Recovery is a long road

Bones, joints and muscles
1

No-one tells you just how long this recovery from THR is.  And if someone tells you it will be a year, you dismiss it as "it can't possibly be going to take me that long"

Well my friends, it does. 

I think the 'recovery graph' if I was to try to make one, would be the same as the 'dislocation risk' graph on my website, just upside down. 

Recovery starts very slowly, in fact I can hardly believe just how slow it was.  I had my replacement at the end of October last year, and a revision to try to correct it (which failed to move it) in January. 

Luckily I am now with an extremely good surgeon at RNOH Stanmore, and I have complete confidence that he will be able to 'sort me out' when the time comes for another revision that I will surely need when the current implants wear out.

Yesterday I did something I have wanted to do for ages, I climbed up on my workshop roof to apply some mastic to stop a water leak.  Yes, I was on the roof!!!  I cannot believe it now, but I now know that am really well on that road to full recovery at last.

For all of you about to have THR, and those who have just had it, take heart, you will get better, it just takes time and patience (and I had little of that), and a lot of exercises and walking practice.

See my website for common complications and tips, the address is in my personal info here ...

   https://patient.info/forums/profiles/rocketman-sg6uk-907025

and on the moderator's "useful resources" page at

   https://patient.info/forums/discuss/thr-useful-resources-487147

I will try to keep updating it, but as I start to get my life back, I have so many other things to do - gardening, roof mending  etc.

Best wishes to everyone

Graham - 🚀💃

2

Well done Graham I am also a year and still have few problems but are getting sorted so guess stick  three more months and I will sorted.

Hope you continue to go okay.

regards a Lornaa Lorna

3

Hello graham, thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings. Glad to hear that, after such a long recovery you are on the mend. Bit worried about the roof thing though,  bit dodgy, I don't do heights. Hope your well on your way to a full recovery. Bless you. Julia. Xx💖

4

Hi Graham it's nice to hear from you again.  Glad things are looking up for you it has been a long slog.  I'm feeling fed up because I'm still having problems with my foot. I can't walk far but I have been doing a bit of gardening but I have to keep breaking off for a rest. I'm still trying to get my foot sorted. I have been to a private physiotherapist and on the last session he said he was convinced it was a nerve problem not plantar fasciitis what the hospital said. He is going to write to my doctor to say what he thinks. I'm going to the podiatrist on Tuesday to see what they think.

Brenda

5

Hi Graham I am also a year, it is great to be able to mow the lawns again and do all the things I couldn't do before the op.

I still get days where I know I've overdone it, so have to slow down a little, but on the whole things are good.......

Love Gill xx

6

I was a year in May all in all pretty good, able to do just about everything...except heights...Good Luck!

7

Hi Graham, So pleased to hear of your progress. However I thought I was nuts.... but climbing on a roof!!!!  Im 3 months from my revision and still really struggling.  I know this was my 7th op. and I,ve lost lots of tissue, but the pain is brutal and I seem to keep increasing my morphine. Did they cut your bone this time? I'm sure that cutting the femour to get the old stem out is making so much difference, but they cut it to do a THR anyway. 

Patsy XXX

8

Dear Graham,

What super news from you - on several fronts!😂😂😂

The image of you standing on the roof likely grinning like a banshee will keep me smiling all day. Good on you! It has been a horribly long and torturous road for you and nd it does us all good to hear the smile and confidence back in your post.

Bravo.

We will miss you, but will keep reminding people of the rich resources you created for us - thank you.

With very warm regard and hugs,

Linda

9

Great news "on the roof " another Milestone you have accomplished. Keep up the good work it is great to hear you have got your life back after setbacks. Thanks for your continued support.

Sue x

10

Nice one Graham,

Had my op October, fortunately it went OK and had to re roof my shed which I couldn't imagine

possible a few months ago.

Great website & resources for other hippies, well done for pulling all the info to one place.

When I was new to the site I was sure that my questions must have already been asked before.

Good luck in your continued recovery.

Alan

11

Hi Graham,

Yep, you are definitley getting there, it feels so good to be normal again doesn't it.

I feel absolutley great at 16 weeks, I can do my 7 hours physical work and go for a 5 mile walk in the afternoon, it's like being free. I have done some digging on the garden too. Today I got one of my milestones, I managed to walk upstairs with both legs,instead of peg legging it.

Though I did pull my back this morning trying to put my sock on

Carry on doing what your doing Graham and everyone else,we all finish our journey sometime.

12

Hi Graham, your site has been invaluable to me. I've had my first full day at home today & I've re-read your web page again (& ordered a little trolley from Amazon)! Thank you for taking the time & trouble to share your own & others experiences x

13

Julia, 

I don't do heights either - I always say that a thick pile carpet gives me vertigo, but I did it - and it felt so good to be able to climb the ladder and get on (and back off) the roof.

Best wishes

Graham.

 

14

Patsy,

My revision was just to get the ceramic insert out of the cup, but no matter how hard they hammered it, it would not budge (I was awake for it), so it was not quite so bad as a 'proper' revision to put new parts in.  So no bone cutting, just my muscles to get at the hardware.

My new surgeon says that when he does it he will have to cut the titanium shell of the socket away from the bone, so that will be a whole lot more work, and I suspect the recovery will not be as swift.

Graham

XXX

15

Linda,

Thanks - Like 'Arnie', I will be back, of necessity to get this thing fixed in the future if it breaks or wears out early.  Guess where I will turn to for the support I am sure to need once again.

Graham

XXX

16

Alan,

Thanks, I was sure all the questions I had were repeats too, someone said write a book, but I looked in Amazon, and there were loads of them.  

I decided there wasn't a market there as I had not thought to purchase a book, so I came up with the idea of the website.  

I already had two other websites up and running, so other than the registration of the site, there were no extra hosting costs.

I found it very theraputic during my extended recuperation to keep adding poeples ideas in.

Best wishes for your future.

Graham

17

Hey graham

Nice to see you post again well after my 2 thrs and l am still recovering since feb l have just found out my knees are as bad as my hips were so it back to the surgery for me and l am looking at knee replacements. I am gonna end up like terminator. Its never ending l feel but what can l do. I am glad you getting on good. I just want to be normal but its a long way away 😕x

18

How true is that statement.

My first specialist I saw told me it would take a year to heal up, I  didn't listen did I, my second hip especailly has been every bit of a year and then some.

Very pleased you are making progess with your problems.

Best regards Lyn

19

Love hearing this, Graham, that you are getting closer to full recovery. Hope your hip lasts a very long time before need for another revision!

20

Big hugs Laura x