THR Wide Awake - Mailman Chases Dogs Away

[mature mama]

So glad to hear this great update. Continued positive movement for you!

 

[Layla]

Great update, Mailman! You're making such wonderful progress.
Farewell if this is your last update. Wishing you all the best life has to offer.
Take good care!
@Mailman

 

[Layla]

I hope you see this...
Happy One Month Anniversary! Enjoy the weekend!
@Mailman

 

[Mailman]

Yes it's wonderful.

 

[PeachyKnee]

Everyone has a different pain threshold. The oxycodone and hyrdcondine gave me hot flashes!! Worse than what I had during menopause! Tramadol wasn’t as bad but I didn’t stay o it for very long and used half tabs until I could go without. I did a combo of naproxen and Tylenol for a while and then 800 mgt of ibuprofen. Now it’s basically when I need it or,the weather changes or I over do It. I’m at 11 weeks. As they’ve told me many times here. It’s a process and listen to your knee! Mine lets me know if it doesn’t like something I’m doing. Good luck to you. This is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done!

 

[Layla]

Happy Two Month Anniversary, Mailman!
Hopefully you're doing well.

Hope its a good one!
@Mailman

 

[Mailman]

At 1 month I wrote: "I'm also surprised by a noticeable improvement in mental/emotional clarity which comes along with the increased physical stamina. Now that half my attention is no longer pre-occupied with the surgery, pain, and concerns about recovery, its easier to think clearly and focus instead on my new lease in life."

Now at 2 months, I just want to say that now as the incompacity of moment and mobility and pain has faded into oblivion where it belongs, this mental/improvement has become the main event. It was completely unexpected andn it continues to influence my like every day.

Before finding a surgeon who would operate with only a spinal and without any sedation or 'twilight sleep' (propofol), I was consumed with minimizing the possibility of mental impairment from the the drugs, mostly due to my age and also having watched that unhappy result unfold from surgery (shoulder replacement) on a family member (mother).

But I had no thought whatsoever that beyond avoiding early cognitive decline I might improve on that score.

I'm still interested in knowing what factors contribute to the best outcome from THR and TKR. I do know that there are many factors, some have been studied in double-blind experimentation, and this is knowledge worth pursuing for anyone facing joint replacement who wants the best outcome from their own procedure. In particuilar, there are plenty of studies comparing general and regional anesthesia and I think this is the most important choice available to the patient (or certainly should be).

I know that being wide awake during surgery can be fear inducing. It was for me, until I got that under control by watching the actual surgery on you tube about a dozen times. It became routine. It was routine and 100% painless. I knew what actually happened. I was a participant. There was no before and after, and I believe this was a significant help in my immediate and long term recovery.

If you are considering being wide awake during surgery then contact me. I will be the person that I would have like to find on this site that could have helped me understand what that could be like!

 

[Mailman]

@Layla Thank you. Oddly enough your message arrived while I was in the middle of writing the above. I had decided to write something shortly before that, not being aware yet that it had been precisely 2 months.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Happy 2 month anniversary! Your personal journey has certainly been helpful and is worth discussing with OS if facing surgery and something one feels they could tolerate.
I was only "awake" for one C-Section 47 years ago and that was just fine cause I wanted to see my son right away. My first C-Section was an emergency after many hours of labor so I was knocked out and didn't see my son until later that day, that was 53 years ago & childbirth was nothing like it is now.
Now having grandchildren my DIL's had their husbands (my sons) present for birth of their children, how blessed.
One DIL labors at home, no meds, arrives at hospital just in time to give birth, both kids she gave birth less than 90 minutes after arriving at hospital. A true warrior!
Continued enjoyment of that new hip of yours and keep checking in, what you have to say is very important as well as interesting to many.
It's nice to have options and like I've said so many times we really need to be our own healthcare advocates.

 

[Mailman]

June 12th I'm scheduled for the other hip.
I will be wide awake again during the entire procedure.
The first one was completely painless physically due to the spinal anesthesia. There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of, especially now that I experienced it all already.
I am fortunate to have total trust, admiration and appreciation for my surgeon, his staff and the facility. They gave me back a life worth living. Even if they were not as remarkable as they are, I would still be thankful, as there is no power in being a victim.
Beyond surgeon skill, attitude is everything.. that is, if one is to have the fastest, most complete recovery .
In round one, active participation in the surgery set the stage and gratitude carried me through.
I'm very much looking forward now to repeating the whole process again on June 12.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Good AM mailman,
All my best for Round 2. You certainly had a remarkable recovery for Number 1 & your positive attitude will prove to be of value for your next go-round.
Keep us posted.

 

[mature mama]

I hadn't realized that your were going to need your other hip replaced also. Glad you are are prepared and the best for another great outcome. As someone who has gone through both knee and both hip replacements, don't be surprised if your surgery and recovery don't go exactly the same as the first hip. And not in a bad way, just possibly different. I experienced some this with my second hip but it was also almost 10 years later.

Again best for your thr next month.

 

[Mailman]

Mojo333..It's very different this time. I'm not waiting until I can only walk short distances, like across the room, with a cane.
Also in much better physical condition than in October, moving constantly, home remodeling for the past 3 months.
Staying positive, but with minimum expectations.

 

[luvcats]

I'm not waiting until I can only walk short distances, like across the room, with a cane.

I'm with you. When I do my first follow up with my surgeon on Monday, we're going to discuss the plan for the other hip. Probably July.

 

[Layla]

Hi there Mailman, (token dog chasing after mailman )
Bravo! Two new hips!
Not too long of a wait either. I wish you all the best, brave one!
@Mailman

 

[raylo]

Damn, wide awake? Crazy!... and you are braver than I! But at least you didn't come here and say that you watched a few youtubes and did your own THR. Now THAT would be crazy... I mean crazier!

 

[Mailman]

I'm not waiting until I can only walk short distances, like across the room, with a cane.

I'm with you

Not that I'm recommending anyone wait until they can't walk but the silver lining in my recovery was that the before was so bad, the after was relatively so good I never felt entitled to complain one bit. Baked in grateful attitude during recovery naturally arising from my own stubbornness in not having the first THR sooner.

 

[Mailman]

Damn, wide awake? Crazy!... and you are braver than I! But at least you didn't come here and say that you watched a few youtubes and did your own THR. Now THAT would be crazy... I mean crazier!

Not brave at all. It was an exercise in overcoming useless unnecessary fear, which is liberating. Much, much safer than bungy jumping. That I would not do even though I've watched those videos too. Here all you have to do is lay still, well more accurately be willing to be strapped down for an hour or two, be at rest, or chat with the surgeon, the anesthesiologist or the staff, and in my case the student observers as this was at OHSU, a teaching hospital. They will give you Valium or something similar if you need it but I didn't. You feel absolutely no pain or nerve sensation from the chest down. You don't have the slightest idea where your legs are, which is strange but not unpleasant, because there is a fabric screen blocking your view, so you can't see any of the gory stuff, even if you wanted to.
The only thing you do feel is the dull pounding when the prosthetic hip joint pieces are pressure fit. You do hear the drills and saws but I did prepare for that by watching the YouTube videos until all squeamishness was removed from consideration, even though I knew what was going on.

When they roll you out of the OR there is congratulations and celebration all around on a job well done, and full steam ahead to a quick recovery.

I much prefer this to getting knocked out and then in the next moment regaining conscious awareness feeling out of sorts and not knowing what the hell just happened to me.

 

[Elf1]

@Mailman good luck on the upcoming 2nd THR, definitely not much if a wait. Hope you have another great recovery. Happy that you enjoy being wide awake during your procedure but you could not pay me enough money to do it that way!

 

[Layla]

Best Wishes tomorrow, Mailman!
Will this be - "Eyes Wide Open Deux" ?
If so, don't know how you do it. Please update when you're up to posting.
Hope to hear from you soon!
@Mailman