MAY DAY MADNESS

Its May day...Two weeks to go until my surgery. I am feeling much better with it since my pre op assessment yesterday.

I am lucky that through the NHS choose and book system I was able to see the surgeon of my choice, Darren Fern. He operates out of a private hospital only, so guess what? I get to go private on the NHS. The only things I will have to pay for are any telephone calls made from my room and meals for guests!! Maybe we will all be able to meet up and have a big dinner!

I will have a private room and bathroom. This will be lovely for the first few days but I remember from last time that I got quite lonely once I had got past the sleepy stage. I am hoping that I will have plenty of visitors. hint,hint!

When I got to the hospital yesterday I was greeted by the occupational therapist. Between us we worked out all the things I would need post op at home. She put the order in and it will all be delivered to my home before the op. I am so lucky to be in the UK, this is all provided free. I see post so often from fellow "hippies" in the states who have to pay for everything. What happens to the people who live in poverty or cannot afford insurance? Do they just suffer in pain and get to a point where they cant walk?

After seeing the occupational therapist I then saw a nurse who took my blood and talked me through the procedure etc, whilst she continued doing paperwork another nurse came in and took an MRSA swab and did an ECG. All very thorough and reassuring.

We did have a bit of a giggle when I handed back my forms as amongst them was an application to join Truro tennis club...it had got muddled in my forms (it was for my step son) but without looking at it properly I had filled in my details :-)




Todays adventure is to sign up to be a Forever Living distributor. I believe in the product so I am hoping that I will be able to make a real go of this. I have hip dysplacia and Crohn's disease and have not been able to work for a long time. I am hoping that as I can do this from home that it will work for me. John works so hard as an optometrist to provide for us all, I hope that by bringing in an income that he will be able to work less hours so that we can spend more time together.
I am hoping that being housebound following the OP that this will be something I can do to take my mind off things.

https://www.foreverliving.com/retail/entry/Shop.do?store=GBR&language=en&distribID=440500018943

PAO - Peri-acetabular Osteotomy 19 days to go...The start of the countdown

So, this is my first ever blog attempt. My lovely daughter (number 3) is going to be my chief technical advisor on all things i don't understand (most of it to be honest) ....i am definitely a technical airhead!

A bit about me....I'm an ancient mother of 5 and a grandmother of two. I'm about to undergo major hip surgery and start a new business at the same time. I have decided to blog to help keep my thoughts in order, share my experiences and generally stave off the upcoming boredom of long bed rest and being housebound for a few months.

I am worrying about my forthcoming PAO (Peri-Acetabular Osteotomy) ...i've had one before and they are NOT nice. :-(  However, a bit like childbirth, i seem to have forgotten the trauma and am having another one.

Now, whenever i mention i am having hip surgery people say things like "my nan had a replacement, you will be fine" "the recovery will be quick" ... so frustrating!
This is NOT a replacement!

 A PAO is a surgical treatment to preserve my own joint, this will make a replacement easier when the time comes. During a PAO they cut the bone around the acetabulum which joins the acetabulum to the pelvis. It is then rotated to the best position to cover the femoral head.Screws are then inserted to maintain the correct position. I am basically trusting someone (in this case Darren Fern) to break my pelvis for me and screw me back together again.

These are pics of scar and bruising from last time... not for the faint hearted

I have 19 days to go and to put it bluntly "I'm shitting it" ...literally to be fair as i also have Crohns disease. since finding out my op date much of my time has been spent on the loo...the joy of pre op nerves.

I am going to try and blog every day during my OP and recovery. Please share this journey with me. it is a long and sometimes lonely process and i am going to need all the encouragement i can get from you all, especially my fellow "hippies"

On a positive note i cant wait to try out my day bed

Im going to try to chill out and supervise my two year old from here...maybe get some snuggle time too :-)