Revision THR Complex surgery with revisions, infection, sepsis, and more…

[Jamie]

Hope you got in to see your doctor. The incision should not be bleeding and it needs attention right away if it is. If you’re soaking bandages pretty quickly, you need to head to an emergency room locally if that’s possible,.

 

[danelady]

Thank you Jamie. Thank you Constanze.
It must have still been bleeding inside, after that big pocket of blood came out it appeared to have stopped. They asked me to send in a photo of the incision but it wasn't bleeding anymore making it almost impossible to tell where on the incision the blood was escaping from. He called me back himself and I told him it didn't appear to be bleeding anymore so he said cover it up real good and don't move too much till I come in and see him next Thursday.

He ordered me some antibiotics the day before and I planned on driving down to pick them up and a couple of other things too. It's about a 45min drive to the pharmacy and I used the drive-up window. Then I just wanted to run inside another store real quick but when I got out of my pickup I noticed my whole hip was wet with blood, along with the pillow I sit on to drive. I didn't go in the store and I didn't get my antibiotics either because they hadn't been called in yet.

So it was a totally wasted trip and I guess the bouncing around got the blood going again. It seems to have stopped coming out today but I didn't do much either. I'll be driving back into town again tomorrow....I'll use EXTRA gauze pads just in case.

 

[myglasshalffull]

You just can't catch a break danelady. I admire your stamina.

 

[Layla]

I'll be driving back into town again tomorrow....I'll use EXTRA gauze pads just in case.

Hello danelady,
I am sorry you continue to be plagued with issues. Is there someone you can call on to run errands for you? My concern is you'll have a repeat performance of yesterday if you get jostled around inside your pickup truck on the 45 minute drive. I'm sure getting in and out of your vehicle puts some pressure on the area of your incision, both on and below the surface. The area is sensitive right now and it seems easily irritated. My guess is that when your surgeon suggested you don't move around much that he means stay home and only do what's necessary around the house until the appointment next Thursday, which I understand is a big request. I'm also assuming it means no strenuous cleaning, lifting, bending or excess walking. Just something to consider. It's sad to read of these set-backs you're dealing with. Wishing you comfort and long winters nap. Like a six day long nap until it's time for your appointment.

 

[Jamie]

@danelady ….your wound just opened up again and I’m very concerned about you. It doesn’t matter what caused it and you shouldn’t be trying to guess or diagnose what might be the issue. You have a problem with your incision and you need to be seen by your doctor whether it stops bleeding or not. You really should have sent him a photo of the entire wound. He’s the expert who would view the incision and maybe could have determined whether you needed to make the trip to his office immediately or you could wait. When he told you to “not move too much” he meant you should not be driving at all and only minimal walking around the house. You need to find someone you know to go get your prescription for you. Please take the help. Thank them profusely and offer to pay for their gas. But, please don’t drive like that. Every time you open that incision back up, you start the whole problem all over again. Depending on what is causing the bleeding, it could be a small capillary that needs to be closed off, a more major blood vessel that needs attention, or sutures that have broken loose. Any bleeding that soaks more than two gauze pads in 4 hours is “Emergency Room” serious. If you cannot get to your doctor, you need to go to an ER. Don’t take this lightly and try to be a tough gal. This is serious business. If the bleeding continues at all like this, call 911 or have someone drive you to the doctor or a hospital. If you try to drive when you are bleeding, you run the risk of dizziness that could impair your driving or cause you to lose consciousness.

 

[CricketHip]

@danelady I hope you take Jamie's advice above and get someone to help you, so you can rest/recover! We care about you and your health.

 

[danelady]

@Pumpkin
Hi Pumpkin, I was gone long enough to be logged off, then I was having a little trouble logging back in. Guess I logged in once as a new member and that's what you saw but I really joined back in March. However I DID have another surgery 2 weeks ago, November 12. I just had my 4th dislocation so they put in an acetabular liner locking ring.
Thanks.

 

[danelady]

Thank you, especially @Jamie for painting that picture of what is happening and what will happen if it continues to bleed. The last thing I need is an infection....
I expected him to tell me to come in as well. Even if he was in surgery all day someone else could have closed me up. Thankfully there hasn't been any more bleeding and I don't have to go back in till Thursday. It has been FRIGID here lately, I don't remember it being this cold this early before, even going down into the 20s! I have everything I need, think I will stay in bed all week.
Thanks again.

 

[Pumpkin]

@danelady
I moved you post in the team threads to your thread, the team threads are primarily to find others who had surgery around the same time as you.
Glad you are slowing down until you see your doctor. One of the hardest part of this recovery is slowing down and letting your hip heal, it requires a different kind of toughness than just pushing through and risking setting back your recovery.

 

[Jamie]

I’m glad to hear you’re going to take things very easy. I hope you have someone who will be able to drive you to your appointment. If not, do take some extra bandages and a towel. If you have some Ace bandages, wrap them over the gauze dressing for a little compression. And if you‘re mid-route and the bleeding soaks more than one bandage, pull over and call 911. You should not drive when bleeding like that for fear of a more dangerous medical emergency. Hopefully the rest you’re doing will allow whatever the problem is to stabilize and you won’t have any problems.

 

[danelady]

Thank you Pumpkin. Thank you Jamie. Just going to chill and watch youtube videos for a while, but no more hip surgery videos, lol. Watching art tutorials by some wonderful artists now and finding them very relaxing.

 

[Layla]

How's it going, danelady? I like seeing you on the forum then I know you're not misbehaving before you see the surgeon on Thursday.
I hope you haven't had any additional bleeding episodes.
A peaceful relaxing day to you!
@danelady

 

[danelady]

Just a little vent here now that I realize I'm not going forward.....more of a sideways.

Oh goodness. Been hanging out in the knee section, I'm reading some scary stuff that reminds me of what I've gone through with my hip.
Anyway...on May 25, 2021 I was released to go back to work after my spinal fusion. I felt great (I had no idea of the trouble that was brewing in my left hip) with only one problem that I knew would have to be dealt with later on. My right right knee was bone on bone and my surgeon(also my hip surgeon) told me it needs to be swapped. 'But doc, I just want to work a little bit longer! Just make it stop hurting for a little while longer...pleez. He would drain the knee then give me a cortisone shot and I would be good for a while. I had it all planned! I would have the surgery done on my company insurance, go back on family leave and at the end the 3 months I would just retire. Having had my left knee replaced I KNEW recovery was not as easy as the hip.

That last year on the road was like nothing I had ever experienced before, the pandemic had created a monster! Road rage was worse than ever, people were shooting at truckers, truckers were shooting at truckers and I had never been run off the road by other truckers as often as that last year. The job I once loved was causing me to suddenly have anxiety (anxiety? moi? unheard of!) I turned in the truck up in central California, I could not even bear to drive it home to Arizona. So, there went my best laid plans, lol. I went home to retire and NEVER go back on the road...then the hip happened. 3 surgeries and 4 dislocations later the hip is on its way to getting better. YAY. Remember that knee that needed replacing? That knee carried most of my weight while the opposite hip was kaput and just when I thought I might be able to walk again normally, I can barely put any weight on the other leg. The pain is constant (what else is new) and I'll be back on the walker soon.

I wonder if any neighbors have seen me out there at night shaking my fist at the sky. lol.

 

[danelady]

@Layla Hahaha, you know me too well. Sadly, it just hit me like a brick, that even if the hip finally heals perfectly I am still in pain and mostly immobile with my right knee. I am tired of drs, tired of hospitals and most of all...tired of this pain.

 

[myglasshalffull]

I'm sorry danelady, I can definitely understand you maybe feeling defeated but please hang in there, it will get better, after all you have all of us to talk to!
I get down on days I don't feel quite as good as I'd like.
We have 25 dogs right now at rescue and it's a lot of work and cleaning and these last two days I definitely overdid, so next couple of days plan on taking it easy.
I had to come home today and lay down with ice and tylenol, I'm so annoyed cause I just want to go go go.
My brain says go and my body says stop. Body wins.

 

[Hip4life]

@danelady I have also had medical times that just make you tired of it all. One of them was my hip but not nearly to the degree you have suffered. I also have witnessed it in the people I have cared for. Yet, that being said, in countless cases, I have also experienced a mysterious and awesome thing of the human spirit- how it endures so much and then somehow finds the intestinal fortitude to endure some more. Because it’s necessary. Because we love life. Because we just can’t say “no” to hope. Anyway, I understand. I have a sneaking suspicion that once you’ve been able to process these recent events, you’ll be ready to take on that knee. You can’t keep a good person down, at least for very long.

 

[danelady]

@Hip4life @myglasshalffull .....you guys know just what to say, thank you. I had just been reading someone's thread over in the knees and they have been dealing with some complications, saying they just could not see themselves in such a state for the rest of their life. I totally felt their words flow thru me because I had screamed them out to the universe myself. I was happy to continue reading and saw things were finally looking up for them.

There's a warming trend on the way and sometimes just a few degrees warmer makes a big difference in my bones, then rain will be here soon after that and no more skateboarding for a little while. Haha...just kidding.

I moved an old metal kitchen table next to my bed, everything I need is pretty close. My dog Valkyrie likes sleeping underneath it and I will reach down and pet her through the night.

@myglasshalffull.....wow, that's so amazing that you do rescue work. THANK YOU! I got my Valkyrie just before my hip gave out. A woman was rehoming her and I had just retired so sure, why not. My last great dane died 9 years ago and I never had a bully breed before. She is so smart, affectionate too. Luckily I have the bestest neighbors who also love her and took care of her when I needed help.

I eventually get tired of hearing myself whine and complain and I pull up my big girl panties and keep plugging along, lol.
Thanks again.

 

[Woodstockhip]

It's funny, ever since I ready your backstory I had this picture in my mind of you, alone in your truck on the highway at night, with the stars shining, driving across this beautiful country listening to the radio and feeling free. You'd stop every now and then, climb down from your cab, and the other truckers would be surprised to see this cool lady getting coffee at the truck stop. Then I read your post about truckers shooting other truckers during COVID and BAM, there went *THAT* picture! I am so glad you opted to retire at that point rather than going back for more. You truckers were truly essential to our getting through the worst of COVID. We all appreciate the health care workers but often overlook the other essential workers who helped keep food on our tables. I hope that some point in the future, after your hips settle and your knee is better, you'll hop in something a bit smaller than an 18 wheeler and enjoy the open road once again.

 

[Layla]

You truckers were truly essential to our getting through the worst of COVID. We all appreciate the health care workers but often overlook the other essential workers who helped keep food on our tables.

This is so true! I love your post, Woodstockhip.

Thank you, danelady, for sticking out trucking until it became unbearable and unsafe! It's frightening to think about how risky it became for you to work each day. It sounds like you quit at the right time. Next, I hope you're able to get your hip and knee issues squared away so you can enjoy retirement.

 

[danelady]

@Woodstockhip Oh man, I really did have a lot of fun driving that truck, stopping in new cities, talking to new people. I always worked holidays and I would try to find someone down and out and either invite them into the restaurant with me or bring them out a plate of food. It never felt like a job to me. I also want to stress that there were many, many people who helped the truckers when Covid was running rampant. I went back on the road and restaurants had closed, even some truck stops had no food, but regular civilians (what I always called anybody who wasn't a trucker, lol) took it upon themselves to hand out free meals to truck drivers. It was very heartwarming to feel appreciated like that....but a change was in the air. I met so many good drivers but the older ones saw the changes too and if it was feasible they also retired. Safety is not in the vocabulary of a lot of new drivers. I constantly get news articles about the trucking industry and you are so right Layla, I left at the right time. We have mine trucks and quarry trucks passing through every day, and 18 wheelers delivering to the local dollar stores too and when I see that flash of chrome it still makes my heart beat faster.

ps: I am NEVER EVER going back on the road in ANYTHING! Lol.