Goodbye walking stick - hello hurdles

This may well be the happiest week of my life ( minus child related stuff ). I have packed away my walking stick after 119 days (17 weeks) on crutches and a walking stick. My gratitude to surgeon Peter Wilson who only weeks ago had me in his office questioning whether I'd ever walk again unaided.

I thought I'd be walking normally after 8 weeks and the fear set in a few weeks ago. The support of my friends and work colleagues has given me the strength to stay positive. Thanks to family who visited me in hospital and especially to my sister in law.

Im grateful for the cakes, soups, casseroles, chocolates, cuddles, wine, company, DVDs, lifts, quiche, mags, books, understanding, kind and uplifting words, cleaning, rekorderlig, prayers, crutches, tissues and shoulders to lean on.

Thanks Peter Wilson, today I had the most gorgeous day walking around Red Hill's Ashcombe Maze with my kids and I wasn't sure whether I'd ever do that again without my walking stick (you told me so). It was slippery.  I walked across rocks through a stream. Tonight I was able to carry by daughter from the bath and carry shopping with both hands.  It's the little things. 

Happy 3 month anniversary yer bastard hip.

Yes well things haven't exactly gone to plan - well my plan that is. A recent meeting with my surgeon reveals that this op was far complicated than my last op which comparatively speaking seems like a (limp free) walk in the park. My bone graft is still doing its thing, god knows how long that's going to take. I'm going back to see Peter with a list of questions. In the meantime, my waking stick and I are still joined at the hip. I know I have to be patient, but I don't know whether I 'll need my walking stick for three months or three years or forever? Hopefully I 'll get more of an indication soon. I have periods of walking normally, this might be around the house or at the supermarket, but my limp quickly returns, as does the discomfort. I also discovered that I shouldn't be doing any rigorous exercise, so the last physio I saw took me off course for a week with inappropriate exercises. It's hard not really having any control over my recovery. It's like watching grass grow.

It's been how long?

So, it's been eleven, yes ELEVEN weeks since my hip replacement. I've even been back at work for five weeks - where the hell does time go.

What I have learnt is that being positive doesn't make a walking stick go away or weird aches and pains disappear. I can go for a half an hour or so here and there without my stick but something still doesn't feel right.

I'm seeing my surgeon again on June 12th and will have some X-rays. I wonder through a few tears if I'll be like this forever? Certainly my kids won't mind - they've grown accustomed to it

A three month plus recovery period certainly wasn't on the radar.
I've got a lot of running around to do, especially with two kids under ten. Who knows. I might have to pop Bianca's bubbles with a walking stick.

8 weeks post hip replacement

For a week now I've been using my walking stick and could feel my walking gradually improving. Trying to remember the pace at which I last recovered was sketchy so today I popped in to a Physio to get the lay of the land.

I slunk in, knowing that I could have been doing more reps and a more diverse and challenging suite of exercises than what I was currently doing. This was confirmed pretty much straight away when he asked me about my current Physio regime.

Ok so 20 reps of 5 different exercises twice a day would see me walking normally in about 20 years so I'm amping things up.

The Physio gave me a stretchy green rope to attach to a chair so I could introduce some resistance training, that and he nominated and showed me 6 exercises, three lots of 15-20 reps three times a day. I've never exercised that much with normal legs.

Anyway I've set myself a two week challenge so I'll check back at week ten and see whether I'm cane free.

Six weeks post hip replacement

Life if gradually settling into a familiar pattern for which I am eternally grateful. I am back to work and back driving. I have a disabled pass which enables me to get a decent parking spot - life couldn't get any better surely!! The weird pain stopped and I
have stopped taking pain medication during the day. The nights can still feel a bit achy but nothing too bad. My limp is still quite pronounced and you can still see where my thigh has wasted away. The job is to build the damn thing up again. I have no idea when I'll walk again unaided but I will probably move next week from my crutches to a walking stick. Melbourne's wet weather is regularly providing a perilous path, slippery leaves, shiny pavements - all things you'd generally take for granted, send my body into self preservation mode.

I'm about to start a painting and the children's book I'm working on is coming along. Don't be jealous, but check out my Joint Replacement Card - I can't wait to flash it at the airport as someone prepares to check me for explosives.

Week 5 post hip replacement recovery status

I considered the blogging of my hip replacement recovery initially to provide a handy resource for folk either undergoing a replacement or a revision and secondly a bit of a project designed to keep my eyes on the prize (walking unaided without a limp)

Not many forty something year olds have had two revisions. They only last around 15-20 years so I'm already thinking about how old the kids will be when I'm having my next ones. Frankly it's not a pleasant thought.

Yesterday (hello) the thought occurred to me that no two hip replacement recoveries would be the same. At the same time, suggestions that can make the often painful journey more tolerable are valuable so I hope this blog provides some sort of value to someone other than me.

In the case of Total Hip Replacement revisions, these are complicated operations that can often go pear shaped so I consider myself lucky that my right hip revision, now two years old, is gloriously pain free. My new hip, now 5 weeks old is still sore.

This week my surgeon Peter Wilson said this was normal so I have to take his word for it. In particular I have a bit of my thigh that aches every morning and I can't wait for it to stop. You ask yourself, has something gone wrong, did I screw up by cleaning the kitchen without my crutch? It's a waiting game. Is this pain temporary or permanent?

As you can see from the photo below,I have a sort of a steel ring which is basically holding the bone around the titanium rod in my femur.

I hope my new bone is having a party down there and regenerating like a time lord in doctor who.

My $32,114.00 hip replacement

This amount covers bone grafts, the revision, hospital accommodation and er....there must be other stuff?

New hip turns four weeks old.

The new hip is four weeks old today. I am sleeping better, and miraculously took an antihistamine which within 15 minutes stopped the itching. I am eternally thankful to Karen for suggesting the crazy itching might be an allergic reaction. I am gratefully no longer eyeing off the bbq cleaning wire brush as a source of relief.

The pain's still around and seems linked to whatever I did the day before. It's a thigh pain and a left bum cheek pain and my overactive imagination can visualise the new titanium hardware settling into my bones and my bone graft muttering WTF.

My operated leg feels a couple of cm's longer than my right one, but I remember this last time also being the case. It's like my muscles are whinging about having to recover. Today the hire company picked up my raised toilet seat, ugly grey cripple high lounge chair and shower chair. I'm getting by using one crutch but not quite ready for the walking stick.

I'm surprised by my weakness when I attempt to take a few steps without my crutch. My leg is quite sloppy. Baby steps, will get there eventually.

I'm getting by during the day on Panadol osteo and at night have two panadene forte. My daughter generally wakes up at 6.30 am and comes in for cuddles and cartoons. I wouldn't recommend anyone attempt a hip replacement without a tv in the bedroom. The distraction of watching the entire back catalogue of Sex and the city at times of pain or sleeplessness has been a godsend.

I can now sleep on my side and on my stomach for short periods. The joy of it.

So it's been four weeks. It honestly feels like its been much longer. I also thought that I'd be using this recovery time to write, draw, paint. But really I've not achieved anything much creative wise. Frida Kahlo managed to paint up a storm from her sick bed.

At the moment I'm simply not that inspired to do anything other than to walk properly again. The art will have to wait.

Day 18 post hip replacement

It's just shy of three weeks post op and I've made it through my first day without pain medication. This is a bit of a milestone. My day started with a glorious drop in from a good friend and set the pace for gratitude and happiness, great pain distractions in themselves. Yesterday girlfriends revamped my bedding which was starting to feel like an oil slick. Last night I enjoyed a glass of wine with neighbors and the resident possum joined us, at one stage biting Cato on the thong (not his jocks).

My affair with pain relief hasn't exactly gone to plan. While in hospital I spewed like a bourboned up teenager as staff tried to find the right relief. And it would seem I am one of those unfortunate souls who itch like a lice encrusted Kerobokan prisoner in reaction to Endone, the pain killer I take at night.

I have no rash, but the itching is pissing me off. It looks like the universe wants me to complete my healing on nothing more than Panadol osteo. Where's the fun in that?

Anyway that's enough whining. Tomorrow the children return home which will be great. Having a four year old with the energy of Bear Grylls will provide it's challenges and I steel myself for impact whenever she 's nearby.

I'm now walking with one crutch and am moving around the place with speed and can pick stuff off the floor by sticking my operated leg out behind me and holding onto something to steady myself. I can sit in normal low chairs including finally, my own couch without fearing my hip would pop out. Your body tells you when something feels dodgy.

The other day my 4 year old asked if I needed my 'crunches'. I laughed for ages. And from now on they shall be called mummy's crunches.

Day 13 post hip replacement

I've been home for 6 days now and things are progressing well. My leg still hurts damn it - thought I'd get it out nice and early, but each day I'm spending more time out of bed.

Today a friend dropped in with cake, and yesterday a friend dropped in with cake and before that another friend with ham rolls and another with watermelon and coconut ice.

These visits are gold. You can't drive for six weeks after a hip replacement so cabin fever can set in a bit. Doing too much during the day can turn around and at night, bite you on the bum. It's a fine line between doing your prescribed exercises and being up at night clutching a warm wheat bag to you leg cursing your enthusiasm.

At the moment as Im stuck at home, It's a bit like being an old lady ( and at 43 I'm sure some would say what's the diff) and waiting for visitors. They break up the day and punctuate the monotony.

I've started drawing which is good. I recommend a hobby if you're couped up at home.

Today I finally sprayed the bedroom. I hope I killed the bejesus out of the annoying mosquito who's been holed up there since I got home. I can't tell you what it's like at 2am, you're finally drifting off to sleep and suddenly that annoying high pitched zzzzeeeeeee erupts. You're arms flail around hoping to swipe the critter, but it teases you with a few more sessions.

Thank god for neighbours. Yesterday I had to call Kristen down to eliminate a bird that had flown in the back door. That's another great way to crack your hip, have a wattle bird fly into your head while you are on crutches.

Cato's taking me to the supermarket and has ferried me to the doctors and pharmacy. It takes a village and I love mine for getting me through the first week home.

Hurtling along the path of healing

This is a sort of practical check list for folk returning home after a hip replacement and a personal update. You'd think I'd have remembered this stuff, but no.

The first weeks will see you move from the bedroom to the kitchen to the lounge room, and outside if you have the right kind of chair. Sound a bit repetitive? Of course there's the bathroom for added excitement.

A normal kind of chair wont do following your surgery. It needs to be higher than your average chair. It needs arms so you can hoist yourself up. The one I hired looks like a retirement home job in a miserable shade of grey. *hello chair manufacturers - rehab need not mean ugly. There's a bar chair I can sit in for a while and today I even sat on a normal outside chair, using the table to help stand up.

Lesson for the day, and I think I'll head back to the brochure, is to hire the most outrageously comfortable lounge room chair. My current hire chair and other home options get uncomfortable after more than 90 minutes. You need to go back to bed to get relief from the pain associated with sitting in an uncomfortable chair.

Yesterday after having a shower I nearly went ass over tit. Crutches and slippery tiles? I don't think so. It would seriously be so easy to be back in hospital so I recommend using a walking frame in all slippery tile situations.

Pick up stick thingy - your new bestie. If you can imagine being alone, dropping a crutch and not being able to bend down and get it, you can imagine how important it is to have a pick up device (pic attached).

Available for next to nothing from hardware stores, they help you put on undies, pants, pick stuff up off the ground and reach stuff on lower sections of the fridge that you only now you realize you can't bend down to reach. I wear mine like a hand bag.

This is my fourth day home. I've had lots of lovely visitors, have seen lots of my kids and things are improving.

The nights are still a waiting game. I'm awoken by pain the minute my pain relief expires and sends me checking in the dark for the time on my iPhone. I am keeping a diary of my meds. I can take the endone every four hours and the Panadol osteo every 6 hours.

Because of the addictive nature of Endone, they only come in packets of 20. They don't last more than three days so I'll have run out by Monday.

I can't wait to get off the medication, especially since I'm backed up like the Eastern Freeway exit in peak hour, but I need to ease the pain, especially during the long long nights.

Beside me in bed are books, mags, newspapers, chocolate, colouring in pencils, a journal, pick up stick, remote control and an am radio ( I can't reach the button on the stereo in my room).

Tonight I'm going to the neighbors for hand made spring rolls, the visit will be my first outside excursion and be a positive milestone.

This whole thing is a bunch of milestones that line the path of recovery. I know that in months to come, all I'll be remembering will be the warm smiles, visits and encouragement from friends.

Back home - the aftermath

For those of you reading this because you are actually having a hip replacement, you may wish to look away now - the first nights back in your own bed after the operation are tough and I forgot how so.

Before I get out the violin, I acknowledge that my arrival back here on earth has been made all the more easier and lovely by girlfriends bearing car rides, soup, chocolate, books, Rekorderlig fresh fruit and veggies, quiche and cups of tea. My house and garden were made over while I was in hospital and there's nothing I need to do other than get better, so lots of love and gratitude.

Now back to the news. Last night there were no nurses, no mechanically beds, no distractions, just me and my throbbing leg.

My first night was spent wishing it would be over. Where did all that mindfulness training go? My leg and hip hurt like hell and I couldn't find a position in bed that didn't hurt.

I've been a card carrying stomach sleeper for years but am unable to achieve that position at the moment. I altered positions five times or so, searching for the one that stuffed a cushion in the mouth of my pain, if even for a few hours.

It's best to sleep with a pillow between your legs after a hip replacement as your new hip may pop out if one leg crosses the other. I eventually got to sleep at around 3.30am, surrounded by enough pillows to stuff a doona cover.

The family Burmese cat is a bit of an issue. So excited is she to have someone in the house that she is celebrating by walking up and down across my face, my sore leg and every other part of me trying to get comfortable.

This is not what you need when you're, sore and tired. Tonight I will try and better manage my medication. Last night was a fail. The cat can stay out of my room. Previous experience in the lock out tells me that the cat will cry for hours and try and wedge the door open with her paw. I may need ear plugs.

This morning I awoke feeling like I'd been hit by a bus - either that or had a hip replacement. I know things will improve eventually. Did it hurt this much last time? I love it how your mind clears away all the sore bits.

This morning at 9.30am, still in bed, I wrote a little To Do list to motivate myself - it says : Shower, clean up, check emails and bills, do exercises, rest and read, draw a little. I've had two visitors, ticked a few boxes and am in back in bed - will shower later.

Back home tomorrow

Where was the 'stop vomiting' box? Would have been number 6 box

Day Six - Im going home tomorrow

It seems like weeks ago when in the middle of the night I was in agony, weeping into my pillow ( more like howling like a baby) in fact it was two nights ago. Like many stays in hospital, there's the day which everything seems to fall into a heap and everything is insurmountable.

Last time I was in hospital my special positive empowering 'you can push through this song was 'The dog days are over by Florence and the machine' I didn't listen to music much this stay but if you are coming into hospital for a while I recommend an iPod full of your most inspiring tracks.

Yesterday shortly after my slump, I managed to navigate my way around the corridor on crutches which is one of the functional goals you must achieve to head home. This left me with only re-learning stairs. My physio told me that I could go home on Wednesday morning.

Today I'm lying in bed in my civvies and running over the rehab requirements which are vital to walking properly again.

I trekked downstairs via the lift to pay my bill and returned exhausted 20 minutes later.

Some hip replacements are cemented in. I've had a bone graft which are little chips of bone from the bone bank that are packed around the titanium replacement, filling in the parts where your own bone has deteriorated. The hope is that the donated bone eventually intermingles with the old brittle bone and they become a united force.

Fortunately in the case of my previous hip replacement, my new donated bone and brittle bone forged a strong relationship and haven't looked back.

I smile when I think of surgeon Mr Peter Wilson. Once again he has given me the tools and strength to go home and recommence an amazing life with my kids, family, friends, art, study and career.

Will check in again from home after I'm settled in x

Day Five Speed Hump

I was expecting this day. It happens to many people having surgery or babies. It's a couple of days post op and things start to hurt. Every morning I've been sick and my carers are trying to locate the culprit. Feeling sick and vomiting doesn't make you feel like engaging with the rehabilitation required to get out of hospital.

I'm on a number of different pain killers, haven't used my bowels properly for 6 days, could be a bit dehydrated due to the removal of the drip and have just had a hip replacement.

Bit by bit, the Medical staff have been trying with different combinations of pain relief and at 3am this morning, I hit the wall.

It's that sort of sobbing that's a culmination of pain, pity and reality kicking in. What made matters worse is that my nurses buzzer malfunctioned and had ceased to operate.

I think the patients down the other end of the hall heard me crying ( we all have a turn). The nurse came and sorted out the pain issue. For people having a hip replacement, don't hold back from asking for appropriate pain manna genet. I let it go for too long last night. For the first time in 5 days I awoke and didn't vomit which felt good.

It looks as though we might have found a combination that I don't react badly to. It's only early days, but I'm typing this sitting in a chair, brilliant rays of sunshine lighting the room.

My fabulous new hip

This is actually day three but I didn't post on day one or two. The operation took around 4 fours and I came around at 11pm feeling quite good. Peter told me that the operation went well, a massive heartfelt thanks to him and to
Anesthetist Dr Solly. In fact all the Vimy House nursing staff have been kind and amazing.

Day one is a lot of lying around, working out what pain control is most effective and trying to read a page of a book without falling asleep. Day two is the scary day when you tentatively first put your legs over the side of the bed.

It's weird, the muscles have been sliced and diced like something off Master Chef and the nurse has to guide your leg. I shuffled on my frame towards the bathroom and back, happy with my adventure. Sending a message to your leg to lift and finding it doesn't is disconcerting. But I know this doesn't last for long.

On the Thursday night (operation Wednesday night) my children were in for a visit and like most four year olds, my daughter wanted to climb on the bed. I had spent some time with the nurses camouflaging the wound drainage bag and catheter bag. One of the first things I had to explain was why I had a bag of wee tied to the end of the bed. I held hands with my children and felt love and relief.

Day three has taken a few twists. The unveiling of the wound and removal of draining pipe feels the removal of a pipe cleaner splinter. The wound looks healthy and happy so on went the new dressing.

A couple of suppositories turned me into a porcelain machine gun and sitting in the shower for the first time was an enormous relief.

It's Saturday, day 3 and I've spent the whole morning feeling nauseous and vomiting.

My surgeon Peter Wilson told me to take it easy so I'm sipping lemonade and watching a Leonard Cohen concert on SBS.

My next goal is getting into bed by myself, I can swivel to the side but can't quite get back in. This is not what you need when you need a number two in three minutes but it takes five minutes to get there.

I had my first hip replacement at the age of 23 followed by another at 27. I know, long story .  This surgery has paved the way for setting off alarms at airports and freaking out potential partners.  I knew at some stage that both right and left hips would need replacing but this thought was banished. I was lucky enough to get on enjoying a pain free life and other side benefits such as crazy dance moves and bending down to pick up kids toys etc. 

Peter Wilson, orthopaedic surgeon to the stars (and people like me), gave me a new lease on life, paving the way for a million limpless steps and two very neat scars.  Seventeen years later, single and with a two year old daughter and an eight year old son, the time would come when my first hip needed replacing. Damn it. 

This surgery was incredibly successful and I still count my blessings and gratitude to people like Karen and my sister Vicki and Mum who came down from Queensland.  It is now seventeen years after my second hip replacement and it too needs a reboot.  Luck would have it that on Wednesday the 14th of March 2012, the same surgeon that operated on me 20 years ago, will remove my old parts and install my shiny new titanium rod which will be my fourth hip replacement.  And he hasn't aged a day.

This blog will document my recovery from the moment I first shuffle my way down the corridors of Vimy House through to moving from crutches to a walking stick and finally skipping down the hallway of my house, holding hands with my two gorgeous kids.