recovering from surgery

[Dutch445]

Great to hear all went well. Keep us posted. I am close in age and have a steel plate in right hip, so I can see myself in your shoes - hopefully along time in the future.

are you having issues yet with that plate or the hip? i'm sure at some point i'm going to agree with others and wonder why i waited, but not yet!

 

[Dutch445]

keep up the good work Jim, it seems you have something that takes a lot of dedication, but with that dedication you can
help yourself feel a lot better.
thanks for the note.

 

[Dutch445]

Had a Birmingham hip resurfacing 5 years ago. Best thing to happen to me. Follow the hip precautions and don't push the recovery too fast. Joint Pain free 7 weeks after the surgery lead to a pulled hamstring muscle. I was taking the stairs two at a time again.

BMHR was the initial plan, but with some existing pins in my femur they weren't sure they could get everything just right so they
went with total replacements instead. I should still be able to play hockey, work, everything i used to do except run. Well,
i really never ran so that isn't a problem for me.
glad to hear the resurfacing worked for you.

 

[Dutch445]

That's great!! Glad it has gone well so far. Both hips is a pretty major undertaking too. My dad had his done last year, they get you up and moving almost as fast as the anesthesia wears off:laughing:

Dennis, did your dad have both done at the same time?
how's he doing?

 

[Dutch445]

Wishing you a speedy recovery; you're tougher than I with two at once.

judging from the reaction of all the personell in the hospital etc, i don't think tough is the best word,
i head the word crazy many many times!

 

[turnkey4099]

I had both hips done in my 60s but one at a time. One thing that is important is to work at those rehab excercises! Dunno if hte therapists would agree with me but I gave it my all when he was there and then when he left I would double the number of reps he assigned plus doubled the sessions. The cane was abandoned before the home therapy course was over. I was out cutting firewood within a few months on both of them - advised the doc I was doing it and he didn't say no.

From the stories I have heard the ones who have problems are those who don't do the therepy. Also, please God!, I never want knee surgery!


Harry K

 

[Western]

Dennis, did your dad have both done at the same time?
how's he doing?

No, they where about 4 months apart. Dont know why exactly. He is doing great, still has lower back problems, but the hips are pain free for the most part. He is a life long "jogger" (partly why his hips wore out according to the surgeon) So now he has a daily workout routine.

His Doctor is a super surgeon and a great guy, he was one of the Doctors for the U.S. Olympic team:thumbsup: Had dad up and moving within 5 hrs of recovery (Was painful for a while) Dad has also bought one of those "Teeter" upside down hanger thingy's, recommended by the surgeon and his Spinal surgeon partner, Dad say's he uses it daily and it also has been a great benefit. I am going to get one of them here shortly.

 

[stingray1]

I wish you a speedy recovery,hang in there with the rehab. GOOD LUCK.

 

[dmccarty]

Interesting they don't have you on an ice machine. The wifey used one for the her shoulder and it was very helpful to control swelling and pain. Just fill the machine with ice and water every few hours and let it run. She hated how cold it made her but it did reduce swelling and pain.

My mom is recovering from her knee surgery. Had her first PT yesterday which was not fun for her but she knows she has to do the PT.

Amazing to me that we can talk about recovering from having a knee or hip replaced...

Later,
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

...

From the stories I have heard the ones who have problems are those who don't do the therepy. Also, please God!, I never want knee surgery!


Harry K

My grandfather had a knee replaced, he did not do the PT as instructed and I think he was worse off with the surgery as a result. He also had a series of strokes that we think were because of the surgery. Supposedly, knee replacement, at least back then, increased the chances of strokes. My mother knows she has to do the PT since she saw what happened to her father so I think she is prepared mentally to do the PT.

Later,
Dan

 

[Bird]

My mother had a broken hip, botched surgery, then a massive infection, nearly a year in the hospital, etc. But she also had a knee replaced, and did not do the physical therapy, so she had a new knee that would not bend the rest of her life and was worse off than if she'd never had that knee replaced.

So, yes, doing the PT is very important.

 

[Knotbored]

My grandson just had the identical childhood ailment and screw repair that caused your initial disability.
Its called Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis
and an internet site with a great picture of it and the screw repair:
Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis - OrthoInfo - AAOS

I was suprised to find out from the docs that its not unusual and several operations occur weekly in local hospitals- mostly on athletic or overweightt kids.

 

[Dutch445]

My grandson just had the identical childhood ailment and screw repair that caused your initial disability.
Its called Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis
and an internet site with a great picture of it and the screw repair:
Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis - OrthoInfo - AAOS

I was suprised to find out from the docs that its not unusual and several operations occur weekly in local hospitals- mostly on athletic or overweightt kids.

I am surprised also that they cannot make a repair that is more long term. maybe it depends on the condition of the slip etc. i have a cousin that had the same
issue, he had 4 pins in each hip, where i had 2. he is following my progress with great interest!

i have ice packs that i use during the day, and wear teds stockings also. start outpatient therapy next monday.
today the staples came out, have steri strips on till they come off, next follow up is 4 weeks. things are looking
good . new x rays today also.

walk walk walk!!

 

[Dutch445]

well this week has been good, sleeping a little better, still taking a light pain med before i go to bed. still spend a few hours
a day in the ice packs, and started physical therapy at an outpatient office monday, and again wednesday. I did some new
exercises with the guy, and he let me start pedaling a recumbent bicycle. I wasn't expecting that. but it did 10 mins last nite
on the bike, and it didn't feel too bad. i am walking around the house with no crutches, I just use them outside as a precautionary thing now.
easy to get in the car, up and down a few stairs, and in and out of bed, up off of the couch, and can sit at a table (high style) for a meal.
I have to say i can pretty much get around ok, i even showered alone yesterday. at this point, about the only thing i can't do, is reach
my feet to put on socks. there are these tools that help, but if i have somebody here i just ask for help. tuesday i took a walk outside,
with my crutches, and walked about 1000 feet, up and down the road and driveway etc. that felt great to be outside. i think this weekend
i am up to head out maybe to dinner someplace and get out of the house for a little while. the weather is supposed to warm up sunday.

 

[Dutch445]

an update after 4 weeks. we got our first measureable snow overnite, and it actually needed to be cleared! i still don't think
i can get into my tractor safely with my hip precautions, so my S/O volunteered to run the tractor/snowblower, and she did just
fine. it is a blacktop driveway, and some of the snow was slushy but it's all clear now and they are calling for a little more snow
today and tonight.
as far as my recovery goes, things still progressing nicely, walking and going to physical therapy. Last week i walked 1.5 miles
up and down my road, which has quite a little hill on it! I've ventured out shopping a little bit, went to a watch a movie yesterday,
and can get around myself, driving, and even dressing myself now. I go back to the surgeon Thursday for my 5-6 week checkup
and maybe then i'll have an idea on returning to work. Pain is minimal, only taking some meds at nite to help me sleet, as i get
very fidgety. Overall, i'm happy with my recovery, that past few weeks really haven't been too bad, and it's nice to get out of the house,
drive, and pretty much take care of myself now

 

[brin]

Good for you Dutch...My mother had both hips replaced , both knees and all the knuckles in her fingers...this was back in the 70's and 80's....She had arthritis very bad..So I helped her through what you are going through...it only gets better from here....just keep walking and the PT//

 

[Dutch445]

11 weeks so i thought i'd report on the recovery.
things are going well, i even had a small surgery on a foot that had a
nerve problem that was causing me all sorts of pain!
now that has healed, back into regular shoes after 2 weeks with that open shoe
contraption on and things are going well.
i came back to work 17 dec, and have gotten to where i'm not tired out at the end of
a day, and i'm not so sore like i was with those bad hips!
i do have 1 small issue that may work itself out with my right hip, somewhat sore the first
few steps, but i'm going to give things a few more weeks and see how it goes.
i have been ice skating, (before the foot surgery) and look to get back into that,
although playing hockey may take a bit longer to build my legs back up to reasonable
strength to do that. I ride an exercise bike or use the treadmill every other day or so along with
some strength machines at the gym to continue getting stronger.
We had significant snow since the week before Christmas, and i have to say that I have been able
to use my tractor, and shovel the decks/sidewalks etc all without problems. I find that at the end
of a busy day that i do not have all that pain, and am off all meds, even at nite time this past week.
So, in a nutshell, i'm doing quite well, and look forward to continued improvement.
Here's a peek at my new parts!

 

[MossRoad]

Is that gear or HST?

 

[kenmac]

I would not want to go through that.. I hope everything works out well for you.I have a friend that had knee replacment. He says the only problem he has is in cold weather , the steel in his replacment knee gets cold and and makes his whole leg ache

 

[Dutch445]

I haven't experienced it that yet,,, rode snowmobile last week for an hour, temps in 20's,
and can't say it bothered me..
of course we spent a few minutes digging out cuz i got stuck......
that'll warm ya up