@windyl Patience is the key! At 4 weeks, your incision is barely healed. The underlying tissue, muscles, tendons, bone and nerves are just beginning to recover.
The numbness is from irritated or severed nerves. These will tell you when they begin to recover, with tingling, pins and needles or other symptoms, which can last quite a while and change from day to day. Nerves regenerate at a rate of about 1 - 2 mm/day, or 1/8 to 1/4" per month.
The swelling and pain are from other tissues healing, and will resolve over time. You can help speed things up by doing some lymphatic massage - your PT can show you how.
You WILL feel better over the next couple months. When surgeons tell you how "fast" healing will be, in my experience (after 5 hip surgeries and several other ortho surgeries) they are talking about the incision healing and the implant being correct - the rest of it is very individual. Since you were in a wheelchair, I think maybe your situation had been bad/deteriorating for a while? This can increase complete recovery time.
When I was young (54), I had two hip replacements 8 weeks apart. My results were excellent with no complications, but I was exhausted for MONTHS. Then my primary explained that after major surgery, even without complications, your body is recovering for at least 4-6 months, possibly as long as a year. When I needed revisions some years later (due to recalled and no-longer-used implants) we waited 3 months between surgeries, and I was much less tired.
Is there a particular reason to do the second surgery before you have fully healed from the first? Maybe waiting until 4 months have passed to do the next surgery would be better for your body? This would be a good question to ask you surgeon and also your primary provider who knows your overall health better.
@sueinmn TY for the thoughtful response. Not waiting reasons are 1. Eager to he out of a wheelchair if possible (I am 59 and would love to be more active and independent). 2. Insurance- I have reached my deductible and will not have to cover near as much out of pocket for the second surgery if I have it during 2025. 3.Impatience. I postponed for a long while because I was providing care to a family member. I will take the time to consider all you have said. Thank you 😊