Who was it that said "We have nothing to fear but fear itself".
I know how terrifying the thought of surgery can be. I have had
several surgeries myself, starting with a knee replacement when I was
25 years old. I had my hip replaced when I was 27 in 1982. Since then
the surgical procedure has evolved, and the whole thing has been much
improved.

At the time I had my surgery there was a lengthy post-op stay and the
patient did not get up to walk for a week. Now that whole process has
changed and the pt is mobilized much more rapidly.

I recently met a friend who had a thr, and he was walking with a cane,
had  barely a limp, and is now planning an Alaskan cruise.

You should do just fine. Think about how much better your life will be
after. The whole surgical thing will be difficult, but you are doing
it so that your life will be better. You have been dealing wih pain
for many years, and the surgery should make your quality of life much
better.
    Rose   @}>->--
    Being educated means that rather than fearing the unknown, one seeks to understand it. RB

    Please remove "Ima" to reply.

   I had my hip replaced in March of 2003. Here's a link to an
   account of my experience, an extremely good experience.

            http://www.armory.com/~mom/THR1.html

   I now only remember the hip's existence when I want to tell
   someone about it. I bike an average of 10miles a day, and I
   do more walking than many people in the country.

   I recently did a 17mile walk that was not planned for: my
   husband and I biked our tandem for repair to a bikeshop on the
   other side of town and started walking home, thinking we'd take
   a bus when we decided we'd walked enough--all the way home turned
   out to be enough.

   I hope that you have results at least as good; then come back here
   to tell us and to encourage yet others.

                       --thelma

Hi Bobby,

I'm like you, scared of surgery. I have ON of the left hip dating from
about 2003. So far I haven't come to terms with the surgery thing, but
am still trying. The pain was excruciating, but diminished after about
two years, which is probably why I have lasted so long.

My wife had a total hip replacement and was walking after two days. She
was out of hospital after 7 days (could have been 5) and has not looked
back since. I admire her courage immensely.

I understand what you mean by fear of the unknown, so you are not
alone. It isn't so much the surgery or the recovery, but the fear of
dying under the anaesthetic that gets to me. Well, I do know it is
possible to be conscious while the operation is done, or to be sedated,
but not quite unconscious. You do not have to have a general
anaesthetic.

Modern anaesthetics are very safe. The mortality figures for hip
replacements ie deaths within 30 days of the operation are something
like 0.3 per cent. When looking at this you have to realise that there
are fair numbers of old and infirm people having the operation and that
younger people should show much better survival rates.

This is some of the good and bad. If you look up the psychological
treatment of 'fear of surgery' you will find that it concentrates on
encouring poeple to think of the good outcome of the operation: how you
will be able to walk without the pain, how your life will take on a new
meaning without the handicap of crippledom caused by double ON.

For more help and to talk to those who have ON and who have had it
treated, go to
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/osteonecrosis/
Many of these people are young and have gone thro what you are
experiencing now.

I wish you good luck, good health and courage.

Peter

Hi Bobby,

They found I had bilateral osteonecrosis when I was 25 (after my right
hip had been broken for 9 months). A few years later a radiologist was
so intent on getting to his golf game that he issued an incorrect report
and I walked around on a shattered left him for another nine months
(with further time needed to get into surgery each time). Just for your
information if you're doing online searches, osteonecrosis is sometimes
referred to by a superceded term: avascular necrosis. Did they suggest a
cause? Do you have haemochromatosis? If you don't know, find out NOW!!!

No, you don't sound like a baby at all. I was sh.t scared going into
these surgeries (moreso the first one...I even cancelled it and
rescheduled three months later!). You may be in for a rough time, it's
hard to tell.

Ask the surgeon questions about the prostheses and the technique being
used. Ask about after care and what the do's and don'ts are and what to
do in an emergency: pain, dislocation, or INFECTION most of all...do not
mess around if you think the wound is even a little infected: bugs can
latch onto the metal surfaces and form a somewhat permanent site for
infection (uncommon but not uncommon enough).

When they tell you not to let your knee come up to hip level (such as
when sitting) or cross your legs and other such rules, just listen, take
notes (they'll give you an information page in all likelihood) and
follow the rules religiously! Go to hydrotherapy after, and be
especially careful for the first three months even when things start to
feel normal: when people think they're okay but are still in the danger
period is when things like dislocations happen! After three months most
people are moving around pretty well (the vast majority, especially at
your age) but also at your age (our I should say, I'm also 31) the
surgeon should be using an uncemented prosthesis (if not, make good and
certain as to WHY not!) and it takes up to a year for the bone to fully
reform in the bone-metal interface.

The pain can be quite different between people. Mine was horrible at
times, but my pain management was mishandled both times (great
surgeon...really really good...but outside the OR not so good
sometimes). It's unlikely you'll end up with the best surgeon around who
also happens to be the worst when it comes to pain management, so this
isn't something you should really concern yourself with. Just make sure
beforehand that you'll be able to say 'I'm hurting too much I need more
pain relief' and be listened to. Pain will also give you trouble in the
first week when you have to have a bowel movement: sitting and straining
(sorry, pain relief makes you constipated) with nice big surgery wounds
is just not fun.

That's the worst of it. After the first week, things'll get better (but
never EVER stray from the rules in the first three months!!!) and you'll
adapt. After three months, you'll be good. After six months, you'll be
great. It's just slow but not painful after the first week or two,
mostly tedius with the waiting to stop having to use a raised toilet
seat (have one in the toilet room at work AND at home), having to sit on
a thick pad to keep your hip above your knee, and having to sleep with a
foam wedge between your legs to prevent you from crossing them in your
sleep. You'll get through and you'll be able to ween yourself from the
painkillers before the three months is up (often well before).

Regards,

Ari

Bobby, I had hip replacement summer 2000 at age 63.  I went in with
the "unknown factor" but my hip pain was so great that I had no fear
of the surgery.   The doctor had stated I would be away from home
for 6 to 8 weeks.  I was home in 12 days - 3 days in the hospital and
9 days in the rehab center.

I was wheelled into a prep room where an anesthetist stated he was
going to coat my tongue to prevent a gag reflex when intubated for
the anesthetic.  I counted 3 swipes across my tongue and woke
up 5 hours later in my own room - not in recovery - with my new
hip.  I have no memory of anything between 7:15 a.m. and 12:15.

The nurses those first 3 days were in my room almost every hour,
asking, "What is your pain level?" as they pointed to a "smile"
chart with a range of 0 to 10.  I would to sit on the side of my bed
and reply, "5," then stand and add, "2."  Sitting on the staples
hurt, but standing took pressure off the incision.

The second day after the THR, when the nurse asked "How is your
pain?", I replied, "I hurting from TB."   She backed off and asked,
"You have TB?"   I replied, "YES!  A tired butt."  She cracked up,
went to the nurses' station, returned with another nurse and asked
the question again, expecting the same reply.  I didn't disappoint
her, shocking the second nurse.  <g>.

The nurses in rehab couldn't keep me in bed -- said I was suppose
to be up and around only when OT or PT took me out.  I saw them
less than an hour the first 4 days in rehab and never again the next
5 days.  But I was walking the halls 8 to 10 hours a day by myself,
strengthening my hip and legs.  They (the rehab center) was afraid
someone from the insurance company -- HMO -- would visit the
facility, discover me up and around and decide to send me home
early before they had a chance to "milk" the HMO for as much as
they could.  But I wasn't about to lay in bed 23 or 24 hours a day
just so they could collect more insurance money.

... What happened to the first 6 "UPs?"

Bobby,

How brave you are to admit your fear.  My dad had hip replacement
surgery a few years ago when he was 86.  He did very well.  The only
problems he had was the problems presented with his age.  He went to
rehab for six weeks, came home, and did very well.  I know that there
is a chance of infection, but that is with any surgery not just hip
replacement.  If you go in armed with knowledge and what you must do
for rehab you will do just fine.

debbie m.