The roller coaster begins...

[Gloucestergal65]

I too recognise your anxiety and mine hasn’t fully gone away at 4 1/2 weeks post op but many of the things I was anxious about haven’t been a problem luckily for me. I’m taking it slowly and steadily and feeling stronger each day. The grabber is a godsend, as is my OH who helps with my sock and shoe on the operated site. I use a cushion inside a pillowcase between my legs at night and although I am also a side sleeper and a restless one at that, I haven’t actually found it a problem sleeping on my back. I haven’t tackled a bath or shower yet, managing fine with a strip wash and washing my hair over the sink and my feet in a spa lent to me by a friend. I am pretty independent around the house either using the furniture or one stick to get around. Two sticks still when outside. I’m not driving yet so I also need help to get to appointments. Gave up the meds a couple of weeks ago. Minor aches and pains from time to time but I am being hyper vigilant and normally I am sure I would just ignore them.
Good luck with your recovery.
Will follow your posts to see how you get on.

 

[Klassy]

think what also triggered all this is that I saw the paperwork formalizing the 8-12 week leave justification and my mind immediately thought "12 weeks of pain and incapacitation."

Hi @thepuckhead . I’m a happy double dipped hippy, just celebrated anniversaries 4 and 1 and popped back on the forum to see who I could say hello to. And what do I find but someone who is even bigger worrier than me!

It’s great that you have the possibility of 12 weeks leave. A lot of people are under pressure to get back to work too soon. Trust me though, it does NOT mean 12 weeks of pain and incapacitation. I’m gonna come back on this forum in 12 weeks and read how you can’t believe how well it has gone. Or find that you aren’t even on the forum, too busy out enjoying life, doing those springtime walks with a spring in your step.

Enjoy your new hip!

 

[Caison113]

@thepuckhead -- You are like me; someone who over-researches and over-analyzes most things. You try to get your mind prepared for every eventuality so you aren't surprised, but conversely that makes things worse!

What I'd try to keep in mind is that the surgery will fix all the small things: the pain obviously, but the weird gait, the back issues, the excuses you have to make for not being able to go do things with friends and family, etc. That is 75% of your day. The hockey and other extracurriculars comprise the smaller percentage. I get that it's your passion and that you will be upset if you have to modify, but don't ignore the multiple "small victories" that can be achieved when you aren't playing hockey.

The good news is that every day you are chopping off things you no longer have to worry about, like the paperwork, the shopping and others. Soon it will "just" be the surgery and your recovery. You can't predict how that will go, but the overwhelming majority of people have very good results. Let yourself think about that for a while rather than worry about the 1% of cases that don't. You're otherwise fit and in good health -- that works to your advantage. Worry about hockey once you can smell the roses of not having sharp pains in your hip causing you to cry out when you take a step! Your attitude will be much different then. You got this!

 

[thepuckhead]

My MiL had her hip replacement surgery! Took about 2 hours and the last update I got was "groggy but looks pretty good....eating dinner!" The doctor approved rehab for her, so she will get to spend time in a dedicated facility where people will help her regain her mobility that was completely gone by the time she got into surgery. Such a relief and so glad that now my FiL can get some rest and this is done and over and she can look forward to being able to move around her own house again.

My wife said "I am SO glad you're not going to let your hip get to this point." My MiL's hip was collapsed and every single movement caused her to scream and person and wish for death (wish I was exaggerating). Nope. Won't happen. Can't wait to see how she's doing when she realizes that the pain from the collapsed hip is gone.

Thanks again for all the encouragement and responses. They make my day when the beastly anxiety kicks in. Someone once told me that "anxiety doesn't fight fair." They were so right.

@Caison113 - you're so right - I can't wait to do the small things like stand up from a chair and just walk. Or put on my socks without hanging on to a piece of furniture. Or, hey, here's a thing: be able to safely transport wildlife patients during my volunteer work without worrying about my hip catching and creating a giant, unsafe situation.

At my game a week ago, I was having a good day and it felt amazing to be able to put my weight on my left leg. Skated hard, was having a great game and then....WHAM. Freaking thing caught and I pulled upright and staggered around a bit (and lost the puck, but whatever...). That pain right there? Needs to be gone. Gone.

I’m gonna come back on this forum in 12 weeks and read how you can’t believe how well it has gone. Or find that you aren’t even on the forum, too busy out enjoying life, doing those springtime walks with a spring in your step

LOL - challenge accepted! You're right - I'm very fortunate to have an employer that doesn't fight medical leaves. There is a lot going right at the moment, for which I am so grateful.

 

[thepuckhead]

And here we are, day before surgery!

I'm doing pretty well, mentally. I only lost it the other day when unpacking all of the stuff I ordered. Was a complete ninny when I put the shower chair in my bathtub and tried to imagine my left leg paralyzed and in pain and realized I had no idea how I would use the yoga strap to lift it in and then....whee....oh my god, this stuff is going to become permanent....oh why me....oh boo hoo....ye gads.

To be fair, I bought a lot of this stuff when my parents were losing their independence, so seeing it all in my house brought back some really unpleasant feelings. Still. Get a GRIP, puckhead.

Yesterday the anxiety was a real bear for a bit. Went to the gym for swimming and weights and then to play my last hockey game of the season. Here's the conversation in my head:

Anxiety: "You'd better enjoy this. This is the last time YOU'LL ever see a pulldown bar or get into a pool or lace up those skates...you'll NEVER do this again..."

Me: "Thanks for dropping a turd in the punchbowl, a-hole. Move along now."

Anxiety: "You know I'm right. You going to be in CHRONIC PAIN and never walk normally again."

Me: "Well, my choice is this - live with this level of pain that has me not trusting putting weight on my leg, knowing this is the best it will ever feel and it won't get better, may likely get worse, OR, fix the problem, live through whatever funhouse the recovery turns out to be, and get back to life. I'm picking door #2. Now eff off."

Joint camp was fine - met with the NP who went over the meds I needed to get and bring with me (I'm having the surgery in an outpatient center, so I bring everything with me) and had me and my wife pick out our meal options. She was thrilled that she gets a meal, too, LOL. Then met with the PT who assured me I was going to be walking pretty much as soon as they wheeled me into my room. I was laughing and she thought I was scared, but it was a mix of nerves and elation at the thought of walking without that hip pain. Bring it on. Can't wait. She said she'd be sure I could get out of bed, do steps, etc.

So I have a list of questions for her because I don't know if I'm supposed to be glued to the walker 24-7 or if I can take a few steps with a cane if the walker won't fit somewhere or how creative I'm allowed to be to maneuver into places. Also hoping they'll set the walker at proper height. Have been reassured that dislocations are very, very rare. In fact, they have not seen one in years. Presumably they're talking about not seeing any right after surgery, but hey, I appreciate the reassurance.

Got the call for my surgery time while on a volunteer shift and another volunteer overheard and kept making clucking, cooing sympathy noises. She said, "gosh, they're just going to kick you out? Oh, dear, how awful. I guess that's how insurance makes millions...gosh, what an awful experience...such a long recovery...." Er....I'm learning what NOT to say to people who have a surgery scheduled anyway. Also, I apparently don't like to be cooed over and coddled. Ick.

And, lucky me, just got a giant urgent work project dumped in my inbox to keep my mind on work today.

So, today I have work, floors to clean, pets with nails to trim, run last minute errands, etc. Should keep me good and busy.

My mother in law is doing well - she is in a rehab facility and moving on her walker without screaming and begging for death. In fact, she said she only feels tired after using the walker. This is an absolute miracle. A little over a week ago, she couldn't use a walker or move without off-the-chart pain. She focused her whole day worrying about when she'd have to go to the bathroom. Now she worries about when she gets to go home and what's on the television and is actually talking about doing things like sleeping somewhere other than her chair. Her surgeon took a picture of her hip because it was one of the worst he'd ever seen. Said it was supposed to be shaped like a marble but it looked like a piece of popcorn - totally misshapen and mostly dead. Only tiny stripes of actual bone left. He had to put in a bigger cup than he expected because of the wear and tear and said she absolutely cannot have anything happen to the implant while the bone grows in because if it does, it's not reparable. Yikes. But thankfully she's in the best possible place to be sure nothing does happen. Anyway, seeing that kind of change is incredibly confidence-inspiring.

I can't believe that, a year ago, I was starting PT for "weird quad pain" and here I am having joint replacement therapy tomorrow. Long journey to this point, but I know I've done all I can to prepare and time to just get it done and start over on the other side. Cheers!

 

[Jaycey]

All the best tomorrow @thepuckhead ! Banish and of those anxious arguments. You will be fine and this time next year you may indeed be back in those skates! See you on the other side soon!

 

[HollyNY]

You will do great @thepuckhead !

They get you up and standing/walking as soon as you are in your room.

You are going to be amazed at how strong you are.

Same timeline as me. 12/21/21 I had steroid shot into hip. 14 days of pain relief. Did nothing.

12/21/22 and here I am carefully pushing snow off of my car.

I wish you all the best!

 

[djklaugh]

@thepuckhead Best wishes to you for your surgery tomorrow! And what a wonderful thing to read that your MIL is doing so well with her new hip!

One of the reasons we have threads here is so folks can look back and see that their early worries really exemplify this quote ... "I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened."Mark Twain

Yes they will have you up on your feet pretty much as soon as you are out of the recovery room. And you will climb some steps before they let you leave. Yes the leg will feel swollen and like it weighs 100lbs but that is temporary! The bone-on-bone pain will be gone, incision pain is controllable with medication, elevating and icing does help both with pain management and reducing the swelling.

You can go over to the post op hip area and start your recovery thread today if you want to We will be looking for you on the other side

 

[thepuckhead]

You are going to be amazed at how strong you are.

Same timeline as me. 12/21/21 I had steroid shot into hip. 14 days of pain relief. Did nothing.

Thank you so much, @HollyNY - I am SO looking forward to trusting that left leg again and feeling it get nice and strong and sure of itself so I am free to move again.

You can go over to the post op hip area and start your recovery thread today if you want to We will be looking for you on the other side

I can? Well, then! Off I go....thanks, @djklaugh

 

[tanvat]

Puckhead,

I just read through these posts after just posting my own question for the first time on this forum. My situation sounds like yours. Hurts, then a window of OK, followed by gotta get this fixed, followed by well maybe not, etc. etc. I admire you for making the decision and doing it. I hope your surgery went well and that your recovery is even better. Reading your story really resonated. Thanks for sharing, and I wish all the best in your recovery and beyond. Rest, get well, and then get back at it!