I won't tag you all because there have been so many cheering me on and supporting my journey it would take up a whole page. I must however tag my biggest cheerleaders and thank you all so much for wiping my tears along the way and being a source of relentless support.
@beachgal @muckingabout @NoraJ @grnplatebrd @cthipster @PuppyLove @toohip @MajorHeidi @insexec
I saw my "new" surgeon today. He is the one I saw about 4 weeks ago with my husband and he would only discuss my hip, was short, not helpful, etc. Just a reminder that I saw my original OS last week and he told me he had released me to this new guy and both my leg and hip would be handled together.
Today was like being on a different planet! Although the nurse started by saying I was there to see him for my
hip only, he knew I was there for
both. He was like a different person than we met a few weeks ago. Granted he had a resident and two nurses in the room observing but I am optimistic this level of care will carry on. My husband suspects that now that he is in control of my case he is showing more .... ? (can't think of the words right now) More assertive? Confident? He's like 55 years or so but my previous is the Chief so perhaps the fact that everything he did or said would be undermined or questioned? Sounds horrible but I have to wonder that now that he is in control he has identified that my level of care and follow through has been far less than adequate but was maybe nervous of overstepping when the Chief was looking over his shoulder.
So I now know that I am uncemented. I have some kind of a band around what I would call the
'shaft' of my femur. Not sure if it is due to me being small boned but apparently the prosthetic looks like a very tight fit and the band would have been used "in the hope that the prosthetic doesn't break the femur". Gee, I hope so too!! He said cementing is generally only used on weak bones, generally 85 years plus. I know this is not true but I guess like I have seen Josephine say, it can depend on training, local protocol, etc.
He said it is very likely that I do have RSD ( a nerve disorder that is interfering with the leg rehab) and it is interfering with the rehab of my leg and now my hip. The hip only because I am not walking more and properly with more weight bearing. He believes 100% that the only real physio needed for my hip is walking and the PT concentration has to be on my leg. He has left all hip restrictions in place for a minimum of 4 more weeks, but I see him again in 3 weeks. I was pleased to hear him repeat Josephine's mantra of walking being the best physio for the hip as in my opinion Josephine's advice overall makes a lot of sense.
He has given me two more exercises and asked that PT continue with the "passive range of motion" massage over the next 3 weeks. He will evaluate then again. He did say that he thinks he will likely do a cortisone shot into the knee in 3 weeks and also put some anesthetic into the knee. He said the arthritis in the knee is now very significant and wants to get my knee/leg strong enough to withstand a knee replacement in 6-12 months. He guessed the longest the knee joint will last is 18 months tops. I can only hope for more.
In over 6 months I feel this is the 1st time my concerns have been addressed and my questions answered. I am optimistic this will be my new level of care.
Signed: dancing soon!
United States
