A month after hip replacement surgery

My recovery for the month

A month after my direct anterior hip replacement surgery, I’m not 100% yet. Not even close. I went on a golf trip (I only putted, and only sometimes), I’ve walked without any aids, I’ve driven my car. I didn’t get there as fast as some people, but I got there much faster than what I would expect if I received the regular surgery I was booked for. Here’s how I got there.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, this is my story pre-surgery, what you need to know about hip replacement surgery – and nobody tells you: https://lynntowin.ca/what-you-need-to-know-about-hip-replacement-surgery-and-nobody-tells-you

this is my story leading up to surgery, what happens before hip replacement surgery: https://lynntowin.ca/what-happens-before-hip-replacement-surgery

and this is my story about my hospital stay after hip replacement surgery: https://lynntowin.ca/my-hospital-stay-after-hip-replacement-surgery/

The first few days

The first few days after hospital were just – tough. It’s tough to get out of bed, tough to get back in bed. Tough to stand, tough to sit.

Fortunately I had my support person Kathy who was there to make things easier for me. Simple things like carrying a cup of coffee to a chair. And harder things like doing the wash, when my laundry is in the basement of my bi-level house. She also made meals for me. I was all prepped for that with frozen meals, but having her take it out of the freezer, pop it in the microwave, put it on a plate, and put it on the table saved me a lot of effort. Nothing was easy.

She was there for me when I tried my first washup, using the bath seat in my shower, only a shout away if I slipped up. And for my first time on the stairs, using my folded walker as support – not what I the physio showed me in hospital but it worked way better.

I did these things independently, but having her there as support was priceless.

Exercise is important

I left hospital with a booklet showing a few exercises to get started with.

A couple of days after leaving, I got a call from the Hip and Knee Clinic. They gave me an appointment with a physio a month after my surgery! But… I had anterior surgery! I should see a physio much sooner than that. Oh, you’re the one! do you think you’ll be ready sooner? Well, I’ve never done this before, but from everything I’ve learned I should be ready. They gave me an appointment two weeks after surgery.

I didn’t have enough painkillers

The exercises I had to do (in bed since I couldn’t stand) were not easy, and I needed to take my tylenol 3 painkillers before doing them. But I was running out of painkillers!

Just a few days after leaving hospital, I saw that I would soon run out of painkillers, and started to ration them. I stretched out the time in between, or took one instead of two. That didn’t make a lot of sense, I decided later, and I was in pain.

I came to the conclusion that painkillers were prescribed to me the same as they would have been prescribed to a “regular” patient who stayed in hospital for a several days. That patient would have had really good drugs for a few more days that I didn’t get.

I called the pharmacy, who told me to call the surgeon’s office, who told me to call my family doctor’s office, who told me to call the pharmacy! Fortunately my family doctor was on it and prescribed more painkillers for me that day.

The first week was really hard, but then it started to get easier

The first week was really tough. Life was a little easier after that. Small things were very exciting for me – like standing up in the shower, putting on pants without using a long-handled gripper, painting my toenails!

Even a month later life is much easier than it would have been if I had the “regular” surgery. With that surgery there is a greater risk of dislocating your new hip. You are told not to bend past 90 degrees, or cross your legs, for months.

Two weeks after surgery, I went out without my walker, using a cane. I had my physio appointment at the Hip and Knee Clinic. My therapist was great. We talked about my knee this is injured from compensating for my hip. She believes it will resolve with my new hip. I hope so!

Three weeks after surgery, I joined friends on a golf trip to Clear Lake, Manitoba. I planned on riding along and putting, but hadn’t thought about how far I would have to walk, with a cane, to get to the greens and putt. It was still a great trip though, even without putting all the holes. I could still play cards and go to restaurants after all!

Less than four weeks after, I drove to the nearby grocery store to get supplies. The only part of my leg that feels uncomfortable when driving is my injured knee, the same as driving before surgery.

Four weeks after, I drove to my second appointment at the Hip and Knee Clinic. My physio said I was doing great for just six weeks after! I reminded her that I was at four weeks, and had the anterior surgery. I forgot to mention that I drove there….

Fatigue can take you by surprise

I slept a lot the first few weeks. But after a month or so, I thought it was over.

I had a couple of good days where I moved around a lot. I felt great, my leg felt fine. And then I crashed. I could hardly make myself get out of bed for a few days.

I know now that I still need to take it easy. But I have new goals for myself every second day or so, and then I rest in between. I got rid of my cane. My walker is still at home – after sitting or lying down I can’t walk easily without some help. Sitting is lethal.

The next challenge – my other hip also needs to be replaced

My left hip is just as bad as the right one was before replacement. And I am not even on the waiting list for that surgery.

That one is already a long story!

Will I ever get back to this again?

Or this?

I’m still hopeful!!