I'm thinking I have been very lucky with my THJR. I've had no swelling to speak of, no real pain and no bruising apart from a small bullseye around the drain site. I can easily walk with Simon and the dog and could probably even manage our super steep driveway if I had to but I'm not going to push it.
I've worked out how to lie on my left side, I call it my whale dance, so my back gets some respite. I'm still quite tired but that's thanks to the anaemia. I hope one day to be able to sit down and not feel like I have a phone in my pocket.
I did manage to do something stupid today - we'll see if I dodge the bullet. I bent over (a big no no) with straight legs ( even bigger no no) and felt the characteristic sensation of a hip joint about to part company. Being experienced in this happening with my previous original model hip joint I quickly corrected my error and I'm hoping I didn't do any damage to muscles or joint. That's the trouble with things going so well - you push the envelope. I even tried wall walking in the middle of the night and that was stupid and uncomfortable. I now swear to stick to my directions as advised by those wiser than myself and hopefully me and my hip joint replacement will be together for more than 20 years.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, October 29, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Happy one week anniversary
My bionic hip and I have been together just over one week and we're still happy. Though the hip is a little demanding. It insists I sleep on my back, don't bend over or kneel.
It's amazing how far I've come in a week. Last week getting in and out of bed was difficult. I hadn't even faced stairs and the thought of getting in a car was frightening. I can now easily get in and out of bed even if it is neither graceful nor elegant. I go up and down stairs easily repeating" Good goes to heaven, bad goes to hell". I can stand without my crutches longer and extend my leg further back and sideways when doing my exercises. I've tackled the steepish path to the letterbox and only needed a brief nap. I can pretty much dress myself apart from the TEDs and it only takes twice as long. I even cooked a meal and an emergency batch of cookies last night.
So things are going well. The Brufen is upsetting my stomach but I found some leftover omeprazole so hopefully that's old news. I have cut back my paracetamol/codeine intake. I haven't had anything close to pain - it is truly strange!
Now I'm counting down the days until I get to remove my manky dressing. Then my Frankenstein leg will be complete.
Based on how brilliantly things have gone I don't intend delaying the left hip. Hopefully this time next year I'll be a double cyborg. W00t!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
It's amazing how far I've come in a week. Last week getting in and out of bed was difficult. I hadn't even faced stairs and the thought of getting in a car was frightening. I can now easily get in and out of bed even if it is neither graceful nor elegant. I go up and down stairs easily repeating" Good goes to heaven, bad goes to hell". I can stand without my crutches longer and extend my leg further back and sideways when doing my exercises. I've tackled the steepish path to the letterbox and only needed a brief nap. I can pretty much dress myself apart from the TEDs and it only takes twice as long. I even cooked a meal and an emergency batch of cookies last night.
So things are going well. The Brufen is upsetting my stomach but I found some leftover omeprazole so hopefully that's old news. I have cut back my paracetamol/codeine intake. I haven't had anything close to pain - it is truly strange!
Now I'm counting down the days until I get to remove my manky dressing. Then my Frankenstein leg will be complete.
Based on how brilliantly things have gone I don't intend delaying the left hip. Hopefully this time next year I'll be a double cyborg. W00t!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Going to the place the cyborgs belong.
Day 4 post THR found me at Armagghedon - the comic book/geek fest dressed as Oracle in my trusty wheelchair. I only managed a couple of hours but it was nice to be able to make the regular pilgrimage.
This morning I discovered that it is pretty much impossible to put compression tights on by yourself with only the use of a sock aid, shoe horn and grabber without getting seriously close to popping out that joint. I had taken the TEDs off overnight and intended wearing them during the day and having a rest at night but if I don't have a stocking assistant then I can't make sure I have them on before I get up so I think I'll be wearing the 24/7 for at least two weeks.
I seemed to have got the hang of getting into bed easily. I drag myself diagonally up the bed so my leg follows and end up easily positioned. The car is a bit more difficult. The guidelines say to get in from road level not from the curb. This is probably fine when you are getting into a family saloon but I'm trying to get into a Landrover so I end up trying to vault up. So now I try and find a curb and then pop my butt on the seat, lean back towards the driver's side, bend my knees and pivot around to get my feet into the foot well while still maintaining a greater than 90 degree angle. I have a slippy sheet on the seat to help with twisting.
I've been doing my leg exercises like a good little trooper but a little leery about weight bearing on my right leg while swinging the left one around.
I'm amazed how little pain I have. Much less pain than post- caesarean and I'm basically sitting on the wound. It must be magic. The only bruising I have is a small one by the drain site. I also have virtually no swelling. Amazing!
I'm still easily tired and had to have a nap after Armagghedon. The sudden hit of tiredness is amazing. I just suddenly find my eyes shutting and my head lolling right in the middle of doing things.
I do have the toileting and showering pretty much down pat. I had to use a disabled toilet today and it did not come close to my portable seat. I certainly agree a shower chair, a raised toilet chair and a grabber are essential tools. It's amazing how much stuff you drop when you can't bend over.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
This morning I discovered that it is pretty much impossible to put compression tights on by yourself with only the use of a sock aid, shoe horn and grabber without getting seriously close to popping out that joint. I had taken the TEDs off overnight and intended wearing them during the day and having a rest at night but if I don't have a stocking assistant then I can't make sure I have them on before I get up so I think I'll be wearing the 24/7 for at least two weeks.
I seemed to have got the hang of getting into bed easily. I drag myself diagonally up the bed so my leg follows and end up easily positioned. The car is a bit more difficult. The guidelines say to get in from road level not from the curb. This is probably fine when you are getting into a family saloon but I'm trying to get into a Landrover so I end up trying to vault up. So now I try and find a curb and then pop my butt on the seat, lean back towards the driver's side, bend my knees and pivot around to get my feet into the foot well while still maintaining a greater than 90 degree angle. I have a slippy sheet on the seat to help with twisting.
I've been doing my leg exercises like a good little trooper but a little leery about weight bearing on my right leg while swinging the left one around.
I'm amazed how little pain I have. Much less pain than post- caesarean and I'm basically sitting on the wound. It must be magic. The only bruising I have is a small one by the drain site. I also have virtually no swelling. Amazing!
I'm still easily tired and had to have a nap after Armagghedon. The sudden hit of tiredness is amazing. I just suddenly find my eyes shutting and my head lolling right in the middle of doing things.
I do have the toileting and showering pretty much down pat. I had to use a disabled toilet today and it did not come close to my portable seat. I certainly agree a shower chair, a raised toilet chair and a grabber are essential tools. It's amazing how much stuff you drop when you can't bend over.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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