For my peoples that are considering hip replacement, or have one scheduled. Writing about my recovery - hope this helps you guys.
Pre surgery: stopped drinking a week before, and all cannabis products a month and a half before. Drinking, obvs, and that I'll hold off on now for awhile. Cannabis messes with anesthesia. All I was doing is taking a 10 mg gummy to sleep, but I cut that out for maybe a month and a half before. And no smoking it - taking smoke into your lungs is dangerous no matter what. Taking no chances.
Wed, 10/15 - Day of surgery: Relatively calm. Got up, and got to hospital at 6 AM, by around 8:30 AM I was under the knife! Before that, my surgeon, Dr. Stover, popped his head in, and answered a few of my questions (does having 2 hip implants make me more susceptible to needing knee replacements? No.) He's great, calm and reassuring. I'm not even 1/3 as freaked out as I was for the last one. I'm pretty calm, actually, but still told the anesthesiologist to get those anti anxiety in my IV going! I'm hooked up to an IV now, with an antibiotic solution to prevent infection, and ensure hydration.
Surgery time - took around 2ish hours? I'm not sure, 'cos I was asleep.
Woke up and was slightly babbly from the anesthetic, hahah – but no issues there. My mouth was HELLA DRY. Soon I was able to have some ginger ale. They also want you to eat something salty (potato chips, yeah!!) after to get the system going.
They pumped me full of 3 liters of hydration during the op – my GAWD, did I have to pee. I also lost about 600 ml (2.5 cups) of blood. Was chomping at the bit to get outta the hospital, but they want you to hang out for an hour or two, just to make sure all was well.
Suddenly, I noticed. OMG, I think I peed. Combination of the epidural, so I'm numb from the waist down, and a LOT of hydration. UGH. After that had to use a bedpan a time or two 'cos I wasn't cleared to stand up yet. Hated that part, it was the most incredibly embarrassing thing, but not unusual after this sort of thing. And there was no catheter, those are a bit gnarly, so glad that was not in me.
PT guy shows up, I walk around a bit, and do some stairs. I’m ready to go! The nurses at Northwestern are freaking angels. Just the best – but I knew this from my Moms stays there too.
Home now, WIPED OUT, once I got up my 4 flights of stairs and was home, I just napped most of the day, and drank water. Straightened out all the meds I have to take for 21 days (of course I downloaded an app for reminders). Acetaminophin, Celebrex (for inflammation), Pana – something (protects stomach), Oxy (10 mg pill, as needed) and 3 Morphine (!!) pills to take at night for pain relief and sleeping. Not a fan of all these drugs, but it’ll ensure a good recovery. Pain is no good for healing, as my doc told me. And the amounts of oxy and morphine you get is so small, it's not an issue. Do not skimp on the painkillers. They are an important part of healing ( I get this from my doctor, not making this up).
Thurs 10/16 - Day 1: The hurt starts. It takes awhile for the anesthetic and the epidural to wear off. Made me a little unsteady, but I’ve got crutches, and they work okay.My pup was glued to my side, performing her important puppy nurse duties of looking concerned. The pain was more like strained muscles (they actually push your muscles aside when they saw off the top of my leg bone and install the implant. This is really not a gentle surgery – but I was asleep, so whatever! And it only hurts when I try to move.
Nurse shows up at my apt, general checkup. During that, I got REALLY woozy, everything started to gray out, and my voice sounded fuzzy.Wooziness not unusual, and it passed pretty quickly. Retreated to the couch. PT woman shows up, and we do a couple of VERY easy exercises that I’ll do at home between her visits. Got woozy again! After PT left, I napped again and laid around for the rest of the afternoon.
Leg still hurts a lot, but it's not the sharp, stabbing pain of before, while walking. It's like a really strained muscle pain. Still wearing compression socks, I'll keep those on for a week.
Fri 10/17 - Day 2: Still a fair amount of pain, but by now, evening, it’s significantly diminished. Doing laps in my apartment, with the crutches, and mobility is getting better and better. No wooziness today. Still got the crazy compression socks on, have to wear those for a week. Still napping a lot, reading books, and cuddling Sonic. Drinking A LOT of water. Doing a lap around my apartment multiple times.
Sat 10/18 - Day 3: Still some pain, but it is diminishing pretty quickly. NO KINGS PROTEST DAY, and I'm with you! It's too soon for me to walk that much, so home watching the protests on TV. Taking my meds (the morphine is done, no more of that) and frequent laps around the apartment with my crutches. Looking back on my previous hip op, the right side, I was walking about a bit outside by this time, so I'm off schedule. This does not make me happy. Trying to do the small exercises the PT gave me. Another embarrassing thing, I was super constipated but finally that resolved. Still drinking TONS of water and hydration solutions.
Sun 10/19 - Day 4: Wake up, take my drugs. Raining. Cutting back on the pain meds - since the pain is a lot less, took only one 500 mg Acetaminophen vs. two. Down to one crutch. Getting a lot of reading in, and today will be no exception.