My Hip Replacement Surgery

The surgery was 19 days ago and I have had a chance to relax and reflect on the experience. I am home and my new hip is amazing and working very well. The pain is so much less than before the surgery and I am feeling better all the time.

I was pretty tense beforehand.. let's call it panicked.
I  had bad, life-threatening experiences in the hospital as a kid.
It was also very much on my mind that my hip surgery was occurring at 10 years to the day from when I was admitted to the hospital, hemorrhaging and with a pulmonary embolism in my lungs - and my life changed forever.

I kept thinking I can still change my mind - this is an elective procedure. The fact is that  I can not imagine living the rest of my life in the kind of pain and disability that I have been experiencing. I have fought too hard to regain my independence to have it slowly disappear on me once again.

They try to have patients well prepared for hip surgery. Patients have gone to these Regional health authority hip and knee clinic orientation meeting, met with appropriate therapists from the center and have an appointment with their surgeon. We received a 50 something page booklet to read that should answer most questions.

The week before surgery patients went to the hospital where they are having your surgery and have meetings with the anesthesiologist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist and a nurse. Blood pressure is checked and they do one last x-ray of the knee or hip. You get another booklet outlining what time you personally need to be at the hospital when you are last allowed to eat or take medications, a map of the place and a list of what you should or should not pack for your stay. There is a caregiver pamphlet with where to park and what the person accompanying the patient needs to do.

I have a LOT of allergies and because of past experience, I was concerned about that aspect of the surgery and was not feeling as prepared as we could be.  It did indeed turn into a problem with me trying to convince people of the severity of the reactions I can have to medication. Fortunately, the pain management nurse at the hospital actually contacted my allergists' office and got a written report about what medications I can have. I can say without a doubt that woman made a huge difference in the safe and successful management of my care.
There were still a lot of problems with pain management and even greater problems with finding a way to send me home with something for pain relief.

Lilacs and early summer flowers are not my friends. I have severe allergy-induced asthma,  I have wound up at the doctor or in the emergency at least 5 times during that last two weeks of May  This is a bad time for surgery. I wound up having three asthma attacks while in the hospital and one of them was probably the scariest close call I can remember. I am sure that besides the seasonal allergies I was reacting to some of the sanitation chemicals used to clean in the hospital and I suspect just the effect of the surgery on a body as well as the effects of the pain medication on breathing added up to a horrible mix of conditions.

The days blurred together with pain, narcotics, sponge baths and nurses coming in and out. Meals were ummm nourishing. The staff was all very kind and nice to me.

My family were there for me and kept me company and helped in any way they could.

I got along well with my roommate who had a knee replacement and I feel lucky to have shared this experience with her and shared her company.

Physiotherapists came each day to make sure I was starting to move a bit and getting me standing as soon as possible. They have to make sure you can get in and out of bed safely, stand up and use a bathroom and if needed make sure you can safely go up the number of stairs required so you can get into your home upon discharge.

My hospital bed.

The Walker.

My poor leg.

I just have to share the view from my second-floor hospital window. Talk about patriotic!

It was actually very soothing and meditative to lie in bed and watch the flag moving in the breeze.

My recovery now continues at home. I am doing the hospital based exercises and trying to move around the best I can.  Next, I will be starting a brand new post-surgery rehab program at a facility called the Reh-Fit Center.

My goal is to be Leading a Healthy Life!

Ready or Not?

My hip replacement surgery is in about 12 hours.

I sure don't feel ready for this experience but I think I have done all I can to prepare.  I am at the point now where this just needs to be over with and the pre-surgery anxiety a thing of the past. My plan is to focus on how good I will be doing by the Fall.

There is a lot of preparation before having hip surgery.

This part of the journey started when the sports medicine physician looked at X-rays of my knees and hip and said it was time and sent off a referral for surgery. I have gone to 8 appointments at the hip clinic experts, one appointment with the surgeon, one pre-op physical with my family doctor, and finally, a hospital preop visit that involved separate appointments with the anesthetist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist and the nurse,

I was supposed to try and lose some weight and do leg strengthening exercises. I admit I might not have been the shining example in this category but I made a good try.

Next comes the practical things that needed to change

The hip replacement comes with a whole lot of restrictions after surgery that last for about 3 months You can't bend past 90 degrees at the hip, you can't cross your legs and all.- not even at the ankles! 

Vehicle.  We needed to replace our car anyway so we went on a hunt for the easiest vehicle for someone to get in and out of with a sore leg.  Goodbye SUV Explorer and welcome home to our new to us 2009 Flex.

Reclining Chair. Just about every chair in our house has me sitting with greater than the 90-degree bend. We thought about putting blocks under the legs to lift it higher but decided it was okay to just order a new reclining chair from La-z-boy.
new bed

Walker. Yes, I will need a walker. I got rid of my previous one saying I won't need this again! ha.

Reacher Stick. Best purchase. I find it helpful and my 7-year-old grandson thinks it is the best toy ever.

Clothing Assist Stick, Long Shoehorn  There is just no bending over to pull up my big girl panties, or put on shoes so you need tools.


Raised Toilet Seat. It actually has helped a lot with the pain already. It turns out our toilet seat was exceptionally low.

Rent a Shower Seat. It is not reasonable to just step in the tub apparently

Slippers.  They must have closed back, no skid soles and be slip on. The only ones that fit me were expensive and not pretty.


Pack a Bag. This one is a bit minimalist, with a housecoat, toothbrush and clothes to go home in. If I need anything, my family will bring it for me.

Please keep me in your prayers and good thoughts.