Approaching the operation

It is now the day before the day before. I'm waiting for the phone call. The one that says, very sorry but we have had to change your operation date, or, I'm afraid your blood test results mean you will need to wait another month. I have waited each day for this call, but the silence is loud. I have a hospital letter on recycled paper with date, time and generic information about where to go, not to eat and drink and eventualities in case of illness. No little text reminders. No lists of what I should bring, how I should prepare.

Lots of reassurance and little information.

Two years ago, this x-ray was finally taken after a big discussion with my NHS physio who initially insisted I didn't need a scan, I should keep doing the exercises to release the nagging chronic pain in my leg. Luckily, he put pride aside when he manipulated the joint and immediately agreed to the x-ray. After a year of therapists, physios and osteopaths, only one shiatsu therapist suggested I had arthritis. I was clicked and adjusted, had temporary relief from the ache and then it was back, getting slowly worse as the months rolled by.

The x-ray was both a triumph and hugely distressing - the physio admitted I had moderately severe arthritis and I was quickly referred to the surgeon, who smoothly recommended a complete hip replacement. What about the steroid injections as a midway solution? No point, he said. The joint will get worse. Best to do this while the muscles are healthy and strong, they will worsen with the joint. He was too smooth. It sounded too easy. I made a pact to myself that I would only have a total hip replacement when I could hardly walk - that made sense. I said no, he said fine, I'll see you in a year's time.

Covid came. Waiting lists lengthened. The leg was getting worse. I was exercising the leg like crazy but my knee was hurting, my limp was increasing and my back was twisting no matter how much yoga I did. A year rolled around and my pact withered thinking about being on a waiting list indefinitely and in excruciating pain. Best to get on it now, I rethought. So, August 2021, I agreed to the surgery.

And now it will be the day after tomorrow. And I feel I know nothing.

And I have been asking. Researching. Ordered books on Amazon. Friends have put me in touch with physios. I don't like discomfort. And I don't like not knowing precisely what's in store. And I really hate medical professionals telling me, oh don't worry about that yet, it will all become clear once you've had the operation. I bet it will.

Meanwhile, I am washing with special anti bacterial soap every day for 5 days, plus hair every second day. And tomorrow morning I go in for my pre-op blood test. Will I be any the wiser after this visit? Probably not.

I have looked up on the NHS website and other private clinic websites for good advice on what to bring for hospital over night stays, and feel ready now to be prepared for the boredom, discomfort and lack of privacy ahead.

I guess it will all become really clear after the event. Sigh.