👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️ Hips and knees Part 5 👯‍♀️ 👯‍♀️

grammargran Please be careful. I would not be surprised if that was not your new hip complaining about the low seat.

May I suggest you pop a pillow in the car so you have one available if you need it, especially if you are in a restaurant?

Redcar I haven’t started driving yet although I’m six weeks post op today. My physio advised not to until the holiday period was well and truly over. After doing really well the last couple of weeks I’ve run into a bad problem over the weekend - lower back pain or lumbago as my old dad used to call it. We went over to our daughter’s for a meal on Friday & even as I sat down first at the table I knew the chair was too low. For reasons completely unknown as our relationship is so open and easy, I didn’t ask for a cushion - we sat at the table for two hours ….. Since Sat morning, I can barely walk. It is easing, but so slowly to be hardly noticeable. This is a real set back & all my own fault. Just another grin and bear situation, I guess!

As regards sleeping Charleygirl5, I’m convinced I barely closed my eyes for the first three weeks or so & made up for it in my recliner during the day. So much easier when I was able to turn on to my non operated side and utter bliss when a week or so later, the full monty and seven hours sleep. This latest caper has upset the apple cart somewhat.

Nannytopsy I share your frustration. I’ve been operating on one hearing aid all over Christmas thanks to Specsavers sending the other away for repair as it had come apart. Ring today to find out where it is after a fortnight to be told that it had been sent off for repair without the receiver so they’re now waiting for that to come back as well - apologies but another few days. If ever a woman suffered!

Redcar How long has it been since surgery? I was pleased to read you have a disabled badge, but where I live, that means zilch to those who expect to park outside Waitrose's door, and you anf I can take our badges elsewhere!

A few weeks ago, a lady in her 20s wearing high heels was running/hobbling into the store. I am aware she could have had a hidden disability, but zilch was evident.

I would feel more relaxed if it was close to 3 months, but I think in your case, it is closer to 6 weeks. Please be careful, a loaf of bread is not worth a dislocated hip joint.

aveline I fractured a vertebrae (I have osteoporosis in my spine) when someone parked too close to me & I had to scramble into the car from the passenger side. Now I have a disabled badge and get a bit more space. If there isn’t a disabled space I try to park on the end of a row, but it can be a real problem at times. It doesn’t help that cars are wider now due to side safety bars etc, but the parking spaces are the same as they were when cars were smaller.

Ages not she’s!🤬

I’m have just been for a repeat blood test, to check serum potassium levels. It’s a 20 mile round trip and she’s at the hospital. The gp receptionist ordered a liver function test, not electrolytes and did nt even do that right. I must have said serum potassium levels 20 times today but no one listened. Well that was a waste of time and effort.

Be careful when you park Redcar. Other cars can park so close that it's impossible to get your door open wide enough to get back in. That happened to me a few times. I now park with as much open space next to me if I can,even if it means a longer walk to the shop or wherever.

charleygirl thank you for the advice! I have to use a cushion on the driving seat otherwise I’m peering through the steering wheel and unable to get a good view of the road. I lost 4 inches in height due to spinal fractures. I’ll try a bigger cushion! It’ll take me several minutes at least to adjust the driving seat as DD2 has been driving it while I’ve been out of action. Fortunately the door opens very wide, so I should be able to get out ok. I went for a short walk this morning, first time on my own. Until now one of the family has accompanied me, I have been truly spoilt!
It’s all a matter of regaining confidence and I know it will all be fine given a bit more time!

Redcar I read on another thread that you will be driving soon, but you are a tad worried because your car seat is lower than others you have been in post-operatively. May I suggest you put pillows or cushions on the seat, and that will raise it?

Give yourself enough space to open the car door fully, if possible, because twisting is not on the agenda.

What did younwant to postva new thread about, silverlining?
Perhaps one of us could start it off for you 🤔

My horseriding isn’t particularly ‘brave’. I’m an experienced rider and we’ve had the horse from being a foal. He’s a very good boy who wouldn’t do anything dangerous. I always have someone else there to catch me 😂

Charleygirl5

I am dreading lying on my back after I have my hip replaced. I frequently wake up on my back but doubt if I had been there for long.

I may do what Mr. soop does, and that is sleeping in my reclining chair downstairs.

I am sorry I have no hard and fast rules for that mega problem.

My hospital said that it was fine to sleep on your non operated side as long as you put a pillow between your knees. I used a foam device that came from a friend, rather than a pillow. I think the pillow would have to be quite firm as it is to keep your operated leg level.

But, to be honest, I didn’t find side or back comfortable for the first 2 or 3 weeks and I slept quite badly. If I’d had a recliner I would definitely opted to sleep in it😁

I have seen some websites also saying that side sleeping with a pillow between knees is fine. So it wasn’t just my centre..

A recliner is probably a good way of back sleeping because you can’t move position. I used to know a lady with severe RA who permanently slept on her recliner. It worked for her so a few weeks on a recliner is ( relatively) easy.

I am dreading lying on my back after I have my hip replaced. I frequently wake up on my back but doubt if I had been there for long.

I may do what Mr. soop does, and that is sleeping in my reclining chair downstairs.

I am sorry I have no hard and fast rules for that mega problem.

Nannytopsy I used to use a lot of pillows of different sizes to keep comfortable when I had to sleep on my back. I also took a not too strong sleeping tablet sometimes when I had had a few bad nights. Over the counter phenergan.
My dd and sil have returned to Europe so is not available.
At least I can still add to threads but not start one.

Can you get your son in law back? Or someone who can help?

Does anyone have suggestions for how to sleep comfortably? If I lie on my back, either flat or propped up, then I get an intense ache across the top of my buttocks.

My son in law sorted out my iPad tablet device over Christmas because I am not very tech and I have just tried to post a new thread but it won’t let me. It says I don’t own my user name or my email address.
what to do?

Just as long as we're somewhere easily enough to find. There's always another Gran in need of moral support and practical advice when a new hip or knee is on the cards.

We have now dropped to number 7. Twas ever thus.

The one and only time I was on a horse was in a wood, nearly 60 years ago with a horse riding friend who settled me and my horse under a tree before she galloped off, and my horse just followed, at some speed ignoring paths and going through bushes and shrubs and I was left hanging in for dear life.
A never forgotten experience.

Well done Maizie, not only for (having the courage to ) getting back on a horse so soon, but to bring us up to no.2 on the elusive Active list.

You did very well there, silverlining. I've come here straight from 'trending'

22 weeks from my op and the horse riding is coming on a treat (when it's not too cold, wet or windy). I still get occasional twinges in odd places, but on the whole I've mostly forgotten that it ever hurt.

It's been so good to share with others and to see how well everyone else is doing. You did us such a favour starting it all off., silverlining.

Happy New Year to everyone

And take care, forecast for the next few days isn't good...

We are number 3 on Active ….fir now.
Happy new year to us all.

Now

So let’s see where we are, if we are

Before we slip rapidly down the chart.