4 months...big changes

So I’m at 4 months now.  And on one hand it seems like hardly any time at all but at other times it feels like it’s been ages since I entered hippiedom.  I am actually really glad I did this here blog thing as I don’t know if I could remember it all.  Maybe that’s just my age.  On top of everything else I’ve managed to fit in a couple of blood tests, one in November, one on Monday and if the second matches the first then I’m pretty much confirmed as menopausal.  I have a hip replacement and the menopause.  And I’ve bought shoes lately with sensible height heels and comfort.  Somebody shoot me now!

A colleague at work is 4 weeks ahead of me in his hip replacement, and when I was at 12 weeks he told me this was when it’d all start really changing for me.  He was so right.  I could write a reeeeaaalllllyyyy long post if I tried to talk about everything but I’ll spare my 6 readers that much pain.  But I’ll try cover the main things I’ve done and how Horace has coped.

Swelling:

This was my main problem up to 12 weeks.  It really made me uncomfortable a lot of the time, painful at times. It was the one thing that really stopped me doing things.  Typically having got my 12 week appointment out the way it started to ease.  I went through the scans (see last blog post – not going to bore my regular 6 with the same stuff again) and got the all clear, no clot issues, as expected.  My GP gave me water tablets to use if I needed them but I generally held off as I know they can interfere with things if you need to wee all the time.  I managed fine on holiday as I lay with my feet up pretty much most of every day.  When we came back I did have the odd day when things got a bit puffy but generally it’s a lot better. 

Groin pain:

This was the other main gripe.  An annoying pain right in my groin that would shoot a bit down my thigh.  At it’s worse first thing in the morning, driving me mad when I stretch and it all spasms, but also occasionally during the day on lifting my leg it could hurt.  I was given specific stretches and other exercises to help with this.  One of the exercises involves me lying down and raising my knee up and letting my leg fall open.  I’ve got into the habit of doing that several times which includes when I’m getting up or going to bed.  Which had Kev’s eyes popping out the first time he walked in the room and I was on the bed, wearing just a grimace (I put effort into it) opening and closing my legs!  So far it seems to be paying off (in more ways than one ;) )– the pain hasn’t gone completely but it’s less severe and less regular.

Exercises:

These are the things they tell you to do, the things I swore I would be really good about and the things I’ve been really bad about!  I do the aforementioned stretches for the groin and the leg opening thing.  But my clamshells and leg lifts and bridges are getting less common.  On the plus side I am planking and doing that one on all fours and lifting out opposite arm and leg.  The core muscles are getting a workout, just maybe not to quite the same extent the physios expect. 

Stepping up:

Walking I am doing loads of.  I now don’t even think about my hip, how far or whatever.  I just walk and it feels great.  I’m taking part again in the Global Corporate Challenge, something we do at work in teams where we get armed with a pedometer and have to count our steps each day, aiming for at least 10K a day.  My average is just over 12K so I’m well pleased with that.  Not so much fun when it’s raining and I did find myself yesterday going into Morrisons for 4 things but walking up and down every aisle to get some steps in.  I’m quite limited to flat surfaces.  Morrisons obviously doesn’t have much of a varied landscape and when I walk round locally it’s on a canal towpath a lot of the time.  There are a couple of slopey bits near the locks but this county isn’t known as the Cheshire Plain for nothing.  But the other weekend we headed out to Beeston castle.  There’s not a lot of castle left but it has spectacular views.  And a very steep hill to get up for the views.  Our journey was broken up a bit by an invasion.  Well a re-enactment but boy do they take it seriously.  And they were running up and down the hills wearing armour on probably the hottest day this year.  My hip was fine but my calves were screaming at me afterwards. 

Learning to run:

After my 12 week follow up I was told I could run so when I hit the gym that week I decided to try.  Bear in mind I am not and never have been a runner but I don’t mind doing a short bit on a treadmill.  I did try but just lost my bottle as it felt tight.  But then we went to Morocco and tried to cross a busy road in Marrakech. It became a choice of run or die so I ran.  And my leg didn’t drop off.  Since then I’ve progressed a bit on the treadmill.  Only a few short bursts and it doesn’t feel hugely comfortable and my calves seem to feel it most afterwards but I’ve done it and just keep adding bits in each time I go

Water work:

My hydrotherapy has finished now which I am truly gutted about.  But I did try to do some ‘homework’ in the hydro department as I was in Morocco the week before my final session.  I had told our physio I would try to go in the pool to do my exercises and was true to my word.  But it wasn’t as much fun.  Normally I glide into a lovely warm hydro pool and can feel my muscles going ‘ahhhhhhhh and relaaaaaaax’.  In an unheated pool, even after a full day of blazing Morocco sunshine it was icy and my muscles just shrivelled up and screamed ‘what the fuck!!!’   I wimped around for ages getting into the water and of course usually the best way to deal with it is to get your shoulders under.  So I did.  Except to be at the right depth of water I had then had to come partially out again.  But I did my lunges and squats and funny walks – honestly John Cleese has nothing on me.  I even tried the running and jumping stuff but hadn’t appreciated how our hydro pool has non slip tiles.  This pool didn’t and I was flailing and sliding everywhere.  Not quite the relaxing session I’m used to in Cheadle!

No-stress dressing:

As I’d only just lost my restrictions at 12 weeks I had to make up time getting back in practice at getting dressed without gadgets.  Socks – I can now do these quite easily but only in one position.  I have to lean forward fully over my legs and pull the sock on.  I did once without thinking cross my leg over the other to pull sock on and did it, but never managed it since.  I can generally get into trousers fairly OK  but knickers are still a bit of a comedy moment.  I’m almost there but just don’t have enough movement to step into them as easily as my other leg.  I did have a slight comedy moment yesterday in a changing room, stepping into trousers and wobbling to headbutt the changing room door.  It wasn’t the sturdiest and probably sounded like I was trashing the place.  That’s Outfit for you…no such drama in good old M&S!  And shoes…as in previous post I am wearing proper shoes now.  I’m still pretty good, modest heights and wearing flats for driving and walking any distance but I have no issues at all with the heels that I do wear.  So I’m feeling better in myself and also for the fact I seem to be slowly (too bloody slowly) losing a bit of weight.  About bloody time with all the walking I’m doing but I can now fit in my pre-op work trousers.  Well the black pair anyway.  The grey ones are a bit too much of an ask right now.  And I’ve just taken a pause from typing to eat a Magnum ice cream.  Hmmm.  Oh and in terms of accessorising I’ve managed to paint my toenails!  It’s not the most comfortable thing I’ve ever done but I’ve done it :)

THAT topic:

Every so often in the FB groups I’m in somebody asks about sex, like it’s a guilty secret.  But then they turn into quite frank discussions though one lady did seem quite shocked that people might actually be concerned about how this surgery will affect what is quite a significant thing for a lot of people.  And I did devote a whole blog post to the topic of sex so only fair it should rear its head again here (is that the phrasing I want!).  You’ll be grateful to hear I have absolutely no intention of going into sordid details.  It’s one thing making comments in a FB group but this thing gets read by people I have to face at work.  So suffice to say normal service has almost completely been resumed.  We don’t have any chandeliers to avoid hanging off but generally I am free of having to wonder how much it’ll hurt during or after, and can just enjoy myself.  And I will stop there!

Sporting life:

I haven’t yet resumed pilates or dancing but I am down the gym regularly now.  Treadmill, cross trainer and bike are my main playthings and trying to use resistance machines to tackle the bingo wings.  And I’ve even got my hula hoop out.  It’s been languishing unloved for over 5 years but then a few weeks back I saw a sign for adult hula hoop classes in Middlewich.  I couldn’t resist – dug out the hoop and can still work it fine.  Now to build up the stamina a bit and I’ll be booking myself in

No beeping:

At 13 weeks we went to Morocco for a few days.  First major disappointment was at the airport where I beeped as I went through security.  I was actually pleased but had my bubble burst when the lady assured me it was just random and could’ve been for anybody.  They just did me some drug swabby things and waved me on.  The way back didn’t make me special either – EVERYBODY beeps and gets patted down in Marrakech.  In fact as it’s a given they even divide you into male and female queues so you get same gender pat down.  So now I’m relying on my trip to Barcelona in 2 weeks to get me beeped – flying from Liverpool this time so 2 new airports to test my metal work on

In the air:

We flew EasyJet so we paid for the speedyboard but didn’t bother with the longer legroom seats.  I’m only 5’4” and even with the hip thing I didn’t think it’d be that much of a problem.  I booked an aisle seat so I could stretch my legs out a bit and was able to get up and stand during the flight.  I’m glad I did as I was feeling quite constricted by the time I did get up.  I looked a bit odd doing some leg stretches mid air but I’m now past caring about people thinking I’m a little strange!  The only other concession was wearing compression socks; the flight was less than 4 hrs (would have been quicker if we hadn’t got a ‘wanted man’ who had to be evicted off the flight just as we were all boarding) but with my swelling issues I wore the socks and it all felt fine.  Less fine for Kev who had to put the things on me though!  The flight to Spain will be shorter so hopefully no problem – still undecided about the socks but think will most likely err on the side of caution

So overall the past few weeks have been pretty darned good.  I feel normal, I feel mostly healthy.  I am loving being able to walk and not even think about what I can do.  People tell me how well I look, how they can’t believe how well I’m doing so quickly.  It has been a bit of a longer recovery than I expected, some real tough moments but even with the remaining niggles I am so glad I had this done.  Looking back I realise now just how poor my quality of life had got and even with my pain being a lot less than other people pre-op, I still put up with a lot more than I realised.  I’ve sung the praises of hip replacement to others – I would definitely recommend it to anybody in a similar situation to me.  Hippie life is good :)