Re: My Experience RTHR April 9th ( long)

April 17, 2004

Kathy, wonderful that you were able to go outside on this beautiful

day. I'm so glad you're feeling better, and I admire you because

you're a strong person, who's positive about facing difficult times.

The report was great! It seems like these details about the reality

of the operation blow away the fear for me, which is basically about

the unknown. What I take away from your post is that the experience

is difficult, but do-able. I can deal with that. This week I went

into Boston to give my second unit of blood, and was turned away

because my hemoglobin had gone down to 9. I wanted to speak to an

anesthesiologist because my fears are all around having pain and

fright during the operation, but not being able to tell they I'm

awake because I've been given a muscle block. I was able to sit down

and have a long talk with an anesthesiologist who was so nice, and

kind, and discussed my options with me honestly. He said that there

are equipment malfunctions and mistakes, but that it's very rare:

about one in 400,000. He said " I would tell you it's less of a chance

than getting hit by a car, but the last person I made that joke to

said she had just been hit by a car. " Talking to him made me realize

that there are risks, like everything else we do, but we can focus

elsewhere, as we do in life naturally. My op is a week from Monday,

4/26, and I'm feeling fine, no nerves yet. I haven't written to you

before because I know you need your rest, but it was great to hear

from you. Bonnie

> Hi I thought it may be helpful to relive my experiences with my

> surgery. It may help those who are still in the planning stages. I

> am 38 was born with hip dysplsia, had an osteotomy at 1 1/2 and as

> of last Friday 4/9 I had my RTHR.

>

> Thursday 4/8/04 12 pm no more food or drink, I was surprisingly

> relaxed and actually slept till it was time to get ready to go to

> the hospital.

>

> Friday, 4/9/04 4:45 am off we go (husband and I). We arrived went

> through the admitting process. We were lead down to the pre-op

area.

> In the pre-op area there is alot of activity nurses, doctors

> anestesiologist etc all moving about patient to patient. I was

> brought in and asked to put on my Jonny to begin preping for

> surgery. I placed all my belongings in the green bags they

provided.

> The nurse that was assigned to me popped in and asked me to climb

up

> on the bed that they would be putting in the IV for the anesthesia

> to be administered. The IV was put in after several tries and then

I

> waited it was 6:30 another hour before my surgery was scheduled to

> begin. One by one each memeber of my operating team,

> anesthesiologist, doctors and nurses and came over to introduce

> themselves. I had my surgery at a teaching hospital so there were 3

> doctors preforming my operation each doctor came over introduced

> themselves and signed off on the hip they were to operate on, on

the

> other hip the attending DR wrote a big NO purple marker! (still

> visable today. I wanted to write (law suit LOL). Once all of the

> doctors signed my hip and I signed all the releases the anesthesia

> department worked their magic. First a patch behind the ear for

anti-

> neasea then the general anesthesia I was aware when I entered the

> operating room but after a few deep breaths I was in peaceful

> slumber.

>

> Upon awakeninging I was in the post anesthesia care unit they were

> monitoring all of my vitals and pain. I was not in any pain I had a

> morphine drip pump that could be pushed every 7 1/2 minutes I must

> admit I pushed the button alot in the beginning but the pain was

> very managable that way.I had absolutely no neasea I felt good for

> someone that just had a total hip replacement.I recieved 1 unit of

> blood donated by my husband. I had 2 IV's in place and I was very

> groggy all day. At around 3:30 pm I was brought to the Orthopedic

> floor where I spent four days recovering.

>

> Saturday 4/10/04 I am still on the morphine drip which is now

> starting to cause severe itching all over my body. A little

benedryl

> helps with this. Family came to visit, I had a rough day, fever

> 102.6, stiff neck and a very sore throat from being intubated

during

> surgery. This lasted all day and night. PT came in the late

> afternoon sat me up on the edge of the bed, proceded to have me

> stand I almost passed out, had me pivot sit in a chair and then

> immediately was put back to bed for the remainder of the day.

>

> Sunday 4/11/04 things are moving nicely, they removed the morphine

> and I went on percocets 2 every 4 hours. One IV was removed, along

> with the caterer and the drainage tubes from the wound sight. When

> both catheter and drainage was removed there was no pain but it

felt

> disgusting as they came out. PT came and took me for a walk on a

> walker in the hallway, was too advanced so allowed me to use

> crutches. I needed help getting in and out of bed but that day I

did

> get up and used the bathroom and I did several laps in the hallway

> around the nurses station. By Sunday night I had learned how to get

> myself out of bed to the bathroom lets call it survival.

>

> Monday 4/12/04 woke up crying..had terrible post op depression

> lasted till 1:00 pm and then came out of the fog and that was my

> turning point. I was now in and out of bed taking many strolls on

my

> crutches and had PT and OT visits. Felt well by that night I knew

> tomorrow I would be home.

>

> Tuesday 4/13/04 Home is where I am going walked out on crutches at

> 1:30 pm. Felt tired had 3 hours of sleep in 2 nights due to my room

> mate.

>

> I was sent home with percocets,coumaden 1 time a day for 6 weeks,

> iron 3 times a day for 5 days, calcium and vitamin d and stool

> softner. Wednesday, Thursday I took the pain killers once every 4

> hous then on Friday and today I am now taking extra strenght

tylenol

> during the day and percocets at night for sleeping.

>

> First few nights I had panic attacks and was up alot and I even had

> an hallucination, all of this due to the drugs and coming off

> anesthesia.

>

> I am up and about and feeling stonger everyday. I have PT at home 3

> times a week and have been told to walk as much as I want with my

> crutches (6weeks) maybe 4. I went outside several times today and

> boy the fresh air did me good.

>

> I have an inscion that requires 36 staples yes a huge one but hey I

> wanted him to have as much room to move around as he needed. It is

> an anterior approach so the wound starts at my right hip and wraps

> around to my toosh. nice one! My hip is titanium alloy with a

> plastic cup insert.

>

> Well that is my story if I have left anything out please ask me

> questions I may be able to share my own experience on. Good luck to

> everyone that has and is embarking on the journey to a healthy

> hip/hips.

>

> I definately must add it knocked the wind out of my sails for a few

> days.

>

> Kathy!

April 17, 2004

Kathy, thanks.. I am going to have my family read your post. It

will give them an idea of what I have to look forward. lili

> Hi I thought it may be helpful to relive my experiences with my

> surgery. It may help those who are still in the planning stages. I

> am 38 was born with hip dysplsia, had an osteotomy at 1 1/2 and as

> of last Friday 4/9 I had my RTHR.

>

> Thursday 4/8/04 12 pm no more food or drink, I was surprisingly

> relaxed and actually slept till it was time to get ready to go to

> the hospital.

>

> Friday, 4/9/04 4:45 am off we go (husband and I). We arrived went

> through the admitting process. We were lead down to the pre-op

area.

> In the pre-op area there is alot of activity nurses, doctors

> anestesiologist etc all moving about patient to patient. I was

> brought in and asked to put on my Jonny to begin preping for

> surgery. I placed all my belongings in the green bags they

provided.

> The nurse that was assigned to me popped in and asked me to climb

up

> on the bed that they would be putting in the IV for the anesthesia

> to be administered. The IV was put in after several tries and then

I

> waited it was 6:30 another hour before my surgery was scheduled to

> begin. One by one each memeber of my operating team,

> anesthesiologist, doctors and nurses and came over to introduce

> themselves. I had my surgery at a teaching hospital so there were

3

> doctors preforming my operation each doctor came over introduced

> themselves and signed off on the hip they were to operate on, on

the

> other hip the attending DR wrote a big NO purple marker! (still

> visable today. I wanted to write (law suit LOL). Once all of the

> doctors signed my hip and I signed all the releases the anesthesia

> department worked their magic. First a patch behind the ear for

anti-

> neasea then the general anesthesia I was aware when I entered the

> operating room but after a few deep breaths I was in peaceful

> slumber.

>

> Upon awakeninging I was in the post anesthesia care unit they were

> monitoring all of my vitals and pain. I was not in any pain I had

a

> morphine drip pump that could be pushed every 7 1/2 minutes I must

> admit I pushed the button alot in the beginning but the pain was

> very managable that way.I had absolutely no neasea I felt good for

> someone that just had a total hip replacement.I recieved 1 unit of

> blood donated by my husband. I had 2 IV's in place and I was very

> groggy all day. At around 3:30 pm I was brought to the Orthopedic

> floor where I spent four days recovering.

>

> Saturday 4/10/04 I am still on the morphine drip which is now

> starting to cause severe itching all over my body. A little

benedryl

> helps with this. Family came to visit, I had a rough day, fever

> 102.6, stiff neck and a very sore throat from being intubated

during

> surgery. This lasted all day and night. PT came in the late

> afternoon sat me up on the edge of the bed, proceded to have me

> stand I almost passed out, had me pivot sit in a chair and then

> immediately was put back to bed for the remainder of the day.

>

> Sunday 4/11/04 things are moving nicely, they removed the morphine

> and I went on percocets 2 every 4 hours. One IV was removed, along

> with the caterer and the drainage tubes from the wound sight. When

> both catheter and drainage was removed there was no pain but it

felt

> disgusting as they came out. PT came and took me for a walk on a

> walker in the hallway, was too advanced so allowed me to use

> crutches. I needed help getting in and out of bed but that day I

did

> get up and used the bathroom and I did several laps in the hallway

> around the nurses station. By Sunday night I had learned how to

get

> myself out of bed to the bathroom lets call it survival.

>

> Monday 4/12/04 woke up crying..had terrible post op depression

> lasted till 1:00 pm and then came out of the fog and that was my

> turning point. I was now in and out of bed taking many strolls on

my

> crutches and had PT and OT visits. Felt well by that night I knew

> tomorrow I would be home.

>

> Tuesday 4/13/04 Home is where I am going walked out on crutches at

> 1:30 pm. Felt tired had 3 hours of sleep in 2 nights due to my

room

> mate.

>

> I was sent home with percocets,coumaden 1 time a day for 6 weeks,

> iron 3 times a day for 5 days, calcium and vitamin d and stool

> softner. Wednesday, Thursday I took the pain killers once every 4

> hous then on Friday and today I am now taking extra strenght

tylenol

> during the day and percocets at night for sleeping.

>

> First few nights I had panic attacks and was up alot and I even

had

> an hallucination, all of this due to the drugs and coming off

> anesthesia.

>

> I am up and about and feeling stonger everyday. I have PT at home

3

> times a week and have been told to walk as much as I want with my

> crutches (6weeks) maybe 4. I went outside several times today and

> boy the fresh air did me good.

>

> I have an inscion that requires 36 staples yes a huge one but hey

I

> wanted him to have as much room to move around as he needed. It is

> an anterior approach so the wound starts at my right hip and wraps

> around to my toosh. nice one! My hip is titanium alloy with a

> plastic cup insert.

>

> Well that is my story if I have left anything out please ask me

> questions I may be able to share my own experience on. Good luck

to

> everyone that has and is embarking on the journey to a healthy

> hip/hips.

>

> I definately must add it knocked the wind out of my sails for a

few

> days.

>

> Kathy!

April 17, 2004

Hi Kathy, Thanks for the blow-by-blow account of your experiences. It will help as I get ready for my replzcement of the right hip, 4 weeks from Monday. My aches and exhaustion are getting worse every day, so, no matter how bad I feel after surgery, I'll know that I can anticipate rapid improvement. Lots of luck!! CharlotteKathy <k_miller_2000@...> wrote:

Hi I thought it may be helpful to relive my experiences with my surgery. It may help those who are still in the planning stages. I am 38 was born with hip dysplsia, had an osteotomy at 1 1/2 and as of last Friday 4/9 I had my RTHR.Thursday 4/8/04 12 pm no more food or drink, I was surprisingly relaxed and actually slept till it was time to get ready to go to the hospital.Friday, 4/9/04 4:45 am off we go (husband and I). We arrived went through the admitting process. We were lead down to the pre-op area. In the pre-op area there is alot of activity nurses, doctors anestesiologist etc all moving about patient to patient. I was brought in and asked to put on my Jonny to begin preping for surgery. I placed all my belongings in the green bags they provided. The nurse that was assigned to me popped in and asked me to climb up

on the bed that they would be putting in the IV for the anesthesia to be administered. The IV was put in after several tries and then I waited it was 6:30 another hour before my surgery was scheduled to begin. One by one each memeber of my operating team, anesthesiologist, doctors and nurses and came over to introduce themselves. I had my surgery at a teaching hospital so there were 3 doctors preforming my operation each doctor came over introduced themselves and signed off on the hip they were to operate on, on the other hip the attending DR wrote a big NO purple marker! (still visable today. I wanted to write (law suit LOL). Once all of the doctors signed my hip and I signed all the releases the anesthesia department worked their magic. First a patch behind the ear for anti-neasea then the general anesthesia I was aware when I entered the operating room but after a few deep breaths I was in peaceful slumber.Upon

awakeninging I was in the post anesthesia care unit they were monitoring all of my vitals and pain. I was not in any pain I had a morphine drip pump that could be pushed every 7 1/2 minutes I must admit I pushed the button alot in the beginning but the pain was very managable that way.I had absolutely no neasea I felt good for someone that just had a total hip replacement.I recieved 1 unit of blood donated by my husband. I had 2 IV's in place and I was very groggy all day. At around 3:30 pm I was brought to the Orthopedic floor where I spent four days recovering.Saturday 4/10/04 I am still on the morphine drip which is now starting to cause severe itching all over my body. A little benedryl helps with this. Family came to visit, I had a rough day, fever 102.6, stiff neck and a very sore throat from being intubated during surgery. This lasted all day and night. PT came in the late afternoon sat me up on the edge of the bed,

proceded to have me stand I almost passed out, had me pivot sit in a chair and then immediately was put back to bed for the remainder of the day.Sunday 4/11/04 things are moving nicely, they removed the morphine and I went on percocets 2 every 4 hours. One IV was removed, along with the caterer and the drainage tubes from the wound sight. When both catheter and drainage was removed there was no pain but it felt disgusting as they came out. PT came and took me for a walk on a walker in the hallway, was too advanced so allowed me to use crutches. I needed help getting in and out of bed but that day I did get up and used the bathroom and I did several laps in the hallway around the nurses station. By Sunday night I had learned how to get myself out of bed to the bathroom lets call it survival.Monday 4/12/04 woke up crying..had terrible post op depression lasted till 1:00 pm and then came out of the fog and that was my

turning point. I was now in and out of bed taking many strolls on my crutches and had PT and OT visits. Felt well by that night I knew tomorrow I would be home.Tuesday 4/13/04 Home is where I am going walked out on crutches at 1:30 pm. Felt tired had 3 hours of sleep in 2 nights due to my room mate. I was sent home with percocets,coumaden 1 time a day for 6 weeks, iron 3 times a day for 5 days, calcium and vitamin d and stool softner. Wednesday, Thursday I took the pain killers once every 4 hous then on Friday and today I am now taking extra strenght tylenol during the day and percocets at night for sleeping. First few nights I had panic attacks and was up alot and I even had an hallucination, all of this due to the drugs and coming off anesthesia. I am up and about and feeling stonger everyday. I have PT at home 3 times a week and have been told to walk as much as I want with my crutches (6weeks)

maybe 4. I went outside several times today and boy the fresh air did me good.I have an inscion that requires 36 staples yes a huge one but hey I wanted him to have as much room to move around as he needed. It is an anterior approach so the wound starts at my right hip and wraps around to my toosh. nice one! My hip is titanium alloy with a plastic cup insert. Well that is my story if I have left anything out please ask me questions I may be able to share my own experience on. Good luck to everyone that has and is embarking on the journey to a healthy hip/hips.I definately must add it knocked the wind out of my sails for a few days.Kathy!

April 18, 2004

Hi Kathy! It's another . I am so glad to hear that you are

home and feelling better. I am only 1 week ahead of you, but each

day I feel a bit better, especially with the improving weather. :-)

I was amazed to hear that your experience was strikingly similar to

mine, I did have the benefit of a friend who had gone to my dr. a few

years ago to give me a blow by blow account of exact procedure so I

was not too surprised by much at the hosp. Anyway, good luck with

your recovery and have a great day. -