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It takes time for bone to fill in around the hardware. That's what they're really looking for, and an x ray too soon won't show it.
Bone pain is the worst kind of pain. It's just going to hurt. Every day it will hurt a little less. It's good that they've got him up and moving around. It would be a lot more difficult if he was bedridden for months. If he's on crutches and the crutches are hurting him, you can get cushions for the top.
He's not using crutches -- they have him using a walker. I'm looking into various aids to help out around the house, etc. Hopefully things will get better.
He's not using crutches -- they have him using a walker. I'm looking into various aids to help out around the house, etc. Hopefully things will get better.
I'm sorry your husband has to go through this and hope he heals quickly. I'm 75 and fell and broke my left wrist and hip in early Oct.. It was pretty miserable the first week. Hurts to cough or just move! I hated getting in and out of bed to go to the bathroom but they will make you do it and it's for the best, I suppose. The second week was physical therapy three hours a day so two weeks in the hospital.
When I came home they made sure I had the things I would need to make it easier on me and I also bought a couple of things. I got a shower bench and a riser for the toilet. I'm tempted to keep that on the toilet just because it's so easy to get up and down with it. I admit I don't really need it anymore. They even gave me a gadget to help put my socks on and one of those things you can pick things up with. That came in handy for getting dressed too. Of course I had my walker too but it is kind of big and bulky but after about a month I went to a cane. It's been ten weeks now and I'll soon be able to leave the cane behind as well. I hope your husband does well too.
My experience, so far, hasn't been terrible and I seem to be healing at a good rate. I would advise one thing...he should WALK, as much as he can stand because it really does help. Also make sure he gets good physical therapy when he gets home. I never got scheduled for it but I did okay anyway because I had the book of exercises and used them. I can't walk in my neighborhood because no sidewalks, etc. so I pulled the car out of the garage and used it as my 'track' for a half hour twice a day.
As far as pain meds...the first few days they gave me morphine and them switched me to Tylenol. It seemed to work okay but I think I must not have experienced as much pain as others because they were surprised it did work for me. Getting in and out of bed was the worst and I had to lift my leg every time because it hurt but only for a minute. A small pillow between the knees helps a lot when you're trying to get comfortable in bed.
Best of luck to your husband. I tell myself that this too shall pass and it's getting better every day.
He's not using crutches -- they have him using a walker. I'm looking into various aids to help out around the house, etc. Hopefully things will get better.
One thing I forgot to mention in my other post was the muscle pain. That was annoying and quite a bit of it. Sometimes worse than the actual hip! I asked the doctor about it and he said to not forget that when I fell I wacked all those muscles pretty good, like you would in most falls or a car accident, where you feel it more a couple of days later than immediately. They do get 'whacked' and then during the surgery they had to move muscles around/out of the way which stretches them further. With heat and self massage it still took about four weeks for my thigh pain to go away. I still have muscle 'tightness' from hip to knee by the end of the day but I'm working (retail cashier) and on my feet all day. A couple of Bayer and my heating pad help as does a nice hot bath with Epsom salts. Feels amazingly good! I hope your husband reaches the point, soon, where he can enjoy those too.
It takes time for bone to fill in around the hardware. That's what they're really looking for, and an x ray too soon won't show it.
Bone pain is the worst kind of pain. It's just going to hurt. Every day it will hurt a little less. It's good that they've got him up and moving around. It would be a lot more difficult if he was bedridden for months. If he's on crutches and the crutches are hurting him, you can get cushions for the top.
The hospital has been very good about exercising him. I'm glad they put him in the rehab unit for so many days, about 15, they have him walking with a walker, not crutches, and giving him occupational therapy also. They are discharging him and not sending him to assisted living. I would have preferred they would allow him to go to assisted living for a few weeks, but doesn't look like that will happen. At first I wanted a hospital bed for him, but apparently Medicare supplies only a basic hospital bed that is called "semi-electric," and so cannot go with that, because neither of us are going to raise or lower the level of the bed from the floor by cranking it up. I already have a used hospital bed I bought a few years ago and so we'll use that for now. It has electric lowering and raising.
One thing I forgot to mention in my other post was the muscle pain. That was annoying and quite a bit of it. Sometimes worse than the actual hip! I asked the doctor about it and he said to not forget that when I fell I wacked all those muscles pretty good, like you would in most falls or a car accident, where you feel it more a couple of days later than immediately. They do get 'whacked' and then during the surgery they had to move muscles around/out of the way which stretches them further. With heat and self massage it still took about four weeks for my thigh pain to go away. I still have muscle 'tightness' from hip to knee by the end of the day but I'm working (retail cashier) and on my feet all day. A couple of Bayer and my heating pad help as does a nice hot bath with Epsom salts. Feels amazingly good! I hope your husband reaches the point, soon, where he can enjoy those too.
Thank you so much! Sad to say we must endure these things and I am constantly praying that I don't trip because I have pain and arthritis. But these are the things we must face in this life, although I have hope it won't always be this way. :-)
I'm sorry your husband has to go through this and hope he heals quickly. I'm 75 and fell and broke my left wrist and hip in early Oct.. It was pretty miserable the first week. Hurts to cough or just move! I hated getting in and out of bed to go to the bathroom but they will make you do it and it's for the best, I suppose. The second week was physical therapy three hours a day so two weeks in the hospital.
When I came home they made sure I had the things I would need to make it easier on me and I also bought a couple of things. I got a shower bench and a riser for the toilet. I'm tempted to keep that on the toilet just because it's so easy to get up and down with it. I admit I don't really need it anymore. They even gave me a gadget to help put my socks on and one of those things you can pick things up with. That came in handy for getting dressed too. Of course I had my walker too but it is kind of big and bulky but after about a month I went to a cane. It's been ten weeks now and I'll soon be able to leave the cane behind as well. I hope your husband does well too.
My experience, so far, hasn't been terrible and I seem to be healing at a good rate. I would advise one thing...he should WALK, as much as he can stand because it really does help. Also make sure he gets good physical therapy when he gets home. I never got scheduled for it but I did okay anyway because I had the book of exercises and used them. I can't walk in my neighborhood because no sidewalks, etc. so I pulled the car out of the garage and used it as my 'track' for a half hour twice a day.
As far as pain meds...the first few days they gave me morphine and them switched me to Tylenol. It seemed to work okay but I think I must not have experienced as much pain as others because they were surprised it did work for me. Getting in and out of bed was the worst and I had to lift my leg every time because it hurt but only for a minute. A small pillow between the knees helps a lot when you're trying to get comfortable in bed.
Best of luck to your husband. I tell myself that this too shall pass and it's getting better every day.
I got a riser for the toilet already since I am the one that likes using it because my knees don't like getting up and down. Sometimes I won't sit down on an outside toilet because I might not get up if there are no rails. :-) I am hoping to get rails put in the shower stall in the trailer. He has a sock puller the hospital gave him, also a grabber. I got the sock puller before he did because my leg is no good and I can't bend it to put my sock on.
I am glad to hear you are healing nicely. I sent away for a type of puller ring that someone can help get another person up from a sitting position. I got two; one for me and one for my husband. Maybe it will help. Sometimes if I am at a restaurant I can't get up from a booth and I may have to ask a waitress to help me. I got the puller from Amazon.
Glad to hear you can follow your own exercise schedule. Revelation 21 helps me consider that there is a hope that one day all causes for pain will be removed and our bodies will be like new and better than they were before. :-)
For me it's come to if and when I go to a restaurant, I need to sit at chairs/tables, not booths...For mega years, I loved the booth seating, but no more.
For me it's come to if and when I go to a restaurant, I need to sit at chairs/tables, not booths...For mega years, I loved the booth seating, but no more.
I can appreciate that. I've needed people sometimes to pick me up from a chair or booth. If the chair is too low. It is snowing and icy here and the hospital wants to discharge him on Tuesday. I'm wondering if I can get there to pick him up with the ice on the ground. But my real question is: (because a friend offered to help me) what happens if I tell the hospital that I cannot take care of him until he makes further progress?
I can appreciate that. I've needed people sometimes to pick me up from a chair or booth. If the chair is too low. It is snowing and icy here and the hospital wants to discharge him on Tuesday. I'm wondering if I can get there to pick him up with the ice on the ground. But my real question is: (because a friend offered to help me) what happens if I tell the hospital that I cannot take care of him until he makes further progress?
What I went thru last year is different than your husband's, but I could NOT walk, not Stand UP for 2.5 months...I could have NEVER gone home, I would have needed full time care. So what they did with me was transfer me from rehab to rehab (3 total) until they got the infection cured and I was finally walking with walker at end of third rehab. Social workers have got to be involved with all this care. If they know there is money available, it's probably harder to get rehabs. Each state could be different too.
I can appreciate that. I've needed people sometimes to pick me up from a chair or booth. If the chair is too low. It is snowing and icy here and the hospital wants to discharge him on Tuesday. I'm wondering if I can get there to pick him up with the ice on the ground. But my real question is: (because a friend offered to help me) what happens if I tell the hospital that I cannot take care of him until he makes further progress?
I really don't know. Maybe there can be home health care? I guess it depends on your insurance.
I had a pretty serious accident a couple of years ago. I didn't get to bathe or wear clean clothing more than a couple of times a week. We're not talking about showers here, either. I lived.
Wash his face, comb his hair, and tell him that he's the most handsome man you've ever seen in your life. Threaten destroying his hip because you are going to have your way with him.
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