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Monday 1 March 2010

Hospital, New Hip Operation and Convalescence

On the mend at last and getting stronger.

I am writing a two-part account of my stay in hospital for my Total Hip Replacement Operation.


Just look what some kind person sent me!!!! . . . . and inside the cards was printed, "The term 'normal' is loosely used of course!" Gee thanks, Lynn. She is a nurse friend of mine who also wrote in the card, "Hope the Physio showed you how to run up a ladder!" Er thank you, so much, Lynn, and I did seem to remember you promised to visit me and give me a bed bath, but you never showed up! Promises!! Promises!!!

Well folks! Life has been very eventful since I had my Total Hip Replacement on Saturday 13th February. Not being at all superstitious I am rather grateful it was not Friday 13th. After just a couple of post operation days I was so relieved of the Arthritic Pain I had to endure for the past 3 months - total agony on occasions. Quite frankly, all the post operative trauma of cut muscles and tendons, drilled pelvis and femur was a piece of cake for me in comparison to my pre-operative experience.

I remember smiling to myself on the Saturday morning just prior to departing to the hospital in Bath. Should I write on my leg, "This one!" to make sure they do the correct one. As it turned out I remember chatting to the anaesthetist just outside the operating theatre and he asked me to verify which leg!! I told him what I nearly did and he laughed and said, "Why didn't you? We are always game for a laugh, but had you done so and not drawn an arrow upwards we might have changed your left knee for an artificial one!" Laughing, he proceeded to take out the sort of pen I had in mind and drew an arrow pointing upwards on the correct leg, the left one, still grinning.

Earlier we had debated whether I should take my hearing aids with me to theatre so he could talk with me. We decided I would wear them and take a small container with me and he would take them out during the operation. I was rather surprised he wanted me to wear the hearing aids and he noted this, saying, "I mean we will talk pre-operation of course, I have no intention of discussing with you The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire during the operation!" My he was a character and I think he thought I was one as well for we got on like house on fire. I saw the surgeon and some of his henchmen and they waved to me and smiled.

The anaesthetic procedure was an Epidural plus strong sedation which meant I did not have a General Anasthetic which is much kinder to the system. They sat me up inside the operating theatre and I felt a feint prick in my spine and my body gradually froze from the waste down. They kept prodding me and asked if I could feel my legs which I could not but I was aware of someone inserting the dreaded catheter and I looked longingly at the anaesthetist and asked him to put me out for that, which mercifully he did.

The anesthetic was brilliant because I woke right at the end when they were pat sliding me in theatre onto a trolley. I was awake sufficiently to say a clear an audible thank you to everyone and they all nodded in appreciation. It seemed rather strange for me to be able to do this and I smiled to myself. They pat slid me again onto a bed in the recovery room and I was aware of someone holding my left leg very carefully and then I passed out again.

I was awakened in the recovery ward by a very charming and lovely nurse and I remember saying, "Am I in Heaven or are you Aphrodite?" She laughed and laughed remarking that no-one had ever said that before. I asked her to excuse my rather over-developed sense of humour. She was very anmused and did look after me very well. I observed that it felt as though my left leg was up in the air when it obviously was flat in bed. She explained that my brain remembered the position it was last in before I went unconscious and it was in the sitting position for the epijural injection. She said I would soon get used to the new position. And then I passed out again and woke up on my own ward. I was very pleased that I had remembered to thank her for her kindness before I became unconscious again and left the recovery ward.

I did see her again when she accompanied the next patient back onto my ward. She saw me and waved and that's the last I saw of her.

I must say everyone looked after me very well during my stay in hospital and I am very pleased with the high standard of patient care within the National Health Service. A lot of people knock it and in my opinion they should not do so - we are very lucky to have it.

Next time - some amusing incidents and getting to grips with walking again.

43 comments:

  1. What a cheeky card!
    I think you have done extremely well and it was wonderful that you managed to thank all the staff when you were barely awake! Very well brought up boy.

    Nuts in May

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  2. Glad everything went so well...and that you displayed your usual good humor throughout!!! ;-) Looking forward to hearing all your hilarious tales...which I have no doubt your visit with NH have produced...and as always, you are such a gentleman!!! Prayers for your continued recovery...you know that well!!! Hugs, Janine

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  3. Sounds like every thing went fine and you sailed through with grace and humor!! Good on you!! Just don't do the tango yet...wait until next week!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  4. Yay, Eddie...! The new Bionic Man. I'm so glad to hear you're feeling better, and on the mend. You'll be tripping the light fantastic in no time. :-)

    Cheers,

    Jo

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  5. so happy to have yo back with us.....and great to hear your story!!

    how mobile are you??

    luv saz x

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  6. cute card eddie...glad all went well...with some chuckles along the way...

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  7. Saz - Pretty mobile thanks - start running, cause I'll catch you LOL

    Seriously, be patient, I'll tell you all about it next time, after I fonish my ballet exercises. LOL

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  8. So glad you are feeling so much better.....pain can wear even the most positive of people down. It must be such a relief for you.
    Keep on this wonderful road of healing Eddie, we all missed you.
    ........:-) Hugs

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  9. You positive attitude is so uplifting. Glad to hear all is going so well.

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  10. Mon cher ami, Eddie- I am so pleased that everything went so well! Bet that nurse never heard anything so cool in her life! lol Enjoyed your stories and can't wait to hear more! Your positive attitude is such a blessing to all who know you! Thanks for sharing and for all of your prayers. Hugs and prayers, Marguerite

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  11. It's wonderful to read the account of such an appreciative patient. With an attitude like yours you will be "up and at 'em" in not time!

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  12. Glad to hear your op went well Eddie. My Dad had the same op 2 years ago and at 85 it's given him a new lease of life!

    I too won't hear a bad word about the NHS having had a total knee replacement and received the best care ever. :)

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  13. Eddie! Sorry to hear about your surgery; an all too familiar scenario for me this past year....but glad to hear it went well...you sound quite chipper!

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  14. So glad you're feeling better! Keep up the good progress!

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  15. I've been looking forward to this. Good to have you back and on sparkling form.

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  16. I once called a nurse who shot me up for pain an angel. A goddess would have been taking it too far :)!

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  17. Soooo glad the pain is greatly improved Eddie! I'll be needing one of these surgeries down the road and it's great to get your insight into the procedure.

    Keep up the good work! I'll be watching for Part Two!

    jj

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  18. What...no lost limbs? No sponges sewn inside? No parts accidentally whacked off? No blood-curdling post-op crazy patient gone mad tale? Where's the drama?!

    Tsk, tsk. How boring. Oh well, maybe part II will be juicier.

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  19. Ethel Mae ~ whoops! sorry there was insufficient blood and gore for you (LOL) but next time I will attach a Youtube of the operation which you might find rather amusing! LOL
    Incidentally I am very pleased they put my leg back the right way round otherwise I would be walking round in huge circles by now.

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  20. Did you go for your maiden walk today, Sir D? ;-)

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  21. Eddie, I rather like the image of the leg on backwards, walking around in huge circles - would certainly give you some new writing material - how would one backwards leg have affected Fred Flintstone? I guess Wilma would have been, out of necessity, the first female driver, as one of Fred's feet would padded the dirt FORWARD and the other REVERSE. And what about Big Foot? Why, you might have had anthropoligists on the verge of an entire new species!
    Ah, tragedy they put it on the right way. Little did they realize the literary devastation...

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  22. Eddie, it's so good to hear from you again. We all knew you'd fly through things, it was just a matter of how many laughs you'd give the staff while you did. Can't wait to hear more, my friend, and even less patience to see you up and running (and I do mean running!!!)

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  23. I'm sure you would have kept them in stiches a bit longer if they kept you awake.

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  24. Maggie - Yes it was a cheeky card but as you know I love such things.

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  25. Sniffles & Smiles - Janine I am so very pleased you are back in blogland - missed you terribly. Yes I think a good sense of humour always helps in these circumstances.

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  26. Slommler - Thanks SueAnn - must learn to do the tango. Until recently I have always had two left feet but I hope the surgeon spotted this and put it right! LOL

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  27. A Majority Of Two - Thanks Jo. Yes I do feel a bit like Steve Austin and things certainly appear in slow motion when I walk LOL. I am in training for the Bath half Marathon next week - ouch!!

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  28. Bernie - Thanks and yes, it is such a relief to be free of pain.

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  29. Brian - Thanks my good friend - it did go well all things considered and I always try to remove the doom and gloom when I am hospitalised - it helps me, it helps other patients and it helps the nursing staff.

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  30. Maria - Thank you kind lady and yes, it's much better to be positive.

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  31. Marguerite - Much appreciated are you kind words and I will try to make the next installment funny as well - some funny things did happen. I can walk 29 paces already without any assistance so that's not too bad so early.

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  32. Pauline - Yes, I think the doctors and nurses should be appreciated - they all do a grand job and it must make their life a little better if someone takes the trouble to thank them.

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  33. Akelamalu - Great bto hear about how well your dad is doing and your successful Knee replacement. Really great.
    Yes - it makes my blood boil when I hear of NHS bashing. I was particularly annoyed when I heard an aquaintance had just joined a law firm specialising in representing clients who want to sue the NHS. Words fail me!

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  34. Braja - Thanks and I am glad it is going well also.

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  35. Eva - Thanks Eva and I'll try to keep the prgress going.

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  36. Mr London Street _ Thanks for the visit and your kind words.
    Your roast is not far away - I'll write to you soon.

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  37. She Writes - Thanks Amy - maybe I should have settled for Angel but Aprodyte hust slipped through my lips LOL

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  38. Joanna - Well worth the sugery already but looking forward to becoming more mobile.

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  39. TGFCBS - Cherry, it is always really great to hear from you - Sir D indeed!!

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  40. Suldog - Jim, nice to be back and thanks for your encouraging words.

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  41. Lakeviewer - Rosaria, thanks and I though seeing as they pit me in stitches it is only fair that I should do the same to them. LOL

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  42. OK...I had to scroll down past 18 Eddie Bluelights holding up the black shirt...but I finally made it! I'm envisioning Eddie walking in circles, too...and thinking what a unique post that would make...but knowing you, Eddie, it would be faaabulous.
    First of all, I'm so glad to see that your leg is healing...the nasty infection is at bay, and that Wilma (er, I mean Maria) is also getting better. So much is going on at the rock mines, it seems. I do love your blog....and am not surprised that you thanked everyone you could (while you were in the 'awake' state)....You are such a gentleman. I look forward to the day when I hear that you can throw down those walking sticks, and I am so very happy that all came out well with your surgery, Eddie. You are precious to all of us. Continue to take care of you. Love and hugs from Jackie

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  43. Jackie - Thanks my dear - you are the salt of the earth. X

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