And if so….when?

Orthopedic surgeries have a broad range of success rates. Hip replacement is now considered one of the most successful and least likely to have complications. You’ll find lots of encouragement online. I do think you will have a better outcome and shorter recovery if you don’t wait until you can barely bend your hips, and I chose do it sooner rather than later.

But what if you don’t have that luxury? There are so many reasons you might end up waiting “too long”, and that’s OK. This weeks video is for you.

Also, I suggest you ask yourself three questions in addition to the more common ones you’ll find online. These questions are applicable to any joint replacement or major orthopedic surgery, really:

1) What does it mean for you to make a major commitment to care for yourself first, before others – for 6 weeks?

And maybe forever? Your whole life could change. You will be so much more resourced to care for others if you put yourself first. Major life events like surgery are a great catalyst for change because everything else stops – just for a little while. Don’t miss this opportunity.

2) Are you ready to face the challenges of major surgery with unwavering love for yourself?

Are you ready to go into the unknown territory of healing with all its unpleasant sensations and surprises? Are you willing to feel all the feelings and discomfort with patience and care and maybe even a little crankiness?

Let’s face it, letting someone cut your body open and take a part of it away is a really weird thing. Your body may not believe that this is self-love. At the very least, it’s going to need a ton of reassurance. Don’t go into such a major, weird event without getting the emotional, physical, and material support you need.

If your answer to these first two questions is yes, a major surgery could be a super cool thing to do!

Your “why” will make a huge difference in your experience and your outcomes.

I’m not saying fear is unwelcome. Hello to fear of pain, fear of losing mobility, fear of old age, fear of “fill in the blank.” I’m just inviting you to step into a certain attitude towards all of it.

This isn’t just a platitude. It’s hard won experience. For example, I ended up being held in the hospital for 4 days because of some unexpected difficulties with my heart. My attitude of self-responsibility meant that those 4 days were as healing for me as they possibly could have been.

I seized every opportunity to express metta for my body, including having to say “no” to pain killers at key moments.

I had to stop taking oxycontin even though they kept giving it to me, because it kept putting me into vasovagal syncope/bradycardia! This just means your heart slows and even stops for a few seconds. It’s a relatively common issue, but they would have kept giving me oxy if I hadn’t said no.

I was also able to extend metta to all the doctors and nurses even when I felt cranky, which meant I got better care from them.

It’s very easy to give up and be passive in the hospital, to just check out. Honestly, in some situations it might be the best choice. It’s just that the more you do that, the longer you end up staying in the hospital.

Here’s the third question:

3) What would the sensory, physical quality of my life be if I didn’t have this pain anymore?

I’m a bit shocked now, post-surgery, at how much pain was wearing me down and sapping my energetic vitality, mental clarity, and emotional health. And the longer you wait, the worse it gets.

I couldn’t sleep well, I was taking too many painkillers, and my spirits were starting to sink. Staying fit was starting to be a struggle instead of a joy. This all happened slowly over time, so I hadn’t noticed it! Until I did.

You’ll find plenty of answers about other main issues like recovery on the internet, but too much internet could be a waste of precious time.

These kind of things are easy to find:

• What you can and can’t do after surgery
• How long recovery takes
• Which kind of replacement to get (there are two main methods)
• Etc.

Honestly, I think you should ask most of those questions of a surgeon directly.

Much of what’s on the internet is out of date, and the answers are changing daily. For example, in the near future, they will be able to print a customized implant for your unique body using a 3D printer, thus matching the artificial part much more closely to your unique body.

Also, you will probably be able to do all the physical activities you do now. My doctor told me I’d be able to run, jump, dance, and meditate. Those things are so important to me, that was a real clincher in my decision.

This is still a big decision. Just because it’s a generally successful surgery with good outcomes doesn’t mean it’s easy. Doctors tend to minimize the physical trauma, the recovery time needed, and the heartfelt will and effort required to heal successfully. You may not have much trust in the medical system, and may need extra support in letting yourself be cared for by them.

Yet, remember that low level pain across many years can slowly erode your body joy and functioning. Don’t wait too long if you have a choice.

The greater your pain, the harder pre-hab will be. The harder pre-hab is, the harder recovery will be.

That’s not to say you won’t be able to do it, but it is a factor in recovery time that you will need to plan for. This high quality video of pre-hab exercises has many comments from folks who laugh at the PT because they are no longer able to do most of what he suggests.

That’s why I made my own pre-hab video for folks who may be in too much pain to do what is usually suggested. So you waited “too long.” So what. You can still have a great outcome, it just might take a little longer. Better late than never.

Please note: pre-hab is not usually paid for by insurance, and doctors may tell you that “just walking as much as you can” is enough.

Watch the video to find out why I disagree, and what you can do about it.

And if you would like some targeted, non-PT support for this huge decision and transition, book a free 15 minute consultation to find out if a few sessions with me might be helpful.