THR Merrimay's Hip Replacement Adventure Begins

[Merrimay]

Three weeks! Congratulations, Ocean! So glad you're here to help us nervous pre-op newbies cope.

Tomorrow I meet with my surgeon for the first time. Hoping to have a surgery date and some sense of anterior vs. posterior;general anesthesia vs. epidural/sedation; and whether or not it will be outpatient.
Will keep you posted

 

[CricketHip]

For what it"s worth, I loved my electric lift recliner chair that I rented from a local medical supply store.
Best money that I spent for my recovery and only needed it for the first month.

 

[Eman85]

@Merrimay Are you anywhere near the flooding? I know Pikeville got it bad.

 

[Merrimay]

Eman 85, how thoughtful you are! I'm right at the Cumberland Gap National Park. Rain but no flooding as of yet. Pikeville and Hazard are in baf shape.

I'm heading to kville tomorrow for my first appt with osteoarthritis.

 

[Merrimay]

Eban 85, what the heck? My reply went haywire at the end. Appt tomorrow with orthopedic surgeon...hopefully the roads will be open. Thx for checking. Hope you're well

 

[Merrimay]

Cricket Hip, I love your name! So much better than mine: Grinding Hip.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the rental recliner. A medical supply store is just down the road from me, and they've got a humdinger of a chair in the window...I look longingly at it every time I pass. My plan is to try using my non-rocking recliner. If that doesn't work, looks like my poor sister gets to drive to the rental place!

 

[Merrimay]

Eman 85, just saw your post saying you're east ky not east tn. You aren't being hit by the flooding are you? I thought today, I hope no one who just had joint replacement is having to slog their way through fast water and mud.

 

[Eman85]

I'm just south of you straight down 25E to 11W. It's crazy stormy weather then sun then back to rain. It's been high water on some roads but no real flooding like KY. I'm right at the Holston river but it's controlled and I'm on high ground.

 

[Merrimay]

You're truly a neighbor. That's so wild!

 

[Merrimay]

Well, friends, I met my surgeon today and...drumroll...my procedure is scheduled for October 19, 2022.

I've signed up on bonesmart as an October Feistie!

Posterior. Anyone else have a posterior as opposed to anterior? If so, how'd it go?

 

[Ocean]

Great that you have a date, exciting and terrifying at the same time, but mostly amazing because you are having a new hip.

I had lateral approach so can’t comment on any other. I didn’t ask before surgery what approach etc., I decided that was my surgeons job and we don’t tend to ask our surgeons here in the UK.

 

[subie2021]

I had posterior and it worked out great. Not withstanding a (to me) rather unnecessary comment he made in part of the op report...regarding the thickness of the protective layer of chub on my hip

I didn't ask about options. He knows what he's doing, except for making comments where I can see them

 

[Merrimay]

Subie and Ocean, I think you were smart not to ask! I had a list of questions, and he said, "Oh, you've done lots of research." I thought, uh-oh, he thinks I'm one of "those." So I shut up. But I've read so much about anterior that I just wondered what the difference was from the patient's experience. As long as I get past this pre-op pain and into my new life,, he can do whatever he wants @

 

[CricketHip]

Cricket Hip, I love your name! So much better than mine: Grinding Hip.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the rental recliner. A medical supply store is just down the road from me, and they've got a humdinger of a chair in the window...I look longingly at it every time I pass. My plan is to try using my non-rocking recliner. If that doesn't work, looks like my poor sister gets to drive to the rental place!

I bet your medical supply store will deliver it and also set it up for you!
Your sister can rest easy on that part.
Thank you, I rather enjoy my avatar name too!
Am also glad I’m no longer a cricket with a bad hip!

 

[Eman85]

I had posterior on my first and I enjoyed it so much I went back for a 2nd just like it. Seriously it was up to my OS and I had the same OS for both. I actually have trouble finding my scars as they are so thin, pretty much nonexistent. I had both of mine done in Knoxville.

 

[beachgal]

My first was posterior approach after I had researched both it and anterior. I was more interested in getting the OS of my choosing do I guess if he had wanted to go down my throat, that would have been ok, too.

He does not do the anterior approach. He told me that there is less chance of fracturing the femur with the posterior so that was his specialty. Not debating the anterior method, others have had equally wonderful results with it.

When he does hip #2, I’ll be happy if my outcome is as good as with hip #1.

 

[Layla]

Hello and Happy Monday!
We've created a signature for you, only thing we're missing is which hip will be replaced. If you'd please share we will add that bit of info to your signature. Thanks in advance!

I experienced the posterior approach because it was the only approach my surgeon used. I didn't feel my recovery was any better /worse, shorter / longer than those recovering right along with me here.

I hope you have a nice week!
@Merrimay

 

[Zoebichon]

I had bilateral anterior surgeries, but it wasn’t something I chose. My surgeon chose the approach . We really didn’t discuss surgery techniques.

I also have dual mobility cup liners but again, I found this out by reading my post surgery notes.

The best advantage of anterior approach, for me, was being able to sleep on either side as soon as it felt comfortable, which was 12 days for me. I absolutely hated back sleeping and don’t think I barely slept those first 12 night!

 

[Merrimay]

Hi Layla, it's my left hip.

I'm pleased that so many of you did well with the posterior approach. I'm going to relax about that. The anterior approach is getting a lot of press, so I was curious. But posterior will be fine with me!

 

[Merrimay]

Hi Zoebichon,

I get it about the sleeping positions! That's really why I was hoping for the anterior procedure. But I started practicing trying to sleep on back...and am slowly adjusting so I feel less afraid that I'll dislocate in my sleep. But that did play a big role in my fear of the posterior position.

Fortunately the surgery isn't until Oct...by then I think I'll be a dedicated back sleeper!