I woke up feeling really uncomfortable. The wound itself doesn't really hurt in any significant way, its ok even if with light pressure when sitting. I think the pain is in the area around the new joint and there is a particular burning sensation which I remember getting with my own old joint which is even more so right now. I conclude its in the tendons around the joint and it happens most on waking and moving first thing. Getting out of bed and standing up with the help of the crutches is virtually painless - as long as you discount the process of getting the lying down legs round and on to the floor to stand up in the first place! Standing up from bed in the morning used to be the most agonizing movement and I would have to count slowly to ten before I could walk - none of that now, once up I'm off painfree!!
I feel tearful today, and small things are making me feel down. It feels like depression - maybe there's a post operative depression thing which happens Day 4? I feel its medical in its origin rather than emotional as I'm not a depressed type of personality. I think its all the stuff like having to ask for help, being irritated that my home is not being kept as clean and tidy as I would like and I just have to put up with it; everything always not being where I need it. I strongly recomment duplicating on frequently needed items, or at least organising a soft cross body bag in which to collect and transport items as you move around. Have discovered that I can put phone in bra so that I dont keep leaving it in the wrong place and then rushing - on crutches not good - to get to it, as that was causing me problems; my clothes dont have pockets and I knew if I dropped it: 1. I couldn't pick it up and 2. I could damage it!
I feel unsupported. There are numbers I can call, but I have looked on line and there seems in other parts of the UK with more support certainly in terms of physio and OT (Occupational Therapy) than I have received. My initial information pack told me an OT person would come to the house to help me with adjusting to my new hip and advising on the basic movements and what to do and not do. I think that they have actually economised by 1. Covering this information on that Pre Op day 2 months ago, and (2) by sending an OT person to the bedside as I hazily remember someone appearing waving a packet of compression stockings and a grabber to see if I wanted to buy either of them. And I had only one session with the physio and as I did stairs on Day 2 they said that's fine you can go home as far as we're concerned! So what that means in our area is that once you are home you are left to sort it all out for yourself. If I did not have access to the internet and had not watched various YouTube vids - mostly american in origin - then I would not have even a fraction of the information I have. I really did not get what they meant about 90 degrees until I watched a YouTube film with a chap on a chair demonstrating when a position was risky.
My brother (several days ahead of me with his op in Dorset) says he is advised to rest with legs elevated twice a day, but level at night with pillow between calves. Luckily SWATT nurse arrived at 11am, she took blood pressure and temperature, both ok. Went through my four lying down exercises and showed me some standing up ones holding on the the banisters. She took off the dressing, which turns out to be a thick and rubbery version of a giant elastoplast, which sticks to the skin with a very heavy duty gel type adhesive - and its apparently waterproof!! - which means that .... I can take have a shower!! Hurrah!! Hospital did not give me any guidance on that at all and I supposed I had to wait till it comes off which is Day16. She also said my scar was shorter than normal and as it has stitches not staples they will dissolve by themselves. My brother sent me a photo of his scar which looked scarily huge and I counted over 30 staples in it! She said that as I am doing so well she wont need to visit again and will just call me tomorrow and then if all is fine, sign me off to the care of my GP. Another economy. I know it sounds awful, but I almost wish I was in worse shape so that I didn't just get signed off all the time and then left to myself!
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