THR copsham's recovery thread

[Jo Champagne]

Thinking of you and wishing you well @copsham.

 

[Sullivand]

@copsham
Ugh! I am so sorry! A broken foot! Your journey definitely took a u turn. I am so glad to read between the lines that you are staying positive. That will keep you well.

Yes~ reading my thread has shared I have had 2 hip replacements if you count an antibiotic spacer as a hip~in 5 months. No weight bearing for 12 weeks! I know how you feel!

Call out to us if you need moral support. We are here~ Resting elevating and icing!

 

[Legin]

Hope the foot is behaving. At least this is an easy fix, as I said I knew foot was sore and it was months after the accident I had it xrayed. I was lucky I didn't cause more damage in those months. To be honest re the #CRPS type 2 can come from any impact I have spoken to people who bruised their leg on a table. Some research states 500mg of vit C daily can help any chance of falling foul of it. But at the moment it seems chance of getting it is a tad pin the tail on the donkey as to who it may be.
I would say rest the foot but.......

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[Constanze]

Oh dear @copsham , I'm so sorry about your foot. I wish you a quick recovery and minimum pain. Hugs - Constanze

 

[Nana moon 27]

Hello @copsham

How are you today? I hope your night wasn't too bad x thinking of you and wishing you a speedy recovery. Love Nana moon 27 xxx

 

[copsham]

Hi @Legin I will try the vit C I can barely walk so will have to do a detour while on the way to the bathroom to get it - if I can bare a few extra steps that is or wait til hubby reappears this evening!!

@Nana moon 27 thanks for asking - the night was not too bad, slept on sofa bed downstairs, not to0 painful while resting just 1-2 but pain is a 10 when I try the walk using crutches. I am only walking to go to the loo. The movement even when not weight bearing is agony. Just realised it might be because the non broken foot is very bruised and swollen as well.

@Constanze thanks for your kind words. It happens when we least expect it. The only good thing in this experience is knowing the hip is not fragile!

@Poppet - a funny thing happened I bought kale, as a veg a few days ago and loved it. Ordered some seeds to grow some kale. Then a day later broke my foot. Reading about healing bone and Kale comes to the fore. Like I was preparing for it before it happened !!

I am surprised that all of this is worse than my hip experience. My hip is now aching because it is the main support when I am using the crutches (my broken foot is the opposite side). Maybe I should make a physio appt to make sure I am using the crutches properly and not aggravating my hip un necessarily? But to be honest,
I feel like I did post hip op that is like a lump who does not want to move LOL.

@Liznwiz @Jo Champagne @Sullivand Thank you to all for your kind sentiments. It means such a lot to me when I am unexpectedly knocked back xx

 

[copsham]

Hi @Josephine
I hope you are well. Have not seen you for a couple of days. All the best.
Karen

 

[donor]

@copsham yes make apt to verify you are using crutches correctly. I was not at first and it contributed to elbow and back pain. It can't hurt. Wishing you all the best....xo

 

[copsham]

Thanks @donor. Got an appt for Friday, to be checked out. Also appt at the fracture clinic for a re X-ray. It is strange I am more worried about my hip and its aches that my foot. I feel I gave many months to my hip in pre op and post op, lots of emotion, lots of practical things and lots of TLC. I feel quite protective of my hip in a personal way and didn't realise it until I started writing this. My foot though very painful feels just like an appendage than needs to be sorted!

 

[copsham]

I feel upset - why does the NHS not work for me!

I went to the Minor Accident Unit on Monday. They diagnosed a break in my foot (not operated side) at the base of the second metatarsal, more painful than hip ever was. They referred me for urgent appt at the fracture clinic, fracture clinic said they had not got the referral but then read information from it. Urgent appointment has not come through. Using the crutches or the boot is giving me pain in the muscles of my operated hip and this morning spread to lower back. I am concerned about the hip pain so chased the urgent appt again this morning. Cutting a long story short, a million phone calls later, I am told the fracture clinic has a capacity problem. The consultant is prioritising the referrals BUT nothing on my referral says about my hip, the pain and my concerns because at the point of referral I did not have the hip pain. Since 9.30 this morning I have been asking to speak to a medical person to get this information across. 'They are all in a meeting" "Sorry managers are in a meeting" "Someone will ring you back" etc I rang and spoke to Physio department but they will not see me without a referral, rang GP and they will not refer me if being dealt with by Hospital.

So I am stuck. My biggest concern is if I am using the crutches wrongly and causing irritation to my op hip, I do not want hip to get worse. My hip survived the fall brilliantly but having read all the stories of persistent hip pain I want to get ahead of this if at all possible.

So I have had my offload - back to the phone calls. Just had an idea will check on Youtube re use of crutches and weight bearing.

 

[HollyB]

@copsham I wish I had some words of wisdom for you but I don't. All I have is my hope that this will only be a slight bump in the road for you. I think your idea to check YouTube for instructions on how to use crutches is brilliant! And, maybe some of that hip pain is from the shock and stress of the fall -- as in you tensed all of your muscles and just didn't realize it. The other thing is that maybe you are asking those muscles around your new hip to do more than they've done up until now. I know my "January Hip" is feeling the extra work it has had to do for my "June Hip". Oh, and I would be crazed over all of the phone calls and non-answers. Don't give up and somehow I just know that you won't! Strength to you, my friend. You're in my thoughts.

 

[copsham]

Thanks @HollyB
From using your first op hip doing the extra work where do you ache? My muscles that ache are:

• operated leg top outside
• operated buttock to top leg
• operated buttock across lower back in to non operated buttock.

You are right this could be a delayed reaction to the fall or over work for the op hip. My paranoia is that I must sort it out rather than let it settle in to chronic pain. But as I write this I can feel that it is my anxiety as it is only 3 days since fall!!

X

 

[HollyB]

My "January Hip" sometimes just aches all over. It's a low-grade ache but I'm pretty certain it must be from the fact that I'm asking it to do a lot more. Sometimes I ache only in the calf and ankle -- the calf ached before the operation and could be a nerve issue (or not) and the ankles were the last area to stop swelling. I haven't had any pain in the thigh or buttock; but, sometimes my hip flexor feels tight and achey.

Are you putting ice on your hip and taking medicine of any kind?

Yes, that anxiety monster is terrible. Once you can get some answers that will probably help -- I know for myself that is usually the solution. Have you thought about contacting your OS?

Please know that I've got you in my thoughts.

 

[donor]

@copsham keep calling until they get sick of you! Here in the states it's no better in my experience. Unless you really squeek nothing happens. For me the crutches were rough too. You are probably walking in a funny way that is stressing your muscles. I got a major elbow issue from the crutches and cane and I was only dealing with my hip.not a foot too! Anxiety. ...omg for me it's awful and I spin out of control when I have unmanaged pain or fear. I'm so sorry those people won't get back to you but when they do im sure you will feel better. Keep pushing it gives you control when you feel powerless in the situation. We are all rooting for you! You can find anything on YouTube. ...scary stuff.....but yes I looked up crutches and cane techniques there are lots filmed by rehab folks.

 

[copsham]

Hi @HollyB
I am just taking full dose of paracetamol/tylenol 2 x 500mg four times a day. I have had reactions to so many other pain meds that I am happy with this. I have just got two ice packs with velcro from Amazon for my foot.
Amazingly I did not think about icing hip but will do. Thanks for filling in a "blind spot" for me!!

I decided not to contact my OS. I thought he was brilliant at first but at time went on the only comment to any question at all was "You'll be fine".

Thanks so much Holly - helping me deal with my anxiety is very valuable!

 

[Kay9]

@copsham im so sorry you are going through this, as lucky as we are to have a free NHS I know how frustrating they can be too, so much red tape and cases of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. It seems when they go wrong, they go wrong spectacularly .

I hope you can get sorted soon, I know you want to stay ahead of the game with your hip. Stay strong, this too will pass.

 

[copsham]

Hi @donor
Thanks for post very reassuring re hip muscles. The anxiety is a problem in that, I have rung and left messages, I have rung and spoken to admin get pushed from pillar to post and end up feeling like a crazy woman when I get appropriately demanding LOL. It is such an unfair system when the lowest paid people are the ones who have to deal with the public in this hospital that has a "capacity issue"

On a different note I have learnt a new spelling, the word rooting - I thought it was routing. Oh humm the joys of Bonesmart.

 

[copsham]

Thanks @Kay9 - I have been such a strong supporter of the NHS. Involved in campaigns to stop the cuts and on the local community health council. BUT this year is the first year in which I have used the hospital side myself and I am so not impressed. I could carry on for ever but not what we are here for! Like several people on the forum my anxiety can run away with me and all I need is a clear discussion to give me understanding. However I have now got that from fellow Bonesmarties and feel much better!

Thank you everyone x

 

[donor]

@copsham I don't know what's worse the nhs you have or our system. I got the insurance paperwork for one day stay in hospital here in CA. ....I went in on 19th and left on 21st. ...so this is only the hospital bill for the 19th. $81,000. Yup.....don't fall and break your other foot. I won't have to pay this but the hospital billed my insurance that much. Doesn't include surgeon, anesthesia, labs meds or anything else. Keep being that unreasonable pushy woman until you are satisfied with some answers.

 

[HollyB]

The Bone Smart Gang is here for you!