Eight Week Anniversary and Wrap-Up

I'm past the eight week point, and will be returning to a full-time work schedule on Monday. I still have a little minor pain at night, and there's still a bit of a "hitch" in my walk that I need to correct. But I've put away the crutches, walker, cane, leg lifter, shower chair, elevated commode, and handicapped parking permit, and things are clearly returning to normal. So at this point, I'm going to discontinue posting on this blog.

I have been absolutely amazed at the amount of support I've received from family, friends, and work colleagues over the past eight weeks. As I've noted, the first few weeks after hip replacement surgery greatly resemble old age: You're using a walker, you need help with mundane tasks, and you tend to sometimes feel helpless and vulnerable. And it's a reminder that, when you return to good health, you have a great opportunity to take advantage of your working body while you still have it. So I'm looking forward to putting my new hip to good use in 2009 and beyond.

Thanks for all your comments and good wishes over the past two months, and please have a great New Year (no matter when you're reading this).

P.S. Like most blogs, this one is presented in reverse order, with the last post shown first. If you are new to this blog and would like to read everything in chronological order, from the beginning post to the end, try this: Go here, which will get you to my initial post. Then after you finish reading, scroll down to "newer post" and click that. This will get you to the second post. Then repeat. Good luck!

My THIRD Big Adventure

I was dog sitting this weekend, and took the dog for a walk around the block. The entire block! Dragging a big dog on a leash. No cane, nothing. My long walks are slowly coming back!! Can a good night's sleep, resulting from healthy physical exhaustion instead of pain killers, be far behind?







If you missed them,

• My second big adventure is here.
• My first big adventure is here.

I Can Put On My Socks!

I put both socks on this morning with my bare hands! For the first time, I didn't have to use the "sock-putting-on" machine that you get after surgery. I can dress myself now!!!

Seven Week Anniversary

At this point, seven weeks after my hip replacement, things are going well enough that it probably makes sense to just highlight the areas that still need improvement:

• I start the day fine and make it through mid-afternoon okay, but later in the day and evening my bad leg starts to drag -- and therefore so do I.
• It's sometimes a little hard to sleep with the pain from the scar, and night time is the only time that I take painkillers any more.
• I still can't completely bend the leg that had the hip replacement, so putting a shoe and sock on that foot is still a daily challenge.

Other than that, life is returning to normal. Although there is one nasty habit I've picked up from this operation: I now have grabbers stashed all over my house, and almost never bend over to pick anything up any more, even though I almost certainly could.

Ten Good Things About My Hip Replacement

1. I can jump out of my chair when I'm surprised or excited.
2. I can rise to greet guests without wincing and falling backwards back into the seat.
3. People seem to act amazed, and praise me, when I perform simple tasks like getting up and down stairs by myself.
4. I have something to talk about with others who have had hip replacements, which seems to be a surprisingly common procedure these days.
5. I'm forced to exercise, and that's healthy, even though I'm only exercising one leg.
6. I have a handicapped parking permit, although a fat lot of good it's doing me since everyone in the entire rapidly-aging baby boom generation seems to have one now.
7. I already have lots of the equipment (walker, crutches, cane, grabber) that I'll need for old age.
8. I could run marathons or go ballroom dancing if I wanted to, which I most certainly don't, but I could, which is the important thing, even though I won't.
9. I got $50,000 worth of medical services for about $450, which makes me feel like I've beaten the system somehow.
10. I still have one of my original hips, in case I'm ever feeling nostalgic.

A Most Unpleasant Surprise

You know what happens when you reach the six-week mark after your hip replacement? A lot of good things: You get to cross your legs, bend over, drive a car, and start functioning like a normal human being.

But here's the bad news, which I just found at at this morning's physical therapy session: They DOUBLE the number of exercises you have to do, and make them twice as hard!

And it's all focused on my right leg, nothing else. I have a hideous mental image that I'm going to wind up with the same out-of-shape body I've always had, but with a right leg that is as bulging and muscular as one of Popeye's arms.

Six Week Anniversary: Back to Work

I went back to work today, did nothing except attend a series of meetings, and am completely exhausted. I can't even really put a lot of mental energy into making this post particularly humorous or interesting. But, overall, it's a healthy thing to start getting back into a routine and productive schedule. My plan is to work half time through the month of December, and jump back in full time immediately after the New Year. Fortunately, my doctor, my supervisor, and my employer's short term disability insurance carrier have all approved my plan.

How To Take Long Walks After A Hip Replacement

It's hard to walk too far after you've had a hip replacement, and I've missed the long walks I used to take -- which had both psychological and physical benefits. So I've come up with a proprietary methodology for taking walks after a hip replacement, which I am now sharing with anyone who is interested:

• Go to a grocery store or large retail outlet like Target or Walmart
• Get a shopping cart and push it around the aisles
• Everyone around you thinks you're pushing a "shopping cart", but you -- and only you -- know that you are actually leaning on it and using it as a walker in disguise!

Oh, come on, admit it. This is brilliant.

I Get To Cross My Legs On Monday!

I had a follow-up visit with the orthopedist today. Everything seems to be on track and going well. And here's the really big news: On Monday (my six week anniversary), I'll be allowed to cross my legs! Yep, you heard right, you can't cross your legs for six weeks after a hip replacement. And if you want to know why I'm excited about crossing my legs, try not crossing your legs for six weeks. Not once. Go ahead, try it. I'll wait here.

My Second Big Adventure

Today I walked from my house to the mailbox on the corner, got my mail, and returned home -- without a cane or any kind of support, just on my two ordinary feet! Just like a regular upright-walking human! <Takes another huge bow.> Thank you...thank you very much.

(Click here if you missed the exciting story of my first big adventure...)

Five Week Anniversary

My five week anniversary is very similar to where I was at four weeks. I can get around my house pretty well and drive short distances, but can't get around much further. This is a little slower than I'd anticipated or hoped, but overall things are still going well so no complaints.

I Have A Greater Appreciation for Frankenstein

When I walk without a cane, I have a tendency to limp and lurch on my bad hip. My physical therapist noticed it today, and gave me some exercises to correct it.

Which gives me a much greater appreciation for Frankenstein. He was full of artificial parts. Couldn't they have given the poor guy a cane, or a walker, or sent him to my physical therapist, or something?

If You're Having a Hip Replacement...

A few thoughts for anyone who is having, or considering having, a hip replacement (this will probably be of no interest to others and can be skipped):

• Get crutches, canes, and a walker, particularly if you live in a house with multiple levels. My insurance only paid for one walker, but fortunately I also had a leftover cane and some crutches from an earlier medical problem. I scattered the crutches and walker on different floors, so that I would have support available no matter where I was. I'd suggest borrowing or buying a cane, and at least one set of crutches, in addition to the walker, at least if you live in a multilevel house like I do.
• Same thing with "grabbers". I got two of these and put one on different levels of the house. These things are really useful, I've been using mine a lot, and it's also good to have one as a spare.
• Be careful of insurance snafus. I've been caught up in one so far. I innocently scheduled my first outpatient physical therapy for the same day as my final in-home nursing treatment. My insurance company subsequently ruled that they won't pay for the in-home nursing visit, since I was able to leave my home for physical therapy that afternoon. Had I scheduled my outpatient physical therapy for the next day, I would have been covered for the nursing visit.
• It's not a competition. Just for informational purposes, I've been posting how long it took me to walk without a walker, without crutches, start driving a car, etc. But these are not "benchmarks" that others should seek to meet or beat. Progress varies, and your progress should be monitored with your qualified health care provider, based on your own circumstances.

Four Week Anniversary

Two minor breakthroughs this week:

• I drove my car on a couple of short local errands (grocery store and mailed some letters).
• I went out to a restaurant for the first time since the operation. My older daughter drove. I also had my first glass of wine since the operation, and my kids had to restrain me from loudly attempting a Luciano Pavarotti imitation for everyone in the restaurant to enjoy.

Still can't drive or walk mid- to long distances, but getting there slowly...

Have a Great Thanksgiving!

My thanks go out to everyone who has passed on their thoughts and best wishes while I've been recovering from this surgery -- and not only to those who have responded on this blog, but also those who still rely on the "old media" such as e-mails, cards, telephone and letters.

And a special thanks to my mother, who -- after she saw this blog -- called to tell me I looked too thin in my picture.

I hope everyone has a terrific holiday weekend.

Three Week Anniversary

It was three weeks ago today that I got my hip replaced. The good news:

• Walking. The crutches and the walker are pretty much out of the picture. I get around everywhere on a cane, and even occasionally walk from room to room in my house without a cane or any other support.


• Muscle strength. Physical therapy is going well, I seem to be making good progress.


• No apparent unwelcome side effects. No signs of dislocation or infection, the two main drawbacks in this type of surgery.


• Pretty independent at this point. There is very little that I need help with right now, besides driving (see below).

A few things that I'm still waiting for:

• Ability to Drive. This is the biggest drawback of hip replacement surgery. I really want to be able to drive my car. I tried to drive around a few of my back streets over the weekend, but my hip started to hurt so I quit. I'll try again this coming weekend.


• Greater Energy Level. I'd like more energy. After doing almost nothing physical all day, I still seem to need a mid-afternoon nap, which is probably a combination of the exhaustion of moving myself around on a bad leg, combined with the aftereffects of the anesthesia and painkillers.


• No Limping. I'd like to walk without limping. My physical therapist is working with me on the fact that I tend to "drop my hip" (i.e., "limp") when I walk with or without the cane.

Still, good progress for the first three weeks. And it sure beats the pre-surgery pains that were clearly getting progressively worse.

Jimmy's Big Adventure

Today, using only my cane, I walked from my house to the end of the street, picked up my mail from the mailbox on the corner, and then walked back to my house. <Takes a deep bow.> Thank you!

Return to Loudoun County

I moved out of the house of friends and family, and back to my own home in Ashburn, late yesterday. Back in familiar territory! I slept in my old familiar bed for eight straight hours, got up, had breakfast, and got back into my old familiar bed and slept for another three hours. Then I got up, checked e-mails and typed this blog post, and now am feeling...kind of...yawn...

An Interesting Thought...and a Creepy One

I was thinking that a hip replacement is a good rehearsal for old age. You use a walker or a cane to get around, can't move very fast, need help with simple tasks like tying your shoes, and strangers on the street are very nice about opening the doors and helping you.

Then I had a second, scarier thought. What if this isn't a rehearsal?

Two Week Anniversary: My Hip Replacement Scorecard

The Cost of a Hip Replacement

I know what you're thinking. Hip replacement sounds like so much fun, you'd like to have one yourself, but you're wondering if you can afford it.

In round numbers, according to my insurance company's web site: The total cost of my operation, before any insurance-company discounts were applied, was about $50,000. After discounts, the insurance company paid about $25,000.

My out-of-pocket expenses for this operation total about $450: $150 for the hospital, plus about $150 for physical therapy co-payments, plus about $150* for home nursing visits. Also, my employer's short term disability coverage allows me to collect a full paycheck while recovering.

If you work for a large, successful, stable and generous employer, there is no health care crisis.
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*If I had been a little more proactive and sophisticated about my insurance coverage, I could have avoided the $150 out-of-pocket home nursing charge. See the December 2 posting on "If You're Having A Hip Replacement" for more details.

Pretty Good Progress!

I had my first post-op visit to the doctor today. The X-ray of my new hip is fine. It looks like there's a ball peen hammer inside my right leg, but it lines up nicely with my other bones, so life is good.

They removed the staples from the incision, and told me to start relying less on the crutches and walker, and more on the cane, and even try to do some independent walking. The only bad news is that I can't drive yet.

And despite my desperate pleas, I still have to do physical therapy.

I think I've reached the point where, mid-next week, I'm going to move out from under the umbrella of family and friends, and back into my own house, relying on primarily on self-care, with some pre-arranged "drop in" support for shopping, laundry and such. If it doesn't work out, I am apparently welcome to return to where I'm staying now, but I'm pretty eager to try getting back home.

Physical Therapy

I hate it.

Your Questions Answered

Most of the questions I've gotten about my posts have been via e-mail or phone call, rather than as responses posted to this blog. I'll try to answer some here:

When you said that it felt like there was a "big reluctant hunk of steel in your hip," did you mean that you could feel the hardware inside your leg? No. It feels like a normal hip, only a lot sorer.

What's the pain like? It gets more manageable every day, unlike before the operation, when it kept getting worse.

How much independence do you currently have? As of Day 6, I can do almost anything that anyone on crutches can do. Except clip my toenails, due to bending restrictions. This is a treat I've reserved for my grateful teenage daughter.

Can you drive a car yet? No. Not even close. The surgery was on my right hip, which is the brake/accelerator leg.

What is the hottest gossip in the hip replacement world? Check this out.

What is the worst hip replacement joke on the internet? This one.

What is the best hip replacement joke on the internet? There isn't one.

Did people really ask you those last three questions? No. I made them up, just to show off my web research on hip replacements.

You probably made up the other questions too, didn't you? No, I didn't.

Yes, you did, didn't you? No, I didn't, I swear! My friends asked them.

They're not really your friends, are they? Yes they are. Leave me alone.

You've just taken a really strong painkiller, haven't you? I'm very tired now. Need to rest...

Back From The Hospital

I had my operation on Monday, was discharged Wednesday afternoon, and today's Thursday. It feels...well, it feels like there is a continuing contest of wills between me and a big reluctant hunk of steel in my hip. And sometimes it feels like the hunk of steel is winning.

But I realize that it takes time, and we're only on day 4. I can get around with the aid of a walker, cane and crutches. I keep them stashed around various places in the house so I can get almost anywhere. And there are positives: I have a lot of hospital souvineers (if anyone wants a hospital-sized box of Kleenex or a never-used bedside urinal, please let me know -- in fact, if anyone knows why we even took these things, please let me know).

And my first outside-of-the-hospital meal? Pizza Hut, of course!

I feel I'm at about 50-60% right now, an improvement from when I was in the hospital and could barely understand the election results or the sad fate of the Redskins.

More to come...

My "Hip" Blog

On Monday, November 3, at 7:30 a.m., they're going to insert a metal ball and stem into my femur bone, carve an artificial plastic socket into my hip bone, then snap the metal ball into the artificial socket.

Translation: I’m getting a hip replaced.

The pain in my hip is pretty bad, and if untreated, will only get worse. But I’m absolutely amazed – and grateful – that I live in an age where they know how to scoop out worn body parts, throw them away, and replace them!

As I understand it, for several weeks I won’t be able to bend over, twist around, cross my legs, lift heavy objects, climb a lot of stairs, walk very far, or drive a car. But none of that should interfere with my ability to sit in front of my personal computer and post to the internet. So, I’ll try to post regularly during my recovery period. My next post will probably be around November 7 or 8, when I’m out of the hospital.

One of my favorite bumper stickers is, “It’s the 21st century...Where’s my flying car?” Thanks to the miracle of modern medical technology, I feel that on November 3 I’ll finally be getting my flying car!

More to come…