Last minute questions on stairs, time in bed, icing

[yogalover]

I've learned a lot here in the last few weeks. I thought it was just muscular issues: years of pain, lost ROM and way too stoic. Next week, on Jan 27th will have HR with Dr. Pritchett in Seattle (where I live) - a two piece cup with cross linked polyethylene. I guess this is a birthday present, will turn 54 tomorrow and psyched about the future. I've continued to hike and walk a lot, using large quantities of OTCs and did some bone damage. OTOH, I took up water aerobics and swimming last month, and actually enjoyed it - might even miss it while my incision heals.

I believe, from what I've read, that I'll be able to hobble/haul upstairs to my bed on the day after surgery, and daily. Is that realistic? will it hurt too much? My upper body strength is not great.

Next question, will my little semi-reclining chair and low couch be sufficient for hanging out in the living room with my caregivers, TV etc. all day or should I be setting up a bed and thereby avoid the stairs altogether? Sounds like some people have spent significant time horizontal in bed the first week, or so. I really get it that everyone has their own timeline for recovery.

You people seem very enthusiastic about those electric icing machines. Does anyone have one to lend or sell?

Thanks for your stories and advice. Go Seahawks!

- Jenny

[Tian]

Hi Jenny - I'm in Seattle as well and a new Pritchett alum (3.5 weeks post op).   I felt that stairs were a bit much for me in the beginning, but that was mostly from being on the Oxycodone.  I was able to ween off of that in about 12 days though and just used Tylenol.  I spent most of my daytime hours on the couch in the living room watching a lot of Netflix, and slept on a hide-a-bed on the main floor for a bit.  Mostly because I was waking up with an alarm every 3 hours or so to take meds -- and I didn't want to wake my wife too much   And I woke up often in the first 2 weeks to go to the bathroom. To that end, definitely get a raised toilet seat with handles.  You'll need it for about 6 weeks.  As for icing, I just used a rotation of a 3 really good ice pads that my kids were swap out for me.

Pritchett usually lets you have no weight bearing restrictions - just what you can handle.  So I'd plan for worst and then adjust if you're up for mobility.

Good luck to you -- Pritchett really knows his stuff.  And GO HAWKS! Beat the Niners!!!

--Tian in West Seattle

[China Lady]

Hi Yogalover!
don't be afraid, take one day after the other!
I am now 17 days post-op, female, 56 years, bilateral at the same time. I am also not sportive and my upper body strength ...... Hrmmmm.
I was in hospital for 6 days. first day I only slept a lot. second day; I got on my feet and walked with a walker to the bathroom. third day; I walked with crutches 50m  in the corridor. on my 5th day I walked one flight of stairs and 100m. at the 6th day I felt like being in prison in the hospital and was happy to go home.
at home my recovery is even faster, because I want to do "things", like:
shower on my own
supply myself with food
have a cigarette on the balcony
visit my favorite restaurant again
we prepared  a sofa in the living room as my day bed. it is elevated with some hard cushions. Thomas supplied me with a simple walker which has a basked to transport things. I have an elevated toilet seat also.
this days I stay on my daybed most of the time. every hour I raise and walk around and make some exercises. I am still very careful because my strongest fear is to loose the implantates. tomorrow is my first follow up with Dr. Brockwell. if he says that everything is fine, I start walking longer distances.
each one in his/her own time; and be patience with yourself and your environment also.

[Juno]

Yogalover -- I think you will find you will be more mobile that you think. I slept in my bed every night --- one flight up on the second floor of our home. Not a problem at all to climb stairs (up and down) With crutches. The PT will show you how to do it in the hospital. I relaxed in my recliner most of the time. Use a pillow or two to prop your leg if needed.  I needed to be in a different room to sleep -- I napped occasionally on the couch but couldn't have spent the night there. You will be surprised at how much you can actually get around, especially after the first week or so.

Best of luck!

[obxpelican]

The way you want to look at this surgery is the more active you can stay the better off you will be, this of course assuming you listen to your body.  Do whatever you can by yourself within reason, IOW if the remote is on the other side of the room, get up and crutch over and get it.

If you are allowed full weight bearing do so as much as you can.  Staying active will hasten your recovery and it will keep those dreaded blood clots away.

You should be given instructions on how to use crutches and using them on steps is really not hard at all.

Of course the first day or so after surgery will be your tougher days, but things get better quickly, you have a good surgeon and you should do well, just listen to your doc.


Chuck

[HowieF-16]

Good luck with the HR. I am 9 days out of surgery and have made rapid progress. I would be careful about any chair or bed that is too low to the ground because of the 90/120 degree restriction (depending on doc). You may need to put some blocks under furniture to raise its level. Everyone is different and I feel my recovery has been rather "fast," so far. Also, the other problem is you need your reacher with you all the time. If you drop something it might as well be in another country...you can't bend over to get it. Good luck and keep researching things on this website...it is awesome.

[yogalover]

Thank you all for replying so quickly and with such reassurance. I don't feel anywhere near as alone with this now that I'm a member of the club. Really nice to hear from you who have just gone through this in the last few weeks.

Onward and upward (up the stairs, that is). Risers under the furniture legs is a good idea. I've been practicing using my arms for sitting down and getting up.

narcotic painkillers do not agree with me, and if cold therapy helps to reduce the need for them, I'm ready to get serious about it. Found a used Kodiak unit on ebay for $48 with shipping tonight. When I'm done, I hope to send it to someone else who needs one.

A lady at work gave me advice (she had 2 THRs): (1) get myself some man boxers so my usual undergarments don't rub the incision, and (2) buy little bottles of yogurt drinks to take in the middle of the night with the pain meds. I thought, is that it?    I can do it.

thanks again,
Jenny

[Juno]

I agree on wearing boxers!! Both times I wore my husband's boxers --- the elastic of my panties rubbed ever so slightly on a small part of the incision and with the swelling it is nice to have loose fitting clothing. Make sure you have boxers that are a size or two bigger than you would normally wear!

For women the raised toilet seat is a must since you need to sit everytime you you use the toilet. I used it for about 3 -4 weeks until I felt strong enough to get up off the toilet my own.

The Kodiak unit will be a godsend. Use it for the first few weeks during the day to help alleviate pain and swelling.

Wishing you all the best.

[obxpelican]

Silky style basketball/gym shorts helped me a lot, they slide easily on furniture and in the car and never catches on anything.

Icing a lot will help you immensely as it keeps the pain and swelling down.  If I was sitting post op I was sitting on my polar care.

Also, get one of those grabbers thingys. 

I forgot to mention this earlier, ask your rehab how to kick your leg out so you can sit on low objects like public toilets, if you kick your leg out you won't break the 90 degree rule.  You need to do that because all places are not going to have high chairs and couches.


Chuck