My hip replacement diary

Nurina

@Janlyn It's funny that the first things many people with hip replacements do is decluttering and gardening. I think it's how we feel "New legs, new life" or maybe we need to be surrounded by things that "spark joy".

Janlyn

@Nurina It is isn't it? I think in my case it's because I've really not been able to do anything for around twelve months and my garden has just been getting more and more untidy. I've been shoving things in cupboards and the garage - out of sight, out of mind, but now I'm able to get it sorted, thankfully!

swimmer60

@Nurina

I was so scared too, I'm sure everyone is! It's a major op., but a routine one these days and I'm sure you'll be fine!

Big virtual hugs😍

swimmer60

@Janlyn

My garden is a "nature reserve" at the moment. I do garden for wild life anyway, so not much change, and the advice seems to be to leave it alone as much as possible in the Autumn to leave homes for critters. I'd prepared pots before my op., and planted them up afterwards and most are showing, though they've gone from being flooded to being frozen, so fingers crossed. Still not sure about too much bending or lifting, am leaving that kind of gardening till end of March/April.

Went to the gym again yesterday, 30 minutes on the treadmill, and 20 on the cross trainer and some cautious weights. A bit achy but not too bad. It's so cold and icy at the moment, I prefer the gym.

Nurina

Thanks @swimmer60 !

mal5819

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/61792/my-hip-replacement-diary

Hi Janlyn I'm new on here on chats been on app for long time but never on here.Found you're diary of hip replacement really good didn't realise there were things like this on here.Ive had knee replacement 7 years ago and now need hip replacement.I'm due to have surgery at end of March so finding diaries and chats on here a very helpful and informative.I'm pretty sure I'll find this very useful following surgery it's great to have others in same situation to chat to and learn from.

chrisb

Hi @mal5819 and welcome to the forum.

Glad you've found us and I hope joining the community helps you through your upcoming surgery and post surgery recovery.

You've may already have visited our website but just in case you may find this link useful:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/surgery/hip-replacement-surgery/

Best wishes

ChrisB (Moderator)

Janlyn

Day 27

@mal5819 it's good to hear from you and March will be here very soon now. Even better is that the weather will be improving and the days will be longer for your recovery, so ideal timing.

If there is anything you want to ask please do so - I found it so useful asking questions and reading from people who had 'been there'.

@swimmer60 Wild-life gardening has always been my preference too but after twelve months neglect it really needs some care and cutting down. I've a gravel drive which has become a bit of a nursery for anything that self-seeds. It looked very pretty in the summer when the poppies and herbs took over. I've some interesting self-seeded grasses too and so I'll be able to fill a few pots for free. I think a bit of cutting back and tidying of pots will make a huge difference and little by little be achievable, fingers crossed. I'm definitely not going to be doing much, if any, bending or lifting for some time

Well done with your fantastic gym achievements. I've a cross-trainer in my garage and intend to get on it when I dare, and once I've cleared all the rubbish that has accumulated around it over the past year.

Another good day of steady progress and growing confidence. I'd been doing the operated leg first going downstairs and non-operated leg first going upstairs but today decided to walk up and down them normally and it all seemed to go well. Using my sticks much less and when I do outside it's more for confidence than support.

Take care all, xx

Janlyn

Day 28 - hard to believe four weeks ago tonight I was terrified of what lay ahead and now I'm out and about. Today I popped out to buy more paracetamol and called in at a local cafe, then this afternoon went for a walk of around a mile. Taking my sticks but only really for confidence rather than leaning heavily on them as I was doing pre-op, Finding walking a mile gives a slight ache but a rest soon sorts it out, so think I've found my level.

Take care all, xx

Chris1

Well done Janlyn

It's lovely to hear how well you are doing.

Take care x

Nurina

Well done! @Janlyn You are our inspiration X

Denis68

Glad things are going well for you @Janlyn I'm the same with my crutches, I don't really put any weight through them anymore but am not ready to venture out without them. I have stopped using them indoors for the past couple of days.

I measure my walks by time rather than distance at the moment and am now comfortable at about 35 minutes, aiming to try getting up to 45 minutes over the next week.

It's amazing to think how things have changed over the past nearly four weeks for me. I was walking the distances, probably further, because I was stubborn but it hurt from step one! I'll now happily take a bit of aching from pushing a little too far.

Janlyn

Day 29

Thank you @Chris1 and @Nurina

@Denis68 you're doing brilliantly. I just took one stick out with me today and went down a hill and through a nature trail so it was a little uneven but I was okay and only used my stick for the last five minutes. I'm only managing half an hour or so but that's half an hour or so more than a month ago, so I'm happy to build up slowly. I'm sure you'll manage to get up to 45 minutes next week.

I'm amazed I'm managing to do more at home. Today I made jam from last year's raspberries that had been in the freezer. Before surgery I couldn't stand to cook for more than a few minutes without pain.

Take care everyone, xx

Janlyn

Day 30 - how is it Day 30 already? In so many ways I'm doing better already than I have in the last twelve months. I've started to declutter as I've had so much I couldn't do and things that weren't important enough to ask for help with. My daily walk is now around 30 minutes and I took some things to the local charity collection point. I used my trekking poles rather than my sticks as they are lighter and I only need them now on uneven ground for confidence and for the last ten minutes or so.

I realised before surgery how a lot of my low moods were caused by my not being able to get out for a walk or run due to pain and the recovery time if I overdid any walking I managed. For most of my life I've dealt with any problems by going for a brisk walk or run and always felt better but not knowing if it would ever happen again was tough. Sunny, albeit cold, weather definitely helps too. Feeling very lucky.

Take care everyone, xx

Janlyn

Day 31 - life is becoming much more normal. I'm beginning to see events advertised locally and realising I can probably go to them. For so long it's been too painful to do anything/go anywhere. Life is good again.

Managing 30 minute walks daily, I admit I'm glad to be home, but am on my feet much more at home too - decluttering and getting things done than haven't been done for too long. Still having a nap or two during the day and finding sleeping isn't always easy and sometimes dreadful. Getting a few muscle aches when I overdo it but recovering quickly and well. My scar is healing well, apart from a couple of slightly lumpy bits and a bit of tenderness which I assume is normal. It's certainly bearable and if it doesn't improve then it is so much better to live with than my previous pain. My feet and ankles have been swollen but seem to be almost back to normal. again.

My Fitbit seems happier again - most days it registers I have exercised, I'm averaging 7000+ steps daily, active minutes up. It even said my sleep was 'good' last night - I would dispute that but it's progress compared to it registering 'poor' or 'fair' as it has been doing for many weeks.

Take care all, xx

Denis68

Hi @Janlyn

Glad things are getting closer to normal for you, it's similar for me. I'm amazed at the joy I feel with each new thing I manage to do. Yesterday was probably the happiest I've been pushing a trolley around the supermarket since I was a kid 😁. I've managed to do some cleaning, albeit going onto my knees for some things that I wouldn't usually and some ironing.

I'm also able to stay in the same position for longer without it being uncomfortable for the first few steps on moving. I am ok sleeping on my good side. The small things really do bring a lot of pleasure.

For those of you in the very early days post Op (or pre Op) my Op was two days after @Janlyn so it really doesn't seem to take too long to start feeling better. That's also been the experience of a few colleagues who have had hip replacement over the past few years.

Wishing everyone good progress whatever stage you're at x

Janlyn

Day 32

@Denis68 It's great to read your post and I agree it's the small things that bring a lot of pleasure. I realise I had been in pain for longer than I had acknowledged and if I don't recover any more than I already have done my life is so much better than it was pre-op.

This morning when I first read your post I was about to ask you how you got down onto your knees. I had thought I never would and when I read about someone getting down on the floor for pilates I thought that was impossible for me too. But then this morning I was so cold, probably a combination of a bad night's sleep and looking out at a covering of snow, that I decided to try a bath. I hadn't worked out until I'd got the water sorted how I would sit down but found myself kneeling down first and wondering how to get to sitting but somehow I did. It was bliss, and I somehow managed to get back out again.

I am still taking paracetamol every six hours and wondering if I still need them but my physio said to take them so I will until I see him again in a couple of weeks. I'm feeling the slight lumpiness of my scar and it is a little sore but nothing I can't manage, so hoping it does improve but not the end of the world if not.

Probably due to my bad night's sleep I've had three naps today - amazingly deep, restorative sleep. I'm tentatively trying to sleep on my side a little but really a bit anxious in case my hip gets a bit twisted. Also found I'm more hungry than pre-op- as though I need the nutrition. I initially put a kilo on but nothing more since so I assume my body is using the extra food in some way.

Take care all, x

swimmer60

@Janlyn

Good morning. I get onto the floor by way of using a chair to lean on, then going onto my knees and kind of rolling over. Was worried at first in case I did something awful to my new hip, but now it all feels fine.

As for sleeping, one morning I found the pillow I still use between my legs on my non-op side, on the floor! Eeek!

I must be tossing and turning because another morning I woke up and found I'd been sleeping on my op side. That was very uncomfortable and achy.

A bit of a learning curve, isn't it?

Nurina

Hi Janet. It looks I'm following you to a tee so I'm re-reading your journey like a manual. If everything goes well, I'll be walking 7000 steps in a month!... It looks impossible right now but I'm so happy you can do it. X

Janlyn

Day 33

@swimmer60 definitely a bit of a learning curve and thank you for the tip for getting onto the floor. I now have the confidence to give it a try. I'm like you and keep feeling I will do something awful to my hip.

I actually had a much better night's sleep last night, despite having been asleep for much of yesterday after almost no sleep and much discomfort the previous night. I decided to move myself into my spare bedroom and try to break the habit of not sleeping. Off I went with my collection of pillows and cushions. The most important one is a small, shaped for going between the knees memory foam pillow I bought pre-surgery. It has been very useful for putting under my operated knee but now I'm putting it between my knees and tentatively trying some side sleeping. Not only my good side but also my operated side. With a very soft pillow/cushion it isn't too bad for a short time. But as I normally toss and turn a lot I'm hoping this is the way to a better sleep, certainly I've no complaints about last night.

@Nurina truly I was in awe of everyone who was managing any walking when I was at your stage and thought I could never do it. Now I'm easily getting to 7000+ steps a day. Last week I was averaging 6000+ and the week before 5000+. My Fitbit is now my best friend again and I'm making sure I have at least a 15 minute walk daily which means it registers it as exercise and sends me a little congratulatory message! It's the little things isn't it?

I am finding much more than 20 minutes walking at a time does make by muscles/operation site a little sore but a sit down soon lets them recover. My physio was almost certainly right in that several short walks/exercise a day is better but the effort of getting dressed up for the cold isn't something I'm wanting to do several times a day. I think my ankle swelling must be reducing as I can now get my wellies on and off easily - unless it's my technique that has improved.

Still doing a little daily de-clutter of my garage and was ecstatic to find three soft pillows in there - they rapidly made their way back into the house as spares/padding - who would have thought it would all become such a priority?

Really feel I ought to be trying to reduce my paracetamol now but my physio said not to and as it's less than two weeks until I see him again I'll wait and ask him.

I should have gone to the theatre last night but as it's so icy I decided to put it off until Friday/Saturday when it should be milder, fingers crossed. I can't believe how much these getting back to normal things make a difference to my mood. I was so cross with myself pre-op when the pain was so bad I would wake up and feel I really couldn't get through the day, now there is a life to look forward to, and I'm feeling very lucky.

Take care all, xx

Nurina

Hi @Janlyn

I love your positive mind set. Yes, you are very lucky.

I'm reading your struggle at night and I feel your pain. Now I'm remembering that when I fell off my bike and I broke my rib, I used to sleep on a reclining folding garden chair because I had to sleep on my back, totally still like in a Sarcophagus. I wasn't struggling as much as I'm struggling now. I'm thinking about bringing it upstairs and try it. It can't be worse than the bed, that's for sure. I'll be demoted from memory foam bed to rusty garden chair 😂 . It's very icy outside and it's not safe. If my evolution keeps going forward, fingers crossed, I think I might go for a walk on Saturday, like you. I can't wait to start counting steps. X

Janlyn

Day 34

@Nurina Your rusty garden chair is sounding like bliss to me - I used to have something similar and if I'd still got it I would give it a try.

I hope you get out for a walk on Saturday if the ice goes - it really is a special feeling to be back out there. I've become addicted to my Fitbit again and am building up my daily steps, active minutes and daily exercise scores. Very cautiously though as I seem to easily find I'm aching or sore, although nothing like before and I recover fairly quickly.

I have had a couple of reasonable night's sleep - I'm waking up a lot, but to wake up I've got to first go to sleep which wasn't happening often previously. I'm cautiously sleeping on my side, for short periods, even my operated side, with a shaped memory foam cushion between my knees.

I'm finding I'm climbing in and out of the bath for a shower fairly normally rather than my previous awkward manoeuvring. So slowly normal life seems to be resuming. My main joy is seeing an event advertised locally and realising I can go to it, not only that I can walk the distance necessary but that I shouldn't be in pain. Life is good 😊

Take care everyone, x

Nurina

Awww a local event. How many times have you said "no" to this events? I suppose we are programmed to say to ourselves: "No, you can't" and it'll take time to program our head again but You can! X

Janlyn

Day 35

Really pleased with how today has gone. Not a bad night, only remember waking up three times and not as sore this morning. Few jobs to do so drove to the pharmacy to top up my paracetamol supply and called in at the community cafe for a nice coffee and chat. Bit of a challenge back at the car when someone had parked really close to my driver's door in my carefully chosen parking spot. Amazed I could manoeuvre myself in.

Set off for the local town to pay some cheques in to my little grandchildren's bank accounts. Parked in Asda car park for convenience but felt obliged to pop in and buy something. Amazingly they had a kettle that I wanted. A couple of weeks ago at 5.00am most of my electrics suddenly went off and after virtually no sleep I had just got up and made a drink. Fortunately I traced the problem to a leaky kettle so another problem sorted.

Back in the car it started to tell me it needed more petrol. Last week it would have been an ordeal - this week no problem at all. And then on the way back home called in at my hairdresser's and booked an appointment for next week to try to look at least a little more decent for a lunch out with friends. Another little bit of normal.

Felt less achy today and my Fitbit has topped 8000 daily steps. Maybe it's the stop/start/rest rather than one walk that did it. It's certainly what my physio recommended.

Take care all, xx

Nurina

Congratulations for your 8000. You are doing more than the average for "normal" people which is around 5000 steps.

I love you are telling us about your wonderful, amazing and fun day that only people like us could understand Why it was wonderful, amazing and fun. Any other people would say "What's the fuss. This is a normal day!" Exactly, a normal day. Isn't it fantastic?

I went for a walk this morning. Like you say, I prefer two short walks than a long one. I did 700 steps. I still don't understand I can walk without the groin and back pain and I have to learn how to walk "the new way". I think it'll rain later so maybe I'm done for the day. I wear a pair of good running shoes, but I'm scared of falling.

Have a nice weekend! x