16 November 2009

Nearly there ...

So, it's Monday 16 November, the day before the Big Day for my left hip replacement. I'll probably be in surgery in less than 24 hours from now! My surgeon has allotted 2 hours for the surgery, give or take a bit, I presume. I'm fasting from midnight on, and arriving at hospital at 9am, surgery early afternoon most likely.

My bag is packed, my super easy knitting projects have been started (a washcloth and Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf), the bills have been paid, everything's ready.

I'm not feeling too bad today - mind you, a regular diet of Diazepam is helping enormously. Wouldn't be coping otherwise! Bit fuzzy in the head, not to be trusted with scissors or knives (my family's decision once they saw me trying to cook last night!), but am more or less okay, mostly. In many ways it will be quite a relief to just get on with it, after roughly 18 months of discussions, planning, medical appointments, waiting, pain, disability, and far too much worrying.

This is my before photo - how the outer side of my left leg looks now, as a result of my childhood surgeries. They're thick in parts because they were cut several times in the same places. I've grown up with these scars, so am very comfortable with them. There's also significant scarring, weird anatomy, and loss of muscle all around my groin, but you ain't getting photos of that!

I'm expecting that Tuesday and Wednesday will be a bit grim ... or at least that I'll be rather doped out on morphine and not coherent. Probably won't be able to knit for a few days, too, depending on where the IV line is put in (hand or elbow being the most likely candidates).

I hope I'll be able to update my blog from hospital (using a nifty little USB modem and hubby's Eee-PC) later on this week. I'll eventually post photos of my leg post-op, too, but will put them in as a link, so you won't have to see them if you don't want to. Could be rather bloody.

Thank you everyone for all your very kind wishes, and sending love, and everything. I really appreciate them all :)

Catch you on the other side - and won't THAT be a good feeling??!!

19 comments:

  1. Hope everything goes SUPER well. Look forward to hearing that it was all successful.

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  2. Sending you lots of good wishes and positive thoughts for successful surgery and recovery.

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  3. Glad the drugs are working. The Labradors send extra special tail wags and happy grins to speed your recovery!!!!

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  4. good luck denise, thinking of you.

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  5. Dear Denise
    best thoughts and positive vibes. If you need anything, canberra is not far away, just email,
    gem

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  6. I'm sending you nothing but positive vibes and wonderful thoughts! Xocoatl sends kisses and sanitary licks.

    I really hope you do well. BIG HUGS!

    ~Dot

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  7. Wishing you yards of knitted love and good wishes Denise. I have a friend of roughly the same vintage as you who has recently undergone her second hip replacement (she too has a degenerative genetic problem) and she wonders why she didn't do it sooner.

    Thinking only positive thoughts for you and knowing that you will soon be running around so fast that you will wear out all your hand knitted socks.

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  8. I'll be thinking of you. It's good that the day has (almost) arrived and you can get it over with, now! I hope it goes as smoothly and quickly as possible.

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  9. Transhemispheric hugs!I'm looking forward to admiring your stitches when we arrive in March. Positive vibes, and thanks be for good drugs!!

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  10. Hugs, love, and good, solid, calming thoughts.

    We're all pulling for you.

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  11. sending you happy and soothing thoughts!

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  12. Too late for you to see this before your op but thinking of you and wishing you the very very best outcome. You are an amazing woman. So much to bare. So matter of fact. An inspiration.

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  13. Sending Lots of Love your way from across the ocean. Hugs!

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  14. I am thinking all kind of good and positive healing thoughts for you. I am sending the surgeon peace and calm so he can fix you up and make you better. I'm sending your family patience and good cheer to help you heal when you're tired of being an invalid and get cranky. And I am sending you all my love and hugs.

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  15. Good Luck!!! I'll be sending you good thoughts.

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  16. you may well be in surgery this minute! I'm sure you're in excellent hands and I hope your recovery is smooth and problem free.

    Here's to a new hip and painfree life!

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  17. (checks date) I guess you are in the morphine fog right now, so I'm sending my wishes for a rapid recovery!

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  18. Thinking of you! Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

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