THR Cstreet on the other side

[cstreet]

Hi Lisa,

I read through your thread and it seems like we have the same thing going on. You Cardie, and I seem to be in the same boat.

I am happy to report good progress with stretching out. At first my leg would just not go backways at all which freaked me out a bit at first because I thought it was not going to get better but it is. I finally ditched the cane yesterday and can walk around for a while before the back starts hurting. I'm lying down with a heating pad on my back as I type this since I overdid it today.

I was slowly able to get my leg to go backwards. I found it hard to stretch the mucles because my lower back and pelvis were always the first to give. I did finally figure out a method to help stretch thing out. I would lie on the end of my bed pressing my lower back and pelvis into the mattress and then let my leg hang over the side. I would just let it hang with gravity pulling the leg down and slowly that would help stretch things out. It was the only way I found to keep my back and pevlis straigh and put the stretch on the front mucles. That and walking more with the cane got me to the point of being able to get my leg behind me. I'm still not all the way but I don't walk as much like Frankenstein now .

I can flex my mucles and move my leg behind me when standing with my foot off the floor but if I relax it still pops out in front of me a bit. But even that has gotten better. So it just takes time but it does get better. Hang in there. It looks like you got a bunch of length back which is really cool. I only got a little bit on lenght back.

My PT said everyone is different in terms of how much their tissues can stretch so you and Cardie as more stretchable than me .

 

[cstreet]

It's been a while but I wanted to check in and give an update. I am now totally off the cane and can walk around as much as I want. It's funny now because I'll feel sore everywhere except my new hip after a long day walking around.I saw the OS today and he said everything looked great and I don't need to return for six months. I'm still limping and it feels like my shorter leg

I got hold of my x-ray from today which I'll post so you can see my big honking screw.

 

[Jaycey]

Thanks for the update cstreet. Sounds like you are doing great.

Man - that hip is going nowhere - in there to stay!

Please keep in touch!

 

[Juliep]

Wow is that x-ray something. That's a very long screw in there. As Jaycey said, it doesn't look like that will be going anywhere.

Glad you are doing so well.

 

[C Mac]

Nice x-ray, C Street! You have a bit of the pelvic tilt as well. Have you considered seeing a chiropractor to work on your back alignment and maybe help loosen up those muscles to let your pelvis drop some?

Great that you are off the cane and only experiencing some muscle soreness, hopefully that will lessen (the soreness) as the year progresses. So, tell us -- did you set off the alarm at the airport with that hardware? :wink1:

Take care,
Cardie

 

[Josephine]

"A bit" of a pelvic tilt! More than a bit. But it will adjust as time goes on.

I've also never seen a screw quite that long! A few more mm and he'd have been in danger of transfixing your sacro-iliac joint! :th_heehee:

 

[Poppet]

Hi Cstreet

As others have said, that is not going anywhere...

Long screw, yes, but obviously your OS knew what he was doing

Sounds like you are doing very well, fantastic!

 

[lisanewmc]

Great to hear that you are doing so well. I know what you mean about being sore everywhere else except your hip when you've walked around lol .

Regarding the limping, may be you could stay with the stick a bit longer? I'm just saying that because I've been back on crutches for a while to help with psoas tendonitis issues but. it's helped to improve my gait along the way.

I always had a folding walking stick that I just used to use when tired, it folds small enough to keep in a handbag. At one point I was measuring my success by how little I used it. Since my 'crutch' episode and improved gait I think I've changed my mind.

Obviously, I know we are all different ......just my two pennorth.

Have a great Christmas :0)

 

[cstreet]

When I first saw the big screw I asked about it and my OS said that he prefers one big screw vs. multiple smaller screws to avoid micro movement while the socket is getting firmly attached to the bone. He used to do hip replacements primarily but became a trama surgeon putting people's pelvis and hips back together after bad accidents.

I was amazed but I have not set off the airport metal detectors on my trips so far which is great.

On the limping it's fairly mild and my PT person thought it would just continue to improve over the next six months.

 

[cstreet]

@Josephine: on the pelvic tilt I do feel lopsided. I really started to feel that once I stopped using the cane. Can a chiropractor speed up the "dropping" process. I feel it less and less every week but not sure if I am just getting used to it or it's adjusting.

 

[charlie cyborg]

Wow ...

Did you ever see that pretty awful film Crocodile Dundee (sorry to those who liked it but ....) anyway there's the very much quoted scene where a villain threatens the hero with a small flick knife and then the hero pulls out a huge bush knife and says :
“Thats not a knife .......THATS a knife."

I'm sure you know what I'm getting at ..... THAT'S A SCREW!!

I want one........:biggrin:


Charlie

 

[Josephine]

I think it's worth a try. Maybe a bit of spinal adjustment may well be helpful. Worth a try ....

Charlie, that was the very image that came to my mind!

 

[Poppet]

Hey gorgeous Charlie,

Are you referring to our Aussie actor?? He is quite an icon over here - and believe it or not we do have characters just that!

We lived for some time in the Northern Territory, Darwin and we used to frequent a pub to get to know these Aussie characters. One in particular comes into mind, called Tex, 10 gallon hat and all! He carried a similar sort of knife and used to wrestle buffaloes to the ground in the outback after jumping to their backs from a moving pickup... Real men men in Darwin.. I have lots of other interesting stories about our years spent there. We just loved to get to know the real local characters, that it is what enriches one's life.

Sorry to highjack your thread Cstreet, but interesting fun stories... Yes there is a book about my life's adventures here in OZ somewhere in the future Sandy, xx

 

[C Mac]

"A bit" of a pelvic tilt! More than a bit. But it will adjust as time goes on.

Well, that is music to my ears as I have "a bit" of pelvic tilt too... I am desperately hoping that is will adjust in time.

C Street was that x-ray you shared a standing x-ray?

Nice that your limp is abating as well, your muscles must be getting stronger!!! :yes 4:

Take care,
Cardie

 

[cstreet]

I was laying down for that one. I have one from three months poor where I am standing up. I could not get my leg straight at that point. Now I can get it flat on the X-ray table.

Hopefully I get less tilty. Even though I got more length added my left leg is still 5cm shorter. They are having me keep my loft the same as I did not have enough of a lift before the op.

 

[C Mac]

Hi C Street,

It sounds like your body is gradually adjusting if you are now able to get your leg straight and you were not able to before. I don't know if the chiropractor can help speed up the process of untwisting our spines and leveling our pelvis -- it's probably more about time. I would also guess that the leveling process will be dependent upon what we do with regards to shoe lifts.

After my surgery the OS suggested no lifts. This was a hard adjustment for me for quite a while and I did experiment with my old built up shoes and a smaller in-shoe "cookie." I periodically experiment with these other options, still, just to check in and see how they feel.

Your LLD is a bit bigger than mine, so I'm guessing that you have built-up shoes vs. in-shoe lifts. Would you be able to try different lifts on different shoes to help your body try to stretch/lengthen and adjust to the LLD? Just a thought...

Take care,
Cardie

 

[cstreet]

Hi Cardie,

Still have a lift and an in shoe cookie. I am slowly feeling less lopsided so I think things are adjusting.

Things are going well. I had a great day with my little boys. I got a scooter for Xmas and so did my little guys. We went scootering for an hour today something I could never have done before the operation. So I am really happy with how things turned out.

Peter

 

[Poppet]

Hey Peter

How great that you had a fun day with your boys, things are starting to look up for you... and it can only get better from here on in

 

[C Mac]

What a great message, Peter! I bet your boys were thrilled to be out with you scootering -- and sounds like you had an awesome time too!!

Keep it up, sounds like you are adjusting nicely!!
Take care,
Cardie

 

[Jamie]

Peter....as your body begins to adjust itself, you might want to gradually reduce the lifts you're using. If you don't it will be impossible for your hips to completely even out.

I'm glad to hear you're getting back to normal and fun activities. That's what life is all about.