In my last blog, I talked about osteoarthritis and how it led to my decision to have a total hip replacement. I had the surgery on Monday, October 3 and fortunately, am recovering nicely.
However, this is not an easy surgery. Perhaps you have followed Lara Spencer on Good Morning America through her ordeal with a total hip replacement. I just saw a People magazine article in which Spencer shares that one month post surgery she is now able to walk a mile and do more exercises to help get her back in pre-surgery shape.
In my osteoarthritis article I mentioned the disconcerting fact that more and more Americans (particularly women) are having to undergo joint replacement.
Fortunately, there are celebrities like Lara Spencer out there who remind us there should not be a stigma about joint replacement and that with hard work and motivation, we can emerge stronger than before and hopefully, pain free.
Having said that, I get the sense that because joint replacement surgery is becoming more common, that we tend to dismiss it as something completely doable, relatively easy, and typically very successful.
Let’s talk for a moment about replacing a joint.
The three most common joint replacements are knee, hip and shoulder. What happens in joint replacement surgery is that the surgeon “removes the diseased bone” and replaces it with a prosthetic joint.
Sounds simple enough right?
Well “removes the diseased bone” is a nice way of saying cut off; a.k.a. amputate, a living portion of your bone. I don’t want to gross you out by that description. I just think one should know what they are consenting to with the surgery, or what your loved one will be experiencing should they have a joint replacement surgery.
I am tremendously fortunate that I am relatively young, healthy and fit. During my recovery process I have been very mindful of that, and can’t help but wonder what it would be like for someone 10-20 years older than I. I will tell you that I have gained a tremendous amount of respect and empathy for anyone who goes through joint replacement, especially those who are older or infirmed.
There is so much more to consider about this sort of surgery for the person who is having this done. Some of these things we may not even be cognizant of.
Here are just a few things I have experienced
Fear ~ Fear the surgery will not go well. Fear it will not be successful. Fear of not having the ability to return to the activities you enjoy e.g. walking, hiking, dancing, yoga, Pilates.
Grief ~ As I said, joint replacement surgery is typically elective. Unless there is a traumatic injury, we usually choose to have this done. In doing so, we are consenting to having someone invasively remove a piece of our living tissue. There is truly a sense of loss or grieving for having part of you lopped off and tossed away.
Alarm/Apprehension ~ Joint replacement surgery increases your risk for blood clots. According to WebMD, about 1 in 100 knee replacement patients and 1 in 200 hip replacement patients will experience a blood clot. As you know, blood clots can lead to Pulmonary Embolism or Stroke.
Pretty scary stuff.
Every surgeon deals with this with his/her own protocol. As for me, I am to give myself injections of blood thinner in my belly every day for 20 days and wear compression stockings for a certain period of time to discourage blood from pooling in the legs.
Reluctant Acquiescence ~ As it turns out, when you have disrupted a synovial joint by implanting a prosthesis, you are at a much higher risk of serious infection – forever. That means for any invasive procedure – even dental cleanings – you have to take a prophylactic antibiotic. Groan… Knowing that antibiotics upset your body’s gut flora, immune system and mood, I found this news terribly disappointing.
Having said all of that, I am 11 days out of surgery at the time of this writing. I am encouraged about the outcome and am hoping to emerge relatively pain free.
Experiencing the progression of osteoarthritis over the course of several years, I can tell you that it is insidious. It can begin so slowly, and progress so gradually, that you don’t even notice the toll it is taking on your life, your mood, and your overall health and well-being. I am hoping to experience what other joint replacement survivors have reported – regaining my active pain free lifestyle.
Good news for the future!
If you are concerned about developing osteoarthritis due to an injury or family history, or if you are experiencing early onset osteoarthritis, there is some exciting research being done to quell the progression of the disease and reduce the need for joint replacement.
This research involves stem cells that actively repair damaged soft tissue as well as a gene that can be inserted into the joint capsule that has the ability to “turn off” the progression of osteoarthritis. Researchers are seeing encouraging results in animal studies and hope to introduce this technology to humans in the next 3-4 years.
That is very exciting news for the millions of people who suffer with osteoarthritis!
Until then, the best ways you can keep your risk for joint replacement surgery (or any disease for that matter) at bay are:
- ~ Maintain a healthy weight
- ~ Keep your joints lubricated with appropriate exercise
- ~ Eat a low-inflammatory diet with lots of deeply colored veggies and good fats
- ~ Stop smoking
- ~ Get adequate sleep (sleep gives our bodies a chance to heal and restore)
Thank you for allowing me to share my experiences with you. If you have something you would like to share, I would love to hear what you are going through.
Until the next time,
Be well my friend.
P.S. Keep an eye out for my first book, “From Overwhelmed to Inspired”, coming soon to Amazon!
