Not the Trailblazer this time – RTHR 30 Sept!

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@Pumpkln - different hospital and surgeon. They will just have to believe me I guess! :beg:
 
Of course they will listen to you! It will make their jobs easier if you are out the whole time.
 
Yes you are right. I can just see it (surgeon to anaesthetist - "make sure she's out - too much talking about how it should be done"). :rotfl:
 
Hi, @Jaycey ... checking in to say hello and ask how you are. Yes, ask about the sedative. I told my anesthesiologist that I hoped I didn't wake up. She said most people do not. I still worried about it. Whatever she put into the drip that went into my hand must have been a sedative because I do not remember even being wheeled into the OR. I woke up as they were wheeling me out of the OR, down the corridor. I wish that experience for you this time around! I'm glad you have reviewed your post-op thread from your last surgery since that will have a lot of reassuring details. I talked to someone just this past week who had her other hip replaced (about a year after the first one) a month ago and she said the second time around was easier in the sense that she wasn't so nervous about walking around, etc.

I'm really sorry to have read (a page or so back) about your job situation and I can relate to a lot of what you've said and, I think, how you must feel. The folks at my job were in general supportive ... but then with the details, not so much. One minute it'd be "oh, your health is all that matters ..." and then later, "surely you will be bored at two weeks and might like to come in." I put my foot down and used up all those vacation and sick days I had not taken for years. It was six weeks and honestly I worried about going back to work not handling it more than I worried about infection and dislocation and the surgery. The Return To Work overshadowed and dogged my recovery at home. If I had been retired, my recovery would have been so much easier mentally and emotionally. As it turned out, going back at six weeks was doable. It really was. I did not fall asleep at the desk at all. I'm not saying "If I can do it, you can too." I know we are all different and our jobs are, too." What I'm trying to say is that it was more doable than I'd feared, and I hope this helps you. My job is not one that is done within a regular length workday; it requires a lot of unpaid overtime. It's just the nature of the beast. And I was scared of not doing that. And for the first couple of weeks I could NOT do lots of overtime. I was ready to leave at the chime of five or a little longer and by the time I got home I was sore and tired and glad to be there. But it was doable. And again I hope this helps. Just remember that these dopes in our lives who think this surgery is a piece of cake are just that: dopes (regarding this, anyway). Once you are back at work and all, their snarkiness and lack of sensitivity will fade.... The main thing is that YOU will have NEW HIP. That's all that matters.

I feel for you about this, I really do. But it will be "history" before long. Try not to fret about work, if you can. Really hard to do, but try.

I'm so sorry too about your back and not being able to take what you need to to help it in these final days. Hopefully the immediately post-op pain meds will mean that your back aches will not rear their ugly head for a while. I think I had a two-week vacation from lower back pain after surgery, which was heavenly.

Hang in there, Jaycey! We will all be pulling for you .... just as you have done for so many of us!
 
Just remember that these dopes in our lives who think this surgery is a piece of cake are just that: dopes
Couldn't have said it better @Peaches . I plan to start working from home when I feel up to it - not before. We see so many here try and rush this. You just can't - it doesn't work that way.

But as you say - for you 6 weeks was doable. Fingers crossed it will be for me. But honestly - if I don't feel ready I just won't do it. I have to live a lifetime with this hip. Work would get rid of me in a minute and not suffer any consequences.
 
Hi, @Jaycey ... I'm so glad to hear you say that you won't rush! With apologies to The Supremes, "You can't hurrry healing." This is YOUR time, YOUR life, YOUR hip, YOUR health, not theirs. And the dopes will always be dopes (till the surgery has to happen for THEM). You just have to try to tune out their voices.... Don't make the mistake I did and let them occupy your head too much while you are at home recovering. That is wasted energy. I did emailing and phone call work from home, but that was it. I really drew the line. But I didn't draw the line at worrying and fretting, which was a mistake. I will remind myself of all of this when the next hip has to be replaced.
Take care.
 
Hi again, @Jaycey ... I remembered something else to pass on. I know everyone is different, but for me, attempting out-patient PT two weeks after starting back to work full time (which meant eight weeks post surgery) was a huge huge mistake. I was so sore and in pain everywhere, limping etc., that it took a full two weeks to get back to where I felt at week six. I remember walking after a workday about a third of a mile to the PT place, then PT, then maybe a third of a mile to a bus, standing up on the bus to go home, and just felt physically beat up. I thought back to what I read on bonesmart in the library section about moderating your activities. You know: If you make dinner, then try not to clean up from dinner. Let the dishes soak or try to enlist someone to clean up. You can't stand and make dinner and then stand some more and clean up. At least at first. You should parcel out your activities. So ... starting back to work full time is not the time for some of us to also take a nice, long walk at lunchtime or go and do an hour of PT at lunch. I think I felt compelled to try the outpatient PT because so many others do. And I didn't want to be guilty of "not working" at getting better. But that was a huge huge mistake. My OS's PA even told me that going back to work, all the walking during a workday, and then ultimately subway steps would be enough PT. Tacking on PT on top of that wasn't necessary. I'm sure others here can say that's not true for them, but for some of us, it is. So just keep that in mind when you assess how you feel. Hope this helps.
 
I absolutely agree @Peaches ! You can't start back to work and do tons of other activities. PT or work for this gal! Not both! And chores - well they will get done eventually. But as Jo always says - no one will die if there is a bit of dust around.
 
@Jaycey I wore headphones on my IPhone into surgery and listened to music and a relaxation cd to be sure I wouldn't hear anything if I woke up. Sounds pretty horrifying to be awake. I'd be expecting someone to say "Oops!" Countdown is short now. Will be waiting for your post op update.
 
@Jaycey one more sleep!!!!!!(if I have my time zones right...)
I will be with you in spirit, and saying a prayer for smooth sailing :)

Promise to post the loopy drugged-up first post on the other side so we can giggle with you :)


My phone sent this using BoneSmart Forum, clever phone!
 
Jaycey....thinking about you and will have prayers heading your way on the big day. In the meantime, just chill out and keep the pain at a minimum until you can get that shiny new hip in place. Good days are coming!!!
 
Tic Toc @Jaycey - almost there my dear friend - sending many hugs from down under ((( hugs ))) xx
 
Okay, Jaycey ... the agonizing "wait" part is about over!
Can't wait for your first post-op post. Sending best wishes
and lots of luck and healing thoughts your way!
 
Hope no one is holding their breathM still in reception after over 2 hours. Not happy!
 
Oh no @Jaycey - I got all excited when I saw you were online and checked your time, thinking it was all over..

Hang in there honey, maybe its a sign that they have got the complicated surgeries out of the way and yours will be nice and easy xx
 
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