Telemed is a wonderful thing

Today my daughter and I participated in a pre-op zoom class. It was a hybrid class, there were patients in a conference room with the instructor and there were patients like me attending via zoom.

We learned about pre-op expectations, risks and benefits of our surgery, and post-op experiences. The instructor informed us about how surgery has changed post COVID-19:

1. Pre-COVID, one family member could accompany patients and stay in the waiting room. Now no one is even allowed in the building, family will be updated about our progress via telephone.

2. For patients like me, who will be in hospital for overnight observation, no family is allowed in the recovery room or overnight room.

Other instructions included:

• No aspirin

• No water pills day of surgery

• No food before surgery

• Post-op physical therapy can last 6 weeks to 3 months depending on how individual patient is progressing

• No dental procedures for at least 3 months post-op

• Must provide proof of COVID vaccination and take a COVID PCR test at a Rush facility, 3 days before surgery

• Bring my walker with me

• I must drink 16 oz of Gatorade 2 hrs. prior to my scheduled arrival time.

• Nothing to drink after the Gatorade so take my meds with it.

• Surgery will be 1 to 1 1/2 hours

• I will set off metal detectors for the rest of my life after surgery

• Patients will be on pain meds for 3 weeks post-op, then will be tapered off

• Spinal anesthesia will be used

• Patients will receive in-home physical therapy 2-3 times a week for 2 weeks, after that they will go to a physical therapy facility

• Dr. will send prescription orders to pharmacy for pre-op pickup

Benefits of hip replacement:

Ability to walk, stand, sit, lie down, bend over, even reach over head with pain.

Risks of hip replacement (experienced by 1-3% of patients)

• Blood clots

• Nerve damage

• Bone Fracture

• Infection

After surgery precautions

• I will need antibiotics before any invasive procedures for the rest of my life. Basically, anything that makes me bleed and requires stitches means I will need antibiotics and should call the surgeon's office from now on.

• For the 1st 6 weeks post-op, I cannot bend over more than 90 degrees

• No twisting

• no crossing legs or ankles

• can sleep on back or side, no stomach sleeping (how do people sleep on their stomachs anyway?)

If the hip dislocates, GO TO AN ER IMMEDIATELY!!!!!