4 days post op

[Guest guest]

Hi all

well I am 4 days post op. Nobody seemed to mention previously about

ending up with a rear end that looked like a baboons. Initially

things did not go well at all. Being a fit fairly young(46)

sportsman my surgeeon expected me to leave on Sunday (3days post op)

maybe needing 1 stick. How wrong he was. Surgery took a lot longer

than they initially thought and I was transfused 3 litres of blood

during and post op. Overnight the nurses seemed to be quite worried,

blood pressure dropped very low, high temperature and unbelieveably

hot, cold flannels windows open and a fan in an attempt to lower it.

Seemed as if they were with me all night but they assured me they

only came in every hour. Next day (1 day post op) surgeon visits and

tells me I need to wear a hip and knee brace for the first 3 weeks.

Hit me like a hammer blow. He explained that due to my high level of

activity pre op my body had tried to protect itself by restricting

the ROM in my hip. This it did by growing Sophites(I think, which is

bone growth) the muscles carry on normally but adapt to the growths

by becoming longer. During surgery the surgeon removed the sophites,

which he says will give me greater ROM eventually. However because

this bone is no longer there the joint is looser than it should be.

Hence the brace to restrict ROM untill the muscles have adjusted.

All sounds good. Unfortunately I was unbelieveably sore on the first

day post op(a lot of the pain was due to my level of fitness and the

muscle mass in my thigh. Cutting through muscle tissue is bound to

be sore I was told), physio came dangerously close to upsetting me

when she tried to get me out of bed. My body was having none of it

and refused to move. Have to admit at this point I was feeling

pretty sorry for myself. Hip too painful to allow any form of physio

and laying there with a brace on that basically meant my

rccuperation would be that much slower.

2nd day post op. Woke up and a lot of the severe pain had

disappeared. So on my own no nurses or physio I got myself out of

bed and using the crutches went to the bathroom brushed my teeth and

had a shave. Thought it a bit unwise to try the shower on my own.

Nurses and Physio (also me come to think of it) amazed by the

inprovement overnight. Had a shower no problem that morning and felt

a lot better for it. Physio had me up walking around the corridors

on crutches and it was fine. Before I could go home there was a 20

point checklist I needed to complete, the two hardest being getting

myself in and out of bed and getting up and down stairs. Everything

was fine apart from the stairs, I didnt feel too confident in the

morning. Physio said we could try again in the afternoon although I

was not too confident. Anyway 5 hours later, during which time I had

been traversing the corridors with my wife, she came back and we

tried again. It was a breeze no problem at all. So next day all

being OK with the surgeon I would be going home.

3rd day post op. Well saw the surgeon who said everything was fine

and I could go home. Amazing how much of a boost it gives you when

you actually return to familiar surroungs that you are confident in.

Surgeon estimates I should be fully recovered between 3-6 months

which is great. The initial pain (and I mean pain) was worth it if

it means that having been fit for the op my recovery has been

accelerated, which seems to be the case at the moment. Once home

yesterday I went into the garden and walked non stop(with crutches)

for appx 600m. It wasnt any pain that stopped me i was just tired.

Also I am already able to get in and out of the bath for a shower (

which I was told would not be possible for a couple of weeks) which

is great. 1 and half hour car journey home from hospital was fine.

4th day post op. Everything is still improving, pain , movement etc.

Only down side is the brace which I really do not get on with.

However at the mom I think I need it as the hip does feel 'loose' if

I do not have it on. Unfortunately while I have to use the brace I

also have to use the crutches, the two appear to go together

unfortunately.

Anyway I have got to go and have a scoot around the garden now,

maybe get up to 1000 metres today.

To any of you soon to be done hippies out there, everything will be

fine. I can tell already that things are going to get a lot better

for me. The old joint pain has disappeared and it is only the

muscular pain that remains, surgical and readjustment.

Good luck,I really dont think you will need it,to all of you about

to be given your lives back. To all those who already have, you know

what I mean.

Will

p.s. I will keep updating.

p.p.s It would be a good idea if al contributors indicated their

age. I know when I fist joined the group I was eager to look at

postings from people in my age group. Just a thought.