Out with the old and in with the new has been the theme around our household this year. I am not referring to downsizing—that happened long ago. I am referring to the two worn out knees that Helen (adorable wife) replaced earlier this year and the well-used hip that I swapped out last week.
Easin’ Along featured the details of Helen’s knee surgery, as well as her amazing recovery, shortly after the events occurred. I’m happy to report that her recovery continues; she never misses a physical therapy session, and, while she has not returned to the pickleball court, she leads a normal life free of the pain that plagued her for much of last year.
Once Helen had her new joints in place, it was time for me to do something about my hip. This problem began last November when we were in California visiting our son and his family. The airline canceled our flight to Los Angeles and booked us on the next flight out. As a result, a middle seat was all that was available. Middle seats are a problem for someone my size (6’ 4” – 225 lbs), but I rode on. The next morning, as we walked our grandchildren to school, I noticed a sharp pain in my left hip. I passed it off as the result of sitting in a confined space for six hours.
The months passed on, but the pain never went away although I kept telling myself that it would. Our road trip to Florida convinced me, however, that living on Advil and walking with a cane had an adverse effect on the joy of RV travel. I scheduled an appointment with a hip specialist at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, and, once he showed me the x-rays of my hip, I could remain in denial no longer. We scheduled surgery for July 5th so that we could take our trip to Edisto Beach and give Helen time to recover from her second knee replacement.
I arrived at the hospital at 5:30 on the morning of the fifth. As illustrated in the picture above, I am not always my charming self at 4:30, but I was ready to get on with the show. The hospital check-in procedure went smoothly. I changed into the surgery socks and a purple gown then whisked away to pre-op.
In pre-op, I received a couple of IV’s and a lot of happy chatter from the very efficient staff. This room was a beehive of activity and provided a much-needed and useful distraction. As a person with no patience for waiting for anything, I was happy to be distracted. I spoke with an anesthesiologist, and together we decided to use general anesthesia for a variety of reasons. I felt good about our decision.
I rolled from pre-op to an operating room filled with nurses, nurse anesthetists, surgery assistants, and various others. I didn’t get any names, but it was obvious that they are all morning people. They went right to work on me and the next thing I knew, I was in a hospital room attached to several monitors, wearing a new gown, and in possession of a new hip. I never knew what hit me. Unfortunately, I missed a visit from Mark, our associate pastor. I regret that I was unable to see him, but knowing he came by was a great comfort.
After a short period of recovery, therapist Whitney entered the room and told me it was time to get up and walk. Therapist Whitney helped Helen walk after her surgeries, and she is a true professional. She placed a belt around me to grab should I slip (or faint), then helped me stand. As soon as I had both feet on the ground, I realized one very important change—the hip pain that I lived with for seven months had disappeared. There was some tenderness around the incision, but absolutely no pain in the joint.
We walked the hall of my hospital floor with no difficulty, but I was a bit loopy from the pain medication, so I returned to the bed and went right back to sleep—with a smile on my face. Miracles do happen!
I spent the night in the hospital and met the next day with a plethora of therapists, nurses, and hospital staff. I walked the halls two more times during the day and felt good. My surgeon came to meet with me and told me what to expect during the next several weeks of recovery. Dr. Eilerman came highly recommended, and I like him very much. His preference for anterior (frontal) surgery usually results in a swifter recovery and no therapy other than walking. Our next visit will be in two weeks. Once our visit concluded, I dressed to go home leaving only the well-used, arthritic hip behind. Helen prepared a flower arrangement from our garden to welcome me home.
We are both extremely thankful for the skill, professionalism, and care we received from everyone at UT Medical Center. We expect to be sidelined for a few weeks, then travel the Blue Ridge Parkway in Gracey. Please join us as we go Easin’ Along…without a cane.
