Finally here...

[Juno]

Well, I am in the waiting room at Midlands Ortho for my pre-op visit with Lee Webb. We saw Dr. Gross back in May for the initial consult. Surgery for my right hip is scheduled tomorrow at 7:30am. Will keep you posted. If you're the praying type, thanks for offering  up a quick prayer of healing.

I'm nervous, but so ready to get this show on the road.
Cheers,
Juno

[evant]

I'm sure your pre-op will go well and I wish you the very best for your scheduled surgery in the morning.

[bestbob]

Juno - Wishing you the best, which I am sure is not needed based on all the GREAT feedback on the Dr. you selected.

[Pat Walter]

Juno
Good Luck. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.  Many, many have gone before you and had great outcomes.

Try to think more about what you are going to be doing this fall rather than what can go wrong.  Dr. Gross will take care of the surgery and all you will need to do is heal and plan ahead.

Pat

[hernanu]

Good luck Juno - you are in very good hands. See you on the other side tomorrow!

[Lauren Lee]

Juno, Prayer (mine and others) got me through just three weeks ago, and you have mine. It is a privliege to pay it forward. Be at peace.

[Lauren Lee]

Good morning Juno. Thinking about you and wondering how you are doing? Day two for you...it gets better and better. REALLY!3

[Juno]

Hello all,

Well I have a new right hip and a whole lot of pain! it's all good though and I'm glad to say the pain is surgical and not OA.

Dr. Gross did 5 cases yesterday. I was the first. Check in was seamless and before I knew it I was back in the preop section and getting my IV's and blood drawn. They gave me versed and I recall being wheeled into the OR, but recall nothing after that until I woke up in recovery. I was in my room at 10:30. Main was pretty well controlled yesterday and the polar care until really helped. I was able to walk 100feet in the hallway mid afternoon (of course I had a walker and 2 PT's with me). Slept on/off through the night -- being I am a RN I understand the need for nighttime vital signs etc...so I went with the flow. I was grateful for the Foley catheter so I didn't have to get up during the night to urinate.

This morning I had the catheter removed so was able to make it to the restroom. I walked 2x this morning. The first one I did well until heading back to the room. My BP dropped to 90/40 and I almost passed out. Thankfully they got me into a recliner quickly -- I had to get another 500cc of
IV fluids and some Gatorade. Regardless of this I still was able to take a shower and walked the
hall again to attend the "hip class".

I was discharged at 1:30. We made the 3 hour drive back to the suburbs of Atlanta. Thank goodness for the polar care unit -- we plugged it into the car and it really helped. Unfortunately I was stiff when we arrived home and was in need for pains meds. I was also having the shakes. 2 Nucynta and  a warm blanket helped.

I am pretty nauseous today. I attribute that to all the meds -- I don't take any routine meds and now I'm on Irospan, Prevacid, Xarelto and pain meds....what a cocktail! Next week I start on Binosto since my right hip,is slightly osetopenic.

So as I said, Dr  Gross did 5 surgeries yesterday-- 3 men and 2 women. All of us were from different areas of the country.

I only saw Dr. Gross for a few minutes this morning and he said everything went well. Shook my hand and off he went

So all good. I'll post again to let you know how it's going.

[tennisgirl]

Hi Juno,

I'm a Gross hippy too and welcome to the club.

If the pain meds are making you nauseous, ask for a prescription of Zofran or Phenergan (promethazine).  It really helped me.

Mindi

[Lauren Lee]

Yay Juno!! Glad you are home and on the road to recovery!
The iron tabs they had me on made me very nauseous so now I'm just doing a multi-vite with iron. They took me off the Xarelto because of all the skin reaction mess I had going on post op and put me on ASA 325. I don't do drugs well. I hope your unpleasant symptoms are soon a thing of the past! Welcome to this side!

[Juno]

Tennisgirl, that was exactly what I was going to do. If I'm still feeling nauseous in the morning I figured I'd call the office and they can call me Zofran.

For now I am sitting in the recliner with Gatorade and the polar ice on my hip/butt. I've gotten up 3 x to use the restroom and did feel dizzy once. I just keep telling myself slow and steady wins the race.

[hernanu]

Congrats Juno! Sounds like you're doing the right things. It gets better from now on - keep up the good work.

[evant]

Well done Juno - great account of your operation.

5 operations in one day - thankfully the world has surgeons like Dr Gross.

Good luck as your recovery progresses.

[bestbob]

Hello Juno, welcome to the other side as others have said. Keep us updated how recovery goes, which t sounds like it is off to a GREAT start already.

Bob

[packman]

The first week and 1/2 is the toughest Juno. Just different kinds of pain vs. previous hip jolts. I have no doubt that Dr. Gross and his team did a superb job. As long as you ice baby ice, get your rest (bet you will be amazed at how tired you are - this is quite a stressful op on the muscles), and keep hydrated with fluids for the meds, you will do great.
The incision is a little awkward too.
Before you know it, your 6 week post-op clearance will come in no time. Just take the advice of ev1 here, don't try to push things - let the world come to you.
Another welcome to the hipster club!

[Dee Dee]

Hey Juno,

You didn it! If I can offer some advice go really slow. With all your symptoms you need to give yourself time.  Believe it when they say you will feel better soon.  I had blood pressure issues, but I was up and going strong after week one, cruising around the block on my crutches.

Congrats on getting through it!

Dee

[Pat Walter]

Congratulations on the new hip.  Now all you have to do is think about getting back to normal - slowly.  It will come.

Good Luck.

Pat

[Juno]

Thank you all so much! The cyber-support really does help and encourage me. I slept pretty well last night. Up twice to use the restroom, but making sure I get up in stages and slowly so my blood pressure has time to equilibrate.

No nausea this morning. Just trying to drink a lot of water, ice and walk a few steps every few hours. Doing my prescribed exercises as well. The swelling isn't too bad right now. I do for see a weekend of resting and naps. Hubby is here with me and is a good nurse.

[keepmovin]

Hi Juno,
Wishing you a speedy recover...although, I think we all know, 'speedy' is a relative term depending on the person!

I felt positive when I got a good night's sleep and had a successful day of therapy - small goals first, then worked up to the big goals!

I also had a great book to read - sometimes engulfing yourself in someone else's story takes your mind off your own!

Slow and steady...enjoy some summer sun/Vitamin D !
 

[Juno]

Day 4 post op---

Well, a few things I've learned:

-- I hate sleeping on my back. I've tried turning onto my un-operated with a pillow b/w legs and maintain no internal rotation. I'm good for 20 minutes and then it pulls my incision.
---I never knew my legs could swell to 3x it's size. Seriously, today I woke to swelling from hip to knee. So, elevated toes to nose and lost of ice. It is better this evening. Swelling does cause increased stiffness and makes it harder to walk.
---Tylenol is good. I took myself off the narcotic pain meds yesterday and have done quite well with Tylenol. Very little residual muscle pain and only occasional stabbing at the incision that goes away quickly.
---I'm ok letting my hubby cook, clean and take care of me. I'm a bit of a control freak about the house....I've let it all go. No use in worrying. I can't control it all and I'm too busy icing, elevating, resting and doing my exercises. It's my turn.
---Constipation sucks and is a real issue after surgery. Coming off the narcotics helps. Drink lots of water, get enough fiber, and attempt to find comfort on the raised toilet seat.
---my ROM has already significantly increased. My quad and gluteals are strong despite being manipulated and it gives me hope that in 6 months I will be able to regain my flexibility.
--- I walked (with crutches) down our driveway and to the stop sign about 200 feet and back home 2x today. Slow and steady.
---as a RN I prefer being the RN instead of the patient!
---I can't believe I'm planning to do this all again in 6 months of the other hip.

So far at 4 days post op, it has been hard and I am tired, but I firmly believe in giving my body the time and rest it needs to recover. I have no joint pain and that is a GodSend -- although I am not sure I appreciate it quite yet since I'm in surgery recovery mode.

One day at a time.
Juno