Full Hip Replacement – Week 2
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.
13 Not Really All That Gruesome Details
I had a total hip replacement. If you’re squeamish or easily bored by medical talk, then this is a good place to stop reading.
In the Woods
“Is that a piano over there in the woods?” Brandy peered through the trees. “You think it plays? Let’s try!” She took off running.
“Not that one!” Matt followed. “It’s cursed!”
“Hah, hah! Don’t be silly!” The piano played beautifully until the last note.
Then Ruth stormed out the back door of her house. “If you hit a wrong note you have to pay the penalty! It’s the chair for you!” She pointed at a kitchen chair left by the pond. She was so insistent that Brandy sat.
“See?” Matt stood next to her. “If you play that piano, you’ll get turned into part of a performance art piece.”
The Hub: Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Photo credit: Ted Strutz
Still out to lunch
Just saying. There won’t be a Suzie’s House next week either, due to doctors appointments. Wait. Is today Wednesday?
All Quiet on the Western Font
You probably won’t be hearing much from me for the next few days. I just went in to get a hip replaced.
13 Friday Fictioneers Posts
I’ve been participating in the blog hop called Friday Fictioneers since April of 2014. The idea is to write a story of 100 words based in the provided pictures. A few have piled up. These are ones that don’t use a particular cast of characters.
1. Celebration
Suzie’s House 491 : Goodbye Van Family
Jim walked for four hours. He would have stopped and slept at the side of the road, but the one thin blanket he had with him didn’t do enough to keep him warm. He had to keep walking until he either found a place to stay, or someone took pity on his cold hitchhiker’s thumb.
An Arch Look
Marge politely put a scarf over her head before entering the mosque. She was learning to carry one in her bag for just such occasions. It was that, or borrow one that had been on who knew how many heads.
This mosque featured more arches that any of the others she’d seen. The tour group had gone so many places, she wasn’t even sure what country they were in.
A set of arches beckoned. Maybe there would be something new. But when she tried to sneak off through them, a man blocked her way with a look. She scuttled back to her group.
The Challenge: Write a story in 100 words or less
The Hub: Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
The Photo Credit: Dale Rogerson
Winter
You know it’s going to be a rough winter when:
1. The cats get cabin fever in January.
2. The snow piles up enough on the car roof to make it dent.
3. Your family has a total of four vehicles, and not a single one will turn over.
4. The furnace repairman snaps at you when you call just because he’s tired.
5. Two layers of pants is normal.
6. People brag about how many layers they are wearing on top.
7. The clutch crunches when you try to start the car.
8. The cats voluntarily crawl into your lap to warm their feet.
9. A bucket of water carelessly placed by the back door freezes over in a couple of hours.
10. You can’t read books depicting Winter because they make you shiver.
11. A heated restaurant makes you break out in a sweat.
12. You go to a movie theater to warm up.
13. Sunshine makes you shiver.
Suzie’s House 490 : Van Family Neophyte
“He’s a misogynist!” The dork with fake glasses pointed at Big Jim Zempel and laughed. Laughed! As if he had any right to say anything, the wannabe.
“What are you talking about?” Jim tried to laugh it off, though he really wanted to punch the guy. Lately it seemed like lately Rick had been picking up more and more of those people. Always the ones who didn’t really need to be there. College kids killing the last few minutes before they went back to school.
“You, man. I’m talking about you.” The idiot college boy grinned dopily.
Mini Vacations
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I have actually been on two more trips since my Indonesia vacation. One took place last Spring when I was still preoccupied with the posts about Indonesia. The other took place right after Thanksgiving when I was preoccupied with holidays.
I only just found all the photos I took on those trips. The chips had gotten misplaced. Frankly, in comparison, they weren’t much. Still, it will probably take a few weeks for me got get all my pictures ready and info together to start posting about them.
Until then, I’ll just have to say one thing. It sure is cold here! I already have cabin fever.
