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THR SurreyGirls's 2nd THR Journey

It is… the laxatives have had their effect so apologies to the Surrey Sewage System.
Lunch was great. Beetroot soup followed by piri piri chicken and rice. I ate half.

Other patients very nice and we watched the football. Great result.

Now on the ice machine on the bed and hip being cooled well. Hubby visiting later.

So a busy day - officially Day 3!

I was terrified re getting this op as the last recovery was no picnic but I know it will be worth it. Early days but better than last time so far…
 
Here at the hotel for hippies we have a machine that I would like to marry - at least until today…

Had a “James Bond at the Spa” moment There is an ice machine with a sleeve that goes around the leg and pumps freezing water around. Very cooling and a great painkiller . Atheletes including Andy Murray who recovered from his hip op here use it. They wired me up to it in my room and left me….. after about 30 mins the machine was supposed to switch off. It didn’t! I managed to get the sleeve off but my hippy leg was freezing cold and wouldn’t move. I couldn’t get off the bed. I reached up for the call button and it wasn’t there. A bit of an “oh heck ” moment. Luckily after another 10 mins the muscles warmed up enough to activate and get off the bed! … I made sure tonight the call bell is well within reach!

04:17 and having tea and gingernut biscuits and walking off the stiffness and then they will put me back to bed with icepacks around the wound. Bliss.

Sleeping for 3-4 hours on my back, waking and going to the loo followed by walking with the frame has now become routine so night divided into two parts. I get very sore if in one position for long and the gentle walking helps. The staff want me to use a walking frame in the bedroom but crutches outside. As I was discharged early to the Hotel for Hippies I am a bit weak so they are insisting on wheelchairing me to lunch . Hopefully this will improve over the next few days.
 
Well a LOt to report but I wanted to edit my morphine influenced notes. Last time I concentrated on the local hospital and recovery.

This time will be about what it is really like at the “Hotel for Hippies” (HFH) complete with expectations based on my previous sojourn here and the changes since. Slightly sadly my experience here is rather different from 5 years ago and “DS Surrey Girl” is trying to find out the reasons behind this..

I love writing but it takes time to edit the flow from my brain, particularly on Ckass A drugs (which are already improving my understanding of French songs) weird and also what happened last time around. This is enjoyable. .

Good news: Staff from Carers to Nurses to Catering are brilliant - there are many still here from last time who have been really friendly and I have been catching up with them, showing them photos of the last visit starring their portraits etc..

but and it is a big but, there are Comms and mgt issues, particularly to do with rescheduling physio constantly that do not a relaxing recovery make! We pay extra for physio here but it is more a personal timing issue than about the money…

I have 2 days of notes to edit, make legible, some of the accidental word changes are hysterical , and to take the swearing out so not to upset people, anonymise names etc , so bear with me :/)

However , before I start my opus 2, , the really good news is that “Harry” my right hip, and younger brother of 5-year old “Hermione”, is catching up on his sister fast and has been precocious in his recovery.. of course she is leading by example - if not in steps (!)…as, this time, right foot forward first..
 
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Can't wait for the next instalment! Good to hear "Harry" is doing well.
 
Wow,I’ve just found bonesmart today I was half expecting doom and gloom,how wrong could I be!
I’ve been living in terror and I haven’t even seen a consultant yet sept 25th.for a consultation
thank you for your writing and the gift of laughter
get better soon :)
 
Hi @Lorr, welcome to BoneSmart. There are increasing numbers of folks on here who can relate to THR in the UK, whether NHS or private hospital and there is loads of support from people everywhere! Wishing you the best on your journey.
 
Sone random jottings. A wasp flew into my bathroom. It didn’t survive the results of Eau du Surrey Girl and was found dead an hour later.

I have a bed extender and am sleeping in two stages very comfortably on my back. Hungry at 3am? Need to be put back to bed? No issues. Ring a bell and a lovely person will come and tuck you in, fetch hot water and make sure you are ok. I am about to be grateful for the aircon too!

Sea bass was wonderful. As was the lemon meringue pie. Supper in my room as very tired. The pre ordered icecream bowl looked suspiciously warm - ah vegetable soup. And not a hint of vanilla!

They now have the ice game machines which are bought to your room. Very useful after physio. And so we come to the first issue.. hopefully will be sorted soon.
 
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On arrival I’m given a schedule. Most of my physio times are around 10:30 11. Perfect. I agree to the schedule as I need help with the showering (more on this later) and have to rely on breakfasts and carers coming on time.

But my times keep getting changed. One to 11:45 the other day which I thought was 11. I took my morphine on time - accirdingvtonthecoriginal schedule . I had to be wheeled to physio as still weak. They were running late. After physio I had no time to go to my room, ice and chill so went with the other patients to lunch. And I’m in pain. Quite a lot of it. The morphine on tine, the physio was not, resulting in the morphine wearing off.. I tried to be hail and hearty with the other new guests but failed. . Surrey Girl is now Grumpy Girl - not my usual image! The new guests may avoid me! . I go to my room and call for the ice machine. I am strapped in.. And the pain hits…. Sadly for new guests arriving their first sound was of a “screaming loud swearing banshee” in room x. And the soundproofing is not very good. I hit the bell and someone arrives. I need my morphine I scream. “I’ll have to get a nurse “ says the Carer. L No it’s over there” pointing at the table at the farthest corner of the room. Well it would be wouldnt it?

“I am self medicating ” I scream obviously being the worse advert for this in medical history! The Carer checks my notes (and she is right to do so) indeed yes SG IS self medicating.

The Carer brings me the morphine abd I suck st the syringe like a baby having it’s first milk. Oh dear!

The pain calms down and I sleep.
Moral of this story. Always check your physio times, particularly if they change them and make sure you Medicate beforehand…

So far my physio was changed 4 times so formed part of my issues.

Good news is that hip is responding well to therapy and still ahead of Hermione..

Bad news, just what time will breakfast be the next day? :-)?
 
SurreyGirl, I know you won’t mind if I take a minute to ask our new friend @Lorr to start a thread so we can get to know her and offer her support and encouragement as she prepares for a possible joint replacement.

Please join us on the Hip Pre-Op Forum, Lorr. We have some info we’d love to share with you. If you need help, just let us know and we’ll be happy to assist. Hope to see you there soon!

bonesmart.org

Starting a new thread and posting

Updated January 29, 2025 by Jamie Guests who are not registered are only authorized to read threads and posts and may not comment. Basic Members may post on existing threads, but cannot start a new thread. Comments on existing threads must be on topic and not address a new question or...
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Sorry they let you get into pain like that, SurreyGirl. Hopefully you’re resting comfortably now.
The food sounds fantastic, and it is wonderful that you’re sleeping soundly on your back. How long will you be at the Hotel for Hippies this time?
I hope the overnight is a peaceful one for you. :sleep:
@SurreyGirl
 
Thank you! I’m here for a while yet. As things have not been perfect (maybe my expectations were too high) I am hoping things turn around. I’ve made a few issues known to mgt and they have rewritten my schedules and so hoping things calm down. The most important thing is that “Harry” is continuing to improve..
 
Day 6 and a change of Physio..
Live from the HFH as just woken up. I am in a very comfortable bed perfectly adjusted. Who knew that adjusting the middle could make such a difference…I am going to infuriate Hubby with “fun with pillows” when I get home but I definitely need to look at our mattress once I get back upstairs in a few months.

Yes it is a modern miracle that a week after the op I can get in and out of bed, dress myself, have full awareness of what I can and can’t do at this stage and have the mental strength not to stress that my movement is not as good as “Wimbledon Superwoman” or the “ex city accountant” who were racing each other around the perimeter of the HFH whilst I was being ferried to lunch in a wheelchair!

My physio of the day, “A” was superb. The young R was v likeable and took great care not to make me do too much as I took my first tentative steps along the railings. Yes I had walked in the ward with a Zimmer frame at the hospital raising hell re the “morphine lack of” situation but I still had some spinal left in the system then . This was the real thing.

A is a stickler for posture and boy does he make you know it. I think he is Nordic with those crinkly blue eyes and deep gold curly hair. When he came up to the room to escort me down I thought “wow”! During the session it was all I could do to tear my eyes away from his face and gorgeous slim body and contemplate my slightly less gorgeous one in the room mirror…(more of mirrors later)

“Walk!” He commanded…(well not quite) hmm great voice too. Then reality set in. At £40 per half hour it was my body I had to concentrate on.
The great thing about A is that he explains the whys, makes me really concentrate on how parts are connecting together and what not dropping a pelvis line really means… who knew the simple act of walking incorrectly could affect my knee alignment and subsequent pain etc? “I am getting it A, I really am!”

The room is small with a low ceiling with walking rails on one side and a physio bed on the other. a female physio comes in with an older lady who can barely walk. Due to the height of the ceiling the noise level makes it hard to concentrate on A’s dulcet tones. We are nearly at the end of our session - having tried a barely noticeable squat and he doesn’t push me for “just that one more…” which caused me issues 5 years before.

I have the luxury of him escorting me back to my room watching my gait constantly. Already I feel more confident in the strength of my recovery slowly and literally step by step…

I now want to Google everything about walking I can find…
 
Ha ha!!!
I have physio at 10:30 and match at 11 followed by lunch so it should be fun!
 
The following is based on last weeks events as I have finally had time to dig through and collate the notes.

Monday evening at the HFH - the Importance of Hair… and Supper Club..

I had been getting increasingly frustrated with the changes in physio times and the late breakfasts. Actually they can serve any time between 8 to 9 but I need the food early to take the morphine, have the Carer come in time to help me wash. The “wound that must not get wet” being a constant issue here, in order to undertake the physio on time and fully focussed. My brain is scrambled due to the morphine and post NHS- hell-stress but the hip is making progress and feels stronger each day. Shame my brain is not!

Earlier I had been invited to supper by some of the guests who, despite 2 physio sessions a day acqua and dry are determined to live life as normally as possible. I had had a difficult day and very manky hair due to it not being washed in the morning and accidentally not being in the salon list for the afternoon. I was feeling tired and stessy but decided to make the effort. Supper was at 6:30 nd I was resting in my room at about 5 ish. And then it started. I was called by the physio dept. It was about Wednesday. Could I change my time to 12:00. Now as my dear friend Janet (who recommended HRH five years ago) was coming for lunch this left insufficient time to ice and calm down beforehand I flatly refused. 9:30 was offered. Again refused and they were well aware by now that it was too early for me as time needed for morphine etc. eventually we agreed to 11:30 - the time it was before. The frustrated receptionist to be fair did agree to my request for physio at 10am on Saturday as was having a family and friends that day.
But it had been a bit of a mental struggle for me (I’m SO precious obviously! )

The deputy Matron arrives at around 17:15 to do my tummy injection for blood thinner. I am NOT self medicating in that!! and I list my complaints in a jumble from “hair-gate” and “washing-gait” to the fact that the Carers whilst individually lovely did not seem to understand re the extra protection my consultant wanted for the “wound-that -must-not-get-wet and that communication was lacking. I also mention that I am sure there should be sone extra taping around the initial wound dressing. I vaguely remember this from last time.,He says I should complain and that I should be listened to. I wonder if my complaints are being reported back?

Of course, in hindsight, through the morphine my head was mixing up what I expected from a 4-5 star hotel and basic care needs. Despite manky hair I made my way to Supper Club. Walking much better and Harry the Hip determined to put his best foot forward - literally.
 
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Monday Supper Club.
We all meet for drinks in the lounge.

I had been invited specifically by “Dodgy D” who had been sitting in the same table as a very sporty lady - a sort of Wonder Wiman (WW) whom I had met in the first day when she was “circuit training” around the HFH as I staggered into reception for the first time..one also felt they needed traffic lights !

Dodgy D nods a “hello” but is entranced by WW’s sporty stories which I admit are fascinating. She is “holding court” on another table and as we had been chatting at lunch I’m happy to meet new people.

I end up on a table with the Lovely M from Dorset (more of him later) and a true gentleman and an older Italian chap from G in Italy.

M is being abstemious but Mr G and I have a little wine and, after a mercifully brief discussion of our aches and pains etc we talk about Italy, Dorset, English and Italian wines etc and I enjoy myself and start to relax. Only I seem to care about my manky hair… and so to bed..
 
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