Not many of SLE patients will have to go through this at a very early stage of life... or at a very early years of SLE even. Somehow, being differently-unique, I have to go through this.
3rd May 2006, I had my Right hips replaced with something called polymer on Ceramic... not metal or any kind of titanium used in my hips. It was a painless operation because they had done local anesthetic on me. I had to go through Epidural. The chances of me not being able to walk again is there for this Epidural... I know the risk of it all, but I had gritted my teeth and put my faith in God and the Dr. which were doing my anesthetics. With blessings, everything went smoothly.
It was not the operation that has gotten me in a gutter... it's the recovery process of it all. The knowledge that the Dr had replaced my hips with something synthetic in my body and the thought of my legs trying to readjust to those parts, it's simply not easy.
Now, after TWO whole years, well... almost two whole years, I'm back to the same process of changing my LEFT hips.
9th of April 2008, a date to remember. Everything was as exactly how I had remembered it to be... the Epidural, the lying awake during the surgery... but this time it was different to me because this time around, I had felt to cold temperature of the Operating Theater. Shivering to my core, I had a very hard time keeping still. Somehow, my legs were not shivering as they nervous system were numbed with the localized anesthesia.
This time around, I remember the sawing like it was two years ago. The screwing on my new spare upper part of legs and femur... it was simply music to my ears. Honest... some might find this all nerve recking but I was somehow astound at the fact that I was able to be calm towards the whole procedure. It was simply an experience that I was certainly awaiting since the first operation.
I don't think anyone can imagine how it's like to hear the Dr. sawing off your leg without a feeling of pain in the world. In fact, I don't think anyone would WANT to blog for such an experience... but I take this in stride of every other experience that I have to go through.
Currently, I'm having a three months of unpaid leave with my boss... why the leave? Well, for one thing, the firm I'm working with is at first floor and there's no lift for me to go up. I'd have to hobble with my walking frame... which is not easy to do when the stairs are really narrow and steep.
It's been two weeks since the operation. There's a whole lot of difference in this operation than the last... for one thing, I feel like I can walk again, rather quickly than the first.
For second thing, I did have a bit of complication... my Hemoglobin count dropped. Had to have a blood transfusion of 1 pint. It wasn't the most interesting sight to have another person's blood running in your veins. Somehow, I wished a little bit, that the blood would not be accepted in my body. *sigh*
Now... at present, I'm just aiming to get better by next month. That way I'd be able to "graduate" from a walking frame to the use of crutches... and then probably without it in two weeks.
My present diet :-
Lunch and Dinner : Rice, salmon and Cat-fish a.k.a "haruan" soup.
Occasionally, there would be KFC nuggets, whipped potato, Chicken Rice from Rasta, Cappuccino Cheese Cake from Secret Recipe and also Green Apples. But that's about it.
Well.. I was hoping to blog at the excruciating details of the operation in the operating theater... but somehow words fail me for now. Maybe I will soon.
Shall we move on to Chapter TWO? Hmm... I'll see if the basic about me is covered... if it is, I'll come to Chapter TWO.
~This is the diary of Sarah Kambali, LL.B(Hons) IIUM, SLE Patient.~
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