I went from being extremely limited with frequent pain, but completely independent before the replacement, to not being able to dress myself or sit up on my own. In the words of my mother, ‘it is like having a newborn again’, except I can be cheeky on purpose. Since returning home on Sunday evening there has been a new development everyday and I am loving seeing the improvements.
I can now sit up straight without support, can easily manage the stairs only stepping up with my good leg and can even dress myself, despite not being able to touch any lower than my knees. Part of my ability to dress myself comes from having extremely dextrous toes. Dad and I used to compete to pick hairbands and other thing off the floor when I was little. I never thought I would rely in this weird skill, but it has been a real asset. I can pull my trousers onto my left leg using my right foot toes and even plug in the hair dryer using my feet. Little did Dad and I know we were preparing for an easier hip replacement recovery.
Showering was initially a struggle but yesterday we rented a perching stool so I can sit in the shower. While this is great for a quick rest, it is also really annoying. When you shower, you dip in and out of the water in between soaping and shampoo, on the stool, you’re in the same place, so I stand and use the stool for balance.