My THR recovery diary

@JPT If you've read my diary, my nights were awful. I wanted to cry just thinking about going to bed. As the pain and stiffness are wearing off, you'll need less medication, you'll be more used in sleeping on your back and you'll get better nights. I promise. Everything is slow motion at your stage, but it'll pass very soon. Just patience.

The story with you cat made me laugh. 😂 X

Well done that was a lot for one day JPT

I'm sure husband did his best.

🏉 if it distracts you is 🥰

You knew when to stop that's so important.

Take care

Toni x

You are doing very well!

Sometimes the pain is like the old one but don't worry about that because it's not. The muscles around the hip are the same and you are recovering from a major surgery and a bad posture. The golfball feeling will be with you for a little while, but it will not be painful, just weird.

The issue with the crutches, coat, phone and grabber is so annoying. I have to confess I broke the 90º rule several times using the Golf pose to avoid asking for help.

When are you visiting your physio? You can talk to them about any concern you have.

Take care x

About weight 😭

Until 10 years ago, I weigthed 117lbs, size 8. I gained 10lbs in 5 years when the pain increased and then activity decreased. Another 6lb during pandemic. I put on 10lbs from August, when something broke and I stopped walking and another 10lb after the surgery because I moved 0 and I ate a lot. My Physio showed me the prosthesis and I think it weights around 1lb.

If you feel you don't want to go to the wedding, just don't go. In my opinion, it'll be too much but I'd like to hear what others say. X

@JPT

Yes, I too put on weight, I mean doing little exercise for 6-12 weeks and scoffing, doesn't help does it? Losing it now, with diet and exercise, am aiming for my pre op weight.

Please listen to your body and don't got to the wedding if you don't feel up to it. You have had a major operation, for goodness sake!

I am 4 months down the line and I still don't much like new places. I even slipped over in my garden a couple of days ago. The ground is like an ice rink. No harm done, except to my dignity, but a little warning to me.

@JPT it definitely sounds as though you are not ready for the wedding and you are right - another week could have made a difference. I found a massive difference between two and three weeks. I am still avoiding places I don't have to go and don't want to go because I know I'm still a bit short-tempered with people who don't understand. Sometimes it seems everyone knows someone who was back to normal almost immediately. I'm told a relative went motorbiking in the Himalayas after ten weeks.

I wasn't given compression socks either and as I live alone it had been one of my biggest fears as to how I would get them on and off.

I think once you start to move more naturally your weight will stabilise - it's more important to look after yourself now and keep yourself pain-free. Well done for reducing the codeine, but I recognise you knowing when your paracetamol are due - I could set the clock by it!

I feel for you and your blister site - how much longer are you on blood thinners? I was on them for six weeks, but no compression socks, and so a bit of my wound took a long time to heal, but once off the blood thinners it healed quickly.

Enjoy your first shower - and expect to have to have a lie down from the effort!

Take care, x

@JPT I am so glad you are putting yourself first as far as the wedding is concerned. Will your husband go without you? If he does you may well enjoy some time alone in peace😉 2-3 hours drive just the thought of that is too much I know I'd be in tears in your shoes. Honestly imagine it it really is selfish of anyone to think you'd be able to go.

It's all about mobility the blood thinners and the ted stockings. As soon as you are more or less as mobile as before then they are usually happy to stop them. It is indeed consultant's preference though.

@Janlyn yup everyone knows someone who was skiing after a fortnight🙄 who cares as we've said many times this is a marathon not a sprint.

@JPT Ask your nurse about the socks. I understand the feeling of being constanty watched.

Maybe those riding motorbikes and skiing after ten days are very healthy people that suffered a recent accident or an injury so they have a very fast recovery. I think it's not the case of many of us here. Many of us have had a long and slow degenerative process probably for years. Our own bones tried to fix the damaged places making a mess of bone spurs. We have to recover from misalignments of bones, muscle loss, stiffness, joints locked, abnormal gait, tilted pelvis, weak tissues and thickened ligaments. We can add the trauma and mental damage too. That's not fixed in a fortnight.

Let us know how was your hospital visit. X

@Janlyn I'm sorry but I don't believe anybody riding a motorbike for hours and jumping hills in 10 weeks after the surgery. I've had many long trips on motorbike and it's very uncomfortable so I can't imagine the pain with a stiff operated hip. I'm in my 10th week and I can't be sat on my sofa for more than 30 minutes.

Also, long haul flights should be avoided for three months because of the risk of venous thromboembolism. He wouldn't have insurance coverage without his doctor permission.

@Nurina I wondered whether I had got this right and so I checked back and found the letter. Apparently he was injured from two long biking trips in Spring. Another few months and he was still injured, had a hip replacement operation, and 'within 10 weeks was on a motorbike in India in a group of ten, touring the Himalayas!' No wonder I didn't get any sympathy!

@JPT apologies for taking over your thread.