The medical team that did my hip replacement worked very hard to educate me. They sent me to a class where the specific techniques used by my surgeon were discussed. They made me surf into an interactive web site about anesthesia and standard procedures for a hip replacement. I had meetings with the surgeon, his Physician’s Attendant, and the hospital’s pre-op staff. They sent me home with a loose leaf binder full of print outs. I have no idea how a ton of little details slipped past me, but they did.
Before the operation I went through the pages and pages of educational material. I did just what those who know me would expect. I set up a spreadsheet.
In the spreadsheet I listed all the hip precautions and how long each was expected to be in force, what equipment I would need and for how long, what medicine I would be expected to take and for how long, what exercises, what appointment schedule, etc. All with extra notes in additional columns.
So how come I came out of it not knowing when I could roll over in bed? Stupid hip precautions.
In case you haven’t had to go through this, a hip precaution is a position you must never allow your leg to assume. After surgery, every flipping tendon and muscle around the hip is going to be ticked off at you. Until they all calm down, they won’t do a good job of holding your leg in correct position.
I didn’t see anywhere that said specifically how long this was going to take. I get the feeling the range is so broad they don’t want to say. At my last doctor’s appointment they said for me it would probably only be six to ten weeks.
I had no idea the backs of my heels would get so sore from laying and sitting around. They said I’d be able to sleep on my side if I put a pillow between my knees, but so far that has been just as uncomfortable as laying on my back.
Most of all, I had no idea that sleep deprivation would be such a demotivational thing. I got myself off the pain meds pretty fast, so I haven’t been as fuzzy headed as I expected, but I just haven’t felt like doing anything. Except for go to the bathroom. That’s like the star event in my life right now. At least it means I’m getting some exercise, even if I slack off on the routines they want me to do.
