Total Hip Replacement surgery: 4 week post op update

Today is the 4 week anniversary of my new hip. So this brings my recovery blogposts up to date - hurrah!

Overall things are going well. I feel like my muscles are strengthening with the physio exercises each day. I made it out the house for a couple of little walks at the weekend and even got to church on Sunday. 

I'm definitely gaining more independence around the house - I'm no longer restricted to using the loo with the height raise fitted but can carefully use the downstairs loo too. 

I can wash up and load the dishwasher. I can pick up most items off the floor most the time by doing a 'keeping operated leg straight out behind me whilst bending the other knee manoeuvre'. 

I'm still limited when it comes to the shower and need help and also for getting things in and out of low cupboards. 

I'm better with meal prep although spending too much time standing up wipes me out and leaves my toes throbbing. My ankles have been very 'clicky' and painful though which i'm hoping is just an adjustment thing and that they will settle down. My left ankle in particular has never been great since my JIA first began but it hasn't been this bad for a long time. Even my knees are playing up when I do my physio excercises and they've always been fine before. I try to get my 2 sessions of more intense physio done in the mornings to get them out the way - the exercises using the bands and ankle weights. And then that leaves two more sets of the initial bed exercises and standing exercises that I still do 4 times per day. 

I wish I could get out for a little walk each day but today it's wet again out there like it was yesterday and I find that I'm really fearful of a slip or fall. That's also the reason I am really fearing the school run too when that time comes as there is so much bustle up there with kids running around like crazy that I fear being knocked over.  

Some days I feel really optimistic and positive whilst other days I just feel bleugh and today happens to be a bleugh day. 

Today I feel nauseous from lack of sleep. I dread the night times and last night was one of those 'looking at the clock every hour' kind of nights. I reckon I managed a couple of hours sleep during the night and then after lying awake for hours afraid to move as I didn't want to disturb Richard as his sleep has been suffering because of me, I  finally managed about 30 mins more this morning once he was awake. 

So I'm feeling so groggy that I can't even face doing my first set of physio exercises this morning but I will do them because I know I have to. 

Granny is back in hospital which is a massive worry for us all - I can see it on Richard's face and the children's faces just how worried they are. I know she will be fine as she's the strongest person I know but  it is the not knowing what is causing the problem that is the worry. 

My dad is also in hospital right now and because he lives further away visiting him is out the question right now for me so that is another frustration. 

Gosh it's all sounding miserable again which I don't think it would have done if I'd written it after a better nights sleep. 

I came off all my pain releif meds yesterday except for paracetamol in the evening. Ive only got 1 more week of xarelto (riveroxaban) blood thinners to take and I've found that by taking it straight after dinner around 6pm rather than 10pm, my legs feel less agitated during the night.  I'm still feeling the heart palpitations when I lie down but the doctor didn't seem to think that was related to xarelto. Either way I will be glad when I no longer have to take that as then I'll stop the evening paracetamol too and see how I am without that. 

Now it's time time to get up and yawn my way through today. 

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Here are a few notes from my 3 week milestone which never made it onto the blog yet...(I ended up sticking with the riveroxaban for now after all)

Day 21 - 3 week update - tues 13th feb. pancake day! Physio Pain in ankle - esp left ankle. Given a stick for outdoors. For better balance - standing taller . Indoors ok without anything. Late evening. Loads of clunking in hip with every step. Dr called re switching from riveroxiban to apixaban- not sure what to do. Day 22 weds 14th Feb Took riveroxaban earlier last night and had better nights sleep.   Also foot on a cushion after checking with physio to relieve heel sore pain.