Sorry folks just when you thought I had vanished into the ether and was long gone - here I am back again like a bad penny . Well I have had my hip operation I know you can't wait to hear all about it . I was dragged reluctantly into the RD&E at some ungodly hour (7.30) by my daughter last Friday . Within minutes of being there I realised I was third on the list , bad news as that meant a late afternoon operation so a long food free day ahead .A couple of weeks before this I had had to see another specialist about a skin thing - he casually asked who was doing my hip op and I said Professor X and his reply was " oh is he still going?' confidence inspiring NOT ! Shouldn't have worried as I found he was one of the top five men in the country doing this op . Needless to say he wasn't working on my day and I had a very pleasant child surgeon with an Irish accent who found huge pleasure in drawing a smiley face on my to be operated hip .
The anaethetist tried to pacify me by telling me that as I was last the anaesthetic would last all night and I would sleep like a baby . The last thing I remember before going in was asking them if they were not too tired after already doing two others and if they were I would be happy to come back another year . They assured they weren't as they had all had a wiff of gas and were feeling refreshed so in I went .
Did I sleep all night -hell no , in the op at three in recovery at 6 drinking tea and eating toast supping morphine and hotwired till 3am plus the fact that on the hour every hour someone comes and blood pressures you , takes your temperature and rolls you over to look for bed sores - hadn't been in even 24 hours and they are checking for bedsores - I ask you .
Saturday dawns and the physioterrorists arrive -( they have all been trained to work in Guantanamo Bay you know - no its true I have it on good authority) . " Now George ,we can call you George (grudging answer Yes ) we are going to get you up and walk round the bed to your chair - what is your pain on a scale of 1_10 ? " "about 45 " " That's fine now lets get moving ." They are the only people in hospital who inflict pain and smile at the same time .
I have come to the conclusion that all the people I talked to who have had hip operations are either born liars or are suffering from short term memory loss . Not one of them told me that getting out of bed required the skill of a contortionist and the stoicism of someone undergoing surgery in the 16th century . Excrutiating- your leg absolutely refuses to do what it is told and so when the physio"encourages " (another word for putting you through torture akin to living in the days of the Spanish Inquisition) is the only word for it .
I got round the bed , turned a very funny colour according to the nurse and slumped in the chair just before I hit the deck . I was hastily put back to bed oxygen stuffed up my nose and with a cheery wave they departed with the word s "we will be back this afternoon " And they were ! I wont bore you with the rest of the process other than to say by Monday morning they had me on the stairs and by afternoon it was the discharge procedure . Now this went something like this .
Occupational Therapist visit - Have you got a good high chair at home - yes - good to go - have you a raised toilet seat - yes good to go - crutches - yes good to go a grab for picking things up yes - that's fine you are good to go .
Physiotherapist visit . Can you get in and out of bed by yourself - well no not really good , good to go - can you get up and down off the toilet - (sullen ) haven't needed to try that one - sure you will be fine good to go . Did you manage the stairs - well with the help of that electrified cattle prod next to my posterior good ,good to go ,
Last visit is from a child playing Dr's and nurses claiming to be ward Dr . well everyone says you are fit to go - actually I feel very nauseous and get very dizzy when I stand up - Oh I expect that will wear off ,scuse me I have put my colouring book down somewhere and I must find it before tea time - bye .
So that was it and home I am . I must admit I had quite a few teary moments in hospital and it wasn't the pain it was just seeing all the gear I had been using with Veronica for the past so many years .
I have to admit that once home the progress is quite swift - apart from sleeping on your back and not crossing your legs which is inconvenient anyone who is about to have this op , its a doddle - take my word for it !
love to you all
Georgepa
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Georgepa
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No Kate's inThailand taking a well earned break . Really it is better news as I have been waiting since last Feb for this op and hip has been getting progressively worse so pleased to have it done .
Oh Georgepa, it’s so good to hear from you. I know you probably don’t feel like smiling but your post made me laugh to myself...sorry! I do hope you are soon walking in your lovely area again but it’s so cold now so you have an excuse to stay in the warm in front of the fire. I’m watching snow falling at the moment.
I hope you have a pain free Christmas and manage to spend it with Kate or other family members. We will all remember our darlings but I hope not with too much sadness.
George so nice to hear from you, not so nice you have been through all this, but I think at home you get better quicker, you did make me smile as always, take care of yourself lovely man, I am sure Veronica is looking down at you Kate with a big smile on her face. Have an amazing Christmas, love to your lovely daughter. Yvonne xxxxx. Missed your posts. Xxxx
Wouldn’t that be great if we could teleport from one place to another. I’d be over there like a shot and then go with you to somewhere warm. It’s -3 here at this moment and last night was the coldest of the year, -13 in places. I have all my clothes ready to pack on the bed in a spare room and every time I go in there I can’t believe next week I’ll be in shorts and t-shirts or in the sea or pool in my swimming costume.....as I write this in my thick tartan PJs wearing a very warm dressing gown and sheep wool lined slippers. ❄️❄️❄️
We just had a week full of below freezing winter. If what I found was correct, these were the coldest days ever, as usually it settles in around 40F/4C. Good news is, that I needed a new water pump...which helps do something... I know heating the car was one of them....so what then is the bad news? ....new pump and heater still not working.....I look like a puffy snowman getting out of car to work....I even wear long johns while at work,,,,It's cold....Is it still snowing your way?
Have immeasurable amounts of fun in the coming days and weeks!
((HUGS))
Andrea
Oh yah what are you doing up at 3 am? trying to get on Aussie time?
3am I. Arkansas is 9.00 pm in the UK. I was making my morning cuppa. I am in the south east and although thick snow fell, it melted as soon as it touched the ground as it had poured with rain all night. No laying snow but all that wet stuff turned to ice. Stayed in today. I don’t want any broken bones now. I hope you get the heating in the car sorted. Hot water bottles are good in the car.
your winter sounds quite familiar to our own. If and when snow falls, it melts leaving a thin enough sheet of ice to break an elbow first step out...or cancel classes for the week. I used to live in Nevada....no such thing as a snow day in the mountains...roads had snow plows...busses had chains for all the rest!
So good to hear from you, Georgepa. - Always knew you were a wimp !!!
Seriously, its done me good to have a laugh. Hope you're skipping around for Christmas. Its going to be a difficult time for so many of us - too many memories.
Keep us posted with your progress. Lots of love from Jean xx
I remember when i was a student nurse in the early seventies, i was doing the night med round with a very strict night sister, she was an irish spinster called sister Thomas😨 a very quiet gentleman had had a heammoroidectomy earlier in the day.
Sister Thomas barked at him have you any pain?
His reply " sister it feels like red hot needles have been shoved up my a##e"
Whimp ?how dare you !! I have had to learn a whole new range of skills . I have mastered putting on underpants using one of those grab things - I career around my kitchen on crutches with kettles , frying pans and all things culinary and in hospital I had to have a catheter which was whipped out with an untimely flick of the nurse's wrist . whimp - indeed - I am not going to be skipping around for christmas rather skipping around Christmas - as you say Jean too many memories .
Dear George, sad to say you made me laugh too!! We are a rotten bunch aren't we? I was about to send Jean a post saying she was being brave calling you a wimp. (Note the spelling)!! 😄. Anyway she didn't get away with it did she? 😊. A definite sign that you are starting to feel better.
You know were it not for my Grandchildren I could happily forget Christmas. I am sitting here with the tree looking at me. Only the lights on it!! If I don't get something else on it and quick I will be in deep trouble on Thursday when my son comes to put all the boxes back in the loft.
I need a fairy to come and wave a wand and finish it off for me.
Did you get snow George? I went out this morning and then went to a neighbour this afternoon and it was freezing hard! I had been really good and emptied virtually all my salt over the driveway and on the pavement. They must be getting it from China as it didn't work!! Wouldn't mind but Cheshire supplies salt to everywhere it seems...just not us!
Got an appointment with the CEO of the CCG next week. After Xmas will make an appointment with the Hospital. Time to have my say?
So dear George I am delighted you came to make us laugh. That is a great gift you know?
Take care wonder man. I would be a wimp too if it's any consolation! I always thought people who had that op must be lying through their teeth!!
Big hugs to you. Are you allowed a drink? Maybe not...you might fall over? Having said that you are doing some risky things! Just as well you have had practice with crutches earlier this year?
Oh George, we have all missed your wonderful posts. Yes, it got me laughing as well. Glad to see your sense of humour has come back! I know you are feeling €$¥% at the moment, but already, in a few days I can read the improvement in you. Keep up the good work.
Now you be a good boy! Sit up straight in your high chair! No skipping or vaulting on your crutches! And make sure you do your exercises even if the physio doesn't come and torment you during the holiday!
Be careful out there! Hope recovery goes smoothly.
Nice to hear about your latest exploits, So the broken ankle was a practice run for the big event , your a glutton for punishment ...keep your chin up. As well as your leg...xxx.Brenda
Dear Georgepa great to have you back. I read your post with a grin like a Cheshire Cat, so funny, you have such a way with words dear man.
Glad that you have the op over and done with and are on the mend and good to go!. Hope nobody else here is awaiting the same, sounds quite an ordeal especially having children on duty, whatever next! I think all of that pain and discomfort will prove to be worth it in the end.
Can imagine seeing all of that familiar equipment brought a tear to your eye, memories still very raw I suspect. I know I would feel the same.
Well dear George take good care of yourself, I'm wishing you a very speedy recovery and hoping you get through Christmas without too much sadness.
Whenever I see your name I know there is a good read that follows. and I was right even if these words were painfully true. Don't you love the therapies and questions put in place only to be flippantly used against you?
I remember my ear doctor placing my first set of tubes in my ears...He was a bout 102 and only used the most up to date surgical tools and procedures.....a tuning fork and forceps....he was trying to remember where he put those "damn forceps" to wit i replied...wait am I having a baby in there!? Tomorrow I will go for more tubes in my ear....I wonder if the youth will have forceps....surely the tuning fork has become antiquated.
I do remembering crying when I was at Physical therapy ... two men about Bs age with issues; one of them named, Bruce....rough day.
Well trust me when I say as comfortable as sitting is, it makes a bad therapy....the quicker your'e up, the quicker you will recover...get up and stay up just walking and basic exercises.....and if if your cents falls to the ground...the best sense is to leave your pennies alone.
Good to hear from you...though I am sorry you must go through this ...
Andrea
not quite your hip, but I didn't make $67,000 to draw one on your hip either
Hope each day you are able to feel improvement in that hip and leg and you are back to normal function swiftly. Take care and hope it isn't too uncomfortable for you.
Thinking of you and sending peaceful energy to you during the festive season.
X
Thank you George, I was feeling a little sorry for myself. Do love your story's, made me smile.
so good to have a smile at your post but really feel for you.
I have finished my new type of chemo,sounds quite boring in the paperwork but it causes pigmentation changes... actually I have changed from being a Jersey cow to a Fresian but the child who coloured me in lost the black crayon and used deep purple. They say it will fade.
You a such a wonderful writer. No, I haven’t had any major surgeries on my knees and I can’t see that happening soon. Good Luck to you all. Best Wishes. I do hope your recovery is uneventful. Love, Mary B.
AWSOME GEORGEPA, BUT I CAN CONCUR WITH YOU ABOUT THE PAIN AD THE AWFUL PHYSIOTERORISTS!! ... I TOO HAD THE FAINTING EPISODE AND WHEN THEY TRIED TO CHUCK ME OUT OF MY ROOM, I STOOD MY GROUND AND REFUSED TO GO UNTIL MY HUSBAND CAME TO GET ME,,, THEY WANTED ME TO GO INTO A WAITING ROOM AREA WHEN I WAS STILL IN GREAT DEAL OF PAIN ...SO THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO !!
Dearest George, It was very lovely to see your name come up. You are missed! I'm sorry for your ordeal, but trust you to mine it for comedic gold. Thanks for making me laugh. I think I won't be rushing to have my own dodgy hip dealt with, though, doddle or no!
I hope you have a speedy recovery and heart-warming holidays. Love to you and Kate.
Thanks Debbie - well on the road to recovery- am eyeing a set of rollerblades or perhaps a skateboard ?With you at this difficult time of year - not easy is it.Georgex
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