A week to go

[bdoughty]

Thanks. Believe me, I've certainly endured my share of pricks (little and big) over the years! Leaving for Boulder shortly (hour trip) for 12:30 go time. Next post will be from the other side and I'll be a true hippy.

[bdoughty]

Done and done. Just about 23 hours post-op, out of bed, sitting up. More stiff than painful right now. Going for a walk this afternoon. Dr. Rector said all went perfectly and all involved say I'm right on track.

[halfdone]

Congratulations! Welcome to the "other side"!

[jjmclain]

Congrats!!!!

[FlbrkMike]

Congratulations on your entry into "the club"!!

I now have eight days to go for my double membership.  At this point I'm really glad we only have two hips.

[hernanu]

That's great! congrats on the new hip and that everything went well.

[Dayton96]

Congratulations!  If you have time, why not write a review of your surgeon for Surface Hippy.

Mac

[23109VC]

congrats!  take it one day at a time!  you will improve bit by bit every day...  dont' rush anythng.  get a raised toilet seat! i got a cheap one at Walmart for like $20.   i waited a few days to buy uthat and it was SO much nicer to "go" once I had it!  

i'm at day 8 and doing well.  i'm off my pain meds,and feel mostly stiff and tight, but not really pain.  

congrats again!

[hipnhop]

Please keep us updated. Your success is an inspiration for those of us about to take the journey. What is one thing that you regret not doing/asking/taking? What is the one thing that you would recommend to all others?

Best wishes and recover well.
Ed

[bdoughty]

The hardest thing to me was the waiting. Like most of us on this site, I wanted to do my homework, understand what it is all about, hear about others' experiences. All that was helpful, but it did contribute to building my anxiety - so perhaps once I made up my mind, I shouldn't have been looking at these sites every day! In all, it's been much easier than I imagined, despite all the stories of people who had the same exeperience. I supposed it's human nature to have the idea in the back of your mind that your case is one that might go bad. It does happen, and you feel so bad for those folks.

Thankfully, it's gone smooth - althought I was a bit light-headed today and they're going to keep my butt in the hospital for an extra night. Can't think of any questions I'd wished I asked. Best advice I can give would be to do your research and if you decide this is best for your, pick the best surgeon you can get to. Do the prep work (get equipment, set up the house, eat well, exercise as much as possible), then try your best to put it out of your mind until right before it's time. One thing I did like was Dr. Rector encouraged use of iPod, etc. before and during surgery. I made a nice little hospital "mix tape" of relaxing music.

Bill
LBHR, Dr. James Rector, 2 March 2011

[23109VC]

Awesome!  I took my iPad to the hospital and they had wifi so it was great....I was doing status updates on this forum from my bed!  Technology is great.  My wife has an iPhone 4 that will video chat and we used that from the hospital and hotel to video chat with our kids during our wek trip to South Carolina....

Glad you are doing well.  Keep us posted on your ecovery.  If you have concerns or questions, post them.  No such thing as a stid question!

[hipnhop]

I-Pod during surgery - good idea!!  I want them to blast James Brown's "Get on Up." I'm gonna download it now and bring in my boom box.
Wish me luck, six days and counting.

[Tin Soldier]

I have heard of others listening to music while in the OR.  I "feel asleep" from Versed or some other sedative, so it wouldn't have done me much good listening to music.  I didn't care about much after they gave me prophylactic oxycontin.  I'll bet the surgery crew cranked up the tunes in the OR after I "fell asleep" anyway.

Good point about the week or 2 before and just not reading or researching.  The internet is great for researching stuff, but when it comes to close and personal medical issues, you can get yourself pretty freaked out.   I studied this stuff for about a year prior to my LBHR (a couple weeks ago) and I was much less motivated to come here.  I stayed away from Hip Talk for a bit just to give my head a rest.  I also put a lot of confidence in my decisions because of the research I did.  I spent the time that I felt I needed to become confident in the decision to get an HR and confidence in a very experienced surgeon.  Lots of folks here said the same thing, once you get on the surgery schedule, take a mental break and just try to get your head out of it before surgery.   

[bdoughty]

I'm trying to remember if the music was still playing when I woke up in recovery!

Nine days post surgery and progressing nicely, walking a bit farther each day, expanded PT yesterday - and feeling it. I had been starting the day (after eating and meds) with PT and a walk, then ice, repeating sequence in p.m., with a final PT round before bed. With expansion, it's been bit tougher to motivate for the 2nd/3rd rounds, trying to build back up to it. After yesterday's introduction, i ended up taking a pain pill about 3:30 and another at 11, 1st time I've taken more than 1 since coming home. Did help me get a good night's sleep and felt OK when I awoke. Also got OK for 1 crutch around the house.

First "outing" tomorrow. My wife is taking me along while she has her hair done (good for a couple hours). It's one of those contrived "town square" shopping centers. Better than many, I suppose, and I can while away some time at the Tattered Cover book storethen stroll across the way to a pub for my 1st post-op beer.

Hope to be using cane and driving by 2 week mark; we shall see.

I also signed myself up for a 34 mile bike ride scheduled for the 1st weekend in June. I think it's doable - hope to get on stationary bike next week - but even if I don't make it, at least I have a goal to shoot for.

[23109VC]

Congrats....take it day by day and don't rush it.  I am at 2.5 weeks post op and I'm off two crutches.  I use one for outings where I'll walk around... I can walk without a crutch, but it feels netter to have one....I figure by 3-4 weeks maybe I'll be off any walking aids... But if I take 5-6, fine with me.  We all heal at different rates... Better to take it slow, let stuff heal, and not rush it and hurt yourself!

I figure I've got 6 months until I'm truly "all better", so it won't make a difference one way or the other if I'm slightly ahead or behind the curve for getting off crutches, canes, etc.

Hope you have a speedy and successful recovery!  What were you listening to on the iPod?

[bdoughty]

I created a hospital "mix tape" with favorite mellow tunes, about 3 hours or so, and just set it on shuffle. Helped chill before and after, and one presumes during as well.