silver coins
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
   "Andrew Gets a New Hip" - a memoir of a total hip replacement
              (This memoir is dedicated to my wife Sandra who helped me throughout this event.)

 

A Disclaimer:
This is my story of the event that I went through. This is not a guide or an advice of any sort for you to copy during your hip replacement event. I am not a medical doctor and I have no qualifications to advise you. You need to consult your doctor and follow his/her recommendations. I do not encourage you to copy or perform any part of what I have written about. This is only a story and as such it should be treated. Read it for your fun.

Also: - scroll to the end if you want to know about the author or the web etc. Some images are at the end because they are "realistic" and I do not want you to have to look at these while reading.

Preface.
There is a moment when you will decide to undergo a full hip replacement procedure. Your family physician has to refer you to an orthopedic surgeon in order for your insurance to cover the surgical procedure. You will need to find an orthopedic surgeon and schedule a visit with him/her.
(For those of you who do not understand the blood test procedure, you may have noticed that when you gibe blood, the nurse is using 2 or 3

There will be two parallel pathes happening simultaneously. First will be with your family doctor who will see you a minimum of 3 times. First time is to refer you to an orthopedic surgeon, second time to meet with you prior to your surgery and third time to see you after the surgery. You will find that it can be beneficial to you at the end.

Save Money tip: - Your surgeon will require a specific blood test just prior to the surgery. For each part of the blood test there are individual Codes that the insurance company uses to either cover or not cover the expense. Your surgeon does not know the specific codes that you family practitioner knows better and uses these more frequently. Your surgeon will permit you to take a blood test at your family practitioner’s clinic. Choose this option and prior to giving blood, review the codes with your doctor. Your doctor will forward the results to your surgeon to “clear” you for a surgery.
 (For those of you who want to understand better a procedure that take place during the blood test here are some insights. You noticed that when you give blood, the nurse will use 3 to 5 separate vials to fill them with the blood. It is because each of these vials will be tested for a different thing. One can tell you about your cholesterol level and the blood count and another vial may be specifically tested for your liver functions or for your sugar levels to see if you are not prone to diabetes. Each of these tests has a unique "Code". Your insurance may not include coverage for some specific tests. Your doctor will help you there.)

Second parallel path will be with your orthopedic surgeon. You will see him/his office 5 times. These will be (initial visit, surgery, 2 weeks after the surgery, 6 weeks after the surgery and finally 3 months after the surgery). Of course, your schedule may vary.

Note – Through this memoir I will use numbers instead of spelling of the numbers for clarity – It will be easier for your brain to clearly see 3,5 etc. I will say 3 visits instead of three visits – that would be more grammatically correct.

All surgery related medications will be prescribed by the surgeon office. All non-operation medication like muscle pain etc. will require a visit to your family practitioner.

Relationship Saving Tip – In my life I witnessed three people regaining conscious after the anesthesia. They behaved and talk simply speaking – not up to par. They were not themselves for quite a few minutes after they started to talk. They did not control the situation and whatever was coming out was like the crazy dream that you do not understand how your mind could create. The day before the surgery I discussed this phenomenon with my wife and specifically apologized in case if I were t behave poorly and not like the Andrew she knows. Three days later my wife pointed that when she entered the recovery area, the first look that I gave her was so cold and hateful that it shocked her and undermined her belief if I still loved her. Well – kill me. Yes, I must have been angry to have to go and be cut and all of this for nothing. Couldn’t I just have a good hip for life instead? Talk to your love one that until you are in full control, you are a poltergeist.

 

 

 

   Wednesday, 3/6/2024  Day-0

 

 

 

 

  

We locked the house up and walked to the largest vehicle we owned. It was 4 AM and we did not sleep for 15 hours by now. I stop eating at 6PM and stop drinking fluids at midnight (as requested). The “walker” was stationed next to the entry door and the “cold pack” was wrapped in a towel inside the freezer. The bed had extra head-rest pillow for me and a pillow for under my leg was placed on the bed. We knew, we will be back at 3-4PM the same day.

On the way to the Hospital, we talked about politics, gossip and everything else but the hip replacement itself. We already decided to do it so there was no need to keep scarring ourselves further more. It was an outpatient surgery. We were in Conway Baptist at 5 AM and thirty minutes ahead. The registration nurse checked me in and at 7AM my name was called-out.

The nurse asked me if I want to step into the bathroom before the procedure. My wife was asked to go to a waiting room, where color coded steps of my journey were displayed. (preparing-green, in surgery-pink, in recovery-orange etc.) She was told that she will see me prior to the surgery. I on the other hand was directed to a space behind a large curtain with a bed and a computer station.

The nurse asked 50 questions and gave me a large bag to put all of my clothes in it and wear a gown with the opening toward the back. I was supposed to lie down on the bed under a cover and some corrugated plastic wrap with warm air being blown trough it from a bower located at the end of my bed. I felt naked and weird but warm and cozy. After the nurse returned and placed hospital socks on my feet, she brought my wife to the space. At home I was uninformed and worried as to what clothes to dress in going to the hospital. At the end the only important item was to have loose large pants that will be easy to dress back into. The rest is as you like.

The nurse left and a young anesthesiologist showed-up and asked additional 30 questions. He was most interested in the blood pressure, smoking, drinking and family history of problems. At the end he asked the nurse to place the iv (Intravenous Rehydration) and give me a relaxant (via iv) to make me less nervous. Although I was calm, I was not able to control subconscious stress that resulted in my blood pressure being 160 over 80. The calming ivy was admitted in pursue to lower that number to 140. All of the above took maybe 30 minutes.

Finally, my surgeon doctor and his assistant entered. He was upbeat, asked me what leg are we operating on and sub sequentially placed a large pen signature on my left leg above the knee (photo here). Then he asked if I agree to do the procedure and if I have any questions.
Here is an important moment. - You will not see your doctor for weeks. This was the time to review once again post operation pain pills management to be absolutely clear. We reviewed “Hip Book” (that you will have with you) list of medications and agreed what pain medication to call for in case that the refills are needed. Normally surgeon’s assistant is the point of contact for medication issues. The dedicated nurse (in the Hip Book) is an administrator and does not get involved in the medication issuance. She can only bring a message to the doctor while doctor’s assistant has the power to issue the medication.

From here the events picked-up speed. The curtain opened and a swarm of young nurses surrounded me. I got a kiss from my wife and my bed begin energetic travel through the corridors. Although I was traveling feet first, before the surgery room, they turned me around and I entered the room head fist. I did not see much of the room, just maybe a wall and a large lamp. I could have been half out by the ivy relaxant because I felt like having been in a tube vision. The staff asked me to move (on my own) to a next to me bed and I did move with a bit of help. More mature nurse or a female doctor leaned toward my ear and told me in a soft voice: “you will taste a strange smelling air and that is normal – all will, be good”. She applied a breezing mask and surely, I did taste a strange moldy substance on my second breath. My conscious took my eyes from the ceiling tile to analyze the strange taste and the next thing I remember is that I was talking and talking and talking about some tv show while the nurse was walking around the room and completely ignoring me. While I was still talking this nonsense, I got a kiss from my wife. She was very happy that all went well and that I was back. There was no pain of any sort and within few minutes my wife started to dress me behind the curtain. Everyone was gone. When we finished dressing up, I was placed on a wheelchair and we began our travel toward the hospital’s exit. While the nurse and I were waiting outside the hospital, my wife brought the car and in no time, I was sitting comfortably inside the car. There was no pain, no fear, no emotions. We began our trip back home. I know I was there, but I am not sure if I was there -100%.

Before going home, we were to pick the pain medicine from Walgreens. When we arrived, the clerk requested 20 minutes wait as the order was not filled yet. We were totally tired and decided that my wife will return the next day for pickup. We made a mistake and should have call the pharmacy to fill our prescription as soon as we exited the hospital. This way when we would arrive at Walgreens 40 minutes later the medication would be waiting for us instead of us having to wait for the medications for 20 minutes. We drove home because I still had two pills of the same medication at home and we were seriously tired from the lack of sleep. The reason that I had to get medications that day should not happen to you. In my case I used the wrong medication prior to the surgery. I ate all the best painkillers that I was supposed to take after the surgery. It was a mistake that got identified by the doctor when reviewing the medication list minutes before the surgery. You have read about this med review above.

Transfer from the Car to the House The plan of my transfer from the car to the house was well prepared. The door of the car was 4 feet away from the balustrade of 5 porch steps. My wife slowly turned me 90 degree and I slid down with the good leg first. The hip leg followed and we tip toped forward to the stairs. Here we took a pause and one step at a time we were upstairs.

Here is a good place to explain to you that although you did not drink fluids since the midnight, the iv that the hospital attached to your system pumped you with probable over a gallon of liquids. I was helped to the restroom 4 times during the first night. I was dumb-found as to where from all that water was coming from. It was the from the IV (Intravenous Rehydration).

Now back to the transfer to the house - With the right hand on the rail and the left hand on my wife’s shoulder we started our climb. Good leg up followed by the bad leg five times. At the top I was handed a walker and slowly made my way to the inside of the house. No pain was endured as I was heavily sedated from the procedure. My head was not badly spinning but I was very conservative and slow in my movement.

In the car I was sitting in a position of almost 90 degrees between my torso and my thigh with the leg pointing slightly forward. There was no pain and no danger for the hip dislocation. It was very comfortable and felt almost normal. When I made to the insight of the house, we positioned me back on the bed on top of the bedspread. My wife took my hip leg and elevated it to lay down on a large pillow under my thigh and elevated my head a bit upward. I had -0-zero ability to lift my leg upward. This muscle that helps move your leg forward is the 99% of your temporary disability.
She brought a large cold pack and set it on the bed leaning on my hip area. I was in that position for a good half an hour when my wife took care of the car repositioning and other needed chores.

In preparation to sleep:
* Clean your hands.
* Ask for help to change all the clothes that you were using in the hospital.
* Ask to have a water bottle within easy reach next to your bed.
* Remove cold pack and try to sleep (both you and your help).

You should not visit the restroom at night on your own. Unfortunately, you will have to go to the toilette 3-5 times that first night, because the iv delivered large amount of water to your system and you also drunk additional water before sleeping. You may not feel it but the anesthesia will keep you disoriented for two to three days. The first day you will be able to notice that everything is floating and spinning. Even if you do not feel this, you are very prone to fall and this is the main event that you will try to prevent throughout the recovery period. >

The main goal is NOT TO fall even one time during the next month.

You will need to do everything in a slow motion to ensure that no mistake happens resulting in a fall. Let me repeat it as this is the only goal that you must achieve. You will not fall even one time during the next two weeks. To achieve this, you will act slowly, think twice before performing any task, concentrate on a fall prevention, and move lethargically to give yourself time to recover or correct an error in progress.

There will be moments that you will feel that you have full control, but remember about the possibility of fainting. In my case during the first day, I have “seen stars” twice in spite that I was sitting on a chair in front of a computer. Suddenly blotches will start appearing and you need to call for your partner to move you to the bed. During the first day I have been 50/50 of the time between sitting and lying position with a cold pack while on the bed. I walked being held by my wife and using the walker 3-4 times that day and the total distance I covered was 40 feet. Although nothing was hurting, I felt fragile and week.
One element that you probably will agree with me is that the level of pain during the first day was little to nothing. This is considering that you will be taking all the prescribed medications (without exceptions). There is enough pain medication and residual medication from the operation that should keep you just pain-free. Because of this lack of pain, you may mistakenly think that you are if full control and that you are resilient. This may cause lowering of you guard and becoming vulnerable to an accident resulting in a fall. That fall of course is that tragic moment when you may dislocate the hip and end-up back in a hospital.

I do not know how much time I need to spend trying to bring to your attention this simple fact. No matter how good you are, how well you feel, you must change for the time period of your recovery and become slow and always thinking about the prevention of falling. You are annoyed by my preaching now, but I made a mistake and did not fall only because I was lucky. What would be if the lack was not there for me. I was sure all is good and pushed too far, losing balance – but there was a sofa to lean on fortunately for me. The goal is not to ever fall and other than that, you will be a new person in 8 days (for me) or at the most a few weeks

Coming back to the main subject, you will visit the restroom many times the first night. Wake-up your helper and turn on the light. Do not attempt to maneuver in the dark. Your helper will aid you in sitting on the toilette or the erected chair. I know that the low type of the bowl is too low to sit on but if you have a higher type (most seniors replace low bowls with the higher type for ease of use) that high type is high enough that I could sit on. First, I used an elevated chair but I did not like it and then I experienced that my regular high type toilette was just fine for me.
To sit on the toilette, I needed the help of my wife. You will need to work with your help to sit on the toilette elevated seat. Do not attempt to do it alone. Ask the helper to pull the pants all the way down. If you are a woman, it may be easier but for man the thigh is swollen and there is a sizable bandage dressing in a way. You will have a hard time to find it - I guarantee. After I re-positioned myself on the seat to my satisfaction, I ask my wife to give me 5 minutes (she left the area).
It will take a long time of 5 minutes or more. Be patient because one of the medications that you were taking prior and will be taking through the next two weeks was directly affecting the prostate (for a man) and since I am a man I have no idea what it would be like for a woman. That medication will cause this effect. It is not a big problem and you will see on your own how your specific case progresses

Ask you helper to aid in standing back up and within 2 tries you will know the best fit how to sit down do the entire operation. This will be probable your first test to entrust yourself that dislocating a hip is not going to be that easy. If you position yourself a bit wrong, the level of pain will increase and you will back out of that position. That is why you should do everything slowly, so that you can go back and try a different way. Remember what everyone was saying – you will be guided by your pain level to find what is good and what is wrong to do.
To close this paragraph, I do not have to repeat myself, that I was not in any pain during that evolution. Just to make sure that you understand – you cannot be alone the first night and you must have a helper to be with you.

The cold pack comprises of a gallon size Ziploc bag, ice and a light towel. Your post-surgery hip area dressing (bandage) will be quite large and thick. When you will place a cold pack and press it against the side of your leg, it may take one hour before you will feel any sensation of cold. There will be enough insulation to allow you to take 30-minute naps (and you will take 10+ in the next 2 days) with the cold pack attached to your hip area. I did not put any cold pack on top of my thigh mainly because it hurt there. The cut is more toward the top of your thigh and that area is sensitive. Keep your cold pack attached to the side of your leg while lying on your back.

 

And now let us talk about the sleeping position. I do not like to sleep on my back and never did that before. This time you will have no choice but to assume sub-sitting position with your head a little higher than normal. Your hip leg will be propped by a pillow. One end of the pillow will touch your buttock and your hill will touch the bed or will be at the end of the pillow. If you can sleep in a different position that first night, then you are a genius. All that discussion of placing pillows and sleeping on the side are dreams of the Media influencers who never had a hip replacement and now become experts in the field. I will stop here. With time you will work-out your best position. I advise you to follow your doctor’s recommendations. (It was day 12 when I decided to place the pillow between my legs and sleep on the good led on the side. Maybe I should have tried sooner, maybe you can.)

 

  

 

You would think that after not slipping for 36 hours one would fall asleep like a stone. That is not true for all. For both of us the trauma of the day made our minds not prone to quick relaxation and instead of getting to sleep immediately both of us struggled to get there. In result we slept maybe 2-3 hours that night.

Early in the morning, when having time to think about my body while lying in bed, first I realized that I went through a trauma. When I was going through it, all was good and I could not evaluate the scope-of and feel many details. Now, I could concentrate on my leg and feel on my left leg quite a large or small pillow-like bandage. This large contraption was attached to my body with many 3-inch strips of tape. It felt actually convincing and let me have a feeling of some sort of security. It was thick and protected me well from the outside elements. I tried to rise my leg and immediately got a warning shot of an intense pain. When the leg was down, no pain was present whatsoever. Otherwise, everything seemed to be normal with the exception of having a Michelin tire looking like leg.

Surprisingly when my wife helped to sit and then to walk, I was amazed that with all that cutting and leg parts replacement I not only could walk but I could walk without feeling any pain. Obviously, you realize that it was one step at a time.
Initially, when sitting on the bed my wife brought me a pair of sleepers to wear. She placed one in front of my foot but I was not able to move my foot forward at all. Only one inch was needed and I could not move my foot one inch forward. While walking toward the living room, the hip leg did not want to go forward easy but with a little persuasion it would move. As I started to walk, immediately I began searching for any feeling of the actual hip but I could not fell absolutely where it was.

Before the surgery when I would step on that leg the hip leg would cause a pain to the hip joint and suddenly now, I was walking and I do not even know where that hip is and nothing is hurting.
It was a weird moment – I must be a bionic robot now. 

Be careful the first day. It is different than any other day that will follow. It is mainly due to the anesthesia still having hold of you and apparently the painkillers from the surgery are still quite active. This also caused a feeling that all the world  spinning while I felt an extreme weakness.
I would watch TV for an hour, and then take maybe 10 steps forward (with the use of a walker). After turning around I even doubt that I had enough strength to return 10 steps back. After the walk I lost the strength and I wanted to go to lie down and rest. My wife would bring a cold pack and I would fall into an hour-long nap. This TV, walking, napping routine would repeat maybe 5 times before I sat down in the armchair and had a Progresso soup on the TV tray. Progresso soup is like a Whopper when the smell stays with you for ten hours.


I did not use leg lifter that day because my wife was lifting my leg up and down for me as needed. On the way down she always reminded me that it is ok to bend my knee. It was not operated on and yet I felt that I had to keep my leg in an elongated position. It was kind if funny that I was having such a trouble to bend the knee.
Although I did not try it, the leg lifter would most likely work on a first day if you had to use it. The fragility of my body was significant and I was fortunate to have help in raising and lowering the leg without the use of the leg lifter. If you count how many times that night and day the leg had to be lifted-up and lowered-down, no doubt that my wife was totally exhausted.

The second night was better and we slept 6 - 7 hours interrupted by 5 restroom visits. In spite that we were turning the restroom light on and off each time, we were having no problem to fall asleep again.

 

 

 

 

 

The morning today was totally different. When we woke up, both of us declared a Victory – we made it. It was a pleasant feeling to be safe and warm. There was however, a problem with my chest still hurting just like yesterday. It was clear to me yesterday that the cause of that pain was as a result of a breathing tube being admitted during the surgery into my throat.  The pain dud not subsided and the frequent coughing and the throat pain persisted again today. The chest and the throat were hearting as if I had bronchitis or a flue. We knew that it was a result of the tissue damage from the breathing tube that was inserted into my lungs during the surgical procedure. The pain was noticeable forcing me to cough regularly for the entire two days now.

The other concern was that it was day 3 that I did not have a serious visit to the restroom. To make it more interesting, I could not feel the muscles that are naturally used to move the bow. I was trying to pretend that I want to use these muscles but I could not feel these nor could I find them and where they are located. Well, I did not eat that much after all, however, I decided to help myself with proven methods. A natural ingredient would be fat like from a bowl of ice-cream that I had followed this by a big glass of the Metamucil dissolved in water. It actually tastes nice. Nothing happened that day in that arena as if my body ignored my efforts entirely.

After the Progresso soup fiasco, we decided that I will be able to eat a regular dinner sitting at the table with my leg stretched forward. It worked well and it was my first dinner that I eat kind of in a sidewise position.
Please remember to take all the medications prescribed. You will be overwhelmed as to how many and how often you will intake them. It is good to have food in your stomach to reduce unwanted effects.  During normal times I am quite against ingesting of any aspirin of other supplements or pills. This time I am following the requirements of my doctor and I am taking all the required pills mainly to prevent an infection and the blood clots. 

The day was spent on walking and some computer work, napping, movies, walking and mapping again. The overall attitude greatly improved and first general assessment of the hip replacement surgery was being formulated in my mind. I concluded that it was not such a tragic evolution as we anticipated. In other words, if that was the worse time (the last two days), it is manageable and almost surprisingly a small tragedy. It is for sure not worthy to be classified as a Major Surgery. I would de-classify it to a big surgery level.

I know that I am being foolish here, but what I want to convey to the reader is that the post-surgery conditions were manageable. I know that the doctor who performed my surgery was a good surgeon because 5 years ago, he also performed a full knee replacement on my wife’s knee. Today she can bend the leg like a ballerina posing for a “Swan Lake” photo-opt with a 180-degree bend.

 Today, the world spinning around sensation was a bit lesser but the clear instability that I was feeling was still there. A great caution should be taken to prevent a fall. I was walking a lot and increased the time working on the computer. The number of naps decreased but still I had maybe 4 naps that day.

In bed I began using my foot lifter after I negotiated with my wife that I will be careful to visit the restroom alone on my own during this third incoming night. I went maybe 3 times and slowly developed better skill of using a leg lifter. I also perfected the lowering myself on the toilette bowl. I am not going to describe the exact techniques here because of the liability issues. You need to work on this evolution that is after all fairly simple and for sure doable. Being the night 3, you will most likely not need an assistance to lower yourself on the bowl. You will also discover that you can reach for your pants even if you drop them all the way to the bottom. When I was in the restroom I always was holding to the vanity or other objects such that at any time I was not free standing and to have to rely on my own balance. Do not relay on your balance (at any time) because you are still under the influence of the anesthesia from the surgery and you are fooling yourself that you are stable.

 

 

 

 

Day 3 and again no major visit to the restroom was noted. This is enough, and I have to take action into my own hands using more drastic measures to achieve the needed result.
I delegated my wife to buy a bottle of Prune Juice. When I was young, I had this ritual to cleanse my system twice a year. This prune juice was being sold in half-gallon jugs back then before "shrink-flation". I normally would use more than a half of the jug starting about at 10AM. By the evening, it would learn a lesson to take it easy the next time. With time I would however, forget this lesson.

My attack began with a glass of the Prune Juice, followed by a glass of Metamucil. A few hours later, I consumed two pills of stool softener. Short story, I failed again but some movement took place indicating a promising future. For a while I was really concerned about this issue. I knew that taking painkillers and other pills will result in a significant backlog that may be painful to get read of. At the end I was not successful on day 3.

Surprisingly, being a Saturday, my primary nurse called to check on my progress. She was mainly concerned if I was following the advice to take all the prescribed medications. We also touched on my restroom backup and apparently, this issue was prevalent and observed by many patients. I described the actions that I was taking and she assured me that the situation will resolve itself shortly.

I also had a chance to discuss with her my prolonged cough and my chest pain. This pain is observed by all the patients because the tube that is inserted into my lungs during the procedure damages delicate liner of the throat. The pain should stop within a short period of time. Sometimes for some patients it may take a bit longer.

As to the dizziness, she strongly advised me to use a walker at all times and to help reduce the dizziness, I was advised to drink as much water as possible. The liquid would flush out the chemicals from my blood stream faster.

In spite that I have a wheeled walker, the nurse insisted that I will continue using the standard walker. While using the standard walker, the sick leg is being extended first and the good leg follows. The walker then goes forward and the sick leg goes first again. The use of wheeled walker was not acceptable until the first post surgery visit would take place when I will be evaluated and permitted to use a cane or the wheeled walker.

 

 

 
 
 
 

 

Each of us "grown-ups" has a set of pills that we take daily. During the last three days I was so focused on my fragile state that a thought of taking my regular medication did not cross my mind. The mass quantity of pills that I was required to take daily seamed to be enough not to challenge my body with any additional substances. Today however, I started to evaluate the use of some of my three medications that I normally take. At the end of the day I decided not to take any pills until I will stop taking the antibiotic that was due to end a few days ahead. I suggest that you discuss this issue with your surgeon doctor during the upcoming stitches removal visit. Until then you may want to upstain or at least communicate this issue with you family physician.

If I had to assign a title to each day of my recovery, today would be called "The end of the blockade". My persistence with drinking some prune juice and a glass of water with dissolved capsule of Metamucil paid off.

The more interesting part of the day was my first shower. Yes it has been now almost 5 days since I took the last shower. During the past few days my activities were greatly reduced and limited to sitting and briefly walking. Officially we are still in a winter time and the outside temperatures are lower thus preventing any temperature induced sweating. Regardless, there was no reason to rush. I actually was feeling protected by this large pillow-like bandage on the side of my leg. I almost liked it. Apparently this oversized package was truly placed there for protection. According to my wife, there was a separate and waterproof dressing under it, and it was self standing/sufficient and not a part of the external package.

It is true, what we have discovered during the preparations for taking the shower. The external bandage was totally separate from a longitudinal bandage covering the cut.
During the last four days the small hole opened at my inside joint between the leg and my torso. We started to pull gently starting from there the huge tape bundle and it started to hurt while each and every hair was being pulled out of my body. My wife suggested that we pull this all in a one quick jerk, but I was concerned that the bandage could have almost bonded with my skin and we will make a big skin loss and create a wound that I was not wanting to deal with. I asked her to pull slowly. (See attached photo of the scares on my skin and the points of the lost hair).
As she pulled the bandage off, I was almost screaming. We did it a scream-at-a-time and eventually a huge piece of bandage and waded hygiene gaze was dangling from my wife's hand. When we looked at the wound, it is true, that there was a separate and well attached a longitudinal bandage and gaze one-piece-item. My entire wound was covered. The surprise was that the cup was on top of my thigh and not on the side like I imagined before.

I am writing these details to let you know that you can help yourself by shaving a lot of hair from the entire hip area prior to the surgery. You will spare yourself an uncomfortable pain while removing the external bandage package. That package was so large that I even did not consider taking shower with it attached. And again, we were told that there is a waterproof bandage undernice and before taking shower we need to remove the external bandage.

To take a shower was not that difficult of an operation for us because we have a walk-in shower. If you do not have one, your helper can stand outside the curtain and hold you with one hand while you shower. I did not want to make the bandage wet and first I washed well my head twice while bending and protecting the rest of my body to remain dry. Then I washed the right side and by bringing water with my hand I barely washer the left underarm. That was enough for that first shower.

I advice you not to close your eyes at any time and while having open eyes try to keep control not to fall. The shower will not be perfect but it will have to do for now.
In my case I brought into the shower my toilet seat that has 4 legs and it is quite a sturdy item with the rail on the back side. I turned it back toward me such that that back rail was there for me to grab if needed. It took half of the shower enclosure space but I could grab it at any time to stabilize myself. Maybe you want to bring your walker into a regular bathtub to have an additional means of re-gaining balance if you start loosing it.

Also, a very important part of taking shower is not to rise your feet during the procedure. Do not let slippery soap get under your feet. If that happens you need to move and turn so slow and cautious that it will look almost funny. Minimize any movement of your feet if you can. After you finish, get a towel from your help and while still standing under the shower (with water turned off), dry your upper part there. DO NOT close your eyes while drying your hair. Then slowly turn around and with help stand on the outside rug or towel. Let you help dry the rest of your body and dress you back.

Hurrah - you are done. I took shower every two days until day 12. When we returned from the stitches removal I started to take showers daily.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

During the night I had to get up twice in spite that my water intake was one glass of water between 6PM and 11PM. There was no pain to get up and get back to bed. As previously I slid down with the operated leg first and assumed sitting position and rested for 30 seconds. To help sleeping well, I consumed 50 mg Tramadol pill with a small sip of water.

On the way up back to bed, I continued the use of the leg riser. I did this operation in one decisive swing with no discomfort. My sitting spot was again selected well such that I did not have to adjust upward to assume 10% upward sleeping position and have the pillow for the leg starting at the end of my buttock and supporting the calf of the leg. I also fell asleep quickly after each wakeup. Make sure that you put covers back on you as it initially feels hot without the covers and you will get a misleading idea that you can continue to sleep uncovered – that would be a mistake

While in the restroom, I maintained the procedure of starting the light and at all time I had my hand (or both) holding an object (the vanity countertop) to ensure stability. In spite that I could do better, I moved slowly grasping the vanity and acted as if it was day two. I continued to convince myself to be triple conservative. In the absence of any pain, the only problem could be a fall – and this will not happen for sure. Nobody was there to push me to be faster

My going down on the toilette seat improved as I was sitting deeper in the beginning and did not have to push myself deeper to achieve proper gap between my body and the front of the seat. There was absolutely no pain involved in the process. At the same time, I felt the swelling on the entire upper portion of my leg.

I slept almost 11 hours this time. When getting up I was week and unstable. There was some level of discomfort and a little concentrated pain above both leg knees and on the top side of the replaced hip. That second pain disappeared after a few steps with the aid of a walker.

Once I ate and took my four pills and a painkiller I sat in front of my computer and began my regular work with absolutely no pain. Zero pain. My legs were bent under the desk, I was sitting in an upright position with both of my legs under the desk. I could not lean back on the chair because the bandage on my leg was being stretched and it was annoying, therefore I was sitting upright and from time to time, I would stop working and lean back to rest my abdomen muscles.

Two hours of sitting at the computer brought a slight discomfort manifesting itself in a light sweating and a general feeling of tiredness. I went to bed and requested a cold pack. In a few minutes I was asleep for an hour. After waking up I did exercise performing 10 lower leg bed toward the buttock. The pain in the surgery are was quite obvious cautioning me to be gentle.

Today, must be a “pivot/hump” day because today was the first day when I experienced daily dissatisfaction with the world that I lived in prior to the operation. My fragile state was no more and the reality of bills, politics, wars and horror surrounding all of us returned. I realized that my hip is no longer the only issue in existence.

In the bowel-movement arena, I continued with the last 4 oz of the remaining Prune Juice, followed by 16 oz of water with Metamucil solution and after dinner with two pills for stool softener. This time results arrived at 7:30 PM. I have to admit that I must have reached the bottom of my intestine route and was basically current. A small gut pain was telling me that my war with “Number-2” is over and should be placed on the back burner.
Actually, I continue to cough as the remainder of injury from the breathing tube remain.

I have absolutely no pain in my leg, and the leg is less swollen. Although I can easily walk without the walker (for maybe 5 yards tip toping), I want to listen to the advice to use the walker for the entire prescribed period that is to be to the next doctor’s visit for remove of stitches.

But in general, I want to state that day 6 is the pivotal day when you can and most likely will stop crying about yourself and your peculiar position that you have been forced into.

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

The night was peaceful with two visits to the restroom. I was somehow angry and exhausted as it seemed that no progress was being made. It took a painkiller in the morning and an hour later my spirit improved. The swelling of the leg decreased a bit and most of the discomfort was located just above the knee It also feels as if my operated leg is longer a bit then the other one. I am convinced that it is due to the swelling and it will even up later.

In general, the day went uneventful however, I still need to lie down every three hours for one hour with the cold pack. It helps improve my spirit and makes me feel stronger.

I did walk 20 yards with applying pressure to the operated leg, pretending that I am walking like a normal person. I asked my wife to walk with me without touching me for security not to suddenly fall. It was a bit hard and uncomfortable to walk like that but it was doable and it felt optimistic that I am just around the corner to get back to normal. I am starting to believe that one day I will be able simple to forget that the hip is artificial and I will be acting as if nothing happened.

The pain level while sitting is at – 0
The pain level while walking is at – 2-3
The bowel movement happened twice today and I drank 16 oz of Metamucil only.
Today was a shaving and shower day.
I sat at the dinner table like a normal person would do.
It is 11PM and my stomach is boiling a bit. Now I must be ahead in “Number-2” schedule. That is good.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

In the morning the swelling was down 20-30% since yesterday. I visible noticed that the space between my this increased significantly and I set on the toilette in a normal spot and did not have to scoot to the back line before to perform the number-1 act.

When walking I also noticed a great improvement as I was able to apply a steady pressure to my leg with half the inconvenient pain (I cannot call it pain as it is rather a bother.
I am still using walker for security of instability if such accrues.

If you are reading my journal in real time meaning that it has been eight days since your surgery, you will know that it is time to stop reading my testimonial. The recovery is successful, the trauma is gone, you can clearly see the light at the end of the tunnel. The only barrier that keeps you from the full recovery is - time. You feel that you really do not need a walker and actually you can walk on your own. But I caution you – be conservative and use walker just to be on the safe side and do not perform any stunts. Think about each step and perform each move slowly and think of what you are doing.

The above was written before the afternoon arrived. Suddenly I lost the endurance and had to spend the rest of the evening around the bed. On top of that I could not sleep at all that night. I was not in pain but no matter what I could not sleep. Even taking a few proven to me pills, did not help. I guess, I better be careful as the conditions are liable to change at any time. At 7AM, I fall asleep for maybe an hour. And here I am writing about it on day 9.

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

My surgeon’s nurse called for the second time today to check on me. The swelling has further gone down and I managed to get myself out of the depressed state around 4PM when I am writing this portion of my journey. I spend the morning eating and lying on the bed. The leg is quiet and other then the size of it all is in order.
I did drink my daily dose of Metamucil and the results arrived quickly.

When talking to the nurse I mentioned that I do not exercise my leg as prescribed or at least not enough.
I do walk a lot and do the feet flips to increase circulation. But when it comes to challenging the muscles that were cut, I have this “theory of mine” to let them first heel before I will attack them. After all, if I want, I can carry the walker above my head and walk applying the same time and pressure to both legs. Of course, inside I scream as it is irritating and a bit painful, but without any help I can walk couple of steps and full the observer to think that I never had a surgery. But that is only for show. In real time I drug the walker like an old man being just lazy.
The nurse did not admonish my lack of exercise at all. Apparently, every person finds her/his way of exercising. Well, since I do not have what my wife calls an “Arkansas Shuffle” meaning dragging the leg behind me, I will wait a few days to begin harder exercises.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

I started to have dreams again and I slept almost 8 hours. It occurred to me that for the last 10 days I am slipping with my leg over the hard pillow and lying on my back in a 10% sitting position. I have learned and accommodated to that new slipping position without actually noticing that. When I wake up each day, I find myself in the same position as I went to sleep and there is absolutely no pain to feel on my entire body.

Before sitting up on the bed, I felt the wound area with my fingerers and concluded that it is still very fragile (raw). When I complaint to my wife that it is to early to remove staples that is coming in 3 days on 3/18/2024, she explained that they have to remove them now or otherwise the body will start growing over the staples covering them and it would be hard to remove them later. Only three days remain to staples removal.

The swelling is down again but the area directly over the cut is extremely sensitive. Nothing is hurting at all but when touched you can feel quickly – “do not touch me”.
Walking really does not require the assistance of a walker. It actually becomes a burden. I keep doing that mainly to satisfy my over-cautious wife.
This morning I did consume a large glass of Metamucil water and within an hour I was a new man again.
I am thinking to carry this ritual to the future and pass the recovery time. I like the results. My nephew is doing this routine for years now after his surgery of the digestive system’s end point area. Post-surgery, it must have hurt bad for him to be that cautious now. There are also no known to him side effect from doing this routine for a prolonged period of time.
When sitting at the computer desk, all is good. I however, decided to gather my copper pennies from various locations in my room and combine these into one box. After 3-4 minutes of work I set down with an excessively fast beating heart. Obviously, the recovery is still in progress and I must take it easy as before.
It is 1 PM now and I will add more in the evening.

The rest of the day went fast because I have been working hard on my 2023 tax return and this memoir at my computer desk. Sometime around 2AM my wife came from the bedroom and admonished me that I did not walk enough and spend all day sitting at my computer. I packed-up my box and politely went to sleep. My leg was up over the pillow but I did not need a cold pack since yesterday or I do not remember since when.

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

The mornings have the routine now. A glass of Metamucil in the morning, breakfast and back to taxes and walking from time to time. I am taking one aspiring to prevent blood clots, and antibiotic and some other pill as prescribed by the doctor.
Only my ankle is swollen but I am prone to gout and most likely it has something to do with that. The rest of the leg is almost back to normal and all the swelling is gone. Only 2 days till my stitches will be removed. I am sitting here and talking to my wound – hill fast, hill fast, they are going to take the stitches and I hope that my cut will not open due to the lack of stitches. I know that it is childish but this is my biggest problem at this time.

The pain in my leg on the scale 0 to 10 is – 0.5 when sitting and maybe 1 when walking.
It has concentrated into a point half way through the bandage length on the outside side of the tight. I can gently touch it but a sensation is strong. There is no reason for me to touch it at all.
The day continues without events. My wife actually allowed me to take a 100-yard trip with my walker to our solar panel bank to re-set the Wi-Fi modem that lost connection with my Enphase monitoring program. Yes, we have a 14KW net-metering solar panel system. Get one – the energy prices will only go up in the future.

I do think a lot about the lack of exercise and that I am supposed to exercise. When I walk, I do feel that I had a surgery but when I move my hip leg it bends and behaves as normal leg. When I try to stand in an artificially straight position, I feel a little pull on the hip muscle but not a painful one. Then I bend the calf backward toward my buttock, it bends without a problem. Then I point the toes forward and move the leg straight up forward. It is a bit uncomfortable but I can do that motion as well. When eating dinner today I paid attention that I was sitting with my torso upward, my thighs were at 95-degree angle such that the calf was placed under my chair. It was a normal sitting position. Of course, there was a little tension that I felt on the hip area because of the bandage restricting the needed expansion, but I did not feel pain in any way.
You need to exercise as prescribed by the doctor. I just wanted to share with you, my situation. Sometime, I think that my active life style before the hip replacement has to do with my easy recovery process. I did however, observed my mother when she was recovering from a hip replacement 10 years ago. She was also not in pain if I remember. The difference was that she was older and she was in a rehab clinic for 2 weeks.
That Metamucil does not cause stomach cramps but surely works well to keep you up to date. I may need to adjust my plans to drink daily a big glass of it. Maybe after this all is done, I will return to a normal cycle where the body will regulate the needs.

Today was a shower day. When preparing, we noticed that the hip leg ankle was swollen and twice as big as the other one. My ankles are chronically swollen because I am prone to gout but this time, the swelling was excessive. The result was the imbalance of time spent in a vertical versus horizontal position of my leg. After shower I took a half an hour rest with the elevated leg by use of a pillow. The swelling went down to prove that for the time being I need to alternate my positions.

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

During the night I had to get up twice in spite that my water intake was one glass of water between 6PM and 11PM. There was no pain to get up and get back to bed. As previously I slid down with the operated leg first and assumed sitting position and rested for 30 seconds. To help sleeping well, I consumed 50 mg Tramadol pill with a small sip of water.

On the way up back to bed, I continued the use of the leg riser. I did this operation in one decisive swing with no discomfort. My sitting spot was again selected well such that I did not have to adjust upward to assume 10% upward sleeping position and have the pillow for the leg starting at the end of my buttock and supporting the calf of the leg.
I also fell asleep quickly after each wakeup. Make sure that you put covers back on you as it initially feels hot without the covers and you will get a misleading idea that you can continue to sleep uncovered – that would be a mistake.

While in the restroom, I maintained the procedure of starting the light and at all time I had my hand (or both) holding an object (the vanity countertop) to ensure stability. In spite that I could do better, I moved slowly grasping the vanity and acted as if it was day two. I continued to convince myself to be triple conservative. In the absence of any pain, the only problem could be a fall – and this will not happen for sure. Nobody was there to push me to be faster.

My going down on the toilette seat improved as I was sitting deeper in the beginning and did not have to push myself deeper to achieve proper gap between my body and the front of the seat. There was absolutely no pain involved in the process. At the same time, I felt the swelling on the entire upper portion of my leg.

I slept almost 11 hours. Most likely the Tramadol kept me doped-up. When getting up I was week and unstable. There was some level of discomfort and a little concentrated pain above both leg knees and on the top side of the replaced hip. That second pain disappeared after a few steps with the aid of a walker.

Once I ate and took my four pills and a painkiller I sat in front of my computer and began my regular work with absolutely no pain. Zero pain. My legs were bent under the desk, I was sitting in an upright position with both of my legs under the desk. I could not lean back on the chair because the bandage on my leg was being stretched and it was annoying, therefore I was sitting upright and from time to time, I would stop working and lean back to rest my abdomen muscles.

Two hours of sitting at the computer brought a slight discomfort manifesting itself in a light sweating and a general feeling of tiredness. I went to bed and requested a cold pack. In a few minutes I was asleep for an hour. After waking up I did exercise performing 10 lower leg bed toward the buttock. The pain in the surgery are was quite obvious cautioning me to be gentle.

Today, must be a “pivot/hump” day because today was the first day when I experienced daily dissatisfaction with the world that I lived in prior to the operation. My fragile state was no more and the reality of bills, politics, wars and horror surrounding all of us returned. I realized that my hip is no longer the only issue in existence.

In the bowel-movement arena, I continued with the last 4 oz of the remaining Prune Juice, followed by 16 oz of water with Metamucil solution and after dinner with two pills for stool softener. This time results arrived at 7:30 PM. I have to admit that I must have reached the bottom of my intestine route and was basically current. A small gut pain was telling me that my war with “Number-2” is over and should be placed on the back burner.
Actually, I continue to cough as the remainder of injury from the breathing tube remain.

I have absolutely no pain in my leg, and the leg is less swollen. Although I can easily walk without the walker (for maybe 5 yards tip toping), I want to listen to the advice to use the walker for the entire prescribed period that is to be to the next doctor’s visit for remove of stitches.

 

 

 

 

During the night when returning from the restroom, I questioned myself as to why do I still use the leg lifter and maybe it is time to end this practice. After all, while watching TV, I rise my leg to the top of the ottoman freely without any leg lifter’s help.
Surely, when returning to bed from the restroom, I just swing both legs in a fairly decisive way and to my surprise the leg did not hurt at all. I repeated that motion again after the second trip to the restroom and again the self-lifting was easy and successful. This new development was performed to my wife when she waked me up. We agreed that the leg lifter use has come to the end.

The leg swelling is practically nonexistent. The pain is nonexistent as well. I clearly feel where the cut is and it is a fragile spot when sitting on the computer chair or when the pajama pants rub against it. It is a negligible pain but rather an irritating one.

It is a long memoir carried through many days, but during all that time I did not even once feel ANY feeling associated with the hip socket. I mean that I never felt the part that is in my hip that is in on my torso part. All feelings were associated with the line of the skin cut and the joint between the artificial bone spike in my vertical bone. There is a definite point where the artificial insert meets the bone. That is the place where the tension was felt throughout the time. This tension has disappeared now and the only irritating part is the longitudinal skin cut line. The bandage covering this cut is tightly adhering to my skin and this sometimes feels as if that bandage was too long or too short while tensioning or folding my skin. Under the bandage, there is a slight each and a feeling of row-ness very sensitive to a touch. When I gently put my hand on it, I can feel warm area with an elevated temperature there under the bandage.

Tomorrow we are going to the doctor t remove stitches, and I am a bit spooked. If the stiches are metal staples, I have seen such stitching method a few times in the past. There will be many, many of them and each will be most likely snipped in half and both ends will be pulled out. That will not be a pleasant experience. I am sure that a new waterproof bandage strip will be re-applied. Why do I worry about this today? Let us wait and see.

Today I feel a definite improvement in my walking and the feeling that I encounter when walking. It sensation has become closer to mimic a normal walking feeling. Of course, it is not done yet, but I am walking with absolute ease. I can sit normally on my computer chair and tuck my legs under the seat.
Today I will rest in a horizontal position a few times during the day to reduce the swelling of the ankles. I will try to make a picture of a swollen ankle.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

Today is the stitches removal day.
This is the first visit after the surgery and the third out of 5 visits that you will have to attend. We had to drive 100 miles to Little Rock and we have just returned home. The procedure of stitches removal was short and I could not tell if the nurse was pulling the staples or not, because I just did not feel anything. Since I was lying in a horizontal position, I could not see her working. To my surprise there will not be a replacement bandage protecting the heeling area. The nurse used some tape (many short pieces) and these will last a few days and will be falling off during the showers. I was expecting to see blood and redness and instead there was just clean skin cut closed and but against each other tightly. We made some images shown in this memoir. The images show stitches, removed stitches view and taped wound view. In addition, a few x-ray images were taken. I will show before and after images in this memoir.
The most interesting part was the discussion with the doctor’s assistant. You will not talk to the doctor during that visit. You will only have x-ray taken, nurse will remove the stitches and the assistant will talk to you. The assistant requested me to demonstrate my walking skills. I can easily walk without the walker or even the cane. He complemented me and evaluated that I am progressing in normal pattern. I was a bit insulted because I thought that I am doing great and deserve an applause. No – I was recovering at the expected pace.


We talked about my medication intake and what additional medications will be needed for the next four weeks until the next visit. The most sobering part of our discussion was when I expressed my opinion that a normal person does not turn the foot outward to the left. This is just not a move that people do – turning suddenly left foot to the left. Such a turn is a “forbidden” movement should not normally be performed in day-to-day scenarios. The assistant demonstrated at least three scenarios when the foot is turned outward and it brought chills to my ego.
I was close to the shown positions a few times in the last two weeks.
In specific the assistant demonstrated a person sitting on the chair and trying to pick-up an object from the floor. The patient slides with the leg forward and as he turns right his foot turn left and -pop- pop- here we go, the hip can pop out of the socket.
Please think about this scenario again and evaluate slowly what is happening in such a scenario.
You are sitting on the chair and a pencil rolls down to the floor on your right side. You decide to pick it up while sitting. There is no reason to stand up. The pencil is there almost at your reach. It is almost at your hand reach but not exactly. You need additional 4 inches to get to it. To accomplish that you slide down the chair a bit and extend you left (sick) leg forward. You will have to extend it forward because otherwise you would have to fold it under the chair and that would hurt your left hip. You choose therefore to extend that left leg forward to lower your body.

Next, you turn your torso to the right and extend your right hand downward to pick the pencil. Your left shoulder is now directly above the middle of your chest and automatically your left leg foot tilts to the left. Analyze this position and you will agree that all stress forces are directed at your left hip and trying to pull to the left direction. The hip ball is being pulled to the opposite side that you are bending into. Your chest goes to the right and your left leg goes to your left. The weakest point is between the hip ball and the ball socket. There is little to keep these two together. This can show you how easy it is to dislocate the hip if you do not pay attention to your positioning.

We asked the assistant if this vulnerability will remain for the rest of my life. He thought that with time (one year or more) the body will develop stronger grip of the artificial connection and the dislocation will not happen that easily. The caution will however, need to be taken forever. The other dangerous position is when the head is placed to the back such that the body creates a bow-like position.
A small movement creates a perfect strain point at the hip and again the hip is free to pop out if you start moving your left foot. Obviously, this all is applicable if the right foot is a sick foot. It all will work the same in a mirror situation. After seeing the scenarios demonstrated by the assistant, I felt almost stupid. From now on I do need to be double careful and observe not to break the forbidden position laws. By the way I encourage you to see YouTube tutorials that tech you what not to do. All of them will show you 5-6 different positions that may result in a hip dislocation.

Save Money Tip – Make sure that the first visit to the surgeon after the surgery and the second follow-up visit thirty days later fall all in a 60-day window from the day of the surgery. During that period the insurance “specialist doctor visit deductible” that normally is $30 each is waived and you do not pay any deductible in that 60-day period. This will be most applicable to the second post operation visit. Count the days and re-schedule (if needed) to a forward day to fall below that 60-day window with that second visit. That second visit will be followed with only one more (last of 5 visits) and will be scheduled for later. Unfortunately, the deductible cost will have to be paid for that last fifth visit. Doctors do not think about this 60-day trick and will schedule you at their random choice. You need to step-in and re-schedule the second visit to save money.

Save Money Tip –When you visit your doctor not only that you have to pay the deductible, but the doctor is getting paid a sizable amount of money from your insurance. What do you get in return? – most often words of advice or a prescription. There are 4 doctor’s visits that you will have to attend after the surgery (3 to the surgeon and 1 to your family doctor). During these 4 visits you will get nothing but many good words of evaluation, the advice and words of encouragement. I always try to apply a” quid pro quo” (a favor or advantage granted or expected in return for something) approach during such visits. The doctor receives a tangible goods like money and you come out from those visits carrying a suck of words. I, for some reason, often keep running low on that great antibiotic while I still having this (bladder infection for example) residual symptoms of an unfinished treatment. The frequency of daily urinations is high and one more refill of that antibiotic would ensure full success.

This brings us to the end of my memoir. I wrote it because prior to the operation, I could not see how will I function after the surgery. I was fearing that I will transition into a disabled old man. I thought that I will be a fragile and incapacitated person. I never feared the pain or the surgery itself. I could not however, find anyone to describe to me what will I be like after the recovery period. Now, when I am here on the other side, I know that I am still the same Andrew, that I will pour concrete again and build my wood projects, mow grass and mend fences. I will have to watch what I am doing of course. However, it all will be in my mind and on the outside, nobody will see or know that I have a new hip. Not only that, I also will have a nice and proven to work bottle of antibiotics to cure my next bladder infection.

I wish you all an easy recovery – at the end - all will be OK.

Andrew


 *  *  *

 

 

 

Thank you for reading my memoir. The day-by-day testimony ended on day 12.
I have added more comments and will add more as the days continue to accumulate. There are some interesting observations that I made during the follow-up days.

Here is the plan for the information flow that you will find below:
 First I will show you the image (a top banner) of my secondary website (this one - www.spring9.com). It is a 20-year old web that I use to write books and sell items like silver directly to a person with who I am communicating with.
Please use email - delisinc2015@gmail.com to contact me.
 DO NOT USE eBay "Contact Seller" unless it is directly associated with "Andrew Gets a New Hip" memoir.  

 
 

 

 

 

 
 Second I will show you images from my memoir with captions.
 Third I will continue my hip story by adding the progress as the days go by.
 Forth - If you want you can buy any equipment to help your hip replacement recovery. Click the items shown on the left margin.
 
 

 

  

 

 

 
 
 
 
    

 

 

 

 
        How to make your own Foot-Lifter(s) for free or for a few dollars at home

 
 
        I purposely did not show you the images how the new replacement hip looks like - It looks likes it has to.

This little saying I adopted from when long time ago I asked a Mercedes Dealer how much does it cost to replace the light in my Mercedes.
He replied - "It will cost as much as it has to".

 

Final day-to-day entry was made on 3/16/2024. Three days later there was a definite change in the type of discomfort. The area from above the knee and up for about 12 inches became quite sensitive. Touching it was not a good option. The sensation was similar to a skin that has been burned by hot water. Even wearing pajamas pants delivered sufficient rub to make the area hurt. That continued to grow for two to three days. The leg become more swollen. The swelling stopped growing on 3/22/2024 and from that point the area was somehow defined. It almost felt as if my body was done with the heeling of the external skin and now the internal heeling began.

I could almost feel the pressure of the bottom of the bone insert meeting the bone, When making a step that point in the bone was hurting a bit. The pain concentrated in almost one spot. There was no pain or any feeling arriving from the hip joint.

The next day the swelling began to go down with the speed noticeable by a naked eye. The sensitive area began also to shrink or at least it has defined it's maximum parameter. Each morning that area was closing toward the center of my bone where the cut was made and the insert placed inside my bone. The area was still very sensitive but I have to admit that the size of that area was shirking daily.
 

The reason I began adding more of my observation today on Friday, is because a new and improved condition arrived. The sensation of burned skin has lessen to the point that I was able to press my skin and feel an internal bump where the swelling still resided. I actually asked my wife to feel the area. She agreed that the swelling exists inside the leg. The ankle swelling is gone.

The toilet seat that I was using for a support during the shower is no longer needed. We removed it from the house to the storage area. I have not been using the cane for a few days now but I always have it if I go to town to the stores. I have not driven a car yet, only a 4-wheeler on the property. When going up or down the stairs I am very slow and maintain the recommended order of "bad leg down, good leg up" routine. My wife asked me if it hurts when I bump the affected hip against the objects? That is one thing I did not do and do not plan to do for a long time. For some reason I am not even remotely interested in bumping into any objects. As to the sleeping arrangements, I still sleep on my good side with a pillow between my legs. I do not want to allow the hip leg to cross the center and hang forward. Each time I attempt to sleep on the hip side, it hurts when I wake up and I can only try to sleep like that in the morning for about an hour before I get up. It still hurts to sleep on the hip side. Today the nurse called third time. I am taking aspirin tablet twice a day only to prevent blood clots. More updates later.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

If the images may have been a bit intense - let's end this memoir on a positive note.

 
 
     
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