Surgery

It's over.  Let the healing begin.

After 16+ years of limping and coping with pain in my right hip joint, I had it replaced.  What an adventure it has been.  I made the mistake a few weeks before of watching the surgery on a YouTube video.  I seriously considered cancelling.  I was horrified by what I saw.  The dislocation of the hip, the deep, deep incision, the cutting of muscle and tissue to even find the joint.  Then they take a mini chain-saw to you and cut off your bone, drill into others and then literally hammer these replacements into place.  The whole thing left me sick.  However, the week before surgery, I had two priesthood blessings.  Both which said I would make a quick and full recovery.  I wasn't worried after that.

I had surgery on a Monday morning.  I was nervous, but more just anxious for it to start and be over.   The various doctors and nurses all came and introduced themselves to me.  Questions answered, clothes changed, IV's started, everything came so fast.  They numbed me from about the chest level down and then put me to sleep.  Next thing I remember was the woman taking X-rays of my hip after the surgery.  Then they wheeled me up to the recovery room. 

The first few days were horrible.  They wanted me to walk just a few hours after surgery.  I couldn't even fathom it.  The pain, the medication, the walking, the people, the ice, all seem like a blur.  I remember saying I was hungry, but throwing up everything I ate, I was so sick.  After my stomach and bowels were numb for a long period of time, they didn't want to start again.  It was hard.  The nurses were amazing, the doctor was amazing.  People took really good care of me.  (I just wrote a note of thanks to the staff at the hospital.  Really, they took great care of me.) 

After just three days at the hospital, I discharged to a rehabilitation center for a week.  Again, I had great doctors and nurses who took really great care of me.  It was awesome.  For a week I was able to focus on getting better.  I did physical therapy twice a day and occupational therapy daily.  I was walking by the time I left.  My mom came up almost every day to see me.  My brothers all came to visit as well.  It was good. 

Coming home was good, but hard.  I had to get up and down a lot more and take care of my own needs like ice, water, medication, bathing, food, etc.  It has been good though. 

Here I sit -- almost three weeks since surgery -- and am completely independent.  In fact, today, I wore jeans.  Every day, I claim back a little more of my life.  Today, it was jeans.  My scar is healing and much less swollen.  It doesn't feel like I have a huge bandage on my side anymore.  It's really good. 

I feel really grateful today.  Grateful for the priesthood and the miracles of priesthood blessings.  Grateful for surgeons and doctors who have made such great medical devices like artificial hips.  Grateful for insurance, grateful for family, grateful for healing.  I'm grateful to have this behind me.  I'm grateful for the new beginning in front of me.  My life was always on hold because of my pending surgery.  Now, I can move forward.  And forward I will go!