Well, tis done. A week ago I got a whole new hip. The surgeon who was there when I opened my eyes told me so. And the whole episode was a kind of strange other-worldly experience.
PRE-SURGERY I stayed in a hotel in a handicap room with a “roll-in” shower.
I figured if I could roll in, I could walk in.
Not so.
I managed to slip on the very slick floor and thought I landed close to the bad hip. Then dragged myself to a carpeted room, and decided since there was no intense pain anywhere I could stay mum about the fall and go forward with the operation in the morning.
And that is what happened.
All went well in the morning including anesthesia with numbing of the back and me asleep in a flash with no nausea or any distress upon awakening!
But the saga went on.
It was agreed I would spend one night in the hospital. I was off to my own little room and bath and right next to that was a man who began a long diatribe of groaning, moaning, swearing, praying, and screaming. With colorful language and an actor’s ability to project, I began wishing relief for him via a sedative.
The nurses on the ward were in a constant huddle whilst taking abusive language as he was shouting, “Please, PLEASE, PLEASE! DO SOMETHING. I AM NOT GOING TO MAKE IT. HELP ME!!! OHHHHHHH, AAAAARGH, OWWWW, JESUS, DEAR GOD”, etc.
His language was so colorful and the nurses were so distraught that it became like an exciting audio story with dramatic sound effects.
Through this drama, nurses were still tending to other patients and would come in to check on me and would provide updates. Some said there was no reason for him to be carrying on like that, and how they were trying to get an on-call surgeon to come in. It was around 4:30 AM when I learned the Moaning Man was finally given morphine and was asleep which could not be said of the other patients on the ward.
The Moaning Man turned out to be a blessing because he actually kept my mind off my hip and on him.
I have been home a week since then and doing the exercises, walking inside with a walker, being pampered by Bill, son, daughter-in-law, and my three grandgirls.
All seems to be going well with more news to come as I progress from a slow gimpy gait to racehorse status.
So, how was your week?
Virginia Views 