Hip Surgery - what fun I had!!!
When my surgeon told me I would have to have a hip replacement, I was shocked. I was there to find out why my recently operated on knee was still hurting, and the resulting X-ray showed my hip cartilage was totally gone. The hip was shot, and there was nothing else that would help except to replace the joint.
I asked to wait until my new granddaughter was born and Griffen graduated high school before having the surgery. After then, I would have the time to heal properly.
Grandaughter was born May 8th, and Griffen graduated May 19th. I was in horrible pain all the time, but I was now ready to get the surgery done. It was scheduled for June 6th.
Surgery went very well, according to the surgeon. I had 39 staples in my left hip, and an 11 inch incision...a larger incision than I had been led to believe I would have, but then I was given Percocet and didn't care.
Any movement was agonizing. 3 nurses had to roll me on my side (and listen to me cry out in pain) so I could use a bedpan, since I was restricted to bed for 2 days. Fun times.
3rd day the Physical Therapist paid me my first visit. He just wanted me to try and stand for a few minutes, and if I felt I could, to sit in a chair for another few minutes. I figured I could do both, no problem. That is when it all went to hell. I got onto my feet, enduring the resulting pain I was prepared for. What I wasn't prepared for was the blood rushing from my face, my lips turning blue and seeing what I called "little flowers bursting into bloom". Next thing I know I am being put back in bed, my blood pressure is being taken, and words like "possible cardiac arrest" and "blood transfusion" were being mentioned. My BP dropped to 73/38. My hematocrit/hemoglobin counts were extremely low and I was being given injections of something in my abdomen.
Slowly over the next 2 days my BP came back up to near normal, and my blood counts stabilized and improved. After 6 days in the hospital, when I was only supposed to be there 3, I was finally able to go home, with 6 RX's going home with me.
PT was arranged to come to my house to help me with therapy, so I didn't have to go anywhere for it (I couldn't drive and hubby was scheduled to go back to work the next week, fortunately Griffen would be staying with me to help me as needed during the day). Gotta say it, I loved my therapist. He was kind, funny, pleasant, caring, etc. I actually looked forward to his coming. But, the week he was on vacation was the time my staples were supposed to come out. The home care people sent a nurse to take them out, and 33 staples came out easily. The rest were like pronged fishhooks that were trying to be ripped out of my leg. They did not want to come out at all. More pain I didn't need. I finally arranged for my family doctor to try and take them out and he figured out a way to cut the staples and remove them. But one tiny staple fragment didn't want to come out and actually is still in my leg somewhere. The doctor said it should work it's way out eventually. (Just have to watch for infection.
Since I couldn't sleep in our bed, and I had a 90 degree bend restriction for my leg, hubby elevated our living room sofa for me to sleep on. (it also is used for a few of my therapy exercises). Hubby has also been doing all the housework and cooking. I feel spoiled and guilty at the same time, but I can't do it all yet.
Since then, progress has been made. I am no longer having a therapist come to my home, although I am still doing the exercises I was taught. They really do help. I have progressed from a walker to a cane, and I can stand and take a few steps without the cane now. Driving is allowed but I usually wait for someone else to drive, as getting in and out of the car is still difficult, but it's getting easier.
I see improvement every day. It's like a dance: taking 2 steps forwards, but then having to take a step back before moving forward again. But I am dancing fairly well. It's just going to take time to get back to normal.
I asked to wait until my new granddaughter was born and Griffen graduated high school before having the surgery. After then, I would have the time to heal properly.
Grandaughter was born May 8th, and Griffen graduated May 19th. I was in horrible pain all the time, but I was now ready to get the surgery done. It was scheduled for June 6th.
Surgery went very well, according to the surgeon. I had 39 staples in my left hip, and an 11 inch incision...a larger incision than I had been led to believe I would have, but then I was given Percocet and didn't care.
Any movement was agonizing. 3 nurses had to roll me on my side (and listen to me cry out in pain) so I could use a bedpan, since I was restricted to bed for 2 days. Fun times.
3rd day the Physical Therapist paid me my first visit. He just wanted me to try and stand for a few minutes, and if I felt I could, to sit in a chair for another few minutes. I figured I could do both, no problem. That is when it all went to hell. I got onto my feet, enduring the resulting pain I was prepared for. What I wasn't prepared for was the blood rushing from my face, my lips turning blue and seeing what I called "little flowers bursting into bloom". Next thing I know I am being put back in bed, my blood pressure is being taken, and words like "possible cardiac arrest" and "blood transfusion" were being mentioned. My BP dropped to 73/38. My hematocrit/hemoglobin counts were extremely low and I was being given injections of something in my abdomen.
Slowly over the next 2 days my BP came back up to near normal, and my blood counts stabilized and improved. After 6 days in the hospital, when I was only supposed to be there 3, I was finally able to go home, with 6 RX's going home with me.
PT was arranged to come to my house to help me with therapy, so I didn't have to go anywhere for it (I couldn't drive and hubby was scheduled to go back to work the next week, fortunately Griffen would be staying with me to help me as needed during the day). Gotta say it, I loved my therapist. He was kind, funny, pleasant, caring, etc. I actually looked forward to his coming. But, the week he was on vacation was the time my staples were supposed to come out. The home care people sent a nurse to take them out, and 33 staples came out easily. The rest were like pronged fishhooks that were trying to be ripped out of my leg. They did not want to come out at all. More pain I didn't need. I finally arranged for my family doctor to try and take them out and he figured out a way to cut the staples and remove them. But one tiny staple fragment didn't want to come out and actually is still in my leg somewhere. The doctor said it should work it's way out eventually. (Just have to watch for infection.
Since I couldn't sleep in our bed, and I had a 90 degree bend restriction for my leg, hubby elevated our living room sofa for me to sleep on. (it also is used for a few of my therapy exercises). Hubby has also been doing all the housework and cooking. I feel spoiled and guilty at the same time, but I can't do it all yet.
Since then, progress has been made. I am no longer having a therapist come to my home, although I am still doing the exercises I was taught. They really do help. I have progressed from a walker to a cane, and I can stand and take a few steps without the cane now. Driving is allowed but I usually wait for someone else to drive, as getting in and out of the car is still difficult, but it's getting easier.
I see improvement every day. It's like a dance: taking 2 steps forwards, but then having to take a step back before moving forward again. But I am dancing fairly well. It's just going to take time to get back to normal.