Hi all! Some questions.I live alone so I'll be really pressed.
1) How long is it before you are allowed to put full weight on your leg?
2) Would I be able to stand in the shower or do I need a shower chair?
3) Is it okay to sleep in a highback (wing chair) recliner? It's not one of those overstuffed ones.
4) Will it be okay to stand and make light meals?
I have been reading these forums for the last few weeks and I have learned so much from all of you! Thank you so much!
Miele, your surgeon will tell you about weight bearingafter the operation. I was told full weight bearing immediately. I had an uncemented ceramic on ceramic THR. A shower chair will be useful early days. it's hard to balance. You will be told if you are allowed to get the dressing wet, ie if it's waterproof. Once staples are out and the wound is healed it will be ok to shower.
dont know about recliner.
remember you will be on crutches for a few weeks so carrying anything , like meals, will be difficult so better if someone can assist you early days. I'm 2.5 weeks post op and am now happily preparing meals, cups of tea etc and able to carry them to the table etc.
hope this helps.
Hi...they will get you standing up normally 24 hours later. I wouldn't sleep in a chair you will probably find it more comfortable in bed you know. I thought the same as you! I was panicking about all sorts but it was a lit easier than I expected it to be. I sat on my couch that I had raised with feet on a poof for a few days buy found it more comfortable with my feet up on couch I was just careful but did leg lifts everyday. Exercise is a must the more you do the faster you will recover. If you are to make meals for yourself I think you would be better off with a zimmer frame. Can i ask if you live in uk?if so you can get help for 6 weeks from social services. ..ie...helping with personal care,cooking cleaning shopping etc. If you need any advice just ask.
Hi Shirley I am alone sort of my 94 year old dad lives with me .............
if yo live in uk Wiltshire farm foods are great and easy to prepare . Keep everything you need ie toaster out on work top . I moved my table next to work top so I can move things along and reach table .
I found showering in shower cubicle easy . The hospital put me in touch with The Red Cross who come twice a week free of charge to change my ted stockings and help out . Make sure you have a grabber and put things you need during the day in a bag . It's not easy but surprising what you can do . It is very frustrating . I was advised to buy padded cycle mitts as using crutches outside is hard on the hands . Good luck
I put full weight within six hours post surgery.If does hurt to stand in it.But hurts to stab up and sit down.
I live alone too.was able to use microwave to warn up meals.
Also have put my couch up on bricks so it is easier to stand up.You need to sit on furniture that hips and knees are straight. You will need riser for for loo.anytime the bum is lower then knees it very hard to stand up by your self.You probably read you have to lay on your back for a while after your surgery.sending hugs
Hi Shirley! i live in the US. My insurance doesn't pay for personal care so that is where the problem lies. I will be staying with family for about 2 weeks but they have a 1 bedroom apartment so I would be sleeping in a recliner for that period of time. I guess I'll just have to make do with what I have. Thank you for your time.
Hi
I'm in the UK so things are a lot different so here goes
I was allowed to weight bear from the beginning but obviously with walker/crutches/sticks.....it varies from hospital to hospital
I wasnt allowed to shower until my dressing was off......strip wash.
Even then a shower seat would have been handy ......you are still not very steady.
Always make sure there is someone about at the beginning when you take a shower.....or on the other end of a phone.
The chair I dont know......I was told to sleep on my back, in my bed for 6 weeks.
Once again ....light meals......they provieded a lightr trolly for me to put a cup of coffee on and sheel it back using it as support. Or a meal.
As for standing......i had what they call a perch stool in the kitchen to sit on while I made meals
We have places that will deliver meals that you can microwave. Or do a lot of cooking and freezing before going in and then take it out. defrost and microwave it.
What about friends, if they know you're on your own would they cook simple meals or cook a bit extra when they do their own and bring it round?
Sorry things are so different
Love
Eileen UK
I was helped to walk the day after my surgery, with crutches of course, they encourage you to practise walking up and down the ward a little way at first, then getting longer each time and then how to step up and down stairs with the crutches. I have a walk in shower at home, which is not big enough to put a stool or chair in, so I stood up. I do have grab handles in the shower though and a non slip mat. I found it okay to do that. I waited until the District Nurse had been in and checked my wound and removed the dressing. I had a strip wash until then. I would not sleep in a recliner chair, you will probably have a better rest in a bed, but if you cannot, at least you will be keeping to the rules by sleeping on your back. I think you will be okay to stand and make light meals as long as you are not standing in one position for too long and as long as you don't have to carry meals from the kitchen to another room, or you could find they end up on the floor! After 3 weeks I found I was able to carry things without using the crutches for short distances. Best of luck.
I am alone too. I lost my husband not long ago and he was everything to me including my live in Doctor, so this was the first time I had to go it alone!
we are all told different things, depending on the preferences of your Consultant or Hospital protocol. Really, you just have to be sensible and adapt things to what is best for you. I was told....only sit in a dining chair or similar, sleep on my back for six weeks and don,t have a shower for ages! Along comes a handsome young physio and he says, sleep on your good side with knee pillow if that,s comfortable, sit in what you like, as long as your knees are not higher than your hips and shower ad.lib.
its been perfect for me. I was home in under 48 hours, walking well and managing to sleep a bit. I did have a family member stay for a few days, but I could have managed quite well on my own. Please, don,t be scared. Your new hip is not going to come flying out, if you sit on the wrong chair etc.
good luck to you, you,ll be fine. Love. Sue. UK
Hello Miele
I too live alone in UK. Had my THR 8th Aug 2014. Firstly they will NOT let you out of hospital to they are confident you can cope on yr own. I was kept in a day longer as my BP kept crashing when I stood up on the odd occasion. So instead of out in 2 days I was out in 4. I am a reasonably fit 61 yr and healthy.
From OT's I had a toilet raise on one loo and a kitchen perch. I live in an old cottage, which as multi levels, My lounge is on 2 levels and TV is on lower level, so OT said I must move TV to upper level and not use the stairs there. Bt daft really as my bedrooms are downstairs!! I think also that was to do with the sofas, whch she deemed too low. But I had a "cockfighter chair" on upper level which was "the right height"!! There was all the fuss about being on 2 crutches etc and cooking, carrying but by time I got home around the house I was on 1 crutch. Outside I used 2. I had a couple of BP blips. But managed to collapse into chair or was down by bed. One occasion tho I had to have our kindly postman help me down to my bed!! I was dressed I might add
. But generally I could recognise when it was dropping and sit /lie before it got worse.
I had in freezer, a few ready meals and frozen veg - a first! I am mainly a fish eater, so had bought lots and frozen. Easy to cook in foil in oven. Also dishwasher helped! Showers: I was showering OK before I left hospital and I have a walk in shower also at home so that was easy and a week after the op my dressing was removed anyway. I did not use a chair, just was wary over BP. BTW that is now "normal". I had to ask a neighour to change my TED stockings, so was showering only every other day, but after 3 weeks I spoke with hospital as I was by then walking a good mile a day and they said no leave them off. The worse part was the lying on yr back to sleep and not rolling in yr sleep on the side. On op side you would not, too painful, but on non op side, it was a worry. So I rolled up in my duvet and being snug, made it easier and comforting to sleep . I am a restless sleeper anyway, so only getting odd hour here and there thru night is normal.
As to someone coming in to "assist", I was not eligible, unless I paid for it. I think it varies from region to region like everything else. I did have a couple of worries and the GP was good to do home visit, ONCE I explained to receptin that (a) I was post THR and (b) on my own (c) could not drive!
Most of all.. I am a stubborn ......... and HATE to be dependent on others! I think that helped!
Thank you all for your helpful comments. The more and more I learn from all of you will make my surgery less scary.
Hi again I think if you can't go home you should ask the family if you could have a nap on their bed during the day as you will go mad in same chair all the time . I really need a lay down in day
You are welcome. I hear of this a lot in the USA it's such a shame as here in uk I dint think people realise how lucky we are to get the services we get for free. Well in a way as it's our taxes that pay for it but not noticeable. I hope it all works out for you just remember your exercises and take each day as it comes. 
Greetings from across the ocean Those of us who are over 65 yrs get Medicare.we pay for it and we buy secondary insurance.we don't pay a lot for it.But mine covers everything.home care, walkers.I never had to pay a dectable.my hipTHR i dint pay anything.a well as all my surgeries.my GP is also paid for.so far we can still choose our doctor surgeon hospital.
But in the future obma care will be like yours.Then our choices change.
Ginger,
I have insurance through the ACA (Obamacare) and I chose my own doctors, surgeons and hospitals. My THR surgery was close to $80,000 and all I had to pay was $300. The doctors that don't accept ACA, it is by their own choice and sad for their patients. I am thankful for this insurance as hundreds of thousands of people in the US are. I can't imagine it ever turning into what they have in the UK.
as to meals.... can you make some ahead of time and put them in the freezer? then you just need to heat them up -- I also live alone and am very blessed to work with some amazing people.... they made me soups, stews, chilis, and even homemade tv dinners! All homemade!!!! I could just put them in the microwave and enjoy... made such a difference!
Hi
I know...we are so lucky arent we......we may have a few grumbles about the NHS but its a great system
Miele.....hope things work out for you
Love
Eileen UK
Your welcome Miele55255ch! Encouragement and cheering you on is what we are here for. I could not have made it through a botched THR if I had not lucked into finding this site. Tomorrow I have my revision done. These wowonderful people gave me courage to endure and take action.
So, to answer your questions.
Unless there is a reason defined from your surgeon to not bear weight, you will begin bearing weight the first time the nurses get you out of bed.
You will not be bathing until your stitches or staples are out, unless they put a water proof covering over your incision site and yes a shower chair is important to have even if you have a walk in shower because of fatigue and balance. If your shower is in a bathtub, then you need a short chair bench combo. You will not be able to lift your leg up and over the tub without breaking the 90 degree rule. The combo chair has an extension that goes beyond the tub that allows you to sit down and slide over into the tub.
The recliner you describe should not be a problem in my opinion since it is not a deep plush one.
Yes it will be ok to stand and make light meals for yourself. You are expected to be up and around working your hip and leg to build strength and encourage healing. Having said that, for me the first two weeks are the worst with pain and disorientation from the pain medications, etc., so you may need help with meals. You can also cook and/or buy meals ahead of time too.
I wish you a smooth surgery and a swift healing! Please stay in touch with us.
💛 Dawn, USA
Thank you Dawn!
I keep learning more and moe everytime I get on this site. I'll be at my brother's house for the first 2 weeks then I'll be on my own.
It sounds like the biggest problem I'll run into is going to be the fatigue and wound pain from what everybody says.
I'd appreciate any tips you have about any aspect of your journey.
I wish you luck with your revision and hope that your recovery is fast.
Fatigue is def a prob don't forget you have had a major op and tell yourself your body needs to rest . Don't feel guilty just go to bed and enjoy