Revision THR Fractured femoral prosthesis

Hello and Happy Thursday to you :wave:
You sure are a ray of sunshine in spite of it all :SUNsmile:
Wishing you a comfy cozy day indoors.
We're here for you.
Hugs
@helenium
 
Hi @helenium :wave:
Just wondering how you were and hoping things are leveling out.
Healing mojo coming your way:loveshwr:
 
Hi @helenium :wave:
Just wondering how you were managing?
Hope you are steadily improving!
I'm ever so happy it's the weekend as work has been way too "peoply" this week.:heehee:
Will be nice to get outside in Mother Nature.
Hope the weather where you are allows you the same luxury.
Sitting outside in the fresh air always made me feel better.:flwrysmile:
 
Hi @Mojo333 :wave:

Thanks for checking up on me. It's been cold and wet here in my part of the UK, and I have a rotten cold too! It's 8 weeks now since disaster struck and I've not been outdoors since. I'm looking forward to being able to venture outside.

The day @Layla wished me a comfy cozy day I napped all afternoon! I'd meant to post a 4 week update, but the days continued to pass in a similar sleepy pattern ... I'm hoping that all this sleeping is a sign of plenty of healing going on.

I'll be going for a check up at the hospital in 2 weeks time. I spend my days dressed in large sized PJ bottoms to accomodate the swelling, and at 5 weeks post-op I would say that the swelling (from waist-level to foot) has reduced from absolutely enormous to moderate. My aim is too be able to wear normal 'stretchy' clothes for my hospital visit! I still spend my time resting as intructed, always elevated, probably not icing enough though.

I live alone and am coping well, but I could do with a slave to bring me the ice packs! I was discharged from hospital with what is known here in my part of the UK as a "care package". I had carers come in first thing in the morning to make sure I showered safely, helped me prepare breakfast, and got me set up for the day in my "nest". They would have called in 4 times a day if needed. I was able to prepare a simple snack for my lunch, but often arranged for my visitors to arrive and prepare/have lunch with me! My family set up a system whereby one of them always calls in to prepare an evening meal etc, so it worked out that I just had a morning call from the carers. An assessor called in on Wednesday and agreed that I was coping well enough for the "care" to finish. So that is progress!

Off to prepare my own porridge and coffee now. I've planned this expedition to include collection of an ice pack as I pass the freezer!
I hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend. :flwrysmile:
 
Oh gracious...I hate to hear you have been suffering with a cold. Only one drama at a time when recovering, I prayed.:praying:
I've planned this expedition to include collection of an ice pack as I pass the freezer!
:giggle: I remember feeling like it was an expedition when left to fend for myself also with my two new hips...and my recliner was my "nest".
Forgetting something involved a lot of consideration ....do I REALLY need it?
I wonder if someone could supply you with a small cooler to place beside your nest with an extra ice pack in it?

I'll be wishing for you some sunshine and healing vibes are travelling your way.:SUNsmile::roseshwr::SUNsmile:
 
I hate to hear you have been suffering with a cold
I woke Monday morning feeling very unwell. I had a headache, a raised temperature, even more aches and pains, felt a bit sick, felt very worried. By lunchtime I'd started sneezing and had all the signs of a cold. I can't tell you how relieved I was! Pleased to say I'm feeling much better now.

My earlier expedition was like this :heehee:
- get up from recliner and attached to walking frame without breaking any "rules"
- remember to transport empty mug to kitchen on my way
- swap walker for crutches (abandoned in kitchen) for quicker access to downstairs loo!
- on return, get breakfast stuff and ice pack from fridge/freezer and shove along kitchen top so they're in the right place
- do best I can to prepare breakfast, moving from perching stool, walking frame, crutches (trying not to drop them), along with a bit of cheating "counter surfing" with both hands
- transport breakfast back to recliner on walking frame
- get settled in nest with breakfast and hope to goodness I've not forgotten anything!

Thanks for the suggestion of a small cooler. I'm determined to do better with icing today.
 
Ah...Memories come flooding back to me.:dubious:
Usually when I would get settled, my bladder would decide to speak up.:sigh:
Well, we do need to move about also....
All Temporary dear Helenium
Do stay chilled :ice:as much as possible.
 
Hello :wave:
I hope this message finds you well rested and comfortable. With any luck every last trace of your cold is gone. Are you still getting by easily enough, with all of your needs met? I sure hope so. :)
It's a cold day here in my area. Autumn is fading fast.
Next time you're on the forum we'd love to hear about your progress. Please do share. Until then....all the best to you! :SUNsmile:
@helenium
 
I also would love to hear how you have been faring!
Hope all is well with you @helenium :roseshwr:
 
Hi @Layla and @Mojo333 :wave:, thanks for checking up on me. I should have posted before, but the truth is I have been feeling too fed up :sad: .

The good news:
- I'm able to get myself showered safely and prepare my own breakfast, so the morning carer visits have stopped. I hadn't realised how the little things they did all added up, but although I'm very slow I'm coping. It's not as if I have to dash off anywhere, just another day of rest and elevating the leg.
- The swelling has improved loads!
- My cold has almost gone :yes!:.
- I'm off the oxycodone and managing with just paracetamol.
- My bladder has calmed down!

The not so good:
- I live alone, very independent, perfectly capable now of preparing a simple meal. BUT, by evening, I feel what I can only describe as "ill", and I just can't do it. I know all about the energy drain, and the post-op blues, but both have hit hard and took me by surprise. And guess what, family don't seem to understand! They're calling in again in the evenings and preparing a meal for me, but they think I need to see a doctor. I have my post-op appointment in a week's time, and one of daughters will be with me, so hopefully my surgeon will reassure her that this is all a normal part of recovery.

Hope you all enjoy the rest of the weekend. It's finally stopped raining in my part of the UK and we have some sunshine this morning :).
 
:SUNsmile: I'm glad there is some Sun for your Sunday, my friend.
So much surgery over the last decade even...its no wonder you are weary with getting well.
You are exactly right about the energy drain and the postop blues, but I'm glad you will be having a doctor check you out.
Is it possible you may be a bit anemic?
That certainly can make you feel lousy...
Please get some fresh air and vitamin D from our sunny friend.
I know 4 month was my biggest turnabout so I'm hoping this feeling will soon pass.
Hugs for a happy day @helenium
 
I'm sorry to read you're suffering from Energy Drain and the Post Op Blues.
Hopefully it eases quickly for you. All one needs to do is glance at your signature to see all you've been through. While it's great you're able to live independently for the most part, given the way you're feeling now, tired and blue, please welcome the help from your family. It hasn't even been two months since your surgery. If you're not already, consider making larger portions when you're up to cooking, then freeze some for another meal.

I hope you and your family receive the reassurance you're seeking from your surgeon at your appointment next week. Let us know how it goes. Please know we're here for company when you're feeling blue, so don't be a
stranger....we care. :console2:
@helenium
 
They made you wait 2.5 weeks for surgery? Seriously? I am so sorry! I am in recovery with you after my LTHR on the 23rd is Oct. I wish you luck with your recovery. It’s never as fast as we want!
 
Hi @Uncivil:wave:

Thanks for your post. As well as removing and replacing the broken stem, the plan was to attach my greater trochanter using a technique which had not been available at the time of my previous revision. There was only one other surgeon in the area able to carry out that surgery and he was unable to do it any sooner. I was told that the surgery was very high risk, but without it I'd be in pain for the rest of my life and unable to walk. So no choice really! I actually surprised myself, I didn't mind the wait, I think it gave me time to get my head around what had happened. I thought I'd be nervous in the days leading up to surgery but I was really calm, I was just a little anxious for a few minutes when I was in the anaesthetic room. A bit late then, and escape was impossible anyway! The eventual surgery went so well it was well worth the wait.

I'm starting to get anxious about my post op appointment though. I hope the bone is healing as it should.

Best wishes for your recovery.
 
You have gone through so much, no wonder you are a bit worried about results and feeling blue. Family may love you but unless they have gone through similar usually do not understand how exhausting healing can be. Hopefully, you will have good news next week from your surgeon and your weather improves. It is hard being cheerful when the days are grey and rainy. Sending some cyber (((hugs))) across the pond. :flwrysmile:
 
@helenium You have an impressive list of surgeries since 2001! You sure have been through a lot. I have had just one revision so am a neophyte. So far, so good. Fingers crossed. I have a question for you. What do you mean when you say your greater trochanter is now finally attached? Do you mean that in previous THR/revisions, the top of the femoral stem did not bond to your bone? I am curious because my initial THR was never as stable as it should have been. I suspect that it was loose at the top from Day 1 which explains the aches and pains I had that other THR people did not have. I lived with that for 10 years until finally the entire stem became loose, and weight bearing was impossible. I didn't realize there was a risk of the prosthesis itself fracturing. Yikes!

I wish you a continuing and complete recovery from this latest revision. Sending healing thoughts your way.
 
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:wave:Thanks for those cyber hugs and support @leejaa.

I've just read through your revision thread @prairienut, what a great recovery you've had. Just love the photo of you in your garden, I hope I'll be able to post something similar in the future. My gardener was here yesterday, and I had to be content to sit indoors in the warm (elevated and iced of course!) and watch as she cut back plants and cleared the fallen leaves (falling fast here).
What do you mean when you say your greater trochanter is now finally attached?
My first revision on this hip (in 2014) was because I'd been experiencing frequent subluxations (partial dislocations) caused by poor alignment of my original THR. The original stem and bone had bonded very well, and my surgeon had to resort to an osteotomy to remove the stem. This included removing the greater trochanter from the femur. My understanding is that my surgeons didn't want to use a claw plate to reattach it (I was told that they can bring a whole new set of problems) but, despite a period of very partial weight bearing, the fracture failed to unite as expected. For this revision, a new fixation technique has been used, I'll know more when I see my x-rays next week.
I didn't realize there was a risk of the prosthesis itself fracturing. Yikes!
Yikes indeed :yikes:!! I only knew of the VERY RARE occurence because I'd read https://bonesmart.org/hip/hip-revision-surgery/
"Implant related fractures: Component fractures occur very rarely. Fracture of the femoral stem is usually due to insufficient support from the surrounding bone."

It never entered my mind during my emergency admission to hospital! But at least I was prepared when I was told what had happened. The lower half of the stem was very well attached. The upper half was, like all of your stem, completely loose.

I wish you a continuing and complete recovery from this latest revision. Sending healing thoughts your way.
Thank you, it means a lot :friends:. And best wishes for your appointment at HSS next month, by the sound of your updates it will just be a formality. You've made wonderful progress and are an inspiration. Congratulations!
 
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Hi @helenium, Thank you for the explanations and your kind words. Wow, they had to remove your GT to do the revision! I have read that the most difficult part of revision surgery is safely getting all the old components out. I remember my surgeon saying that my revision was relatively easy because he didn't have to work to get the old stem out, and the acetabular part did not need to be removed. I have a lot of questions for my last appointment with him, but they are mostly curiosity/philosophical questions, not issues with my hip. Let us know how you are coming along after your x-rays next week. I'm feeling very hopeful for you. :flwrysmile:
 
Hello :wave:
Prayers the bone is healing as it should and for your peace of mind also.
You're a brave woman...inspirational too.
I hope you have a nice end to the week :)
@helenium
 

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