Home from hip op

Off to bed now - the latest I have managed to stay awake for a while. I have had a better day and done lots of things that would have been unimaginable a week ago. Got up and washed and dressed myself; had a short walk in the only flat bit of garden, cooked two meals.

Still in lots of pain but not so despondent.

Thanks to you all for your support.

So pleased that you are feeling better today. They really pull you about during the op and lots of muscles get strained that seem unconnected with the hip, just needs time.

Mishap, I'm sure things will improve more and more each day. Don't rush things and do too much, even to help your DH cope. Take care.

Thanks folks. Things a bit better today - had a better night, although still awake several times. Plagued by groin pain which is far worse than it was before the op and is not filling me with joy.

But I got myself up and washed and dressed with almost no help. I am now completely wiped out! Still struggling with inmadequate pain relief and the need to balance that with not being totally comatose and unable to move about, which I know is so important.

One big problem is that OH's PD problems have really been highlighted by this situation. It is only now that I am limited in my abilities that I realise how hard life is for him without me keeping on top of the little things of daily routines. I think this has hit him hard and is making him quite gloomy - I am trying not to call on his help any more than absolutely necessary as he gets weak and tired and, to be honest, a bit muddled, which does not happen when I am on top of things.

Thanks for the sweet peas!

Good morning [Mishap]. I hope you're feeling a little bit better! I'm so sorry you had to deal with a migraine! Maybe that kept your mind off the knee pain for a bit :-). At least it's familiar pain. Recovery does feel so very slow, doesn't it? But, looking back, you will realize you are far better now than when you came home. Why not take the day in half hour increments...can you enjoy a short programme, a light magazine, soothing music to distract your mind for a short time? Hang in there-the worst is behind you!

Mishap just dropping in to see how you are doing. The migraine was the last thing you needed, they make your brain go rushing madly into all the bad places. Give yourself time, and take one day or even one hour at a time. Tell yourself every evening "Today I managed to....." and you will realise things are getting better day by day.
I've just picked the last of my sweet peas: please imagine these are they , and that you can enjoy them. Thinking of you.

Yes hang in Mishap, things will vary day to day, some days you may feel worse, but overall you will improve, it is early days yet. My wound is still bleeding and feeling very sore, but I hope that's just part of the process. I see physio on Tuesday, so she will get the nurse to look at it if there is a hint of a problem. The wounds and subsequent scaring do take a long time to settle, even after 8 years, if I sleep on a hard bed, my hip scar gets painful.
If you are in any doubt, speak to the hospital or your GP, don't worry, that's what they are there for.

Hang in in there Mishap its early day yet. I've never had this op but I've helped out with relatives who have and every single one has agreed it's been worth it in the long run.

It is not a good day for me today as the pain in the hip and leg is not under control, the wound is hurting (I think OH has put the sticky bit of the dressing over a small part of the wound - his hands are shaky with his PD - he cannot help it) and I feel quite down. The pain is worse than I had anticipated and I sometimes ask myself whether it should be like this or whether something is amiss. This is what happens when you have a bad night with a migraine - it does not lift the spirits and invites worries to creep in!

Galen - I have a small u-shaped travel neck pillow which might do the business for my heel - I will try that tonight. Thank you for the idea.

Pompa, my sister has just had a hip operation. She was told to put a plastic bag over her leg, then put the stocking on. It goes on without much struggle according to her. Then you can pull the bag out through the toe hole.
This was her second op. The first time she had one of those frames you were talking about, but they do not have them now at her hospital.

There's a special u shaped pillow you can buy, that supports your ankle and calf but does not put any pressure on the heel. I actually used a very soft down pillow under my calf and ankle successfully

Indeed - I will talk to the consultant and see what he says.

Bad migraine last night and feeling grim today - it's a bit of a setback, but I am sure I will bounce back. I forgot that I cannot eat cheese in the evenings - silly me.

Exhausted from washing hair this morning - a major operation.

Mishap the ear was the first part of the anatomy that came to mind- not the best one.

40 years ago, unknown to me, a dentist left a small piece of metal in a front tooth and this was only discovered a few months ago when I had intermittent pain in that tooth. I told the dentist I had a recent knee replacement and he immediately started me on antibiotics and slowly the pain subsided. I think that it is better to be safe than sorry.

The concerns over antibiotics are also new to me, never mentioned when I had my hip replaced. I will ask the surgeon when I see him next.

It is interesting that you should bring up antibiotics "charleygirl" as I have not been given that warning and neither have some of my friends who have had the op recently. I looked it up on the net and the advice seems to be in the process of change at the moment with the consensus coming down on the side that it is not necessary as the sort of bugs that colonize the skin/ear/gums are not the ones that colonize internally (e.g. hip joint). I will check this out when I see the consultant, so thanks for flagging that up. I think it is relevant for me as I have ingrowing toenails which I usually treat very effectively with salt water soaks; and also I am due to have a tooth out in a few weeks time.

Pompa to get into your car, you sit on the seat- facing the open door. I do not know which knee was operated on but slowly lift one and then the second leg in, in a swivelling movement. You should not have to do a "Mr.Shufflebottom".

Mishap it takes a couple of months before you begin to feel yourself- you have had major surgery, irrespective of what part of the anatomy was attacked.

I was sorting out my washing the day I came out of hospital because I had nobody else to do it for me. I took it all slowly- ditto with my daily shower whcih from start to finish took an hour at snail's pace.

It does not matter how long you take you are not going to work or catching a bus.

Could you have the sponge taped to your heel when you are in bed because the slightest movement and your heel wil be on the mattress. You do not want a pressure sore to add to your problems.

Pompa and Mishap please do not forget for the rest of your lives if you have the infection anywhere, eg ear you must go to your GP for antibiotics because you do not want your new joint to become infected.

PS - the codeine in co-codamol converts to morphine in your liver pompa so you are getting your heart's desire!

Today I got myself up, washed and dressed by myself - slowly and with much use of the grabber, but I did it! It is good to feel that I have achieved something.

The nights are not great as I get a lot of pain in my groin and my heel is very uncomfortable as I have to lie on my back (to avoid dislocating the hip) - but we have rigged up a sponge under my heel this morning and I am hoping that it will give me a better night tonight.

I could not manage without any painkillers - I am just on paracetamol and a tiny dose of codeine which is keeping things bearable. Anything more and I would be too dozy to function at all, and I need to be able to move about. It is a difficult balance to strike.

I am still feeling uncertain as to whether I will ever feel the benefit and be glad I did it, but it is very early days and no doubt these rewards are around the corner. Each day a little bit of progress!

Keep up the good work pompa!

LOL, I listen to my body, it shouts at me - GIVE ME MORPHINE - tough, it just get co-codemol.
(My body does say a lot of other things, but we will ignore those )

I think being a bit crabby/irritable is a positive thing when recovering from such a major assault on the body. It shows the fighting spirit is there and that's bound to have a positive impact on healing and recovery. You're not grumbling Mishap - just letting off steam!

My DH has had several major traumas from accidents and I have always known when he was on the mend because he lost his impassivity and started to fight back. He also made himself do a little bit more each day. e.g. Walk to the garden and back, then walk round the garden, then to the end of the drive, then to the end of the cul de sac and so on. Each day he gained more strength and recovered more of his fitness. Plus he never took any painkillers, even in hospital as he reckons you need to listen to the body and not mask what it's telling you. Not sure I agree with that bit but he is such a stoic and seems to have a high pain threshold. He did also have a first class nurse/cook/attendant and that surely helped!

sorted ending sounding -pesky phone!

Mishap, you are suffering the same problem as me - over expectation. I had great ideas of being able to drive etc. almost immediately, when reality hit me about day 2, I felt very down. But all the posts from other GN'ers helped me realise the reality and once I had accepted that, the recovery seemed to progress well.

Unfortunately we sometimes have the expectations of a spring chicken, but the body lets us down.

I did manage to drive the car yesterday, not on the road, but we have visitors coming and I needed to move it to allow more space on our driveway, got on fine once I had winkled myself into the seat.

Go for it, give those cows a treat

Chin up mishap you are sorted ending better all the time. (((hugs)))

The problem with letting the air to it during the day pompa is that I would have to trot about in the buff owing to the site of the hip scar!! I don't want to scare the cattle in the field opposite!

But the dressings we have are porous so the air will get in, but hopefully the germs will be repelled.

Youngest DD and youngest GD here today which is both delightfully cheering and totally exhausting.

This recuperation thing is taking me longer and is more uncomfortable than I had expected - but that probably just goes to show what a nit I am! I am sure it is all progressing in the right direction, but just not remotely fast enough for me!

Tomorrow is another day.

To anyone contemplating the op, please do not be put off by my grumbles - everyone I know has been delighted with the end result and I am sure that I too will be in time.

Mishap, my wound has been (and still is) oozing, I leave the dressing off during the day, let the air get to it, just dab any excess ooze off as necessary. I just put a loose dressing on overnight. Improves each day.