The hip replacement took place at 14:00 yesterday afternoon and when I woke up I actually had to check for a scar I was so pain free.
There are lots of wires running in all sorts of directions, a catheter so I don't have to use the bathroom, a cannula for easy input of an IV drip, antibiotics and pain relief and a third tube connected to a pain pump containing Fentanyl Citrate. The pain pump means I can top up my pain relief as and when I need it, specific to my height and weight to prevent an over dose. There are additional tubes attached to inflatable pads wrapped around each calf, these inflate every 5-10 seconds aiding blood flow, reducing the risk of a blood clot. These have been on since I woke up yesterday and feels like a permanent massage.
The anaesthetist used a combination of a spinal block, similar to an epidural, & a light anaesthetic. This combination was fantastic! Although it took me about 45 mins to wake up, I was very alert once I was awake & didn't have the grogginess of drowsiness associated with a heavy anaesthetic.
I have just seen my consultant and he came with good news. Before the operation it was thought I would need some bone grafts to secure replacement, however, this wasn't necessary. This is brilliant news, meaning I can start weight-bearing today, just one day post-op. This will make my recovery considerably quicker.
The top of my femur, the femoral head, was in very poor condition & was extremely irregular in shape. The socket, acetabulum, was also very arthritic, once this was all removed the remaining bone was in better condition than they thought. My consultant said it was definitely the right decision to have the replacement and he is very pleased with how it all went - I am so pleased and relieved he agreed with my decision.
The hospital's physio, Jeremy, will soon be on his way to get me up and about. Hopefully I will be able to get in the pool for some hydrotherapy soon, the start of my journey to becoming a yoga goddess. Getting more mobile enables the nurse to remove the catheter which will be a great relief.
All in all, everything is going very well & I can't wait to meet the milestones on my road to recovery.
X
ps. Thank you so much for all the messages, they all meant a lot!