Guest viewing is limited

Things are starting to move...

Status
Not open for further replies.
Becky the pic is me in my dundee rings.... my mu said I unscrewed the sides. Lol
 
Hi BeckyR
Just thought I'd pop in and see how things are one week out from your big day. Hope all is well.
Mike
 
Many a time I had to change a patients bed linen when they voided so much the bed pan overflowed.. all in a days work really. It always felt nice to make the patient feel comfortable in clean sheets and blankets :)
 
[Bonesmart.org] Things are starting to move...
BeckyR, missing hearing from our "positive" girl. Hope everything is okay with you. Don't be a stranger---we miss you.

Take care and please post soon. We care. [Bonesmart.org] Things are starting to move...
 
Hello, Poppet, bottomshollow, mbtokyo, zauberflöte, Elosarabrab, Audball, and all Hipstas (as another BoneSmartie called us). Thank you for your care and support. Only one week to go, and I wish I were already there. Waiting is a drag. I've had all my pre-op exams and blood tests, and should get the results today. I have my hospital pre-op (MRSA test, blood typing, meeting with the anesthesologist) on Monday, and I'll be my doctor's first patient on Wednesday. I'm hoping that the operation will also relieve some of the pain I've felt elsewhere in my legs, knees, other hip, since at least part of that is probably referred pain. But I won't know how much until I get to the other side and at least part-way into recovery. I met two nurse practitioners who work on the OS floor, and they are wonderful. They ran the orientation workshop that I attended last week. They gave us their e-mail addresses and all their phone numbers, and are so positive and supportive. Will be in touch as soon as possible after surgery to let you all know how it went. Thank you again for everything, especially for being you!

Poppet -- are you OK? I saw your recent postings from the hospital, and it all sounded so scary. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
 
BeckyR Not long now. I can honestly say the worst thing about surgery is the waiting before hand. Have you read up on stuff to make life easier post op? Lots of it is simple no cost things like putting what you use regularly in easy reach. Having loose clothing post op for comfort due to swelling.
 
Butterfly, SuperPath is a relatively new technique for THR that is even less invasive than the anterior technique. It involves only a 2 1/2 - 3 inch incision high on the back of the hip (which is why it is also called the "northern exposure"). My doctor said it's not only the small size of the incision that makes a difference, but the reduced soft-tissue trauma that this approach involves. The leg is not twisted the way it is in other procedures, and is never dislocated. No muscles or tendons are cut -- unless there are complications, in which case it is possible to cut them. There are no hip restrictions after surgery, and the recovery is supposed to be much quicker and less painful. There is usually less blood loss during surgery, and the hip capsule is preserved. Other advantages over the anterior procedure are that the surgeon can use any kind of artificial hip -- not just the ones that are specifically for the anterior procedure -- and the risk of nerve damage that may occur from the anterior procedure is averted. There are only 9-10 doctors in the world currently using SuperPath on a regular basis. You can find the complete list of doctors on the Wright Medical site, because Wright makes the tools used for the surgery. Most of the doctors were trained through a fellowship at New England Baptist Hospital (one of the Harvard teaching hospitals in Boston), and they are now training others. Because of the tiny incision, everything (including the new hip joint) is assembled inside the body, like a ship in a bottle. sandybeach and Jojool have had SuperPath surgery and may want to add more comments. I'll be having it a week from today. All the best on your own journey -- fair winds and following seas!
 
Elosarabrab, Yes, I've done all the reading. Also, I have my husband, so I won't be going through this alone. We are a total team. Once, when I was sick and had complete laryngitis, he gave me a pot and a spoon so that I could bang it if I needed him. Quite an experience.

One funny bedpan story... My husband was in the hospital after heart surgery, and couldn't get the attention of any of the nurses. He had tried the buzzer, the pager, etc. -- no response -- and he really needed help. There was a bedpan next to his bed, and there was a clear line to the door, so he just threw the bedpan out the door and into the hallway. As you can imagine, it made a humongous clatter, and four people RAN to his room. They were very annoyed, and said, "Why didn't you just buzz for us?" but he had already done so. In any case -- mission accomplished, and the bedpan was good for something.

I remain confident that I will NOT have to use a bedpan. As the old saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat (though no cats will be harmed in the service of my determination to remain bedpan-free).
 
BeckyR so glad you stayed :friends: :) It gets to this stage and you really just want it over and done with but only one more week and things will start to get better. You mentioned referred pain, a lot of the pain I had, from my second hip, I felt just below my knee as a terrible burning pain and I had an awful shooting pain at the front of my thigh, well that has completely gone thank goodness :egypdance:so I truly hope that you lose your referred pain too. As Elosarabrab says it's good to get your place in order to make it easier for you post op and don't forget the baggy pants and undergarments.................oh and lots of prunes!! :heehee:
 
BeckyR The bedpan situation will get resolved one way or another. I wouldn't worry about it. I got up shortly after surgery and walked to the bathroom when I needed to go, you might too. The superpath won't take that much out of you. Like you said you lose very little blood so you're not weak. You might be tired from the drugs they will give for surgery pain because you will have that for the first few days. I had both of my surgeries with this technique and the no restrictions is wonderful. I could shower right away and bend down to shave my legs. I could sit on a normal toilet seat and sit on a normal chair without worrying about the 90 degree thing that everyone has to be so careful of. I have the normal muscle issues that everyone else on here has though. My muscles were/are in really bad shape from waiting too long to have the surgery that now I have to work at getting them back. As my leg heals the muscles are coming back and I am able to do more all the time. Be sure you have plenty of ice packs stocked up.
 
sandybeach, Yes, it is going to be wonderful to be able to reach my foot, cut my toenails, all the little things we took for granted until we couldn't do them any more! I'm definitely out of condition from lack of exercise, and it will be nice to be able to start to rebuild. I went to the gym this morning with my husband, at our clubhouse, and was able to do 20 minutes on the recumbent elliptical machine (going very slowly). It will be a great machine to use to build up my strength, because it gives both an upper and lower body workout. I've been in the pool a few times, walking, etc., and it feels great, but then I'm totally wiped out afterward, with a lot of leg pain. But I feel better for having gotten SOME exercise today. Being so sedentary is depressing.

Thanks for the encouragement. I know it won't be long, now.
 
BeckyR I chuckled at the bedpan conversation! Isn't it funny how we all worry about the darndest things? I had a catheter until the next morning but my surgery was 5 pm so I was able to sleep comfortably that first night. I can relate to lack of activity being depressing. Can't wait to go with hubby on dog walks again. Since we walk in the woods I think I will wait til tripping over rocks and roots isn't such a serious concern.
 
Upstater,

Yes, going for long walks was one of my favorite things. By the way -- I love upstate NY and spent a lot of time there when I was a consultant working with colleges and universities. Some of the places I fell in love with were Rochester, Ithaca, Corning, Buffalo and many of the places in-between. Such a beautiful part of the country to travel in the fall, when the leaves change. I love those roads!
 
BeckyR thanks for the compliment on our area. I am just a few miles east of Rochester. We camp a lot down near Ithaca and also the Thousand Islands and Adirondacks. Love hiking and as summer approached I suddenly realized I would not be hiking happily with a bad hip and made a quick decision. Four days from second opinion to surgery. On a similar note I spent my early years on Florida's east coast. Space Center area.
 
@becckyR, thank you, yes I am fine.

Not long now for you, the next week will fly by Nd then you will officially be a hippy :)
 
Poppet, I am so glad you are OK again. I was so concerned about all the problems. So relieved that you came through with flying colors!
 
Upstater, My husband says that Rochester used to be called the City of Skillionaires, because everyone was so highly skilled. It is one of his favorite cities. The range of cultural opportunities was fantastic. The whole Finger Lakes region is a glory to behold, and the Adirondacks take my breath away. I can understand why you made the decision so quickly to have THR. I loved the bumper stickers in Ithaca reading, "Ithaca is Gorges." I love Florida, too, and am very happy here, but I do miss the mountains. There is a spot we call Mt. Trashmore (a garbage dump near Ft. Lauderdale). Most of the state is flat, though in the north there are gently rolling hills. I know the Space Coast, where you lived. It's always fun to visit the Kennedy Space Center, and there are some lovely towns nearby.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

Members online

Total: 1,032 (members: 2, guests: 1,030)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom