Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Major Surgery- Hip Surgery

It's been a long time since I sat down and wrote something on this blog.  I decided to sit today and write something I thought would be informative.  Also something I wish I had available when I needed to read about this information.

For the past several years I've been in pain.  I have arthritis and have had it for years.  I was first diagnosed when I was 9 years old.  I had learned to live with pain and how to manage the daily pain.

I had gone to several Doctors and I was given all sorts of pain pills. They only put a band aid on the pain, but as soon as the medicine was used up in my body the pain would rear it's head again.

This went on for years.  I would get some kind of analgesic to take the edge off the pain and I would be able to continue.  It was a vicious circle.  After one particular day I looked in the mirror and said, "Is this what the rest of my life will be? The constant pain and never being able to have a full productive life?'  My Grandfather had Rheumatoid arthritis at a time when there was nothing that could be done to alleviate the pain...He finally couldn't take it any longer and took his own life...  That's how bad the pain of arthritis can be.  It takes all rational thought from your brain and leaves you with thoughts on how to eliminate the pain in any way you can think of...I get it..

Finally I decided to take this pain in hand and see what was going on inside of my body,  I had x-rays and Ultra sounds but they didn't really show anything definitive...

The orthopedic Doctor I've gone to for other ailments said, "Let's try some cortisone..." I was willing to do that with no questions.  I've had cortisone in the past and been very successful with it.  It's another band aid but it gets rid of the pain, for a time.  The shot was prepared and the Doc took the needle and put it into the spot that was killing me.  The pain was gone, for an hour, I left the office very discouraged,

Two weeks later I decided to go back.  I walked into the office (limped into the office) and bared my soul to the Doc ,   I couldn't stand the pain any longer and was willing to have my leg amputated if that's what was needed to do.

Another x-ray was taken and the results of the picture showed my hip was in terrible condition.  There was no longer any buffer between the femur and the hip joint.  I wasn't just bone on bone, but bone on nerves.

It was more than obvious my hip needed to be replaced...

My thought was about the "appliance" which would be put in where my own bone had been.  Would it be as good as the one I was born with? Would I walk with a limp?  Once the surgery was done there was no going back.  Once my bones were in the garbage, there was no way they could go back in place.  I had to think about this a bit.

I had some time to think about all this because we were in the middle of the Covid 19 Pandemic.  No elective surgeries were being performed.  The hospitals were filled with people trying to survive this plague.

I thought no big deal, something other than myself was making the choices for me.  I knew this had to be done since the pain was restricting my daily life.  I was not having the quality of life I thought I should have. I was also miserable.  My whole demeanor was different. The pain was making me crazy.

I lasted about three weeks in pain that was escalating by the hour.  I was nasty and very volatile at this time.  I knew it was all about the pain but I honestly couldn't take any more pain meds.  I hadn't taken opioids at this time because I knew it would be disastrous for me. I am not a good opioid med patient.  They cause me terrible side affects. They're just not worth it, however I was getting to the point of possibly taking them to get rid of this ongoing pain.

Finally after several weeks the hospitals were doing elective surgeries.  I called the Doc and said, " sign me up, I'm ready willing and able",

You know these days all these Docs have protocols for every procedure  I was not the exception.  I had to see my PCP, my Cardiologist, my Pulmonologist and have blood work and a Covid 19 test before I could have this surgery.

I spoke to everyone I knew who has this operation. I watched the YouTube procedures ( don't do that...it's like watching a mechanic cutting parts of a car off to replace with new parts that are hammered and sawed into place...no exaggeration.  It's pretty barbaric and bloody).  However, at this point I didn't care, the pain had to be gone.

The day came for the procedure.  I was driven to the hospital by my husband and my daughter, because of the Covid 19 virus they had to kick me out of the car and into the hospital.  No visitors or folks with you.  It was very different from anything I had experienced in the past.

I was wheeled up to Pre Surgery and left in a waiting room, alone.  After a time I was taken into the Surgery area to get set up for the surgery,  Now was the time for me to say goodbye to my 73 year old bones and tell them they had done a pretty good job, but they needed to go away now so I could get relief with a new, younger titanium appliance that would take their place,'

Before I knew it I was on my back in a bed with lots of nurses and anesthesiologists around me.  They were telling me what was about to happen and I wouldn't feel a thing.  The surgeon came in, he said, "ready?".  I said, "I'm as ready and I'll ever be.  Let's get this show on the road".  That's the last thing I remember before waking up in the orthopedic rooms away from the folks who are there for sickness.

I was treated with great care by a nurse Rachel and a CNA Josh.  After a couple hours I asked if I could please get up and walk.  This was really just hours from the time when I was gutted and repaired.  One hour later I was up walking the halls, not long but enough for me to realize that this appliance, I now call "Helga" was indeed going to be my new best friend for probably the rest of my life.

I was given a booklet to read about the procedure and what to expect during my recovery.   The
CNA, Josh said, " That book is old. You have no restrictions.

That was part 1....more later



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