4 1/2 weeks post op....

some more progress to report - am now walking inside and out with no stick or crutch ! Yippee !! Happened on Friday when I took my stick with me and I just didn't need to use it.. walking is very steady with no limp and the only slight issue I've noticed is going up a slope or hill - glute muscles are pretty weak and also stopping me from climbing stairs normally - still going up with the non-op leg first then bringing the op leg up and so on.

I'm not too surprised as I had this problem after the scope and I think it's partly residual weakness from surgery 2 years ago to repair a tear to my glute muscle. Will need to do some walking on the treadmill on an incline and do hills outdoors when I can. Today I managed to walk downstairs normally though so that's progress and I know that upstairs is just going to take time.

I'm starting to be able to do things like pull up my sock on the operated leg (kind of without breaking the 90 degree rule) and put shoes/boots on without needing a long handled shoe horn and I can now (oh I waited so long for this) walk around at my normal pace without thinking twice about it. I also made it to the supermarket alone today, with a trolley and had no problems at all. To be honest I'm having to remind myself I'm only 4 1/2 weeks post op and not totally overdo it...The hip is not sore in any way at all - I just get a feeling of pulling and tightness around the wound when I do a bit too much - and I know I need to rest for a bit and keep letting it heal as it's really only the skin that's healed up to now.

Oh and I managed to get onto my bike today with a bit of a hop and a skip so I'm going to do 15-20 mins a day on that this week and see how that goes. Felt fine when I tried it out earlier and I know that this will help with the glute muscles.

The only cloud on the horizon is my right hip. Annoyingly I've had to take painkillers a couple of times for it (just Panadol but even so...:-( )as it's a bit sore on the outer edge of my hip/thigh.. which is nastily familiar as that's what happened to my left - got trochanteric bursitis and the rest is history - the right niggles a bit when I lie on it and inside the joint is a bit nippy from time to time.

I'm really really hoping it will settle down now that the left hip is taking its fair share as I'm not ready to even think about any more surgery (the story on the right is the degree of dysplasia is worse than the left = centre edge angle of 17 degree and my surgeon reckons a PAO would give me a great result and potentially mean no THR ever required). To be fair it's no more than a niggle at the moment by comparison to the pain I had pre-op on the left but it needs to settle down and go away so I can enjoy this new hip.

4 weeks post op !!

It's my birthday today and I can't think of a better way to celebrate turning 36- with a brand new shiny hip !

wow, days are flying by. I marked the 4 week occasion today by going for a walk this morning with just a stick - no crutch !! Hip feels really really good and I'm managing a couple of walks every day of around 20 mins each time. Having had 2 previous ops in the last couple of years, this recovery is a walk in the park by comparison. I don't seem to have lost too much muscle strength and so I'm not limping really at all when I walk without a crutch or stick, and I suppose for the first time in a long time I actually have a hip joint which works properly - which makes a big difference !

I also drove for the first time yesterday (I have an automatic so in theory it's easy) although it wasn't the easiest to get in and out of the car so I'm not in a massive hurry to do it again. There's quite a lip to lift my leg over into the car so it just felt a bit awkward. I'm sure with a bit of practice I'll get there though !!

I've also been keen to get on an exercise bike although I have a recumbent static bike - a sit back rather than sit up bike and the angles are just not quite right to allow me to cycle without breaking the no knee above the hip rule. So I got my other half to rig up my mountain bike on a stand to try that but unfortunately as it's got a bar across I'm struggling to get onto that too ! Never mind, once the restrictions are lifted in a couple of weeks, I can get back on the bike.

Also getting a new hybrid bike for my birthday so looking forward to getting out on that - it's a step through bike so should be able to get onto that with no problems !!

3 weeks post op..yippee

delighted I'm halfway through the restrictions as it's getting easier and easier to potentially break them ! I'm complying though and stopping myself from bending to pick things up from the floor etc. Did some ironing this morning though and managed not to do any damage.

Hip has really really progressed this last couple of days and people are commenting on how much quicker and better my walking is - almost back to normal pace with one crutch and I definitely have that feeling I could be doing without it - so will do that tomorrow indoors for a bit and see how I get on. Still feels like I need to hold on which I think is more about balance and psychological than actually needing to hold onto something for support. It also feels really good if I go out for a walk so I'm trying to do 2 x 10 min walks each day and build up by 5 mins or so every couple of days.

I'm contemplating going to a pool next week to do some water exercises but don't want to do that until I'm totally free of the crutch or a walking stick. Also not sure if there's a pool near me which has steps down into it rather than a ladder (might be difficult with the 90 degree restrictions).

More than anything I can't get used to getting up in the morning and the hip not hurting when I walk on it ! I'm sure I will though !!

Gettting better every day...

...wow the hip is feeling good. Managed my first proper walk outdoors today with only one crutch and I'm starting to get the feeling inside that I could walk around in the kitchen without any crutch/stick. I also feel like I'm ready to walk upstairs normally (even with the crutch) rather than one step at a time.

It definitely feels this weekend like it's taken a step forward - swelling less so I'm only icing once a day instead of 3/4 times - and needing less painkillers which is great. I realised this morning that when I woke up I didn't need a painkiller as the discomfort I felt was simply stiffness in the muscles rather than any soreness if that makes sense.

I'm doing physio exercises 2 or 3 times a day and they are also getting easier. The leg length issue seems to be resolving itself slowly too although it may just be I'm getting used to it.

Will be 3 weeks post op on Tuesday and can't wait for it to be 6 weeks so I can drop the restrictions. Going to see my surgeon on the 8th March for my review so hopefully he'll be pleased with progress and I can get back to doing normal things !

Today's achievements

2 things of note today - 1) managed to get a pair of jeans on - yippee !! easier than it sounds with a massively swollen hip but I did it and they're staying on ! 2) managed to walk round to friends - about a 5 min walk and back - took me double the usual time and I did it on 2 crutches but no ill effects so far !

Scar is still healing up nicely and almost all pink now - just some small bits of scabby skin left. Planning my first proper venture out tomorrow - off out for lunch with my mum to a local garden centre - will be lovely to be able to explore. Once I'm comfortably using 1 crutch outside the house (I anticipate next week at around 3 weeks post op) I'm going to give driving a try. Not as crazy as it sounds as I have an automatic so don't need the operated leg. Surgeon gave me the ok to drive at 3/4 weeks post op so will have to try it out. Not that I'm planning on any wild adventures but you never know !

Means if I can drive I can go and visit my physio (about 30 mins away) and get some new/extra exercises and hopefully get his seal of approval on progress so far. Also means I'll be able to take my dog for a walk - lots of places nearby I can take him in the car to and then let him off once we're there - which I think would be easier than walking him on a lead. Might be getting ahead of myself but we'll see !

Two weeks post op..

wow it's going quickly although I do wish I was writing 6 weeks post op here ! Doing well, scar is pretty much healed up in most places and very neat. Can manage walking around in the house with one crutch but does seem to make the hip swell a bit more than if I use two. Hoping that will settle down in the next few days so I can continue to progress with one. Still taking para's every 6 hours or so and anti inflams every 12 hours. Also on blood thinners which weirdly seem to give me blurry vision by the end of the day but only another 2 weeks of those. My surgeon's view was down to 1 crutch by 1 week post op and off them entirely by 4 weeks post op !! So we'll see. I like a challenge !!

A big step was I managed to lie on my non-operated side this morning for 10 mins or so and it didn't hurt at all (had a pillow between the knees). I had tried this last week but it was waaaay to sore to contemplate. So that feels like a little bit of progress. Also going to venture out into my street today for a little walk as I need to get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine (even though it's freezing).

I have about 8 exercises from the physio to do which I'm doing 2 or 3 times a day and they seem to be getting a little easier. The hardest one is to stand and swing the operated leg backwards. It feels like the swelling is stopping that from being easy. I also have a stretch I need to do to help the leg length issue - operated leg is slightly longer (was shorter pre-op due to the dysplasia) and I'm determined not to worry about it as my surgeon did say it would settle down within 3 months or so. I'm also trying to balance resting as much as I exercise (physio's advice) so I made myself lie on the bed yesterday afternoon and watch an old movie - felt very guilty and lazy though !!

onwards and upwards....

10 days post op...

I think actually it's 11 but who's counting ? Continuing to do well after my Left THR - wound is healing up nicely and bruising has almost all gone - pictures to follow - and I can move around on one crutch in the house now although it feels a bit strange on the left leg and I haven't braved the stairs yet with only one crutch. Am using an icepack 2 or 3 time a day to stay on top of the swelling as the whole left hip/upper thigh/butt area is still pretty swollen and swells up when I'm on my feet.. I expect it will continue to do this for a while yet.

I can shower and dress now without any help and I'm definitely starting to feel more independent and not worried about needing someone else in the house all the time. Just as well really !! I'm also planning on doing some work this week to keep the brain active and ticking over..plus I'm pretty bored of daytime TV !

I'm starting to get cabin fever now - haven't been out since getting home from hospital last Monday so I think I will twist someone's arm this week to take me out somewhere for a change of scene...

my old hip....

doesn't the new one look pretty ? Ahem well maybe not but I like it !!

My new hip...

Home and one week post THR

well I made it home yesterday - 7 hours from London to Scotland in all and to be honest it wasn't as bad as I'd expected it to be.. Yes there were times when I was uncomfortable but I wouldn't say at any point I was in pain. Worst leg of the journey (cab and two trains) was the commuter train to our village which was packed and I got evil stares for taking up 2 seats !

So lovely to be home again and sleeping in my own bed and being able to eat when I want to. Just can't get over how little pain there is - taking paras every 6 hours or so and diclofenac every 12 hours or so and that's more than keeping on top of the discomfort (I wouldn't call it pain). Just can't believe that as my expectation was I'd been on much heavier painkillers for at least the first two weeks. My bedroom is upstairs and there are no problems with doing stairs - been up and downstairs twice already today with no ill effects...

only problem I'm finding is that after sitting for a while I have to get up and walk around as my bum goes quite numb..so will need to find some suitable soft foam cushion I think...