May 5, 2011
Dear Everyone:
Yes, I am still alive.
Was very busy recovering from that pesky heart
incident, particularly with the “Cardiac Conditioning and
Rehabilitation” sessions, which took several hours each, three times a
week up through early April.
I officially “graduated” just in time to start preparing for
hip
replacement surgery.
Yes, I finally decided to get that annoying hip
replaced last summer, having sailed through heart catheterization back
in June. Figured I do it in
the spring, but then the heart had other plans.
Anyway, I finally had the meeting with the
orthopedic surgeon
who, in the meantime had semi-retired (he only does knees now), and
referred me to another surgeon who was perfectly happy to rip out the
old bones and put in shiny, new metal ones.
So I attended numerous pre-surgery doctor visits
and “workshops”, or “classes” in early April.
On the evening of Monday, the 11th, I packed a bag and
drove to “Jeannie’s” place.
Spent the night in her “cat’s room”, then we drove to the hospital the
morning of the 12th.
Time was when you checked in to the hospital the
night before surgery, but they don’t waste beds like that anymore.
On the plus side, they now have these nifty “air blankets” that
they place over the patient and fill, literally, with hot air to keep
the patient warm until they’re ready for surgery.
(“Jeannie” said I looked like a basted chicken.)
Needless to say, the surgery went fine.
I woke up in a room on the orthopedic floor, where I spent the
next three plus days. All
went well and I was discharged on Saturday with “Frankie”, who had flown
in the day before, to help me get in and out of bed, etc.
The past few weeks have been a bit of a blur with
doctor’s appointments and visits from technicians to draw blood and
various therapists for this and that.
Did I mention the pipe in the laundry closet chose to spring a
leak, more than once, over Easter weekend?
Let’s throw in a couple of non-English-speaking plumbers for good
measure. Fun for all.
I had a post-surgery follow-up with my “Primary
Care Physician” last Monday and one with my
Cardiologist tomorrow.
The Physical Therapist was in last week and pronounced that she
didn’t need to see me again as long as I followed the regimen.
Which is:
Do my exercises three times each day while simultaneously keeping
my right leg elevated at all times.
Take long walks, but don’t go too far.
Sleep on my back with a large pillow under the right leg.
Apply ice to my right hip every 20 minutes or so.
Go ahead:
Keep a bag of ice attached to your hip.
I dare you.
Bottom line:
All is going well. No
worries. And I promise not
wait three months between Letters next time.
Love, as always,
Pete
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