some questions 8 days post op

[kld]

i found this website after my surgery and am so impressed with it, so pat, and everyone else who makes it work, thank you.

to introduce myself, i had my left hip resurfaced on feb 19th, after years of not knowing what was wrong, with gradual deterioration in my ability to function, then not so gradual in the past year (i'm fifty years old, female, and the surgery was done by dr boettner at hss, who has me on crutches for three weeks).

i'm recovering well, i think, though a little stir crazy being inside and unable to go out because it has snowed pretty much every day since i came home, and i'm thinking crutches and snow are probably not a good idea. (i live in the mountains in upstate ny)

here are my questions:

did anyone experience skin rashes after their surgery, not necessarily at the incision site?  i seem to have little itchy bumpy rashes in random places.  i did have a reaction to the adhesive and have adhesive burns around the incision site, but i also have these other rashes that sprouted, and i don't know what to do for them.  the nurse was stumped.

when i do even the slightest stretching into flexion, or activate hip flexion past about forty-five degrees, my adductors go into spasm.  did anyone else have this?

and lastly, i am home with my husband now, but he leaves in two weeks for work out of town, and i will be alone (with our animals) for the rest of my acute recovery (he's gone for ten weeks).  i feel nervous about it, since i am really letting him do everything right now and i don't know how much i'll be able to do on my own.  i would love to hear some feedback of people who took care of themselves during their recovery, how it went, what they got help with, that sort of thing.

so, hi everyone and thanks for listening.

kerry
 

[Pat Walter]

Hi Kerry

Welcome to Hip Talk.  I am glad you found us.

I had a rash on my tummy from the shots of herprin for a blood thinner.  You have also had a lot of medications from your surgery.  Sometimes the body can react to any of that including antiobiotics.  This has been a long, dry winter.  I haven't had surgery, but fight with dry skin rashes of little bumps a lot - especially on my hands.  My dermatologist gave me a special coritisone cream.  Even being under stress can cause rashes and it sounds like you are under stress.

Try going to a large indoor store, WalMart, K Mart, Grocery etc and walk.  A shopping cart is handy to hold on to.  I walked in Lowes some since I was done in March.  Get a freind to get you to a store or mall and do some walking - also gets you out of the house.   Cabin fever is rampant many places this time of year - including where I live.  Too much snow.

I had bad spasms for days after my surgery in my thigh.  They told me to get some magnesium which I did and took it along with calcium.  Also make sure you are taking in enough liquids - dehydration can cause cramps and problems.

You should be well along in several more weeks.  You can walk around the kitchen with one crutch and use a hand on the countery.  Use the one crutch on the opposit side.  I used one crutch from 4 days post op - but my doctor allowed that.

You can even bend at the waist if you hold on to something or your crutch and put your operated leg out back when you bend.  So you don't break the 90 degree rule.  I had 17 dogs at the time I had my operation and was able to start feeding them soon after I came home from Belgium at 10 days post op.  You can do stairs already - so you should not have any problems being alone.  Many people traveled to Belgium and India alone and some were bilaterals.  You will do fine.  If you see you are having probelms with certain things - plan ahead.  Get some frozen food in, dog/cat food in if you have to take care of them.  Get a network of friends lined up to give you a hand.  Don't be bashful to let people lknow you will be alone.  I drove right after I was home, but had my left hip done.

Just plan ahead and get ready to be along.  Have a phone or cell phone ready.  I really can't see why you can't be alone.  I would not have had any problems being along after a few weeks or even a few days.  I was just moving very slowly and had no energy. 

Good Luck.

Pat

[obxpelican]

Kerry,

I have nothing to add to what Pat told you, I will say you are VERY early in recovery you are going to have some weird aches and pains between now and possibly up to 6 months. 

Your concern about your husband leaving in 2 weeks should not be an issue, in the next week or so you will be noticing yourself improving noticeably everyday to the point where you'll become much more independent.

Just make sure to try new things all the time, let your body be your guide and be sure to follow your doctors directives.


Chuck

i found this website after my surgery and am so impressed with it, so pat, and everyone else who makes it work, thank you.

to introduce myself, i had my left hip resurfaced on feb 19th, after years of not knowing what was wrong, with gradual deterioration in my ability to function, then not so gradual in the past year (i'm fifty years old, female, and the surgery was done by dr boettner at hss, who has me on crutches for three weeks).

i'm recovering well, i think, though a little stir crazy being inside and unable to go out because it has snowed pretty much every day since i came home, and i'm thinking crutches and snow are probably not a good idea. (i live in the mountains in upstate ny)

here are my questions:

did anyone experience skin rashes after their surgery, not necessarily at the incision site?  i seem to have little itchy bumpy rashes in random places.  i did have a reaction to the adhesive and have adhesive burns around the incision site, but i also have these other rashes that sprouted, and i don't know what to do for them.  the nurse was stumped.

when i do even the slightest stretching into flexion, or activate hip flexion past about forty-five degrees, my adductors go into spasm.  did anyone else have this?

and lastly, i am home with my husband now, but he leaves in two weeks for work out of town, and i will be alone (with our animals) for the rest of my acute recovery (he's gone for ten weeks).  i feel nervous about it, since i am really letting him do everything right now and i don't know how much i'll be able to do on my own.  i would love to hear some feedback of people who took care of themselves during their recovery, how it went, what they got help with, that sort of thing.

so, hi everyone and thanks for listening.

kerry
 

[kld]

thanks for responding.  i'm very reassured to hear that i won't need to worry too much about being alone after a few weeks, i know there must be people who recover without much help at all and do just fine.
and pat, i will try to hit the nearest shopping mall when we get dug out a bit, just to lift the cabin fever.  i have to admit it's been the first time i've looked out at such a beautiful snow and not been able to go out in it and it was getting me down a bit.
from what i read elsewhere, the answers seem to be patience and time for so much of the recovery, i need to readjust my normal impatient temperament.
best, kerry