Another Appointment With My Hip Surgeon
[ Tuesday June 10th 2025 at 4:21 pm ]
I've had another appointment with my surgeon today. It was a productive appointment.
I very briefly showed my surgeon the self help section of my website. I said to him I've been putting together the things I've been learning about life while going through my medical treatment to help others. His face lit right up. Then I said to him I need to get back to my life so I can be working on this. He was encouraged to see me doing this.
I asked my surgeon if I am allowed to give the nursing and orthopaedic ward staff who cared for me following my April 2nd 2025 surgery Tim Horton gift cards worth $10. I wanted to know if this would create a conflict of interest and put the employees in an awkward position. He said people bring them gift baskets and flowers. This would be acceptable. He told me that I'd need to deliver it in person. Then I said to him just how much I really appreciated the nursing staff helping me in April. My surgeon knows how hard this operation has been to recover from. By my surgeons body language I could see much joy this brought him with all the trouble my artificial hip has caused me. While I was in the hospital I was absolutely disgusted and appalled at some of the entitled behaviour of other patients. A few of the nurses said how unusual it was for patients to use "please" and "thank you". I really appreciate it when people believe and invest in me.
I'm now allowed to use the tub. This wasn't a possibility while my incision was open since it would create an infection. After the incision closed it needed time to demonstrate it would remain closed. It burst open a few times during the previous 7½ weeks. I am about ready to buy my tub a present for having me over. I have really missed using it over the past 2½ months. Using the tub eases my pain. I have another tool for helping manage my pain again.
I am also allowed to use my Waterpik to see if that will get the plaque off my teeth. Otherwise my surgeon has given his consent for me to forgo the complete 6 month wait based on my teeth needing cleaning. When I am at the dentist for the next 2 years I need to use 2000 mg amoxicillin. This is to prevent an infection taking a hold of my new artificial hip. The reason to be concerned is that there is increased blood flow to an artificial hip joint for up to 2 years. It is better to use anti-bacterial medication instead of risking a new artificial joint becoming infected.
If I'd agree to keep exercising my new left artificial hip and I told the surgeon I wanted time to do seated cardio to help my heart take another surgery then he was willing to put me on the list for having my right artificial hip replaced. Tentatively late summer is when the operation could happen. Once I am at the top of the list I'll stay there if I think my hip or heart needs more work before the surgery. There was more discussion than this. But this is what replacing my right artificial hip comes down to. There is a very real possibility that 2026 may go better for me than the past 19 months. Although my knees still need their surgery.