My Surgeon

I’ve loved them since my hips were made of bone!


Current mood: contemplative



I, unlike any normal 23 year old, have a favourite surgeon, the best surgeon in the whole wide world. He is like a cuddley teddy bear, who seems tough, but I know he is a big softy and that he loves me.

The photo is my post-op after my bilateral knee replacements, Rhys, Katie, Locki and Mardy brought me in this mask, mum got bored after they had left and put it on me, knowing full well I was in a position where I would not be able to get it off... Naturally she took a photo.

I know she's nuts, but she didnt leave my side once. She slept in a chair next to my bed.

Anyway, I am one of his best pieces of work, a living piece of art that is evidence of just how great he is at his job. He has replaced both my hips, and both my knees and put me back together again after I managed a sprial fracture after my fall at my 21st. I respect him because he was the only one brave enough to take me on. I was not an easy case, being sixteen at the time of the first surgery and I had had arthritis for 14 years at that stage, there was a lot of damage.
It has been six years and eight months (exactly since its the second) since I had my first hip (the right one) replaced. Almost seven years. It makes me feel sick in the stomach just thinking about it, how time has flown by. The worse part of it, is that these hips of mine are only expected to be good for around 15 years.
That seemed like so much time when I was 14. Which is when I decided to have this done. But now? 15 years feels like nothing.
Do I really only have 8 more years of good functioning hips?
I feel this hanging over my head. What do I want to get done in this time? What will life be like when they finally give in? Will I be stuck in a wheelchair again?
Despite the draw backs, this by far is the best decision I have ever made in my life. I would never have lasted at UQ, it was hard enough when I could walk. So I would not have spent all that time at UQ with Rhys, we wouldn't have fallen in love and I wouldnt have found speech pathology... My entire life is a result of that one decision.
On the day of the second of Feb 2001 I was the most scared I have ever been in my entire life. I was 16 and a half, sitting in a hospital room, in the surgery get up (gown and cap). When the magnitude of the situation hit me, I only told one of my friends, because I was embarrassed about having a piece of surgery associated with older people (I just loooove the comments like 'oh my grandma had that done'- just kick me in the shins instead, I'd prefer that). Anyway I felt so alone and overwhelmed. They were about to open me up, remove the top of my femur, and HAMMER A MENTAL ROD into it.
I started to cry, tears of fear and tears brought on by the fact that this was my reality. While my friends were sitting in their first classes for grade 11, enjoying their decisions, to talk in class, to ignore the teacher, to ask x to the formal... here I was.... having a hip replacement.
I didnt tell anyone because I knew no one could related to what I was about to go through. I couldnt bear having them even try to relate to it (Grandma comments here I come!).
When I came out of surgery, I felt, I dunno, heavier at my right hip and oh the pain was evil, I had a 30 cm scar held together with 30+ staples. and I had two drains coming out of my thigh. I remember being determined to be back at school asap.
Maybe no one would notice?
Unfortunately my friend told the school's pastor... who prayed for me in front of the entire school... I was in a bit of trouble for not telling my other friends.
I named the soft bear my bought me Physics, a reminder that I had shit to do and couldnt waste time in bed 'recovering.'
So I pushed my self.
Get out of bed.
Walk down the hall.
Walk around the ward.
Do it now, you're 16, not 80.
You're female, we can handle pain.
After 6 days I decided that it was time to go home.
Now people usually spend 30 days in hospital for this surgery. I infact set a record for the shortest stay. A record that was beaten only by my next stay for my left hip.
A week after that I was back at school, sitting in the audience during parade, when the whole school got together on Wednesday mornings, our grade 11 coordinator said a prayer for me to get out of hospital soon... I laughed, it was great. He saw me in maths later that day, he just gave me this amazed look... that was great too.
Other teachers didnt understand the magnitude of the surgery...
One even asked if it was key hole surgery...
The problem there I think is that I made it look easy.
I used to be worried about my scars... I was embarrassed... but now I dont notice them...
If I had the choice, I'd do it again.