The 15 July hip replacement club

ET63 and I are both having our ops on the same day.

I am quite new on this forum and have been inspired and amused by the threads. It’s good to read honest accounts, and the bits I don’t like the sound of, I put my fingers in my ears and sing la la la 🗣

As a former secretary I have a few lists on the go, things to do, take etc, I love a bit of planning.

Living on the Kent coast and looking forward to a pain free future

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Comments

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,750

    I find the fingers in the ears policy is always best for the icky bits 😂

  • Cazbaz
    Cazbaz Member Posts: 71

    @Carolbee good luck to you and ET63 on 15th July, I had my op. nine weeks ago and I have to say this forum has kept me both amused and informed so glad I joined

  • Carolbee
    Carolbee Member Posts: 23

    Thanks Cazbaz, how are you doing?

    Living on the Kent coast and looking forward to a pain free future

  • Cazbaz
    Cazbaz Member Posts: 71

    @Carolbee, not doing too bad at all, one or two little hiccups along the way, I have never exercised so much in my life but it is all worth it, I am so glad I had the op. this is the most pain free I have been for over three years so it’s onwards and upwards, look forward to reading about your journey to a pain free future

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764

    Good luck and well done to all of you 😊

    You are an inspiring bunch.

    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Jewels
    Jewels Member Posts: 202

    I agree you all are 👏😁

  • Jaceyduck
    Jaceyduck Member Posts: 14

    Hi Carolbee and ET63 I’m having my thr on 4 th August so will only be about 3 weeks behind you so hope you will be posting your day to day recovery on here so I know what to expect. I’m a full time carer for my husband who has MS so am having to arrange carers to come in and look after him while I recover. Although my daughter lives close and we have other family members who can pop in I’ll mainly be on my own when I come out of hospital and my husband won’t be able to help me so will feel quite vulnerable, even the thought of not being able to get myself a cup of tea when I want to or managing the toilet is scary when there will be no one there if anything goes wrong! I might try to get hold of one of those trolleys with a seat on that I could use or put things on - any ideas from everyone of what I could get to help me in the house.

    Thanks everyone and hope you are all doing well.

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,750
    edited 21. Jun 2021, 09:19

    Hi @Jaceyduck , I felt very vulnerable the day I was discharged, and the journey from car to front door felt very scary (14 steps and a long sloping path), but I took it very slow and made it ok. My husband had several all day commitments over the next few days which he was prepared to cancel, but I know how much these meant to him and tbh, sitting watching me doing not very much was a poor substitute, so we agreed that it would be fine for him to go. I was capable of getting myself in and out of bed, up and down stairs, and on and off the loo, albeit very slowly and carefully, so I decided I could handle this. I had a trolley on wheels, a perching stool in the bathroom to help me wash, raised loo seat with handles, and a grabber for if I dropped stuff and to help me get dressed, and a sock slider and shoe horn, so we were good to go. I was able to make a cup of tea, make myself a light lunch and kept the phone handy at all times. I used the wheelie trolley pushing it ahead of me while I wobbled along on crutches (it’s not stable enough as a walking aid) to carry tea and food from the kitchen to my heavily padded throne in the living room. I also used a large soft shoulder bag to carry stuff up and down stairs, including grabber, drugs, bottle of water, books, phone and iPad etc, so I didn’t need Mr LM to carry stuff round the house for me.

    the physios at the hospital arranged for all the equipment I listed above to be sent to me ready for when I got home, and that went really smoothly. They delivered it to our local pharmacy, and someone (in my case hubby) just had to go and pick it up.

    So on Day 2 at home, I was managing fine. Yes, I had to concentrate and take things slowly, and I was grateful to Mr LM doing the shopping and cooking the evening meal, but you’ll be surprised how well you’ll manage. I did my first foray out of the house on about Day 3, just a few hundred yards down the road and back, and the obstacle course to the front door. I was also very tired, the effects of the anaesthetic and surgery, so I needed to go to bed from time to time for an hour or two’s sleep, but that’s normal.

    i won’t lie, it is a bit of a daunting prospect, but you’ll be surprised how quickly you regain basic mobility and independence.

  • Jaceyduck
    Jaceyduck Member Posts: 14

    Thanks lilymary that’s made me feel a bit better about how I’ll cope. Did you buy all your aids or were they loaned to you from social services. Thanks

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,750

    @Jaceyduck they came from our local health care trust, not sure whether, or how, they’re expecting to get them back. Might be worth checking with the hospital to make sure this is how it will work with you, or if they are sent in advance, as you’ll need them from the moment you get home.

  • Carolbee
    Carolbee Member Posts: 23

    I’ve spoken to the hospital where I’m going today, and all mine will be provided. I have a physio phone call on 5/7 and pre op on 30/6.

    @Lilymary that’s so encouraging to hear you were able to do so much in the early days.


    @Jaceyduck , hoping for the very best for you

    Living on the Kent coast and looking forward to a pain free future

  • Lilymary
    Lilymary Member Posts: 1,750
    edited 21. Jun 2021, 11:19

    One more tip, if married/co -habiting, you might find it easier to sleep in separate beds for a while. Both Mr LM and I are light sleepers, and if I’m honest, the nights were worst for me. I know I’m not a typical patient, but my rump was incredibly tender, which meant I had to sleep on a line of soft pillows. I also had groin pain due to a pulled tendon (which can happen but not always), which made lifting my leg very painful. Plus having to sleep on my back for 6 weeks (part of the post op requirements), which was very unnatural for me and contributed to restless legs and hours of solo horizontal tangoes. Well, you get the picture, night times were an ordeal. It’s even worse if you’re lying there trying not to disturb someone.I hope it’s not this bad for any of you, there’s no reason why it should be, but we certainly found it necessary for both our sanity and a chance of a decent nights sleep to make use of the spare room for the duration. There were times when I could have done with a hand getting in and out of bed to get to the loo in the night, but I managed.

    However, I know some haven’t had to resort to this, you may be ok, but just be prepared.

  • Cazbaz
    Cazbaz Member Posts: 71

    @Jaceyduck the hospital provided Zimmer frame, 2 walking sticks, raised toilet seat, ,shoe horn and a sliding sheet which helped me get in and out of the car, my hospital don’t take the equipment back and told me to either donate it to someone or bin it

    @Lilymary same as you we had separate beds so I didn’t disturb hubby’s beauty sleep, to be honest I’m getting quite used to it and as I occasionally wake up during the night hubby has decided to stay where he is for a few more weeks🙂

  • Carolbee
    Carolbee Member Posts: 23

    Would you be entitled to some sort of care package/home help in your own right?

    Living on the Kent coast and looking forward to a pain free future

  • Jaceyduck
    Jaceyduck Member Posts: 14

    Thankyou all for your very helpful tips, I’ll try and prepare as much as possible prior to op and stock up with convenience foods etc. I might enquire about a short care package when I’m next in touch with the hospital. I’m just going to try and get out and about as much as I can over the next 6 weeks as I’ve shielded my husband throughout Covid and now we are both fully vaccinated I feel brave enough to go out more. I need to make the most of this lovely weather before I’m restricted during my recovery.

    Lovely to read all about your recovery journeys.

    Take care.

  • ET63
    ET63 Member Posts: 10

    Morning all

    Judt found this thread now. Carolbee and I will be hip buddies from now on and it feels good to have someone literally in the same boat as me. It’s been great to read other experiences and I have soaked it all up.

    I have my pre assessment on the 1st July and I believe that’s when the physio decide what I need for my recovery and will organise that.

    Roll on the 15th July

  • Carolbee
    Carolbee Member Posts: 23

    Got my pre op 30 June

    Living on the Kent coast and looking forward to a pain free future

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,004

    Oh gosh this is all very exciting will keep an eye on your thread as well as 'New Hip day' now!

    🙂

  • Jaceyduck
    Jaceyduck Member Posts: 14

    Hi I’ve got my pre assessment booked in for 15th July so Am hoping you will post what it entails etc so I will be prepared. I’m having my thr on 4 th August so just 3 weeks behind you.

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 30,004

    I think this is the summer of the hips! Like the summer of the knees we had a few years ago!

  • Carolbee
    Carolbee Member Posts: 23

    I’ll report back next week after pre op, guessing it will be bloods, medical questions etc.

    i just can’t wait to get it over and done with now. Whether it’s because I have a date and I’m ‘letting myself’ get worse, or I really am getting worse I don’t know, but roll on 15 July. Normally I’d have a pretty busy social life, but I’ve cancelled a few things to keep away from indoor events. Happy to meet outside for a coffee. I’ve not been told to isolate until after Covid test on 12/7.

    Living on the Kent coast and looking forward to a pain free future

  • Cazbaz
    Cazbaz Member Posts: 71

    Hi Carolbee, not long for you now, at my pre op. assessment I had the usual blood tests, ECG,,MRSA/MSSA groin swab, blood pressure and weight check, I came home with bottle of Hibiscrub to shower with and a drink which I had to take day before op(can’t remember exactly what that was for) few days later saw the anaesthetist who checked my results, checked my spine (I was having spinal anaesthetic) and talked me through everything. I felt a lot happier when all this was done.

  • Licklelilly
    Licklelilly Member Posts: 29

    Great news!! So glad THR is happening again. My TRH was 3 weeks ago, Im doing extremely well in spite of lack of exercise due to Doctors stopping my HRT last week, had headaches, menstrual bleeding, and my Blood pressure went through the roof! Another doctor reissued my HRT meds yesterday, sheepishly saying, I should have not had them stopped! Had video physio today, she suggested I give up my crutches and get walking out and about! I had the minimally invasive op, recovery is so much faster, and there are no restrictions on movement straight after the op. Yes, im too not feeling much pain now after 3 weeks!