Hot Diggity's hip replacement thread

That Baby Huey knee was reworked in 2018, and two weeks ago the leg rotated 90° on its axis at the knee. Since then, and since I was taken off all but my BP and cholesterol meds I've developed odd bruising and swelling. Maybe I whacked it on something, but I sure don't remember. The knee is quite swollen, and seems to do better with rest.

Perfect timing, eh?

 

Dang, I'm having visions of Frankenstein's monster looking at this?

 

Heal quickly. I put my femur through the back of my pelvis. Lets just say I was not on a walker for a loooooong time. I had to cringe and laugh at the same te about the catheter removal. I has a big bruiser yank it out. I immediatly called my mil and said, "BRING ME 5 QUARTS OF GATORADE!"
Its funny now. Wasnt then.
BTW. That was over 30 years ago. The hip needs replaced now.

 

I used to make hip and knee replacements at a casting plant. The manufacturers we made the castings for, Zimmer and Depuy, required we watch medical videos of the surgeries. The hip replacement is frankly traumatic and some people had to leave before it finished.

I hope you heal soon, feel better, and that the surgery was a permanent success. What you went through is not trivial.

 

Made it home. Pain is still pretty bad, but I walk, lay down, walk, lay down. This will be the healing routine. Next battle is avoiding constipation, and adjusting medical hardware.

Remounted the walker wheels inboard so it no fits through the bathroom door. Pain meds keep me awake, hovering on the edge of sleep. Will try a 5mg Melatonin tonight to see if it can nudge me into sleep.

 

Sorry to hear of your travails, hot diggity. Hope you are mending well. You'll probably have to strip down to your underpants for the rest of your life every time that you pass through a walkthrough airport metal detector.

 

Thank you for being our on-scene medical reporter H.D. Future posts on your recovery will give anyone who may someday need to "run the same gauntlet" you just endured more first hand reference points!

 

I'm just 6 weeks out of my 1st knee replacement surgery ,,, and trying to compare knee replacement to hip replacement surgery ,,, I'm going to say knee replacement is like a stumped toe compared to hip replacement.
Hang in there and best of luck to you HD.

 

When I worked with hospice, every time we got a new patient with pain meds, they ordered a stool softener as well. I have never understood why the rest of the medical folks don't do that. Take what you can to keep things moving in that department. The alternative is no fun.

 

Get well soon.

 

Straining to pass an impacted stool can use muscles that aggravate nerves and cause pain elsewhere in the body...even farting can sometimes be painful.

Edit: Add to that, sneezing and coughing as well.

 

My medical folks had me on stool softeners. That Woman fed me a salad for dinner, gave me a fiber gummy and made me drink two big glasses of ice water. I had to get up every three hours to pee, and had a bowel movement this morning with no straining.

It finally stopped burning when I pee. Catheter is no fun, but I was so happy to be warmed about how seriously the hospital is about their six hours to pee in advance. Sure didn't want another catheter just to drain my bladder and start the clock over.

 

I'm glad to see your motivational posts, HD! Some days they really help to keep me going!

 

Recovery exercises besides walking and basic sitting and standing include wiggling the ankles, clenching the buttocks, pressing the knee down flat against the bed, heel dragging the leg in and out and sweeping to the side.

I can do all but the sweeping motion. The level of pain doing this motion seems to be the limiting factor. Maybe this afternoon.

I did get a shower this morning and clean clothes and bedding. Incision looks good, even if it is big and scary.

Did I mention that there is no way I could be as comfortable as I am without some major assistance? Not that I'm all that comfortable, but on my own I'd still be fighting with my socks.

Pre-prepping linen and wash cloths worked out great. Wish I'd put as much effort into laying out comfortable underwear without holes.

Lessons learned.

 

Hopefully after this you won't need them learned lessons ,,, keep on them exercises ,, it'll pay off later .

 

Best tricks ever.

... well, in this situation.



Inboard wheels breeze right through the narrow bathroom doors I have. At 0300, when I really have to pee, I don't want to be wrestling a too wide walker through the bathroom door.

The Food Lion bag can carry anything and prevents me fumbling and dropping stuff.

If you think your bathroom is small now, wait til you cram a commode booster seat, a walker and a shower transfer bench in there. I was pleased to be issued a walker with independent locks for each side. Makes for a bit more space.

 

I'll be sporting these special compression leggings until April 7. Hand wash, hang dry at night. Sure would be a shame if they got lost.

 

You could take that bag and hang it across the top front bar ,, loop the bag handles around the folding clamp locks ,, then you wouldn't have to fumble around on a tied up bag ,, you could reach right down into the bag without fumbling with it being tied up . If that makes any sense to you .
I saw this trick on many walkers in the old folks home when I'd go and visit my Mom.

 

The locks on this one are like a scissors. Mom has a bag with velcro fastening loops that will let the mechanism move, and she has it mounted as you mentioned. I try not to drag a bunch of junk around in it anyway, so it'll do. A shirt with a pocket would be handier, but you can't carry four bags of chips and your phone in a shirt pocket.