Hi everyone. It's done. I am 6 hours post surgery, and have gone for my first walk. A couple observations:

1:  I feel sorry for nurses who have to shave men's butts.

2:  I know what "monkey fist" feels like.

3:  Dr. Gross' team exemplary....the practically ooze confidence.

4:  I think - may struggle with my patience.

Thank you all, and epsecially Pat, for this website.

Andy

Congratulations Andy. Welcome to the other side.

Boomer

Congrats mate! I know patience is really hard after the op but it will be worth it in the end!

Andy;

Woo hoo, congrats!!!!  Your comment about patience sounds very familiar.  Take it slow, use the ice and meds, and enjoy the improvements ahead.  First couple of weeks are not easy, but you will notice a steady progression towards your goals.

Hmmm, I'm not sure if any poor person there had to shave me, also wonder about the great soul who saw fit to remove my catheter before I woke up saved me mucho problemas.

Dan

Congratulations!  Now your new life begins.  Enjoy the ups and downs of recovery and rehabilitation.  And try to be patient.  You will be pain free before you know it.

Best wishes.

Dan

Andy

Congratulations on your new hip!  Glad everything went great.  You often feel really good after surgery because they really keep the meds in you.  Don't be deceived and get impatient.  Be happy you feel good and stay with the slow recovery program.  It will pay off for you.  Better to complain you are bored than hurting!

Good Luck and stay in touch.

Pat

Yeah Andy.  It wasn't so bad was it?  Gee, I didn't get a butt shave ??? Females must be lucky.  Recover well!  Do you get to go home tomorrow?

     Andy, so glad things went well and as expected.  Don't just gush at Dr. Gross when he comes in to see you, ask him what he saw while he was there and how it went.  Write down a few questions if you think about it (between nurse drug visits!).  Congrats!

Curt

4:  I think - may struggle with my patience.

I should be the last person to say anything about patience, but it's true, patience will be rewarded.

Andy, great that everything went well.

Happy for you, I'm glad you've got a good attitude, keep it up, you've already gone through the tough part, the living with OA. Everything else leads to your return to life.

I was only shaved the first time, before the surgery. I had already been filled with happy pills, and this poor orderly started shaving me, so naturally I asked him for a brazilian... then I passed out  :-[  Did not get shaved the next time, maybe the union complained.

Thanks, all as usual, your input is invaluable.  Thanks for the support!

Congrat's mate. Don't listen to me either about patience. I over did it twice early and couldn't exercise properly for the following 5 days each time! Be warned... it's not a race bud.
Good luck with your recovery, listen to your body, your doctor & keep us posted.
Cherz

I'm 2 days in and feel surprisingly well. Just got home today. It gets better each day. As I've been told over and over, remember your 3 restrictions:
1. Don't break 90 degrees on your hip
2. Don't cross your legs
3. Don't twist your hips

As the  PT gut said over and over "your hip will pop out, excruciating pain, trip back to the hospital.

Mslendzion: what is the "twist" rule?  I read about the 90 degrees and the crossing legs rule, but I thought that three was not pointing the toes inward. Are those the same thing?

On an unrelated note.....its killing me when I itch down low on my leg, but can't scratch it!

Hi omgetinold. They told me not to twist my hips, keep both in line. They did say not to let your leg go inward as well. How did you sleep last night?  I felt a little rough day 2 but got better as the day went on. They should bring you to PT today.

What did they tell you about how much weight to put on your new hip?  I was told to put as much as I could tolerate which is pretty much full weight. I think I heard different rules on this site so I was interested in the rules you were given.

WELCOME HOME, mslendzion AND CONGRATULATIONS 'gold!!

In Dr. Schmitt's protocol paperwork, the banned 'Twist' move is further elaborated on to say:

'Avoid reaching across your body' to get something; use 'The Grabber', or 'The Claw' as I like to call it.  When you would normally pivot from the waist side to side, say to reach behind you to grab a bottle from the spice rack, instead of 'twisting' your body to reach it, use little baby steps to slowly turn your entire body to squarely face the spice rack head on, and then pick up the bottle.

Also, Schmitt likes '75% weight bearing until otherwise cleared to walk on your full body weight.'  Instead of leaning on it & letting the walker (or crutches) bear some of my body's weight, that was the hardest of the rules for me to follow because I wanted to carry my walker in front of me or just push it along while I walked to another room or wherever.  Uhm, don't do that.  My lower back started killing me, and I got lectured by my in home OT when she saw me doing that. :-[

Anyway,  again Welcome to the other side, and I'm so happy for you both!!

2fer

Two4one,
Thanks,it is great to be home as im sure you know  I wonder if your weight bearing restriction is because you had both hips done. I was told full was ok as long as tolerated.  This was from the nurses and PT.

Quote from: mslendzion on January 12, 2012, 12:36:48 PM
Two4one,
Thanks,it is great to be home as im sure you know  I wonder if your weight bearing restriction is because you had both hips done. I was told full was ok as long as tolerated.  This was from the nurses and PT.

Glad you're home, I think it's where you make your most visible improvements, since it's the place where you were limited before. Take it easy and stroll your way to a better life.

Okay.....just got back to the house.  I had surgery at 7:30 a.m on Jan. 11th.  I really had no pain all that day, and I slept fairly well.

Today...this morning....I felt good, without any measurable pain.  Walked the hallways a few times at the hospital and did my PT twice.

I was discharged around noon, and we drove back to Atlanta.  One stop for restroom and gas....and BOY had it stiffened up.  By the time we got home, it has really tightened up.  Quite painful when trying to get up or down now.  Just took another pain pill.  I know that the nurses said days 2-4 would be the worst.....it's looking that way.  I'm fine when I'm stationary, and I'll fire up the Polar Ice machine here shortly.

Sounds like you did excellent with the surgery.  Get the ice going and elevate. Isn't the hospital thing quick without incident with Gross?