Bilateral THR Put2pasture is now garose2hip in recovery!

[GaRosehippy]

Hey I'm on the other side! Ain't no walk in the park either! Glad I did it all at once cuz I would have chickened out! Yesterday was wicked, lots of drugs, my bp has been dropping like 79/53 kind of numbers, so they are going to do oral morphine, tordol i.m., dual drainage, they come out tomorrow. Walked about 70 fet, worn out.

 

[MajorHeidi]

Hi @put2pasture here you are!
Is the pain manageable for you I hope? Seems like low BP happens frequently.
I sure hope they are treating you well.
You are SO brave!!!!

 

[I'm finally gonna do it!!]

You're done! Take it day by day and before you know it you'll have a pain free life. So happy for you!

 

[MajorHeidi]

How are you doing there, @put2pasture ? Just checking in....

 

[GaRosehippy]

@MajorHeidi .....Having a wee bit of a pity party, expected all these cheers and I feel like I'm all alone. Any who, I am doing remarkably well I think. Like a bunch of folks I followed, they had to pee like a race horse, last night was my first night home and I must have peed 9 times. I even had my son move the potty into the bedroom as I was exhausted from just getting up and down. Perhaps it was just a good PT workout that helped release built up fluid. I have taken several steps without the walker as my OS is all for that, get rid of it as soon as possible. Got my underwear and pj bottoms on by myself, I was impressed with that, socks still an issue but can move about the bed without them so much easier. Still no bp meds as it is holding it's own. Cutting the drugs in half and taking every 6 hours instead of a whole every 12 hours seems to be the magical combination for me. INR only 1.1, will cost me $25.00 for a nurse to come and prick my finger, I think PT will come out Thursday, hopefully I will get a gold star for that! Even slept on my side some, pillows between my legs, felt good as I am a side sleeper and body not happy with that position. Got up at 3 and went to the living area to watch some tv, way too many infomercials didn't buy anything. BP is 91 over 49 so I think I will not take the bp meds again tonight. Will keep a record and advise my doctors of the medication system and bp records. OS said I could shower, just don't feel like I have the energy to stay in there for a bit, might enjoy it too much. My son is off tomorrow so he is going to help me with the steps and perhaps we can sit out on the deck and enjoy some special time together. Looking forward to each new day, honestly I can say the pain is a different pain, so with each passing day I hope to forget about the bone on bone pain and focus on this new chance I have been blessed with.

 

[MajorHeidi]

Good to hear from you Roseann!
Your BP does sound low to me still. Shoot, my BP is normally 170ish/80ish. I wonder what mine will do?
You might wait on the shower til it rises some more, huh?
I guess all that fluid they pump in has to come out.

What are you taking for pain?

You need to 'start a new thread' on the recovery side.
That's where you will get cheering for your recovery.

 

[fulafoto]

Oh Roseann that all sounds brilliant - doing your underwear and pj's on yourself and walking a few steps - you go gal

Glad to hear your doing so well and remember we are thinking of you . Pleased you didn't open that purse up for the infomercials

And just remember - recovery is a marathon ~ not a sprint

 

[MajorHeidi]

How goes it today? Have you done any of the PT stuff? Do you have a log? haha

 

[GaRosehippy]

okay tell me how to open a thread on the other side....also bad day as I had PT. Thought I was doing good until that happened. Took some clothes off the clothes line and put them on the walker, did about 5 dishes in the sink. I have been running a low grade fever, slowing creeping up from 99.2 yesterday, 99.4 earlier today with PT, now my son with his BA in science and biology just took it and it is 100.1. I am hurting so bad, no good drugs that I can take, just cut up an ambien taken with a soda to help it kick in and knock me out. I have been peeing so much it is crazy, but have been drinking too. Hips just hurting, they do not want to be flat or elevated, they want to be bent at the knees, seems less pressure on them, if I make it through the night I promise to be as lazy as possible with out going insane tomorrow. OS says if fever hits 101 to call, that is not too far away, hopefully it is nothing serious, my bp is still too low to take any meds, was 104 over 60. Was a beautiful day today, the sunshine and breeze felt so good.

 

[MajorHeidi]

@GaRosehippy See you changed your name thingie. That's better isn't it?
To open a recovery thread, you would go to the top area and find Hip Replacement. click on that....
Then it shows Preop and Recovery ... click on Recovery. Then, go to 'post a new thread' . near the top.
Or just rest rest rest til you feel more like doing that.

You are very brave to have done both hips at once.
I am sure your body is working extra hard on healing.
I think I read where your temp does elevate when it is working hard on the healing.

I hope you can get some rest tonight and feel better tomorrow.
Remember to rest, ice, and elevate along with your meds.

 

[Jamie]

@GaRosehippy There were so many posts for your recovery, I decided to just move them all on over to a new recovery thread for you. So, here you are and this is where you need to post concerns and questions along with those positive updates on your hips. Welcome to recovery!!! Remember that you had major surgery and resting is so very important. Stay on top of any pain you have too....not the time to be cutting down on meds unless you really do not hurt. And....it's way too soon to be walking without your walker!!! You need to use it until you are able to walk with a good, strong stride. NO LIMPING!!! That means you're not ready to be without a walking aid yet. Your body is in charge of your recovery....not the surgeon.

Here are some basic recovery articles for you to read.

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery
Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Activity progression for THRs
Home physio (PT)
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

 

[mystikfairy61]

@GaRosehippy Hey there, if I hadn't recognized the picture,I wouldn't have known it was you put2pasture!!! So good to hear you are home and doing ok. I remember those first few days, seemed like I spent as much time in the bathroom as I did resting!! All those IV fluids had to go somewhere.You are a lot more brave than me, I don't think I could have done both, one has been trying enough at times. Remember the mantras, rest ice and elevate!! Hoping each day gets better for you!! Glad you are on the other side!!

 

[mature mama]

Wow to you! Doing both seems incredible to me. Take it easy as you are only a couple of days from major surgery. Meds, water, ice, rest and enjoy a bit of Sun. Take it easy!!

 

[GaRosehippy]

Thank you everyone especially Jamie for getting me all moved over the post op side. I had my first at home PT yesterday and I felt like the **** had been beaten out of me. There wasn't a spot that didn't hurt. My neck muscles and shoulder muscles and upper body are so sore already from using them for moving around it's crazy. My CNA the first night was a huge black gentleman, he must have bee 6"4' all I could do was smile and say, ready when you are! I had to rely on his strength so much, but he got me through the worse of it and I was so truly bless! Especially since the next shift was this little whimpy mouse of a girl, yeah right, that first lunge is the hardest. Not much sleep, lots of ice, my best friend. So yesterday at home after doing the PT, I feel yeah I can do this piece of cake..........................well last night I was in tears trying to get up to go potty and sit back down. Total of 8 exercises, 2 sets of 15 2xs a day then they are going up and down stairs too. But I think I had done too much around the house before pt and that just was the icing on the cake and no nap after ward, it was like the titantic going down. So today I swore I would be exceptionally lazy, do some easy PT, I did take a shower, it was wonderful, having that hot water running down your skin, scrubbing you scalp, please I managed to get the old man to scrub my back and fill me in on every black and blue mark on my toros, ah the wounds of war.

 

[MajorHeidi]

Yay, you have your own recovery thread now!
Whew! on the PT. That sounds like a lot from reading on here, don't you think?

Glad you got a shower. That will be on my list to ask when is it okay....
Rest while you can.

 

[mystikfairy61]

@GaRosehippy Wow I didn't do that much PT at home, no wonder you were in pain. Hooray on the shower, I enjoyed that first one so much, felt like forever since I had one. Don't wear yourself out too much. Take it easy and follow the mantras my friend. You will do fine!!

 

[MsFit1]

Glad you are finally being lazy today @GaRosehippy ! Please don't do too much and let your body rest and recover. Sounds like you are doing very well especially considering you just had bilateral surgery. You may have mentioned it before, but what approach did you have? All the best to you!!!!

 

[GaRosehippy]

MajorHeidi.....When the OS had the drainage tubes removed and huge dressings he replaced them with a much smaller bandage, then some 5x6 clear sticker, waterproof, very comfortable. So guess that is why I can shower, can't bathe, but that would be another job altogether. Enjoyed the shower.
@mystikfairy61 ....Seems like a lot of PT to me too, I just was a lazy beast today, quads and knees really hurt today though.

 

[GaRosehippy]

I had the wonderful anterior approach. It does seem to get easier a little bit more every day. I like that first shot in the morning at getting up, yep that was a wee bit easier than yesterday!

 

[GaRosehippy]

@fulafoto.........I am exhausted looking for you and how to get to you and any way I found you. Look for me on the other side, don't want to lose you. No lucky me I didn't go shopping, I really have avoided the tv and have so far just rested as much as possible, I think it keeps my brain going if it is on. How are things going for you? I showered today! Other than that I was lazy!