12-09-2008 right hip replaced

[Guest guest]

This group has been helpful beyond words. I began reading up on all

this replacement stuff before my surgery and had all the right

questions for my OS. I was discharged 2 days following the

replacement, metal on metal, large head Biomet brand. 3.5 hr. drive

back home was not fun. Should have taken only 2 hrs. but it was rush

hour in the capital city of Costa Rica, and 3 wrecks on the only

highway in the country and the law is to not move the vehicles from

the original site of crash..Stupid. Just grateful we made it home in

one piece. Had to make a stop to pee and take pain meds at a dark

sleezy bar off the side of the highway. This country is a trip!

Found a good PT who lives in my little town, who makes house calls,

and I have had 5 sessions with him. My fabulous husband helps me on

the days PT doesn't come. I am still using a walker though. I am

somewhat afraid to put complete weight on my right leg. Even to the

point I am afraid to try the cane.

I guess I thought I'd be doing salsa dancing by now. One thing for

sure, I was real sedentary before the surgery. Hip pain prevented me

from doing even 100 meters of walking down our dirt road. If you are

wondering when to do a replacement, do it when you can do lots of pre

surgery strengthening and therapy to get into good shape.

I needed iron supplements due to some blood loss and a low red count.

I did not get those tight stockings so I had severe swelling from the

knee up. Incision is about 6 inches long and my right hip is still

protruding out significantly from my left. Guess that is all

swelling still. But my pain was never bad. I am tired of sleeping on

my back, I am a fetal position sleeper by habit.

Glad it is over and good luck to all of those waiting for it.

[Guest guest]

May I ask what kind of car you drove home in? I ask because I also have about a

two-and-a-half-hour drive from NYC to Albany, after my LTHR. We'll probably be

renting a big car to drive home in...like, a Cadillac or Lincoln with big,cushy

seats and lots of legroom--but I'm still a bit nervous.

I'm glad it's over with for you, and that your pain has been very manageable.

I, too, am not looking forward to sleeping on my back!

Jane

---- gringatica2003 <gringatica2003@...> wrote:

> This group has been helpful beyond words. I began reading up on all

> this replacement stuff before my surgery and had all the right

> questions for my OS. I was discharged 2 days following the

> replacement, metal on metal, large head Biomet brand. 3.5 hr. drive

> back home was not fun. Should have taken only 2 hrs. but it was rush

> hour in the capital city of Costa Rica, and 3 wrecks on the only

> highway in the country and the law is to not move the vehicles from

> the original site of crash..Stupid. Just grateful we made it home in

> one piece. Had to make a stop to pee and take pain meds at a dark

> sleezy bar off the side of the highway. This country is a trip!

>

> Found a good PT who lives in my little town, who makes house calls,

> and I have had 5 sessions with him. My fabulous husband helps me on

> the days PT doesn't come. I am still using a walker though. I am

> somewhat afraid to put complete weight on my right leg. Even to the

> point I am afraid to try the cane.

>

> I guess I thought I'd be doing salsa dancing by now. One thing for

> sure, I was real sedentary before the surgery. Hip pain prevented me

> from doing even 100 meters of walking down our dirt road. If you are

> wondering when to do a replacement, do it when you can do lots of pre

> surgery strengthening and therapy to get into good shape.

>

> I needed iron supplements due to some blood loss and a low red count.

> I did not get those tight stockings so I had severe swelling from the

> knee up. Incision is about 6 inches long and my right hip is still

> protruding out significantly from my left. Guess that is all

> swelling still. But my pain was never bad. I am tired of sleeping on

> my back, I am a fetal position sleeper by habit.

>

> Glad it is over and good luck to all of those waiting for it.

>