Hip replacement - Three weeks

My hip replacement occurred three weeks ago.  Usually I would have seen a doctor after two weeks. Last week I contacted a Boise surgeon's office who told me that he wouldn't need to see me unless I was having problems. Then I called my surgeon's office in Utah.  The nurse told me after three weeks I could take the outer bandage off and start showering with my wound open.  The steri-strips that hold the incision together would fall off on their own.

I've been showering almost daily since the hospital with my wound covered by a plastic. Today I pulled off the outer gauze and with it came two of the six steri-strips. It was the first time I saw my incision which is about six inches long.  It looks like a purple marker was used to show the surgeon where to cut. It seems to be healing well. Completely closed, with no redness and no swelling. It was nice to shower without having to apply a plastic cover.  The AquaGuard plastic covers left a brown film of glue in a square that is about 8 1/2 by 11. It will take a couple of showers before that comes off and before the rest of the steri-strips come off.

Nexcare gives the following instructions for removing steri-strips:

"Peel the both edges of the steri-strips towards the incision. Once you peel the sides up, begin at the top and remove them gently from the top to the bottom of the incision. Some dead skin may come off with thesteri-strips. It is not recommended to remove steri-strips like you would a normal bandaid."

I'm now have nine pills left, enough for three days.  Maybe I can stretch them further.  My thigh stings almost constantly, although it is much better when I am rested. My ankle also hurts from the stress. Yesterday I overdid physical therapy and then strained myself closing a window when I got home. I was miserable for most of the day. At about 10 p.m. I was cold and so my son made me pepperiment tea and I got into bed.  I slept for a few minutes then watched some television.  About 11 p.m. I took a pill and ate a peanut butter and jam sandwich.  I still couldn't sleep so I spent about 2 hours grading.  Finally I fell asleep. Two hors later I was awake and in pain so I watched more TV.  I saw the 1941 movie "Yankee in the RAF" with Tyrone Power and Betty Grable.  His character Tim Baker was such a selfish jerk. Betty Grable as Carol Brown was as beautiful as ever, although she looked a little chunky and short on my flat screen.

When the movie was over I turned on BBC TV and learned that a plane had crashed in the French Alps flying from Barcelona to Dusseldorf. Last year my wife and I spent seven days in Barcelona, flying in from Paris and departing for Milan before going to the Balkans. It was surreal to see a plane crashing on almost the same route we flew.

At 7:30 a.m. I was finally so tired I went to sleep. I woke up at 9:30 when my wife called me.

Medications and hip replacement

Day 8after my hip replacement.

My doctor prescribed 100 oxycodone acetaminophen 10 325 to be taken 1 or 2 tablets by mouth every 4 hours as needed. When I left the hospital on day 4, 3 days after the operation, my doctor prescribed 100 tablets of oxycodone acetaminophen 10-325 to be taken 1 or 2 tablets by mouth every 4 hours as needed. 

When I left the hospital I was talking them at 2 tablets every 4 hours. I soon realized at that rate I would run out after 8 days. So I modified my pill taking to 1 every three hours.  Yesterday the physical therapist suggested a try taking one before I go to sleep. I took a pill at 12 midnight and then again at 5:30 when I woke up.  My leg hurt badly after exercising 3 times during the day. At 5:30 a.m. my leg was stinging when I took the pill.  

I started with 12 pills daily, cut back to 8 pills.  Now I'm at 6 pills.  With almost 60 pills left that is enough for 10 days.  At the rate of 1 every 4 hours I will run out on March 21.  By cutting back 1 pill per night I can last an extra day.  At 4 pills a day I can last 15 days. 

My goal is to get rid of my walker after 3 weeks. About the same time as I run out of meds.