hokey cokey

[Elosarabrab]

I am starting the journey for my LTHR now. I am on "the list" so just waiting for a date. I had my RTHR December 2012. I am hoping for a quicker recovery for the left as I won't have a dodgy hip holding me back.
Barbara

 

[Josephine]

Aces! Remind me which hospital you are going to? RVI? Freeman? General?
All good places, of course!

 

[Elosarabrab]

I am going to the Freeman. They have a good reputation for hip replacements and looked after me for my RTHR. Barbara

 

[tashia]

Welcome to the site. If you have any questions. Ask away. Please keep us informed how you are doing and how you did. Take care. Tashia

 

[sandybeach]

I am doing the same as you with two hip surgeries. What kind of problems have you had doing two surgeries? I'm thinking my un-operated hip will be more painful than the one that is operated on. Any pointers for me?

 

[Poppet]

Welcome back Elosarabrab..

Roll on your date. How is your right hip doing?

 

[Elosarabrab]

Hi Sandybeach, I feel the unoperated leg has held me back in my recovery as I am in a lot of pain with it and I cant depend on it to support me. When using the crutches they said good leg first going up stairs but I didn't have a good leg. The operated leg is doing fine. I am allowed to sleep on my side again. The unoperated leg is the one that is complaining. I think the recovery for the left leg will be much quicker as I wont have a bad hip holding me back. I had joined this site after my first op so I didn't know about getting them done at the same time. Is that an option for you? From reading on here people who had both done together have recovered very well. Good luck and happy healing Barbara

 

[sandybeach]

My surgery is tomorrow so I would say it's not an option at this point to have both at once but I already have my second hip surgery scheduled for 5 weeks out, I hope that helps with my recovery that it's not a real long wait. I am having the hip that is the weakest operated on first. My right hip is the one that I depend on the most now but that hurts just as much. Do you wish you had both done at the same time? Without going through it, I am thinking it's nice to get one done at a time.....less trauma for your body.

 

[Elosarabrab]

There are pro's and cons for each option. It is good that you already have the second surgery with a planned date. I have to wait for a date for my second surgery.
Very best wishes for a smooth surgery. Again happy healing. Let us know how you are doing. Barbara

 

[Elosarabrab]

I am totally fed up. The surgeon said I should have LTHR 3-4 months after RTHR which was 6th Dec 2012. I was told to ring surgeons secretary to get on the list. I could not speak to her as it goes to answer machine that won't take messages. I spoke to one of the other surgeons secretary's who said they would email the details to get me on the list. Two weeks later I rang the appointments line. They seemed surprised I did not get a date as it was known I needed it done. She said the person I needed to speak to was not there, she would email them and I would get a letter from them. Today, two weeks later and I rang appointments line . Person who answered the line said nothing on the list yet. They said the person I needed to speak to was not there and to ring back maybe next week or week after. All I can say is AAAAAAAARRRGGGHHH. I have work getting at me for being off so long. I believed the surgeon and thought by now I would be well in to second recovery.

 

[BarbaraR]

Ugh, Elosarabrab, I hope you get this worked out soon. P.s. My name is Barbara, too and my middle name is Lee. My mother used to call me Arabrab Eel.

 

[Elosarabrab]

Thanks Barbara, I find most people I meet with our name are in their 70s. I was named after the midwife who delivered me, being youngest of 5 kids they joked they had used all the family names already.
Waiting for my second op is really getting me down. I have contacted Patient liaison and they are chasing it up for me. I went in to work for a Welfare meeting today. It was not the Spanish inquisition I expected. It was with HR and my manager. They seemed genuine in their interest in my progress and there was no impatience for my return. They just asked that I keep in touch and let them know when I get a date for second op.

 

[BarbaraR]

Yes, it is an old fashioned name. You don't hear of any babies being named Barbara. I'm glad your work is being supportive.

 

[Josephine]

Eeeh! Don't ya just love the NHS! Medical secs all work part time and when they're at work, they're away from the desk doing stuff so it's next to impossible to speak to them. It's quite possible her voice-mail was full, they often are. I suggest you ring again and this time, if some else answers the phone, ask her what days Mr X's secretary works and when she's likely to be at her desk.

As for the appointments people, I've never found it any use just speaking to who ever answers the phone. There are so many of them there, it's worse than a call centre! Ask to speak to the appointments manager specifically and don't put up with any fobbing off. If pressed, just politely say you want to make a complaint and if that doesn't get you passed on, nothing will!

 

[Kim22]

Hi Barbara,
Why don't you consider writing a letter personally to your surgeon about having the second operation. I was in a similar situation as when I saw my consultant in clinic he said he would do a referral for an MRI of the knee before my surgery. This didn't happen and I got no help from his secretary and others who were filling in for her so I wrote to him and the referral was done on the same day he received the letter.By the way are you a Freeman patient as I see you live in Newcastle ?

 

[Elosarabrab]

Thanks Jo and Kim, I contacted Patient liaison who looked in to it for me. I was given the name of the person to who is dealing with it. I am supposed to be getting a call from this person. If I don't hear from them I have been given their direct number. I will let you know how I get on. Yes I am going to the Freeman. The nurses and doctors have all been great there. It is just the admin staff that let the side down. Barbara

 

[Audball]

Barbara, after my arthroscopy my surgeon said he wanted the hip replaced soon. Phoned his secretary in december, who said because of cancellations it would be January, in January it was problems with equipment. Just started back at work in february when a letter came in saying 12th March, then at the pre op they said, we can do it next week....26th february. When you tell them you have work and young children and you need a quality of life, you would think they could at least give you some indication of where you are in their pecking order.
Aud... And i'd been phoning secretary weekly.lol

 

[Elosarabrab]

Hi Aud, It does make you wonder what is going on. The surgeon says one thing and the admin staff seem blasé about it all. You are just a faceless number. They don't seem to comprehend the impact it has on your life being in constant pain and unable to do normal every day stuff. I had to battle for my first op too.The surgeon said he wanted me seen as an urgent case to have surgery within 3 months. When I rang admin about a date they said I was not down as an urgent case and first appointment would be March 2013! After I contacted patient liaison I had a call with an appointment within days. We patients have to make a fuss before we are listened to. Barbara

 

[Elosarabrab]

I finally have my date 22nd April 2013 I am so looking forward to getting rid of the red hot poker getting rammed in to my hip pain.
Barbara

 

[sandybeach]

I just read about this being your second surgery too. How is your operated hip doing? Do you find that your un-operated leg is slowing down the progress of that hip? I have a hard time doing some of the exercises because of it. I went to PT and she showed me how weak my operated leg is. I haven't had much for ROM for about a year now, I am getting a lot of that back but when it comes to me putting weight on the operated leg without holding onto anything it's not happening. I have to do muscle exercises to get that stronger but I have been doing PT for two weeks and I have come a long ways in that amount of time.