Day 6, New Hip

The visiting nurse just left. She changed the dressing on the incision—the incision is 17 cm long and so far—so good. 

Now I sit for the physical therapist. I am not sure what benefit I am getting out of these visits. She gave me this photocopy which looks like an antique. It looks like it originally was a mimeograph which has been photocopied repeatedly. 

I start & end each day with a vicodin, so my ability to focus on reading or fine details is pretty much shot-to-shit. And looking at this piss-poor quality photocopy makes me wonder how difficult it is for visually impaired folks to read & process it. 

Hell. I will be 54 next month, and I am in awe of 70-80 year olds who undergo this procedure. Make no mistake! Just because they get you up and walking right away and discharge you pretty damned quickly, this is a major undertaking. I can totally understand how some folks just give up after having a hip replacement. 

Also—I feel that the expectation that patients are able to maneuver in and out of bed immediately after surgery is greatly over estimated. For myself, I found it took me by day 5 post-op to do it without additional assistance. It is super unpleasant and hard work, and couple that with pain, discomfort, and my body still processing the trauma from surgery & the prosthetic implant—it is not for the weak. 

We have created our own schedule for meds. I start & end each day with a vicodin, then 500 mg extra strength acetaminophen every 4 hours. Maharajah gives me my morning vicodin when he gets up, which is 3 hours before I decide to get out of bed. So far this schedule seems to work. 

Anyway—behold the butt pic showing off the incision—as well as the poor quality photocopy I mentioned. Now, I sit sipping coffee waiting for the PT, and then a well deserved nap when they leave.