Tag Archives: total hip replacement

1-Month Post Hip Replacement Surgery

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Originally posted to my Facebook page January 11, 2016

1-Month Post Hip Replacement Surgery:

I am walking unassisted around my house. I only resort to using my cane when I get tired or if I start to limp. I tend to try to favor my right leg when I walk without my cane, not because it hurts, but because I anticipate that it will hurt. Lol. I have to really focus when I walk a longer distance to not limp or otherwise favor my surgical side.

I had my 2nd session of outpatient PT this morning. I did a lot of walking sideways, and stepping sideways on and off a step. That was a little more difficult than what I’ve been doing to date. Plus I had to hold a ball between my knees while getting up off of a chair using my leg power only. Up to 9 minutes on the seated stepper machine, and 2 laps around the 2nd floor….I am very sore and I anticipate sleeping very well tonight.

My therapist told me to continue doing my home exercises. My energy comes in spurts and is lasting a bit longer. She said right now it’s a matter of building muscle and stamina…once those start getting built back up again, my energy will stick around longer.

I’m having to peel the steri-stips off my incision scar because they are stubborn and not coming off on their own. Lol. They gross the Swirlies out if they see the tape.

And I worked 4 hours today before I tapped out. That’s not bad. I’m going to shoot for another 4 hours tomorrow, 5-6 if I feel good. We’ll see. But it feels really good to start getting back into work-mode.

2 weeks from tomorrow and I’ll be free!! I’ll be released to drive and Joe B will no longer be Driving Miss Daisy. Lol.

Random Thoughts Post-THR

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Originally posted to my Facebook page on December 30, 2015

All 21 staples are gone! I got pictures and video…lol. Didn’t hurt, just 3 of them stung a little. Have to wait 24 hours to shower without the saran wrap, AND I can try to sleep on my right side. Waiting on a call-back from the doctor to see if I can lose the compression tights, and trying to schedule my outpatient PT starting next week.

My therapist had me walk all the way down the hallway and back without my cane, and added a hip flexor stretch, mini-squats and balancing on one leg to my PT exercises. She said I’m doing great, that many patients she works with are still using a walker only. Don’t worry….I’m only doing as much as I feel I can. When I get tired I rest….even when I just feel like it, I go lay down. Lol.

Later….the same day…..

It’s time for a green smoothie. It’s easy to eat well when you feel good physically and emotionally. It’s tougher when you don’t feel well…even though that’s exactly the time your body needs good food the most.

Just a random nutrition thought. Lol.

December 31, 2015 Facebook musings….

Whoo hoo!! Made it into the front seat of my car!! I’ve been riding in the middle seat of the van ever since I was sprung from the hospital. Seat is pushed all the way back and it was easy-peazy getting in.

More random thoughts….January 2, 2016

Yesterday was slightly challenging. Some woman starting blowing up Joe B’s phone yesterday morning and woke me up, and I couldn’t go back to sleep. Ended up being a wrong number. Poor thing was trying to get a hold of her mom, who used to have Joe’s new number. The early phone calls made me feel tired all day. I did my exercises and got all out of breath…which was frustrating and slightly embarrassing. I have to keep reminding myself that I’m recovering from major surgery and things will get easier with time, rest, and healing.

My sister took over making the New Year’s cowboy bread. She told my dad she is still an apprentice, but I think she is catching on quickly. Her bread turned out really good. And she made some awesome beef barley soup that Sara really liked.

After dinner my mom said “You look really tired Shelley.” So I went to lay down. Around 7:30pm I fell asleep and slept until 11:40pm!!! I guess I was tired. I can’t believe I slept that hard for 4 hours…a 4 hour nap!! But I felt much better.

Now I’m wide awake. And FaceBooking. Looking for recipes. But I feel great. Lol.

And later….the same day……

Damn. I almost made it out of the house without my compression tights. I was using my grabbity-grabber 3000 and got myself dressed and then Joe pulled the detestable tights out of the dryer. Lol. Damn.

2 Weeks Post Hip Replacement Surgery

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This was originally posted on my Facebook page on December 29, 2015

Yesterday marked the 2-week post-surgery date.

I am using a cane 95% of the time and only the walker when I get tired. My physical therapist added some new exercises onto my regimen, including hip raises and what feels like chair squats. Yay! And I have been cleared to walk short distances unassisted. I had felt like I could walk unassisted for a few days but I also know it will make me very sore, so it’s just short jaunts for now.

I had a bruise at the top of my calf on the surgery leg. Appeared out of nowhere but it didn’t hurt. The PT lady said that type of bruising is normal on the surgical leg, and she was quite surprised that I didn’t have more bruising around my ankle or other parts of my leg. I have been concerned about blood clots so it worried me a little, but glad to hear it was normal.

I am heading to the hospital for my last blood draw to monitor my blood thinners. Hoping to be off of them in a few days.

I really miss my ibuprofen. I had a wicked headache Sunday night that I couldn’t take anything for, except Tylenol or my painkillers, but I had to make sure I took them 4 hours apart. And Tylenol does nothing for any kind of pain I have, even before the surgery.

I’m learning that the level of being positive, or feeling like my emotional health is on the upswing, is directly related to how I feel physically. That headache cause my mood to plummet, and then I slept poorly that night. I felt sick and miserable all day yesterday. I got 11 hours of sleep last night so I’m hopeful today will feel better all the way around.

I am enjoying the downtime. Haven’t had this much downtime since long before I had kids. If anyone has any good movie recommendations, please send them my way.

And I get the 21 staples in my leg removed tomorrow!! Hoping they will let me toss the white compression tights with them. Lol. I’ll be so happy to take a shower without having my hip wrapped in Saran Wrap.

I’m very thankful for all the continued prayers and well-wishes. You have no idea. It gets tough, especially when there are other emotional battles to be fought in addition to my surgery recovery. So we take it day by day. I’m grateful for all my family and friends, especially the ones with me physically everyday: Joe B, my daughters, my parents and my sister and nephew. It’s hard to let others take care of you when you’re so used to being independent and taking care of others. But I truly appreciate it. It makes me all emotional when I think about it, especially the caring and concern they show, but in a good way.

Day 10 Post Hip Replacement Surgery

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Originally posted to my Facebook page on December 23, 2015

Day 10 Post-Hip Replacement Surgery:

The good news – Physical therapy is going well. I got cleared yesterday to start using a cane! I still need my walker, it’s going to be a gradual increase of using my cane. Joe said he’s going to bead it. Awesome. And my PT exercises are getting easier every day, even though I’m surprised how tired I get afterwards. 3 more sessions of home PT and then after the New Year I start out-patient PT.

Today I start trying to cut my pain medicine dosage in half. I can stretch the current dose out to 6 hours between, now I’m back to every 4 hours, but only half the dose. We’ll see how it goes. I have to go to LMH to do a blood draw every 2-3 days to monitor my dose of the blood thinner I’m on. So I get to get out today sometime.

I get my staples out next week!! Then I can get out and about more without so much worry about infection.

I can sleep on my non-surgical side with a pillow between my knees, which is such a relief. I can also cook eggs for my breakfast and bake cookies, with plenty of rest during the process. I can hang out in the living room on the new furniture my mom and Joe B bought me. Little Sara has gotten good at moving my walker up and down the stairs. She is so careful with me. She waits at the bottom of the stairs as I head down, looking like she is ready to catch me if I fall. Lol. And Shelby is always thinking ahead of things I might need. I have very thoughtful and caring babies.

And movies….I’m getting finally watch a bunch of movies I’ve wanted to see for a long time. Finally got Joe B hooked on “House of Cards” so we are starting with Season 1. We haven’t binge-watched anything in years.

We have so appreciated all the meals provided by friends, organized by Makyla King. And Jeri Johnson for organizing the lunch at my house last week, and the early Christmas dinner she is bringing over tonight.

The not-so-good-news:  all the meds and the recovery process are giving me night sweats and occasional chills. I’ve woken up a few times with a damp shirt that needs to be changed. I don’t have a fever and I’ve talked to my home health nurse about it. All of my blood work is fine. It seems as if this is just something to deal with. It messes with my sleep though…I find myself waking up every few hours. I’ve been scrolling my Facebook and my Twitter in the middle of the night, that’s where all the recipe posts come from, in case anyone was wondering what my sudden interest in all kinds of recipes is…..

Wearing these white compression tights is getting old. Really old. And they have an opening in the top of the foot, yet my foot is supposed to stay inside. Shelby bugs me by moving the hole and making my toes stick out, then she laughs and takes off….lol. Smh….

I knew my emotions might feel like a huge roller coaster ride during the recovery process. It was a concern I expressed to Joe and to my doctors before my surgery. And I found I had good reason to be concerned. Had one really bad day where all I felt like doing was crying….for no reason. I had to read up on the night sweats and the roller-coaster emotions, and found out those are normal things in recovering from a traumatic surgery such as hip replacement. So that helped me relax a bit.

I still get tired easily and I go lay down as soon as I feel like that. I used to have a hard time resting when there was always something that needed to be done, but Joe B is doing so much, and the girls and my family are helping, where I don’t feel any kind of way about resting and getting better and stronger. And since Joe B’s area of expertise is health education, I told him that I was glad I married him….lol. He changes the dressing like a pro, monitors my meds, helps me move my pillows around so I can change positions when I sleep, and makes sure I don’t over due anything.

All in all, I’m making excellent progress. I’m glad I’m a homebody because staying at home doesn’t bother me.

Day 5 Post Hip Replacement Surgery

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Originally posted to my Facebook page on December 18, 2015

Day 5 Post Hip Replacement Surgery:

My Lawrence, KS family, headed up by Jeri Johnson, planned a little lunch for me in my home today and a white elephant gift exchange. She wanted to get me in the holiday spirit. Which is a big deal for Jeri to plan and do, because she is a total Halloween girl….I don’t think she even considers Christmas a real holiday. Hahaha. Jk. Thank you Jeri and Freda and Makyla, Joe B and my mom and dad. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the company.

I got to take a shower today finally. Joe had to wrap up my leg with Saran Wrap Press N Seal and some tape so the dressing wouldn’t get wet. He did such a good job, that bandage was still completely dry when I was done. Washing my hair and fixing it, putting my contacts in, felt so normal and good.

My mom wanted to get Sara out of the house for a bit today…so Sara went with her but she told her grandma she needed to get back to take care of me because her dad was gone taking Shelby to practice. My 9-year old is so responsible already. It’s truly heartwarming how Shelby and her are both so helpful and careful around me and my hip and my incision.

I can get in and out of bed with ease because I have good upper body strength. The only exercise and movement i have difficulty with is moving my surgical leg out to the side, but Joe said it’s because that movement uses the 2 small muscles the surgeon detached to get to my hip joint. I am getting used to laying down and sleeping whenever I start feeling tired. I’m still surprised how quickly I can fall asleep,and how quickly I can get tired even when I am feeling good.

Still taking my pain pills to stay ahead of the pain, but I can stretch out the doses to 6 hours now. Samantha keeps telling me that this is no time for me be all gangsta, that I need to take the pills as scheduled until I’m a little further out from my surgery. Lol. I’m not a fan of the pain pills like I thought I would be….hahahaha. I am looking forward to being done with them as soon as I can be.

The meals keep coming and they are all delicious! Jennifer Donnely brought over baked chicken, rosemary new potatoes and green beans last night, and tonight Andea LeBeau Spottedhorse brought chicken fajitas. Everything tastes so good and is very much appreciated. I am surrounded by awesome people. And everything is so healthy!!!! That’s just icing on the cake!!

Day 4 Post-Hip Replacement Surgery

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Originally posted to my Facebook page on December 17, 2015:

Day 4 Post Hip Replacement Surgery:

I have a good track from our bedroom to the kitchen island and around for me to do my laps with my walker. Joe B has told me to slow down twice as I went speeding down the hallway. I don’t think I’m going very fast, but I do slow down when he tells me to.

I have 21 staples in my hip, and the incision is 14 centimeters long. Joe B can change the dressing like a pro. The home health nurse was impressed with my surgeon, said the healing incision was perfect. No bruising, no redness or swelling, etc.

It feels so good to be home. I crashed out for a nap soon after arriving home yesterday. Joe B is running the household and the Swirlies are so helpful. I think we all slept good last night for the first time since the weekend.

We’ve had some wonderful meals delivered by Leona Azure, A’sha Pruitt, Melissa & Isaiah Stewart, and Shelby’s GS Troop. Fresh food and delicious recipes…everything is very much appreciated.

I am doing my sets of exercises for PT on my own. Made Joe B a little nervous when I told him I was going to practice walking stairs. 2 trips up and down and I had enough. He was pleased that I’m not pushing myself, that for now I am taking things slowly.

Some of my nutty friends (and I have several…), were saying that I would be able to tell the ethnicity of my blood donor by my food cravings after my transfusion. If I craved spicy food, curry, Italian food, etc., Lol.

I must have received blood from a health nut donor….or a vegan. Because all I’ve been craving are fresh veggies and fruits and water. Hahahaha….Joe B just said, “Oh Noooooooo….”

Joe B and Shelby picked out a grabbity-grabber tool for me. It’s awesome. No more calling someone to pick up the end of my phone charger, I can reach a remote control on the TV stand from my bed, and I can pick up one of my pill bottles.

And now Shelby is trying to over on my grabbity-grabber 3000 and demonstrating how she could wrangle snakes with it…the demo is complete with her using one of her stuffed cobras.

Day 3 Post Hip Replacement Surgery

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Day 3 – Morning report:

Last night’s sleep at KCOI wasn’t very restful. Lol. I woke up with heel pain from having to keep my legs in the same position during sleep. Then my ice pack sprang a leak around 3am. They had to change the bedding, then do a blood draw around 4:15am. My room felt nice and cool until the outside temperature dropped and then the cold woke me up at 8am. I have warmed up blankets piled on me now, rolled up towels under my ankles, and I’m drinking coffee. They do have decent coffee here. (*it really is the small things in life….😊)

I have a great nurse in the daytime and a different great nurse in the evening. It’s funny though, the nighttime nurse puts pillows under my knees and lower legs, and then the daytime nurse comes in and lectures me on how I’m not supposed to sleep with pillows like that because of the risk for blood clots. I tried to get rid of the pillows this morning before she saw, but I only got one put away before she came in and busted me. Lol.

It’s amazing how a single digit number can make such a big difference with your hemoglobin. I came in to the surgery with my hemoglobin at 12.2, up from 11.5 two weeks ago. Then it dropped to 8.2 by early yesterday morning. That’s when I felt the worst…cold, shaky, and lightheaded. They checked my blood results today and my hemoglobin is up to 10.6. It went up a little higher than the 2 point gain they usually see after a transfusion. Just 2 little hemoglobin points made such a difference in how I feel. Crazy.

I get to go home today! I’m doing so well with my PT that my doctor doesn’t see a need to keep me here for my afternoon PT session. So my morning schedule is to wait for an hour after taking my thyroid meds to eat and take my 1st round of pain pills today, then do my PT around 10:30am or so. Then I can start with the business of being discharged. Yay!

And later the same day……

Waiting for my pain pills to kick in so I can do my last round of PT here.

I talked to my surgeon yesterday. He said I had several large bone spurs on my hip joint and that he removed ALL of them. I asked him how the hip looked after he took it out and he said it was bad…lol. That it definitely needed to be replaced. I asked if he kept it in a jar to show me, lol, but sadly he said they can’t do that anymore…it’s now considered bio-hazardous waste and has to be disposed of. Bummer…I wanted to see it. Lol. Take it to my diabetes class for Show & Tell. 😳🙈

I told my surgeon that I promised to set my old joint aside for my Tunwin Stephanie and he just laughed. She had dibs on it, she said my bad hip was probably better than the one she had now. Lol.

Still later….same day…..

One trip in a wheelchair down to my van and we’re heading home!! Discovered quickly that I couldn’t maneuver my right leg into the front seat of the van, so I hopped in the middle seat. I made my nurse nervous as she didn’t know how I would manage stepping up on the running board and into the seat….she and Joe B said I was like a cat the way I climbed in with ease. Hahahaha.

By the way, I am not liking the pain meds. They upset my stomach on the drive home. It was very windy, plus I’m not used to sitting in the back like that. I thought I was going to be carsick for the first time ever, but we made it home without incident.

And it feels wonderful to be home. 🙂

Day 2 Post-Hip Replacement Surgery

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Day 2 Post-Hip Replacement Surgery:

Today was kind of an eventful day. My blood count went down, which is expected after surgery and usually not an issue, except that I have anemia (just a touch). My surgical team elected to go with a spinal block and sedative to get me through surgery because they said the spinal block results in less blood loss for reasons they haven’t figured out yet, as opposed to a general anesthesia. But my hemoglobin count went down to 8.2, so I needed a blood transfusion, 2 units of O positive. At least I know now what my blood type is. It took about 5 hours for 2 units of blood.
I was feeling lightheaded, shaky and cold this morning. I feel much better now.

Aaaaaand, I had 2 sessions of PT. My muscles are strong from all my weight training and I’ve impressed my PT lady and my doctor with my progress. I can walk the very short set of stairs right around the corner from my room, I can walk bearing all my weight on my formerly bum hip leg. And I can do leg raises in all directions except across the center plane of my body. So I got cleared to move around the hospital room and my floor without the safety belt and without having to call a nurse to assist me. It still has to be with the walker, but at least I have some independence.

I don’t mind the IV, or the daily blood draws (except I wish they didn’t have to do them around 4:30-5:30am), but the drain near my incision is kind of freaking me out. I have to clip the little flat cylinder to my gown whenever I get out of bed, and they empty it once a day. Yuck. But the drain is far preferable to having a hematoma, which is a swollen spot under your skin where the blood has pooled near the surgical sight. I had read about some hip replacements that were done several years ago and the patient described feeling like they were sitting on a golf ball. That would be much worse that this freaky little drain.

One more night and morning here and headed home! Thank you again for all the positive stuff headed in my direction. I got flowers today from Jeri and Cadence and Christian, and I had students take Snaps of flowers and send the snaps to me. Lol. And I really appreciate the visitors, texts, phone calls, inboxes, tweets, etc. 😊

Post-Surgery Update: Day 1

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I’m going to turn my FaceBook updates into blog entries since they are long enough to do so. I’m starting with the day of my surgery, Day 1. I’ll post the subsequent updates soon after this, so it’s like 2 weeks of blog entries all posted in one day. Lol.

2.5 Hours Post-Surgery

I am bionic now. 🙌🏼💪🏼

😂😂 Everything went well. I don’t have any nausea, I ate some soup and crackers and took my first round of pain meds. Spinal block is starting to wear off, I can wiggle my toes and move my left leg. My surgeon was very pleased with how smoothly everything went. And they tell me I’ll be up and on my feet sometime today.

Can’t thank everyone enough for all the prayers, good thoughts, texts, inboxes, tweets. Everyone from my students to friends and family. Hated the worry it caused for my family and friends…glad to report that I am doing great within 4.5 hours of my surgery. Dr. Scott Cook is amazing. Another day or 2 here and I’ll be home. 😊

And later the same day…….

So this just happened. 5 hours post-surgery and they got me on my feet and I took a stroll down the hallway. 🚶🏽
With my walker assisting, of course.

I feel like Rocky now. 💪🏼Hahahaha. Maybe that’s just the pain pills.

So thankful for my lifting partner – my sister Sharon, the two trainers I’ve had in the past year, Travis Barrett and Dustin Kinsey. The PT lady was surprised at what I could do in my 1st PT session. I have muscle strength that they are not used to seeing in hip replacement patients. And no nausea or light-headedness. The incision area is a little achy, but the joint area just feels like a very sore muscle.

I seriously thought she was crazy when she said we were going to stand up. Lol. So I’m ready on my way to recovery!