Postponed with 1 week to go

I'm not a happy bunny today. The hospital rang to say that for whatever reason my orthopod will be out of town next week and has had to put my surgery back 2 weeks to the 8th March.

With 1 week to go, everything organised, I'm absolutely gutted. I didn't realise how much of a toll this takes on you emotionally until I got that phonecall. Three more weeks of this pain! Urgh. The cortisone has worn off and I'm painfully reminded of why I'm having this surgery. When it's only 1 week to go you tell yourself it doesn't matter it won't be long. But when the goal posts shift unexpectly at the last minute, your heart sinks at having to put up with the pain and subconscious anxiety for even a minute longer than you thought you'd have to.

I know I will feel better in the morning. I guess I'm just going to have to occupy myself the next couple of weekends with something that takes my mind off this. I'm also going to be phoning the hospital a week in advance of this new date to double check. Mr. O'Hara said that only he would do this surgery, that his registrars weren't competent to do the procedure on me - I'm sure they are competent surgeons, but BHR surgery has a very very steep learning curve, and that's on regular hips, not dysplasic ones like mine! I'll wait however long for Mr. O'Hara, but I don't have to like it..... :o(

AMENDMENT: I got the letter through from the hospital this morning (tuesday), the surgery is on the 10th March. Harumph, another 2 days!

Cortisone injection update

It's just shy of 4 weeks since my hip injection of cortisone and I think it's beginning to wear off. The pain is still fairly minimal, but the stiffness has returned and when I stand up from sitting for a while its difficult and sore. Given how bad the osteoarthritis is right now, I'm happy to have had 4 weeks of relief and not having to pump my body full of analgesics. I would have it again, but given that you're only supposed to have 2-3 shots of it in a year and several uses can actually damage the joint, it's definitely a last resort.

Oh well, only 10 days to go! Bring it on.....

Preparing for Hotel NHS

2 weeks to go!

This week has been particularly mad and I'm trying hard to compartmentalise all the stresses lest it all tips me over the edge. I had a job interview on wednesday and also found out that my grandmother is seriously ill and in hospital. It's all a bit hectic really.

So this weekend I thought I'd focus on what things I want to take with me to Hotel NHS and then subsequently the things I'll want with me at the family home (which is over 200 miles from where I currently live in Leeds). Having spent a fabulous 8 nights in hospital when I had my PAO, I know exactly what I want with me this time. Even that one night I spent there prior to my hip injection has reminded me what a difference it makes when you know what to expect.

Armed with a shopping list, off to the shops! For the hospital we have... Clotheswise: Now I prefer pj's to nighties to sleep in, but having your hip operated on makes it a pain having to deal with pj bottoms - 2 new nighties, check. Also, one's hip swells up beyond belief after mr. orthopod has had a good rummage around in there and it takes a long while to go down again - therefore, best to get a weeks worth of knickers one or two sizes bigger than your normal size, check. If you don't have any sweat pants, these are a good idea for staying comfortable when you leave the hospital and at home - I have a few pairs anyways and didn't feel the need for new ones. Other clothing items that are good to have - slippers, dressing gown, loose tops, flat shoes that are easy to get on. Toiletries: you won't need more than this - shampoo (2 in 1 is great for hospital), shower gel (I love my Liz Earle! smells fab and lifts the spirits), dry shampoo (Bastiste is good - for when you can't shampoo hair the first day or so), facewash, moisturiser, tooth brush and paste, lip salve, sponge (I don't like using theirs) and wet wipes (invaluable!!! Get a big pack). No need for razors, nail files etc, honestly you won't miss them! I think I spent the first two days last time just using the wet wipes!! But I do recommend the lip salve as the air con and heating in hospital tends to dry your lips out something chronic.

I also have my food package! To be fair, and this varies between hospitals WIDELY....the food at the ROHB was alright. Unfortunately, as I've mentioned before, I was as sick as a dog due to all the drugs and toxins floating around my body and ended up eating whatever whenever. Which included grapes, pringles, chocolate mainly....none stayed down for long. I went for high fat just to get some calories into me. So this time, I've put together a food package - things like choc covered raisins, nut bars, cashews etc. All high energy in case I need it. I'm hoping it won't be as bad this time.

For home it'll just be casual clothes and easy to get on flat shoes really. I'll be with the family so I don't have to worry about meals too much. I also won't have to worry about those fabulous surgical stockings either - pain in the ass to get on without help! So sexy!!

I'm not too nervous now. I did have a couple of moments the other night, but I just want it over with now. The hip injection is still working quite well, I've had a few aches at night - and that's when I'm glad I'm having the surgery. 3 weeks from now, hopefully I'll have been discharged from hospital and recovering in the family home. :o)

Inspiration

I found a patient video online earlier that just makes me want my BHR tomorrow. I hope its even half as good for me:

http://www.surfacehippyinfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=350&Itemid=30

I did winch a little watching the part where he gets out of bed for the first time as that still evokes the strongest memory for me after my PAO. The physio's came round that morning, after 3 days of lying flat in bed being pumped full of morphine and goodness know's what else. They manhandled me into a sitting position (well, I couldn't do it myself) and lowered my legs over the side of the bed. I wasn't in any pain, the epidural was still in and morphine was still swimming about my system. I couldn't feel anything below my waist on the right hand side and I was completely freaked out by it - and the zimmer frame right in front of me (!!). At that point I promptly threw up and started crying. Apparently this is normal and in hindsight, thats the worst part, not the surgery, but the first time out of bed.

I am being honest when I say I'm not nervous about the surgery. But until now, I just haven't mentioned that I'm nervous about the first time out of bed. I survived once, I'll survive again!! And if this patient is anything to go by, it's not going to be 3-4months on crutches! :o)

Pre-op assessment

So I had my pre-op yesterday. The ROHB organised it for me to have it at my GP's surgery, which just makes it easier for me than the trek to Birmingham for a 45min assessment. It basically consisted of taking blood, a urine sample, an ECG, blood pressure test, a weigh-in and a ton of questions! Easy peasy! I made the mistake of putting body cream on that morning so various parts of me got wet-wiped so the electrode pads would stick down, oops.

So I guess next stop, BHR! 3 weeks to go. Still not nervous (been over-thinking why I'm not nervous, so I guess you can't win!). Going to have a weekend of sorting out my apartment for reasons I've mentioned before. And prepare for a job interview I have on wednesday!

4 weeks to go - reflection

Of all the random things to do on a sunday morning, I decided to watch an entire BHR surgery online on the McMinn Centre website (http://www.mcminncentre.co.uk/flash/). Derek McMinn is the founder of the BHR and I feel so lucky to be having mine in Birmingham where it all started. As far as I know, he only works at the ROHB part-time to do knee surgeries now and all his hip patients are private.

I should say that the surgery video is graphic and watch it being warned thus! It's fascinating though and despite it being a specially recorded surgery, it still only took him 50mins to complete the entire thing. If I hadn't already been through a triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO or PAO) I probably couldn't have watched it. I remember my orthopod telling me how they checked how secure the pins were in my pelvis - which basically involved him bouncing me (!) on the table by shaking one of the pins on a metal rod.....yum! It almost seems too comical to believe, if it weren't for the bruises.

So aside from becoming slightly obsessed with researching 'all things hip' (or 'hip porn' as one of my friends referred to it!) I've begun to start thinking about getting organised. I have 4 weeks to go. Next friday, 29th Jan, the ROHB has arranged for me to have my pre-op assessment at my local GP surgery. That's really nice of them as it saves me a 4hr round trip for something that will only take 30mins. It also means I can pop down on my lunch break and not have to worry about being off from work.

I'm slowly accumulating a shopping list of essentials. This is in part due to the fact that I'll be recovering at the family home in Scotland and not in Leeds. So I need to organise myself not only for the hospital stay, but a few weeks away. I'm going to think on that more in a couple of weeks time. Next weekend I think I'm going to have a mini-spring clean of my apartment and sort out a lot of stuff. My thinking on that one is this - my job is ending at the end of may, and at this moment in time I have no job to go to after that, therefore I might be moving. If I have to move, it makes sense to have the apartment in order when I'm less mobile or if I need some kind soul to help me.

So really I'm just in psychological organisation mode this weekend. I'm not nervous about the surgery (yet!), but I did have a moment yesterday where all I could think about was infections post-op. And I'm not talking about from the surgery, I mean getting a throat infection or from a small cut etc. Apparently you have to be super careful about such things with a metal prosthesis as bugs like to grow where blood (and thus antibiotics) can't get to them and they can cause havoc. I had visions of antibiotic spacers and then THR's. But enough, its all about choices and what I can live with. I cannot live with the joint the way it is, so BHR is the way to go and I will just have to make sure I look after myself.

I think I'm going to go draw myself a nice hot bath and remove myself from the internet 'hip porn'!

Hip block - Cortisone Injection

I had my scheduled hip block on monday and the results so far have been fantastic!

It all went smoothly on the monday, I was second on the list to go into theatre and that was roughly about 11:45. That meant I was grumpy all morning due to being nil by mouth! I was then briefly put under general anaesthesia for the procedure which took roughly 5-10mins - so I have nothing to report on the actual experience itself. It is unusual to have a GA for this, but that's how they do it. I was not concerned about it and I'm sure if I really disagreed with having a GA they would do it under local, they are very receptive to patients needs. I came round wide awake about 45mins later and was discharged from the hospital about 4hrs later.

The ROHB sent me home with a ton of painkillers but I haven't needed them! I took a couple of paracetamol (just paracetamol!) last night to soothe my thigh which was aching but apart from that the hip is pain-free. It seems to be a little achey towards the end of the day but not painful as such, more uncomfortable, and more muscular aches than boney. The second amazing result is NO STIFFNESS!! I cannot say how happy I am about that! I feel flexible again (to a point) and don't have to slowly ease myself upright when standing up from a chair. Hurrah!

I'm very pleased with this outcome. I was fairly woozy for a couple of days due to the GA but the hip didn't flare up post-injection, which it can with these shots. Even if it just lasts the month until my surgery I'll be happy. I hate taking the painkillers and just these few days of not having them I feel like my body can take a rest, my liver and kidneys especially.

I'm not going to push myself just because I feel 'okay', because the joint is far from okay. I will take the opportunity to try and do more of my physio exercises to keep the muscles strong for next month.

Joy!