?‍♀️Hip Replacement #2 ?‍♀️ (Knees Welcome!) ?‍♀️

Travel my friend is sue op Thursday - he and his wife have just isolated themselves as the last date was cancelled as they both got Covid .

Travelasfar that is great your daughter is staying for 2 nights. It will give you confidence.

I would take everything offered by the Red Cross- it is easier to cancel than wait around if you perhaps were desperate.

Stay indoors as much as possible to keep away from people who do not bother to wear a face mask these days.

It will be done and dusted in no time and hopefully you will not be weeding a few days after discharge!

Some news at last!

Surprise phone call from the hospital ‘Booked Admissions Dept.’ yesterday morning.

I was so shocked but I think they said something along the lines of ‘we want to check your X-rays and pre-admission tests and would like you come to the hospital to see your surgeon, as surgery getting near’.

‘Can you come tomorrow? (today now).

So we are off to the hospital early afternoon.

I am feeling rather nervous but will be better once I have arrived at the hospital.

I am really enjoying all the posts and send my best wishes to those who are recovering and I am sure there are a few who are waiting for their surgery too.

Progress!

How did it go ipadgrandma?.

Brilliant news from both Travels and ipadG! Excellent stuff! ?⭐️

Just can't wait to be out of this relentless pain, it is spoiling my life. Trying to deadhead some flowers in the garden and after less than 10mins have had to come in and sit till pain goes and I can try again!!! The frustration at the waste of time sitting around is making me angry now. I want to do stuff and just pray this time next year will be so different. The constant planning of everything and no spontaneity any more is so hard to deal with. Not long now till the 25th and it will be over and I'll be the road to recovery??

Went to see surgeon yesterday. He said he wanted an x-ray and and a MRI scan done to see exactly the situation with my hip and to see if there is any residual infection after Septic Arthritis
put me in hospital in April 2021.

I had the hip x-ray done while I was at the hospital, but await a scan appointment. I had one done last September and
waited about four weeks for that one. And so it goes on.

He gave me no idea about when the replacement might happen.

When ‘Booked Admissions’ phoned on Monday morning and asked if I could go to the hospital for pre-admission checks and X-ray the following day, it all sounded rather promising. Nothing was mentioned about all the blood tests, etc I have had done twice (the first lot had expired!) when I was with the surgeon so presumably they were ok.

I don’t think it can be that far away, but who knows.
Feeling somewhat deflated today.
You are all a great support.
Thank you!

iPadGrandma I can only commend your amazing reserves of patience with this whole drawn out malarkey. I do wish the NHS would look at the lived experiences of patients through this episode of 'care' Its making me gnash my teeth ?

Thank you for your kind words, GrannyLaine. My reserves of patience do run dry pretty regularly, and most days I do shed a few tears at my situation and at the uncertainty of not knowing when things will finally happen. This rules out future planning, which would at least be good to do, given how much we are constrained at the moment. My well-being is certainly being challenged at the moment.
I find this thread very supportive, thank you everyone.

All I can say is hang on in there and keep reminding yourself that when you finally get that wonky, troublesome good for nothing hip replaced, things will be MUCH better. I'm still seeing change for the better: my energy levels are back to where they were about 20 years ago. Its such a joy to be able to move fast! Seeing my surgeon for the last time (I think) next week and I could hug him.

Just had a call rom the hopital to chat about my op next week. They are saying i need someone with me for three days and someone overnight the first night. The plan for my DD to stay has fallen through as her company wont let her take unpaid leave and she cant book it as holiday as too many other staff off on A/L at the moment. So i am back to square one. How many of you 'hipsters' managed alone right from the start once home. I am sure i will be ok, a friend is going to pop in a couple of times a day and the rest of the time i shall be alone. Shopping not an issue as my son will do that once a week . I just want it all over and done with now.

Oh travels, I’m so sorry to hear that.
I don’t know what to say to be honest. I think that you will struggle. They may not even let you have the op.
Was there something earlier about the Red Cross organising help?

(I’ve noticed that this thread is not showing on the Active List ^at all^)

Bump (sigh)

Unless they can arrange some help for you, travelsafar, then the hospital shouldn't let you out for those three days.

Hello travels, I mentioned the Red Cross support fir those leaving hospital post op a while ago. Why not ring them and Age UK too, as well as your GP. I wasnt on my own and it was gard but on my own woukd have been difficult,though not impossible, if there was no other choice.

I just checked and it has slotted itself half way down the active list. Cant understand why this keeps happening.

It’s not just this thread, Silver, it’s been up the spout for ages

Travelasfar your main problem will be getting in and out of bed as well as going to the loo during the night if that is necessary. You are not allowed to bed forward and you will have little control over the muscles for a few days.

When you sit on the bed to get it in, place the longest piece of material under your lower leg to swing it in and you would do the same getting out.

I was given a crepe bandage in hospital after my first knee replacement but you could use eg a pair of trousers or an old dress to take the weight.

Try it at home now and also in the hospital before you leave but in theory they should not operate.

Travelsafar... Are they planning to send you home the same day? (I know some hospitals do) but it's usual to be in for at least 2 to 3 days and I think and how for you that the norm is for you to be signed off by a physio who will have shown you hire to get on and out of bed and seen you walking with the crutches and using stairs. I was on my own after the first day I came home for 12 hours a day and I slept apart from my DOH as I couldn't get comfortable and tended to spread myself across the bed. As much as you can plant things.. especially going to the loo... Give yourself time to get in and out of bed. I won't lie the first few days you really are less than keen to get out of bed/up out of a chair but once moving it does ease. I didn't really get like eating much either so food wasn't a problem but maybe a stock of sandwiches with longer use by dates maybe an idea. Just a thought.. Do you belong to a church or group ...is there someone there who could pop in....It does all sound very daunting at this stage. I only joined the thread a few days before my op and was scared as everyone else seemed so well prepared and knowledgeable but here I am 3 months on enjoying life to the full and so will you be. X

My sister stayed the first night , it was supposed to be two nights but I came out a day later than planned . After that I was on my own , son came every day and I was fed by him or my sister in law. Yes the hardest thing was getting in to bed but a belt hooked round my foot worked well . The stairs were easy once the physio showed me . My friend was discharged after exactly 24 hrs from the op ! He is however an expert on crutches having had two knees and back surgery done !

I have a service via red cross who will arrange help the day after I get home but its that first night I wo t have anyone here to assist. I am going to ask a good friend if she would stay over night . All this is stressing me more than the thought of the actual operation!!!!

Red Cross used to do a 6 week post op home cover., but maybe that has changed.
The hospital physio will not allow you home if they think you arent ready to cope on your own. Try not to worry, I am sure your friend will help. It will work out and you will be up and on your feet,painfree, very soon.

Royal Voluntary Service has a home from hospital service. Contact them?

travelsafar I know that some on here have managed alone (and they have my utmost admiration) but please don't underestimate the amount of support you will need in the early days at home. Also, please do plan for worst case scenario and don't just assume that recovery will be uncomplicated. Of course we all hope that it will be straightforward, but even so, those early days are TOUGH. Charleygirl is right, getting that flipping leg in and out of bed is hard initially and the technique she suggests is a good one - I used a dressing gown belt looped round my foot. When I had my pre-op appointment they specifically asked about support at home and wouldn't have discharged me on the third day unless I did have someone to look after me. I do hope you can sort out something that works for you