Hello to everyone new and old in the forums. I would like to say that this forum is absolutely the best resource for anyone going through this process. I am so grateful for the support and information provided, not only when asked, but in archived conversations. It truly is reassuring to know someone has felt how you feel, someone has thought what you think, and people have been there and done it and are on the other side.
I am on the other side and it is wonderful. My new hip is amazing and I think I had forgotten what it was like to not have some level of pain.
I am one year out next week and it has been quite a ride. Some things I wish I had known before surgery:
Give yourself the time to recover! Only being 45 I was sure I would bounce back and be up and going in no time. We've all heard the stories of super fast recoveries. Most of those are skewed by time and point of view, but if you are lucky enough to bounce right up, great! Just know they mean it when they say it takes time for most people. And the wonderful ladies moderating this site spent many a post telling me this, I'm just a little hard headed.
I was not prepared for the nerve changes in my leg. I can touch the right side of my upper thigh and I feel it on the mid part of my front thigh. It's seriously the weirdest! It may recover yet (it takes time) so I'm not stressing but it is so strange and I wasn't really prepared for the nerve recovery.
I have learned some things too:
The scar is not a big deal. I've even forgotten about it when I put my bathing suit on. I thought it would make me self conscience, but it really doesn't.
It's good to listen to people who know. Our brain tends to run off on their own, but this forum is a great source of grounding.
I do have a hyper mobile SI joint that likes to manifest groin pain, put it back in place - gone.
Over the past year I have thought of many other lessons I would comment on, but they escape me now. I just know that having the hip replacement certainly made my life better, and that is what it is all about. Having a healthy hip does illuminate an unhealthy one, and it will likely be less than two years before I have the left hip replaced as well. It was always technically worse, but the right just wore out faster, so I will be here again.
I look forward to some other anniversary posts and to everyone just starting your recovery journey, this will be worth it in the end. Thank you again to the incredibly supportive staff and members on this site.