THR second time easier (so far)

[ByGosh]

Songlady I guess that does happen once in a blue moon. TeeEm had a similiar experience, and was even talking to the anesthesiologist on and off during her surgery! As long as you feel no pain, that's the main thing.
Littlejem Whatever they did last time will work again for you. I told them the meds I had for a colonoscopy the year before and they used the same ones, with a spinal, and I didn't come round til recovery. If it worked the first time, it'll work this time for you. My OS also told me to take a pain pill before I left home, which I did, so I wasn't as nervous and it helped. Maybe you can do that, too. Like Jaycey says, talk to the anesthesiologist and they'll be sure you stay under the whole time. The newer anesthesia is so advanced now, don't worry yourself with that. You'll sleep like a baby.

 

[Littlejem]

Thanks, I so hope so ByGosh, I'm feeling a bit nervous now having been told it happens quite often I was given my spinal then they put something into my drip and I was fast asleep until I woke in the recovery, which was good for me, fingers crossed it's the same!!!

 

[TeeEm]

Songlady Jaycey Horray ! Im glad I wasnt the only one who was awake during the surgery ! I too heard the banging and sawing, but I felt very detached from it all. I even spoke to the anaesthetist - asked him what the time was. Couldnt be bothered to listen to what he anwered though.

Littlejem . Dont worry about it. It sounds worse then it is. If someone had had told me Id hear everything during the surgery beforehand I would have been running for the hills, but because of the sedation they give you, you really dont care whats going on. It was very like dozing off in front of the TV. You can hear it in the background, but cant be bothered to listen and you dont connect what you hear to youself - although you know it is. Ive got great pleasure freaking out my friends with the story. I'll be dining out on this for years

Oh. And I did tell the aneathetist to go easy on what he gave me, because Im a right lightweight when it comes to medication, so maybe he gave me less stuff then they would usually

 

[Songlady]

Littlejem, Jaycey, Elosarabrab, ByGosh and TeeEm, exactly as has been said: I could hear those things but they didn't bother me at all, and I felt absolutely no pain.
During my first surgery the anesthesiologist had warned me that she would wake me at some point to check in and ask me how I felt, and she did - I woke for a moment to her smiling, masked face right in front of me. She said, "How are you doing?" and I heard the loud heavy metal rock music my surgeon was listening to and went promptly back to sleep.
This time I had a different anesthesiologist, so I don't know what his intent was. (He didn't talk to me much before.) I will note that the surgeon's music was a great deal more subdued, lol!
Like TeeEm, I am going to get good mileage out of this story!

 

[ByGosh]

Littlejem You're getting pre-op jitters, hon. Don't worry. I just don't believe patients waking up happens very often at all! It's a rare, rare occurance! And actually, it's NOT supposed to happen, so the anesthesiologists, who happen to be the highest paid doctors in medicine, earning $112/hr = about $224,000/yr. - (I just read that in the news today, by the way) are trained to keep patients sedated and unconscious, not let them wake up! That's their mistake if they do, and I'm sure they do everything possible to avoid it happening. Goodness, someone could claim trauma and file a complaint against them for allowing them to wake up during surgery! So don't worry! It's the last thing they want to have happen. Like I said you will sleep like a baby!! I promise. And when you do wake up, you'll be all snug as a bug in a rug in your room!

 

[Littlejem]

Thank you ByGosh, all you say make total sense and yes although I hadn't realised it, you're probably right in me having pre-op jitters!! Thanks for your kind words, you made me cry, but in a good way!! Lovely sunshiny flowers by the way, yellow my favourite colour!!
Sorry to be a wimp guys!!

 

[Jaycey]

Littlejem - you are NOT a wimp. All this is normal stuff. It takes great courage to sign up for major surgery. Don't discount that!

 

[sandybeach]

Littlejem, sorry that the surgery talk gave you the jitters. Just think about what it was like the first time and that's what you will experience the second. Tell the doctor you don't want to wake up before recovery and they will make sure you don't. And again you need to think about how good will you feel after the surgery and no more hip pain on that side either.

 

[Elosarabrab]

Littlejem, You will be fine. You have done it before. I know you will sleep like my cat.Why anyone says sleep like a baby when little babies do anything but sleep I don't know.

 

[ByGosh]

Elosarabrab But when the babies do sleep, it seems to be the most angelic, peaceful, innocent sleep, ever.

 

[Elosarabrab]

ByGosh, thats true but my cat sleeps about 20 hours a day so the early days I wanted to sleep like him

 

[ByGosh]

Elosarabrab 20 hours a day, sounds good to me right about now (yawn)...

Littlejem As Jaycey said, you aren't a wimp. You're just a little anxious. But keep reminding yourself that it'll go as good as or better than your first hip. You've got a proven track record..

 

[Songlady]

Gosh, Littlejem, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you nervous! You have been through it once, and that makes you a pro. You have a great advantage over me, also, because I forgot a few things that I'd wanted to ask about, with 3 years since my last one, and you have it fresh in your mind. I hope you find the second time easier, as I have, just because you know what to expect! And then you'll be all done - wow!

 

[ByGosh]

Hi Songlady How's your mom doing? Is she still in the hospital? How have you been lately? It's a yucky gloomy Sunday today, isn't it? Nothing like last week, which was a glorious day.
I think you read in someone else's thread that last night was my daughter's senior prom. I managed to go to the pre-prom picture taking down closer to where you are, I imagine. Milford. Beautiful home with a big private yard and a pool, and tennis courts. It wasn't too far from the Mall and all of the stores. There are some nice neighborhoods in that neck of the woods.

I'll have to start posting on my own thread again. I haven't written in awhile. I don't want to say anything that's not positive about my recovery, but everyone is so helpful and encouraging on this forum, I shouldn't hesitate.

Hope all is going well for you and your Mom. My son's girlfriend graduates from Yale tomorrow. I wish I could've gone to see her, but I don't think I could handle the walking, etc. She says the parking is a nightmare. I can just imagine. Her family is coming to town, so she'll have plenty of company.
Have a nice Sunday, Songlady.

 

[ByGosh]

Oh dear, I forget to even mention that terrible train accident on the Bridgeport Fairfield line Friday Songlady! That hits close to home, since it's where my daughter went to school. How awful. We've taken that train so many times to get into the city. I hope it's up and running soon, as my hubby is traveling to NYC, hopefully, to spend a few days with his handicapped brother, helping him get around, taking in a few show, going to eat, etc. It'll be good for him to get away, and the poor brother can't do much on his own. He's got a bunch of medical problems.
Lucky no one was killed, but I have to read up on the injuries.

 

[Songlady]

Hi ByGosh! I grew up in an area of Milford, and there's even a plaque on a beach in memory of my dad! My mom lives in a Sr. apartment there now.
Thanks for asking; mom is out of the hospital again, having been diagnosed and treated for a UTI in addition to the pneumonia. She's at a rehab and still on oxygen and getting IV antibiotics. She hopes to regain enough strength to go back to her little place; I hope she can do so!
I am in Stratford and right near the train - commuters park on the street in front of our house. My husband commuted for 25 years, until December when his company was bought and his job was eliminated. So far we have not heard that anyone we know was on those trains, but we know so very many commuters that this seems strange. (Most people we know would have been coming home from NYC a bit later - Songman never was on a train that early from NYC!)
As you observed elsewhere, we're probably in a "four week slump" - and the gray weather doesn't help, no matter how much we need the rain! Feel free to gripe on my thread whenever you want!

 

[ByGosh]

Songlady 4 week slump for you! I'm now 11 weeks and still slumping!
Well, at least I'm not still limping - that's a plus!

Stratford - gone over that bridge many a time by Sikorski's. Used to love the Trumball Mall, and the in-laws lived on Long Island, and I met hubby in Greenwich, and drove done to SHU alot last year, and my son went to college in NJ....Our pool club would compete with a golf/pool club in that area. There were two of them we'd go to, one with a golf course, one with just a pool, if I'm remembering correctly..Of course, I can't remember the names. But I bet I've driven nearby many times, neighbor..

 

[ByGosh]

Hello Songlady How are you doing today? I'm waiting to hear from those 3 surgery sisters that went today. I woke at 6am and thought how they were probably all at the hosp., getting ready, etc. It's funny how we can become attached to people we've never met, isn't it? We all share a strong common bond.

 

[Songlady]

Hi ByGosh, yes, I have been checking in all day on and off, also, looking for our newest Hipsters! I keep thinking of them and hoping all is well with them.
You are not limping, eh? That's great! I just commented to my husband that, although my perception is that this hip has been easier, I know that with my other hip I could walk without a cane at this point and not limp. (And then I told him how the wisdom is that every hip is different and every surgery is different and we are not to compare! - which I did anyway. )
Today I took a big "step" - I wore "regular" capri-length pants (a warm day here!) instead of the oversized post-op knit, gym-type pants I'd been wearing..... and I am going to a lunch meeting of colleagues tomorrow. (I need to figure out what I can wear to that, also! I had much less swelling and bruising with this hip, but I do still have some swelling, so some clothes wouldn't be comfortable or look too good.) I am hoping to help myself crawl out of this emotional slump by doing a few things out in the world.
And, ByGosh - when you go over the bridge by Sikorksy's? The rehab place across the street from the Sikorsky plant entrance is where my mom is! lol - I'm sure we've walked some of the same paths!

 

[ByGosh]

Go for it, Songlady. If you're up for an outing, it'll be the best thing for you. And don't worry too much about what you'll wear, I'm sure your colleagues will understand, especially when you walk in with a cane, just 4 short weeks post-op. Dress comfortably.
Good luck with the outing, enjoy talking with them and come home all smiles!
The rehab place, is it near a Homewood Suite there?