3 weeks down

It has been a while since I last posted. I had my 2 week checkup and I went in trying to show how careful I have been by bringing in both crutches and walking very gingerly. Turns out, I am not as fragile as I thought. Both the doctor and the PA were surprised to see me still on the crutches and even laid some hints that I shouldn't need any walking device--wait, what! So, when I got home, I tried walking on my own. I definitely have a limp and I am sore in my groin and knee...this it turns out, is from the awkward positions your body gets rammed into while on the operating table. Also, my back gets sore after doing any substantial amount of walking (walking more than 20 feet). I believe that this has to do with my adjustment to having normal leg lengths again. I was pretty down at the 2 week mark, mostly because of the doctor's visit. It proved that I am doing alright--healing normally, but not a rock star like I thought my 30 year age gap would afford me. I was also worried that I might not be on the road to recovery...that I might be stuck with a limp and in pain for the rest of my life. But, at the 3 week mark, I can see that I am better than I was just a week ago, so I am confident I will improve. I just hope that I didn't trade my hip problem for a knee problem and I won't see the walk from the table to the restroom at a restaurant as "long". At 3 weeks, I am driving again, which helps the mind. I love that all the people have been helping me, but it is good to have a little bit of freedom again. Had my first day back at the office last week thanks to my family members picking up and dropping me off and now I am at work as full time as I get. Having the baby is still difficult. She knows the sign for "pick up" and is constantly asking me to help her out...just a little longer, baby, a little longer.

Post-op day 13

Feeling less foggy and am getting my energy back. I went to a 5 year old birthday party yesterday. I was a little worried about a kid ramming into my incision site, but was relieved to get out of the house. I think if you are looking to do this and are trying to decide between a winter or summer recovery period, there are a couple of things to think about.

1. You will not feel bad that you are not out enjoying the nice weather, but you might not get out at all and this can make anyone a bit crazy.
2. Ted stockings in shorts would be an extreme fashion faux pas.
3. Ice pack in the summer would feel better. I am still using my ice pack around the wound. It feels better if it is numb, but I do hate bringing it into bed with me. The use of the ice pack has gone down in the last couple of days and I take this as another sign of feeling better.

Post-op day 11

So, I have missed a few days. I have been working from home more and time just gets away from me. Anyway, here is the update:

1. I really hate the ted stockings. I don't think I have shared this hatred yet. I hate them more because I can't shave my legs; razor on a stick doesn't work as well as I would like. Mostly, I hate that I can't get them on myself and that I look like a pasty white mannequin under my pants.
2. The hip pain generally isn't too bad. Really Tylenol is enough. I don't want to take too much so I still take the oxycodone at night. Another reason for the oxycodone is that sleeping is tough. I am not sure if I should be on my side with a pillow. This is my preferred position, but it kind of makes the hip throb after a while. Hmm...wonder if that is a no-no. I will try to be better about sleeping on my back.
3. Moving at a pretty quick clip with one crutch, but I am getting over confident. I slipped a bit going down the stairs and my leg hurt for a couple hours afterward. Need to not go down the stairs as much.
4. I am officially a klutz. I cannot do anything without dropping something. I don't think I realized the extent of how often I bent down and picked things up before. Not bending past 90 degrees is tough.
5. I am feeling better. Earlier this week, I talked to the pharmacist at the hospital and she said it was normal to feel run down and to not have an appetite for 2 weeks after surgery. That is good, because I like to have an appetite...a couple of people have asked if I have lost weight. Sure, it is nice to lose a little weight, but not at the cost of feeling bad.

Overall, I think things are going as they should. My sister-in-law asked me what was worse...pre-surgery pain or post-surgery pain. So far post-surgery pain is the clear winner, but I think that is because of the sleeping problem and the worry that I am going to do something to dislocate it. Also, I am still hobbling around--would like that to go away.

Post-op Day 6

Another weekend. Baby didn't sleep well last night. I hope hubby can take a nap today. I feel bad about how much he has had to take on and I know I will take a nap today. I switched my afternoon dose of oxycodone to 2 maximum strength tylenol. I am not sure if it is the medication or the surgery, but I have zero energy. I take a long afternoon nap and I am feeling better with just the tylenol. Still a little loopy, but maybe that is just the lack of movement. I can't wait to get out and be my normal self again. I am using just one crutch and that has been an improvement in my lifestyle. I can carry things and I feel a little more capable.

Post-op Day 5

Today is a weekend. Feels good to not have to hurry son and husband out the door. Feels good that husband is here the entire day to help out. The house has gotten out of control in my opinion, but I am trying to let go. I still try to clean the kitchen. This does not make husband happy. He wants me to rest and I want to rest, but I also want to clean the kitchen and I can hobble around it pretty well, supporting myself on the countertops. I am fiercely independent and it is difficult to have someone take care of me. It is difficult to watch someone do my job of house chores and child rearing. I am still pretty tired though. Still pretty loopy. Wish I didn't have pain killers. Will try to replace one oxycodone with tylenol tomorrow. Things that I am noticing.

1. I can lift my left leg up a little more, enough to trigger the foot button on the trash can.
2. I can get in bed with the use of the other leg, but no longer a sharp pain
3. I can almost do a leg extension on my own. Not sure if I should be doing that though.
4. Getting better with the abduction/adduction exercise. That is the only one of my list of my home PT that causes me issues.
5. Still can't march--not joining a band anytime soon, but still noteworthy.
6. Still feel unsteady on my leg. Am afraid to put weight on it.

Post-op Day 4

I decide since I am so capable, I may as well enjoy myself. I tell my sister that we are going to the mall to do some returns. We make it to the mall…we make one return and then I am done. Apparently, the mall was a little too ambitious for me. I go home and rest.

Post-op Day 3

So nice to wake up in my own bed. It is still a struggle to get in and out of, but I am happy to not have a port in my arm and there is no beeping from my room or any other. Today I take a shower. It is not so hard really. I sort of lean against the wall and the hardest part is getting over the small lip of the walk in shower. I still haven't shaved my legs but decide that next shower, I will make a workable razor that I don't have to bend past 90 degrees…razor on a stick. I am a nut about this--the support hose don't mix well with hairy legs.

My sister and I journey out today to get my blood drawn. Not exciting, but it shows that I am capable of going out.

Post-op Day 2

I wake at 2:30am. I really need to go to the bathroom. I think "I can do this--there is my walker. I have been taught all my lessons. I know exactly what to do." I lift myself out of bed and to my surprise an alarm sounds like I am escaped prisoner. Apparently, I am not allowed to get up on my own. I make it to the toilet after a nurse comes to supervise me and limp my way back into bed. I fall back asleep only to wake up again at 4 am. I don't understand it. I feel like, without kids, I should at least be able to sleep in a bit, but the pain in the leg, the squeeze pillows and the noise from the hospital are not very soporific. I move to the chair and start my day with blood work. Group PT is next. On my way to the class, I am handed crutches. These are sooo much better than the walker. I can move at a reasonable pace and while I am still not robbing a bank anytime soon, I am more chicken and less turtle like. The exercises are the same as the day before. I am ready to go home. After a group lunch, I get to do just that. I am discharged with my crutches. My husband, the saint that he is, makes a couple of trips to the car with my stuff. How did I collect so many things in a few days? Must be a woman thing. I actually packed make-up--like I thought I would care enough to put make up on. Notice that in all of this I have never mentioned a shower--there is no mention, because it never crossed my mind to even try. The worst part of going home was getting in the van. Owww…might need more occupational therapy.

Post-op Day 1

I wake up at 3:30 am not feeling too well. I throw up. I still don't feel well, but I really want out of this hospital bed. The nurse comes and helps me into the chair and takes the vibrating pillows off my feet. I am grateful for that. I didn't mind the vibrating pillows at first, but there is only so long one can tolerate a foot squeeze. She says she will put them back on in a bit…doh! Also, help is a big word here, she basically carries me into the chair…left leg is so stiff and so sore. I start thinking, "maybe they could just cut it off. I would still have one after all." Still feeling bad, the PA comes in and tells me that they may have overdone it on my pain meeds and she is switching medications.

Mid morning, after I am done throwing up, a physical therapist comes in and teaches me how to walk using a walker. I have never used a walker/rollator before. I think about the posture of everyone I have ever seen use one (stooped over, head up like a turtle) and I try to engage my core. I realize that this walker thing is not as easy as it looks. It is difficult to engage core, hold onto walker and walk with normal steps. I clunk down the hallway, lifting the walker up instead of smoothly gliding it along the floor. I am definitely not committing any crimes any time soon. I can be heard a mile away and not only do I look like a turtle, I move like one too.

After PT, an occupational therapist visits me and teaches me the basics. How does one put pants and socks on if their left leg doesn't lift when you tell it to? How would one get into bed without the pain making them see stars. Turns out, there are all sorts of fun devices. A little grabber thing that looks like a robotic arm (my son is going to love this), a sock device and there is a technique where you use your working leg to "lift" your maimed one. Helps for getting into the car and bed.

By afternoon I am feeling better and am told I have group physical therapy. To my surprise I am feeling up to the challenge. I am a very competitive person and I think that my 34 year old self will be a winner in the group class filled with senior citizens. The nurse hands me a walker and tells me to walk to class…clunk, clunk, clunk. My neighbor, a 70 something man, cruises past me (glides really) and I think that I am not going to ace the class like previously thought.

The class itself is easy. I learn stairs and a few exercises to do at home. To my surprise, once the muscle is warmed up it will move in the general direction I tell it to. It certainly hurts, but it is not unbearable. I no longer want to cut off my leg.

Day of Surgery

How am I feeling? Scared out of my mind. My husband is scared too and he is always Mr. Cool. Who wouldn't be scared. I am about to hand over my body to someone I don't know very well and say "go ahead, replace some of my bone with metal." I wake up early. 4:30 am early which is good because I wanted to clear the dishwasher, clean the kitchen and take a nice long shower before leaving for the hospital at 6:30 (I am a neat freak, or just a freak). We arrive and we wait. We move to another room and after answering a few questions, we wait. The waiting is hard. Fresh Prince is on and so we sit entranced in our 80's nostalgia. The doctor comes in and I ask him not to do staples if possible. He says he will do that, that he will use tape. I was not expecting this answer, so it makes me smile a little. Or maybe that smile is because they gave me a pre-surgery cocktail that makes me feel the tiniest bit drunk. Around 10:30, I am wheeled into the operating room. I tell the news about the staples to the PA who looks like my aunt and then I remember nothing. I wake up and talk to my husband. Apparently, I had the same conversation with my him twice. I don't remember either one. I am loopy…and sick. I don't react well to pain killers apparently. I throw up 7 times that night.

So, you need a new hip

I am a 34 year old mother of 2. I am creating this blog so that others (young and old) will get first hand look at getting a hip replacement. If you run across this, you may also have visited Dancer's Hips. Kathryn has been extremely supportive and helpful. If you are in our boat, she can also help guide you.

I have been told by 4 different orthopedist that it is not a matter of IF I will need a hip replacement, it is a matter of WHEN. I was born with hip dysplasia and apparently they didn't catch it when I was a baby. I was in my 20s and an avid runner before I knew anything was wrong. I probably should have cut down on all exercise then, but instead I only scaled back and here I am at 34 facing a joint replacement. I was going along ok until after the birth of my second child. I noticed that my hip was aching and hurting all the time. I started swimming, cut back on walking and even crossed the elliptical off my list.

I lasted a year like this, but noticed that shopping trips were unbearable and I wouldn't want to walk my kids to the park any longer. I kept thinking that I didn't need to do this. What is a little pain? I can tolerate pain.

But, I am realizing that I want to walk on the paths near my house and want to walk my kid to his first day of Kindergarten in September. (I bet not many hip replacement patients have that as a goal.) I am going for it. I have a surgeon I like, a hospital I am comfortable with and now is the time. I have done my research. I have looked at the double incision approach, the lateral approach and I have decided to go with the anterior approach. Seems like the "hip" way to do a hip replacement. Mostly, it just seems like it will be an easier recovery, but will allow the surgeon to get a good view and do a really good job since I know I will need a revision (at least I hope I last that long on earth). I am going to Dr. Marc Hungerford at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore.