Virtual PT yesterday. She had me up a short flight of stairs and back down. Approved of how I was moving on them. Cut me loose to get down and out onto the sidewalk.
Ahhhhhh…fresh air, sunlight. Walking a bit with the walker. Didn’t want to overdo. Still, a real treat and milestone.
Did they tell you what was leaking and why? I’m assuming it’s lymph and that’s why they aren’t filling you up with antibiotics but it sounds like a darned nuisance
Congratulations! I hope the weather is fine! When I lived in NYC (1971-72) fall was such a pleasure after the greasy, tropical summers. Here’s to many more successful excursions.
No, they didn’t say. It was the PA doing the fixing, and he was in rather a hurry. The leakage was at least partly bright red, if that adds to useful information.
The tank is a bloody nuisance, apparently they expected me to wear it on the lanyard around my neck all day and night for two weeks, with a yard of plastic tubing going to the drain. But I had the brilliant idea of stuffing it in a fanny pack, which gets it completely out of my way. Unfortunately I don’t own one, so I ordered overnight from Amazon. Once in a while you just have to have something right away.
Forgot to mention, I have done some walking on the deck today, and also ventured all the way upstairs (probably premature, but I was very careful), 15 steps with a landing partway up. Thigh to hip definitely more swollen and puffy, but no additional pain or anything like that.
Ugh, gross. I sure hope whoever you talk to on Monday can shed light on what’s going on.
But it was probably as good as some of the PT exercises for strengthening the joint, so bravo! I don’t know your experience with stairs, but when I go up/down the couple that are in my house, I’m shocked how weak the leg is. It was weak before surgery of course, but now I can barely lift it to get up a step. It’s one of those things I need to be doing more of.
I’m noticing some swelling in my foot/ankle today. Not alarming, but definitely present. Trying to remember to do the ankle pumps with my feet up in the recliner.
Not really, it’s just a small plastic tank inside a waterproof nylon case, everything is sealed up and sanitary. But it was always getting tangled up with stuff, especially the rubber tube connecting to the drain. The fanny pack has worked a treat.
Spoilered for possible TMI for some readers. I’ll ask the doc if he thinks I’ll have to keep wearing the drain for the whole two weeks, but I am still hearing the little sucking noises so I presume there is still at least a little leakage.
It’s the middle of the night, and I can’t sleep the night through*, for the best of reasons – I have had two full nights of completely restful sleep after coming home from the hospital, and I just don’t need to be asleep right now. As I sat there on the edge of the bed, I realized that I. feel. so. good. All that pain that I had felt walking, standing, sitting and lying down that has been growing over the past two or three years has just gone, disappeared practically in an instant. I am so profoundly grateful to everyone who had anything to do with this change, from friends and people on the internet who strongly (and in some cases naggingly) suggested it, to all the medical and clerical staff of every institution involved, medical researchers that have so improved the process and outcome, and the structure of Medicare that is paying for so much of it (it may not be the best system in the world, but it got this done with a minimum of waiting time and maximum of result). Thank you all a thousand times.
*Don’t worry, getting up for 60 to 90 minutes in the middle of the night is something I have done a lot, especially since I retired. (And please don’t lecture me on sleep hygiene.)
Split sleeping with a middle-of-night gap has been a thing since forever. Moreso when there wasn’t easy indoor illumination, but still commonplace today. Polyphasic sleep → First & Second Sleep - Wikipedia. You’ve got plenty of company. And at least arguably, along with a midafternoon nap / siesta it’s the most natural way for humans to sleep.
Wow! That’s Great, and I am SO jealous! Since the swelling in my leg increased yesterday, it has become stiffer and more painful – maybe the swelling is increasing pressure on the nerves? I am trying to move around more, but sleep is still elusive.
[quote=“Roderick_Femm, post:107, topic:1030282”]
it got this done with a minimum of waiting time and maximum of result). Thank you all a thousand times.
[/quote]⁵
I very much agree with you! The ready availability of cataract and joint (knee and hip) surgery has made an enormous difference in the quality of life and ability to live independently and productively as we all age. Without these medical corrections, I’d be functionally blind and crippled by now. Instead I’m looking forward to hopping on my ebike again.
I do this all the time, too. And I haven’t had surgery.
I just talked to the PA on the phone about the dressing, and he is going to take it off this Thursday, since it really isn’t draining any more. Yippee!
(Emoji search says that is a high five. Hmmm.)
RODERICK_FEMM, I get the gratitude, truly. It’s incredible that I had the hip done 8 years ago and the massive differences in technique, pain, recovery etc are remarkable.
I do not envy you the drain but it DOES at least sound pretty state of the art in terms of mechanics, cleanliness, etc. Just seeing your last note- YAY for you for ditching the dressing on Thursday !
bobsmom101, I would assume you are but in case you are not, keep your surgeon and others up on the edema (swelling/ fluid retention) issues via phone or your portal. These are not to be trifled with. In other human body dismaying news, it takes days to lose muscle density and weeks&months to regain it. Sucks eh !?!?
Thanks @Cartooniverse . Home health was here again today. Not worried about the swelling (it’s not too bad), documented the orthostatic hypotension again & wants me to see my PC physician about it. Thing is, I’ve pretty much had it all my life, it’s just not been a big problem til now. I’m drinking lots of water & upping my salt intake, going to give it a few more days.
And how are you doing? Running laps up & down the stairs yet?
I finally had the call from the home health agency (I came home from the hospital Thursday afternoon). They claimed that they had a wrong phone number for me and that was why I didn’t hear from them before today (when my surgeon’s office called them to ask them to call me). I don’t want to make a big deal of this, but if the number they had didn’t reach me, a little initiative would have had them calling the hospital or the surgeon to check on the phone number. As it is, I’ve been home without any medical supervision after a major surgery for 4 full days. That seems sloppy for a medical care agency. Anyway, the nurse is coming by tomorrow.
I’ve had some swelling this afternoon, possibly because I haven’t done any exercise today except to go upstairs and back down one time.
bobsmom101, VERY glad to hear that the swelling is both expected and being tracked now. Few things are more unnerving than hearing a medical professional mutter, “Hmmm…that’s something I’ve not seen before…”
RODERICK_FEMM–Man I’d be pissed off. A few balls got dropped there with you. Really shoddy. Sitting on the sidelines, all I can say is that the people you will deal with now likely were NOT the ones who slipped up. The swelling is very likely from inactivity. Do you have a walker at home? I do know that between my wife’s 2 hips this spring and my hip, what has been reinforced is the simple message: NOTHING is better for the joint, the surgical site, the overall recovery than just walking. Safely and slowly, but walking. My problem in the first few days was how asymmetrical my gait was with the walker. Gingerly stepping with the left side, then catching up with the right. (Left side was replaced).
Use the hallways, use the layout of your house. Do laps. Find a path where you can sit at more than one stopping point in case you cramp up, etc. And just do the laps. The nurse may NOT have PT suggestions. I don’t have an electronic version, but I have just found This online home PT tutorial that is identical to the regimen I am following. Hope it’s helpful !! Glad to share traps and tricks here.
Also, for all of us and anyone listening in: Hard to stay mindful of this bit. We’ve had a body filled with anesthesia of some sort. Some cocktail, saddle block, spinal block, general, twilight, something. These chemicals do not dissipate in 12 hours. I learned way back with the first hip- hydrating a LOT for the first week or two only helps to flush out those chemicals and other toxins that are a natural byproduct of your body being put under extreme duress.
For those fascinated by surgical procedures, there are videos out there of the STAR technique/ robotic machine surgical process. I’ve been a working cinematographer for over 40 years and have shot a few surgeries. And yet, for me, too close to home. Before my first hip I tried watching, thinking it would help. Couldn’t get past the first few minutes and shut it down.
@Cartooniverse, thanks for the link. I will take a look at it. I have been doing some walking with a walker, back and forth on my deck, but yesterday I just didn’t for some reason. I’m back at it today, and will definitely put more effort into it. The nurse is due any moment now, and I’m hoping for a PT visit within another day or two.
I can’t watch actual videos of operations, I’m too squeamish. I prefer the animated versions.
No doubt your face to face PT person will have printed guidance for you. Likely quite similar to these. The link is not HSS, and yet the illustrations and wording is essentially identical to what I came home with. Only you can decide if you are comfortable trying these out before being told to by your surgeon/ PT person. Ask the nurse !! 
As far as animated versions, I recommend the one where Foghorn Leghorn has his right drumstick replaced with an aluminized ceramic thigh and polycarbonate socket. It’s haunting AND hilarious.
The wisdom of the internet indicates that increased swelling around day 4 -5 is pretty normal. Walking and other exercise has got to be therapeutic though.
How did your first Home Health visit go, @Roderick_Femm, now that you finally attracted their attention? I hope it was more productive than my experience. The real milestone will be shedding that drain equipment!
I chowed down on water & salt yesterday and today felt quite perky. I vacuumed the living room, and did the dishes and the laundry. I snagged my son during one of the few hours he is awake at the same time I am and persuaded him to take the long-suffering dog for a walk with me. I made it 1/2 a block, turned around and came back. My leg is screaming now so I guess I overdid it a bit, but I am encouraged that I was limited by the joint strength and not syncope for a change.
One reason I put off the surgery so long is my overconsumption of medical YouTube videos. The array of saws, hammers, rasps, reamers and drills used in hip surgery is pretty alarming. The only ones that were harder to watch were knee replacements.
I’ll look for that one, thanks! On a related note, Coyote vs Acme is playing at the neighborhood cinema and my son has agreed to go with me tomorrow. The theater has nice reclining seats and I’ve heard the movie is fun.
It went fine, I wasn’t expecting very much, and that’s what I got. I think at least the first nurse’s visit is pretty much pro forma, as described: filling out forms, taking vital and checking status of various health factors, taking a photo of the dressing, etc. It seems to be a sort of gatekeeping ceremony, allowing PT and OT to commence, which is what I really want. I didn’t really care about the nurse’s visit except in that light.
I got irritated, though, that he couldn’t even get here within his window of 10am-Noon; he called at 11:30 and asked if it would be okay to come later in the afternoon, but when 4:30 rolled around I ended up calling their office to gently ask where was the nurse. He pulled up outside about 10 minutes later. He didn’t make any promises, but in my presence he called someone at the agency saying that I need to start PT ASAP. So I’m hoping to hear from PT tomorrow, and maybe even see them before the end of the day. How long does a typical PT visit last?