THR Crash and burn

[lncrwley]

Thanks for the warm fuzzies! I decided that I will see my OS on Monday and if he says anything at all about the hip not healing or taking longer than he thought, I will definitely get another opinion. If he says it's healing nicely, I will have to think about that second opinion. If it's healing well, I think I should leave well enough alone. What do you think? My boyfriend thinks the same as I do...if it's healing, leave it alone but if it's not healing or has any issues, he will take me to get that second opinion.
Every time I look at all those wires in my leg, I want to scream! It makes me sick. It turns my stomach. What sucks even more is I'm told that the wires are permanent....they don't come out unless they are causing some sort of problem.

 

[Josephine]

Thanks, I thought I saw something but I was wrong! Actually the fracture is very unusual as it seems to be only on one side of the shaft where indicated by the red arrows but it certainly does go down to the implant. It's a crack at about a 45 degree angle which was either caused during the original surgery and never healed or has occurred since. As for any signs of healing yet, even at 3 weeks there should be some and there's not, which is concerning. But any micromovement at the fracture site would inhibit healing and I think there's bound to be some from the site of the fracture in relation to the tip of the stem, as I said previously. That and in conjunction with the symptoms you have related, it's not a good indicator - but I could be wrong. In this case, I really hope I am.

 

[lncrwley]

I went to the doctor today and got a good bill of health. He said that everything was healing nicely, my pain was lessening and that I could get rid of the crutches as soon as my body could do it. He said that it was very important to listen to the body! If I am getting too tired using the cane, go back to the crutches for a bit. Well, walked into my house and dropped the crutches for the cane. I have been using it only since I came home. He doesn't want to see me for another 6 weeks!
I told him about my GP wanting to start weaning and he said absolutely not! He said that now was not the time, starting PT and using just the cane and all. He said that if my GP didn't agree with him, he would give him a call and set him straight.
PT will start on Wednesday. I will be going 3 times a week for 6 weeks. I guess we'll just have to wait to see how that goes.

I decided not to get a second opinion as everything is going well. If the xrays today showed anything changed or if it didn't look like it was healing, I would be making that call first thing in the morning.

Josephine, I don't know if you can tell much from these new xrays or not. I just thought I would include them. OH! I even figured out how to edit them so my privates weren't showing.

 

[Josephine]

Oh good' It's looking okay then. I am a worry-wort!

 

[lncrwley]

No, you aren't a worry wort! I thank you for watching out for all of us on here! I'm the worry wort! Every time something changes, looks different or anything else, I'm panicking that something is going wrong, again. It just seems that every time I have something medical done, it happens. I will be worrying over this hip for the next 2 years, that I can guarantee you! I have hip surgery and I get an infection. I have carpal tunnel surgery and I trip over the dog while nursing a new baby and grab the wall with my operated on hand and split the whole thing open. I have a c-section and well, I won't get into that on here. I have my hip done again and I split the femur. What's next???
I spoke with my GP today and he agreed to re-up the meds back to where they should be so I can start PT tomorrow. I guess he didn't ask and I didn't tell him that I would be starting PT because I had so many other things that I needed to talk to him about. He agreed he would not reduce my meds again without talking with me first!

 

[Josephine]

Wow! We should wrap you in a suit of bubble wrap!

 

[lncrwley]

LOL! With my luck it would be made with latex! I'm allergic to latex....

 

[sharonslp]

Lynne, I love that you can keep a sense of humor going with all this pain and worry happening for you. Wishing only good things to come your way now.

Sharon

 

[Poppet]

Hi Lynne, let's just hope that all your medical mishaps are well and truly behind you and now it is only going to be good strong recovery... you certainly deserve it!

 

[lncrwley]

Sometimes it's like I can feel that black cloud hanging over my head and I'm just
waiting for the next thing.
It's very hard to see any healing on my xray as everything is covered by wires
or the graft. I keep thinking the implant is loose and the PT will surely screw
me up even more. It will loosen it to the point that the nasty "bone pain" I
used to wake up to at 2 AM will return.
I try to keep thinking positive things but with things that have happened, it's almost
like waiting for the other shoe to drop.

 

[Poppet]

Hi Lynne

I am sure it is difficult to stay positive when sommany things have happened to you, and I certainly would feel nervous and anticipating the worst.

Can you discuss your concerns with your PT and tell him/her you want to take it really slowly?

((( hugs )))

 

[lncrwley]

Yesterday was my first PT and slow it was! I'm glad I'm not paying for it because the 'hour' only lasted 35 minutes. At the 35 minute mark, he said that we were done with the exercising and asked me if I'd like some ice or heat? So I asked him for where? I could think of 3 or 4 different places/muscles that were getting sore. He shrugged his shoulders so I just went home.

 

[lncrwley]

PT yesterday lasted the entire hour. Maybe he was just taking it easy on me the first time around? I asked him what type of surgery did my file say I had done. I forgot exactly what it said but it was something like a modified revision. I laughed when he said that. I brought a copy of my xrays with me so he would know what he was working with. He was very surprised. I just thought if he's going to be giving me exercises to do, he should know what work I had done on the femur!

I have noticed that over the last few days, I'm starting to get bruising along side of my patch job scar. That scar is not to be confused with my DAA scar! Josephine, I was wondering if you would have any clue as to why I'm starting to bruise along there? It's almost like it's bruised on the inside and just barely showing on the outside. I have asked a couple of people and they said yes, there is a faint bruise. The bruises, there are 2, go across the incision. Both sides have bruises but it looks like one side is more bruised than the other. These bruises have only recently appeared. The one towards the top of the incision does hurt if I push on it but I know I haven't hit it hard enough to make it bruise!! That would be very painful!!! Is this normal or something that I should bring to the OS attention? I won't be seeing him for another 6 weeks.

 

[Josephine]

It's almost like it's bruised on the inside and just barely showing on the outside.

It's not "like", it IS! .It's quite common for some slight ooze to collect deep inside and take a week or too to surface. Don't let it worry you. Take a look at these to see some really good examples of post op bruising! Bruising after surgery If it bothers you discomfort-wise, use the witch-hazel stuff mentioned in that thread.

 

[lncrwley]

I know about the post op bruising. I had quite a bit but my last surgery was July 6. All the bruising had gone away after 2 weeks or so. Would it start bruising again this long after the surgery???

 

[Josephine]

Certainly - if the oozing carried on slowly for a while.

 

[Poppet]

Hi Lynne

For the first day or so after the bruising occurs, the area should be treated with an ice pack for short periods of time, i.e., no longer than 10 to 15 minutes. An ice pack wrapped in a towel makes a light compress and allows for any further swelling of the bruised skin. Ice packs should never be applied directly to the skin. Once the bruising has stopped spreading after a day or two, a heat pack or warm compress can be applied. The heat will help carry blood cells away from the ruptured vessels and alleviate the bruising and swelling.

The black and blue color of a bruise occurs when there is swelling and the blood from the ruptured vessels gets less oxygen. The trapped blood then turns blue or black which is the color of a freshly bruised area. As the blood under the bruised area continues to break down and heal, the bruise turns yellowish-green. A mild bruise might take several days to heal whereas as Jo indicated more severe or deep bruising, which occurs as a result of our surgery might take several weeks to return to normal or at least significantly lighten.

There are numerous natural remedies to reduce swelling and bruising. Witch hazel is an herbal astringent (which means that it restores balance to the biological terrain)

Witch Hazel can be applied directly to the skin to expedite healing of bruises and skin inflammation. Another herbal remedy used to reduce inflammation and bruising is Arnica. It is available in gel, cream, ointment, or liniment form and can be applied directly to the bruised and swollen area. Although, I would avoid the incision line.

Bruising and swelling that appears suddenly, and without a known trauma to the skin, should be checked by your Dr, who may recommend a different course of treatment.

 

[lncrwley]

Thank you Poppet for all the information on bruising! If it persists, I will send one of my kids to the store tomorrow to get some witch hazel.
I have another question. I know, aren't I just full of them???? I was on toe touch only for the operated on leg for a few weeks. Now that I'm allowed to put full weight on it, my heel HURTS! The first day my heel was fine but the second day it got a bit worse and the same with the day after. Today it is so bad, I went back to walking with crutches putting no weight on that heel. What would cause this? Is this something that sometimes happens with hip replacements?

 

[Jamie]

It may be that your muscles are very tight and giving you that heel pain. Try some hamstring stretches. If the heel pain continues, though, get it checked out. Sometimes people get plantar fasciitis, which can be a real problem if left untreated.

Also....be sure you have replaced all your shoes since surgery. People don't think of this a lot of the time, but your shoes have specific wear patterns based on your gait. Once a hip or knee is put back in proper alignment, wearing old shoes with those old wear patterns can keep you from walking as you should and can result in pain.

 

[lncrwley]

I will definitely try the hamstring stretches. My heel actually feels like I've been pounding nails with it. That's the only way I can describe the way it feels. The sides of the heel are sore as well. The back of the heel feels fine. I've tried googling the symptoms but nothing really fits. I know that plantar fascitis is very common but my symptoms don't fit. Thanks for the suggestion!!!