My right THR is scheduled for a week from today. Intellectually, I know that it needs to be done (as there is no alternative treatment) and, thankfully, the pain has been getting worse since the surgery was scheduled. The latter is "good" because it has helped mitigate thoughts that would arise during relatively pain-free stretches that maybe I didn't really need the surgery after all. And everyone I know that has had the procedure - to a person - has said that they only wish they'd had it sooner.
But I'm still having trouble accepting the irreversibility of the procedure - just the concept that a person (the OS), who I hardly know, is going to cut-off the head of my femur. I really cringe when I see the diagrams or even the models of the devices and procedures depicted during the pre-op session. I've had other surgeries - mostly arthroscopic - but none involved permanent modifications like this, with the potential for leg length issues and all of that. While I have significant paid during movement, I'm still basically functional, and while at work (desk job), really feel 100% normal. That, plus having been very athletic up until about 8 months ago, makes it hard to convince myself that I need to undertake such an irreversible step.
I'm not concerned about the recovery - I've faced that in various forms before (including after hip arthroscopy about 6 months ago). I know that this is a mostly "venting" post, but it helps a bit to just express this anxiety. I guess that I just need to grit my teeth and get through this waiting period when my mind seems to focus on the wrong aspects of this.
But I'm still having trouble accepting the irreversibility of the procedure - just the concept that a person (the OS), who I hardly know, is going to cut-off the head of my femur. I really cringe when I see the diagrams or even the models of the devices and procedures depicted during the pre-op session. I've had other surgeries - mostly arthroscopic - but none involved permanent modifications like this, with the potential for leg length issues and all of that. While I have significant paid during movement, I'm still basically functional, and while at work (desk job), really feel 100% normal. That, plus having been very athletic up until about 8 months ago, makes it hard to convince myself that I need to undertake such an irreversible step.
I'm not concerned about the recovery - I've faced that in various forms before (including after hip arthroscopy about 6 months ago). I know that this is a mostly "venting" post, but it helps a bit to just express this anxiety. I guess that I just need to grit my teeth and get through this waiting period when my mind seems to focus on the wrong aspects of this.