Surgery is day after tomorrow & I am freaking out!!

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cidlady

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I guess because surgery day is finally here I am freaking out. I keep wondering will I ever be able to take a bath again, you know get into a tub and sit down, do normal household chores, shave my legs, pull weeds out of my flower beds, ride bikes with my daughter, and will I ever have a sex life again? Granted I can't do most of these things now without pain or paying for it the next day, but atleast I know what I have and I muddle thru. I am scared and panicing a little. Please someone calm me down!!!
Angie
 
Angie
You will be able to do everything you mentioned and more. IT will be soon too and pain free.
I am 51 and had my hip replaced last June 6th. By Sept. I was back to hiking and did more than ever. I have had a lot of surgery lately and that was the best.
As an example I had knee microfracture /synovectomy on Dec. 17. I still can not squat down, if I forget and start heading in that direction, it is unbelievabley painful. At 3 months post op with my hip, I could do anything!!! I only experieced pain when I over did it big time at 4 weeks. It will be great, you will be OK and better than ever.
It is the most successful surgery out there on any body part or organ.\
And we are all here for you
judy
 
Angie you won't be sorry you're having the surgery - it will be THE best thing you've ever done for yourself! I had LTHR late October last year and now I have my life back!
All those things you mentioned - weeding, shaving legs, houswork and sex life were all virtually non-existent for me beforehand, but now are a piece of cake! :)
In all honesty, I found the first couple of days hard - but after that it was uphill the whole way. Not a day went past where I didn't notice improvement of some sort. And I'm probably still a bit that way at the moment with muscle strength etc.
Take your pain relief, do your exercises, get lots of rest (you won't believe how tired you are going to get) and take it one day at a time! I'll be thinking of you and waiting to hear how it all goes - good luck!

Peta
 
Angie, I'm so sorry you are fearful, but having that feeling is sooooo normal! Everyone has the same anxiety. Since I'm from the knee side, I can't tell you I know exactly what will happen with a hip replacement. But.....I can tell you that a friend of mine (at 59 years old) was back on the golf course in a couple of months. And my neighbor across the street (not sure how old he is but I think probably around 62) was back out doing his gardening in a couple of months too. I think it is really amazing surgery. Sure, you'll have some pain and therapy will be tough for a while. But, like you said....you have lots of pain now. At least THIS pain will be temporary and get better as you go along....not worse!

Hang in there. Post whenever you feel the heeby-jeebies sneaking in on you again. Your BoneSmart family is as close as your keyboard!!
 
Angie, I understand the anxiety. I also have had episodes of doubt and second thoughts about my upcoming surgery. I have found the support of people on this forum very helpful, not so much for technical information , but for helping me remember the great benefits of this surgery. Of course, there are unknowns, but you need to put your trust in your surgical team. They have done this many times before and know what to do! My hip is hurting quite a bit today which helps me keep my eye on the goal. My surgery is April 2.... I'll be thinking of you Thursday. Hey, that means we will both have Thursday hips!
Gail
 
Hi Angie--I also understand your anxiety. I'm 1 week out, surgery is on April 1, and I'm getting v. nervous also. Personally, I keep looking for outs. Maybe I should see 1 more doctor, etc. A this point, I think we both need to calm down, knowing that many others have done this and that we've controlled that which we can control. We must now turn things over to those we trust: our doctors, our families, our faith. We need to take solace in all of those things and realize that, while it is a big surgery, it's nothing compared to what others have gone through. In the last 1-1/2 weeks, my cousin with whom I am very close (we are the same age and kind of grew up together) went from being perfectly fine, to being diagnosed with brain and lung cancer, to undergoing major brain surgery to remove a large, tangerine-sized tumor, to being released from the hospital in great spirits. He is recuperating and has a bit of a tough road ahead of him, but he is doing wonderfully. I figure if he can go through that, you and I can certainly handle this non-life threatening surgery that will enhance our lives and that of those around us.
Best of luck and I'm envious that you will be ahead of me on the recovery curve!
Tom
 
I guess because surgery day is finally here I am freaking out. I keep wondering will I ever be able to take a bath again, you know get into a tub and sit down, do normal household chores, shave my legs, pull weeds out of my flower beds, ride bikes with my daughter, and will I ever have a sex life again? Granted I can't do most of these things now without pain or paying for it the next day, but atleast I know what I have and I muddle thru. I am scared and panicing a little. Please someone calm me down!!!
Angie

Angie,
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes and YES! Not in the first couple of weeks, but you WILL! And the best part is--it WON'T hurt they way it used to! :)

I know you saw my "housework marathon" post; this past Sunday I did yardwork all afternoon. Didn't post about it, but pain-free leg shaving happened with my very first shower right when I came home from the hospital (I had a glued incision so didn't have to wait for staples to come out.)

Sure, there will be some pain during recovery--but it won't be the same at all--it's a hopeful, healing hurt, full of promise & a return to normal life. Heck, given what many of us accepted as "normal" before surgery, I'd even say BETTER than normal!
 
Hi Angie,

I'm constantly amazed at how my 64 year old body just keeps on getting better and better after my hip replacement - even when I've been too tired to do much PT it still goes on getting better. From day one after the op your body will be in healing mode where pain is just a natural way for the body to protect itself while it gets better. And it does get better, amazingly fast. You'll be able to do all the things you want to, and pain free, in just a few months - and every day a little more, which is such a pleasure.

My mind still does its best to worry me every now and then (I'm 4 weeks after surgery). Minds love to do that: "What if this happens?" "Or this" - whatever 'this' may be. But the truth is what everyone here is telling you - it's a fantastic surgery. Of course you worry, that's totally natural, I did the same - most probably all of us did. But just remember, the pain you have now won't heal by itself; the pain after the surgery - and there's always some - is just the pain of your body getting better, it's a natural healing pain. After 4 weeks the only real pain I have is gout!! My hip is fabulous, I'm walking without a limp and without pain (apart from the gout).

And keep coming back to this forum - it's such a help with all the small worries that come up from time to time.

enjoy it all,

Nick
 
Angie, Gail and Tom

I am out of town for a week and don't know how often I will get the use of a computer.
So all of you have the best surgery ever, you will all be on the road to recovery in no time. It is the best. Just take those pain pills on time and the stool softeners as well. The first 4 days are the toughest, then it gets better all the time. Of course the pain from the hip arthritis will be immediately gone.
I'll be thinking of all of you
judy
 
Hi Angie,

I've had both a new hip and a new knee. While both have been blessings to me the hip was a breeze, and as others have said, you will be able to do all of the things you mentioned and more. You will be swinging off the chandaleirs in no time. Enjoy! I send you every good wish for a successful and speeding recovery.

Chris :)
 
Angie, Gail, Tom,

I made the same post prior to my surgery too. It really does help hearing all of these stories from those who have been through it. I had my RTHR on 3/17/09. I came home from the hospital this past Friday -I am now on day 8 of recovery. You will be fine!

The first few days are tough -but be sure to take your pain meds as soon as you feel a bit of pain. I actually did not have to take any pain med at all today and I got through my physical therapy with no pain.

The nurses and therapists at the hospital were great -they knew exactly just what to do for me. You will be in good hands. The surgery is over before you know it. I remember they gave me the "relaxer" sedative and it really relaxed me. I went from being sooo nervous, to calmly realizing that it will be OK. Before I knew it, I woke up in the recovery room asking if they did the surgery already.

You will do great! I'm only 27, so imagine how much freaking out I did about this surgery! :)

Be sure to keep us posted with your progress.
Melissa
 
Good luck!

You will look back on this post and chuckle, because the surgery will be easier than you expected. I just had my second hip done two weeks ago, and I feel great! I don't even think about my hip much anymore, and the incision hurt more than the actual joint.

Your first few days post-op will be tough, but each day after that will get better!

-BB

broken link removed: https://totalreplacement.blogspot.com/
 
Angie,
I think it's human nature for some people to second guess themselves especially with an elective surgery, and especially with something as major as this. It helps to remember that your hip will never get better on it's own and if you want your life back you have to do this, no matter how frightening it seems. We all went through it, we all survived and we all have improved and continue to improve! The sky is the limit! Yes, it's difficult in the beginning. Thankfully they have drugs for that:) and thankfully you found this site where we all can help you on your journey to wellness. Blink your eyes and it will all be over, and as Bionic Boy said, you will chuckle when you look back. I had THR 4 weeks ago tomorrow and the time has whizzed by. I am now driving, back to the gym and am happy as a clam that I took the big leap. I have slow days, don't get me wrong. I do know though that it's all part of the process and in time I will be at 100% and you will too! Our thoughts and hearts will be with you tomorrow.
Carol
 
If it's any comfort to you pre-ops, the worst part of the whole thing (to me) was the part you are experiencing right now. The pre-op anxiety and fear was worse than anything that came after.
Try to keep busy, to take your mind off of it, and the time will go so quickly, it will seem like nothing!
I sometimes say to myself, did I really have the THR??? It really wasn't as bad as my mind was prepared for it to be, so I have to keep reminding myself that I did do it......that probably sounds strange, but true.

Hop
 
I am 3 months post-op from double simultaneous THR. I am back to work and I only take Aleve 3 or 4 times a week. It stinks and is hard at first but the improvements came in leaps and bounds for me. Keep you eye on the prize!!!!!
 
hi to all who are "freaking" out...i was one of ya'll 3 weeks ago. i had my left hip replaced on 03-10-2009 and i was scared to death even on my way to the hospital to check in that night i was begging my husband to turn around and take me home. i have only been in the hospital 3 times before this and that was to have my 3 boys. this was totally different because i knew that i was going in for a major surgery. i am here to tell you that the choice i made to have this surgery is the best one i could have ever made...in fact it went so well that when i went back for my 2 week check up on 03-25-2009 my dr and i set up my right hip surgery for april 14th 2009 (just 5 weeks after my
1st surgery. i have done so well. all you have to remember is to do what your dr tells you and to keep doing the exercises that your physical therapist will show you. its natural for you to be scared...but remember that your life is going to be so much better after this surgery that you will be glad you went through with it. so good luck and may god bless you.
 
I was thinking up reasons to opt out while I was signing the consent form minutes before I went into the anaesthetic room! Perfectly natural - don't fret about it or think you're a wuss or abnormal or something. You're not. There's not a human being alive who went in for surgery and wasn't uptight about it.
 
That's great news, Stew! It must almost be like a mini
Vacation for you when you're in the hospital with your 3 sons!
Bet they really appreciate their Mom now! Keep up
The great recup! :)
 
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