Flying by the seat of my pants
I rolled up to the 29th street mall around six pm today. My soon to be favorite store had opened this morning. I love it, just love it. The clothing, the people, the smiles. My phone rang around 6:15 pm. Hi Ryan, it’s Meghan … from the Steadman-Hawkins clinic. We’ve got a surgery open on Thursday, are you interested? My brain exploded. Are you serious? Yes! Yes! Hold on, I’ve got to call my mom, I’m gonna need a support crew. If she’s in I’m in! Five phone calls later between my mom and Meghan and I was scheduled for surgery in a mere 36 hours. Three months ahead of time! The last 6 hours have been crazy to say the least. Lodging, packing, cleaning, excitement, adrenaline, endless phone calls, and last minute shopping. I’ve got to take off in 6 hours to meet my mom and make it to Vail for my pre-surgery appointments. Blood work, PT intro, MRI, you name it.
I’ve talked to my friend Marisa at least ten times tonight. She had this exact same surgery, same doc and all. We are hip buddies, no doubt about that. We talk and talk and she helps me and helps me. The months ahead are going to be difficult. The first two weeks will not be fun at all. I’m going to try to chronicle this whole ordeal under my new “hip” category. I asked her to make a list of ten things I need to know. Here is what she said:
Ryan,
Wow, I can’t believe you’re having the same surgery that I had just over a year ago. Here are some pointers that will help you out. Our one complaint about the entire process was that we didn’t feel adequately prepared for what I was getting myself into.
1. Bring warm clothes and layers. After every PT session, they’ll wrap you in ice and you’ll have the cooler with ice wrapped around your mid section at night. I was in the most pain when my muscles would contract because of the cold. It helps to have 3-4 frozen water bottles to keep the cooler/ice pack cold. It’s also easier than filling it with new ice 2-3 x day.
2. May be helpful to get the prescriptions filled tomorrow before the surgery. They should give you the prescriptions at your pre-op.
3. Mary Ellen and Mike are great PTs. They all rotate as to which surgeon they’re working with, but those two are superb.
4. Make friends with the anesthesiologist 
5. A removable shower head is very helpful as well as the stool.
6. Bring and wear, easy slip on shoes and socks…you can’t bend over to tie tennis shoes and ooooh! it’s frustrating.
7. The Bully Ranch is a casual, fairly inexpensive restaurant at the Sonnenalp down the street from the hospital. It has valet parking and a handicap entrance! We literally went there every day for lunch because it was so easy.
8. Make sure they give you your IV in your left arm (opposite of surgery leg…my nurse messed up on this one), b/c the Drs. can’t have your arm in the way on your surgery side.
9. They may do a PRP - take a lot of blood right before you go under anesthesia that they’ll keep and put right back into your hip to help speed healing.
10. Make sure they mark the correct leg BEFORE they knock you out. I think they used a sharpie.
11. Plan on staying at the hospital the first night.
12. Plan on spending your entire day doing stuff for your hip. My typical schedule was this: 7:30, get up eat breakfast. 9-12 PT. Lunch. 1-4 PT. 5pm, get in the machine (you’ll hate in 4 weeks) until I fell asleep. Do it all again!
OK, there’s my list of 12 things. Print this out and carry it with you at all times. Just kidding!! But hopefully this helps you out. Feel free to call me tomorrow or any time throughout the process with any questions. And remember, you’ll be fine. It’s major surgery, but you can definitely handle it! It will get better, day by day, and before you know it you’ll be running again!
My mom’s name is Monica and is more than willing to talk with your mom about what to expect. She can be reached at the home # above.
Oh, and last but not least, I attached 2 pictures of me throughout the surgery and PT. The first 2 were the day of and the day after…you can see how swollen I was, but there is hope!!!! The last one is of my and Mary Ellen about 1 week out - much better!!!
(Sorry, no pictures…)
Good Luck tomorrow!!
Marisa
Filed by ryanroth at March 27th, 2007 under Life, Young & Hip