The Max Murdok Program

Looks like I made it.

As a matter of fact, I believe I also did not die as well. Apparently. Unless of course hell is an exact duplicate of my actual life….which would not surprise me one bit. So here’s how thing’s went. My wife’s Aunt Dixie and Uncle Bob stayed at the Maxi Mini Mansion to “Pug” sit our dogs while I would be in the joint. So many thanks to Dix and U.B. I put on my Doctor’s white lab coat with fake hospital staff I.D. – Using a photo of Grandpa Munster of course… gathered up some junk like my laptop and a ton of movies and out the door we went.

Upon arrival at the hospital ( Sky Ridge in Lone Tree Colorado ) my sexy lab coat was replaced by the stylish ass-hangin’ robe and some other unflattering garments. My wife Shels had been playing World of Warcraft in the waiting room and didn’t even notice our good friend Matt Filios who was sitting right behind her. Matt had come to see me hobble down the “green mile” as it were. No harm, Matt got to sit in as they ran thru the final check points and helped me torment the nursing staff.

And then it was on. I was carted down to the operating theater, loaded with “junk” – hyped up with “happy gas” – and injected with “Fhaagetaboutit” and that was it for me. Before that however, I handed the good Dr. Loucks the digital camera to snap a few doozie’s for ya. Those will be posted below for you’re viewing pleasure.

I came out of things in my usual funkyass way. When the nurse told me to wake up I apparently told her to “…wake up yourself, asshole!”

Now on to the serious bits, just a little. To the point, as much as I had hoped I expressed myself that my tolerance to pain medication is VERY high – and that I am NOT a junky looking for some kind of fix, the hospital didn’t really manage my pain well at all. What ever they were shooting me with or having me take NEVER ONCE relieved me of the full pain. It may have relaxed me, but I can not say that at any point while in the hospital my pain was effectively treated. That’s not to say they didn’t give me pain med’s or make an attempt. But my complaint’s went untreated and at best my pain was “padded” briefly, but certainly not relieved. Otherwise I was treated well at Sky Ridge.

The day after surgery I was up and walking if you can believe that! The pain I had in my hip is GONE. What’s killing me and making it difficult to walk are the muscles that were shifted, cut, and all out abused to get the new joint in. That’s ok tho. I also only have roughly a 4 – 5 inch incision. The day after that, Hell – I did a flight of stairs up and down. Also cruised down the hallway a bit. So yeah, I can’t say I’m not pleased if not pleasantly surprised!

Once I got home, just being home helped but as fate would have it my guts started killing me. That’s my biggest concern now, another flare of Crohn’s. I don’t think I have ever been given a straight answer on how having Crohn’s will ( or will not ) effect my arthroplasty now or in the long run. I’ve asked of course, and the replies seem vague or flat out “who knows”. So for a day or so I didn’t do much of anything, altho bathroom runs did get me on the leg more. My fear of a flare is gone, whatever it was has passed and now I’m just working on moving this thing the best I can. I have a physical therapist coming from Mt. Evan’s Hospice tomorrow and really, that’s about it.

As you see there is this whole new long blog post, so I can finally sit in my office chair now.

I wanna thank those of you who checked in on me via the Web Cam, or sent a text, email, whatever. Thanx to Kritter for my nurse abusing toys and to Andrea for the very cool, non-sissy, flower arrangement. Thx guys – you’re swell!!! Also, for those of you who know my buddy Hana – keep her in your thoughts. She did a wonderful thing and donated one of her kidney’s to her mother, who has for some time now been slowly loosing function of her kidney’s. Hana went into the hospital a couple days after I went in.

OK, as promised… some disturbing photos of my surgery. Enjoy,…. I didn’t.

Photo1 – Photo2- Photo3 – Photo4 – Photo5 – Photo6