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Doing Too Much

Posted , 11 users are following.

deb76651
deb76651

I am 3 weeks post op. Without going into detail I am getting virtually no support and have been trying to do pretty much everything by myself since week two. How do others cope and did they think it hindered or helped their recovery? I am told to rest and eat well and not do too much but its not now an option for me.

7 likes, 51 replies

51 Replies

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  • renee01952
    renee01952 deb76651

    Posted

    Hi Deb, 

    Luvinlex's response makes a lot of sense - You cannot run your home yet as you used to - 

    I live alone and had 2 THR surgeries - I had home care nurse come in the morning for one week to help me wash (strip) and check my scar, change dressing - AFter that they came in every other day, twice a week and none -

    They did not clean or anything though - 

    How do you get groceries? Can you have meals delivered? 

    Are you in pain, Deb? 

    Take care, honey ... be gentle with yourself 

    big warm hug

    renee

     

  • luvinlex
    luvinlex deb76651

    Posted

    Yes! Please do let us know how you're feeling. I can come up with some things for a laugh or two. Did you know there is a Pinterest page on "Hip Replacements" and "Hip Replacement Scars"??... well, that's one relaxing thing to do and pass the time. I found myself staying on facebook and watching other people have lives and I started getting very depressed. My hair fell out in large fistsfull. from trauma and stress. Feeling alone and sorry for myself , well...Nobody was going to have that! "Lets make a plan" so,I do have the BEST friends. I hope you've got some that will come to your aid. They knew I was isolating myself and not eating well. THEY, you know? THOSE PEOPLE at the hospital never scheduled my PT and then a huge mess of confusion ensued. I only went to day 1 of PT Monday. Did they leave you with the home exercises? Those are important, I ignored mine and after all the hard work the first PT did, I am back at square one. Muscle weakness in thigh, pain and gotta catch up! My poor friends. One did laundry. One would just come over to keep me company and watch a Netflix movie. One brought me groceries. One took me to my appointments. Another brought food and milkshakes over. Took out my trash. Sat on the loo with top down while I took a shower so I wouldn't worry about falling with nobody around. I have to remember to do something nice for them, but I could never repay the kindness they showed to me. Can we work on getting a team together for you?
  • WIRob
    WIRob deb76651

    Posted

    I am almost 9 weeks post op - bilateral hip replacement.  I live in the US

    My advice

    1.  Get to a pharmacy or place that sells medical gear.  Get one of those tools that has a clamp at the end - I call it a pick up stick.  Helps with so much.

    2.  Don't worry about cleaning as others have said

    3.  Get a bit of help to make sure everything you need is in grab distance etc..

    4.  Do your excercises and stretches - progress comes fast

    5.  Use your Ibuprofen... Meaning keep any swelling in ligaments and such down

    It will get better and it will be worth it

  • deb76651
    deb76651

    Posted

    I am in NZ and do have friends but most work and have busy families etc. I also have my adult daughter, currently unemployed here but suffice to say she is causing more work and stress for me but refuses to leave. It is a terrible situation at present. Some days I wonder how my life got to this point and will I ever get up that slippery slope.Ive always been extremely independant so this has all come as quite a blow to me.
  • amy371978
    amy371978 deb76651

    Posted

    I am two weeks post op tomorrow and also alone. Mum stayed the first two nights and then I sent her home and have been cleaning, feeding two cats, cooking etc alone. It's been fine. Of course it's much slower and more difficult but my main problem is boredom. Mum took me around supermarket on Saturday and I walked around leaning on the trolley ok. Bit achey that night. I walk around at home without sticks but penguin most of the time. I try to use one stick to prevent this but hate it. 

    I have to say, if someone was here helping me still I think it would hinder my recovery. Got my first post discharge physio on Wed so will be interested to hear what she thinks of my progress and how I can avoid this limpy penguin walking. The exercises are dull aren't they, but do them we must!

    • MichaelTN1UK
      MichaelTN1UK amy371978

      Posted

      Hi Amy, 

      Please share what your physio says - we are about the same time of post op. I have not been given any post op physio and am using videos from the Internet.

      Thanks

      Michael

    • amy371978
      amy371978 MichaelTN1UK

      Posted

      Will do Michael. That's a shame you've not been given any. My physio told me it was a shame as I was part of 'Circle Care' (whatever that is) and not the alternative NHS system. I was supposed to get 2 post op physios at the hospital and then be referred for more but that after the first two this hardly ever happens (due to some incompetence and lack of organisation). She advised in that case I'd need to pay for it and it's cost about £50 per half hour. I'd rather avoid that obviously so may use youtube videos. In my pre op assessment the nurses seemed to think I'd get someone visiting my house weekly to do it. I'm guessing the people who aren't in 'Circle Healthcare' get that. Either way the physio side all seems a bit vague. I suppose I should be grateful I get any at all given you haven't had any.

       

    • MichaelTN1UK
      MichaelTN1UK amy371978

      Posted

      Thanks Amy. It will certainly be interesting. As I have posted here I had two physios in hopotal. One said not to worry about the 90 degree rule and the other said I must stick to it. But, and here is the rub, as soon as they got me up and down stairs, all sessions were stopped and no a word of how to progress things. Very frustrating. Thankfully I stumbled across this forum. 
    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK MichaelTN1UK

      Posted

      That is shabby treatment Michael, totally opposite advice.

      I am so impressed with the physio provided for me in my private hospital on the NHS - 3 or 4 one-to-one sessions, always with the same physio, then 6-8 'physio class' sessions in the hospital's gym spread over 2 months.

      Graham

    • david73016
      david73016 Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Hi Rocketman

      That's impressive. I am also a private NHS patient and go back to the hospital, BMI Sandringham Kings Lynn, for my first physio session next week (4week point). Not sure whether there will be

      any other sessions afterwards?

    • amy371978
      amy371978 MichaelTN1UK

      Posted

      Hi Michael. Wasn't much to the physio yesterday, half an hour or so and seeing her again in two weeks. She had me on bed and tested resistance and flexibility, then my walking about and took me into their gym and had me doing the normal post op exercises against a wall. She noticed I'm tending to put more weight onto the good hip and told me to put more on operated one. I hadn't noticed this. 

      Two new exercises given. The bridge, which I am to do on the bed. Laying down, knees bent and lifting bum off high as can and holding for 5 seconds. Repeating 15 times. Also I must try balancing on operated leg. Can't do it at all at moment and fall sideways after half a second. 

      She also told me not to walk more than a few steps without the stick until I can walk without a limp. I can walk unlimpy for a bit but it's not the default way I walk yet so need to build up that muscle. She said to do the set of exercises 3 times a day.

      in two weeks she said we will do more in gym. Exercise with ankle weights, static bike etc.

      Hope this helps.

    • MichaelTN1UK
      MichaelTN1UK amy371978

      Posted

      Thank you Amy - you are so kind to come back to me.

      Yes, it is very helpful as I was still doing the basics. I shall try these today. I had searched the web and found a booklet by the Royal Berkshire Hospital, but even that is not as good as first hand knowledge.

      Thank you again. 

    • Lallydye1
      Lallydye1 MichaelTN1UK

      Posted

      I was exactly the same and have no scheduled follow up physio so am going private.  This forum is good!
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