Recuperating in Coventry

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to say that I got out of hospital in Birmingham

yesterday. I didn't have email access for a week, so this is my first

chance to report in after the resurfacing of my right hip. After a

couple of grim days when I almost fainted everytime I tried to stand

up (I'm very tall with low blood pressure) and I thought I might have

pneumonia (although no one else was alarmed by my temperature and

coughing up mucous and blood, so I guess it's normal), I started to

do really well, and was allowed to walk around my room with one

crutch by day 5, although I'm supposed to use two crutches outdoors

for three more weeks. Today I toured Warwick Castle for an hour and a

half, climbing stairs, etc. The weather was beautiful, and I had a

great time, but I was exhausted afterwards and will take it easy

tomorrow. My sister and I are staying with friends who are very kind

and helpful, and I basically don't have to lift a finger if I don't

feel up to it.

I'm still suffering from the general anaesthetic and having a

ventilator do my breathing, so I highly recommend avoiding those

procedures if you have a choice. I was basically not given any choice

at all, but I asked so many medical questions that the anaesthetist

probably thought he'd better be pretty careful, as some people who

had the same treatments were in worse shape than I was, and had a lot

of swelling during the first week. So far I've only had minor

swelling, and the thigh-high TED stocking has a waistband to hold it

up. I only have to wear a lightweight TED knee-high sock (which

doesn't bother me at all) on my good leg, and I can take both off at

night after two weeks if I don't have swelling. I'm having trouble

sleeping because I usually sleep on the operated side, but sometimes

a sleeping pill will help. I'm trying not to take them everyday

because then they won't work anymore. I was allowed to sleep on the

other side after two days, so at least I can change position a bit.

My incision is only about 5 inches long, so it isn't bothering me

much now, unless I sit for too long.

I'm glad I was ordered not to take the long plane flight home to

Vancouver until two weeks post-op, as I still don't feel I could bear

that. My chronic sinus problems are acting up at the moment, so

flying would be a real pain. We might make a short visit to Stratford

on Avon on Sunday or Monday if I'm feeling more energetic, but I'm

trying to do my exercises, practise some walking, and rest most of

the time.

I do feel it was worth the expense to come here and get my hip

fixed much faster than I could in Canada, and so far with excellent

results, due to Mr. McMinn's years of experience, but I hope if the

other hip gives out in a few years I'll be able to have it done in

Vancouver, as even though they speak English here, there was a lot of

confusion over different drug names in Europe than what we use in

North America, and even though I know a lot of British English, I

sometimes couldn't understand the questions the nurses or doctors

were asking me, and had to get them to rephrase them.

If anyone has any questions about coming to Birmingham, I'd be glad

to answer them in a week or so when I'm at home (with faster Internet

access).

n

rBHR Oct.17/03 McMinn

[Guest guest]

Hi n

Congratulations! So glad to hear everything went well and that you are

progrssing quickly.

Sharry

Recuperating in Coventry

Hi everyone,

Just a quick note to say that I got out of hospital in Birmingham

yesterday. I didn't have email access for a week, so this is my first

chance to report in after the resurfacing of my right hip. After a

couple of grim days when I almost fainted everytime I tried to stand

up (I'm very tall with low blood pressure) and I thought I might have

pneumonia (although no one else was alarmed by my temperature and

coughing up mucous and blood, so I guess it's normal), I started to

do really well, and was allowed to walk around my room with one

crutch by day 5, although I'm supposed to use two crutches outdoors

for three more weeks. Today I toured Warwick Castle for an hour and a

half, climbing stairs, etc. The weather was beautiful, and I had a

great time, but I was exhausted afterwards and will take it easy

tomorrow. My sister and I are staying with friends who are very kind

and helpful, and I basically don't have to lift a finger if I don't

feel up to it.

I'm still suffering from the general anaesthetic and having a

ventilator do my breathing, so I highly recommend avoiding those

procedures if you have a choice. I was basically not given any choice

at all, but I asked so many medical questions that the anaesthetist

probably thought he'd better be pretty careful, as some people who

had the same treatments were in worse shape than I was, and had a lot

of swelling during the first week. So far I've only had minor

swelling, and the thigh-high TED stocking has a waistband to hold it

up. I only have to wear a lightweight TED knee-high sock (which

doesn't bother me at all) on my good leg, and I can take both off at

night after two weeks if I don't have swelling. I'm having trouble

sleeping because I usually sleep on the operated side, but sometimes

a sleeping pill will help. I'm trying not to take them everyday

because then they won't work anymore. I was allowed to sleep on the

other side after two days, so at least I can change position a bit.

My incision is only about 5 inches long, so it isn't bothering me

much now, unless I sit for too long.

I'm glad I was ordered not to take the long plane flight home to

Vancouver until two weeks post-op, as I still don't feel I could bear

that. My chronic sinus problems are acting up at the moment, so

flying would be a real pain. We might make a short visit to Stratford

on Avon on Sunday or Monday if I'm feeling more energetic, but I'm

trying to do my exercises, practise some walking, and rest most of

the time.

I do feel it was worth the expense to come here and get my hip

fixed much faster than I could in Canada, and so far with excellent

results, due to Mr. McMinn's years of experience, but I hope if the

other hip gives out in a few years I'll be able to have it done in

Vancouver, as even though they speak English here, there was a lot of

confusion over different drug names in Europe than what we use in

North America, and even though I know a lot of British English, I

sometimes couldn't understand the questions the nurses or doctors

were asking me, and had to get them to rephrase them.

If anyone has any questions about coming to Birmingham, I'd be glad

to answer them in a week or so when I'm at home (with faster Internet

access).

n

rBHR Oct.17/03 McMinn