Ok folks, its Tuesday afternoon and I did my right hip yesterday with Dr. Gross here in Columbia SC and will do my left one tomorrow. I'm pretty out of it and sore at the moment and wondering how on earth I will ever manage after tomorrow. But, I remind myself that I wanted to have one recovery instead of two so I am just going to have to suck it up and deal for the next few weeks when it is going to be the roughest physically and emotionally.
Although my x-rays don't show as much joint space narrowing as others who are completely bone on bone, Dr. Gross said that my cartilage was worn down to the bone in one area and was very thinned in other areas. There was some fibrocartilage that had formed as a result of the microfracture procedure I had two years ago when I had my hip scoped but it did not look very strong according to Dr. G.
I've had some pretty significant issues with my low blood pressure which dropped dramatically this morning. I was very dizzy so I had to keep the walking to a minimum. I have to say - I know a lot of people have said that they had almost no pain with Dr. Gross but for whatever reason this hasn't been the case with me. It isn't unbearable but my leg is definitely quite sore and I yelped when I tried to get back into bed. OUCH! I also wasn't in a ton of pain before the surgery because of the injections I had last fall which helped so well I was tempted to cancel my surgery again.
So, I'm preparing myself for what will be undoubtedly a tough couple of months but I know that by summer this should be behind me and I can look forward to lots of hiking, biking and maybe even some running with my new hips.
I'll update again after I get through the next few days.
Amy
Good stuff, Amy. Every recovery is different, all of us had good recovery in areas others had trouble and vice versa. I'm glad you're keeping your eye on the prize, that running around by summer.
One thing that helped me was that, yes, there is no doubt that it is not easy to go through all of the discomfort, limitations, etc. especially early on, but you are working on your future being pain free now, instead of looking back with longing at being pain free. Try to remember that those injections were just putting things off - you've taken control of things and are now leaping (well, with a walker, then crutches, cane and eventually, walking, then leaping) forward!
Thanks for checking in and I'm glad you're done today! All good from here.
Good luck tomorrow! Having one down is a good thing as now you know what to expect. I too was very light headed with low blood pressure the day after surgery. Kind of scary to be dizzy, I found I just had to lie back down vs. getting a shower the next morning. Best of luck in your recovery.
Good for you!
One down and one to go! I know that you won't forget but just a reminder to stay on top of you pain medication. If you didn't already get your medication for home do it as soon as you can. They'll be sending you on your way soon so make sure you have it all waiting for you at home. Recovery can be tough, bilateral tougher, make sure you make it as easy as possible on yourself. Tonight, just keep pushing that button.
Just think how nice it will be this summer when you can do all the fun stuff pain free!
Good job MGoat - BP always tanks in the hospital from loss of blood, to laying on your back for hours, to taking a multitude of drugs. Keep up on the fluids, well, when they let you drink, I suppose with number 2 coming up you've got dietary restrictions.
In and out of bed was very rough on my first one. It's hard to keep the legs together, take it slow and get as much help as you need. I found that in and out of bed was the problem, once up and once after the initial dizziness went away, I wanted to stay up because I didn't want to go through getting in and out of bed again. I suppose while in purgatory you can't do much. Once you get past tomorrow, you'll be able to take a little more charge of things and start the recovery (fluids, yogurt, walks). I think, based on your outdoor activities you've talked about, I think you'll do fine. Keep climbing the mountain, you'll get there. Good luck tomorrow.
Good luck tomorrow, Amy! You are in my thoughts and prayers! I had wicked low BP afterwards as well - the nurse told me it is very common with Dr. Gross ' patients. I can almost guarantee that 1 week from now things will be so much better. When you feel good enough, please post an update. We're all rooting for you!
Thanks for the report. You are such a studette doing both at once.
I concur with all the advice. Definitely stay ahead of the pain curve, especially after the second one.
Best wishes.
Dan
Amy, been thinking of you and so happy to hear that you are out of surgery 1! You r strong u can do this. Wow. Here for support mama.
Good luck on the second, Amy...
Amy, best wishes today.
Congrats, Amy. Woodstock is right......stay on top of the meds! You won't need them for nearly as long as you think, but until then take them like clockwork.
Getting into/out of bed and/or a car was the worst thing for me, so you're totally normal.
Keep your head up. With both done, it will seem impossible today, but.....really.....in a week you'll be so much better, and in two it will be unbelievable. So, get through the first 5 days and you'll be good to go.
Andy
Quote from: Woodstock Hippy on January 24, 2012, 05:41:34 PM
I know that you won't forget but just a reminder to stay on top of you pain medication.
I made the mistake of declining some of the pain meds the day after surgery and regretted it. My pain level really pegged the first night, but got better as I learned to stay ahead of it for a few days... then mostly off them after a week. It will get better. :)
-Bernie
Hurray! I am done with the second hip at last! I got really nervous this morning when I woke up and nearly fainted trying to go to the bathroom and put my hospital gown on again. My IV came out and I bled everywhere and it sort of freaked me out since I have already been struggling with low hemoglobin numbers. I spent a long time in the prep room making sure my blood pressure was ok and then they brought me back to the OR and put the spinal in - then I don't remember anything else.
Dr. Gross came by and confirmed that my left hip was in better shape than my right. There was a small area of bone on bone but in other places the cartilage was still there but just completely delaminated from the labrum - like carpet basically. Since I had already tried fixing that through arthroscopic surgery it didn't seem like I was going to get any benefit of trying that again. Lee told me before surgery this morning that my right hip looked pretty darn bad - the femoral head was nearly all bone on bone and there was a quarter-size area of no cartilage on the acetabulum. I actually can't believe I wasn't in more pain that I was given the damage.
I was so worried that I had made a mistake in doing bilateral b/c it seemed so overwhelming this am but Lee assured me that all the bilats say the same thing and then never regret their decision down the road. The first 2-3 weeks will be pretty rough and then as the initial trauma starts to heal I should be a little better off.
I've already got lots to look forward to in the way of recovery - a trip to Crested Butte in June to hike and camp with friends, a possible trip to Montana in July to float the Smith River in our raft and the best will be a full week in August in Sun Valley Idaho to celebrate my Dad's 70th birthday...where I plan to hike, paddle the main fork of the Salmon River, mountain bike, road bike and maybe even try some trail runs. At some point I still have to get my right shoulder scoped to fix some problems there but I can deal with it for a while so long as I can walk pain-free. :)
Thanks to everyone for their support in the last few weeks as I prepared for this event. I am still in total disbelief that those implants are actually in there now - it seems kind of surreal. I guess there is a part of me that feels the same way I did when I first learned I was pregnant over a year and a half ago...like, there is no going back now and life will always be different on some level.
I'll keep posting as the days go by.
Amy
Amy
That's great news that both new hips are in place. Take it easy and they will soon be healed. You will have a great summer this year.
Good Luck.
Pat
Good job, nice to hear that it went well.
Yup, no going back now. I hear you sis.
Congrats, Amy. Take it easy and let those wonderful nurses at Providence Hospital take care of you.
Mindi
Congratulations!
I can only speak from the experience of one hip but the first 3 weeks are the toughest. I can only imagine how it is with both hips done. You will feel like days of amazing advancement followed by days of no progress or even feel like you are regressing. Keep your eye on the prize as you experience the ups and downs of recovery and rehabilitation. Remain diligent but don't overdo it.
Best wishes.
Dan
Congratulations, Amy! Sounds really good. Sound hippy advice - work hard but take it easy. Confusing, sure, but true in every way. Congrats again....
Congrats and successful number two. You will be doing great in no time! Take care of yourself and let others help you as much as you need in the coming weeks. You will feel so much better in a weeks time!
Thanks Everyone.
WOW, today I am really sore. I had a mini-tantrum earlier because I tried to get out of bed and my left leg (the one I had operated on yesterday) literally just wouldn't move. I tried standing and my knees buckled and it hurt like a bitch. I actually cried because it was the most pain and frustration I have felt in a long time. As much faith as I have in Dr. Gross, it made me a little paranoid that some muscle was cut improperly and that is why I couldn't stand up.
I know that in a few weeks time I will be doing a lot better in terms of basic function as the muscles heal but right now I'm pretty overwhelmed. I was in great shape going into this surgery and worked out up until the day before surgery so I'm not sure why I'm having such trouble. :( I feel pretty demoralized already!
Hi
Relax, you just had surgery. You can't expect a leg that was just operated on to do very much for you. Each hip and each leg will act differently. Almost all surgeons will tell you if you had a quick recovery with one hip, it does not mean the second will be the same. None seem to have a reason for it, but each hip operation has a life of it's own.
Try not to be too worried - you just can't go dancing yet. Relax and take it easy. Many people have a leg that is just like a big stump that won't do anything for them for awhile.
Good Luck.
Pat
Hang in there MG. I worked out right up to surgery too. But muscles are cut, twisted, stretched, pulled, tweaked, pushed, etc. It takes awhile for them to get back to normal.
I recall being shocked at how weak my hip flexor was. And there was definitely pain with certain motions.
Keep ahead of the pain and do your exercises is the only advice I can give. And drink lots of water. And feed yourself healing foods. And...
Best wishes.
Dan
:) ...... Amy, you just had bilateral surgery. Take it easy, let things happen for a bit. We are all type A's here it seems so patience is a (2 X 4) letter word, but is required here.
Don't be down - you'll see the progress soon, but as I'm sure you've heard: This is not a sprint. Work with your hips to heal and you'll be fine. The payoff is that any discomfort / pain / I can't do what I want to... is not accompanied with OA and there is no OA pain in that joint in the future.
I think you're doing fine, and I do admire you doing both.
Quote from: mountaingoat on January 26, 2012, 10:06:11 AM
so I'm not sure why I'm having such trouble.
The perception that folks are walking around pain free day one are false... don't compare your progress with anyone else. its your own path.
You just had ridiculously major surgery and your body is gonna freak for a few weeks. The next few days will be particularly tough. Things getting rewired, getting strength back, etc. Certain muscles are going to be phenomenally weak and almost useless (abductors). Gain by yielding!
Bernie
As everyone has already said, for right now just relax and take it easy. This is going to feel like a miracle in a short time. Until then, you might have some rough patches that you have to roll through. Right now it might seem tough, but it will smooth out real soon.
Amy, give yourself (and Dr. Gross) a break! You have just experienced significant physical trauma! Get yourself in survival mode and just move forward to the next meal. One of my best friends is a physician who specializes in healing, and she is always telling me that soreness and mild depression are the body's way of telling you that you need to REST!! This is indeed a "rough path" and it sucks that you have to go through this. We are thinking of you!
Liz
I appreciate all the thoughtful responses.
I know that this is major surgery and I just need to take it easy for a while. I guess I just wasn't prepared for how much discomfort I would be having in the first week. I cried this morning when I tried to get out of bed because I was so frustrated when my legs kept giving out on me. This has been humbling for me is for sure.
I've already been through 2 hip surgeries (scopes) which weren't a lot of fun to recover from either. But the big difference with those was that the stakes weren't quite as high....in this instance, I have to worry about fracture or dislocation which is a lot bigger of a deal than re-tearing an arthroscopic repair.
I know I'm going to go a little bit crazy in the next few months without any form of cardiovascular exercise. I'm usually an almost daily exerciser so this is going to be a big part of the challenge. I know that I need to view it all from the perspective of long-term benefit vs. short-term discomfort.
I'll be discharged tomorrow and then I fly out on Saturday back to Colorado. That plane ride is going to be so brutal but I cannot wait to get back to see my daughter so I'll just have to deal with it! ;)
Hi Mountaingoat,
Even though I had only one hip done, I certainly can relate to your frustration with a leg that is not ready to work yet. I remember having to lasso my foot with the leg lifter, and lift it in and out of bed. Before too long, your legs will let you know that they are ready to start working for you again, just don't rush them.
Assuming that you check with Dr Gross to be sure that it is okay in your case, I think that I have good news for you. You mentioned not being able to do cardio workouts for a few months, but I am not sure that you will actually have to deal with that. Within the first month or so, you will probably be cleared to get in the pool, and that will allow for some great cardio workouts. That was a real high point for me, and I would try to go for a workout in the pool almost every day. With swimming, water running, and other exercises, you can get a great, and varied, cardio workout to rival any other. For us cardio addicts, it is a wonderful thing for you to look forward to.
Hang in there Amy - you are so "fresh" - you will get a little bit better every day - just stay on the meds and let the nurses and family HELP YOU!!! Take little strides each day and you'll be amazed where you are in a week.
Will you fly in to DIA? Do you know when? Just throwing it out there that maybe a short cup of coffee meeting??? Boomer is in Arvada, I'm near Golden and Alex is in the area too - depending on when you head back this way and how everyone is doing, maybe a pow-wow would be in order ;-) We all take so much strength from this group - it's wonderful to know that it will get better!!!
{{{HUGS}}}}
Amy,
Most folks here, myself included, were daily exercisers. And yes--for me at least--that is the hardest part of recovery. But as for discomfort: in a week you'll be so much better, and in two you won't believe it.
Just stay on top of the pain meds early on and ice, ice, ice. You'll be off them before you know it.
Andy
Greetings AmyGoat!
One week, the first week, you'll need a significant other to swing your legs in and out of bed. You will also need to be 'wiped down' after your bathroom breaks and a spotter when you shower. That and immobility is the worst of it.
If you stay on top of your pain medications, along with an anti nausea medication your surgeon prefers, you can stay out of pain for the most part. (My case is quite unusual, and I've had my pain medication, before and after surgery, managed and now am being weaned off narcotics by a Pain Management Doctor. My opinion is to be open and honest with your surgeon, and he/she will likely be responsive to any pain needs you may have.)
The best of the first week is doing your bed PT and Chair Time with a passion! I promise you'll feel and have a real sense of accomplishment when you are able to swing your own legs, one at a time with the 'Foot Noose', in and out of bed. You'll feel your arms and upper body get stronger.
My very best advice is threefold: get an adult sippy cup, sold at Meijers, Walmart, or any Big Box Store, that is a Water Thermos and drink from it constantly! That will force you to go to the bathroom practically every five minutes, you'll get some cardio by doing an extra lap with your walker through the house each potty break, and you will flush out the 10+ lbs of water weight they pumped into you in the hospital. Secondly, take advantage of any people your insurance pays to come work for and with you. You'll be less depressed and have a professional there every step of the way. You will love your In Home R.N., PT, and OT, guaranteed!! Last, but not least, have someone go to a medical supply store get some inexpensive wheels for the front legs of your walker so you you scoot with the best of 'em!
Godspeed/The Universe/Best Wishing you a recovery full of unexpected delights.
2fer