Wedding

We got married on September 15th!  What the hell does this have to do with my hip?  Not much, and everything, really.

I was on my feet all day long, except for a half hour at dinner.  There was walking, standing, and dancing.  And I NEVER would have been able to deal with it if I hadn't had the hip replacement.  

I have no regrets about the surgery.   Honestly I wouldn't have been able to enjoy my own wedding if I hadn't done it.  I danced, stood for a slew of pictures, I even took a midnight walk with some of my college friends after the reception.   

It was awesome. 

Oh, and all these lovely pictures were taken by Ann and Kam Photography.  Thanks guys!  

Payson Scottish Festival

Remember when I thought I was going to the Thanksgiving Point Scottish Festival a week after my surgery? Yeah, totally didn't happen.  To make up for it, my friend George told me about the Payson Scottish Festival.  So I took off work, determined to see some bagpipes this summer.

We spent about four hours wandering around, watching Highland Games competition and pipe and drum groups.  We missed the highland dancing, but that wasn't a big deal.

The best part of the whole thing? I walked around, all afternoon, without limping or pain.  I sat on bleachers, on the ground, and stood for more than five minutes at a time.

It's little things like this that remind me every day why I had the surgery in the first place.

Gigantic root beer bottle!  

Caber toss

Pipe and drum competition

All Fixed!

I visited the doctor on Wednesday for my six-week post-op.  I got new x-rays taken, and it was neat to see my fake hip in there!

This obviously isn't my hip, but it's exactly what my own x-ray looked like.

I still have to follow my "precautions" until about three months (so, another six weeks).  No crossing my legs, no bending the hip more than 90 degrees....etc.  And mostly I do that.  Except that I can now put on socks and tie my shoes!

I'm off all restrictions for work, so I worked my last day of light duty on Wednesday.  Part of me is excited; I miss being able to train my animals and get shit done in the building.  Another part of my kind of liked the variety of light duty and getting projects done that I don't usually have time for.

I still have some muscle soreness in the fake hip area.  Mostly it's on the side, right under my scar.  Which makes sense, given that those are the muscles that had the most invasion during the surgery.  And it's painful and awkward to lie directly on that side in bed.  However, I can lay on the other side without a pillow between my knees with no problem, and I have much more range of motion for other sleeping positions.  I still wake up sore sometimes if I've made a move overnight that isn't quite compatible with the hip.

Conveniently, this coming week is the Felid TAG at the zoo.  Since my boss didn't know my exact "return to work" date, she scheduled me on light duty for the rest of July.  Because my area is already covered, I may be spending several days this week at the hotel, helping with conference stuff.  This means that I get to ease back in to a full work weeks, by spending a couple of days doing regular work and a few days standing around schmoozing with people from other zoos.  Not too shabby!

Back to work...sort of

So we're short-staffed at the zoo, and having me on light duty for six weeks wasn't helping.  Because I'm so close to the end of my six weeks (!), my boss asked if I'd be OK spending the day in Tropics, training a new keeper.  Said keeper would be doing all the actual work, but I'd be there to direct her and answer questions.  YES!  It's been too long since I've spent the day in SAB, and there was some stuff I wanted to get done.

In my enthusiasm for being "back", I think I might have over-done it a little.  I washed windows, squeegied the floor, did some light finishing perching work in an exhibit, and added grass hay to another exhibit. I also went up to Cats and helped them do a practice tour of the area, which included about 40 minutes of walking around.

I'm sore!  Especially in the glutes and the hamstrings.  There's so much bending over in SAB, getting through doors, picking up stuff off the floor...ouch.

On the plus side, my hip its self did great!  No pain, very little "oops that was too much movement" tightness.

My body just has to get used to my workload again.

"Light Duty"

So, I went back to work two weeks after my surgery, which was three weeks ago today.  I didn't want to take FMLA (couldn't afford it), and honestly I was getting bored at home.

But obviously, I couldn't really do my "job".  I'm a zoo keeper, and our days are harsh.  We spend hours  cleaning exhibits, which may mean climbing stairs, ducking into small doors, hauling trash cans of dirt, and standing around hosing all morning long.  None of this is doctor-approved, say nothing about being painful.

So whenever we have someone at the zoo who's compromised in some way, they go on light duty.  Light duty means any number of things; it could mean desk work - filing paperwork, writing emails, updating protocols, etc.  It could mean "diets" - spending time in several areas chopping veggies, sorting fish, or weighing out meat.  Sometimes it's organizing bookshelves, or helping the education department.  I'm just really, really glad they didn't stick me up in Guest Services for four weeks!

So what have I been doing for the past several weeks at work? Here's a list:
Updating guest connections records
Updating keeper refresh records
Working on ZooTech 6
Writing an article for the members' magazine
Organizing the tool cabinet
Updating Tropics protocols and bat diet sheets
Sorting fish for Rocky Shores
Writing a protocol for sorting fish for Rocky Shores
Making Reptile diets
Helping Cats with snow leopard watch
Helping education make "blubber bags" for their programs (this one involved several cans of Crisco)
Stuffing gift bags for the Felid TAG recipients.

Some of this stuff required sitting at a computer.  Most of the diet prep happened while sitting on a stool.  It still required lots of walking between areas, and especially to lunch every day.  I think that's what helped me ditch the crutches so soon...forced PT in the form of schlepping down to the SAB or up to Cats every day.

One more week (hopefully) and this'll all be over!

Crutches and blood-thinners. Over it!

No more crutches.  I'm walking all by myself. Granted, I'm slow.  Stairs are still a challenge, and if I walk to far or too long, I get tired and sore.

I just got sick of the crutches.  Getting them in and out of the car is ridiculous. Stairs are stupid.  And my armpits are sore as hell.

It still requires some concentration to walk without limping. Not necessarily because it hurts, but because my brain isn't quite ready to let me put my full weight on it unless I focus.  So the slow walking is not because that's all I can handle, but because I have to relearn how to walk without limping.

There are still times I forget that it doesn't hurt anymore.  It's always a surprise to me "Oh, yeah, no more pain!"

Another awesome thing?  Yesterday I stopped taking the blood thinners!  Honestly, the biggest hassle wasn't the pills themselves, but getting my blood checked twice a week.  I had to take off work three times just to go in to the Sugarhouse clinic, wait in the waiting room for ten minutes, just to get my finger pricked and be sent on my way.  And now it's over!

There's more to celebrate about four weeks post-op than two, that's for sure!

Swimmin'

Today I hooked up with my friend/coworker/bridesmaid Emily for some pool time!  She has a summer pass to Steiner Aquatic Center.  They've got a kick-ass Olympic outdoor pool.

It's the first time I've been swimming since the surgery.  It felt FANTASTIC to get in the water!  At first I just did some of my PT exercises at the side.  But pretty soon I couldn't help but swim a few laps.

We spent a half hour in the pool total.  I swam about 500 yds.  This is only about a third of what I usually swim, but I had no desire to hurt anything.  I did several laps of just pulling (arms) with a pool buoy, and a few laps of full swimming with kicking!

I can't say that it "hurt".  The sensation was more of uncomfortableness.  Like things were pulling that shouldn't have been pulling, or something wasn't in the right place.  It wasn't an overwhelming feeling, so I assume that it's a normal part of getting things moving and working again.

After the swim, we both passed out in the sun for about 20 minutes.

It's so nice to be able to swim again!

Bowling for Rhinos

Last night was our annual Bowling for Rhinos event.  It's a bowl-a-thon raising money for rhino conservation.  Last year, I was the event chairperson, but this year all I had to do was show up.

It's the first time since going back to work that I had to work all day, and then attend an event at night as well.  By 9pm, I was wiped.  I left early and passed out on the couch.

The one positive was that I'm starting to be able to ditch the crutches.  The short trips back and forth between tables and to the bathroom were totally manageable without crutches.

Down to one crutch!

To start my first full work week, I'm celebrating by leaving one of my crutches at home!  The physical therapist said that I should transition as long as I am not limping at each stage.  So over the weekend, I practiced on one crutch.  And it worked out OK.

It's much much easier to get around on one crutch instead of two.  I can carry things, like papers or my lunch, with the other hand.  I'm also much faster, and going up stairs is easier as well.

Tomorrow is the three-week post-op date.  I'm pretty sure that being down to one crutch just three week after surgery is a win.

Sweet Vehicular Freedom!

Today is Monday, June 18.  It's been a two weeks and four days since my surgery.  And today, I drove myself to the clinic to get my INR checked!

Granted, I drove slowly and only needed to go as far as Sugarhouse.  But I can drive again!  No major pain or uncomfortableness, no dizziness, no issues.

SWEET MOTHER OF GOD I CAN DRIVE AGAIN!

Two-Week Post-Op Appointment

Thursday was my 2 week post-op appointment. I wasn't really sure what to expect.  X-rays? PT? Blood tests?  I knew I'd be getting my bandage off, but that was about it.

The office was running about an hour late, and I ended up seeing Dr. Peter's PA instead of him.  It didn't really matter to me either way (although the hour delay cut into my pre-dinner nap time.)  I also didn't have a co-pay.  Apparently any appointment you make 90 days after surgery is considered part of the treatment, and so is included in the entire package...or something.

The appointment its self was only about 15 minutes start to finish.  The nurse took off my bandage and replaced it with strips of medical tape.  I assume this was to stablize the incision but allow it open-air time to heal.  A one-inch section at the top was (and still is) bleeding a little, but not all the time and not enough to be really worried about.

I was given a list of things to keep doing.  Wear your compression stockings (that hasn't happened for about a week now), keep doing your physical therapy, don't go into any pools or hot tubs until the scar is healed over (when is that?)

I had to remind them to take my blood to test my INR.  I felt so rushed that I forgot to ask about further PT (keep doing it myself or do I see someone somewhere?)  The whole thing was really bizarre.  No x-rays, no range-of-motion stuff.  I got her to write me a prescription for Tramadol since I was really eager to get off the oxy.  And I got some antibiotics for my eventual tattoo (I've got a Groupon to use!) I also had to ask for a "doctor's note" for work, and I basically had to tell her what to put on it.

I don't have another appointment for a month, which is my six-week post-op.  I still have to go in to a clinic to get my INR checked, as going back to work means that the home health people can't come see me anymore.

I can't say I'm 100% sure of what's going on, but I guess I'll figure it out.

First Day Back at Work!

Friday, June 15th was my first day back at work.  Two weeks after surgery.  I was out of sick time and really didn't want to tap into my FMLA (especially since it's unpaid).

Getting up that morning was kind of rough, as I haven't had to be functional before 9am in two weeks.  I had to get dressed, pack a lunch, eat breakfast....I know, I know.  None of this is exactly rocket science.    But it tired me out before I even left the house.

I got a ride with a coworker since I wasn't quite ready to drive yet.  Spent most of the day working on computer projects. I felt really good all morning!  Walking to lunch was a challenge, but I needed it after sitting all morning (a big no-no with the blood-clot prevention).

Then the afternoon rolled around.  1:30 - 3:00 has been my nap time for the last week and a half, and I felt it!  Sitting at the computer without nodding off was tough.  But I made it through the day.

Only two more days until the weekend!

Sightseeing (Days 11-14)

Days 11 and 12 post-surgery were uneventful.  I did more sitting, and napping, and took a shower.

Days 13 and 14, however, were full of new milestones.

My aunt and uncle were in town.  They had taken a road trip to Colorado and decided to make the 8 hour drive out to SLC to visit!  It was good timing, as I was healed enough to leave the house, but still out of work.

Previously, I'd only ventured out of the house and into a vehicle once, on our Saturday Culver's trip.  The plan was to visit the Temple on Wednesday, and then the Zoo on Thursday.  I'd gotten much better on the crutches but still got tired easily, so it was all about wheelchairs.

The Temple is very accommodating on the wheelchair front.  They had a room full of them and let me have one for free.  The little missionary girls even offered to push me most of the time, giving my uncle and aunt a break.  Almost everything on Temple Square is handicap accessible.  The exception was the Lion House tour, as the house is a historical landmark and not suited to wheelchairs.  I've been on the tour before so that wasn't a big deal.  We listened to the organ recital at the Tabernacle.  I took that opportunity to get out of the wheelchair and sit on the bench for a half hour.  Either my ass is huge or that chair was super small, because that that chair was very uncomfortable.  I'm glad I don't have to sit in one full-time!

We had lunch at Fiddler's Elbow, and then they dropped me off at my doctor's appointment.  It was my two-week post-operative appointment.  More on that in another post. Wednesday night we went out to dinner at Red Iguana.  Normally I would have had a margarita, but I figured my liver is working overtime as it is what with all the drugs I'm taking.  No need to completely explode it.

On Thursday we visited the zoo.  Usually, you have to rent wheelchairs there, but Bob the security guy recognized me and just got one out of the back.  I don't know how it works at the front gate, but I found it way easier to use the South entrance.  We could have driven right up to the gate and gotten a wheelchair if needed.  The wheelchairs at the front entrance are down the hill a ways, so I'm not sure if someone would have gotten one for us, or I would have had to walk down the hill a bit.

The zoo is hilly, and I felt bad for making my aunt and uncle push me.  They didn't seem to mind, and my aunt kept telling me how cool it was that they had their own personal tour guide.  I did realize that navigating the SAB in a wheelchair isn't as difficult as I thought it would be.

I'm really glad that things worked out the way they did.  I needed some kind of activity, but didn't want to jump right into a full work day.  This way I got out, challenged myself but still was able to work a nap into the mix to keep me going.  And it was awesome to see my family and talk wedding stuff!

The Weekend - Days 8, 9, and 10

So remember how I was all "I'm going to the Scottish Festival!"

Yeah.  That didn't so much happen.

It wasn't that my hip actually hurt.  My pain level has hoovered around a 2 (on a scale of 1-10) for a while now.

I'm realizing now that pain is not really an inhibiting factor in my recovery and general getting-around-ness.  The problem is stamina...endurance...energy.

Major surgery knocks you on your ass.  Even a 30-year-old in relatively good physical condition.  I've just now gotten to the point where at ten minute walk around the apartment complex doesn't make me dizzy.  Taking a shower wipes me out for a good half hour afterwards.

I'm slowly getting my endurance back.  On Saturday night, we went out to Culvers!  It was the first time I'd left the house in a week!  Yes, all these exclamation points are totally necessary!!

The Culvers trip was quite an ordeal.  It involved getting in and out of the car, which is something I hadn't done since coming home from the hospital.  Even sitting in the car and driving was different, with the bucket seat "hugging" my hips, and the bumps and jerks of riding on the highway.  I also had to shimmy and out of the booth at the restaurant.

All of it went really well, though.  It was nice to be out of the house, among people, in the fresh air.  To do a normal Saturday night thing.  And it was also nice for Paul to not have to make dinner for once.

The improvement is slow, but I can see it.  Each day has some small improvement over the previous one.  There are times when I get frustrated that I'm not "better" yet.  I knew going into this that it would take weeks to heal, but halfway through the second week I want to be done!  I want to be fixed!  Ulg.  Impatience will not help me get better.  

Physical Therapy

For the first two weeks (at least), my insurance covers six home visits of a physical therapist. Debbie came for the first time on Tuesday.  This is what my "assignment" is for the next couple of days.


Walking with the crutches:
Up and down the hall every two hours, as much as is comfortable.  For me, that's about four times before my hip starts to get tired.  Not really painful, just my muscles telling me they're done for now.

3x10 reps of each, per day:

Flex the ankle up and relax

Tighten quad, pushing knee down.  Hold 5 seconds, relax

With leg flat out, move heel out to side.  This uses the muscles on the outside of the thigh.  Relax, move foot back in to center.
      This one is rough for me, as much of my actual "pain" is on the inside of my thigh. The physical therapist said that at first, I didn't even need to worry much about actually moving my foot, so long as I was concentrating on using the muscles that would, eventually, move my foot.

Lay on back, with foot flat on bed.  Raise knee up, sliding foot on the bed.  Slide foot back down.

Here are some pictures, in case you're curious
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00303

Debbie was very nice.  She assured me that I was actually ahead of many of the patients she usually sees, simply because the rest of my body was in good shape. She corrected my walking slightly and gave me tips for getting up off the couch easier.  She'll be back tomorrow, and I'm not really pumped about upping the difficulty!

Post Surgery Day 7 - One Week!

It's been a week today since I went under the knife.  It seems like much longer than a week, and also much shorter.

And the consensus one week out?  This was totally worth it.

I'm still sore.  Still using crutches to walk, and still having difficulty getting out of bed.

But even in recovery, I have a greater range of motion in my hip than I did before.  And the better I feel, but more upbeat I am about my future and the things I'll be able to do when I'm fully recovered.

I had one of my "down" days today.  I woke up sore and slept most of my day away.  I'm starting to see this is as a normal cycle.  A few days of win, and then a day where my body has to play catch-up for all the advances I've been making.  I still did my physical therapy today, but that's about it.

The home health nurse came again today to take my blood levels.  I've reached my goal number for the blood thinners, so my dosage has been adjusted again for the weekend.

My hope is that tomorrow will be a good day, after all the lounging I did today.  Tomorrow is the Scottish Festival down at Thanksgiving Point.  It's where we got my engagement ring last year, and we need to look for wedding rings.  Also, its an event I can attend while sitting the entire time, which hopefully won't be too much for me to handle.

Wednesday - Post Surgery Day 6

Today was great!

Last night was the first evening I didn't go to bed at 9pm and pass out right away.  I read in bed for a good two hours before feeling sleepy enough to drift off.  This is an improvement.

Lindsay came over for lunch today.  She brought me Cafe Rio and rented the new Footloose from Red Box.  I was going to take a shower, but that got put on the back burner when I woke up on the couch only a half an hour before she was supposed to get here.  That was not enough time to shower, but it was enough time to change clothes, including putting on a real bra (another milestone!)

I sat up the whole time, with no dizziness.  We talked about work, discussed some "monkey business" that needed to be decided, and gossiped a bit.  During the movie, I did my first round of physical therapy exercises.  After the movie, I took three laps up and down the hallway on my crutches.

I also got a real shower today.  I had taken one at the hospital, using a shower chair.  I had also tried to take one on Monday, but had to just use shampoo and get out, due to dizziness.  But today, when Paul got home, I took a real, long shower.  I stood up the whole time, conditioned my hair, the whole bit.  And then I dressed myself!

This, folks, is a banner day.  And less than a week out from surgery, too.

Tuesday - Post Surgery Day 5

I thought Tuesday would be rough, and it didn't start out too great.  I got up at 2pm to pee, and ended up puking into the tub while sitting on the toilet.  I'm not sure what the issue was; I hadn't taken another oxy at that point, so maybe that it had worn off?  I was exhausted from getting myself out of bed?  I don't know.

But Tuesday was...pretty awesome. I mean, all things considered.  I got back to bed, went back to sleep, and woke up pretty damn settled.  For some reason, Tuesday morning was the magic one for the dizziness.  Getting from the bed to the couch was...fine.  I felt well enough for Paul to go to work, and so managed pretty well by myself all day.

It helped that I actually pooped Tuesday morning (separate post), which put an end to the obsessive water-drinking, and hence, the constant peeing.

The physical therapist lady also came that afternoon, and I was able to get up and open the door for her!

I'm measuring accomplishments in odd ways.  It works for me.

The First Day Home - Post Surgery Day 4

This post is about Monday - my first full day back at home.  It should speak volumes that this post isn't happening until Wednesday!

It was....rough.  I was in pain.  Granted, the pain was less than I had been anticipating.  It really only hurt when I moved...which was every time I had to get up and pee.  And I was peeing a lot, drinking lots of fluids to get the 'ole bowels up and moving (see previous post).

They tell you not to sit on couches and recliners.  Sorry, I'm a rebel. Breaking the rules, sitting on a couch all day long.  But here's the thing....I couldn't sit up.  I got dizzy, and dizziness lead to nauseousness, which lead to puking, which does not lend its self to getting the 'ole bowels moving, let alone a speedy recovery.

Thankfully, Paul saw that I was not doing well when he woke me up that morning and decided to stay home from work.  I can't stay in bed unless Paul is home because our bed is low to the ground and way harder to get out of than the forbidden couch I'm sitting on right now.  So I currently go to bed with him, and get up with him, to get transplanted to the couch for the rest of the day.   That transition was less than smooth Monday morning.

The day was a blur of taking an oxy, passing out for an hour or two, and then waking up having to pee.  A dizzy, epic journey to the toilet, with plenty of moaning and groaning on my part (I'm a huge baby when I my stomach is upset).  Back to the couch, drink some water, sleep some more, repeat.  The home-heath nurse came at some point (separate post), and even she thought I looked kinda pale, directing most of the complicated directions to Paul.

It was the worst day I've had since the Friday directly after surgery.  It's normal, apparently, to have the hospital-to-home transition take a lot out of you.  You're doing way  more for yourself, in an environment that isn't necessarily conducive to someone who's medically compromised.  

That was Monday.  This is Wednesday night, and I feel much, much better!  Truly, the difference a few days have made is miraculous.  I guess if it starts out bad, it's that much better when it's better!

Only New Parents and Surgery Patients....

Get SO EXCITED about poop.

This post is about poop.  Human poop.  Stop reading if you don't want to know.

So here's the story.

Up until this morning (Tuesday, June 5th), I had not pooped since the morning of surgery.  That's five full days of non-popping, people.  At first, they told me that I would probably poop by the time I left the hospital.  Sunday afternoon, and no bowel movement.  I was kind of worried they'd hold me hostage until I could poop, but thankfully they let me go home.  Things did get kinda serious, though, when I still didn't have to go on Monday morning. The nurse from the home health service seemed kind of concerned.

We got ourselves some milk of magnesia. That stuff is gross, guys.  It's only slightly more bearable than Pepto.  At least this stuff is mint-flavored....mint-flavored chalk-shake.  Mmm.  I took a shot Monday morning and waited for something to happen.  Nothin'.  Oh well.  I was feeling pretty shitty overall on Monday, so not-pooping was probably a good thing.  It meant less time sitting upright on the toilet, something I struggled with anyway.

This is not an uncommon occurrence with surgery.  The combination of the surgery its self, the pain meds, and decreased mobility all contribute to lack of gastrointestinal movement.  They start you on stool softeners in the hospital almost as soon as you can keep solid food down (or sometimes before).  I had had one hit of morphine before deciding that wasn't for me, so it was all Oxycontin from there on out.

I wasn't physically uncomfortable from the not-pooping, but they keep threatening you with concerned eyebrows when you tell them you haven't pooped.  "If it hasn't happened by day five, you might have to go back into the hospital."  Yikes!  Bowels, engage!

Luckily that didn't happen.  I took another shot of mint-chalk-shake last night.  And by about 8am this morning, I pooped.  Seriously, I was never so excited.  It was painful.  And then, because of the milk of magnesia, I kept pooping.  (That shit does not mess around, kids).

Paul got this text on his first break at work "Poop!"

Like I said...only new parents and surgery patients.

Home From the Hospital - Post Surgery Day 3

I came home from the hospital on Sunday afternoon. I woke up that morning feeling really good...all things considering.  I wasn't nauseous, having eaten TWO WHOLE PANCAKES for breakfast.  And bacon.  Sitting up didn't make me pass out!  I had graduated from the walker to the crutches the previous afternoon.  I was on fire!

But they won't let you out of the hospital without a parade.  First, the physical therapy lady came in one last time to make me recite (again), my dislocation-prevention-precautions.  Next, the thrombosis lady, to explain the blood-thinning medication and scare me with all the signs of a blood clot.  Who's next?  Pharmacy lady!  To fill all my prescriptions, but  also to tell me that the only anti-inflammatory medication that won't interact with the warfarin (blood-thinner) isn't covered by my insurance and would I like to pay $150 for a one-month supply?  No thanks!

The nurse was in and out all morning, and I had a delicious turkey sammich for lunch.  Ate the whole thing, too!  We just had to wait on the guy from Alpine Home Medical to bring me a set of crutches.  Apparently, the hospital its self did not have any crutches, but had to order them (?).  And he brought the wrong set the first time.  (??)

So I finally got discharged around 2pm on Sunday.  The car ride home was uneventful, but surprisingly bumpy.  I managed to get up the stairs all by myself, and spent the rest of the evening planted on the couch.  Success!

Let me tell you, though.  Getting up off the couch is A LOT harder than getting up out of a hospital bed that practically dumps you out the end.  My bathroom is NOT set up for a cripple, with handy bars all over the place to help hoist you onto and off the toilet.  And our bed is low to the ground.  So low, in fact, that I almost can't sit up straight without completely straightening my knee (in order to keep my hip from bending more than 90 degrees).

Being at home is harder than the hospital.  More tiring, more painful.  The TV isn't conveniently positioned for maximum viewing while lying flat on my back.  There's no call button.

But there's also no one waking you up every two hours to take your blood pressure.  No flicking on the lights to draw blood at five am.  No random beeping from the machine RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR EAR in the middle of the night that ran out of battery.

Being home is good.

Surgery Recovery - Day 1 and 2

"Day 1" is the first day post-surgery.  After morphine did nothing for me, I started on the Oxycontin (very early) Friday morning.  They started me off on one pill, so at first it wasn't so bad.  The dizziness and the nausea wouldn't hit until I sat up, and I didn't have to sit up until my first physical therapy session.

Generally with hip replacement, they usually have you get up the afternoon of the day of the surgery.  Since I recovered so late, I didn't have to get up until the next day.  9am on Friday morning I stood up for the first time.

And it hurt. I can't pretend it didn't.  They had me use a walker and take about five steps to the window, then five steps back to bed.  But the pain was all in my muscles.  The joint its self didn't hurt at all!  It really just felt like I'd been kicked really hard in the ass.  Painful, but not nearly as horrible as I though it would be.

But the dizziness.  Whether it was the combination of drugs, or the surgery, or the Oxycontin itself, something was making me horribly, awfully dizzy.   And the dizziness made me nauseous.  And the nausea made me vomit.  I could only actually stomach fruit on that first day, and then I threw it all up at my 4pm physical therapy.  I did actually manage to eat some dinner that night, which was grilled fish with a bunch of other stuff.  I ate the fish, the roll, and the berry cobbler (it was delicious).  All was well!

Until I took more Oxycontin at about 4am.  I spent the next 10 hours of Day 2 dozing (or passing out, hard to tell), and I vomited all of my breakfast up before PT at 10am. They had given me three tablets this time instead of one or two, and it knocked me on my ass.  I couldn't even sit up straight without all the blood draining from my face.  The physical therapist didn't want me to try the stairs this morning because I was so out of it.

I was not going to let a little dizziness hold back the actual therapy. I did the stairs.  Later this afternoon, I switched to crutches and did a lap around the nurses' station.   I also stayed off the oxy until after my PT.  I took one pill, and was able to eat about half of my dinner and keep it down.  I even took a real shower!

I've been spending my evening on the Internet and watching trashy TV.  Other than having to ask for help every time I need to pee, it's actually not that bad anymore.  My hip pain is almost non-existant if I don't move, and only about a 3 or 4 when I get up and walk.  The pain is different than it was before...the joint pain was deep inside my butt, and my hip popped and zinged pain up and down my leg all the time.  I couldn't stand up straight.

Now the pain is all in my muscles. And like muscle pain, it gets less intense if I keep moving.  Every time I get up to go to the bathroom, it hurts a little less.  All the nurses are impressed with my mobility.  Lets just hope I'm over this nausea thing so I can go home tomorrow!

Surgery

This post is about Thursday, and I'm writing it on Saturday. It's been a rough couple of days, but surprisingly the hip its self hasn't been too much of a problem.

We got to the hospital at about 10:30am.  I hadn't had anything to eat since the night before, and I was both cranky and punchy.  So Paul and I were cracking ourselves up in the pre-surgery room, watching episode after episode of Ridiculousness.  Watching people fall down is funny, no matter where you are.

I was in the pre-surgery room for about an hour and a half.  Surgery was scheduled for 11:45am, but I didn't get rolling until after noon. A parade of people came by to see me, to take blood, sign paperwork, and every single one had to ask me if I knew my name and birthday.  Every single one!  Gah.

The anesthesiologist came in and told me I had two options for surgery.  The first would be a spinal block and some sleeping medication.  I would be in and out of consciousness, but that meant I wouldn't need a breathing tube.  The other option was general anesthesia, where I'd be completely knocked out.  The recovery time would most likely be longer, and I'd have that sore throat from the breathing tube.  Tough decisions!  On the one hand, if the the thought of a catheter creeped me out, the thought of a breathing tube REALLY freaked me out.  On the other hand....does anyone really want to give the OK to WAKE UP during surgery? On purpose?

As nervous as I was about the waking-up-during-surgery part, I knew the recovery would be even worse. Post surgery pain, weakness, nausea, etc.  I didn't really want to add general anesthesia ick and a sore throat to the mix.  So I opted for the spinal block.

Spinal blocks?  They're kind of wonderful.  Chipper Surgery Nurse chatted with me the whole time about our wedding (having to explain about six times just who Paul was will spread the word quickly), and then the anesthesiologist was all "OK I'm done!"  Immediately I had a warm sensation spread down my legs, and then I was numb from the waist down.  Sweet!  I had also gotten some "happy" drugs, meant to relax me, so really every thing was pretty sweet at that point.

I did wake up half-way through the surgery.  The anesthesiologist told me she should be able to wake me up by shaking my shoulder.  Instead, I woke up to them hammering my femur!  Or, at least, that's what the noise and the shaking table led me to believe.  I couldn't actually feel anything, and I was so groggy that I just didn't care.  The biggest annoyance for me was an itchy nose.  Something in the combination of drugs running through my system, complete with with oxygen mask, make my nose SO ITCHY!  I couldn't keep the mask on, and was aware enough to keep pulling it off.  The anesthesiologist finally gave me some Benadryl, and I feel back asleep.

The surgery was over in about 2.5 hours, which was the estimated time.  I was in recover for an hour and a half, though, so I didn't get up to my hospital room until almost 5pm.  Both Dr. Peters and "Jeremy" (he's a doctor too, but he kept introducing himself as Jeremy) told Paul that the surgery went really well, but that my hip was a mess.  Both of them couldn't believe I was still walking, let alone going to work.  That's always good to hear...I guess.  At least I can rest easy in the knowledge that I made the right decision.

They knocked me out with morphine that first night, but it did nothing for the pain.  Got me some Oxycontin and well...things got slightly better from there.  The pain died down, but the nausea set in, and I didn't sleep all that well  Thursday night.  That's a story for my next blog!

One More Sleep....

Surgery tomorrow.

Since I can't eat after midnight, I decided to have a "last meal".  Olive Garden!  I won't need to eat for a week.   Or at least Paul can have my leftovers tomorrow.

I've gotten lots of texts, calls, and well wishes.  For some reason, this makes it seem more serious.  Like, it's really a big deal to be having surgery tomorrow.  Better say "I love you" because you might not make it out of anesthesia?  Yipes.

I have to be at the hospital at 10:45am, and the surgery is scheduled for 11:45am.  Surgery is two hours, so I'll be out by 2pm.  And then....recovery!

I'll be in the hospital for three to four days (hopefully three).

Tonight:
Pack my hospital bag
Gather books and such for entertainment
Enema (yup, I said it)
Relax and enjoy both my last night without a cane, but also my last night with my bum hip.

A Care Package

So my awesomest friend in the whole wide world, the lovely Emily Heck, sent me the cutest care package  EVAR!  A whole box of stuff meant to make my surgery recovery easier.  

Look at all this loot! 

Yes.  Very bad indeed!

Yay! 

I will indeed!  I'll have time for lots and lots of stuff...as long as I can sit.  

As if the present alone weren't enough to make me smile, the post-it notes surely were.  

Thanks for all the love Em!  

Hip Replacement Surgery Video

So, who wants to see what is actually happening with my hip surgery!

I shouldn't have watched this, but hey, I'm nothing if not curious.

Here ya go!

One More Week

It's May 24th, a Thursday.  A week from now, I'll be spending my first night at the hospital, having had surgery at some point earlier in the day.

People keep asking me if I'm A) Nervous or B) Excited.

And the answer is yes, to both.  I'm nervous about having surgery.  But I'm nervous about weird stuff.  Like, how uncomfortable is that catheter going to be?  The fact that I'm getting put under and cut open and having a chunk of bone sawed off it not really the most concerning part. I think it's because it's something I'm not going to experience.  The post-surgery pain is going to be a reality, but it's not as if I'll be listening to them hammer in my new ball joint.

But I'm also excited.  I really, really believe that this surgery will greatly improve my quality of life.  This last week of work was rough.  This next week is going to be even worse, since I'm not allowed to take any pain killers starting tomorrow.  I can't walk anywhere, I can't tie my own shoes, and I'm sure it looks painfully hilarious whenever I attempt to get up from the picnic table at lunch.  It's going to make work easier and life in general much more bearable.

One more week.

"Convenience Items"

I'm trying to get all my shit together before I go into surgery.  One of the items I need to procure is a raised toilet seat.

I am not allowed to bend my hip more than 90 degrees.  Being that we live in a cheap apartment with an equally cheap, low toilet, sitting down on that thing will most definitely bend my hip more than 90 degrees.  The raised toilet seat is also recommended in all the pamphlets they give you on "shit you need at home" list.  So I had the doctor write me a prescription for the toilet seat and a shower chair.  Paper in hand, I waltz right into Alpine Home Medical and asked the Very Friendly Sales Associate to point me in the direction of the "bathroom aides".  (The only way to keep myself from being completely embarrassed at being a 30-year-old looking at bathroom aids is to bring some swagger.)

Very Friendly Sales Associate was sorry to inform me that raised toilet seats and bath chairs are not, in fact, covered by my insurance.  Even with a prescription.  Huh.

So I left without my coveted toilet seat, and called Altius. Turns out that "bathroom aides" are considered "convenience items", and so are not covered.  Forget that I wouldn't be able to effectively use the toilet and follow my doctor's instructions without one.  She seemed very apologetic, and honestly, arguing with the nice lady in Altius customer service was not going to get the company to pay for my toilet seat.

So now I've been scouring the interwebs for a cheaper raised toilet seat than the one they  had on sale at Alpine.  So far the pricing is somewhere between $50-$60.  This isn't a huge sum of money...hell, I could spend that much money on sushi.  But it's the principle that annoys me.  I know bitching about the humanity of insurance companies is old news.  And if I didn't have insurance, I wouldn't in a million years be able to afford this surgery anyway.  But really.

Questions - 20 to be exact

So tomorrow is my pre-operative appointment. This is where I get checked out to make sure I'm healthy enough for surgery.

At my last appointment, I was given a folder of information to go over.  And some of my questions have been answered.  But many "answers" are "Ask your physician about _______."  So I've got a list started.  I hope this guy has his schedule cleared.

To organize my thoughts, and to possibly help future surgery patients, here's the "short" list.

1. Will I have to give blood for a possible transfusion?  (The literature was vague on if this was still a thing or not)

2. How long will I be in the hospital? (I've gotten estimates between 24 hours and a week.  Uh, that's a very wide range people)

3. What's up with physical therapy?  Will someone be coming to my apartment?  How soon after surgery, and how often?  How many times before I'm on my own?

4. So I'll be on medication for blood clots.  Some information says coumadin, and some say aspirin.  To me, that's kind of a big difference.  Which one is it?

5. How long will I be on the blood thinners?  And these blood tests...is someone coming to my house to do that? How often is that going to happen, and for how long?

6. What's the deal with caffeine intake with the blood thinners?  Anyone who knows me knows about my chronic Mt. Dew habit.  Yeah, I could take this opportunity to get off the juice, but only if I HAVE to.

7. When can I take a shower?  Or am I reduced to sponge baths for two weeks?

8. And, when can I start swimming again?

9. So there's this thing called "prophylactic antibiotics".  Besides making me giggle like a 12-year-old boy, I'm not sure in what circumstances I'll need "protection".  It says dental work (any).  So I assume the same is true for tattoos and piercings?  And I would also like to know how often the doctor gets that question!

10. The folder also says I'll get a prescription for "medical supplies" for my house.  This may include: a walker, crutches, or a cane.  A raised toilet seat.  A grabber (sweet!) But there are some things that aren't mentioned: a shower bench.  A sponge-on-a-stick.  How much stuff can I buy here?  And where do I have to get it from?

11. What's up with sex?  When can we have it again, and what positions aren't kosher?

12. Are there any pre-surgery exercises I can do to help my muscles recover faster?

13. What can I bring for the hospital stay?  Does the hospital have WiFi?  I'd love to bring my laptop, especially if I'm going to be there for a few days.

14. The pamphlets say "no recliners or couches"  Why?  Is this only for sitting, and can I lay on the couch?

15. All the stuff says "no stooping, bending, or leg-crossing" but has no time limit.  Is this forever?  Cuz that's not really an option for my job..or my life.  How long we talkin' here?

16. Once I'm healed, just how likely am I to dislocate my hip?  Can I reduce the risk with physical therapy?

17. What is and is not covered by insurance?  Are all these home visits going to be covered as well? I mean, I know I've got a deductible, but is each visit going to have a co-pay like going to the doctor?

18.  Is the hospital/doctor going to be contacting the insurance company to get all this covered?  Or should I call them ahead of time to figure out payment?  Do I owe any money upfront when I show up at the hospital?

19. Will all the paperwork be filled out before I get there for surgery, or should I give extra time for that?

20. How long will the surgery take?  How long will I be in recovery?  What time of day will I be in my room, and can I have visitors that first day?

I'll have some answers for all of this tomorrow at my appointment.  Keep you all posted!

Why I'm Having My Surgery Before the Wedding

So I'm getting married on September 15th, 2012.  When I found out I needed the hip replacement, one of the biggest questions I got was "Are you going to do it before the wedding?"

At first, I wasn't sure.  I mean, the whole reason I went to the doctor in the first place was because the pain was starting to make my job difficult.  How long did I want to wait?  My exhaustive internet searches told me that most people are fully healed from hip surgery in about three months.  If I wanted to do it before the wedding, it would have to be no later than June 15th.  Could I schedule it that soon?

The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to just get it done.  Yes, the recovery will be painful, but when it's over, it will be gone. No more subtle *pop* noises accompanied by the sharp pain shooting down my leg.  No more limping to my car at the end of the day.  No more laying in bed as waves of dull ache travel from my lower back down to my knees and back up again.

But this weekend really brought home one of the main reasons I'm doing it now. I want to dance at my own wedding.

We went up to Lava Hot Springs this weekend for my bachelorette party. On Saturday night we ventured out to the bar, where we all proceeded to drink way too much whiskey.  There was a live band playing, a bunch of guys older than my dad playing classic rock and country covers.  I so badly wanted to dance.  I even tried, during one especially inspiring song, to shake my booty.  Only my booty didn't want to shake.  Swinging ones hips around in even a vaguely sexy fashion is apparently not a motion approved by my arthritic joint.  

I don't want to limp down the aisle on my dad's arm.  I don't want to sit out my first dance because I've been on my feet all day and just can't take it anymore.

Financially, having hip surgery AND planning a wedding is ridiculous.  Yes, I have insurance, but my deductible is equal to the amount of money we're able to pitch in to the wedding.  The responsible thing to do would be to get through the wedding, then focus on surgery.

But I just can't do it.  If surgery is going to "fix" the problem, then I want to do it now.  And just hope that I'll be able to get rid of the cane by September 15th.

Pain Managment

When I went to the first doctor, I had him write me a prescription for ibuprofen.  I was already downing 4-5 OTC pills daily.  I figured it was probably more efficient to just take an 800 mg pill.  Ibuprofen doesn't kill the pain completely, but it does take the edge off.  I don't feel comfortable taking a narcotic, simply because I don't want to be all loopy while shifting animals.

This morning I forgot to take my pill.  Not only did my hip hurt by 9am, but everything else was sore too.  When my hip hurts, I walk funny (well, more funny than normal).  That yanks my lower back into weird positions, and my knees and shins start to hurt as well.  If it's really bad, my shoulders get sore too, as I'm tensing them to deal with the instability in my lower limbs.

Note to self: don't leave the house without your pain meds.

Hip Replacement Humor

Making Doctor's Appointments

I called today to finalize my surgery appointment.  The surgery is set for Thursday, May 31st 2012.  But I also scheduled THREE MORE appointments.  I have a pre-surgery lab appointment, where they take all kinds of tests to make sure I'm healthy enough for surgery.  I've also got to bring in all my medications in their original bottles.  I've got another appointment for two weeks post surgery, which is, incidentally, going to be my second day back at work.  (shhh, don't tell my doctor).  And yet another appointment for six weeks post surgery.

I've never had any kind of medical condition that called for this much organization.  Even the stress fracture in my foot only required two trips to the podiatrist.

And so it begins.

What's up with this blog?

About six weeks ago, I went to the doctor for pain in my right hip.  I skipped the formalities and went right to an orthopedic doctor.  I expected to be sent home with a prescription for physical therapy.  What I got instead was a diagnosis of hip dysplasia (probably a birth defect) and severe arthritis in my right hip.  I needed a total hip replacement.  Did I mention that I haven't yet turned 30?

I was sent home with a recommendation to see another doctor, this time at the University of Utah Orthopedic Center.  Dr. Christopher Peters sees "younger" patients because he's the only surgeon in the state of Utah that does reconstructive surgeries on joints, if applicable.  So I was sent to him to see if that might be an option for me.

It's not.  He also recommended a total hip replacement on the right hip, with another one on the left at some point in the future.  So I had a decision to make...when?

I've had limited mobility in my hips for about ten years.  I remember being a camp counselor and not being able to sit cross-legged on the floor with the kids.  My right hip didn't start causing me pain, however, until about three years ago.  Because of my job, the pain got progressively worse.  I'm at the point now where it's difficult to put on my sock and tie my shoe on my right foot.  I can barely get through a work day anymore.  That's the reason I broke down and went to the doctor in the first place.

So I could, theoretically, wait to get the surgery.  But if I'm already in pain all day at work, how much longer do I want to wait?  And I'm getting married in September...I'd rather not limp down the aisle, or sit out all the fun dances because it hurts too much.

So I've made a decision to have the surgery before the wedding.  Specifically, May 31st.  This is a Thursday.  I chose this date because it's the start of my two three-day weekends in a row.  I can take six days of sick time and be out of work for 12 days.  After that, I'll go back to work on light-duty for four weeks and hopefully be back at full steam at six weeks post surgery.  Let's hope!

The purpose of this blog is to document this whole damn thing, from now, two months pre-surgery, to....well, whenever I feel like I have nothing else to say.  I've been scouring the interwebs, and there is a distinct lack of first-person accounts of this surgery from the point of view of a non-retiree.  I'm going to have a fake hip....and give birth.  I'm going to have a fake hip.....and get tattoos.  I'm going to have a fake hip.....and get married.

So, here goes.