Corin mini hip surgery scheduled

[Spanielsal]

Oh how I long for proper sleep. Haven't been too bad pain wise except for last thing at night when my knees feel like giant taut tomatoes about to split, the thigh is swollen too. Last night was the worst night for sleep so far, watching the clock tick round from 2am until 6am when I decided to try the dive bomb bed position again which was successful for an hour of sleep until the leg felt giant and woke me, so pleased that Morph says ths is now a distant memory. There is hope!

The only concern I have is that my drain site hasn't healed, could this be due to the anti DVT injections? I might make a new thread for that to see if anyone else has had that.

[hernanu]

Sleep is rough, Sal - I had the torrential night sweats both times, so was not sleeping well until about the fourth week, when it stopped. After that, I slept for 5-6 hours at a time, which was a HUGE improvement on pre-HR, when I would at most sleep for about three hours, interrupted by bouts of pain.

Even now, I sleep mostly 6-7 hours a day, but I think that's just me. I slept for 8 hours one of the weekend nights and awoke totally nonplussed, and I am usually thoroughly plussed at all times.

[rubyred]

I'm battling with the sleep issue too. I wake probably every couple of hours, which is worse than pre-surgery I have to say. But then again, i've stopped taking my sleeping tablets so that might come into it.

It's the getting comfortable, feel like your leg is about to burst with swelling and the incision pain for me!

[Spanielsal]

Ruby, we battle together. I also have dropped the sleeping tablet as am too reliant.

Hern, that is great news, only 4 weeks post op when you regained a more normal sleeping pattern, I was pleased with the 9 week date, even more so with 4.

I could have been a team gb Olympic sleeper pre hip pain, I love my sleep. 8 + hrs and I'm very happy, then again I'm normally a bit dopey, perhaps that's why? 

[hernanu]

I had sleep problems long before OA - I was working like a nut (sometimes 100 hour weeks) when my daughters were babies, so I took all of the night feedings to have a connection with them, which completely wrecked my sleep habits - I went on to sleeping about six hours per day, so this is getting back to normal.

If I can (like has been happening lately) get some days which are 7 or 8 hours, I'm completely psyched. To me it's the continuous sleep that has been a blessing. I can really get some deep sleep now. `

[Spanielsal]

That's great to hear, am only a few steps behind you but will follow your footprints to a great recovery!

[Mike D]

You're not alone,Sal.
I got about three and a half hours in one go just last night-easily the most since the night before surgery.
My leg and foot went down a lot overnight, so I walked slightly further today.
I'm sat here now with the ice on paying for it!
Do you find the bruising gets very itchy? Mine is unbearable at times- I've found that my grabber stick acts as a great scratcher, but it's soon back.
Aqueous cream lashed on heavily is a good fix though!

[rubyred]

Oh Mike, the itching is awful!! It's like having Chicken Pox, you know you shouldn't be scratching but you just can't help it!

Is anyone else suffering from muscle twitching?? Strange question I know, but I usually get this when I settle down for a nap and then my muscles start twitching, waking me up!

[bilateralbliss]

Try elevating the foot a little too, plus pillows under the leg along with one to bend the knee.
It`s a case of can`t have enough pillows to play around with.
Itching could be due to the heat? Only going by my experience. Maybe not a good time to leave the sleepers yet.
Gets easier every week

[Spanielsal]

It's my three week anniversary today. My scar is healed, drain site almost there, pain is low. Movements are getting better. The surgical incision is still tight, movement there is uncomfortable. Sleeping is getting better, still miss side sleeping but can't seem to feel safe on the pillow between the legs. I'm frustrated that time just takes so long, but it just does. You can't hurry recovery. I'll be driving in a few short weeks. This weekend I might even get to go swimming f the drain site plays ball with me!

In short, life is a whole lot better than it was! I'm a funny (peculiar not a funny haha) hippy hybrid, if technology and my dim wits can collaborate together I should post up a photo of the Corin rang, I've got the first two, the Cormet and the short stem mini hip.   

Nope, I can't do it! . Too thick! Sorry. It's on the Corin website though, if there is anyone researching these things in time to come. 

[Mike D]

Happy anniversary, Sal!
Me tomorrow and Ruby on thursday-Hasn't that gone quick?
I've found that I can now roll over onto my good side with pillow between legs and rest like that for about half-hour, it really releives the pressure on the back and I feel totally safe doing it.
Swimming-what a lovely thought!
I was going to ask Mr T about that when I go back but maybe I could go sooner-the idea of floating in water would be heaven!

[Spanielsal]

I think, Mike, if your wounds are healed and someone is with you you should be fine. Speak to a surgical team member if in doubt. I checked with the pool that they were happy too, they were a little nervous of the crutches around the poolside but I was using two sticks beforehand and they'll give me a helper the first time. I'm going to do some gentle exercises from the "heal your hips" book that the physios looked at when I was in hospital, they ticked the ones for me to do.

Even just floating would be good. Looking back three weeks, what a lot has been achieved!  The future is ours! Thank goodness I'm getting my life back. I'm only now taking the odd paracetamol. I dropped the Tramadol last night too. I can hear my liver breathing a sigh of relief!  Hope you are doing ok too Mike, did you find out which kind of implant you got? Whichever it is, it seems to be doing the job. Happy floating! X

[Mike D]

Sal
I intended to email Mr T about my implant but then thought I'd leave it till I go back in 3 weeks and discuss it then.
Yes, it does feel like its doing the job well-I hope I'm saying that in 20yrs time, that would be nice!
I'm so tempted to try walking without crutches as it feels easily strong enough but I won't do it-no way am I putting any strain on the hip that I shouldn't be.
Something really good is that people who have seen me walking up the street have said how straight and upright I looked-so nice after people previously enquiring about my limp!

[Spanielsal]

That's great! The surgical team told me that they specify 4 weeks of crutches to slow people down, I guess they've had the odd one overdo it, I'm with you, following the letter of the law, no way I want to lose this prematurely. I feel so good walking, just a slight pressure on the crutches with every step. This way we are training our bodies correctly. My mum who is a physio suggested that after 4 weeks I go to walking with crutches alternately, ie opposite each leg, just to keep the smooth weight distribution. I think for longer walks that would be good to stop bad habits forming.

Congrats on your straight walking, all fantastic and in only 3 weeks!

[hernanu]

Congrats to all of you! So good to see the improvement, just wait for the upcoming improvements once you are more independent.

Sal, if Mr. Treacy is good with it, and the incision has healed, light massage of the incision site I think helped me to get rid of possible scar tissue, removing some of the tightness from the area. My nurse, PT, etc. were fine with it, but you want to go with your surgeon's recommendations.

I usually did it myself, as taught by my PT, they also did it during outpatient PT... again VERY light.

[Spanielsal]

Thanks Hern, I'm gently rubbing oil on it every morning and night, I might just increase the pressure to massage if I can tolerate it. If not I'll try again in a week. I'm using bio oil to help the scar tissue appearance.

I think you guys get better PT over there! I'm with Anna, perhaps we should move?

[hernanu]

It's a big country, need anyone who brings their own chromium...

[bilateralbliss]

Great news Sal and Mike You`re both doing so well!
Had my first trip to America in March, ever since have been back here, have
wanted to move back there, people were so friendly, polite,helpful and better food:)

[Spanielsal]

Yeuch, I've gone and caught a lergy 

Being a mum, most of my visitors are also mums and one of them brought a small person with them who was too poorly to be at school. I didn't think anything of it at the time because normally I'm immune to all the coughs, colds and splutters that the kids bring home but I must be particularly weak post op because I've succumbed. Shivers, sweats, bone aches, coughing, sneezing, sore throat and just generally feel like death warmed up.  I just have to ride it out, but was venting to all you lovely peeps, you understand that the road to recovery is already tough enough!

 I'm quarantined, my lovely husband has worked from home for two weeks to help me, so he doesn't want it, he works away monday to Thursday normally and is going back next week, my daughter has just started high school and she really doesn't want it either, so I'm really really bored now! Ok I'm done moaning! X

[Mike D]

You can't beat 'venting the spleen' every so often, Sal-good work!
Hope you feel better when you get out of the quarantine chamber