Boyd W. Haynes III, MD
The COVID-19 Pandemic has caused many changes, cancellations and postponements of really important events in our lives and your hip replacement surgery falls into that category. You had planned for it for months, maybe even over a year. You’d done your research and been educated by your physician about what to expect from the surgery and how long it would take to recover. You might have asked for time off work and made arrangements to have someone care for you as you recovered. You’ve had all your pre-operative testing and maybe gotten surgical clearances from your PCP. Most importantly, you put up with the increasing pain and disability your arthritic hip was causing you, looking forward to finally getting relief.
Believe me, I get it. I know how disappointed and frustrated you may be about your hip replacement surgery being postponed. You finally get used to the idea of having surgery and mentally prepare yourself for it, and then it gets put off for months. That’s a hard pill to swallow, no pun intended.
Many of my patients are in the same boat right now, so I wanted to offer some suggestions to make the best use of your time spent waiting for your surgery to be rescheduled. They are:
- Focus on improving your health while waiting – Eat healthful, nutritious foods instead of junk food. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Make this time work for you by losing weight, if you need to do so. Having a bad hip can make weight-bearing exercise difficult, but there are many exercises that you can do from a chair that will get your heart rate up and improve your cardiovascular health. Even small improvements that you make can have a big payoff when it comes to your recovery from surgery.
- Consult with me if you have questions or issues – Even during this crisis, I’m available for consults in the office, by telehealth (on-line video consults) and by telephone for Medicare patients. We can talk about ways to manage your pain and dysfunction while you wait for your hip replacement. Remember, I’m here for you and am concerned about your wellbeing as you wait for your surgery.
- Maintain a positive attitude – This crisis will end. We’re already hearing rumblings of the government easing restrictions on elective surgeries and hopefully, that’ll be sooner rather than later. As soon as I get the okay that we’re cleared to proceed, you’ll be called to reschedule your hip replacement surgery. It’ll be great to get you on your way to having the pain free, active lifestyle for which you’ve waited so long.
Make an appointment with Dr. Haynes or another OSC provider by clicking the “Request Appointment” button below or by calling (757) 596-1900.
