
Take care and best wishes
anne
Great to heart, Anne. Love the results.
I'm proud to say I was able to cut another toe nail today. It wasn't pretty and I was almost ready to go to work with half the nail partially cut before I managed to complete the nail. Luckily I had a bigger pair of clippers in the house and managed to get the rest of the nail off. It's still a bit rough but ....
3 down, 2 to go!
Quote from: daylily on March 04, 2012, 05:37:08 PM
Hi Hernanu,
I am really really good thanks... My new hip is just perfect. I was out helping the builders clear the car park yesterday complete with a spade and not a twinge. ;D
It actually feels strange being able to move without thinking about it.
Hope you are keeping well. I keep popping in to read the latest posts every now and again.
Take care and best wishes
anne
Good news daylily, glad the new one is working out !!
Yesterday, I shaved my legs the first time in 3 years! It was just shy of 3 months post op. Does that count?1
'One
1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzWOa8loCDI Deana Carter - Did I Shave My Legs For This?
Depends on how you cut your toenails. For me, I always had trouble crossing my bad right leg over the left knee anyway to do that. Now, I sit on stairs with my right foot (surgical side) flat on the next step down or on the same step as my butt, and reach around both sides of my right leg, chest to thigh, and cut my toenails that way - works fine for me and I probably started doing that within about 2 months.
About 4 months, I cut them yesterday, all of them. Not real easy but did it. Huge milestone for me.
congrats mslendzion! I know non-hippys probably don't get it, but it is a big milestone.
Thx hernanu, it's the little things ... Isn't it?
I was able to cut them at 4 weeks.
Quote from: mslendzion on May 17, 2012, 11:22:20 PM
Thx hernanu, it's the little things ... Isn't it?
It is... favorite little things to recover:
- Toenail clipping
- Reach the back of the lowest refrigerator shelf with impunity
- Picking up change
- Going up a ladder.
- Stepping over the tub wall in the bathroom
- Getting into small cars without feeling like the Spanish inquisition designed the entry
- Retrieving something from under the car
- Standing up from the floor without architectural (wall, chair, etc.) support
I'm sure I missed many, but it is the nature of little things to be overlooked. It is also a luxury that we recover to be able to overlook the things that no longer hurt.
Took me 4 weeks to reach and cut. Felt good though!
18 months after my resurfacing and still can't cut my toenails, put on my sock or dry my foot - apparently this is rare but been put down to hetertopic ossification and not likely to improve unless I have a revision.
I was able to shave legs and trim toe nails by week four with the aid of the built in bench in the shower (5'x3').
I have not had my op done I have not been able to cut my toe nails for about 2 years, my excuse to have a pedicure I'm glad it's summer nearly so I don't have to struggle putting a sock on.
It took me over 6 months and I'm still hard pressed to paint my toenails ... I can get the job done but it's not real pretty.
This is very similar to my posting entitled "Impatient" about how long before I can put my own shoes & socks on. I like how this is phrased here.
I never got anyone to cut my toenails so it must have been fairly soon. I remember strtuggling to put my socks on and inventing new techniques of doing that but have no recollection of cutting my toenails.
Can't remember, but like someone else mentioned, I never had to have someone else do it. Was tough though.
Someone mentioned socks. I can remember (maybe in the first week post-surgery) struggling for literally a half hour to get a sock on. That had to have been one of the truly hardest things.
For the socks, I used my hospital care package issued "Sock Putter Onner" ( trademark Hern), and found that to be very useful.
Especially since I used the TEDs socks which are a royal bear to put on. With this gadget, it was fairly easy to put even those stretch socks on.
It was exactly like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/SOCK-AID-WITH-FOAM-GRIP/dp/B000SOJM84/ref=sr_1_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1377000646&sr=1-3&keywords=sock+assist+device (http://www.amazon.com/SOCK-AID-WITH-FOAM-GRIP/dp/B000SOJM84/ref=sr_1_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1377000646&sr=1-3&keywords=sock+assist+device)
You simply slip the (fashionably proper selection of) sock over one end of the device, slip your target foot in, grasp by the handles, pull on them and slide the sock comfortably over the foot.
Eventually it is done with such Elan that people will think you were born to it.
About 3 or 4 weeks. My wife was quite relieved that she did not have to do it. :)
I was told not to cross my legs or bend more than 90' for the first 6 weeks. If you can clip your toenails without doing either of those you must have very long arms :D
I have arms like and Orang u tang so maybe thats why nobody had to cut mine.
2 weeks--I regained external rotation quickly and simply placed my foot across the other knee while sitting.
Not sure if these questions/polls are being maintained or even looked at given the last date/timestamps on them. At any rate I will reply nonetheless...
Clipping toenails as well as putting on socks and tying shoes have been questions in my mind, also. I am only 8 days post-op with 6 weeks of restrictions so it will be at least that long before I can even try.
I will be very impressed if someone has the flexibility (and courage to admit) they "clip" their toenails using their teeth. :D
Derek
And post pictures of it!
I could reach my feet for shoes and toenail clipping at six weeks. Didn't use my teeth.
I discovered the wonderful world of pedicures as my hips deteriorated. For $ 20 (now $ 22) I can have my feet soaked, sugared, massaged, hot stoned, toenails cut and filed, finished with the polish color of my choice. I've never cut them since. I can reach them to cut them, but I just don't bother, so I didn't pay attention to this milestone. I see men getting pedicures these days, too, but typically without the color finish.