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Self image post op

Posted , 22 users are following.

DawnDedee
DawnDedee

This is a sensitive topic for me, but I wonder how others are dealing with the body changes post op?  Right now my body is in the worst shape, and in fact, it is in the shape that I fought succesfully my whole adult life to avoid.  I have lost my figure.  I do not think, at my age, that I will ever get it back.  I had to lay around for a year and a half in agony with a failed THR, and there was nothing I could do.

I cannot relax into this, yet I lack the energy and drive to work out and I wonder if at my age, nearly 58, I can even turn this around.

I do not like what I see in the mirror.

Dawn, USA

 

7 likes, 133 replies

133 Replies

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  • vicki00016
    vicki00016 DawnDedee

    Posted

    I know how you feel! I'm 10 weeks post op and not yet weightbearing on op leg due to complex surgery. I painfully exercised right up to the op and have put about 7 pounds on. I now have 2 old hip scars one of which has been extended for my new hip. I've just managed to clean the house while hopping on 2 crutches. I've done my hair and make up as going to Physio today. Eating healthily to try to lose a little weight before a holiday abroad with a friend in a couple of weeks. Life is very different to before but pain free and I'm looking forward to being able to do things I struggled to do before. I'm 46 in a couple of weeks and when I look in the mirror I see a no longer toned body, one leg thinner due to muscle wastage and one leg fatter due to eating chocolate and sitting around all day! As Rose said, little things like pedicures and having your hair done make you feel better. I'm going to buy new clothes too as sick of wearing leggings. My husband described me as a grey blob that's sits on the couch all day 😂😂😂!
    • Loral
      Loral

      Posted

      WHATquestion We need an edit key or auto correct...
    • vicki00016
      vicki00016 Loral

      Posted

      Haha it's ok he was only joking and it was more to do with the fact that all my comfy clothes seem to be grey! My hubby has been amazing and I can't fault him cooking cleaning etc. I'm still on 2 crutches as not weight bearing so basically have spent the last 10 weeks on my spot on the sofa!
    • Loral
      Loral vicki00016

      Posted

      Lately all I wear is grey and black..maybe we need to brighten up, spring is almost here!wink
    • vicki00016
      vicki00016 Loral

      Posted

      Definately, I've been busy trawling the Internet waiting for summer clothes to come out and I'm going to have a big clear out tomorrow of all my old clothes. Can't wait to start wearing heels again too!
    • rose0000
      rose0000 vicki00016

      Posted

      Vicki you are a sporty girl so sitting on the sofa for ten weeks must be a test of endurance, but you are nearly there, I am now sitting again on the sofa after pulling a muscle getting out of a chair (I ask you!) We have at least time to plan our summer wear and heels this year with all of this extra 'sofa' time smile smile We will be the best dressed girls in town!

      And don't get me started on my underwear draw....it is the bleakest of bleak peaking in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

       

    • vicki00016
      vicki00016 rose0000

      Posted

      Gosh Rose it really is one thing after another isn't it. Your right about the underwear, those comfy post op knickers need to go!
    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 vicki00016

      Posted

      I plan on buying loads of cute undies for during and after recovery. I feel like sexy undies and a nice set of nails do the world of good 😊
    • vicki00016
      vicki00016 sarah1996

      Posted

      Good on you Sarah, I had to get some big Knicks as my wound was sore and swollen. They are in the bin now! Also have nails done which is fab as I can't wear nail varnish for work so making the most of it.
    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 vicki00016

      Posted

      Haha i spend hours designing my own nails now iv got so much time on my hands
    • rose0000
      rose0000 vicki00016

      Posted

      Mine actually have holes in them Vicki to my eternal shame smile 
    • rose0000
      rose0000

      Posted

      Feeling inspired I just binned disgraceful undergarments only to discover that this really all I have!!! The lovely big pants we have all grown to hate, I literally felt like a one hundred years old in mine, especially when my darling and ever suffering husband was pulling them up for me in the early days, I could have died with shame. Now frantically on next day delivery website for some new ones. 
    • rose0000
      rose0000 sarah1996

      Posted

      If you want my advice Sarah you need larger pants, but make sure they are pretty for goodness sake. I ordered these MASSIVE white belly busting huge, white M&S ones that were absolutely VILE. I thought at the time they were 'practical', but little did I know then that my husband would indeed be spending most of his life hauling them up more times than me!! If I had known this in advance I would have had some pants printed on the front, with 'thank you darling' and 'aren't we having fun today!' 

      Trust me pretty pants and nightdresses go a long way to making you feel great, there are two ways to approach this operation and recovery, and I love the story of the old lady next to my aunt who just had a hip replacement, clearly still very much powered on morphine had a shower, put on her make up, did her hair and was sat there waiting for the consultant to arrive....she was 79! Classic! I am afraid I rather let the side down with wetting bed and sporting a birds nest! smile

    • sarah1996
      sarah1996 rose0000

      Posted

      I think ill be bringing my make up but doubt ill use it haha. Well ill have to find some practical undies on friday then haha
    • Gaby21
      Gaby21 sarah1996

      Posted

      I took pj's in , leisurewear ', nighties etc WHAT A WASTE OF TIME lol!!

      Couldn't get my Trs down for a wee quick enough with crutches, trying to sit down etc. 1st day......So after that Nighties ruled and NO drawers🙈🙈even when I came home at 1st!!!

      I did put blusher, mascara and lipgloss b4 visitors and brushed my hair!

    • vicki00016
      vicki00016 rose0000

      Posted

      I asked my daughter to pick me some comfy ones up before she visited me in hospital, the nurse laughed when I took out a g-string to try to put on the day after my op. Had to go knickerless for the day. Mine were big belly warmers with Christmas prints on them!
    • DawnDedee
      DawnDedee vicki00016

      Posted

      I too had a complex revision and was non weight bearing for 8 weeks.  Thank you Vicki for sharing!  I was a blob laying in my bed all the time.  I took a selfie and was shocked at how I looked in the face.  Dark circles under my eyes and a sunken pale face.  I looked much older than 58.  Now, a year post op, I am complimented by a friend who would tell me the truth, that I actually look much younger now than before.  She said that my eyes were always squinted and my face looked like I was fighting extreme pain, but now I appear more relaxed.  The year and a half of excruciating pain from a device that had come loose and was twisting and migrating, was touching every nerve in my thigh/hip, sucked the life out of me!

       

    • DawnDedee
      DawnDedee vicki00016

      Posted

      Oh, I forgot to say that I hope your holiday abroad is fantastic!
    • DawnDedee
      DawnDedee Gaby21

      Posted

      I travelled 5 hours to my surgery and realized that I had FORGOTTEN my pajamas!  I had to hang out for a while in those wretched hospital gowns.  I had no intention of wearing any panties.  Too much of a bother.  Luckily I did not have any visitors as I was so far from home.  However, there was one friend there and she gave me some of her pajamas.  We were friends when we were age 14 and her clothing was beautiful and anytime she loaned something to me, I was thrilled and felt so pretty.  There we were, 40 some years later and she was loaning me her clothes!  It is amazing that she happened to live .in the city where I had my surgery

       

    • vicki00016
      vicki00016 DawnDedee

      Posted

      Thankyou Dawn. Pain really does show on your face doesn't it, my friends and family have said I always looked in pain. It's so tiring. None weight bearing is awful but can't believe 10 weeks have passed already, only another 2 to go. His long did it take you to walk properly again? Oh and the scars, I had 2 really big scars on my thigh and hip from aged 6 which have grown with me, one doctor said it looks like I've been butchered, someone else commented I look like I've been bitten by a shark! Doesn't stop me wearing bikinis though. Wishing you well for your recovery. Sounds like you've been through a lot x
    • DawnDedee
      DawnDedee vicki00016

      Posted

      I cannot remember how long it took me to walk properly after the non weight bearing period ended.  All I can remember is that non weight bearing delayed the ability to do any rehab exercises like others can who can bear weight.  Yes it is tiring.  I am glad the weeks have flown by.  I had to have extensive bone grafting and that is why I had to be non weight bearing.  In fact, they told me that they needed more bone than they thought at first and sent people looking everywhere for more bone.

      I think that is why I had such a silly hallucination just as I was waking up from the sedative.  I saw a dog with a sign that said, "Will donate bone for more sedative."  Ha!  I remember as I was coming to, I heard myself saying, "I want some more of that. (sedative)"  Ha!

       

    • vicki00016
      vicki00016 DawnDedee

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply Dawn, I'm looking forward to increasing my lying down exercises to the bike, etc. Love your bone offering dog dream!
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