Sigrid Macdonald - Getting Hip

GETTING HIP

Recovery from a Total Hip Replacement

by Sigrid Macdonald

Copyright 2009, Sigrid Macdonald

ADVANCED PRAISE

"Although our body is a finely tuned machine with expected surgical outcomes, this practical and reader friendly book reinforces we each have a unique medical presentation. After reading this, not only will you have a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of Total Hip Replacements, you will have permission to vary from the expected norms and accept your own rate of recovery."

Wendy Rogers, Physiotherapist (BPT)

Hip replacements have granted a new lease on life to countless folks. If you are considering this surgery for yourself, you need this first-hand comprehensive report from someone who has done the research for you. Ms. Macdonald provides a wealth of information on the challenges facing hip replacement patients and the resources they require dealing with this experience.

As a nurse, and possibly a prospective future candidate, I found everything one could wish to know and more in GETTING HIP . This lay person's account of the modern experience of hip replacement surgery is a must for any professional wanting to understand the bewildering landscape of hip replacements in North America. Sigrid details the range of possibilities available to patients, from choosing a doctor to deciding on a specific type of implant, as well as making plans for aftercare. Ms. Macdonald has covered it all in a very warm and entertaining manner.

C. Soubliere R.N. BSc PHN

" GETTING HIP takes the reader through the experience of a total hip replacement, from the first problem signs to total recovery. It gives a clear, witty, intelligent and thoroughly readable account of the whole process, and contains valuable information for patients, caregivers and professionals. Macdonald has researched the subject comprehensively, and gives excellent advice for anyone contemplating this major operation. Various surgical methods and devices are also discussed, as well as the future of hip replacement in general. All anyone needs to know about this procedure is here."

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my mother,

Muriel, for her endless years

of devotion, emotional support and

self-sacrifice.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Joseph Pizzurro, my first orthopedic surgeon, who saved my life and my left hip after it had been fractured and dislocated in a car accident. In addition, I would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey, who took care of me and made it possible for me to walk normally once again. This includes Dr. Mark Sherman, Dr. David Lipson, and Dr. Gisela Ucko. I also appreciated the kindness of Dr. David Myers of Oakland, New Jersey, who oversaw my orthopedic care for many years.

Dr. Patrick Murnaghan performed my total hip replacement at the Civic Campus of the Ottawa Hospital. I will be forever indebted to him and the incredible staff on the orthopedic ward and in the short-term rehabilitation unit of the hospital, as well as to his efficient and compassionate assistant, Linda Carvill. I am much obliged to Tracy Silverson and the staff at River Park convalescent home for looking after me following my surgery. And I will never forget the help that I received from one of River Park's residents, Carl Killeen, and for the excellent care from my family doctor, Edward Ragan and his dedicated assistant, Judy Denney.

My physiotherapists and occupational therapists were exceptional: they include Jackie Manning, Janice Wood, Wendy Rogers, Barbara Dickson and Jennifer Clark. Jill Castonguay, my mental health nurse, offered me emotional support during a difficult time, as did Marjorie Swarthout, the Chaplain at the Ottawa Hospital. I am grateful for a number of services that I received from Community Care Access Centre and the Visiting Homemakers Association, especially for the cheerful help from my personal support worker, Sarah Hamilton. I sincerely appreciated the flexibility of Nepean Seniors, who drove me to medical appointments, although I am not a senior. Bruce Connelly and Tom Clark, two drivers from the seniors organization, were sweet and entertained me with their offbeat sense of humor. And I would like to particularly thank Alex Ranger, the wonderful manager of The Putting Edge golf course in Nepean, for teaching me how to play mini golf and for not laughing at me when I used my reacher after surgery to pick up the balls; Alex and his staff (Matt, Mark and Kati) are the reason that mini golf has become my favorite game post-op.

There are simply no words to express the gratitude that I feel towards my family members starting with my mother, Muriel, who has been my greatest supporter, and serves as the foundation in life from which I draw all of my strength. My sister, Kristin, has been a warm and sympathetic listener throughout the years and my brother, Brooke, and his wife, Alicia, have been generous to me and concerned about my well-being. Christopher, my 15-year-old nephew, spent hours showing me how to create a web site, which acted as the precursor to this book. And Oliver, my 17-year-old nephew, designed the dazzling cover for GETTING HIP . Last but not least, I would like to thank my dear belated father, Hugh, for his love and devotion and for teaching me never to give up!

My friends were a godsend during the difficult time before and after surgery. Hubert and Estelle McKinley, Una Holmes, Suzanne Pepin, Cathie Soubliere, Beryl Arnold, Saul Markman and Warren Wilson offered precious moral support and practical assistance. Long-distance friends like Margaret Agne, Ed Remington, Robert Ferry, Debbie Merlin, Joyce Milgaard, Blair Roger and Jill Greene were equally supportive.

I am beholden to the ten individuals who took time from their busy schedules to be interviewed by me: Thelma Lubkin, Arlette Hill, Gillian Smith, Ralph Stevens, Lucy Hoover, Gerard Kelly, John Parke, Suzanne Carlos and Michael Bentley. One of my interviewees did not wish to be named in the book so I gave him the pseudonym of Edward Marshall. Ranny Welton went to the trouble of filling out my detailed questionnaire but I was unable to use him in my interview section because, at that point, I was looking for people over the age of 65. However, I have alluded to his experience in my introduction.

Janet Hanson, Clinical Manager of Orthopaedics at the Ottawa Hospital, kindly gave me permission to use several illustrations from the hospital's Patient Information: Total Hip Replacement booklet. Therese B. Murphy, from the department of Research & Scientific Affairs at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, sacrificed her time to answer my many questions. And Linda May-Bowser, founder of the Internet Totally Hip Support Group , shared her knowledge and expertise, and allowed me to use an x-ray that was taken of her left hip following revision surgery.

Lastly, my friend Anita Flegg, who wrote her first book last year, inspired this book. GETTING HIP would not exist at all without the superb guidance and encouragement of my book coach, Dr. Serena Williamson. I am extremely grateful to Wendy Rogers, Una Holmes, Cathie Soubliere and Mark Pendergrast for reading parts of my manuscript and offering important tips for improvement. Special thanks to Cheryl Driskell for her invaluable feedback on my material, and to Suzanne Pepin for hours of meticulous editing. Finally, I sincerely appreciated the help that I received from Amber Olmstead, Teri Watkins and Kyiesha Isiah at AuthorHouse publishing company.