February 4, 2008
Round 2
Left hip: 7 weeks
Right hip: 1 day
Got up early this morning (actually later than my normal work day, but 5:40am may seem early to some people) to take a shower with special cleaning sponge supplied by the hospital. Patients going into surgery are required to shower this way the prior night and again in the morning. The goal is to keep the patient’s bacteria to a minimum, as much for the sake of the other people in the hospital as for the patients themselves.<> I arrived at the hospital, with my mother who is here yet again to help with driving and various things around the house for a week, by 6:30am. As last time, various people came to see me to explain the machines I would/might need to use for the next few weeks. The anesthesiologist gave me a “special cocktail” on the way to the operating room and I was completely out before I got there. As last time, I was again very slow to recover. I did not leave the hospital until almost 5pm. I did not throw up this time. But I definitely did not feel great, either. Last time, I couldn’t manage to eat anything the day of the surgery. This time, I ate some soup and oatmeal. I don’t feel the need for any painkillers (yet?). But they are next to my bed, just in case. I have already gone a couple rounds with the special wraparound icepack/machine. In a few minutes, I will strap myself into the leg-exerciser to run it all night, while I go through some more icing for as long as I can take it (it’s really cold in this house so I don’t want to get myself sick).
The good news: this hip actually feels like it is in better shape than the other one was immediately following the operation. The bad news, however, is pretty bad for me. Anyone who knows me will understand how frustrating this is for me. Before the first operation, they told me that there was a high chance I would need to be on crutches for 6-8 weeks. But it turned out to be just 2. This time, the probability seemed to be for just 2 weeks again. But my mother told me that the doctor spoke with her while I was recovering and told her that I will be on crutches for 8 weeks.
Of course I will do what the doctor tells me. I will be going in for my post-op visit in 2 days and will discuss the recover plans then. I am confident that I will be able to recover as quickly as possible. But I am realistic about not pushing so hard that I risk ruining the operation, as I did with my ankle almost 20 years ago.