Preop anxiety

[obxpelican]

Have your wife look under the plastic bag in the box, my hand pump was under there.  You get the machine that you have right now.


Chuck

[karenj_m]

Hey Alan:
Congrats on your successful surgery :)

Doesn't Carter remind you a little of Katherine Hepburn?

Anyways my BP had issues too, and my nurse at Providence said "everyone" on this floor has low BP right now...that floor was all bone surgery.

There should be a hand-pump with your ice machine (if there isn't make sure they get you one or another machine).

You can not use the ice machine on the plane. I used the hand pump in the car. We flew into and out of Myrtle Beach, SC because of a cheaper deal. So we had to drive back from Columbia to Myrtle Beach...stay overnight at a hotel and fly out in the morning.

The hospital will give you the two cardboard boxes that fit those ice machines, so you package them up and check them in at the airport.

Hey stay away from coke-cola....everytime I drank that...the food came back to say "hi"...try to drink just water.

[uberalan]

Chuck,

Found the pump and I guess I ill get another one tomorrow.

Karen,

You're right about Carter reminding you of Katherine Hepburn.  We just finished my PT for this afternoon. We did two full flights of real stairs and I went up and back for three corridors.  Did one with just one crutch.  Carter and Joe both commented on my rapid progress.

I thought I had read of people using the polar ice machine on the airplane, but after seeing the size I don't see how.  Did you have any problems getting through airport security with the new hip?

We fly out of Charlotte and change planes in Atlanta. The shuttle is scheduled to pick us up at 0800 AM and we arrive in Denver at 0350 PM (all times EST) and probably home in another hour, so it will be a loooong day.

[uberalan]

Dr. Gross and Lee Webb resurfaced my left hip this morning.  All appears to have gone well.  I only felt a slight amount of nausea when they brought me lunch, which I only took the liquids and by dinner my stomach in a much better condition.  I cautiously ate light and had no problems.

The PT trainer got me to my feet and I was able to stand with out crutches  and then with the crutches I took a few steps to the hall and back.

My left seems more sore than my right, but I am looking forward to being at day + 10, which most folks here have described as some break through where the trauma from surgery doesn't detract from having pain free joints.

Alan

[Pat Walter]

Hi Alan

Congratulations on being a bi-lat.  2 great new hips!

Glad to hear things went well.  You are right, in a week or so you will be feeling much better.

Just hang in there for now and take your pain meds!

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Keep in touch.

Pat

[obxpelican]

Hey Alan,

We're going to give your info out when someone is nervous about their surgery..... it was really not as bad as you thought, right? 

I'm very glad to hear everything went well, I wish you God speed on your trip home Sunday.


Chuck

Dr. Gross and Lee Webb resurfaced my left hip this morning.  All appears to have gone well.  I only felt a slight amount of nausea when they brought me lunch, which I only took the liquids and by dinner my stomach in a much better condition.  I cautiously ate light and had no problems.

The PT trainer got me to my feet and I was able to stand with out crutches  and then with the crutches I took a few steps to the hall and back.

My left seems more sore than my right, but I am looking forward to being at day + 10, which most folks here have described as some break through where the trauma from surgery doesn't detract from having pain free joints.

Alan

[uberalan]

Pat and Chuck,

Thanks so much for the prayers and a special thanks to Pat for your web site.

The pre-operation anxiety was much worse than the hip resurfacing operation.  Speaking of the surgery and recovery itself, the worse part for me was when they removed the catheter.  It could make a grown man cry, but thankfully it is over so fast.

Today I have two sessions of PT,which will be interesting with the game of musical chairs my right and left legs have been playing.

[obxpelican]

Alan,

Now it's your turn to "Pay it forward" ---- Please be both an advocate for HRs and be a supporter to those who will be starting their journey to walking straight lines without pain on this forum, we need all the help we can get.

BTW--- did you meet nurse Lynn yet?



Chuck

[rpurvis]

Good Morning,

This is my first posting on the site and I wanted let everyone know I had my surgery on Monday and feeling great. I had some post op worries, mostly concerned about having to have a Total Hip Replacement in place of the Partial, what would the pain be like afterwards, and would I bounce back. Well I very happy to say that all is well. I had a successful partial, am using one crutch and moving to a cain this weekend, spent two days in the hospital, am home working on PT, very satisfied with my choices. My attitude was: I am supplying the Hip, Dr. Macauley from Presby in NYC was providing the expertise, and now my family and I are supplying the rehab. Positive attitude, great medical care, and a little pain med, will get you through your entire process. I am a 51 yo male runner who stopped running last year due to pain. It took me 10 months of research and procastination to finally make the decision to have the procedure done. I could not be happier. You will do just fine. The pre-op panic I would think would be normal, especially if you never set foot inside a hospital before (like myself). Follow the direction of the medical professionals, check the site often, (there is a lot of great stuff here), and stay positive.

Good Luck,

Rob

[JeanM]

Alan,
Congratulations and welcome to surface hippydom!  See?  We told you it wouldn't be so bad!  Keep us posted through your recovery.

Best of Luck!
Jean

[uberalan]

Chuck,

I will be glad to pay it forward (if not a little back as well.)  The surgery is done, now the recovery begins.  The surgery is all about the surgeon, but the recovery is about the patient and as Rob mentions the family members.  I will continue to post about my recovery and ask questions of those who have gone before.

Was Nurse Lynn also a early Gross Hippy?

Now it's your turn to "Pay it forward" ---- Please be both an advocate for HRs and be a supporter to those who will be starting their journey to walking straight lines without pain on this forum, we need all the help we can get.

BTW--- did you meet nurse Lynn yet?

[uberalan]

Rob,

First welcome to hip talk and this exclusive club of being a surface hippie.  Congratulation on your surgery and sounds like you are well on the way to a speedy recovery.

It took me about 18 months to progress from being told by the first surgeon that I need a THR and should suffering daily to put it off as many years as possible to having double resurfacing in the same week.  Pat's web site was instrumental to my research and bring me to South Carolina and Dr. Gross.

I liked the way you stated your attitude:

Good Morning,

My attitude was: I am supplying the Hip, Dr. Macauley from Presby in NYC was providing the expertise, and now my family and I are supplying the rehab. Positive attitude, great medical care, and a little pain med, will get you through your entire process.

and I think it will lead you to a remarkable recovery.

[uberalan]

Jean,

Thanks for the welcome. I will post updates for my recovery for others contemplating "simultaneous" bilateral surgeries

The two PT sessions yesterday and the one this morning has me  ??? questioning the wisdom of doing the bilaterals in the same week.  What was I thinking?

I am sure it will get better and this time next week I hope to be able to report it was a good idea.  The task for today is being discharged from the hospital and traveling across the parking lot to the handicap accessible room at the Courtyard Inn.

Tomorrow's task is traveling from Columbia SC to Denver.

I knew this would be the worst part.

Alan,
Congratulations and welcome to surface hippydom!  See?  We told you it wouldn't be so bad!  Keep us posted through your recovery.

Best of Luck!
Jean

[obxpelican]

Alan,

Take some of the pain meds you got for the trip home, they will relax you to the point of making the trip very tolerable, if you got wheelchair service you'll be fine.


Glad to hear that you'll be another helper around here, it's always good to have a fresh surface hippy around who is bound to remember how things went.

Chuck

[obxpelican]

Yes! Nurse Lynne was one of Dr. Gross's early hippys.

Forgot to answer that one.



Chuck

Was Nurse Lynn also a early Gross Hippy?

Now it's your turn to "Pay it forward" ---- Please be both an advocate for HRs and be a supporter to those who will be starting their journey to walking straight lines without pain on this forum, we need all the help we can get.

BTW--- did you meet nurse Lynn yet?

[wayne-0]

Alan,
Congratulations on the successful surgeries. I know having done both seems a little overwhelming right now but it will get easier to get around and do things sooner than you think. For me the first five days were the hardest and then after that it was all uphill.Good luck with your recovery and may it go smoothly for you.

Wayne

[uberalan]

We made the trip home and it was not the most pleasurable experience but was doable.    I started the day with taking two Celebrex and two Vicoden as Dr. Gross had recommended.  The Columbia Shuttle picked us up from The Courtyard Inn and I was placed in drivers side middle seat,which was probably the easiest seat get in and out of.  We decided to check everything we could.  One tip that other bilateral hippies might find useful is to borrow some packing tape from the desk at the Courtyard Inn and tape both Polar 300 boxes together to form on piece of luggage, avoiding an extra $50 extra baggage charge.

We flew Air Trans Airlines from Charlotte to Denver and splurged with seats in business class for the flight back.  Having bulk head row seats made it much easier embark and debark the plane. 

The worst part of the trip was arrival and check-in at Charlotte with Air Trans. Their curb side check in wasn't staffed and my wife had to figure out how to get all the luggage to the check-in counter by herself.

You have to check-in before they provide a sky cap with a wheel chair. I had to stay on crutches while this took place.  The airline personnel directed me to a "handicapped" seating area to wait while my wife checked in.  The waiting area had four seats and all were occupied by able body individuals, who just eyed me up and down as I approached on crutches and then choose to ignore me!   I tried to not to let my anger show and found a computer kiosk to lean against.

The skycap brought a wheel chair and took me through security.  I was impressed how nice the TSA personnel were.  I was expecting  much worse, but they were very respectful and gentle with the pat down. The flight to Atlanta was less than 45 minutes and went off without problem.

The connection in Atlanta was tight with only about 35 minutes to change planes.  A wheel chair was on the jetway but no Skycap was insight, so I loaded into the wheel chair and my wife pushes me up the jetway.  I am in bad need of a bathroom break having not  wanted to go on the plane. While I was in the restroom a sky cap has taken over for my wife and he wheels to the gate in time to be the first to board.   

The flight to Denver was almost three hours long and we again had bulk head seats in business class.  I began swelling up and an economy seat would have been much more uncomfortable.  My right leg, ankle and foot looked like an over inflated balloon.   Lee Webb had warned me that this might happen and I also had read other people's post that had similar swelling.  One of the benefits of this web site is being able to read about others experiences, so you are not surprised when it happens to you.  My foot swelled so much that I had to take my shoes off.

Our daughter and son-in-law meet us at the airport and drove us to our house.  As soon as I arrived home we unpacked the polar 300's and elevated both legs and the swelling slowly began going down.  I was exhausted, but so very glad to be home.

[obxpelican]

Alan,

That swelling will disappear soon and you'll forget all about the trip home although it did not sound too bad.  Glad to hear that you are home and relaxing, don't get too used to getting pampered because soon you will be cutting grass all by yourself.   ;D

I am jealous that you got 2 polar machines.... I may work on my left hip so I can get another.   ;)

Keep us posted on your recovery.


Chuck

[uberalan]

Thanks Chuck.   I look forward to the day where even think about cutting the grass is something other than pure fantasy!

This thread about my pre-opt anxiety has pretty much run it course and to prevent further "subject drift,"  I will begin chronicaling my recovery in the Bilateral Stories.

I want to thank everyone who as contributed and tell you how much your reassuring words and recounting your pre-operation jitters helped me.

[CeeJay15]

My surgery is scheduled for July 15th with Dr. Rector in Boulder, CO.

I am so glad to read all of these stories - preop anxiety is at a minimum - I am just looking forward to having it done!

uberalan - any reason why you decided to go to Dr. Gross instead of using either Dr. Rector in Boulder or Dr. Dayton in Denver?

cj