Talk about feeling old!

[Outback Porsche]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

It has been 112 degrees here each of the last three days. Keeping warm is not a problem!

Turn your aircon temp way down Glen, but forget the Snuggie. Go the SnugWow and SlumWow combo. Never need to leave the couch again

[Bob Goding]

Don't overdo it---you have four years till the Olympics!

[herr_oberst]

I spent December/January 2010 with a busted kneecap/busted elbow. This is my advice.

Before the operation, while you're still mobile, go out and buy something special for the person or persons that will be waiting hand and foot on your sorry ass! :-) Spring those little presents on them throughout your rehab, because your relationship will be tested. Be prepared.

Tell yourself right now that you will not lose patience with your caregiver. Stick to that coda.

Orient the furniture in front of the TV; surround yourself with tables. You're going to have every book and magazine dvd and pillow in the house piled high on these flat surfaces. Make sure your lamp is positioned where you can reach the on off switch. Make sure all the rugs are secure. A bonus is to orient the chair and the sofa so you can move easily between them and still see the TV. Even if you're not a TV watcher now, you will be. You won't want to stay in bed all damn day, and there's not going to be much else you can do, but you'll want to be uppanattem. Shaved, showered, shat.

Do the same for your bedroom. Easy ingress/egress, good lighting, no tripping hazards.

Do the same in the shower/ bathroom. I reckon the walker will allow you to ease that aforementioned sorry ass onto the can.

Get a couple of pair of brand new drawstring pants, and a nice robe. You'll be living in those for the next few weeks.

I would say take a few minutes to lock your leg and practice things like putting fresh underwear on, but you're gonna learn that quick enough.

Keep us posted. We're here to support you until you get better than we can go back to giving your grief.

[tweezers74]

All very good advice. Reinforcing the "keep the bowels moving" thing. Not fun if you are already in pain and straining. Then you want to take more pain meds and get backed up even more. Vicious cycle. So don't hesitate to take something gentle like docusate sodium and/or senna. They work different ways so you can take both at the same time. I got good at this when I was oncology nurse and my patients got stopped up all the time with the pain meds they were on.

You are going to great, Glen! You are doing so well preparing for it. I have a feeling the worst for you isn't going to be the pain. For you, it is going to drive you mad that you can't do things for yourself. Remember it is only temporary.

As for nurse gifts, do NOT give See's candies or cookies. We get that ALL the time and most of us are trying to lose weight and the break room is full of this stuff. Healthy stuff is always refreshing. Coffee gift cards are good, even if they are only for $5. We are coffee addicts.

But to tell you honestly, a nice card written to the staff is always the best. And always fill out those evaluation cards or "stars" or whatever little thing they use whenever somebody goes above and beyond. Those go a long way in yearly evaluations and my hospital would give the employee prizes dependent on how many you got from different patients. Be specific. Name people. Say exactly what they did. And don't forget the night shift. They always were forgotten. That stuff means a heck of a lot more than a tub of cookies from Costco.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by tweezers74

All very good advice. Reinforcing the "keep the bowels moving" thing. Not fun if you are already in pain and straining. Then you want to take more pain meds and get backed up even more. Vicious cycle. So don't hesitate to take something gentle like docusate sodium and/or senna. They work different ways so you can take both at the same time. I got good at this when I was oncology nurse and my patients got stopped up all the time with the pain meds they were on.

Good advice to all.
Don't be ashamed of natural systems(maintenance) which make you, the patient, better.
And thank the person caring for you. It's never easy.

[MFAFF]

As Tweezers said I think your greatest challenge will be mental.

My GF had two hip replacements in her 30s...and I was there to help. The most challenging aspect was the balance between her perception of 'being strong and not being a burden' and the harsh reality that for a while she was handicapped and dependent.

Your approach to the enforced time 'off' is crucial...perhaps view this as a great opportunity to watch a load of films you have not had the opportunity to watch, or read books, or write....and enjoy the freedom from daily household tasks. It does not last forever....Enjoy the help offered for simple things, like putting socks on and so forth...those people care about you, and their desire to help is a positive, not necessarily a sign of 'oh he can't do it'.

The acceptance of this temporary state by both you and your wife is essential....it will affect your lives for a while and dealing with that change is tough.

[GH85Carrera]

Thats for the input. Those last few posts were helpful. I will got get a fistful of $5 and $10 cards from Starbucks. That is the only reason I ever go into Starbucks is for a gift card.

[9dreizig]

Having had two knees and a hip (2x).. here's my advice..

1) have someone drop you off and leave you alone (percocets and nurses are all you'll need for a few days).
2) don't be in a hurry to lose the catheter,, enjoy the drugs and not having to get out of bed
3) the first week sucks but it gets better everyday.. do your PT and listen to the doc... hips are actually a pretty easy operation to recover from.
4) stay AHEAD of the drugs,, nurses will forget to give you meds,, I always start ringing the call button about 30 min before they are due.
5) don't worry about the socks,, you'll be in flip flops until you're basically recovered.. I put ski boots on 7 weeks after my hip replacement
6) go with crutches MUCH easier than a walker and then transition to the cane
7) most hospitals have wifi so take your laptop
Good luck!!!

[vash]

that small gift idea is brilliant!! i should stock up on some for the wife..flu season. i become a whiney beotch..hahah

when does this event happen? missed it.

the advice got really good at the end.

[dennis in se pa]

If the pain meds don't work vodka will. Several surgeries has taught me that.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by dennis in se pa

If the pain meds don't work vodka will. Several surgeries has taught me that.

Or even better... "pain meds WITH vodka!" have always worked for me in the past!

[GH85Carrera]

For the folks that care...

Hip replacement is done. I am home recuperating. The operation was Tuesday the 14th. Everything seemed to go ok so I went home on Friday the 17th. A few hours later my leg started to swell and HURT and I had a fever of 101.3. We went back to the ER just 8 hours after leaving the hospital. They finally admired me at 4:00 am back into the same room I had been in. Sunday morning they opened the OR just for me. They took me right from my room to the OR. I got to see the machines and the lights. After recovery they tell me they found a heamatoma away from the joint. It seems I was sensitive to the blood thinner they used to prevent clots. All of the tests looking for a possible infection were negative.

The healing is going well. I am getting good at using the grabber. I am happy to report I did not need to use the bottom buddy. and I hope to dump the walker real soon. I have made a few trips to the bathroom with just a cane.
I am down to 1/2 the pain meds prescribed. I want to get off of them ASAP.

[9dreizig]

Glad to hear it Glenn!! Are you not going to transition to crutches ? I always find them easier

[Joeaksa]

Glad to hear you are back home and doing ok. Now do nothing for a while until the Docs say its time to move around again!

[GH85Carrera]

3 weeks to the day of the operation I am back at work. Walking with no cane or crutches or walker. I still have a limp from the sore muscles and the incision. I am down to one 325 MG Tylenol ever 12 hours or so.

The old hip pain is gone, and the new pain is just 10% of that old pain.

It was a rough 10 days but that is over.

[Evans, Marv]

Just saw my cousin & his wife at his business. She had just gotten back from her Dr. appointment to check on the hip she had replaced a month ago. She got the other one replaced two years ago. Said she couldn't be happier.

[GH85Carrera]

I wanted to have an update on this thread. It has been over a year and the hip replacement was one of the best things I have done in my life. 100% of the pain is gone.

I forget about it entirely except for when I step out of the shower and see my big scar. My career as a speedo model is ruined because of the scar but that career was not going anywhere anyway.

Within a few months of the operation I was back mowing the yard and not even thinking about my hip.

I was stupid to wait as long as I did. I suffered for several years just because I was not ready to have surgery. If the other hip starts hurting I will get it replaced way sooner.

If you are limping because of a bad hip stop being stubborn and get it replaced.

[9dreizig]

Yup!!! same thing I used to say !!
FYI,, was at the gym yesterday did 4 sets of squats 10x 225 lbs.. good as new (and this is the second one ,, wore the first one out after 13 years!!) ,
Ain't technology great ?????

[livi]

Brilliant, Glen!