Total hip replacement - day 9 and 10 post op

Written on Friday 2nd February 2018

Cake from a friend. So many people have been so kind bringing meals and offering help. 

I think I've come to the end of daily updates for the time being as life has fallen into a kind of routine. I'm guessing there will be an update every few days now or possibly moving to weekly updates. Despite feeling like I need help with everything I did manage to fold and put a few items of clothing away once they were taken out the airing cupboard and I managed to take meal out the freezer (made by wonderful friends for us) and get it onto a baking tray and into the oven - even though it did prove rather tricky and I can't even remember how I managed it but somehow I did. 

I'm finding certain drawers I can pull open from the edge using my crutches, drop (non-breakable) items into them and then push them closed again with the end of my crutches. 

Showers are still very tricky so dry shampoo is my new best friend. I've only managed two showers since being home using a shower chair and lots of help from Richard. 

Pockets are also proving useful for carrying my phone with me in case of an emergency when I'm left home alone. I'm acutely aware that a moments lapse in concentration when walking around, going up or down stairs or even forgetting to lie on my back in bed could have serious consequences. 

  

D was brilliant loading the dishwasher with my instructions this evening.  If only both boys would be a bit more helpful around the house it would take the pressure if Richard a bit. 

Had a scare today with granny bring rushed to hospital. Her focus has been on helping us so much - early starts, late nights and particularly with getting Miss T to where she needs to be for various commitments that her own health is now suffering. Thankfully she was sent home from hospital this evening. Even the boys who are very much at a "whatever" stage with everything else, were mega concerned about granny. 

 

my wound on day 10

This morning was my wound check at the doctors surgery. They are happy that it is healing up nicely. It's been re-covered with a fresh dressing to be checked again next week. 

Doing those little chores - however basic they seem - has taken it out of me today as I drifted to sleep in the early evening. 

Another wonderful happy thing was seeing one of my best friends yesterday. Richard was out all day at a meeting and so my friend brought me lunch and we had a good couple of hours catching up, chatting and laughing. A real highlight of my day as it's easy to go stir crazy stuck at home like this. 

Generally night times are feeling a bit easier - I've come to accept the way I have to sleep and my legs are feeling less agitated at the moment. 

I think the stiffness in my legs is easing as the strength builds up again with the 4 sessions of physio exercises I'm doing each day at home. 

Although I'm not even at the 2 week mark and I know I need to get to 6 weeks to see the real improvement just the tiny improvements day by day are encouraging and the more I manage to do each day, the better I will feel. Interspersed with plenty of rest of course as I've been warned time and time again not to overdo things during these early days. 

 

2nd Feb - Definitely less swelling under the knee

3rd Feb - Bruising seems to be 'dispersing' / fading