THR Going4fun new hip adventure

Going4fun

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I am due at the hospital at the mundane hour of 9 a.m. The assistant who called me said that means surgery shortly before 11. I have an hour and a half of water only ... then nothing but a small amount of water with my meds in the morning.

My loving sister came to town ... she's staying at a nearby hotel. Hung out with her today ... which ... how shall I say ... required some energy and patience.

I keep telling friends about the BS phrase "see you on the other side" ... Some get it ... some don't ... Some feel terrified with that wording. I love the phrase!

I returned to the CVS today for the tenth time this week ... purchased back-up everything ... from face lotion, sun protection, lip balm, toothpaste, air freshener ... I have laundered every piece of clothing and every sheet and pillow case that I own in the past few days. Want to make the first month as easy as possible.

My mood: hyped. I guess that's my anxious state ... I'm kinda silly to tell you the truth. Putting in calls to friends and coworkers I love ... wanted to hear warm voices ... This is an interesting emotional state, I have to say.
 
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Hi, I'm happy to see you started your recovery thread. You'll find the Recovery Guidelines below.
I wish you the best tomorrow. We'll be thinking of you and looking forward to your first post.
Hope you're able to sleep tonite. If not, you'll catch up later here, on the healing side.

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each, member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice. @Going4fun
 
Thanks for the guidance Layla.
 
I remember the night-before-surgery feeling. It's a vulnerable state, you are soon to be swallowed by that which has loomed for so long... and then in a slight daze you go through the motions the next day, you go into OR ; you wake up in recovery. and you think "so that's it? I'm done? I'm on the other side. :)
 
Exactly what An54 says. My Consultant didn’t see me before the op - it was the Registrar instead! I felt a bit neglected as everyone else had their Consultants. I was first up for the op. After the spinal and sedative given by two great and empathic anaesthetists I don’t remember anything until waking up in Recivrry.

It sounds like you are well prepared and will do just fine. Are you Anterior or Posterior?
 
Good luck fellow Sapphire! You sound well prepared, and will do well :yes!:. Looking forward to exchanging notes on the other side :)
 
Wishing you a successful surgery. I also had an arrival time of 9 am the day of my hip replacement. Upon arrival I learned that my surgeon was behind schedule due to a complex first surgery that morning so as hungry as I was I needed to wait my turn. My surgeon was ready for me at 2:00 pm. Luckily I had nurses that made the time pass quickly with their good humor. When I awoke I was so happy to order dinner. Lucky me I wasn’t at all nautious. Good luck today:)
 
See you on this side soon! All the best!
 
:) It's the Healing Side and am so glad you will be checking here at some point all done with that bad hip!
Bye bye hip pain!:egypdance:
 
Wishing you the best as you embark on your big day.
We'll look forward to your first post. :)
You're going to love the result.
@Going4fun
 
I have arrived on the other side!

But first ... a note about preparing for the Big Day ... Yesterday, on the eve of surgery, I was struck by the strong desire to talk to people--like deep talk. I burned up the phone ... returning calls and having meaningful talks with coworkers and friends--talks that went way beyond my hip surgery. I'm a college teacher and yesterday I talked two of former students I am close to. (Both have described me as "mentor.) Had fantastic conversations with both of them. About my surgery (my fears and hopes) ... But at least as much about their lives. And both of these young people were in the midst of major challenges and transitions in their lives ... and talking to them ... as a mentor of sorts ... was unbelievably fulfilling, and grounding ... and real! ... and a great way to divert myself from my own worries.

Back to the other side:

Arrived at 9 am. at the hospital ... and had a funny moment. My sister traveled from 150 miles away to go with me to the hospital. Well ... she uses a walker and is in need to replacements on both sides but has been delayed by other health problems. The hospital admissions person assumed my sister had come for the surgery and that I, who did not have an assistive device, was there to support my her. The admissions woman and I got a good chuckle at this ... out of hearing range of my sister.

My surgeon came to say hi shortly was placed in a robe and hooked up to the IV machine. He looked great! ... He came over and talked ... I asked him a question about ceramic heads ... I could tell he really didn't want to talk a lot. (Later I realized he was in between surgeries.)

The spinal, which I wanted in place of full anesthesia, was more uncomfortable than I anticipated (though maybe only 10-20 seconds total.) The anesthesiologist started an IV sedative at the same time he gave me the spinal. Now this all gets strange: I remember telling the anesthesiologist the spinal was a little uncomfortable, then he shifted the position of the needle slightly and discomfort was gone ...

The next thing I know the anesthesiologist and the nurse barked out questions at me. In my hazy memory, I knew the answers to their questions, but I couldn't get out the words ... I don't know if this loud questioning was a last-second check to find out if I was sufficiently sedate ... or whether I dreamed this whole sequence.

Woke up in recovery room ... covered with warm blankets ... feeling nothing in particular. I have a long bandage on my left side ... 8 to 10 inches and very narrow ... will ask my surgeon about this tomorrow. He uses the anterolateral approach ... on the side and slightly in the front.

I was to too nauseous when my PT arrived for a walk down the hall.

Two hours later, the PT and I walked down the hall about 50 feet and back ... On the walker, I had a flashback to my mom walking slowly with a walker at ages 88 to 90 after her hip replacement. Anyway, I felt none of the familiar arthritis pain ... but definitely felt soreness and tightness and hardness in the left upper thigh along the incision. This pain didn't frighten me--something about it my brain interpreted the discomfort as ... Oh, this is serious but this will definitely go away with time! ...

I'm at a small orthopedic specialty hospital outside Philadelphia, PA-- I think 24 beds total. The nurses are amazing. Thorough, kind, open ... quick to respond when I call. Kind, attentive nurses must create some kind of placebo effect ... as well as an anti-anxiety effect... and ... an anti-totally-terrified effect. I haven't been overnight in the hospital many times, but these nurses here are wonderful. I'm chatting up a storm--not just about me ... but about them and about their lives. One reason I selected this hospital from among three places where my surgeon operates ... is that people online (including on BS) raved about the care here. They seem to be right!

Tomorrow I will likely try a cane when walking with PT. We'll see ... I'm guessing I'll be using a walker at first when I return home.

Pain has been very low to mild as I sit in bed ... About an hour ago, I felt a little more "throb" and and ache in my leg, so I told the nurse and she gave me my first oxy pill.

Ironic bottom line: I just turned myself slightly in bed ... felt like ... well it felt like the left leg had sustained a major cut and laceration that is gonna take a while to heal.
 
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:yahoo: glad you are all done!
well it felt like the left leg had sustained a major cut and laceration that is gonna take a while to heal
Pretty sure you're right about that!:) :-) (:
Glad you are being well taken care of.
 
Welcome to the healing side :welome:
Take your meds on schedule, get lots of rest and make friends with your ice packs :ice:
You're on your way!
@Going4fun
 
Thanks for the wisdom @Mojo333, @Jaycey and @Layla!

I made it home today ... stopped to have lunch with my sister and my housemate. I'm using a walker ... which feels really good, I have to say, after the PT guy and I adjusted the height.

The good news is that (so far at least) I can tie my shoes ... and I can rise up from the toilet seat. I wasn't expecting to be able to do either of those.

I feel so glad to have gone through with the surgery. Felt like I had given myself this huge gift of life. Feel grateful that I have health insurance and a job that allows me paid leave.

Pain was a little high this morning ... and then the nurse doubled the OxyContin ... my pain measure is this: when I'm concentrating on reading or talking to someone ... or simply not thinking about the hip, does the pain distract me? ... and does it distract me multiple times? ... If so, I want more pain medication.

Icing now with elevated legs. Part of me is amazed that I had this surgery. The journey has begun!!!!

Thanks to everyone here for being so informative and open and clear and wise. Felt so informed by this board as I approached surgery.
 
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You've got this @Going4fun !

Glad to see you positive and hopeful.:tada:
It's definite a life changing surgery.
Don't get frisky on us!:heehee:
 
Hi @Knitquilt, saw your thread and that you are having some pain. I'm hoping it's easing ... saw that you were planning to call your surgeon. Great job to advocate for yourself. Before I got released today, I told the nurse that I was in more pain than I really wanted to be in ... so she gave me options, told me I could double up on oxy ... so far so good.

My stomach is a bit of a mess. But I'm not sure what's causing that. I have a stomach that can get roiling by many things.
 

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