Wellness

[Deree]

I fractured the head of my femur a few years ago and spent 5 days in the hospital and 3 weeks in a rehab facility.  Three pins in my hip.  Apparently the recovery for that operation is more difficult than a THR. There was a 97 year old woman in my rehab facility who had a THR a week prior and she was already literally dancing in the hallway.

You'll want the grabber and other tools that have been mentioned and will make your life infinitely easier. 

You shouldn't need a commode and can probably get to the bathroom without a problem but will definitely want a booster seat.  I was issued a bedside commode to use at home and used the seat and stand (without the bucket underneath) over my toilet which added a few inches in height.  I also had a walker, a hemi-walker, crutches and cane.  I used a transfer shower bench which was terrific.  I'd recommend that over a shower chair.  Best wishes!

[Tigerfish2]

I,have had both hops replaced. One surgery was easy no pain hardly. I have the tall tolite but we still got the tolite seat with bars. Remove bucket and just go in tolite. Its the bars that help steady you. And therapy. I raosed my bed as it was lie with blocks they have for this. You can't sit in anything that us soft that your butt will be lower then your hips. Many get a lazy boy like chair and love in that. I had one hard chair I sat in. I didn't want to dislocate hip. One hint when your able to go in car. Take a plastic garbage bag to put in the car where you will sit. You will put your back side in first and hopefully be able to turn on the bag sluding around snd someone helping you from the other side of car. This was my best helper.
Reacher, sock puller on, walk and a good therapist. I don't limp till i am exhausted. Good luck to you. Ask for any ideas if you have them.

[colleena]

@CatsyCline   Hi, am thinking about you as I think your surgery would have been yesterday or today - hope all went well & you are on the mend.  Take care,

[Justice4all]

@CatsyCline 

The best exercise for hip replacement is walking!  Overdoing other exercises will cause swelling and pain.

[Jrzgirl]

I had hip replacement surgery 2 mos ago & I'm 73.  I came home the afternoon of my surgery.  I was supposed to have the surgery 2 mos prior but it was postponed due to Covid,  By the time I had the surgery the ball of my hip had completely deteriorated & I had lost 2 inches from my leg.  I had my post op check up 2 weeks ago & the only restriction I now have is "no running"-  LOL! not something I'd do anyway.

IMPORTANT

1.  take pain meds as directed- meaning, don't skip a dosage because you're afraid of getting addicted.  You want to stay ahead of the pain  Obviously, don't take more than prescribed

2. Ice-  feels great, keeps swelling down    I was given ice packs at the hospital but had a few at home.  When you have your pre-op appt ask if you're given any, if not Amazon has them

3. Do the exercises they tell you to do!!!!  Can't stress this enough.  

4 .REST

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To make life easier:  Amazon probably has these things.  We had the commode & shower chair because my in-laws lived with us before they passed.  And I had a walker so I could get around the house

1. Raised toilet seat/"portable" commode-  TMI, I know-  I always need to to to the bathroom at night & having the portable "potty chair' close to the bed at night was invaluable

2. shower chair-  I showered the day after my surgery.  The bandage was waterproof & wasn't effected.  So much better than sponge bath for 2 weeks.  Chair is better than grab bars (which most people don't have & would have to be installed) because if you feel tired you can just sit 

3. walker

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Clothing:

I wore loose pajamas.  Slip on shoes.  I don't wear sox, if you do you might need a "grabber" to put them on (I'd use my husabnd)

Any loose comfortable clothing would suffice.  I always sat down to get dressed.

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I'm on Medicare so you're allowed 6 at home PT sessions.

Try to do the exercises you're given by the therapist 2x daily they're so important to getting your strength back & getting back to "normal" (as normal as you can be these days)

I followd at home PT w/ outpatient PT.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll do great!!

[Jrzgirl]

I just noticed the date you wrote your request for info on post op hip replacement.  So, I guess  I was too late w/ my info.  

You should be 3 days post-op.  Hope the surgery went well & you're not in a lot of pain.

Take care of yourself & do your exercises, rest, ice, & take meds.  Hope you recuperate quickly.

Janet

[CatsyCline]

OP here! Hi Everyone and thank you for all your tips and advice!

So today i am 10 days post op (not counting day of surgery. After 9 days i started to feel human again!  

i was hospitalized for 4 days. needed iron infusion and they were watching my very low BP . then  surgeon sent me to a SNF and i was only there one night. my surgical leg ballooned out and the staff woul not call him.  i did not like that place so i signed myself out. Surgeon wasnt too happy. the next day Sunday i paged him, that;'s when he learned i had left. he had me go to ER at the surgery hospital. i had UltraSound and thankfully no blood clots.  my leg is still swollen and i have been icing it and keeping elevated. maybe it's lymphedema. my other leg had swelled up after other surgery.

i got a commode to fit over toilet and the hospital gave me the sock buddy, grabber, shoe  horn and some other gadgets.  getting very skilled at rolling in and out of the bed. my incision is good, very sore at first. now it has healed, at lest superficially... i don't feel it

stil using my walker and breaking out to go out solo. like a toddler, i stay close to my "anchor".  only tylenol now and meloxicam. no t much pain to speak of.

this surgery post op has been more intense than my 3 spine surgeries, maybe because of the restrictions. have to be so careful of not crossing and over flexing. not easy to walk around when hip was sliced open.

one odd thing is bad headache every day when i first get up in the morning.

oh yes getting home PT  3x a week.