I will be keeping you in my prayers Lana and just know you will be better than ever. Never had that surgery though.

Sue

((((((Granlan)))))) wishing you the best. I'm afraid my son might have to do this soon. Hopefully someone here will have advice for you!

Kat, right after you posted about your son's condition, found out my MRI revealed the same along with the usual old age stuff.

Your son is so young and I hate it for him.

Wow Sushipup, your results are so encouraging! :)

Did you have total hip replacement like I'll have? Even though rehab is an option if I don't feel well enough to come home from the hospital, sure would like to avoid that.

I had the first hip done four years ago, and five months later the second one. With the first one, my family "hovered". When they saw how well I managed, living alone, etc., when I had the second surgery, it was "Go for it, Mom.....we'll see you later!"

My Mom and sister both had this done 2 yrs ago.Mom was 79 and both her and my sister did extremely well. My mom didn't drive for 6 wks because she also has bad knees. They both said there was not a lot of pain and neither one had to stay in rehab. I stayed with my Mom for 6 wks because of her age but she really would have been ok alone.She had a nurse and physical therapist come to the house.Was really good about doing her exercises,that's VERY important! Simple exercises but so needed to keep you from getting stiff.

Lana you really beat the odds 10 years ago. I am sure your hip will be a piece of cake.

Phyllis and CR, so impressed to hear these results. I'm feeling better already. :# I'll have to share this with Rhonda #Summer TX). She's taking me to preregister today.

Thank you!

A close friend of mine told me the same thing: It was an easy, quick recovery. She's actually looking forward to having her other hip done next month. You can stop dreading. :-)

Will someone be at home with you when you leave the hospital? If so, you won't need to go to rehab. But if you are alone, maybe. But we have stairs here, and several dogs, and my DH helped me a lot. In fact, I probably let him do more for me than was needed, and I enjoyed it all.

Major part of the recovery is that your thigh will be numb, from cutting the nerves. That leaves you with a feeling like your leg is a piece of heavy timber. Altho your hip joint is ready to go after surgery, and the incision heals quickly, getting strength back in your leg is gradual.

Do you have problems with both hips? I only had one side with a problem, x-rays showed bone spurs on the ball.

Thanks Alisande. Wish I had posted sooner...these responses are so reassuring! :)

Sushipup, as far as I know, the other hip is ok.

My sisters and BIL are here for me, but do not expect them to have to physically handle me; therefore, rehab may be needed if I don't feel strong enough.

Guess that nerve numbness is to be expected.

No advice, just loving special thoughts for a great recovery!

(((((Granlan))))) I haven't had any hip or knee surgery, so I have nothing to offer but prayers and good thoughts pray for a speedy recovery for you...

Carolyn

I didn't have to physically handle my Mom,just stood close when she got up or down in case she needed me. I did get her drinks and cooked for her. Some things she had that really helped were a high seat that fit over the toilet,a shower chair and a cane. Oh and one of those picker upper thingies, I forget what they're called.

My 89 yr old Mother fell and broke her hip a few months ago she underwent full hip replacement surgery, she did go to the therapy facility and spent 2 weeks there, that was the best thing she could have done. She was up and walking after that, first with her walker then a cane and then with nothing. Her hip incisions healed very quickly. Surgery really did not take very long at all.
If that had been the end of her health issues we would have been delighted, but while at the rehab facility they determined she had memory problems and did not want to release her to go home alone since she could not recall her instructions. That led to her going to a memory unit care facility.

But the actual hip part she skated through at 89 so know that there have been vast improvements in this surgery and recovery but I would do the rehab facility!!

No one will need to do heavy lifting. It took me a little while to learn how to lift that leg up onto the bed (hint: hook the other foot under the 'bad' leg's foot and boost the bad foot/leg onto the bed.

Do you have a cane at home? If not, get one now and be prepared. You can use the cane handle to help lift up that foot, too. And that hint about the raised toilet seat is right-on. Get one now before you have the surgery.

So your shopping list right now is cane, toilet seat riser, and shower seat. That's all I needed. Got the lightweight walker at the hospital. You'll need the walker for only a couple of weeks for walking, but will use it as a steady-extra support for a lot longer. Do you have stairs at home? Someone suggested that you get two walkers, one to leave at the top of the stairs, the other at the bottom.

Avoid rehab if at all possible. Seriously. Sounds like a good idea right now, but the problem is that you'd be there for at least 3 or 4 days of just 'evaluation'. And by then, you're fine. Tough it out at home unless your doctor and the hospital PT and OT staff all agree that you absolutely must go to rehab. Generally rehab is only for patients with added issues, like heart or respiratory problems, infections, etc.

My "kid brother" had hip replacement surgery at a little short of age 70 sometime last year, & he's back to playing both tennis & golf. My brother-in-law had the same surgery about 6 years ago, when he also was about 70, & although not near as sports-active as my brother, is doing fine.

On the other hand, my former neighbor, a retired fireman, had hip replacement surgery at age 80-something. All went fine, but about a week after, while trying to get out of bed at home, he somehow fell on his brand-new hip. Now THAT did cause extra complications---so Be Careful Out There....

A close friend of mine had both hips replaced within a 2 year time span. No issues at all; recovery was quick and you have to re-learn how to use the new joint without causing dislocation.

If you have a sports rehab/physical therapy facility where you can go for post-op physical therapy, I can not recommend it highly enough. You will swear like a drunken sailor but the therapy is SO important to regaining full range of motion. My friend doesn't think he would have faired as well if he did not have PT.

He's having knee trouble now (caused by years of bad hips!!) and is contemplating knee replacement since he had such good recovery from the hips.

Keep us posted on your progress!!!!

My sister has had both hips replaced. The years between the two surgeries saw changes in treatment, and the 2nd one's recovery went so much faster. My brother (72) got a new hip this last week. He is home and is doing stairs from day 1 as his bedroom is on the 2nd floor.

You also need some firm cushioning to place in the chair where you will sit. It needs to hold you at a slight tilt backwards for best comfort and the seat needs to be built up with firm cushions so that you can ease out of the chair to a standing position from a position that is closer to standing with the built up seat. I bought some firm foam from an upholstery shop for my sister.

By the way, get a big bib for eating as it is best if you slightly sit back a bit rather than a 90 degree angle. I had a vinyl apron I gave to my sister to use as a bib.

Sending ((((HUGS)))) and prayers that all will go well on Monday and that your recovery will go quickly too.

Keep us posted on how things go. I'm contemplating it myself.

Many people have said essentially wish I'd done it earlier. I'm sure your doctor has given you all the warnings and possibilities so no need to go over that.

Best of luck a good thoughts coming your way. Keep us posted as best you can!

Sending good thoughts your way Granlan! Keep us updated!

I haven't had it done, but my advice to you is to keep a good frame of mind and positive attitude. You will be fine (((Lana))) and specials thought coming your way, especially on Monday.

Hope all goes as well with your surgery as those above have posted. You're in my thoughts, too!

(((Granlan))) I'm praying that everything goes off like clockwork, that everything works just like it's suppose to.

Love ya, kiddo.

Gale_TX

Good Tuesday evening everyone! It was a long day for sis and me, but we managed to get in some good belly laughs. lol

Each and every reply is so appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to tell me your experiences.

It seems it will be up to me to prove to my surgeon that I don't need to go to rehab from the hospital. So guess we'll see. I can say we do have some excellent ones here and close to home also.

Your special thoughts and prayers mean so much. Sis and I will keep you updated when we can.

Good luck Granlan and I hope this goes really easy for you.

Tell Summer hello, I hope she is enjoying life, and taking good care of herself too.

just follow the doc's orders and please if you are asked to use a cane or walker for a period of time, please do! my fil has fallen 2x after thinking, "i can get 10 feet"...he's been very lucky!

Forgot to tell you, I've been using a cane for a while now.

Had to laugh to keep from crying..right after I bought the cane, I developed carpal tunnel in the hand used to hold the cane. haha

When I no longer need a walker or a cane, I'll be having hand surgery. Maybe foot surgery after that...gonna be buddies with my surgeon before I'm through. :)

Be sure to do all the exercises ordered at home.
It will make a world of difference in the outcome.
I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
Tell your sister I think about her every time I see Cup O Gold candies........
Keep us updated, please.

Had to stop by after Granlan told me she posted about her up and coming hip replacement surgery. Wanted to see the advice you good people were offering. Wonderful idea about the raised toilet seat and grabber. Everything mentioned will help us with her recover. Thank you SO much for your advice, suggestions, good thoughts and prayers.

Hi Miss Maggie, it's great to see you girl!

Carol, I will never be able to thank you enough for sending me those Cup-O-Golds. We still don't have them here. What's THAT about. Silly Texans don't know what's good. :)

Hope everyone is well and enjoying a beautiful Spring.

I'll be sure to check in and let you know how Lana is doing after surgery. Thanks again!

Lana, you will be in my thoughts as you prepare to go into surgery and during recovery.

Summer, good to see you here and happy Lana will have you and your DH close by.

Jodi-

Sending thoughts for a quick and easy recovery.

My DMIL was one of the first hip replacement recipients in the San Francisco Bay Area back in the very early 70's. At the time you had to meet pretty stringent criteria because it was still so experimental. She had to be old enough, disabled enough where the only other option would be to fuse and live out the rest of her life in a wheelchair etc.

After the first surgery she spent almost a week in intensive care and spent a couple of weeks in a rehab center.

Two year later she had her other hip done. No intensive care and standing the first week and no rehab center. That's how quickly the advancements went.

Today people are out of bed the same day and walking almost immediately as other posters have said.

I have had many friends go through both hip replacement and knee replacement. Everyone seems to say hips are really easy compared to recovery from knee surgery.

My Dad had one of the first modern knee replacement surgeries done in the US at the University of Michigan Hospital/Ann Arbor somewhere around 1962. It was not a rousing success. His knee had been badly injured in a college football game circa 1929, had surgery then & was on crutches for a year, and, as he aged & later put on weight, his knee deteriorated. Maybe because of the unsuccess of the 1962 operation, he never chose to have it redone in later years.

Dad often said that the human knee was not well-designed in the first place.

Lana, I am saying prayers for a successful surgery on Monday, and a safe and quick recovery. It sounds like you received a lot of helpful and comforting information.

Lana, please don't go into this with the attitude that you think it is going to be harder and more painful. Your brain will subconsciously believe the thoughts you feed it. Tell yourself something positive over and over again like "I'm going to be pain free after the hip surgery" and just keep on doing it. It's called the power of positive thinking!

I'm a tad over 70 now. I have two artificial hips. Left was December 2004; right, January 2006. Needing to use steroids for asthma ruined my hip joints early.

Hips are *easy*, with easy recovery. KNEES seem to be much harder! (Hips move 'back and forth', while knees have to 'rotate'.) Thanks to 'a better world through chemistry' (drugs), this is NOT a painful surgery or recovery.

I borrowed a raised toilet seat, walker and cane from our Senior Center's lending closet. I bought a long shoehorn which I still enjoy using.

I walked the day after surgery and came home after a couple nights on an ordinary surgical ward. DH was my 'step and fetch it' and was able to nuke frozen dinners for the first few nights. I was walking around the grocery store with him a week after surgery. (How many frozen dinners can a person tolerate? LOL)

A visiting nurse came to our (single level) home to do the blood testing while I was on blood-thinners. A physical therapist came to our home to teach me exercises and put me through my paces. (DO them! You will recover faster and have greater strength.)

My first hip was somewhat more successful than the second -- but I'm happy with both. I can't imagine NOT doing this so that you can WALK WITHOUT PAIN again.

Oh, I just remembered that I was on a plane to Maui shortly after the second surgery. I had wheelchairs at the airports and made sure to walk around a bit in flight to avoid clots, but...no worries! No need for heavy meds after either replacement.