Getting ready

I did what I could to get ready for the big day. We considered buying a freezer, since we only have the small one on top of the fridge, but ultimately decided not to. I managed to freeze 2 chicken pot pies, 1 venison pot pie, and 2 lasagnas, all in aluminum foil pans so Hunter wouldn't have to clean them. They really came in handy.

We had just bought a new sleep number bed, so we moved the old bed out into the living room. I borrowed a TV tray from Hunter's sister, got the raised toilet seat and shower transfer bench in place, and got the house cleaned up pretty well. It's hard to know what you'll need until after you've had the surgery. Everyone kept telling me (mainly my mom, really) that I should get a walker, but I never did, and I don't think I ever felt the need for one.

Hunter still did not want to go, but he had already agreed to and I wouldn't let him back out. He thought he'd be in the way and bored, and should just be at work. He even offered to take me there, drive back home, then come and get me when I was ready. I thought about letting him just so he wouldn't whine and complain, but I didn't, and I ended up being really glad he was there. I packed enough stuff for him, a change of clothes for when I left the hospital, my basic toiletries, a can of spray shampoo (I did use this, it was nice to feel not-as-disgusting for a bit), my laptop so Hunter wouldn't be too bored, my brand new Millenial crutches, my blood donor card thingy so they'd know to get my blood... probably a few other things that I've forgotten by now.

We had to be there at 7 in the morning, so we left the house at 1 am. We could have stayed at a friend or relative's house in or near Philadelphia, but he likes to drive at night for some reason.... with the eating restrictions before surgery, I always think I will be really hungry, but I wasn't.

Pre-op appointments

Hunter drove me out to Philly for my pre-op appointments, about a week before my surgery date. We left super early in the morning to make it there for the first one. They were spread out with plenty of time between each, just in case. I started with the Jefferson one, where I answered questions, filled out paperwork, then saw a nurse, answered more questions, talked to the anaesthesiologist, and gave blood and urine.

That one took probably an hour and a half or so. Then off to the cardiologist, where I filled out more paperwork, answered more questions, and had an EKG. I was early getting there, but it didn't matter. The cardiologist informed me that she would be checking on me while I was in the hospital. I believe I did see her every day that I was there.

Finally I had to go to the hospital for a CT scan of my hip. I had taken an MRI cd with me to my appointment with Dr. P, but it didn't show him what he wanted to see, and wanted me to get another 3d image of my hip so he could see it before surgery. We were super early for that appointment, but I explained that we had just gone from one place to the next, and they said they could probably work me in. I waited maybe a half hour, the scan took about 5 minutes, and we were out of Philly by 1:30 in the afternoon. Not bad at all!