Lepod's Blog

On the 13th of April I was scheduled for my double hip replacement. It has been quite an experience so I thought I would document it here for my future reference. It may not be riveting reading!

This year things had deteriorated quite rapidly and I was taking powerful anti inflammatory drugs just to keep functional. The week before the operation I had to stop taking them and that is when I really knew just how bad things had become. I had been accepted onto the SCOTS program (Southern Community Orthopaedic Triage Service) via the public health system, and had been doing considerable amounts of physio designed to try and stave off surgery but while I was getting more flexible the pain was getting considerably worse. I did not even qualify to go on the public waiting list for surgery however.

Come the day Pauline took me to the Mercy hospital in the morning and they fitted me into the usual hospital gown and we filled out the paperwork, and then they wheeled me into the theater. I said to the surgeon at least he wouldn’t have to worry about doing the wrong hip as he was doing them both and he said that was always his greatest fear, of course he was joking. They put the rubber mask over my face and told me to take some  deep breaths.

The next thing I knew I was lying on a beach on a tropical island and there was absolutely no pain. Then they woke me up!

Modern anesthesia is amazing, they monitor your brain activity and only give you just the right amount to keep you under, then when they bring you back you are immediately back. No woozy feeling, and I didn’t even feel nauseous. Amazing. However the pain was off the charts. The surgeon did say I would feel as though I had been kicked by a horse on both sides. He was correct. They adjusted my meds until it was down to manageable levels and then wheeled me off to my room. An hour and a half after the operation they had me out of bed and walking around with a walker.

The rest of the day I was hooked up to a drip and also some pump things on my legs to keep circulation going and prevent blood clots. Occasionally I would get up and go to the bathroom which required a nurse each time to unhook me but I could walk ok with the walker.

The next day the physio came by and showed me how to use crutches. This was a big improvement over the walker but he had to explain to me how to walk as it felt as though my legs were not connected to my brain. I picked it up though. I could now get out of bed and walk around the ward on the crutches. The nurses were all extremely impressed by how mobile I was so soon after a double hip replacement. I had been doing strengthening exercises daily for a long time and I am pretty sure that helped, but I also must thank the surgeon for doing a very skilled job.

The next day they sent me home at about 10:30 am. Very pleased to get home and feel normal again

The recovery has been going really well, each day I can feel the improvement. I stopped using the crutches a couple of days after getting home and started walking up and down the street a bit. The walks have been getting longer every day as the muscles start repairing themselves. Pain is way less than it was and I have a lot more movement than I have had for decades. I still have to sit in a high chair as I have to avoid exceeding a 90° angle on my hips, and I can’t sit for very long yet, also can’t cross my legs. However every day is better than the last.

It has been quite a journey but I am amazed at how much difference this has made already. I am standing straight for the first time in ages. Pain levels are almost none, I’m just taking paracetamol. I am aware that I am very fortunate that we could do this. In the old days I would have been in a wheelchair in the not too distant future. But the public health system really does need more funding, there must be thousands of people out there miserable on waiting lists or waiting to go on waiting lists. I am not sure what the answer is but it isn’t tax cuts.

I must thank Pauline for looking after me so well, it has been a stressful and busy time for her as she had to do everything for the first few weeks. We have managed and again I have been very fortunate to have her. The next few months I am looking forward to being able to drive again but even more I am really looking forward to riding my bicycle and my motorbike! It will be awesome. Might even do some tramping.