June 20th, 2016 THR

[catfriend]

Congratulations! Best wishes for s speedy recovery!

[LMS]

My goodness, it's hard to stay awake.

[einreb]

My goodness, it's hard to stay awake.

Enjoy the rest.  Its a big deal to go through and rest is important to the recovery.

[LMS]

Hi guys!


I tried posting twice but for some reason, it never posted correctly.  Today is the most I've been awake so I thought I'd do an update. 


On the day of, my husband came with me & kept me company until it was time.  I was soooo nervous, of course.  But I have to say, everyone involved in every step were absolutely fantastic.  I waited in the wait room for an hour, then was moved in the pre op, where I changed into the beeeeaautiful gown  , had the line put in, was given various pills.  My surgeon came over to say hi & autograph my leg.  He then asked if I'd be willing to consent to having photos taken of me during the surgery.  It's to promote the new surgical wing & for a donor's gala they were going to have.  I was ok with that.   It's good to show where the dollars went, the donors will see the equipment & then photos to show how they were used.


They put a hot air blanket on me for an hour before wheeling me out in front of my surgical room.  There I talked with the fellow assisting Dr. B., the nurse, the anaesthetist, another medical personnel (I can't  remember if she was a doctor or nurse).  I decided to go ahead with a spinal anaesthesia.  I don't remember anything, I  had asked to be heavily sedated.  And waking up went quite nicely, it was really weird though having numb legs.  It did take me 1.5 hrs longer before they released me to go to my room.  I think it was 5:20pm.  My husband came over & said he spoke with Dr. B who said the surgery had gone really well.

[blinky]

Glad to hear it. Write more when you can stay awake.

[LMS]

I'm 1 week post op, the dressing will be coming off today.  Can't wait to see it.


Decided to start easing off the meds this morning.


My thoughts are still a bit scattered but at least I'm not nodding off as I type.   


So... the first week... shame I wasn't successful at posting, would've interesting to read.  Lol.  it was tough, I was on so many medications around the clock, I had to have alarms set on my phone & a book to log it in.  For the  hip though, I was put on OTC extra strength Tylenol (1), Tramadol (1), Hydromorphone (1-2), every four hours.  On Lactalose twice a day & Xarelto once a day .  I had to call my GP's office to find out the iron results taken on the Friday before surfery & it was still very low, so I have to continue on the Palafer.


The first 5 days were difficult

[LMS]

The first 5 days I couldn't move by myself at all, I had to let someone position me.  In the hospital, the first 12 hrs, I wasn't allowed out of bed.  I had to learn how to use a bed pan.  It really humbles you I tell ya, since you have to rely on them to position it under you, then wipe & wash you.  But my nurses were so nice (Daytime was a young lady, night time a young man), it made it all less embarrassing.


Once home, my dog (husky) was so happy I was back, she tries to jump through my opened car window.  We told her no, she sniffed me & right away she saw something was different & she has yet to leave my side.  On the third day, the muscle spasms started.  Holy mother of .... that  was intense & painful.  I still have them but they're less often now.  Still painful though.


I've been sweating constantly since day one of being put on pain meds.


I've been in & out of sleep up until yesterday.  I've been struggling with the physio as well until yesterday.  I've been able to get myself in & out of bed/chair for three days now without any help.  And I started using my cane yesterday.  Today, I finally went up the stairs with the cane, with no issues, I really wanted to go wash my hair.  My son assisted but I washed my hair over the tub all by myself.


This afternoon, the bandage is to come off, so I'll also be able to go sit in the shower & wash up.


My appetite has been almost none existent but it's now starting to come back.


And on Saturday, I was finally able to do a #2!

[blinky]

Savor those small victories.

[LMS]

Yesterday, not only did I go upstairs to wash my hair (with a spotter), my husband insisted that I go with him to the pharmacy to get dressings & meds.  So I changed clothes my myself (a bit tricky) & went.  We also went to my son's work to switch vehicles, so pick up truck to crown vic (cop car).  At the pharmacy, I had to tackle a sidewalk curb using my cane, then inside using the walker. 


The people that know me there were happy to see me (which made me feel good).  Showed the dressing the hospital had put on me to the pharmacist.  She'd never seen a waffle type before.  From behind the counter, she pulled out dressings for normal use & some waterproof ones that are made for this type of sutures.  She also gave me this spray bottle of sterilized water made for cleaning the incision site.


Once  home, my husband didn't bother bringing my walker in the house, so I've using the cane since.


I was finally able to take a shower sitting in the tub.  We have an old claw foot tub, so to get in it was impossible before now.  It felt soooo nice 


I took off the dressing once I was back downstairs.  We took some photos, I'll post later. 


The whole front hip area felt weird.  Like when scar tissue starts to break down.  I quickly fell asleep, it had been a big day.

[LMS]

Yes, the small victories, they are awesome!  So much different when compared to having had the debridement & micro perf scope 9 years ago.


This morning has been a positive one so far, I feel good.  Physio is improving, as in, I can do all the exercises now, some are easy to do now & the ones I couldn't even do prior to surgery & were still painful to do during the first week; I was able to do them!  Yay me! 


I walked to the kitchen & back to my bed in the living room, 2 times almost perfectly.  Slow but fluidish, no limping & no pain!  I could just cry... I honestly can't remember the last time I was able to do this.


I'm now waiting for my husband to get back so I can go walk outside on the driveway.  My goal is to be able to walk it from one end to the other.  It's 330ft, it's two entrance type & on one entrance it slopes down.  My next goal is to go say hi to my girls (Horses).


Every time I'd progress, Ripley, my dog (sibe/mal) would get so excited.  She would bring me a toy & then nudge me.  Yesterday when she saw me outside with the cane, she was beside herself, running around me.  She has been by my side since I came back from the hospital & has been so quiet & patient.  And for people who know huskies, they love & need to play/exercise hard every day.  She is such an amazing dog!


Once I'm back on my feet, I want to resume her training so we can try agility.  We usually go swimming & kayaking in the summer.

[Quig]

Congrats on the great progress. It's the small victories that seem to mean the most and you're just starting to experience them. It gets better, and better, and BETTER!

[LMS]

Awesome!
Thanks Quig   

[LMS]

I was just wondering: how long before the swelling goes away?


My husband took a photo of my derière to show me how swollen I was.    TBH, I look better on the swollen side.  Lol!

[blinky]

Oh lordy, it takes weeks! Don't get on the scale!


Seriously, I thought I had been permanently changed, my shape was so different. Not bad, just different. I was thinking I needed a new wardrobe of pants.


I think at the end of week three or into week four I was normal enough to wear pants again. The swelling was very localized, just in my hips.

[LMS]

Ha ha, heyyyy a great excuse to wear pajama or lounging bottoms 24/7!   Awesome!


I actually went on the scale after my mother told me I probably weighed more.  I was curious.... uhm I'm 1lbs lighter than the morning before going in for surgery.  Meh, I'm sure this will change once the appetite is back in full swing.


Transfusion Medicine department called this afternoon, to see how things were going, that was nice.  Yesterday the hospital called for an update too but it sounded like a survey kind of, it was a bit confusing.


So today I'm trying to wean off more pain meds, taking 1 extra strength Tylenol & 1 Tramadol every 6 hours.

[LMS]

Woohoo!  I just walked the whole driveway (with mah pup by my side.  She is so awesome)


That was 650ft!   

I'm back in the house now & am sweating like crazy.

[LMS]

Hmmm I think I didn't take my meds properly...

I stopped taking the Dilaudid on the 27 but continued with the Tramadol, thinking it was better to do it this way.  But now it's the weekend & I only have 2 Tramadols left.  I have a whole bottle full of Dilaudid...

[LMS]

By what time frame were you off your prescribed pain medication?


I'm supposed to be getting my staples removed today.  I have an appointment but it was a follow up for my iron, to get tested.  I'd better call ahead to give them a head's up about the staples.

[blinky]

How do you feel? It is very individual how long to take them. If you aren't having side effects and are having pain, keep on, maybe taper if you don't think  you need them so much. I didn't like the constipation or the fuzzy headedness, so quit after about four days. I didn't notice a big jump in pain, so that was good for me. I also had good control of my environment and could be still as necessary----if you are having to move around and be in charge of things, you may need the pain killers longer.

[LMS]

Thanks blinky.  So it's ok to still be on them... good to know.  My husband keeps pushing for me to stop taking them but I feel I still need something for the moderate pain.  I only take one dilaudid twice a day now, 4 am & 4 pm.  I can't stand the aching over the greater trochander, glute & front of hip bone.  With it I take an extra strength Tylenol.


So 2 weeks today...


Yesterday was tough mentally, I just felt drained & wanted to curl up in a ball & just zone out.  Kinda funny from an outsider's perspective when all they see is you doing nothing all day.    I've found that the Dilaudid & Tramadol made me weepy.  My husband did lose his cool over it but my sons were awesome about it.  I can't wait to be fully off of both meds.


I can now do all my prescribed physio  .  I'm really happy about that, considering I couldn't even do one pre surgery.  One thing though, my right hip has been sore now for quite a few days & so has my lower back, making it difficult when I go for my 5 min walk.


I'm still using my cane.  Some times I think I don't need it so I try without & nope, pain niggles.


I still go up & down the stairs one step at a time but I don't need a chaperone.


My dog, Ripley is such an awesome companion, she still stays right by my side & when she thinks I've been sitting for too long, she makes cute attempts at getting me up & going.  Huskies are so funny.  She knows the routine.


I'm glad I called my doctor's office today, apparently they'd called last week to reschedule but my husband didn't check the messages.  So I'm rescheduled for next Monday but someone will take out my staples today.


I'm still waiting to hear from physio, I had to email the form on Thursday.  I had been given mixed info before surgery about it regarding who was going to book it.  In hindsight, I should have given them my form when I went for the class.