Outpatient Hip Replacement...

[Mags]

.
Outpatient! That is amazing! Another thing to look forward to, you'll be eligible for the special TSA pat down at the airports.
Wish you well with the surgery and a speedy recovery!

[TMB]

Wish you a speedy recovery. I agree with ChefDuane do all the activities the PT gives you.

[Ernie]

A guy at work had both hips replaced 2 months apart. Both were outpatient and he was back to work (sit down job) in 4 days. Doing physical therapy but WOW. Listen to the docs and I hope you have a speedy recovery and a better quality life.

[ESquared]

Thanks very much for all the good wishes and advice, folks! It might be my imagination, but it seems like the cortisone is helping already. If so, that bodes well for the coming weeks!
And, Yes, I've read over and over that the PT/Re-hab is a "do what they tell you to do" affair, so no worries there! I'm a pretty quick healer overall and sort of a glass half full type person anyway, so will take it as it comes and know that there are good and not-so-good days along the way.
Really appreciate you all chiming in and lending your support. It all counts, doncha know!

[clovishound]

Maybe you'll have time to catch up on some episodes of The Rifleman

[TMB]

It might be my imagination, but it seems like the cortisone is helping already. If so, that bodes well for the coming weeks!

I get cortisone every 3 months in my knees. Right afterwards I have to go sit down somewhere with ice packs and ice them for 1/2 hour each. I get relief that day if I can sit long enough with ice.

[Ozarkwoodswalker]

That's amazing. I got a new hop about two years ago and it's fablous...no more limping or gimping ..I never even think of it now...great to be free of pain.....I was in hospital three days...I got along great...but can't fathom how you could be out the same day.....the had some dang thing put on my leg the first night to keep squeezing and releasing do no blood clots....... You be pretty slow first few weeks....I'm super sold on how the hip replacement helps....I'm thrilled I got mine....but can't imagine how I could have got out the same day....go figure!!!

[runnin n gunnin]

Finally got into the orthopedic surgeon's practice yesterday and he took a series of X-rays on the troubled right hip, which revealed more damage than the single image captured by the chiropractor a couple of weeks prior.

Basically it's more than shot. The ball on top of the femur isn't round anymore, but has a "flat spot," which is playing badly with the socket part of the joint, which has zero cartilage. The labrum (the tendon-like ring which holds the whole thing together) is "gone," to use his word.

The good news of the day is that he gave me a potent cortisone shot to deal with the pain and bad news of the day, which is that I probably can't get this surgery done until late January/early February, just based on their schedule. Takes about a week for the real beneficial effects of the cortisone to kick in, but we'll see.

Delays aside, the other good news is that his colleague (and the surgeon who will do the deed) does these total hip replacements on an outpatient basis for the right candidates, and I appear to be one (relatively young, otherwise active, no other medical issues, etc.). Seems crazy to me that they'd send you home the same day, but further research has revealed that it's actually preferred under circumstances like mine for lots of reasons.

https://www.aarp.org/disrupt-aging/stor ... ement.html

So, a few more weeks of managing the pain, getting through the holidays without the hassle of post-op workarounds, getting the house in order, living the life.

Back to the surgeon on Friday the 13th(!) of December for final scheduling and details. Apparently there's no such thing as "emergency hip replacement," huh?

Hey Esquared. My wife just had a total hip replacement (left hip). She had to stay in the hospital an extra day due to reaction to anesthetic (couldnt get her nausea under control). She had dealt with a degenerative hip for 20 years and was so crippled she had to crawl upstairs to get to the bedroom at night. The first thing she told me when she woke up was that the pain was completely gone ! She had some surgical pain, but her hip pain was gone.

One word of advice. Ice is your best friend. You need to buy (or your surgeon will prescribe ice packs) that you will keep in the freezer. If interested I will give you the company we used, and they are great, comes with a belt that you can attach over the hip and move around in.

My wife made it through everything with NO PAIN MEDS ! The only thing she took was Tylenol 650mg.

I wish you all the best and hope to hear how you are doing afterwards.

By the way, my wife's surgery was on Friday the 13th (Sept). We were married on Friday the 13th, I was born on Friday the 13th, it all good!

[ESquared]

Thanks for all of that R-n-G. Would be most interested in the ice pack/holster your wife used; just send me a PM when you get a chance.

Sounds like your wife had a long struggle but a great outcome, which is encouraging to hear, and I'll not worry any more about the 13th!

Thanks for your story - no such thing as bad advice right now!

[Shakey Jake]

Sorry to hear of your troubles but at least there's a fix. Hope it doesn't put you in a financial bind.