how long should a patient support?

Definitely!! Unless she gets up and does some of that for herself (and perhaps she does?) the muslces will atrophy even further and recovery risks being extended for months. 

Hi

She should be up and moving but at the same time for the first 6 weeks there are restrictions on things you can or cannot do.

Is she on crutches....if so it will be hard to do everything for herself. 12 days isnt a long time.

Another thing is What medication is she on? I know my first THR ....I was on tramadol and I was spaced out.....if I hadnt had my husband doing my meds for me I wouldnt have coped with them.

What do you mean...washing of hand......??? She should be able to cope with washing herself....at least the top part......bottom part {legs feet etc} she is not supposed to bend for 6 weeks.

So it all depends on what you are doing for her, what meds she is taking, what age is she?

Love

Eileen    UK

 

Hello, I had a THR in July 2014 I was able to do basic tasks the next day after op - wash myself on upper body but needed to have my legs & feet washed until the support stockings came off (28days from leaving hospital) and for about a further 5 weeks - I had a loaned 'perching stool' to use in the bathroom & kitchen.  I could do some meal prep as long as it was placed on the work surface in the kitchen along with plates. I know for some the immediate pain around the scar is uncomfortable but this passes with excersies that I was told to do and I also had weekly hydrotherapy which I fully recommend. Hope this helps Please ask me any other questions if you need to.

I am now 11 weeks post op and return to work tomorrow.  At first my husband did everything, but gradually I did what I could. 

Most things around the house were impossible with crutches, but I have showered since day 2 after the op.  I was allowed to loose the crutches around the house about week 6 and that made things much easier.  About the same time, I was told I could loose the TED sockes which my husband was very pleased about .

I can now do most things around the house, but it is still hard to reach to the floor (the operated leg has to be stretched out backwards to keep the min 90° angle (between leg and body).  I have been told that this restriction applies for at least 3 months post op. 

The only thing that I still need help with now is putting on socks and tying laces - my husband is going to be very pleased when that restriction is lifted!

I think it's best if she can get up and moving as soon as possible. But although I am a very independent person, I found I really needed support for a long time - for example, although I could get into the shower with the help of a bath board, I was really nervous of falling at first and felt I should not take a shower if there was no one else around in case I slipped and fell. You can't put on the elastic stockings alone, and I was told I needed to wear them for six weeks - so had to get someone in to do just those every day. And I still can't put on socks alone  - after three months! And if she is still on crutches, what she can do wlll be very limited...Also if she is still on pain medication, she will probably, like me,feel pretty dopey, specially if she's not sleeping properly at night.  It sounds to me you are stuggling a bit with all the support you are needing to give - is there not anyone else who can step up, even if just for a few hours a day, at least for the next few weeks.  In the end, I had to organise a sort of rota of friends and family to come over and I am very grateful to everyone who helped.  I was told over and over again to take everything at a slow measured pace and not to be too impatient, but honestly it was a very difficult time.  Glad I had it done though - life is so much better now for me. So good luck with it all....  

Hi mojgan,

This is long but I hope you will find something of use for your situation. 12 days post op is very early to not need the kind of assistance you are giving because a THR is a very major and brutal surgery. I hope she is appreciating you.

I imagine everyone is different due to various factors like age, outcome of surgery and other prior underlying medical issues that may cause their own limitations that have nothing to do with the THR and how well conditioned or deconditioned the person is to begin with. Also the type of surgical procedure performed brings with it parameters of what one can or cannot do afterwards and how delayed or how soon.

My first three weeks were my worst, but the whole time I still forced myself to do the exercises and could not have done that alone without someone prompting me, and I slept a lot. I needed help with my medications to make sure in my foggy brain that I took them properly.

Quite frankly, I would have never fed myself the first 2 weeks if it were not for my church ladies bringing in food for those two weeks. Then my granddaughters, whom I raise, began to learn to cook and were of great help for the next 4 weeks.

They helped dress me doing only the things I could not do for myself, like putting on socks and shoes. For three months one of them always stayed with me while bathing to help me not fall because I had no safety bars to grab onto.

I kept my potty next to my bed for 4 weeks because the walk to the bathroom was still too difficult especially during the night and my granddaughters emptied the pot because I just knew I would trip and spill it! They hated doing that! However I see nothing wrong with them learning how to serve others and show respect and love.

I feel it is of the upmost importance to move around and push to do a little more each day because it could be very easy to succumb to the difficulties of challenged mobility and give up. At least for me, I am 56 and I can only imagine how much more difficult it would be in my 60's, 70's and 80's.

There is a delicate balance between enabling helplessness and encouraging independence. Never easy finding that balance even with raising children!

I hope the very best for you and your friend and what a blessing you are to her! There are many great people in this forum to support you and cheer you on!

Sincerely,

Dawn