Complex THR on 20 Feb!

[Vida]

Anniepops So agree. I was expecting to wait another seven weeks when I got offered a cancellation with three days notice. Not enough time to obsess.

 

[inimeg68]

I was 55 days out when I got my surgery dates. Now I have 11 days remaining. The time just blew by. I was scared at first but now I want to get it done so I can live my life. The support here is wonderful. No one understands like those who have experienced it. : )

 

[C Mac]

I was watching a film of a patient who had his hip replaced at Rush Med Center in Chicago at bonesmart. He had his operation in the morning and was walking without any support (no cane, no cruthces) in the afternoon! he was around late 60s. I think his operation was the anterior approach like yours.

Hi Selin,

Well, I bet a dollar to a donut hole that the guy in the video had not been a dysplasia kid and had not had previous osteotomies -- probably just an old guy whose hip wore out from arthritis. Yes, I had the anterior approach -- mainly because it just sounded so easy and appealing. I was on assistive devices for the entire time from surgery until my return visit with the OS at 5/6 weeks post op. Nothing broke and no weight bearing issues or restrictions, I think it was to keep me slow and steady. We are all different in how out bodies respond to surgery and the medications given during those immediate days in hospital.

I bet that you'll be able to go swimming when your scar is healed up completely, providing that you don't have any other types of weight bearing restrictions or issues. Have you looked around to see if there is any provider for pool based physical therapy in your area?

On the anxiety over getting to the surgery. I set a date, 6 weeks out, with the promise to myself that I could always cancel and reschedule if I couldn't get my brain in gear. It was a scary time and I did have to remind myself that I could still be scared *and* go forward with the surgery. I just worked my way in to the "zone" mentally over those 6 weeks, towards the end I focused on doing what I could at the gym and in the garden with the understanding that I was getting rid of the old hip and getting a new one.

Great that you have your husband and daughter AND a cleaning lady too, you are all set!! Take it from me stay in your pajamas and comfy clothes for at least the first month so that no one expects anything from you

Take care,
Cardie

 

[Josephine]

Sansabosa, I reduced the size of your xray and also privatised it!
Sometimes xrays can show a little too much detail!

And I was amazed to see you'd had a McMurray osteotomy on your right hip! And done in 1993 when you were only 30? I can't believe it! It's such an archaic procedure and not only did we stop doing them in the 1970s, we were doing hip replacements in 19 year olds at the time as well! I am flabbergasted you weren't offered the same option then.

However, the conversion of an upper femoral osteotomy can be done - I've scrubbed for many in my time - but a few were also somewhat problematic. Apart from removing the metalware, the line of hard bone where the osteotomy has healed (you can see the white line in the yellow box) can create difficulties - it being one reason why we stopped doing osteotomies all those years ago. I would ask your surgeon about this and how much of a problem he expects it to be. Though at worst, it would just result in the operation taking more than usual.

 

[sansabosa]

C Mac
Hi Cardie,
Thank you for your message. As you mention, most probably the patient who was walking w/o cane at the same day of the operation day did not had prior operations or a dislocated hip in his childhood.
We are all different in terms of structure, muscle strenght, healing yet it's so interesting and surprising to read that we are so simliar in our fears, anxiety...I believe 50% of healing probably comes from one's positive mindset and thanks to this platform which helps a lot.

Josephine
Dear Josephine, I'm impressed with your technical knowledge and expertise. You are amazing and thanks for your presence!As you mention, my osteotomy in 1992 was unusual but at the end it supported me for 20 active years if I want to think positively...It was done by Prof Maurice Muller in Berne, Switzerland.

I think the surgeon who is going to pull the plate out and insert the prosthesis will sweat a lot. Lets hope he manages to fix it smoothly without breaking the trochanter and without having the obligation for an osteotomy in addition to prosthesis...I am freaking a lot. I will ask for your prayers when the time comes
Have a lovely day.
selin

 

[Josephine]

Prof Maurice Muller in Berne, Switzerland.

Oh I met him! Took a photo of him at Davos once, where they did/do all the surgeons' training!

Oh they usually managed to sort it - but as you say, after a lot of sweat and grunt! And you may need to really be on top of your pain meds afterwards!

 

[Vida]

Hi Selin.. your date is getting closer. How are you feeling? I think CDHrs have things a little tougher than the average hippie, which I certainly did not know before. I think my head was pretty much in the sand, I didn't explore options, had no idea what my surgeon planned to do really, except try and remove the hardware with special drills. I was in denial and went on trust and reputation alone. It seems logical that when there is metal involved, things take quite a bit longer and the job is more challenging. But even if I had known I would not be one of those miracle recoveries back at work in two weeks, I would not have put it off. We have lots of great years ahead of us, so what's a little time investment now? Some days I still find it hard to imagine that the ugly old hip is gone from my life.. then the newly moved musculature groans, fires up and reminds me. But that is something that hopefully I can fix, in time.

 

[sansabosa]

Hi hippies,

After reading all your advices İ decided to pull my surgery date earlier.

İ will talk to my surgeon on monday. he told me a couple of weeks ago "just decide and le me know 2 weeks of notice"
İ bet it will be the week starting with the 25th of february.

To decide was the most difficult part for me...now i want to get rid of my anxiety as the idea of my opeartion is killing me for more than a year now....
May need to change the headline to "15 days left" to complicated hip relacement.

 

[Vida]

Way to go Selin. We will hold your hand. PS. Are you going to ask him for your hardware?

 

[sansabosa]

Hi Vicki,
Thanks for your message.
İ had the chance to reflect in the last couple of days and i think i am over with my denial, postponing or ignoring phase i can say.
İ decided to pull my surgery to an earlier date. İ eas ot an easy decision but i am gettin more and more anxious, depressed and worn out.
The long flu period is over now and i think i can have my operation over 2 weeks from now. İ will talk to the surgeon on monday.
İ need a week to pull things in shape at my office anyway.
Will keep you posted.
Thanks again very much
Selin

 

[bellaroma]

Sansa, It is normal to want to be in the best shape before the surgery and to worry aboutthe after issues, but the bottomline will be that your muscles will only really be able to get stronger when your hip is done. Maybe like myself there will be complications, but the alternative is worse, with consistent pain and mobility which will continue to decrease.

 

[sansabosa]

Hi Vİcki,
İ think he needs to take the hardware out. He will insert a ceramic prostesis. He mentioned last year that there is a 10 % probability that he may need an osteotomy at the low end. İ hope he wont need. The problem is the anatomy of the bone, it is curved...

What do you think i should be asking the surgeon about the hardware?

 

[sansabosa]

İ totally agree with your view bellaroma. But it took me a while to make the decision...

 

[Vida]

I was just kidding. Before I was rolled into the OR, I asked my surgeon to keep the plate and screws for me as a souvenir. But they are still in there! I just wondered if you wanted to see what you had been carrying around with you for so long.

Sounds like your surgeon has been very realistic about potential problems because your case is complex. That's a good thing. Its always better to be prepared mentally. If you have another osteotomy, and the odds are very much in your favour that you won't, I assume you will be limited weight bearing for a while until the bone sets. That is frustrating but manageable. Sounds like you have made good choices and are in very good hands.

Vicki

 

[Texas Girl]

I was able to do my PT in the pool at about 3 weeks post op, after I had my staples removed and my incision was closed. I am 7 weeks post op and just love doing my exercises in the pool. It is much less pain, so I think you tend to do more. My doctor and therapist say I am doing great, so it must be working. To me, it is like getting into a big warm bath tub. The sooner you get on the road to recovery, the better! You are going to feel so much better almost right away!!

 

[Poppet]

Making the decision to go ahead was for me the worse part as I believe it has been for you. Best to get it over and done with. The two weeks will go quickly and hopefully you get a date within that period... I look forward to following your recovery journey..

Complex surgery, yes, but we want a positive outcome... It is yours, just around the corner

 

[Anniepops]

Oh Selin, well done for taking the bull by the horns and just going for it. It is more difficult when the OS leaves the date decision entirely in our hands but in your case I think it is best sooner rather than later. The awful pain will be a thing of the past very soon

Hope all goes smoothly tomorrow and you get your date organised.

Take care

Ann.x.

 

[sansabosa]

Thanks Ann, Poppet, Texas Girl and Vicki,
You are all very nice and caring. All of you are recommending me to get over with the operation.
Now that my flu is over, there are no more excuses left.
Tomorrow I will call the surgeon to set the operating date, probably in 2 weeks time.
All my shoppings are set, I just need a week to set things in my office although I have difficulty to focus on my job these days.

 

[BarbaraR]

I'm rooting for you, too, sansabosa!

 

[sansabosa]

Hi hippies,
I called my OS this morning and left a message to his secretary that I decided to have my operation if possible before the end of the month.
My surgeon called me back an hour ago and said that he is scheduling me for the 20th of February!!! He said to come in to the hospital in the morning to do the lab work and meet with the anesthesiologist.
Finally, I was able to take one more step ahead- decide on the operation date with all your recommendations here.
I am frightened since my case is complicated but this is inevitable and I'm going to live this anyway so let it be over so that I can proceed with my life...
One of my purposes in life is to travel to different parts of the world and it is so limiting and depressing not to be able to because of one's physical limitation. I hope that period will be over soon.