Officially Hippy

[ScubaDuck]

I had my surgery at 7:40.  Everything went great I guess.  Dr. Pritchett was all smiles when talked to my girlfriend.

I did most of my exercises before the PT came in.  He removed the leg shackle which was great.  then we did all the exercises with little assistance on the heel slides and abductor.  At 2:40 i got out of bed with little help.  Then I walked 100 feet down the hallway and at times felt like I was walking normally with little weight on the walker.

I started a blog thanks to TinSoldier.  Not much there yet but I will be adding more history and rehabilitation.  fullmetalhip.wordpress.com

Thanks for all the support and encouragement.

Dan

[Tin Soldier]

Excellent.  I'm glad it went well.  I wasn't expecting such a quick post on the day of surgery.  Sounds like you're quickly moving on the road to recovery. 

I'll look at the blog later today, looking forward to it.

[FlbrkMike]

Great news Dan, congratulations!!  Sounds like everything went really well and you're well on your way to a speedy recovery.

Beware of doctors talking to your girlfriend, though.  Not sure you can trust them (the doctors).
 

[jjmclain]

Congrats Dan! Keep us posted on your progress! Sounds like you are doing well. 

[Anniee]

Great news!  I'm so glad you're doing so well!  Look forward to your next post.  Just FYI, in case it happens to you, I felt great the first few days after surgery, then not so great until about the end of the second week.  After that, things started getting better and better again, and that hip feels great now.

[hernanu]

Good stuff, Dan! Sounds like things are going right. Be patient and work at it, you'll improve in no time.

[KirkM]

Hey Dan, welcome to the bionic bunch.  The recovery will go by very fast.  I can't believe I am already at 8 weeks.  It all just gets better from here.  NOW everyday is an opportunity for you to move forward instead of being held back.  The most difficult thing about rehab is trying NOT to do too much!

[ScubaDuck]

Well nothing much to report other than the kitchen has messed up my food order twice.  And yes I am eating bowel friendly food.

The pain management is going well.  I don't think I have been above a 3.5 on the pain scale.  I had a posterior entry and spinal block.  It is so much nicer coming out of that then general anastheia. 

I have been diligent about the lung exercises.  Also i have been doing the foot flexes, leg straightening, and butt squeezes.  I will do some more heel slides and abductor slides before bed.

My girlfriend got video of my exercise session with the PT and the walk.  i will try to figure out how to get that up on my blog.


Thanks again for all the support and best wishes.

Dan

It is interesting some of the differences between doctors' protocols.  Dr. Pritchett does not use a wound drain.  The hospital is only scheduling one PT session tomorrow.  They do add PT sessions as necessary but have found that most patients don't need it.

[ScubaDuck]

Forgot to respond to Anniee's comment.

I have prepared myself to accept plateaus and even setbacks.  I know that once they back off the pain meds it will be a new game.

That again shows the value of this website.  I know the various issues that I may run into.  I use this site to tell me a range of experiences.

Thanks again all.

Dan

[ScubaDuck]

I had an okay night of sleep last night.  This hospital is actually pretty quiet at night.  There was only the interruptions by the nurses doing their jobs.

The pain has been very easy to manage.  Dr. Pritchett has me on Oxycontin - 12 hour tabs and Oxycodone for short release.  They have me on the low dosage of these.  I am also taking some Tylenol and stool softener.

This morning the doctor said the surgery was "perfect."  And I am doing so well that he is discharging me today.  I was surprised but feel that I am doing very well.

At my PT session I worked with both a walker and crutches.  The crutches were definitely more natural than the walker.  I went 150 feet with the walker and 100 feet with the crutches.  I also navigated some practice stairs they have.  I am feeling very confident in going home today.

I have an OT session this afternoon and then have a two hour car ride.  My guess is that I will stop and stretch at some point during the ride.

I am amazed at my progress and have only good things to say about Dr. Pritchett and Swedish Medical Center in Seattle.

[gibbcutter]

I  am celebrating  my 4  week anniversary today.  If I go out for a "fitness walk" I use a cane.  Otherwise, I  am just  about done with it.

I  felt great coming out of surgery but like others have mentioned, it got worse.  Stay on the pain meds because that way you will be able to do PT in the  beginning.  I was on the meds for  about 5 days (percocet).

Good luck and follow the orders of your surgeon, nurse, and physical therapist.

[Pat Walter]

Dan
Congratulations on the new hip.  I am sure things will get better quickly after you get home. You will be home and recovering soon.  Good Luck.

Pat

[Tin Soldier]

Dude, I'm jealous.  Now I have a goal - to get discharged after one night.  That's awesome.  Maybe the key is to be able to pass the tests they give you and also probabaly having surgery early on the first day helps.  I had an afternoon surgery, so I was probabaly a little too "early" to be discharged the next day. 

BTW - did they give you the getting-in-and-out-of-the-car test?   

[hipnhop]

You guys are incredible. Walking around after surgery like it;s nothing. I was in so much pain after the first walk.  I need to get some of what you're taking.  Congrats man. 

[ScubaDuck]

@Tin-  Yes, they made me do everything.  PT checked functioning with both walker and cane and of course all the exercises and the stairs.  Those abductors are tough!  And the OT checked getting on/off the toilet.  What was really awesome was that the 2 hour car ride to Surrey BC was fine.  Just some tightness.

You guys that are waiting for your second have an advantage of experience.  You can learn from any mistakes the first time.

I had a great day today.  Shopping with my girlfriend for 30 minutes.  I haven't really had pain today.  I did take my Oxycontin this morning.  It just feels like a couple of bad charley horses.  Not sure when I can stop taking any pain medicine.

The only thing I haven't done is the bowel movement.  Actually it has been threatening since yesterday.  I think tonight will be the night.  Something only other Hippies can appreciate.

Dan

[Tin Soldier]

Here I am again eating pizza and talking about bodlily functions.  All I have to say is coffee and prune juice.

On the topic of Oxy, the nurses were saying that you don't notice the benefit you get from it until you've stopped taking it.  That sounds rather obvious, what I'm getting at is that they got me a little nervous about quitting that stuff early.  I thought the pain would jump to 10 in a couple hours of not taking it.  On the other hand, I was totally convinced that the bowel obstruction (I use that term loosely) was caused solely by the Oxy, simply forgetting that I had 5 or more other heavy drugs in the system.  Anyway, my focus on Oxy was that I wanted to stop it ASAP, I left it at the hospital and stuck with acetominophen. 

With regards to driving, we drove to Eugene (6 hours) and it was off and on snowing.  Snow, driving, and the Pacific NW don't go together well.  The car ride home pretty much sucked.  If I hadn't stopped oxy that morning, maybe the drive  wouldn't have been so bad.  I might break the trip up this next time.   

[ScubaDuck]

Unfortunately i don't drink coffee.  I have been eating prunes though.  And still nothing.  It may be time to pull out the heavy artillery.

Well I know that Salem is not very far from home for you.  But if I am at work then I would love to meet you for coffee.  My office is right off the freeway and there is a Starbucks right there as well.

Dan

[Anniee]

Hey Dan, if the prunes don't work, try grapes - they worked great for me.  No BM issues!

[Tin Soldier]

Sweet, we could swap more stories about our digestive systems, or nurse Ratchett, or getting the catheter yanked    Good times, now I'm really looking forward to no. 2,... surgery that is.