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Post by takilasunrise on Jan 27, 2008 14:09:31 GMT -5
Hi, everyone! I'm now 5th day post-op. I came home on Friday afternoon. The first 2 days after my surgery, I was really wandering why the heck I did this! And mostly because I couldn't move! And any little movement caused some major pain! Having to go to the bathroom was the only reason I would need to get up, but I had to do it. Getting back in bed was just as hard. They had me doing physical therapy starting Wed. My first therapy was just getting up into the wheelchair and washing up, etc. Then in the afternoon, they took me down to their gym, and I had to get up and walk with the walker and then with crutches. The next day, they had me go up and down the stairs with my crutches. By Thursday, my attitude was much better as I was starting to move without the extreme pain, plus I had figured out how to get in and out of bed. It was very frustrating for me to have to be helped each and every time I had to use the bathroom. They had a bedside commode for me to use, so I didn't have to go very far, but it was still the hardest thing to do. I have a couple of moments of crying several times because of the pain and frustration. Then I got home. Jimmy was trying real hard to be helpful, but he's just not as gentle as the nurses are. I tried to sleep flat on our couch in the living room, but it was too uncomfortable and too close to the window so I was freezing. I ended up moving to the loveseat which has the built-in recliner chair in it. I slept great in it reclined. It's still an effort to get up out of it, because it is soft and low and doesn't have two arms to push up out of it. We were able to find a loaner bedside commode. My husband made some phone calls and The Lion's Club loans out medical equipment for free! We have that downstairs for me to use, but I will take the stairs and use the bathroom for other "stuff". Tomorrow, I will be setting up my physical therapy. I will have to go 3 times a week for 3 weeks. I have to take a prescription blood thinner for 2 weeks so I don't get blood clots. My incision is not pretty. It's probably a good 8 inches long with staples. They will remove them at my 10 day check up with the doctor. Right now, I think the majority of the pain is from the incision. My thigh and cheek is pretty swollen. I ice my incision 4 times a day. I am using frozen peas as my ice pack and it works great! As I read before someone describing the pain, it feels like they've been kicked in the a** end by an elephant! I would have to agree! This is when you really find out about your marriage, in good times and in bad....for better or for worse. The first few days, I looked like a ghost, I had hospital hair, my thigh and rear-end looks like Frankenstein's, he has to change my dressing for me and I get cranky pretty easy PLUS the husband has to do ALL the household chores that I usually do. So far, so good! I am looking forward to see how things are once I heal up; to see if the surgery was successful without anymore hip pain!
Marni
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earthdog
Cave Dweller 
Don't eat yellow snow
Member since June 2006
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Post by earthdog on Jan 27, 2008 16:25:48 GMT -5
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thewiz
has rocks in the head
"What good is money if you don't spend it"
Member since January 2004
Posts: 735
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Post by thewiz on Jan 27, 2008 18:31:59 GMT -5
i don't know how long I've been out but my kids found me on the floor. wish this post would have had a warning about the pic.
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Post by Bikerrandy on Jan 27, 2008 18:53:20 GMT -5
Make sure that Jim doesn't do anything to make you laugh. You could put an eye out with one of those staples. ;D
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wahya
off to a rocking start
Member since January 2008
Posts: 7
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Post by wahya on Jan 27, 2008 20:08:57 GMT -5
Once you get those staples out, you will still be tender for a while. Get some viteman E lotion and rub it on the scar every day. That will help the healing and make the scar less noticeable later on.
The hard part is just starting. DO NOT SKIP ANY PT. The more PT you can do the faster you will get better and the more muscle you will build up.
I do not think you will ever get back to 100% of what you were before surgery, but you should get back to at lease 90%. PLUS, as long as you can move around with out pain means it was all worth it.
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Post by sandsman1 on Jan 27, 2008 21:13:19 GMT -5
your over the worst part girl its all down hill now everyday the pain will get less and when the staples are gone it will feel even better they just make it hurt more -- and no matter how much he begs tell him no hahaha ---get well soon sands
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Post by krazydiamond on Jan 27, 2008 21:20:07 GMT -5
thanks for the update, glad to see you can make it to the 'puter. hope things get better for ALL of you soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KD
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Post by cpdad on Jan 27, 2008 21:30:54 GMT -5
yep marni..its all down hill from now......once the actual PT pain reaches a point of hurt...not pain...you are good to go...at least from the pain stand point....it gets better quick when you go from pain to just hurting.
thats the way it worked with donnas knee anyway ;D....wish ya well ...kev.
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Post by Cher on Jan 27, 2008 22:28:34 GMT -5
Hope your pt goes good and your healing extra fast.
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WyckedWyre
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since April 2007
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Post by WyckedWyre on Jan 27, 2008 22:53:56 GMT -5
Heal swiftly, Takila.
:)S
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Rockygibraltar
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Post by Rockygibraltar on Jan 28, 2008 0:41:46 GMT -5
That looks a fright but in the end you will be good as new. I just think it's good that the doctors can fix these things. Heal well.
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Post by Titania on Jan 28, 2008 8:53:42 GMT -5
Glad to hear you're doing better! That incision actually looks really good...it's healing up nice and even. No sign of any infection or irritation. That's very good news!
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adrian65
Cave Dweller
Arch to golden memories and to great friends.
Member since February 2007
Posts: 10,790
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Post by adrian65 on Jan 28, 2008 9:10:18 GMT -5
Glad to "see" you back. The simple fact that you were able to sit and type such a post is a good sign. And from what you say, you're doing better mentally, too. That's very important.
Nice and clean cut!
Adrian
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huffstuff
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since August 2007
Posts: 1,222
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Post by huffstuff on Jan 28, 2008 11:55:04 GMT -5
Ouch! Sorry, but it makes me twinge just looking at your staples.
It's great to "hear" from you in person. Take care, and try to take it slow.
Amy
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Post by takilasunrise on Jan 28, 2008 13:14:07 GMT -5
That's the first time I really had a close up look of my incision! I counted 29 staples! My next appt. with the doctor, they're supposed to remove them. I wonder how that's gonna feel! Thanks for all of your well wishes.
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Post by docone31 on Jan 28, 2008 14:16:43 GMT -5
Staples are better than stitches, both in healing, and removal.
There will be a scar, but it will not be like the scars my knee has. Using Vitamin E on top of the scar does in deed seem to make it heal faster, and less obvious.
Get some Vitamin E capsuls, take a pin and make an hole in the capsule. Drip the Vitamin E on the scar, and staples. Let it be absorbed.
Vitamin E does seem to reduce scarring.
Other wise, the surgical site seems to be really clean. I bet the surgeon used a laser scalpel.
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karenfh
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2006
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Post by karenfh on Jan 28, 2008 21:47:32 GMT -5
Ya should have seen my sister's incision after her third c-section, haha. And what docone31 said about the vitamin E capsules, it does work! I had a bad burn on my arm, you can't even see it now. I think you can also buy vitamin E straight, in a bottle, at pharmacies? Health food places? Not sure, I used the capsules.
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Jan 31, 2008 13:54:53 GMT -5
Cool cut! Man I shoulda been a doctor- I would love to staple people up like that! Hey I'm guessing that your gonna cringe everytime Earth pulls out the staple gun huh? Glad your on the mend!
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earthdog
Cave Dweller
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Post by earthdog on Jan 31, 2008 20:14:50 GMT -5
I told her this summer she needs to get a tattoo of a zipper over the scar.
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Post by docone31 on Jan 31, 2008 21:58:35 GMT -5
You know, that might not be a bad idea. Takila is going to have some self esteem issues surrounding that. I know how long, and how many years it took me to relax over my artificial knee. The scars kept me in long pants, even at the beach. I look like a train station.
It won't be this year, her incision is still going to be tender, too tender for a tat. Next year.
Take this year to get solid at walking again.
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