After the operation was offered a month before the scheduled date we had to give up alcohol for a month. Not a problem. There was pretty much NOTHING I would not do to end the pain.

Then came talk about the actual operation. Firstly, did I give permission for the top of my right femur, that would be cut off in the operation, to be used. I was a bit puzzled and they told me strips would be cut off the bone and used in, especially, facial reconstructions. I gave permission—I would not use it anymore, would I?

There was the question of anesthetic and I was told that being put under by “gas” tended to end with the patient waking up with some nausea and headaches. I agreed to the shot in the spine and was glad I did! No after effects at all.

One other bit of advice I received, if memory is correct the advice came from a brew buddy on the rat chat: “Throw yourself into the physical therapy (physio.) As you will read I did that and I healed rapidly from the operation, then was kept in hospital another day to receive a potassium drip. What a blow!


Next—the operation.



I see I have to make something clear to the bone headed numpty not moderating Environment: this operation took place in 2012. A previous post makes this clear. I wish this total bloody idiot would stay out of my way. Talk about tedious!

This knucklehead really does not have a functioning brain: I mentioned several times in this thread that Mum came to the hospital. Mum, as the doxxer knows since he crossposted Mum’s death notice to here, doxxing according to FD’s flexible rules that apply to some, died late 2021 so obviously this is history. Brainless knucklehead!

Had to be there, starving hungry without breakfast. Friend drove me and Mum to the hospital (Daw Park Repat.) Hugs and I was taken to stage 1. Disrobe to birthday suit. It was cold but I was told to get into a heated comfy bed.

Wheeled to prep. Transferred to a bed. Talk to anaesthetist, confirm I wanted the spinal injection.

Time! I was directed to lie a certain way so the hip was in the right position for the surgeon and wheeled into the theatre then “lie still” and I felt the needle and the anesthetic.

I could not feel a thing in my hip. Weird, there was a constant sound of hammering, like hammering with a hammer made of sheet steel, really tinny sounding. No idea what it was.

Then time to cut the head of the femur. I expected the whine and scream of a circular saw  but all I heard was a low burr. Bit disappointing really, LOL!

Shortly after the removal of the head of the femur the surgeon stated loudly “I am cementing! I am cementing!” Not sure why the emphasis on placing some bits of “cement” inside the femur needed such emphasis.

The rest was pretty routine—I felt nothing as I said. They could have cut a leg off with a handsaw and I would feel nothing.

Eventually all us sacrificial victims had been sliced, sawed, cemented and stitched back together. Six of us.

Just to show what the op does to you: for breakfast and dinner (and probably lunch) I was asked if I wanted coffee or tea with the meal. Coffee for brekky, tea for lunch & dinner. I would get the cup off the tray, take the saucer off the top of the cup & drink.

I thought both the tea and coffee tasted weird. On the third day I noticed the tea bag next to the cup! I had been drinking hot water, didn’t twig it wasn’t tea or coffee, d’oh! In my defence I mention I had been through a major operation and was taking pretty strong pain killers, Endones. I wasn’t the only one making that mistake.

Hospital routine. Conducted for the benefit of the hospital and its staff. Every bloody day they would make the beds with us in it, rolling us to one side of the bed then the other. On about the third day in the ward someone gave us the hint: make your leg where the op was held rigid, like a log. Useful, more useful if we had been told this on day one!

I mentioned the physio.

Day after the op a couple physios came in. They asked me, can you get out of bed and, remembering “Throw yourself into the physio” I slowly got out of the hospital bed, standing up by holding onto the zimmerframe. Physios asked if I could walk “Throw yourself. . .” so I took a couple of steps.

As far as I know nobody else did this. I can tell you that a couple days later I overheard a couple nurses say “The physios are really happy with [me]”

Towards the end of the stay I took zimmerframe and walked down the length of the long corridor, past the operating theatre (dark and empty today) and all the way to the front door: a heavy wood+glass door with an outer door behind that. I would have LOVED to be in sun and fresh air, not to be, not in my state and navigating with the walking frame so “walked” back to the ward.

As I already stated, while my fellow patients went home on day four I had to stay behind and a potassium drip was attached to my left wrist. One more night. I could have and maybe did cry. Horrible to have to stay in hospital longer than needful—the hospital had stuffed something up.

One consolation—I could stay in a small verandah—sun! Fresh air!

Next day arrived. Pack up the few things I had brought, call a cab. Mum was there, of course. Remembering the advice I asked the cabbie to put the back of the seat right back—hip should be higher than knees when sitting else you need a “nice wide angle” (an obtuse angle) so did all that  and, zimmerframe in the boot, we drove home. Paid the cabbie, got the frame etc and walked to the back door.

One step to the back porch. Muttering “Bad leg down, good leg up*” I put my “good” leg up on the porch and brought up the “bad” leg and so inside.

A few walks with frame around the block, gradually regaining strength while the surgery site healed.

The battle with myself as described in the previous post happened about 10 days after my return.


* Quote:

(AI quote on Google search)

Got a strong stomach?

YouTube showing an actual hip replacement operation. I watched one of these, with all the cauterising of small blood vessels cut by the surgeon’s scalpel the hip reminded me more of a joint on the BBQ! Only watched the Pt 1 video, that was bad enough!



LOL, age restricted—the operation is BLOODY!


General Info—Google for info, the Mayo clinic site is likely a good place to start.

I think a lot of my joint problems relate to a car accident I was involved in in March 1986. Badly wrenched spine, when that faded somehow damage to joints started growing worse.

About the only main joint still healthy is my my left hip: XRays taken after the operation showed the left hip joint perfectly sound, a mere trace of damage maybe.

Ten years after the accident—the right hip was sore as anything.

Walking canes.

The “solution” to a sore hip is a walking stick. Great! I used a walking stick in my right hand to support the hip when my body weight rested on my right, arthritic hip. Physios to the rescue!

I was given access to the warm pool in the Daw Park hospital grounds: this is warmer than the “warm pool” in the Aquatic Centre by WEstfield Marion. The draw back? We could only stay in the pool for a certain amount of time, forget if it was 30 or 60 minutes. Cruel to return back to gravity and temperatures below body temperature.

Some physios were there, students and a supervisor. I mentioned doing the paper work (get me?) with my left hand tho I was right handed. Quite normal was the response. Useful to me: hold the walking stick in the left hand, NOT the right! Bliss!


I am now WAY too far from any warm pool if I can even get on the list that of those that can use it. Maybe a hot tub? Warmth, jets etc aaahhhhh bliss! How much $$$?

Hmmm I drive to Launceston every damn Sunday I can for dog obedience training. Wonder if I can access a warm pool Sundays? The more things I can do on the trips to Launceston (like $40 of petrol!) the better—that is why I buy most of Socks’ food—veges, tuna and sardines, grated cheap cheese etc—at Coles in Launie on those visits. 30 or 60 minutes in the warm pool as well? BLISS! HEAVEN!

Definitely worth investigating that. Physio input is needed—have to do some exercises in the pool. WHO FUKKING CARES? WARM! RELAXING! AAAAHHHHH! Wonder if I can cheat and do two sessions instead of one? Hmm.

Yeah, I truly hope you do not have osteoarthritis!

Use of a walking stick might help if the pain doesn’t go away.

Jovial Monk wrote Yesterday at 3:16pm:


Quote:


I have had the same sports physio for decades, When my Shoulder was reconstructed he got me going again to the extent that the surgeon almost fell off his chair when I lifted my arm over my head at the 10 day checkup.