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Pre-Op Blues

Hi @Constanze,
Thank you for your support, it is very much appreciated! Your story certainly is encouraging and I look forward to reading your recovery diary.

Glad that you continue to do well.

Did you have the anterior or posterior approach?
 
@Lerwick8 I'm so sorry to here about your dad and I pray he's doing well.
Sometimes life gives us these impossible choices. All one can do is there best.
 
Lerwick8. Bless your heart I swear. And I can so relate, of course in varying degrees as I have an 81 year old father in declining health who I have always been his back up because he is very involved in the community and overextends himself. But you can't do for nobody till you do you first!!!
You are gonna do phenomenally I can feel it.
 
Hi @Lerwick8 , I had the lateral approach. It's very common im Germany. My incision is 8 cm (about 3.5 inches) long. It healed fast. My muscles remained intact. My surgeon said the hip restrictions (90° rule, not crossing mid-line) would be 6 weeks maximum, which meant if I felt confident and it did not hurt, I could go for bending down and all the rest of it sooner. Actually walked a few steps without the crutches after 3 weeks. Not that it's advisable, but I only did it a little bit just to see that I could.

I'm so sorry you dad has got Parkinson's. But I'm sure you will recover soon, will be able to visit and help.

Actually I helped my husband 2 1/2 months before my op. He dislocated his shoulder in January and needed a small operation involving placing a small broken off bone splinter back in the right position and inserting screws. I did the driving for him then and household chores. He gave me all the help back of course, when it was my turn to recover. It's incredible how people can mobilize their strength if they want to.

Best - Constanze
 
Hi @Constanze ...

I read your recovery thread last night and enjoyed it.

Envious that you had some beautiful outdoor space to enjoy nature in the early phases of recovery! I live in an apartment building and do not have access to such space. There is a wonderful park three blocks from me, but it will be many weeks after surgery before I have the luxury of visiting it again, but I will indeed relish that day:loll:

I feel as though Germany is so much more advanced than the USA when it comes to medicine! You are so fortunate to receive that kind of medical care.

Dare I say that you were in much better physical condition than I am going into surgery. I am very petite and was an active walker, but I have never been a marathon runner (although my father was before he developed Parkinson's).

Thank you again for your support!
 
I do understand why you are depressed and upset. Anyone would be in your shoes. So please don't think I'm getting at you because of that. I'm not, truly I'm not. I hope you're feeling a bit better by now, bless you.


On a different note, I edited your post where you used a snip of my post to reply to. There was no problem about it, just that we have a better way of quoting a post which you can read about here How to use the quote feature.
 
Hope you are feeling better now, @Lerwick8 and you realize that you do have the best support system you could possibly have in the Bonesmart community. I definitely know about the blues but just keep on telling myself that it will pass, it will pass. I'll be where I want to be in a couple months.....
 
Thank you @kayak59 for your support and encouragement! It is more appreciated than you can imagine!

Struggling right now with decision to go ahead with LTHR in SF in 3 weeks, or to wait until early fall and have it in Atlanta where my father is. I miss him so much and speaking with him today, on Father's Day, was so difficult as he kept asking me where I was. At 84, he has advanced Parkinson's and dementia (I do not know how long he will be around as he has had a few setbacks in the last few months). He is also dependent on 24 hour care which he receives at home. He also has a cook and housekeeper. I know all of these amazing people very well as they have been caring for him for a couple of years now.

I am pretty much alone in SF (a few friends, but not a huge social circle) and I thought that if I had the LTHR in Atlanta, I could not only be with my father, but I have a built-in support network and I would not feel so isolated, which my help my recovery. Plus, his home is already 'set-up' for THR recovery as he has broken both hips twice in the last 2 years. My apartment is the opposite..all low furniture,etc.

I am in pain. That said, I have a very high pain threshold and have been managing on a daily basis without pain meds and sleeping through the night. I have a surgeon here (in SF) who I trust and feel very comfortable with; however, my father has had two hip surgeries in the last two years with a very good surgeon in Atlanta.

Ugh.. do not really know what to do, but must decide soon. I might start a new thread and see what others (who have THR experience such as yourself) think about this.

Forgot to mention that before I still need to check with my insurance company to see if they will cover me for surgery outside of California. That will be a huge deciding factor and I will know more tomorrow.
 
@Lerwick8 I am so sorry that you are in this situation! There is nothing worse than being in pain and having mental stress above and beyond that related to the medical situation. I am dealing with being out of work and financial fears but that pales in comparison to your situation. On one hand: your surgery is ONLY three weeks away and your pain will be so much less after the surgery. With your fortitude and strength, you could probably manage the flight to Atlanta soon after the surgery. On the other hand, if you are managing without pain meds now, in Atlanta, you could probably handle the delay with pain meds because you would not have the mental stress and worry. You would also get the added strength from your friends and family. I hope the insurance gives you the option and it works out for you whatever you do!
 
@kayak59 ..Thank you for your reply!

Being out of work and having financial fears is no small thing! I have been there too and it is very stressful! Now that has cost me nights of sleep in the past, and I am sorry that you are experiencing this.

As for the flight to Atlanta soon after surgery... I am having posterior (and I do not know if it different with anterior) and will not be permitted to fly for a minimum of two months due the high risk of DVT, especially as it is a five hour flight. My father's birthday is on September 10th and I have already made plans to be in Atlanta for this.

Tough one all the way around, but I think that the insurance may well be the deciding factor.
 
Good luck with your decision.
 
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@Lerwick8 , well, they have good medical care in the US as well. I work for a regulatory authority for medicine that also does research and I get the news. Many medical scientists give presentations at our institute, and many employees from our institute go to the United States and work there as post-docs. However, it depends whether and where the population has access to the new medical developments. I'm sure they have good hip surgeons in the US, because I can read that here in Bonesmart. But I think the rehab system in Germany is very good. And employers have to give us enough time off work - this is laid down in the laws. In Germany, you can spend 3 weeks in a rehab center with a possible extension. I didn't need three weeks though and went home after 2 1/2.

I'm sure you'll make the right decision on whether you will have your surgery sooner in SF or later in Atlanta where your dad lives. All the best - Constanze
 
I, too, am waiting for my surgery after being in denial until I can barely walk! Mine is August 16, so you will be the trailblazer. From almost everyone I have read that the pain is gone right after surgery and you are just left with the surgical pain, which gets better and better. We are lucky ducks that the doctors can perform such a surgery. You will do well. This time is your time now. Take care of yourself now. I have to desert my grandchildren to take care of myself now. It is what it is. You deserve to be pain free. Your dad will have a new, pain free daughter. How cool! Please blog your recovery; I need inspiration for August 16th!
 
Hey I am here off and on. I'm sorry about your dad but glad you're getting the surgery...you'll be fine.... I'm 8 weeks post OP and minus my fears getting the best of me all seems well....
Restrictions are at times a pain but then no more pain that's a fact...
Prayers for you and dad Hugs
 
Thank you to all for you support! It means so much!

@Horseshoe..It sounds as though you have had an experience similar to mine with your Uncle. That said, it was so gut-wrenching yesterday when I spoke briefly with my father for Father's Day and he kept asking where I was.
I have lived in San Francisco for 32 years, so I am familiar with the delivery services. I have also hired in-home care for the first 2 weeks. Still not quite the same as being around those you love and that you know. It's odd 'funny' because I have lived alone for years and quite enjoy it, except for now. Nervous about the surgery/recovery, and although I will have home healthcare, it is not quite the same as family.

Decided today to have the surgery here in SF because I believe that I have a really good surgeon and I trust her, which is so important. Also, the hospital is reputable for their orthopedic department (they treat the SF Giants).

Thank you @Constanze for your continued support! It is very much appreciated !

@nonny ... Wow, you are encouraging! I can tell that you are going to do just fine in August:loll: My friend, Ritsuko, reminded me yesterday that I need to take care of myself first. A bit difficult when one's father will not be around much longer, but perhaps sage advice (like your advice) that I have taken into account.

@MyAussieGirl ..Glad, and encouraged, that you are doing well. As for the fears, well this is one my bigger challenges at the moment!
 
I can totally understand your apprehension with recuperating and having an elderly/ill father. While my mom was local to me, she was quite ill and had so many issues. I was afraid of having a thr and the thought of me dealing with my rehabbing, what if something happened to my mom. Would my dad need me? How could I deal with all of this. My mom did pass away and I still hadn't had the thr. Now, what I will tell you is that I regret not having my thr done years ago as it went from fairly manageable to excrutiating pain overnight. When I had my surgery, my OS said my hip was destroyed. I should have been in a wheelchair pre-op as the pain was that bad. It was horrendous. I could not walk. I could not eat, work, sit, stand, sleep without the constant excrutiating pain that was not touched at all by any meds, even narcotics. My thoughts would be to take care of yourself as you may find yourself in horrendous pain that is uncontrollable.
 
Thank you @Nivea for sharing your experience. I too have that nagging fear, as you did, that something will happen to my father whilst I am in the recovery stage.

So many folks say that they wish that they had the surgery earlier. Fortunately, although I am experiencing a lot of discomfort, I have a very high pain threshold. Somehow, I have been managing to sleep through the night and not take pain meds (because I don't like them). After surgery, I will have sleep and pain med issues.
 
Lerwick8 - I see your surgery is next week. Best of luck! Have you sorted out the mattress situation yet? If not, I bought a set of risers (4 pack) that are about 6" tall that I used under my bed when I had back surgery back in 2008. They raised it enough that it was sufficient and far cheaper than buying a topper.

I have two kids that are in and out of my house, but I still spend most of my time taking care of myself and suspect that this surgery will be no different. Have food ready, keep a water bottle and medicines close by and set yourself up. The first week will be a blur but you seem like a strong independent woman who will manage just fine. These procedures show us what we are really made of and you will be surprised how well you will feel once the bone on bone pain is gone. Yes, you will have surgery to recover from but it is totally different pain. I was out shoveling snow 3 weeks after my first knee replacement!
 
@leenie60 .. Thank you for your encouragement!

My surgery has been pushed back to August 15th, due to my father's illness. Even then, it will still be a 'wait and see' issue.

I definitely plan on using the bed risers! I still need to purchase a recliner as all of my furniture is far too low for the restrictions of the posterior surgery.
 
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