Pre Admission Testing

 I was stressed about this PAT appointment and it did not help when the map we were sent to find the office in the large hospital complex was wrong. Eventually we were sent on a long walk to the correct place.  With Jim’s arm and my cane, I made it!  The staff there took a photo of the incorrect map so they could correct the mistake for others. Once there, we were seen quickly by Lisa, Irene, and Debbie and it was a relief that we could stay in one examination room and the staff rotated in and out.  I had bloodwork, an EKG, and was asked many questions and given answers to many of my questions.  We were given a guidebook and a couple of handouts.  Everyone was very kind and helpful.  

Some medications need to be stopped; others taken even the morning of surgery.  There are detailed instructions for antiseptic wipes to be used the night before surgery to prevent infection.  We were told to launder sheets and pajamas the night before surgery again to prevent infection.  I created a calendar to help me remember some of this and Jim as my “coach” and “support person” will have to help.  

Debbie gave us information about the anesthesia and I have to say that worries me—no feeling in legs for a while after surgery, twilight sleep so that you can’t remember what happens, possible nausea.  I remember a terrible headache after surgery for a ruptured disc in 1985 and Debbie said it was probably due to a leak and it can happen. But if it does, they have medication to help.  I remember how awful that was over the Christmas holiday and hope it won’t happen again.  

I was overwhelmed with information and instructions and thought I would lie awake ruminating.  But God gave me the gift of sleep and I was grateful—restless sleep but that is not unusual.  And plenty of sleep anyway.  Again, this is TMI for my few readers but it is a good record for Jim and me of our lives today.

Now for two more pre-op appointments, one with my primary care practice with Sylvia, the nurse practitioner, and one more with Dr. Culp supposedly to sign papers.  And I do have a few more questions.  

Now my prayers for peace of mind and acceptance that I am doing the right thing.  I had very little pain yesterday so I almost welcome pain to reassure me this is what I need to do.  The deterioration in my hip is not going to get better on its own.  I continue with my “leave of absence” this week which meant Jim went to Grace Notes Choir without me and will go to the Lenten group alone as well.  

———-April 11 I was dismayed when I checked on my portal before going to my primary care provider to get the OK for surgery that my EKG was “abnormal.”  Sylvia, the very dear nurse practitioner I saw, said that was not uncommon but at my age I should have it checked out by a cardiologist.  I spent an hour trying to get an appointment with someone but the cardiologist I had seen a few years ago could not take me until August as a new patient again.  Another call to a practice Sylvia recommended was frustrating and I really wonder if I was talking to someone in a call center.  I left a message for Michelle, the scheduler for Dr. Culp, to say I had problems and she called back and said she would get me an appointment with someone they use next week.  I am thankful that I am not in much pain at all lately.  Maybe this all means I should not have surgery.  I can be glad that if there are heart problems, we can deal with them.  But it has all been very unsettling and anxiety producing this afternoon.  

Planning for Surgery

 Yesterday, the scheduler Michelle called from Dr. Culp’s office with a May 1 date for surgery and then a list of other appointments both before and after surgery.  She told me that an email would come with attachments to be printed up and brought to my appointments.  The email did not come for hours and I was concerned about that.  I followed up on the portal and it did arrive eventually.  When I told Michelle it would take me a few minutes to get my calendar, she told me not to hurry.  I appreciated her empathy and patience and responded to tell her that later in the day.

Jim and I watched the required video a few minutes ago.  It is overwhelming to think of all the cautions and procedures one must follow for success.  However, I am trying to remember that it will be one step at a time and there will be people to answer questions along the way.  I am thankful Jim will be here to be my support person and coach.  Plus he will allow me to stay off my feet or do the only 300 steps a day I am suppose to do in the first week.

I already have a walker and a support frame for the toilet.  I ordered a step counter and a “hip kit” from Amazon.  

I was a bit irritated that I received a text from Dr. Culp with a survey about my pain and ability to think and manage my life.  I had already answered all the prompts on the portal earlier.  Maybe they are checking to see if I am consistent.  Maybe no one really looks at these surveys.  I said that I thought my ability to answer medical questions was excellent.  I said my social relationships were very good.  My ability to do everyday chores not so good.  My emotional state was moderate and that may be rating higher than it is some of the time.  My pain levels are nothing when I am sitting—but moderate when I reach for things or get up and down from sitting.  I find dressing and undressing to be some of my harder moments of the day.  I did not anguish over my answers.  I will see if the doctor mentions them at my pre-op meeting on my birthday.  What a way to celebrate! 

————April 7  I told myself I could have a “leave of absence” from my usual life for this time before surgery and probably a few months after surgery.  That made me feel better about decisions for each day and week.  Jim just offered to go to Target alone and I accepted his offer and am pain free sitting on the sofa.  We did livestream church yesterday and enjoyed the livestream of our church’s Blue Grass Mass on Saturday afternoon.  No walking was involved to the municipal parking lot.  We do miss a church parking lot!  

————April 8  Jim just left alone for the Lenten Communion Service that Grace Notes Choir does at Windrows.  I let Noel know that I probably would not be coming.  I feel best just sitting on the sofa.  I feel sorry to not be a part of something that I know I can contribute to but this is easier.

Every day there is some reminder or other from the medical people.  I confirmed my Pre-Admission Testing appointment yesterday online and then they called today also.  Maybe that was the call I missed yesterday.  I am telling myself to be glad they are so organized.  I hope I will feel reassured after the appointment tomorrow with some more questions answered.  

Hip Replacement Surgery

 

We met with Dr. Culp this morning, three weeks after our initial appointment.  I had a list of questions for him written down as Jennifer had suggested.  He answered all of them in a reassuring way so that I felt better about this meeting with him.  He is scheduling surgery several weeks in advance but would try to get me in earlier with cancellations.  So now we wait until we hear from his office.  He said the surgery was minimally invasive, not cutting into muscle and entering from the anterior side.  He said I might go home the same day and I could get up the steps—as long as I did not have to keep going up and down.  He said he could guarantee 99% success-I told him I didn’t ask for 100 %.  The 1% was for complications which can happen with any surgery, I know.  So the process is started and I feel less anxiety for the moment at least.  His office will take care of the insurance process. He said something like he could feel the pain when he looked at my x-ray.  

We celebrated with the IHOP trip we have been talking about ever since we gave up on our Florida trip in January.  It was a senior breakfast of 2-2-2 for me and French toast for Jim and it was a very filling treat.  I emailed my friend Peggy who was praying for me—and emailed Jeff and Susan who were here Saturday when I was not doing well.  Jeff said he would refrain from saying, “It’s another sign you are growing up.”  That was our phrase for him as he grew older—another sign you are growing old in my case.  Maybe I will feel less old in three months—the recovery time Dr. Culp anticipated for full recovery.  

Chaos in Washington, DC

 Every morning, I read the Substack post from Heather Cox Richardson, a historian from Boston College.  It can be accessed free but I pay $50 a year to support her thorough summaries of the news.  It is not a pleasant start to my day.  It is a daily reminder of the chaos in Trump's circle with Elon Musk coming in with a chain saw as he said to cut out government waste.  But instead essential and needed programs are being cut with people fired and then sometimes rehired.  

And then there is the craziest story from Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of the Atlantic and the host of Washington Week which we watch every Friday night on PBS.  He was given an invitation to join a Signal group talking about war plans.  He thought it might be a hoax but he joined and realized it was a serious breach of security on a format that would disappear after a certain number of days.  So there would be no archival record as demanded by law.  That he was included was certainly not intended.  No one asked who he was and when he left no one asked why.  This is the result of having Fox newscasters in charge of cabinets and not qualified, experienced staff--Hegspeth in charge of Defense.  No one in Trump’s circle has admitted any breach or given any apologies.  And so far, no one has lost his job for what might  been worth a court martial farther down the line in the military.  

I hope the Intelligence committee in Congress gets some answers on this.  Trump of course just insulted The Atlantic as a losing magazine which it isn't and has nothing to do with this mistake on his people's part.  And Hegspeth insulted Goldberg when he only released some of the information when those on the post said it was not war plans or classified when it clearly gave time and place for hits.  

Our president has said he wants to take over Greenland—and has not eliminated doing so by force.  He wants Canada to be the 51st state—an idea not welcomed by Canadians.  And Panama too is a place he is looking to annex.  Vice President Vance and his wife were not welcomed in their visit to Greenland this week except at an American military base.

-------March 28. Today's Washington Post reports that the WSJ editorials are criicizing Trump and sees this as a reason for hope for our free press and democracy.  I hope they are right.  It will be interesting to watch Washington Week tonight.  

Every night I pray that God will give Trump and Musk and Vance each a heart of compassion and a stop to their cruelty and deceit.  I am ashamed of our country.  

April 2. The judge that Trump supported and Musk gave away 2 million dollars to voters lost in Wisconsin.  Hooray!  The two congressmen Trump supported in Florida won so the Republicans keep those seats in Congress.  However the margin was less than Trump’s margin of victory in November.  So there is some discontent.  

The cruelty of deporting a man in error and admitting it was an error saying he cannot be brought back from the horrible prison in ElSalvador is so shameful.  Where is the compassion and decency in this administration?  I grieve daily.

A New IPad

 

My laptop died this week.  Rather than get a new one, our daughter-in-law Susan suggested I get an ipad.  She helped me order one from the Apple Store yesterday and Jim went to pick it up today.  I began the process of setting it up connecting it to my iphone and then getting several Google apps.  

Jeff and Susan came over this evening and brought supper--and then Susan helped me with a "tutorial" on how to use my ipad.  I was about two or more steps behind her as she was swiping up and down and sideways.  But I hope I have learned something and it will become instinctive as I get more familiar with my little gadget.

An immediate problem was downloading this photo so I will have to ask her for more help.  But I worked around it, sending it to Jim, downloading it on his laptop, and then creating my blog on his machine.  Success!  And enough for tonight.  Not more screens until tomorrow!  

I am so grateful for my IT expert, my daughter-in-law, and her patience with me and the time she gave me out of her busy life.  

Slowing Down

 I have written before about being OK with a more limited life.  We have travelled a lot and have many good travel memories.  I am quite content with staying home with my laptop connection to the world, books to read, NYT puzzles to solve, and a husband to keep me company each day.  But I have also been aware that even in this smaller environment, my life is slowing down.

The walker helps me with mobility.  But  I can't jump up quickly from the sofa or bed to walk across the room to get something.  I get up slowly, making my way to the handles of the walker, and then steadily finding my way around furniture to wherever I need to be--the kitchen, the bathroom, the closet.  It is a more deliberate journey.  Carrying items while pushing a walker is a challenge.  Conserving steps by making two or three stops along the way is a goal.

I have yet to take the walker anywhere out of the apartment except for one short walk outside in which we picked up mud on the wheels.  For grocery shopping and church and our Lenten group meeting, I stuck with my easily accessible cane.  

I received a denial of benefits from United Health Care for 18 physical therapy visits but approval of 12 visits.  This is not a problem because I have used up only five visits and have just one more scheduled before I meet with the doctor to get more information about hip replacement surgery.  I assume they will approve of that with the doctor's recommendation.  And after that, I can use more of the physical therapy appointments needed.  I have happily paid my $25 copay for the assistance and accomodation suggestions Jennifer has given me--and the emotional support and advice she has provided too.  

 I am hoping that the day will come when I can walk without any assistance from a cane, a walker, or even my husband's arm.  

My Good Husband

 

My very dear physical therapist Jennifer at Princeton Orthopedic Associates suggested I use a walker instead of a cane.  I was resistant feeling like it was another blow to my pride as the cane was a year ago.  I had made my peace with the cane however and will probably be thankful for the walker too.  

I ordered the walker from Amazon.  It was inexpensive enough not to bother with getting a scrip and using insurance. It came within a few days.  I gasp when I open up a package and see that some assembly is required.  But I have a very patient husband and he went right to work and put it together in no time at all.  It really just needed the wheels to be put on and then adjusted for my short height.  So this is another big step in the aging process and a reminder to be thankful for kind and helpful medical people.  I can be thankful to be alive and will hope for an easing of pain.  I can stand up straighter with the walker and feel more secure.  I will have to try a longer walk outside tomorrow. 

I posted this photo on Instagram and saw that among the likes were ones from Jasper and Katie.  My grandchildren liked their aging grandmother's posts.