Second Gear

I knew it was too good to be true.  Everything so far in this hip replacement journey has been bearable.  Well the first week was really rough, but after that everything seemed alright.  Time for a change and it looks like I've been kicked into second gear. 

I went to bed early last nigh to wake up for a 7a.m. physical therapy appointment.  Why I made an appointment at such an ungodly time?!  I have no idea.  I believe I was thinking let me get up and get it over with and have the rest of my day to enjoy - ha!

I've been really conscious about the 90 deg. angle rule and not having my knee higher than my hip.  Maybe I've been too cautious and not moving enough, because I moved a lot today.  I started out with riding the exercise bike with no tension for 10 minutes.  I was far back enough on the bike and at an angle to where I wasn't breaking the 90 deg. angle rule, but I was definitely moving higher/more than I had been at home.  There was no pain, but I definitely felt the stretch.

While I was at the gym I pretty much walked around without my cane, so that was an effort in itself.  My next station was sideways ladder.  I walked sideways three laps up and down in a line (tape on the floor like a ladder).   The key of course is to try to walk in a straight line and I did pretty well, but I did waver here and there.

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superman!  Yep, I did an exercise like Superman.  Extending my left leg back to my toe tip and leaning forward arms outstretched like Superman.  Not as easy as it sounds - requires a lot of balance and that was just with my left (operated leg back).  You know what's next - put my right leg back and then the majority of my weight is on my left leg (operated).

Time for stairsteps.  We now know I'm knock kneed, so with every exercise I need to try to make sure my frame stays straight and try not to let my knees bow in.  Not an easy fete to do when going up and down stairs.  It was almost like I had to double concentrate - concentrate on making it up the stair and concentrate on not bending my knee inward.  Believe it or not, I actually had to concentrate more with the right knee.  When I got to the left (operated) my only issue was that my knee kept popping/creeking.  Ugh, please don't let me need knee surgery. 

Next, I moved to the bed mat and did clams.  Clams are done by me laying on my side with my knees bent (pillows in between) and raising my knee up keeping my feet together.  Not that difficult laying on my right side, but I had to switch and lay on my left - operated side.  Not the best feeling to lay on the incision on a hard mat. 

If you've ever used a total gym, I'm sure you're familiar with the exercise of laying on your back and pushing your feet off a platform as you slide you and down using your muscles.  Well I didn't get to do that easy variation.  I had to start by laying on my operated side with bended knee and right leg outstretched and pushing my right foot off the platform - 30 reps.  Definitely a little exhausting after 20 reps, but I made it to 30.  Now for the difficult part - laying on my right side with knee bent and pushing off my left leg (operated leg).  I only got to 5 reps and we stopped.  This was very difficult to do.  I definitely felt a stretch in every muscle from my knee to my glutes. 

Finally, my therapist just wanted to see me walk with my cane and see if she could give me any recommendations.  After walking about 25 steps she stopped me and said I'm swaying.  She moved me to the table and had me lay down straight and she stretched out my legs.  No surprise, my left leg (operated) is about a thumbs length longer.  This is nothing to be alarmed about.  Over time my rods (replacement) will settle and I'll be even again.  I've read about this and my doctor told me to continue to do "shimmy" exercises to assist in the settling.  My therapist was a little more alarmed, but I've called the doctor's office and confirmed I'm taking the proper steps.  Let's hope I settle soon.

All in all, I did a lot today and my therapist said I would be sore and guess what - I'm achy and sore.  I guess this is where I say "No pain, no gain"!  Resting now and up again to take a walk and do my additional exercises.  Have a good weekend!

Soup is good for the soul . . .

I’m not sure what I would do without my family and just as important my friends.  I’ve been really blessed to have met a great group of people over the years that I can truly call “my friends”.

I was able to have family visit and assist the first two weeks after surgery and once they left my friends have been there for me!  It’s times like these that I slap myself in the face and say “are you just being a taker or a giver?!”  I never want to find myself in a place where I’m taking my friendships for granted.  Lord, help me to be a better friend!

Whenever you’re feeling a little under the weather, a little down in your spirits or just can’t seem to get up out of the slump – well soup is good for the soul and boy have my friends found the perfect place!!  The Soup Peddler J  Sounds like an episode of Seinfeld, right?! – LOL!   I was blessed with a delivery last week and blessed again with a gift certificate for a delivery next week!  I’m sooo looking forward to trying out their Multi-critter Gumbo – sounds yummy!!!

Stress comes in all shapes and forms – physical, emotional etc., but at the end of the day I’m just happy I have a wonderful family and SUPER friends to vent to and to make life a bit easier and relieve the stress.   I’ll be venting – I mean talking to you soon LOL!  Love ya!!

Great Report and Spasms

Today we'll eat our dessert first!  Good news, I had my first outpatient physical therapy today and my final report was that I am doing great!!!  I was told that I've been doing excellent with my home exercises and with the in-house therapy.  I had picked this particular rehab location because they have a pool and my doctor's office suggested I do aqua therapy.  I was sooo looking forward to being able to walk around in the pool.  My initial evaluation went so well that my new therapist said I am beyond aqua therapy - what???? no walking around in the pool????  First disappointment :-(   I don't have access to a swimming pool, so when I go back on Friday I am going to ask if I can get in the pool anyway even though I'm at a more advanced stage.

I acquired a few more exercises to do at home and I can drop a few of the easier ones off my list.  My new exercises are geared toward muscle strengthening of my glutes and thighs in hopes of straightening out my "knocked knees".  I swear I didn't know I was knocked knee-ed until recently.  All these years I've been walking funny and no one ever told me.  It's not like I watch myself walk.  I guess everyone thought I knew - nope, didn't know!

Now onto the part of the meal you don't want to eat - bad news . . . the therapy appointment went well and I went into work for my four hours and after about an hour those muscles I stretched with those new exercises started to spasm.  Grrrrr . . . not a good feeling.  I didn't make my four hours today.  I came home at my usual time and went straight for the warm pack on my incision and then my massaging session.  Right in the middle of using the warm pack the spasms continued so I ended up transferring the warm pack from my incision to my interior thigh muscles and was able to get some relief.  I removed the pack and ended up falling asleep and waking up almost two hours later.  That was a long nap - guess I needed it.

Now its time for my afternoon walk and before night's end I need to do some more exercises - blah!  Let's hope with no spasms.  Overall, I'm glad I got a great report!

The little things

First, I remembered to take Tylenol today and I felt better this evening. I was even able to do more of my hardest exercise - stepping up a stair bad leg first!

I nipped my finger on the trash bin at work today and have a little cut. I tell you sometimes it's the little things that bother you the most. Here I had total hip replacement and my little finger is bothering me more LOL! Well enough about my finger.

One other thing I have noticed is my wrist hurts more from time to time. I'm sure it's all the pushing/lifting my body weight. I need to hurry up and get more strength in my legs or I'm gonna need a wrist brace.

How am I progressing? Here are a few things: I'm using a cane and making steps around the house without the cane. I can now go up and down the stairs forward and not sideways I am able to lay on my surgery side while sleeping (pillows between knees/legs) for short periods of time. I can stand up non assisted from my bed - no hand support needed. I can walk a block and back without stopping. And most importantly, I can do all these things without being in pain or totally tired out. In addition to working four hours a day, I do 20 reps of my exercises at least twice a day!

I start outpatient physical therapy tomorrow and I'm looking forward to see what I'll be doing next and getting a second opinion on my progress so far. I think I'm doing well, but I definitely don't want to overdue anything and hinder my recovery in the long run.

Thanks for listening. I'm calling it a night - after my exercises of course :-)

Little too late

I was so happy about getting out of the house today and having a successful couple hours at work, I didn't think to take Tylenol. I only take a pain pill at night and haven't been taking anything during the day. Well around 5pm some aches and pains started kicking in and I wasn't very happy. I should have taken Tylenol earlier in the day. Oh well, a little too late. I dealt with the discomfort until bedtime and just took a pain pill for the night. Tomorrow I will remember to take a Tylenol earlier in the day since I can only take them every 8 hrs.

All that being said I'm still very pleased with my recovery. I finished in-house therapy on Friday and I start my out-patient therapy on Wednesday. I've been doing my exercises at home very well. I wonder if therapy is going to be kicked up a notch Wednesday?!

I'll be ready for work tomorrow. Tylenol - check, Soft pillow - check, Good attitude - check! Goodnight!

9-1

Three weeks in the house and I'm going batty.  Yesterday I made a trip to Super Target to pick up a few items.  I don't have a handicap sticker for the car so I tried to park as close as I could because I knew I would be walking all around Target.  I managed to get everything I needed and loaded up in the car and even placed the shopping cart back in the right place and not leave it in front of the car LOL!  It definitely felt good just getting out and seeing other people.  Sitting around the house for three weeks and looking at the same walls, sitting in the same chairs was starting to drive me a little stir crazy. 

I need to start back to my normal program, so I started with going in to work today!  Yep, I did a 9-1 shift today!  I have a desk job and I am attempting to work four hours a day.  So far so good!  I did a test run last week driving to work, sitting in my chair and using our lovely handicap restroom and all went well.  Today when I sat in my chair I needed more cushion, so I sent a friend to my car to get my pillow and by the end of the four hours I realized I need a softer pillow.  Not sure why my bum is so sensitive today?!  LOL  I stopped at Walmart on the way home (first visit since my surgery) and bought a new pillow.  Tomorrow may be a blog about my bum LOL!  I have a co-worker who basically eats Chipotle every day so I was able to place an order and he picked it up for me and I ate lunch before I left.

When I got home I came straight in the house and plopped down in my recliner - Ahhhh . . . felt great!  I'm glad I'm getting out and tomorrow I think I'll try it again :-)

Happy days!

Just a quick post - I'm feeling better each day and moving around more each day.  It's amazes me to think two weeks ago I had hip replacement surgery and I'm walking around today with a cane and little to no pain.  Pre-surgery I always had hip pain like nagging headache and limited mobility.  I already can extend my leg out farther than pre-surgery and hip pain?!  What's that??  The only pain I feel is incision pain.  I thought I would at least have that throbbing pain around the incision - but I've never felt that!  I'm so happy with my progress and my decision to have the surgery.  I'm just excited to see my progress a month from now :-)

My incision is finally drying out.  I have been able to use band aids today!  There is one small area that remains firm and I continue to use warm packs throughout the day to loosen up that dry blood underneath.  I'm sleeping better through the night, but still waking up around 5:30/6:00 a.m.  I am able to get at least one good nap during the day to compensate.  My physical therapy is going well and I'm able to walk a little more each day.  I've been able to put a wider distance between taking pain medication and will attempt to start taking regular tylenol.  And lastly, I'm getting my appetite back.  With that being said, talk to you later - I'm off to go have dinner!

Cyber Marzz - 2 Week Post-op

Cyber Marzz - that's what my 10yr old nephew calls me - LOL

I had my two week check up today and I received a good report. My incision looks good and is healing well. I just have one small area that feels firm and I can use a warm pack and massage the area to loosen up the hard blood underneath. A few sootchers (sp?) made there way to the surface and they pulled them with tweezers and cut them. If I see this in the future I'm told anyone can cut then for me. It's better to cut them than let them continue to push out apparently. This all may be more than you wanted to know, but I promised to write about this journey to help someone else. I will continue to bleed a little this week and should dry out by the weekend. I'm not at a point where I can start letting my would air out.

Physical therapy is still going well and I've been using a cane for two days now. The pain is decreasing also. I made it 9 hours today without taking a pain pill. As soon as my bleeding slows down I can start therapy in the swimming pool - walking around :-)  Oh my, I can't believe I almost forgot - I don't have to wear the compression stockings anymore!!! Yay me!

Most asked question: when are you going back to work?? Well I first need to get off pain meds and then we will see.

Ok I had a pretty full day today, so I'm off to relax a bit and hopefully have a great nights sleep without the continuous bathroom runs LOL!

Goin Solo

In approximately thirty minutes I'll be single again.  My nephew was with me at the hospital, my niece was with me for a week when I got out of the hospital and my sister came for four days and leaves in minutes.  Hard to believe I had hip replacement surgery just 12 days ago.  And now everyone is gone and I'll be tackling everything on my own.

So you're wondering am I able to take care of myself???  YEP - I'm doing really well and the only thing I can't do is pick up anything I drop on the floor.  I've rearranged everything I need high enough to reach.  I have two grabbers and if I can't pick it up with the grabber it will just have to sit on the floor.  Ring ring, Ring ring . . . "Hi Mary, can you come over and pick up some stuff off the floor me me?!"  LOL!

I'm still using my walker for outside, but I'm using a cane in the house.  My PT is progressing from 10 reps to 20 reps.  I can stand up from a seated position with no assistance and without pushing off, and my new challenge is stepping up a stair with the "bad" (surgery leg) first without using arm strength.  I'm starting to go up the stairs forward instead of sideways and I continue to have my daily walk to get the mail.  I've been out to CVS/Walgreens and the grocery store over the past three days.  And NO I did not use the handicap scooter.  I refuse to use that scooter.  Sorry, but every person I ever see in that scooter looks pretty sad/bad and I don't want that image. 

I do have pictures of the femoral head they cut out and incision photos.  So if you want to see them you'll have to email a request.  I won't be posting those pictures online.  I do have to continue to wear compression pantyhose for a while and the picture with my cane was taken today.

Alrighty then, I guess it's time to see if I can manage all by myself.  I'm feeling good and I have my follow-up appointment with the doctor on Monday.  Thanks again for the prayers :-)

Wednesday - Hump Day

I'm not sure where the expression Hump Day came from, but it feel's like a hump day to me.  I've been trotting along almost like a rabbit and today I'm feeling like a turtle.  I'm hoping that after I take a good nap I'll wake up ready to trot around again.  As for how I'm doing, I'll start with the negative and end with the positive.

By Saturday, I should have had a dry incision area.  By Sunday I still had heavy bleeding so I called my interim nurse who contacted my doctor's office.  I was told to stop taking Lovonox, the blood thinning medication.  Monday afternoon I got up out of the chair and saw I was bleeding through my clothes.  I still didn't think I should still be bleeding to that degree.  I called the doctor's office and they told me to come in.  I got right in and they took x-rays and I was completely redressed.  It can take up to two days for the Lovonox to stop working and the bleeding will eventually slow down and stop.  To date, it hasn't stopped but the bleeding has slowed down.  The only other issue I've had is water blisters.  I've acquired a few from the the dressing tapes.  I've tried a few different types and think I found a tape that doesn't hurt to much when you pull it off my skin and hasn't caused any additional blisters.  And I didn't realize how expensive bandages, gauze, dressing tape etc. can be and I'm having to use more because I'm still bleeding.  Today's task is to search online for a medical supply to buy some items in bulk.  In the interim, I need to continue moving.  Movement is the best medicine!

I've definitely been moving.  I have a series of PT exercises I go through twice a day and yesterday I took my first walk outside to the mailbox and a little down the street.  I definitely feel my legs getting stronger and if I keep up this pace I don't see why I'm not using a cane by the weekend and off the walker.

My niece had to fly back home yesterday, but my sister flew in right before she left.  My niece was a great asset to have and she definitely made sure I did what I needed to do and what I couldn't handle, she picked up the slack.  It's a different ball game now with my sister here because I'm able to do much more on my own.  So far today the only thing my sister had to do was change my dressing, do a load of laundry and place my breakfast items on the table.  I did everything else myself.  I even made my bed :-) yeah me!!! 

I'm working through my pain and feeling better.  Today I just feel tighter and I'm sure that's just because I worked more of my muscles yesterday.   I'm not zoning out as quickly and staying awake longer.  Look, I'm actually blogging LOL!  Since being home I haven't been on Facebook more than 5 minutes, seen an entire episode of any show or watched a movie from start to finish - I'm also behind on all my Words with Friends games.  Hopefully today I can start to turn that around.

Til next time . . .

First week down . . .

It's been a week since I've had my surgery and there are some things I'm surprised I can do, while there are other things I haven't been able to do - but I'm getting there.  The best way to explain is to go through my day:

I wake up around 5:30-6am and managed to get myself out the bed and up on the walker to the restroom.  I don't need any assistance in the restroom.  In the restroom I have a raised toilet seat, grabber and everything I would need to use within hands reach.  I'm so glad I have so many 31 bags, because I've been using them all around the house.  After my morning cleaning, I grab some clothes out the closet and make my way to the bed where I get dressed, take my morning medicine and give myself Lovonox - the blood thinner shot.  Yes, I have to give myself a shot in the stomach every morning.  I do have to look at my piece of paper to see if it's the proper time for my pain medication.  I realized I was forgetting when I took it last, so I guess I'm getting old and I'm subjected to writing it down :-)  At this point its anywhere from 8:15-8:30am and my niece walks in and asks if I need help with anything.  I usually have her get me a snack - apple sauce or fruit cocktail before breakfast to ease my stomach from the meds.  All of these activities are on a good morning.  On a bad morning I go through the same motions, but with assistance.  After all this I'm ready for PT and its probably 9:30am.  I get back into the bed and start PT exercises.  My niece doesn't let me count a leg extension as two moves - one out and two in . . . ugh!   PT is done and I scope the room for anything I need to take downstairs.  Yep, I'm a stair master LOL!  I am able to go downstairs one step at a time and sideways - good leg first up and bad leg first down.  Once I'm down I either go to the recliner, to the restroom again or the kitchen table.  My daily routine is basically recliner, restroom, kitchen table, walker around the room and additional PT during the day.  And we can't forget the instant naps when you're eyes just won't stay open and you wake up right in the end of a tv show or movie and you've missed everything.  That happens a lot - LOL!  I'm typically more alert after 3pm  - correction.  I'm typically more alert from 3pm to 5pm LOL.  And on most days I stay downstairs until around 10pm. 

So all in all, I'm getting around and feeling better each day.  My in-house PT assistant arrives tomorrow and I'm sure I'll be learning/doing more next week.  Maybe I'll be off the walker and using a cane by the end of the week.  Sounds unbelievable to me, but I'm finding nothing is impossible - just wait and see.

I haven't talked about the pain.  Well everyone's pain tolerance is different and I have my good days and bad days also.  I've been prescribed hydrocodone and I'm still taking pain meds.  I feel better during the day and have my biggest discomfort when I first try to get to sleep in the bed in the evenings.  I am hopeful each night I'm going to sleep soundly, but that hasn't happened yet.  Last night I was sooo happy we finally got rain in the the City, but the storm wasn't my friend.  The temperature got cooler and when I get cold I get the chills really bad and my body usually starts trembling, teeth chattering and all that body movement makes me hurt.  Not to mention, do you know how hard it is to control your bladder when you having body chivers?!  No fun!  There's no waiting to visit the restroom, because it takes me a lot longer to get there now a days :-(

All in all I'm adapting to all these changes and embracing them as well as I can.  My niece can be a hard task master, but I know she loves me to death.  I called on her to help me through recovery and like me, she's sticking to the plan.  When I really need to rest she lets me.  But you know how it is, sometimes you don't want to rest - sometimes you just want your way!!!  I'm not winning a lot of those battles LOL!

Thanks everyone for your thoughts, prayers, comments, calls, messages and visits!  I'm so thankful for my family and friends.  Let's see what I can accomplish over the next couple of days . . . I'll update then.

I've been released!

I was released today, but not after I got a complete workout.  Busy, busy day today.  I woke up going to the ladies room and back to the bed to await breakfast.  Surprise - PT is knocking at the door before breakfast to take me out for a walk.  Everyone didn't lie, each step gets better - just tiring.  After the walk they set me back up in the chair and I had breakfast.  The food still doesn't take great, but even if it was great I don't have a much of an appetite.  Surprise - PT came back after breakfast to get me walking on a stair.  I'm feeling like I'm getting the cram session.  Going up and down the one step wasn't that difficult - up with the good, down with the bad.  It's not even 10 a.m. and I'm feeling pretty tired.  Well now its time to take advantage of this beautiful handicap friendly bathroom before I go home and have to maneuver around my bathroom.  Ahhh, I feel good and refreshed.  I finally get to sit back in the bed, eat lunch and hopefully get a good nap before PT comes back again.  Surprise - lunch wasn't as good as dinner.  A mistake was definitely made somewhere because this lunch was back to being bland and awful.  I ate was much as I could and here comes PT for another walk.  A successful walk and I've been given the all clear to discharge.  I didn't get to nap as I went back to the room, changed into my clothes, my IV cap was taken out and a cart rolled in for my belongings.  I was out the door and tucked in my car before I could say ice cream LOL!  The overall visit at the hospital was great and I surprise myself each day with my improvements.  Now it's all of me - go home and have a healthy, speedy recovery.

It's good to be home.  My niece made me a flavorful, delicious meal:  baked chicken, rice & gravy and broccoli.  I still didn't eat much, but what I consumed was delicious :-)

We have liftoff!

Day three post-op and I finally did it. I was able to walk without getting dizzy and almost fainting. I was getting a little worried, but I was assured this happens sometimes and I'm doing great. I the morning I took a short walk around the room and came back to sit in the chair. I sat in the chair for a good five hours and then had PT again. I made it down the hall and back and into the bed. Surprise my walking wasn't over - I had to get up again and go to the ladies room. I've been totally disconnected from all aids and have to do everything on my own. I must admit I liked the bag, not having to get up and go to the restroom and not even knowing when u went - LOL! Back to reality and time to get to work. Each time I do get up I feel better, so I need to keep getting up. The plan is for me to learn some more tricks today (stairs) and then I'll be released. Am I ready? We'll see by the end of the day. Til then . . .

Day 1 & 2 after surgery

Day 1 - I had a successful surgery. Doctor said the replacement fit perfect and my leg is solid. I was givin morphine directly in my back (spinal) so I came out of recovery pretty alert. I had an all liquid lunch and by dinner time I was eating solids. Didn't have much of an appetite, but I tried. As for pain I wasn't moving much, so I was doing ok. I was strapped to an A shaped wedge between my legs to prevent movement. I was given fluids and antibiotics through my IV and a plug to push morphine every 10 minutes. I started hitting the button a little after midnight. No standing or walking today.

Day 2 - I woke up in a lot of pain. I believe I started the morphine too late and my pain was ahead if me. Breakfast wasn't too successful, still not much of an appetite. PT came in at 9 to get me up and moving. That wasn't successful either - a lot of pain but I was working through it. I got to the end of the bed sitting position and then finally standing with a walker. I became dizzy, lightheaded and my blood pressure dropped very low. They sat me down quickly before I fainted and back in the bed I went. Visits from the doctor and PA again gave me good reports other than I really needed to get walking in the afternoon. I was able to eat more for lunch and shortly after I was taken off my antibiotics, fluids and morphine. I know take pain orally. PT came back about 3 and we started with bed exercises. Very good, pain wasn't near as bad as in the morning. We took my blood pressure before moving and after I got to the end of the bed and stood up at the walker, same thing - blood pressure dropped drastically. Back to the bed I go. No more PT for the rest of the day. I guess tomorrow will be a better day and I'll actually walk. Doesn't look good, but we will see.

On a positive note, I've had many visitors and lots of flowers :-)

Twas the night before

Twas the night before surgery and all through the house not a creature was stirring and definitely not a mouse.  I'm patiently waiting for my nephew to care and reading over notes so I'll be aware.  My backpack is ready to depart out the door and everything is moved so I won't trip on the floor.   Today I've had a little anxiety, but now I am calm and I'm assured I'll arrive without sweaty palm.  I've received lots of luck and there's not much more to say.  You'll read more from me on another day!