Guest Blogger Bill Holland’s Sharing of His Hip Replacement Journey

My friend and colleague Bill Holland, author, entrepreneur and consultant, contemplated having hip replacement surgery and decided to go through with it. Bill came up with the excellent idea of doing a daily blog just before and after his surgery to deal with his feelings and to help others contemplating similar complicated procedures. They are life changing and certainly anxiety provoking. Here is Bill’s seventh post in the eight article series. In the words of Bill:
 TAKE MY HIP—PLEASE!

The decision on replacing the left side of my ass.

I no longer remember exactly what I thought would happen during the post surgery period, but there is a possibility I am the victim of inflated expectations.

“The major difference between the posterior (my surgery of 10 years ago) and anterior (what I just had completed) is the point of entry to the body and cutting of the buttock muscle of the former.

Anterior patients are told, “We get you up right after surgery; recovery is faster because we do not sever your buttock muscles, and the entire process is less intrusive and painful.” Now who the hell could turn that down? When asked which approach I prefer, I felt as if I was reliving that iconic scene in “When Harry Met Sally: “I’ll have what he’s having.”

These images were re-enforced by the early exposure I got to post-surgery patients dancing about in praise of the surgeon and each other for having completed the journey, if not together, at least in the same time frame. I now see that I have also been influenced by TV ads that promise “same-day” spinal surgery after which you are back to work. They all should stop it!

Here is what actually happened: They got me up right after surgery with visions of sugarplums dancing in my drug-induced head. I was fine and not feeling much pain. No one said anything about being stiff and sore, a condition that would remain with me for the next two weeks.

During this time, our refrigerator broke; Claudia got some sort of stomach infection; and we both lost intestinal control during the same period. I will spare you the details.

A full week into the recovery-journey, things are better, and I have concluded that having the operation was definitely worth it – provided that I will return to a more active and less painful life-style. There is every reason to believe this will happen.

Meanwhile, is hip replacement surgery something you should consider, and, if so, when? We are back where we started. Whenever the pain in your hip becomes greater than the anxiety and inconvenience of surgery, you will get it done. Meanwhile, don’t rush it. It ain’t no fun!

I have a hunch that with a little more time, I will have more insights to share when I am a little farther along in the recovery process. So stay tuned for one final installment when I can sum up the range of emotions and thoughts about the whole hip replacement journey!

Be sure to learn more about Bill on his website www.collegetocareercatalyst.com and on his author page here at www.danielwetta.com/