Time for Surgery
I’m hours away from the surgery suite. I’ve gone through all the pre-operative exams and tests and all look good.
They use a system here where a physician who specializes in taking care of those in the hospital follows your progress from pre-admission to discharge.
My hospitalist will be there before surgery and later to coordinate pain management and whatever other issues arise.
On the advice of the surgeon, I’ll have an epidural instead of general anesthesia. The epidural will be similar to what many women use for childbirth.
It numbs you from the waist down. The surgeon says an epidural reduces the complications of surgery and reduces blood loss during the hip replacement procedure.
I like the sounds of that.
What I didn’t like was the thought that I’d hear the buzz of the saw and the bang of the hammers as the body carpenters set about their work. But they assure me I’ll be under a light sedative in addition to the epidural and will wake up in recovery remembering nothing.
The Operation
I’ve watched a total hip replacement on the internet and it’s fascinating. It lasts about an hour and twenty minutes. Having seen it from start to finish, I’m convinced orthopedic surgeons are engineers, artists and physicians all rolled into one.
In the beginning, surgeons were concerned with finding materials to replace the human hip that wouldn’t wear out and would function as well as the original joint.
They’ve made such great progress in that regard that now attention is being focused on the operation itself.
Depending on the surgeon and the procedure he or she uses, the incision can vary from three to twelve inches. Recovery can be a matter of days or a matter of weeks.
Some procedures require physical therapy, others don’t.
What To Expect
If all goes as planned, I’ll be in the hospital two nights and released on Friday.
They tell me I’ll be walking on the day of the surgery and will quickly move from walker to cane to needing nothing.
I can’t wait.
You can reach Linda at Linda.Cavanaugh@kfor.com
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My mother went through the same thing, to the point that taking a walk was impossible. Now, at 80, she can wear me out trying to follow her around. After it's done you'll wonder why you waited so long. She says that just being able to sleep seems like a miracle!
ReplyDeleteGood luck and congratulations!
Scott
Linda, you are in my prayers for a speedy recovery! Carol in Anadarko
ReplyDeleteGood luck Linda, as usual, you have certainly done your homework! I am praying for you. Beth in Edmond.
ReplyDeleteLinda, This surgery will probably have you wondering why you waited so long to have it done. My husband and I have you in our prayers for a speedy recovery. Take care..
ReplyDelete~Linda/OKC
Linda,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear of the surgical need but know you will be fine, up and your usual self in no time. Miss you on the news, will be great when you are back. Need our OU fan there to keep Kevin grounded. Best wishes to you and family. Tony/Chickasha
Linda, you have became such a part of our lives. Our prayers and best wishes are with you. God Bless you with a speedy,painless healing. Betty from Yukon
ReplyDeleteLinda, You've been a member of our family for so many years. It isn't the real news unless Linda tells us the news. So Mom and I want to tell you that you are in our prayers and wish you a speedy recovery.
ReplyDeleteTell Kevin to keep us posted on the 10pm newscast. I sure hope that he can behave himself without you there to keep him straight.
Faye (Mom) and Robin from Midwest City
Linda- We are all cheering for you and lifting you up! We can't wait to see your bright cheerful smile coming into our office. Lots of prayers coming your way for a speedy recovery!!!
ReplyDeleteTamara (your favorite CPA) and all the Huntington crew
Would like to know the name of your procedure and doctor to look it up to see what is different with the procedure I will be under going. I am scheduled for hip replacement the end of January. They tell me their will be therapy and probably pretty unconfortable for a few days then back to the job in about a month. I am walking for 8 hours at a time at my work. But I have not heard anything as optimistic as your procedure sounds. Wish you the best.
ReplyDeleteLinda,
ReplyDeleteI had knee surgery on 30 November and I certainly feel your pain - you've been in my home for many years and will be for many more to come. Thoughts and prayers for your speedy recovery. Please tell us the name of your doctor, how you found him/her, and the difference between your procedure and the "usual" total hip replacement.
Sheri / MWC
Wishing you a speedy recovery and we miss seeing you on the news. It just isn't the same without you but you are covered by alot of good people. Hurry and get well so you can come back home. Laura/OKC
ReplyDeleteI had my right hip replaced in August and had my left replaced at the end of December. I am recovering quite well and looking forward to a whole new lifestyle without the pain. Praying for you to have a speedy recovering. Have watched you for years and think you are awesome.
ReplyDeleteFound a very handy device that you might like better than the "cane" in the trunk. In the sports section of Wal-Mart around the exercising and hiking equipment, you will find walking poles. What makes them handy is that the poles collaspe to a length of around 18 - 24 inches for storage and have two kinds of rubber tips for walking on hard surfaces. Plus, when you remove the rubber tip, a metal spike is exposed which will assist you when walking on rough terrain. I bought two and was able to easily hike all over the hilly fields on my grandfather's farm with little fear of falling. (I have a right THR and will soon be facing a THR in the left hip.) It is essentially the theory behind the new exercise, pole walking, but the poles are a whole lot cheaper.
ReplyDeleteThis is so interesting and encouraging to us. Our daughter had the first ceramic on ceramic hips in Oklahoma in 1998 and 1999 during her Junior and Senior years of high school. She has done great...no problems yet at 29. However, someday she will probably need to have them redone. Perhaps by that time, this will be standard procedure. Thanks for sharing your story. Scott and Sue in Yukon
ReplyDeleteI hope everything went well as planned. I could have never imagined how common hip surgery is today. Lots of people have gone through hip replacement, and it's encouraging to read post such as yours. I also had the chance to read an article about Depuy ASR Recall, which is kindda discomforting. Have you heard about this?
ReplyDeleteAgree with all, I would suggest to also check hip replacement surgery video on youtube.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RMJgNat8Vk
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your story, Linda. Looking for comprehensive Knee Care and procedures including Knee Surgery. Visit Knee Pain Treatment Hospital.
ReplyDelete