Not supposed to txt or use cellphones in the rooms here so am hooked up to the dialup internet in the wall - so fast!! Well op is over, yesterday was pretty terrible as they have not really got my pain meds right till today. Had the op 11.20 i think on Sat and was under for a couple of hours (still waiting on the op report) woke up in insane pain in recovery. As I had been taking morphine tablets (10-20mg two to three times a day) since December 2007 my body was used to the medication and was only given 20mg to start with in recovery what basicly had no effect. My surgeon charted I needed more than normal however it took over half an hour and me crying in pain for them to give me more. Even when they did it only just hit the surface of the pain. I think I should have been given 50mg to begin with.
I felt like I had been hit by a bus in recovery. Yesterday (morning after surgery) they got me up and showered me, the worst part was standing up for the first time and the hip clicked & popped as it settled into place and this was quite painfull. I was placed on the commode/wheelchair and wheeled into the shower. Having a shower did help make me feel a bit more fresh but it was very exhausting & getting back into bed was not too nice with the pain being up there. I still think I was not being given enough pain meds and most normal people having this surgery who have not been on morphine before hand would have coped better with the pain releif I am sure. But I got there.
The next day (Monday) I had a shower, was able to get dressed into my own SATIN PJ's and had my post op x-rays. My level of pain relief has finally reached the right balance and it took a while as I was first on a PCA pump - self administered pain relief but would dose off and wake really sore as couldn't press the button when I was sleeping. I also started to throw up with the pump so they changed to morphine shots in my good thigh (I hate needles and it was not bad at all). Seemed to work ok but started to get sick from that too. So they changed me onto my normal morphine tablets and my stomach has settled down, not queasy or throwing up anymore (which is great as I can start getting energy from food and it is not nice trying to throw up and protect your newly operated hip at the same time!!). I did my makeup today so help helped me feel little better :) . Crazy thing is I am allowed to fully weight bear on my op'ed leg! Too sore right now only restrictions are not allowed to swing leg out to the side for 6 weeks in case it dislocates. Have also been given daliy injections into my stomach of a blood thinner and have to take asprin daily for six weeks post op to stop blood clots.
I have very sexy stockings on to the knee to help circulation - kind of like airplane compression socks and have had booties on my feet which inflate every 5 secs to push the bloodflow up the legs. I only have to wear them at night from now on - the day of my operation and the next I had to wear them 24/7, oh yay! You get used to them and I have been able to sleep with them on they are just annoying sometimes. So am in a much better mindframe today - really was not good yesterday. I couldn't keep much food down either which didn't help.
Day 14 Post Op (28 june 2008)
It is now day 14 post op & it is much better this week. I was able to go home 4 days after surgery (Operation was the Sat and home on the Wed afternoon) and couldn't wait as I missed my own place & family lots. I have been sleeping in a lazy boy since I got home & highly recommended it as it gives much better control and is so much easier getting up etc just until you have a little more strength back and you also have support on both sides. I did have a very cold foot on the operated side with pins & needles but that went away after 3 days at home. Wheatbags helps a lot! Also if you can get someone to gently massage your calf & foot on the operated side. Still have my pressure stockings to wear for the next week or so and taking Asprin once a day for 6 weeks in total to avoid blood clots.
Painwise - I still have had little pain from the actual incision. I had disolveable stitches and a mefix bandage which I took off yesterday (27/6), very slowly. The incision line is really fine and a lot less noticeable than I was expecting. Swelling has mostly gone now which is great as I pretty much had a second hip on that side! The main pain I have currently is when I wake up in the morning and the joint is very achey till I move round, get the muscles moving and get on top of my pain killers again. I have been told I can weight bear, even fully if I can however am on double crutches for 6 weeks with no physio. I am allowed to practice my walking and clentch/flex the muscles to help them retain some strength.
3 Weeks Post Op - 7 July
Progressed from lazy boy to the bed (have a memory foam mattress cover, numerous pillows and satin blanket for getting in & out of bed). Feeling stronger this week and the swelling is going down nicely which is helping to straighten out my lower body as I am a little wonky looking. Currently I am getting more muscle pain than joint pain & my thigh on my operated leg has decided it wants to cramp up on me, often. So I have to be carefull getting up/sitting down and have been given some gentle stretches by my physio to help loosen the muscle. My scar has healed nicely though it is still numb around the scar, the feeling will come back with time though it does feel weird rubbing creams into the leg there and it being numb!! ACC have supplied a cleaner to come once a week and she is lovely, does a great job and it makes you feel so much better to know you have a tidy house!
Above and below my scar 3 weeks post op, still a lot of swelling to go down yet.
4 Weeks Post Op
Though I am not allowed to do any physio till after the "safe" 6 week period post op I went to see my physio as my lower back & glutes on the operated side are giving me a lot of pain and everything is soo tight. She did a few gentle mobs on my lower back - which was a minefield of pain but it did help to loosen some of the muscles. She also did work around my neck and upper spine as I also have a shoulder/neck injury which has been aggrivated by my constant crutch use. Still about the same as last week but feeling stronger everyday and slowly getting more normal activities into my day like cooking meals again & managed a walk to the shop & back (block & a half from our house).
Scar 4 weeks post op - healing nicely, still swelling though this will take a while to fully go away.
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