Re: (showering) Gulp...

[Guest guest]

Hi,

As regards showering, with a waterproof dressing I was showering

myself from the start, at first *seated*. I walked to the toilet

myself from day 1 post-op, using the rollator, and from day 2 on

crutches. Just before I left hospital a nursing student needed to

shower someone as part of her ward experience, and I was asked to

oblige. I could have done it better myself, as she was nervous.Most

times when I showered in hospital, I washed my a=hair, too. After I

came home (day 6) I had a visiting nurse from an agency come to do

wound dressings. She would have showered me - but I always made sure

I'd showered first as I like to be independent. I did let her wash

my feet as that was awkward the first week home, even with a long-

handled brush.

Because of a pressure sore on my tail that developed after 2 days

home, sleeping and exercising on my back, the physio showed me howw

to lie safely on my side, with pillow between my legs, at day 9 post-

op. I have been lying on my operated side from 4 weeks post-op.

It's my preferred side - always was.

The physio exercise sheet listed very minimal restrictions for the

first month, which I took to be 4 weeks. From then on there were no

restrictions. At the 6 1/2 week checkup, when I told him about

occasionally forgetting and bending or putting my leg across the

midline in the first 4 weeks, my surgeon actually said " there are no

restrictions " .

How far I've come since then! I'm walking as well as before the

rheumatoid arthritis hit years ago, my knees are great and my hip is

as if nothing ever happened. No cane. My lower back does let me know

it's there when I walk uphill - everything else is working

beautifully, especially since I adjusted my gait on the other leg,

the one with a total knee replacement. I'm totally happy with all my

surgeries, done here in Brisbane.

I regularly walk the 8 blocks or so home from the shopping centre in

the next suburb with my groceries on my back in a backpack - as long

as they don't weigh more than 5-7 kg. Also, I'm back to lifting hand

weights, 4 kg per hand, now that the RA flare-up in my hands has

gone. Recently I've replaced the physio exercises with Pilates (some

of which are very similar). I found an excellent book, really clear

photos, in a local bookshop. The book is: Simply Pilates by

Pohlman (Dingley, , Australia: Hinkler Books, 2002, repr.

2003). It comes with a DVD - which I can't use as I don't have a DVD

player.

Virginia (right BHR on THR stem, 27/08-03, Brisbane)

> I had all hip precautions lifted at 4 1/2 weeks (had both hips done

at same

> time), and was able to shower & get the incision wet within 2

weeks. Used

> crutches for 6 weeks and now am as good as I ever was now at 5

months

> post-op (yesterday). I still am working on my gait, but am

90% " normal " in

> the way I walk, and feel like I'm walking 100% normal. Good luck!

>

> >From: " retriever518 "

> >Reply-To: surfacehippy

> >To: surfacehippy

> >Subject: Gulp...

> >Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 15:08:46 -0000

> >

> >Wow, folks. I'm leaving for S.C. on Thursday and having sugery on

> >Monday, 1/2/04 (That's Groundhog's Day, not a loop I want to get

> >stuck in!). Anyway, now I'm having all of these questions: How

long

> >do I have to observe the 90 degree rule once I'm post-op?? What

kind

> >of care will I need from family/friends once I get home and for how

> >long? When can I shower and do all of that other stuff, like wash

my

> >hair (if I can't bend over more than 90 degrees)? Anything else I

> >should know? Thanks, Joyce in Kentucky (Dr. Steve: anyone who

> >calls me a youngster is at the head of my list of stars!)

> >

>

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