| It is said that
you never should have any surgery if there are other options
or until the pain is really severe. However, surgeries for
both the knees and hips have been vastly improved and simplified
in the past 15-20 years, and physicians are encouraging
seniors not to wait too long before making the decision
to have these elective surgeries which so affect quality
of life.
The past several Senior Moments columns were, of necessity,
written previous to a planned hip replacement surgery which
I underwent in early February. Since Christmas, I had been
in constant discomfort and unable to walk far without severe
pain, so that hastened the decision to have the surgery.
While there are several methods and different types of
devices that can be used, basically, worn cartilage that
no longer serves as a cushion is replaced by a ball and
stem made from a super alloy material inserted into the
thigh bone for stability. A cup made from a durable plastic
material replaces the worn socket in the hip.
After some diligent research, I chose the New York Hospital
for Special Surgery as it is the leading hospital for orthopedic
surgery in America. I also had an excellent outcome at the
same hospital four years ago, when I had been operated on
for spinal stenosis. The disadvantage, of course, is the
required trips into New York for pre-op and a "pathway
to recovery" training class at the hospital, the trip
for the surgery itself and then a post-op visit.
Since surgery was scheduled for 6 a.m. Wednesday, I planned
to take the train into New York on Tuesday and spend the
night at son Michael’s apartment. Val, following his
usual dialysis treatment, was to drive me to the station.
After some last-minute morning errands, I returned home
to find a message from Val, "Don’t worry, but
I’m in Yale-New Haven Hospital."
Unfortunately, "I’m in the hospital" is
in no way compatible with, "Don’t worry,"
especially if you are about to have surgery yourself, and
I became slightly unhinged.
The dialysis center informed me that while not serious,
there had been some difficulty, necessitating a call to
our ever-helpful neighbor, Sandy Mango, who not only drove
Val, but stayed with him for several hours at the hospital.
Meanwhile, it had started to snow very hard, and I had a
train to catch, but luckily I was able to commandeer my
friend and home organizer, Roberta Williams, who took me
to the station in her truck.
Once aboard, I settled in with suitcase and cane and tried
to relax. Suddenly, at the 125th Street Station, the train
came to a complete, ominous standstill. Despite various
mechanical personnel dashing back and forth, they had to
evacuate the train, put us all on another one, which did
eventually arrive at Grand Central. The next morning, I
taxied to the hospital without incident; a good thing, as
I was beginning to wonder if there was a jinx on this surgery.
The hospital for Special Surgery is on 70th Street and
the East River, with beautiful panoramic views. The atmosphere
is highly professional, but also warm and supportive. After
the two-hour surgery, I awoke in a spacious room where I
could see the boats on the river and met my roommate, Edith
Frankel, who was recuperating from a double knee operation.
eHarmony could not have made a more perfect match.
Edith and her husband own a fabulous art gallery on Madison
Avenue in New York, specializing in Chinese and Japanese
art and antiquities. Since I am an admirer of all things
Oriental, I was fascinated by this stimulating and charming
woman.
She and her husband opened the gallery 44 years ago, following
a very bad automobile accident which caused them to re-think
their lives, sell their interest in a medical supply business
and take the risk to follow their hearts and do what they
loved.
After three days at the hospital, it was time to leave
for Branford Hills and re-hab, a trip that was to be made
by private ambulance. Unbelievably, this state-of-the-art
ambulance developed mechanical problems in Orange, and they
had to pull off the road and transfer me to another ambulance.
The driver could not understand why I was laughing so hard,
I almost fell off the gurney.
The stay at Branford Hills Rehabilitation proceeded very
well. The therapy staff, led by Ken Higgins, was excellent,
encouraging, but making me work hard, and the flowers and
cards from friends and fellow workers cheered me on more
than they can ever know. However, the food, as in many facilities
of this type, is truly abysmal.
Unlike the hospital, where I had a choice, food is wasted
because what arrives is not only poorly cooked and served,
it may be the last thing you feel like eating at the time.
Food is such an important element in recovery and in patient
morale, it is hard to excuse such poor quality.
I am now adjusting to home, and with the help of the Guilford
VNA, learning how to navigate stairs, dress myself (putting
on socks is a real challenge) and slowly depend more and
more on my brand new hip.
I feel sure that in a few weeks, especially with the start
of some warmer weather, I’ll be out walking and shouting,
"Hip, hip, hooray!"
Jean Cherni is founder of Senior
Living Solutions, a retirement advisory service. Contact
her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 15 The Ponds, Branford
06405.
H. Pearce Company REALTORS®
is a full-service real estate company with more than 100
agents and branch offices in greater New Haven and the Shoreline.
Corporate and & Commercial offices are located in North
Haven, where the company was founded in 1958. All listings
can be found in color on the web at: www.hpearce.com. |
