Will I ever be able to

Posted , 9 users are following.

Hi wonderful group, I have been reading this forum for a couple weeks, I got hip surgery 3 weeks ago after falling and fracturing my hip, I am 57..I had a delay in progress post surgery because of dizziness and red blood cell dropping, had t have bloood transfusion, etc.. have been back home only 1 week....I live in attic apartment , there are 3 flights of stairs that I didnt dare tackle, so paramedics brought me up....how will I know if I am able to try to walk down the stairs? Right now I am walking ok with the walker, limping still qute a bit ,.. I can also use a cane..I anticipate limping for quite some time so I know I should try the stairs before that stops....

will I ever be able to sit indian style again, and bend without worrying about dislocation

I have been getting a sharp pain in my inner upper thigh/groin area (same side as op on) it goes away after I massage it awhile.. anyone else had this? It happens only once in awhile after standing up.

Will I ever be normal again? I just want to be able to walk up and down the stairs to go outside and walk my dogs again.

I am a positive person, but I have moments of despair with this.

Dawn

 

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  • Posted

    Hi Dawn , my name is Mary from South Wales uk . 

    You referred to a cane , are you in America.?

    here they give us crutches much better than a cane . 

    I have one staircase and found it ok to get up and down .

    did they show you how in hospital ?

    we are not allowed out until we can do it . 

    Would it be poss for someone to watch you go down one flight and back up ?

    if so try this for a few days then progress to 2 then 3 flights .

    i am 60 and 7 weeks post off I had and still have a pain in groin sometimes . Dr told me I need to strengthen thigh muscles and referred me to physio . 

    I am weaning myself off crutches as told but have a limp without them . 

    Hope physio will help .

    3 weeks is very early days I wouldn't worry to much .

    i am driving again now but still get tired and achy . Having a bad day today actually . 

    Things will improve if you do excercises , walk and rest .

    keep in touch and keep your chin up x

    • Posted

      Mary thank you so much for replying. I am so worried about dislocating my hip, do you know how long I have to be worried about that? Yes I am in america.. I did walk up and down a few stairs in hospital using cane, but my stairs are more skinny and daunting.. I thin I will have my son stand in front of me and try to do maybe 1 flight one of these days when I am feeling confident.
    • Posted

      Think we have to be worried about that for a few months .dr told me at 6 weeks check up that twisting and bending traight down from the waist could dislocate it . 

      I zip can bend down now by putting my bad leg right out behind me like golf ears do when picking ball out of the hole . 

      I would try stairs soon if I were you as you will worry more the longer you wait . I had my son to help first time but as I said with a crutch . It is easier thN you think  x

    • Posted

      Hi again , just remembered what they told me in joint school ,

      think about how much better you are this week than you were last week and not  I am no better today than I was yesterday . Hope that makes sense x

  • Posted

    Hi Dawn,

    Great to hear your positive but don't worry about feeling despair from time to time as this I natural when gone through such a torrid time after the hip operation. I've had my moments but just hang on there, do the exercises, take them at your own pace nc and easy and bit by bit you will get there.

    Regarding your stairs and navigating them, did you receive instructions from your hospital physio ?. If not then a simple rhyme to remember.....good to heaven (good leg first when climbing stairs) bad to hell (operated leg first going down). When you feel yourself up for trying the stairs then try a stair or two with company if possible butif on your own then nice and slowly with any walking aids close to you. Good luck.

    Groin pain .... I have experienced some twinges on the operated leg groin hitch I have been told by my medical gurus as expected and will pass the more exercise and time that passes.

    Sit indian style......sorry but I am not at all sure about this so hopefully

    you will get an answer from another hippie who can do one or your physio. If you ever do, let us all know.

    Time may appear to slow down or even stop hen recovering, which I from to time feel as make an improvement then next day feel going nowhere and ache, but this is expected. Don't over do it, patience, keep chatting to the rest of us on this forum and with spring coming....you will do it. 

    Very best wishes and remember your not alone.

    Kevin

     

    • Posted

      Thank you so much Mary and Kevin, the best thing is to know I am not alone and I have this forum, whoever started it does not know how much it helps and inspires, more than they can imagine.. Mary, I will keep in mind what you said , to do it sooner than later because you are right I worry alot about it..am so glad to hear that my groin pain is normal too.
  • Posted

    i completely understand your aprehension about stairs, i told the physio at the hospital that i have a phobia about going down the stairs (result of me falling downstairs as a child when wearing my mums high heeled shoes!) but i managed in the hospital on their little stairs HOWEVER once home i went up with no problems but the next morning i had a full blown panic attack about going down and just could not do it. i spent a day being Rapunzel stuck in my tower then suddenly noticed that the banister at the top was not as high as the ceiling! i made my husband demonstrtate that he coul reach the banister and then as if by magic i was down the stairs - do things slowly and not before you are ready - as foe sitting indian style i never could before so it will be a miracle if i can after!!
  • Posted

    Hi Dawn, welcome in. My name is Glenna and I am in Portland Oregon.

    I am waiting to have my surgery, hopefully in May, I was told. I still

    have some things to settle before I get approved.

    Since I haven't had my thr yet, I can't answer your questions. I found this forum and am trying to meet people who have been in my shoes, nopun intendedsmile So where are you from? How was your surgery and how long did you stay in the hospital? I have noticed quite a difference

    in length of hospital stays between here and the UK.

    Anyway, just wanted to encourage you to hang in there and go gently.

    Please reach out and stay in touch. I'm here every day if you want to

    chat. ♥

  • Posted

    Hi Dawn,

       Bless your heart!  Sitting there worrying so much.  For three weeks you are doing fine!  Falling and fracturing your hip is a bit different to all of our planned ops, you had no chance to get used to the idea of hip surgery and probably were not able to plan your post-op care very well.

       It's quite normal to get pains off and on.  Your Femoral Artery runs through your groin and could have been bruised or irritated during surgery, just like the Sciatic nerve which runs down your bum into your legs.  It's all very bruised and tender and you need to make sure you take your painkillers regularly, do some gentle exercises and make sure you keep up with your walking.  Just take the stairs slowly and make use of your son!  Just don,t try to do too much too soon and make sure you get enough rest.

       Honestly, every day will get a bit easier.  We all have our "Down Days" but they pass.  Just remember we are all here for you, from all over the world! 

    Love and hugs from the UK!

    Sue

    please keep in touch!

    • Posted

      I feel so much better after all of your replies..especially abuot the groin pain and the stairs.. I did tackle one shower so far by putting half of the walker inside the bathtub so I could use it to steady myself getting in and out, need to do it again today too.. everything seems so tedious like a shower is such  a big deal , I know that is normal... so onward I will go, one day at a time, knowing I have yuo all as support really helps, thank you so much.. Glenna I am in Chicago and I was in hospital for 2 weeks because of the dizziness and blood transfusion etc.. I dont remember much about the surgery except being worried but afterward the pain was gone, and just a little soreness around incision.. now I am just feeling a tightness around incision.
  • Posted

    Hi. I am two weeks nearly after op.  It's going ok doing my exercises and walking a bit.  Everything that's new seems a bit daunting but you can do it.  I too can't wait to walk my little dog again!  A little pain sometimes and sleeping on my back isn't great, when did any of you turn over?  I am very tempted to give it a go.  I go up and sown stairs with one crutch now, quite pleased with myself, then I get a bit despondent I think this must bu quite normal.  I hope so.  Usually very active even at  75   Keep trying.  Nice to talk.  Marlene.
  • Posted

    Hi Dawn (like your pen name!),

    Greetings. I smiled reading your letter, cos in UK we have to pass a hospital stairs test, for discharge, and they are very gentle compared to the two flights of stairs I have at home! In order to go to bed on first night home I swallowed and did them, using carefully the mantra in the excellent hospital guide and the physio advice. Very slow!

    Now, two weeks on, I wizz up and down the stairs with any crutches - all will be well, it does take a little time.

    Overall I'm happy with one crutch (better than sticks) but being totally crutch free is soooo scary, tho in two weeks I hope to report I've succeeded.

    I too am worried about a permanent limp, so I've booked some Alexandra Technnique lessons for 6 weeks post surgery plus. 12 lessons will I hope encourage me into new and better patterns of walking freely and limp free....

    Good luck on your journey

    Mic

    x

  • Posted

    It's me again,  when I said one crutch going upstairs I meant don't need two to walk about up there!   Put it down to old age.
  • Posted

    Hi dawnkitty, you are very early on in your recovery and I think you should wait before attempting the stairs until at least after 2 weeks as you will find as each week goes by you will be able to do so much more and 5-6 weeks is a definite turning point. I think you should rest now, just do your exercises but let your body recover from the trauma of your surgery.

    We all know about the problems with what used to be the simplest things which is where this site is good because we realise we are not the only ones. I didn't have a shower for 5 weeks so you've beaten me on that.

    Take your time, it will pay off in the long run and most of all be gentle with yourself.

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