MY HIP SITUATION - SAW THE SURGEON TODAY

Hi folks

Sorry, pressed the PUBLICATION button instead of SAVE and so Jen's Roast appears on your side bars too much early.

Please return at 10 am GMT when the roast will be officially posted.

Sorry about this.

Whilst I am 'on air' so to speak there is an opportunity to give an update on my hip situation. I had my pre-surgery appointment for a full replacement hip procedure at the hospital. I spent 5 hours there. I was very impressed with the patient care and professional way they explained everything. People sometimes knock the National Health Service when actually it is wonderful - most countries would welcome having a service like that.

Saw the surgeon who agrees my operation should be sooner rather than later. Still no date though. He says I will have a ceramic ball and socket joint for extra life. Presumable he thinks I will not 'pop my clogs' for a while. There is a 98% success rate but this operation is still classed as serious.

"What could go wrong?" I asked.
"You could die!"
("Jeepers!" I said)
"Well, any anaesthetic has it's dangers but you are a very fit man."
"Infection"
"Deep Vein Thrombosis"
"One leg could be slightly longer than the other, but unlikely."
"Hip dislocation during the first 6 weeks but this is rare."

He was a bundle of laughs and he is doing the operation. Actually he has a very good record.

Had another X-Ray.

Spent a long time in the Pre-Operation Assessment Clinic.

A nice nurse took my blood pressure, gave me an ECG and took my pulse. She was rather nice so perhaps the reading might have been slightly exaggerated LOL. Made her laugh a lot, along with her colleagues, particularly when she asked me for a urine sample and gave me a tiny little bottle. A told her I was until recently an ambulance man and we exchanged some nice stories. At the end she thanked me for the entertainment. LOL

Then saw another Canadian nurse who actually sounded rather Irish. She explained all about the operation.

Then I saw a doctor who examined my heart and lungs and I flew though it as very fit.

I may not have a full general anesthetic - they might not knock me out completely which sounds a bit 'hairy'. I will discuss options with the anesthetist when I am admitted.

Then saw a physiotherapist who told me about the dangers of hip dislocation during the first 6 weeks. Because the leg muscles are cut so they can uncouple my leg and work on it, there is not as much holding the joint together so I will not be able to do certain activities for 6-8 weeks. They say I shall be fully recovered in 3 months and will be able to run even, but not far. That's fine for me - I did run 6 miles a day when I was much younger and I was super fit with a pulse rate at rest of just 47. Some heart pump eh! It is about 70 now, which is not too bad for an old codger.

So I shall post Jen's Roast tomorrow.

Bye for now, Eddie