I'm Back After THR

quietwaters
quietwaters Member Posts: 288
edited 6. Aug 2010, 11:42 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hello Everyone, and thanks for all your lovely well wishes, I can't believe how many of you peeps posted, even after the day of the op, it was lovely to see all your messages. And sorry but this post is probably going to be a bit long and boring :oops:

Sorry I haven't got on till now, I came out Monday evening (on my insistance), but have only just managed to be able to get a proper chair to sit on, thanks to my aunt and uncle lending me one. The OT's, district nurse etc didnt want to know, so I spent the whole of tues phoning around, red cross etc to see if anyone could help but no one could.

Anyway, I'm here now and not feeling tooooo bad!
I have a very very swollen leg, in fact it's massive!!! I dont even look as though I have a knee cap, just one big tree trunk of a leg! Talk about elephant woman :lol:

The Op: I was adamant that I was going to have GA, but was talked into having a spinal block combined with the anaesthetic so I couldnt hear anything, and I have to say I'm glad I did. I went down at qtr to 3 and woke up at 10 to 4 feeling pretty ok, apart from no feeling from the waste down, obviously. I went back to my room at about 5. I text my hubby to say he could come and that I was ok but by the time he got there I was very very poorly. My blood pressure had dropped dramatically and they stuck me on oxygen as well as all the usual drip things and morphine. Unfortunately when the feeling came back in my legs, I was told to use the morphine thing, but turns out I cant take morphine and I was very very sick so they took it away from me, pain or what??? :shock: . THEN I couldnt go to the loo so I was catheterised for 2 days, oh joy. :roll: By Sunday morning I was begging them to take it out so I could get dressed and start doing stuff, so after numerous requests and threatening to get very cantankerous with them, they removed it. I got dressed and was surprised at how well I could walk, not even really much pain.
I'm getting about ok with 2 sticks and actually managed to stand at the kitchen sink yesterday and wash my hair myself, felt lovely after a week. I'm sitting here in my biggest baggiest shorts (cos thats all I can get on!), and my lovely blue stockings, very fetching :lol: Also the most surprising thing is that I'm not finding it so bad as I thought having to sleep on my back. I manage a couple of hours sleep, then get up to the loo, then another couple of hours, so nothing different to normal really.

Anyway, all in all, everything is ok now, although I'm struggling to do all the exercises because of the swollen leg, but just do what I can.
Every day is a bonus now. I have my stitches out on Monday so hoping I can get into some clothes because there's no way I'm going out in these shorts :lol:
Once again, thanks to you all for your lovely messages, and I will be on here boring everyone with my progress on a daily basis no doubt :lol:

a very happy Jay x
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Comments

  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jay
    Phew It is all over, just like that, I am so relieved for you, wish It was me to be honest.
    You are doing so well, are you having the blood thinning injection every day .
    Sorry shouldn't be asking you questions yet, just want to say , how good it is to see you doing so well, keep it up, and keep the post coming, the good and the bad :shock: :) .
    Lots of healing hugs ((((((()))))
    you take care
    Love
    Barbara xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • quietwaters
    quietwaters Member Posts: 288
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Barbara and thanks
    No I'm not having blood thinning injections or tablets, just keep wearing the lovely stockings for about 6 weeks. It could just be that my blood is thin because when I had my thyroid out, they stopped giving me the heparin injections because every time I stood up my nose bled! I don't think it needs thinning, could be wrong though.
    How are you anyway? Whens your date for THR?
    Jay x
  • marion1952
    marion1952 Member Posts: 963
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jay

    Very glad that you are 'done and dusted' now. Sorry that you had problems with the morphine. Also Sorry that you had to get your own chair - that's not very good!

    I am 12 weeks post op THR now and I had some similar experiences to you. My blood pressure also dropped (to about 70/55) the day after the operation - I think that's something to do with the spinal anaesthesia - I wasn't allowed out of bed that day until it had stabilised.

    I also wasn't prepared for how swollen my whole leg/foot would be and how it would be like trying to move an oak tree trunk just to get out of bed! I was told that's because they have to cut through the big muscles in the buttocks/thigh. Some people on my ward who had had it done before had brought in a gadget with a loop at the end which they put their foot in and then pulled their leg up with the handle bit.. The nurses used to lift my leg into bed for me!
    That improved a lot over about 2 weeks if I remember right.. But I can still remember trying to hoist myself up with that triangular thing over the bed !

    I also had a bit of a problem with my catheter not working properly on day 2, so not much was coming out (!), but that was soon sorted out.

    I also had to chase the District Nurse to come and remove the staples - the GP Receptionist had first told me I had to go to the local 'Walk-In' Centre to have my staples removed - I wasn't having that - so phoned th eDistrict Nurse myself and she was surprised she hadn't been told about me already! (That's poor communication between the GP Surgery and the District Nurses for you).

    Anyway - it's a great operation and you will improve enormously over the forthcoming weeks.. I was amazed at how easy it was to get into the passenger seat of the car when I was discharged, and also how easy it was to get up my very, very steep stairs at home - compared to how I had struggled before.

    Just don't overdo it now and don't bend more than 90 degrees or twist, as the tissues surrounding the new hip will complain!

    Please keep posting and let us know how you get on over the forthcoming weeks..

    all the best

    Marion
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Aw, dear Jay, so lovely to hear from you. Wow, you did not stay in long, did you? That was all a bit of an adventure, wasn't it? To say the least! Good job we don't know exactly what is going to happen, isn't it? I had to have a catheter the last knee op, not nice!! But better than that feeling of not being able to go!!

    I hope you are resting and elevating the "offending leg" and icing on on a regular basis. That will help the swelling. :)

    Do keep in touch with us on a regular basis, now you are an official member of the Hip Club , for sure, been there and done that. Now the recovery and there are many peeps ready waiting to help you should you need it.

    Look after yourself,

    Love and hugs

    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • denpen
    denpen Member Posts: 389
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jay
    The worst is over now and you can only improve from now on, I am 15 weeks post op THR and its well worth having the op. Just take it easy and dont try to run before you can walk (As the saying goes) I cant believe the difference in the way we all receive care by the different Health Authorities, where I live I had my Ortho chair, perching stool and toilet seat weeks before my op and I am still receiving physio because I still need it, I must say they have been great with me.
    Keep us all posted with how you are doing.
    Take care
    Denise.x
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Jay!
    so lovely to hear from you....been thinking about you every day :wink:

    You sound amazingly positive for having such a traumatic time in hospital with the blood pressure, catheter and maybe not so helpful staff?. :shock: no wonder you insisted on being discharged early. :roll:

    The primary care doesn't seem to have been up to much either if you were left to find a chair for yourself.... :!: :shock:

    It's always better being at home though isn't it. :wink:
    do you have anyone at home helping you? I do hope so and that you are resting and being properly pampered now...you deserve it!

    Look forward to reading your daily bulletins..xxx

    Love n (((hugs)))

    Iris x
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jay

    and welcome HOME :D

    You have had en interetsing experience eh?

    Wow! Dont do things by halves do you? All that drama :wink:

    Now all is ok though? Great to be home isnt it?

    Hope the rest of your recuperation goes really well.

    Love and hugs

    Toni xx
  • kathbee
    kathbee Member Posts: 934
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Well done Jay

    Glad you are on the up now.

    ISorrry to hear you werent too good when
    your hubby got there, but hopefully things
    will go well for you.

    Its 7 months ago since I had my THR and lucky
    for me everything went to plan.

    Dont overdo things, thats all the advice I can
    give.

    Love Kath
  • chris7
    chris7 Bots Posts: 2,696
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jay :D

    Phew. Always good to hear from our hip people when they get home. So sorry you had a few tough moments there though, bet you are relieved to be home now. No help getting the chair either, not good enough is it?

    Anyway do keep us posted and I hope each day gets a little easier for you. Speedy, Marion and the others will be able to help with any questions you have. Meanwhile me, and Barbara (sorry Barbara but you know what we are like! :roll: ) will quietly panic in the background and just admire how brave you all are.

    Take care, am sending gentle hugs and healing your way. ((( )))
    Chris x
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    chris7 wrote:
    Hi Jay :D

    Phew. Always good to hear from our hip people when they get home. So sorry you had a few tough moments there though, bet you are relieved to be home now. No help getting the chair either, not good enough is it?

    Anyway do keep us posted and I hope each day gets a little easier for you. Speedy, Marion and the others will be able to help with any questions you have. Meanwhile me, and Barbara (sorry Barbara but you know what we are like! :roll: ) will quietly panic in the background and just admire how brave you all are.

    Take care, am sending gentle hugs and healing your way. ((( )))
    Chris x
    Scaredy pants we are :shock: :):)
    Love Barbara xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Jay,

    Fab that you are home and able to post again. Daily reports sound great to me ... I shall look out for them.

    My OT provided a set of chair raisers and a booster cushion for an armchair in my living room - it was jolly uncomfy and I bought a new chair (as my suite is on it's way out and I'm sure I'll unfortunately have other ops in the future.) I had to wait several days for it to be delivered and I was so glad when it came.

    Yes my leg was MASSIVE too, and I had problems with weeing - but I had a very inventive nurse who eventually got me peeing without needing a catheter. I weed every night every 2 hours for the first few weeks and then everything settled down.

    You might need to get a few post-op clothes for the next few weeks. I had to wear baggy, flowing dresses as I couldn't get my usual trousers on and they were easy to just slip over my head.

    Blue stockings sound nicer than mine - mine were white.

    I found it hard falling asleep on my back, but once asleep and the constant weeing lessened I slept better.

    Wow - well done for washing your hair at the sink - that takes some balance!!

    Do your best with the exercises - they do get easier and make sure you have regular rests on the bed to elevate your leg. A friend of mine put a single row of pillows under the mattress at the foot of my bed and that really helped drain the swelling.

    Glad you are so happy and welcome to the post-op hip club!!

    Speedy
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • quietwaters
    quietwaters Member Posts: 288
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Marion
    Thank you. 12 weeks post op sounds ages away but I bet it’s gone really quick, it doesn’t seem long since I had the xrays done (March) and I can remember thinking, oh that’s ages away and all of a sudden its all over.
    You’ve described it perfectly, the trying to move an oak tree trunk. And the buttock thing, well that hurts the most really. And so swollen, brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘does my bum look big in this’. :lol: The gadget thing sounds good, but my mate who’s mum had it done some years ago, mentioned that she used a scarf to hook round her foot, which is what I’ve been doing to get back into bed and lift my leg onto a pillow at night to help with the swelling, works great.
    I put the phone down on my district nurse for two reasons, a) he didn’t really want to know, said I would have to go and buy a chair, and b) I had a job understanding what he was saying, not sure what nationality he was, but it didn’t help.
    Thanks for the advice about not overdoing it, but I’m afraid I’ve been a bit naughty today, just sat at computer now I’ve got decent chair, so very swollen, haven’t had a lay down this afternoon, so probably early night for me.
    I’m so glad you’re getting about ok now, it is a great operation as you say, but will be holding on as long as I can until the next one. The surgeon said he could do my knees for me before the next hip, but knees take longer to heal, so will think about that one.
    Love Jay x
  • quietwaters
    quietwaters Member Posts: 288
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Elna,
    How are you? It’s thanks to you that all the lovely peeps posted good wishes for me, so thank you. Yes catheter thing not nice, but far better than feeling like a balloon. It would have been better if the first nurse had known what she was doing, she kept probing about and then gave up and went and fetched another nurse. :? Didn’t give me much confidence, but by this time I was past caring.
    Errrrrm haven’t elevated it yet today but will do after dinner. :oops: Hubby’s a great cook and I’m loving having everything done for me for a change, although I did stand and wash up yesterday and today.
    Will be posting again soon.
    Love Jay x
  • quietwaters
    quietwaters Member Posts: 288
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Denise
    Wow! How did you manage to get all that stuff before your op?? I was told at my premed that I had to go out and buy it all. So the following weekend we went and got high toilet seat, grabber etc. The only thing we didn’t get was a chair because theyre so expensive just to use for 6 to 8 weeks and I felt sure that someone would get one in place for me, unfortunately I was wrong. I’m learning that each area is different. I was offered two sessions of physio at the hospital but declined because I would rather do it at home, it just seems a hassle getting there and back etc. I’m sorry you’re still receiving physio 15 weeks post op, what are you having to do? And why are you needing it for so long afterwards? (sorry for asking). I hope everything is going ok for you and I will be on this site more often now to see how everyone is getting along.
    Love Jay x
  • quietwaters
    quietwaters Member Posts: 288
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Iris,
    Thank you for thinking of me, what a lovely thing to say.
    Yes it’s great being at home and being looked after, waited on hand and foot (for a change). Hubby has had this week off since Tuesday and the next 2 weeks. But I have told him that as it’s his holiday he’s using, he is allowed to go fishing, I’m ok on my own as long as I have everything I need with me close to hand, pills, food, water, food, tv remote, food, mobile, food, landline, food, etc. I can do things, but cant carry cup of tea, food etc with 2 sticks, (sorry for stating the obvious). I will really miss him when he goes back to work.
    Love Jay x
  • quietwaters
    quietwaters Member Posts: 288
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Lynn
    No apology needed, and thanks for your post.
    You can run, but you can’t hide, they will get you in the end. :lol: It’s not brave at all, it’s just we can’t stand the pain anymore. My stockings are not looking so fetching today because they’re blue and yesterday I had my navy shorts on, which matched a treat, but today I have HUGE beige shorts on and the blue stockings don’t look so good. Hubby has the camera out as we speak. :oops:
    Love Jay x
  • quietwaters
    quietwaters Member Posts: 288
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Toni, and thanks,
    Yes its great to be home and being looked after, hope you are ok too. :D
    Love Jay x
  • quietwaters
    quietwaters Member Posts: 288
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Kath,
    Thank you. 7 months on, I bet it all seems a distant memory now? I’m glad all went to plan for you and you are doing well. No I’m not overdoing anything........... except maybe giving orders out to hubby! :lol:
    Love Jay x
  • quietwaters
    quietwaters Member Posts: 288
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Chris,
    Thank you for taking the time to post when you have enough stuff going on yourself, what a lovely person you are. No, the chair thing was a bit surprising, good job I have a large family who are always willing to help out.
    I will keep you posted, but more important than that, I will be watching what happens with all the malarkey going on with you and your problems, doctor, CAB etc. I do hope somebody starts listening to you soon. Sometimes you just have to start shouting to make people listen.
    The gentle hugs and healing is greatly accepted, thank you. :D
    Love Jay x
  • quietwaters
    quietwaters Member Posts: 288
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Barbara............ I’m watching you! You’re gonna get that new hip if I have to drag you there personally, so watch out. :lol: There’s really nothing to it (she says). :?
    Love Jay x
  • quietwaters
    quietwaters Member Posts: 288
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Speedy, and thanks.
    I’m amazed that everyone seems to have been provided with stuff when I was told to go out and buy it!! Must be this area.
    I haven’t really got any clothes like dresses, I don’t wear dresses. I have some cropped trousers which might be ok, but I will have to try them out Sunday night before I go on Monday, if they don’t fit, I really don’t know what I’m going to do. I agree about the blue stockings, white ones must have looked like bandages, not very nice I must admit. :oops:
    Yes, I was well chuffed with my little self for washing my hair at the sink, and I did it all myself, no help from hubby. Although I couldn’t stand and dry it, just left it, and now it looks horrid! :shock:
    The pillow does really help so much, my leg is almost normal when I get up, but swells up after about half an hour. I haven’t laid with it up this afternoon, (too busy on the internet now I have a decent chair), serves me right. :oops: I’m doing all the exercises I can, leg permitting. I promise I will rest more tomorrow.
    Thank you for all the good advice and all your helpful posts for post-op hip club. (try saying that when you’ve had a few!!). :lol:
    Love Jay x
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Barbara............ I’m watching you! You’re gonna get that new hip if I have to drag you there personally, so watch out. :lol: There’s really nothing to it (she says). :?
    Love Jay x
    Hi Jay...will do (honest) :shock: now you get that leg elevated please..
    Barbara xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • ironic
    ironic Member Posts: 2,361
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hello Jay, So good to have you back. Well you did have a interesting time :( Great that you managed to do your hair. Nice vision of the shorts and blue leggings :lol:
    At least you have OH at home which is reassuring for you.

    Hope the swelling goes down soon. Be kind to yourself.

    Lv, Ix
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I can do things, but cant carry cup of tea, food etc with 2 sticks, (sorry for stating the obvious). I will really miss him when he goes back to work.
    Love Jay x

    Hi Jay,

    your hubby sounds great...and you are so unselfish saying to him to go fishing while he's off work. :wink: :!:

    when your Hubby does go back to work he could leave most of the things you need (pre-prepared ) nearby for you ...and what about having a flask of tea.. or flask of boiling water with the t bags etc beside you on the table?

    Iris x (who is amazed that you have already been washing dishes!)
  • dorcas
    dorcas Member Posts: 3,516
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Morning Jay :D

    hope you had a comfortable night :?: and that you're getting a good balance of pain meds?

    hope you have a good day today

    Iris xx