You Can Get a Hip Replacment At Any Age!

Dropped My Cane For This Picture!

Ok this post may be slightly sarcastic, but with good attentions! :) If I had a dollar for every person who has said "Wow, you are way to young to have hip problems!", well lets just say the answer to that question is I could probably retire after my hip replacement with all those dollars! There is not a certain "look" or age for anyone who has a disability. For hips I have known people to get replacements from 16 to 80 and everything in between, so I am so surprised why people (including myself sometimes (oh o) put "old age and hip replacement in the same category"). The only restrictions I will have for this shiny new hip will be running and singles tennis (I can do doubles tennis, so don't rule me out for making a US Open debut ;) ) It really smacked me in my face when I was reading through my Hip Replacement Notebook from my hospital. First off on a side-note the notebook is quite helpful, and it would have been really nice to have that kind of information prior to my other surgeries that were just as big of a deal..just sayin!
Well back to what I was saying before I got off track in these books/notebooks there were cartoon characters of hip replacement patients....it was agesim in reverse! Where were the people who looked like me and other people I know who have hip replacements...seriously it's 2011 lets be up to date with what is going on people. It actually was making me anxious every time I read these books, because it made me feel "old".  I am already in pain I don't need to feel I am aging rapidly on top of it! My friend said I should tell the company that made these books that they should make age friendly hip replacement literature, I thought it was a good idea. I decided to make a prototype! Here is some samples of what I am talking about (of course it wouldn't be all pics of me, but hey that's all I had to work with at the moment ;)....

Their page is to the left my updated page is to the right. The lady on top of their page is the youngest one in the book. 

Here again I put my ridiculous two sense in. You can do laundry with a bad hip and you don't have to have gray hair and wear a house coat, and seriously I know a lot of "older" people and they dress much better than that!

Again another comic misrepresentation of all hip patients(they go with what people may associate hip replacement patient as), and they can't even give this poor woman a good haircut and stylish outfit??!!

The men are not being represented either by all different age groups!

So if I can do anything through my blog is that I would like to bring awareness that hip issues can happen at any age, so appreciate your hips and take good care of them!
Since this is my sarcastic post (yes it feels good to be sarcastic every once in awhile about my hip ;) ) . My friend brought up the point that I got to keep the screws from my hip from my screw removal  surgery, she asked if I will ask to keep my hip this time...hahahha! Hmmmmm I could and send it off to my past surgeons, so they can hold onto to it as a trophy to show off all their work they did to "help" my hip...oh snap! Ok positivity posts from this point on..just needed to let off some steam!! Later Hipsters!

September 27th!

Me and D ignoring my hip together at the beach after one of his gigs

Hi! Sorry it's been a bit since I last blogged. I guess one may say I have been in hip hell. I started first with ignoring my hip after my last post which in turn meant ignoring my blog for a few. I needed some time away from my hip and since I couldn't do it physically, mentally was the only way to go. I got through a week of ignoring my hip, the pain, and thinking about my hip and during that time did have some moments which I truly enjoyed. Then my hip (just like it's "owner") didn't like being ignored and not be given any attention too, so hipster came back w/ a vengeance (owner of hip is much kinder that that..I am not vengeful like one body part of mine ;)  To make a very long story short I ended up in BI hospital for three days due to an intense amount of pain, because my hip cartilage tore and got stuck in my joint, which caused inflammation, which caused pain, which landed me in a hospital bed; I guess I really can't ignore my hip.

Me at BI

Nurses Discharge Paperwork

It was a loooooong three days of pain and frustration as well as a visit from Dr. A. BI hospital was great in getting me as comfortable as possible w/ pain meds, ice, and bed rest. Dr. A reunion came two weeks early..he looked at me and said, "Hi, you need to get your hip replaced ASAP, and I will do it" (well that's the very abbreviated version of our conversation). He wanted me to stay in the hospital and get the pain under control, and then still keep my appointment with him on August 8th. There was not much more to say about that hospitalization....the nurse note to the right pretty much summed up my situation.

August 8th: My dad, step-mom, D and I met with Dr. A and went over my Total Hip Replacement surgery (still can't believe it is happening after all I have been through in the past 4 years with this hip to save it..hard to process still at the moment, but trying). It was a long visit and I honestly can't remember everything he said, but here are the basics:
*Need my hip replaced no other options for me

I understand the cartoon is just the illustrators representation of a hip patient..and yes I do have a cane and a dog, but if they think I am going to stop coloring my hair and get a bad haircut just so I can look the part..well that just ain't happening!

*My hip will be part ceramic and part polyethylene and a bigger "head" ( he said this is the best plan for someone my age..it could last 30 years, it should have extremely good rotation, less risk of dislocation, and the material won't be an issue if I would like to have children)
*He is also going to lengthen my psoas tendon (this psoas has been a true pain, I am nervous about this part of the surgery since I have heard mixed reviews about this procedure, but he explained the benefits and it seemed to make sense to me)
*He went through the whole surgery procedure and the hospitalization. It's a lot of info! If interested in further detail write me a note at the end of this post and I can give you any info you may be looking for. It looks like I will be in the hospital for 5 days and then sent home with visiting nurses and visiting PT. If all goes according to plan I could be off of crutches after one month
*Due to my past hip surgeries and my chronic pain issue he will use an epidural for the first 24 hours to help with pain post surgery (so I won't freak out ;) )

*He gave me a notebook on everything hips. How to get prepared for surgery, what to expect during surgery, and what will happen post surgery at hospital and home..quite a captivating and relaxing read (ok I will get my sarcasm in check)
*I need to donate blood for myself
*No PT before surgery, but he showed me a few exercises he would like me to do at home. PT post surgery. First in home then outpatient.
*Once I am better he said I will be able to walk, drive, bike, swim...but no running!
*He will be going through the bottom half of my SDD scar (from last year) which is on the side of my upper right leg
*He said my recovery will take longer than the average patient due to my four prior surgeries, but he has confidence that I will be ok when all is said and done, and that I guess is really all that counts!

I am hoping for the best and trying my best to put all the past surgeries in the past, but I am only human so it isn't the easiest thing to do. It is hard coming to terms with getting a hip replacement at 36, can't even explain exactly why, but it just is, but I am working on those "issues". I am just hoping with everything I have that this will be the surgery that is a huge success!  2pm on September 27th I will be saying buh- bye to my hipster for good and hello to a new pain free life (fingers crossed..you can cross yours too for me if you would like ;) )