I have decided to document my experiences of my hip-resurfacing surgery, well actually my second hip resurfacing surgery. I intended to do the same with the first one and seeing that I never got off to doing it I'm doing it now. These were the experiences of the first week.
I arrived in hospital at about 10 am - the Princess Grace Hospital at Nottingham Place, apparently I arrived too early, an email that never arrived was to have changed the time. No matter, girlfriend and I sat in a nice waiting room - read papers and waited for me to be formally admitted. I had all my crutches but decided against bringing a raised toilet seat - just seemed a bit weird carrying a toilet seat around. In about half an hour I was called into an office to sign certain papers relating to my admission. A lift ride later I was shown to my room - very very nice and the thing began. First it seemed to be a meeting of old friends. The physio Louise, and all the nursing staff who had helped me through the business in January were all there, Miriam, Natalie and a few others, so it was a lot of Hallooos, cheek kissing and shooting the breeze. I had a brief chat with the surgeon - Prof Haddad and the anaesthetist Dr Goldsack and then started to dress for the affair. The open back gown, the disposable panties, no need for slippers though as I was carted down to surgery on a wheeled stretcher. In the ante room I had a chat with Dr Goldsack and his team, it was all jolity and laughter - a pinprick and the cool feeling of the drug inundating my veins and then..... I was waking up in recovery. The deed was done. I was wheeled back into my room and decanted into my bed with morphine drips and a catheter to drain fluid from my leg. I had some dinner and talked with Nkwo (girlfriend). I kept trying to send messages from the ole DellStreak5 and because of the drugs I would fall asleep midway into the message I was tying - very strange feeling. No energy to switch on laptop and do anything so the Dell Streak5 was a real boon.
Next day it was X-Rays to check the status of the operation. That went a lot better than the same procedure in January, far less painful. Then unto the main challenge of the day - getting to move on the Zimmer Frame. That was no problem at all and after a walk up and down the corridor we decided to try crutches instead and that was slow understandably but I was fine. Amazing crutches on the day after the operation. That was it really, the rest of the week consisted of walking up and down the corridors and doing my exercises on the bars in the ward. On Thursday I was able to actually walk outside the hospital down Nottingham Place round the block and back to the hospital. In January it was about 3 weeks before I could attempt such a walk so this was progress indeed. Oh and I had started showering on my own as well though help is needed to wipe feet and oil my back. The fact that I was mobile so quickly ensured that I avoided bed sores and that was marvelous. Oh watched Rango - and that was nice.
My warmest gratitude to Prof Haddad, Dr Goldsack his staff and all those on the 2nd floor of the Princess Grace hospital. The were absolutely marvellous.