Kezza's Life: Hip Replacement

Just popped on over to Wagga for a spot of surgery!

Since my last hip surgery several years ago my hip pain has progressively become worse. The “clean out” was to help stop me from collapsing at random as the labrum “cushioning” would flick out of the socket, however I was told it was never going to releive the pain. Low and behold a couple of pregnancies, putting on weight, more wear and tare, carrying kids and less exercise finally took its toll enough for me to say “I can’t do it anymore”. I would get worried if I couldn’t get a car park directly out the front of the shop, I dreaded daycare pick up having to walk and carry Harriet, it throbbed and ached at night keeping me awake, I struggled to do up my shoe laces, get in the car, sit or stand for too long. I looked kind of normal at the start of the day and got worse by the evening, so to people around me it might have been a shock that I needed a replacement. Damien was getting sick of me complaining and being so restricted.

My pregnancy with Jazmin was painful. I would limp quite badly by the end of the day, and with my restricted breathing I became very sedentary and weaker. Since her birth things took a turn for the worse and at only 8 weeks postnatal I was ready for the hip to go! I slowly started getting back into exercise to rehab my ab separation and 2 hernias and prehab the hip replacement. Exercise made it hurt more but I pushed through…

I got an MRI and X-rays organised and a referal to a surgeon. On ya Steve for being my relative where I get a discount, this has helped a lot! Mum, Jazmin and I trapsed over to Wagga as I wasn’t allowed to drive yet post c section, to see the surgeon. I was ready armed with my come backs and to fight for the surgery however I didn’t need to as he saw the x-ray and said “yes it’s ready”. Phew! It was just up to me when I wanted it.

I spent a few weeks doing hydrotherapy and spin classes for prehab and putting it off until I decided I’d had enough and made a booking for 1st October! We gathered some money, organised the village for baby sitting, told my clients I was taking more time off, got my pre op scans for the prosthesis, liased with my ENT and anaesthetist to ensure my airway was ok and counted down the days to TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT!

Morning of

When I told people what I was getting the immediate response was “wow you’re young for that” or “what sports injury have you had”… however being in a forum taught me how common it actually is for those my age who were born with hip dysplasia.

The few days leading up to the op were a bit chaotic. We’d booked tickets to Back to the Future the musical months ago, initially intending to have a nice family beach holiday surrounding it. That and Damien having a bucks party that weekend that took an unfortunate turn. The grooms father Dr Hopp unexpectedly was killed on a bicycle the day before the bucks. We decided the only way to make it work was to do a very expensive return day trip via plane. Thanks dad! We made it work and the show was an amazing mix of live theatre and screen, while keeping some of the traditional one liners and costumes. There were fellow die hards in the audience. Thanks for the village who consistently show up for us so we can get life done!!

Back in Griffith my pre op showers and cleaning schedule started using antiseptic, including in my hair and changing linen and pjs. I “wrapped myself in cotton wool” to ensure I didn’t get any cuts or sicknesses as infection is very serious with hip replacements. Di stayed the night before to have the girls in the morning as we had to be in Wagga bright and early. I ended up waiting until about 1pm and was taken in. I was hanging for my coffee by then. They put ski boots on my feet, made me wear sexy disposable undies, told them it was the RIGHT side a million times, they drew an X on the right leg even, got some sleepy juice and a spinal (which was a lot easier when not in full blown labour), and was wheeled into the operating room and heard “see you on the other side”…

In surgery pic

The new hip!

I woke up pretty groggy and sore!! Very hard to move, though my temu leg lifter was a lifesaver. Rudely there’s no catheter and they make you get up to go to the toilet, using an old lady walker… it was slow and steady but I had a shower and washed off some purple dye on my legs. The first few days were very bad, but doable, knowing that it was only a temporary situation I was completely fine. The private hospital was great supplying physios a few times a day to get me up walking down the hallway or doing seated calf raises. It was so sore after any movement but I was on a lot of meds, even being told I was taking more then other people do, though apparently that’s common for younger people to ask for more pain relief.

yuk!

The dreaded drive home arrived a week later, but first I had to prove myself to the physio that I could do stairs with the crutches. Well I kept telling him I felt dizzy… I had time to get to the bottom of the steps and sit down but I don’t remember much after that as I fainted… we were worried I wouldn’t be allowed home but the surgeon agreed it was just the drugs and being so early I hadn’t eaten yet. We bought a bag of ice from the servo as the hospital wouldn’t part with a 2nd ice pack for me! Ice was the best for at least 2 weeks.

Home James, the grandparents were in full carer mode cleaning, cooking and child minding. I really was couch bound for 3 weeks, feeding Jazmin in the bumbo on the couch, getting up to use the toilet and get my steps in. I was given a fitbit to keep me from “doing too much” and had 2 physio Skype session a week for 6 weeks paid for by my prosthetic company. Di helped for the first week then had to go out of town so mum and John moved in. Mum was in a full blown chronic cough state at the time but still soldiered through caring for us. Harriet was given daycare for 5 days a week while I was recovering so she was easier. And luckily Jaz is a very easy baby sleeping and eating very well. By 2 weeks I was able to pick her up from the cot and sit down on the nursery chair. I couldn’t take a step holding her though.

Parenting from the couch

Little helper counting my physio reps

That time Damien overdosed me

Damien's bday

Dad arrived week 3 at the point where I was cutting back to 1 crutch and feeling ok putting Jazmin in the pram to get her around. I felt better making my own coffee and breakfast which was good timing for dad to poke around the house doing his dad jobs coming in when I needed etc. Part of the wound at my groin crease took a long time to heal, even sending me to ED and antibiotics and stopping me from being able to start hydrotherapy for ages.

My birthday

Invalid getting Dad his coffees

I had to have quite a few follow ups in Wagga being driven by Di a few times then myself with Jazmin! The doctor was happy and didn’t have a lot to say each visit. I continued with hydro until just before Christmas, and some physio at home but mostly just getting up and about moving, walking and some working has helped. I am ready to start some exercise like a normal person in the new year.

It is feeling weak and weird but soooo much better then pre surgery, it was 100% worth it, I definitely needed it and should get more then 20yrs out of it. I’m told not to baby it, I went through all of this so that I can use and enjoy it. I can’t wait to just move on with life now, get myself back together post babies and feel better!

A couple of crazy things I did while recovering: