THR My Intro...

[DallasSarah]

Hi C Mac,

Hope you are well.

Trvial info to share with you my Dr here in Dallas did his fellowship at Anderson
Clinic the place you went too.

Plus he did Joint Replacement Surgery Rotation: Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Norwich, England.

Not sure if this means anything today just figured would share, its a small community in the big scheme of things!

Happy Wednesday!

Sarah

 

[C Mac]

Hi Sarah,

Happy Wednesday to you as well!

What is your doctor's name? I always like the Fellows at Anderson, they have all been very helpful and communicative at my appointments. I think I've met 4 different ones now -- all men...

It is a small world... good luck on your upcoming surgery. Are you anterior approach?

Take care,
Cardie

 

[DallasSarah]

Hello Cardie,


Dr. Paul C. Peters, Jr - He was then awarded a fellowship in reconstructive hip and knee surgery at the Anderson Clinic in Arlington, Virginia, under the supervision of Drs. Charles and Gerard Engh.

I cheated and copied his bio part

Thank you I'm looking forward to doing this. Now don't laugh I'm pretty organized but have no clue which procedure he is doing, i know hes popping in a new hip he said 3-4 inches and going in on side, over an existing 10+ scar I already have from breaking my femur a few years back.

I'll ask official term next time I talk to nurse, she prefers cementless however will depend on once he opens me up.

I'll keep you posted!

Night,

Sarah

 

[C Mac]

Dr. Paul C. Peters, Jr - He was then awarded a fellowship in reconstructive hip and knee surgery at the Anderson Clinic in Arlington, Virginia, under the supervision of Drs. Charles and Gerard Engh.

Nice, he trained under the big boys at Anderson!

Thank you I'm looking forward to doing this. Now don't laugh I'm pretty organized but have no clue which procedure he is doing, i know hes popping in a new hip he said 3-4 inches and going in on side, over an existing 10+ scar I already have from breaking my femur a few years back.

Sounds like posterolateral or just lateral approach vs. anterior approach, which is on the front of the leg. I have a big scar on the side of my leg from my first surgery as a baby and when I first saw Dr. Hamilton he was going to do my surgery in the same scar as well. I kinda looked forward to that as I'd hoped he'd clean up the scar and make it look nice. Now I have 2 scars but that is ok, I'm done with the vanity thing!

I just read your thread and see that you had your pre-op check up the other day. That's great, you are almost to the other side!! My hardware bundle is cementless as well -- ceramic on polyetheline. I also had a break in the femur as part of the previous surgery but did not have any weight bearing restrictions after surgery, just had to use assistive devices (walker, to crutches, to one crutch & cane) until my follow-up appointment with the OS at 5 weeks.

Take care,
Cardie

 

[DallasSarah]

Morning Cardie,

I had read your thread before and enjoyed all your postings very detailed and specific. You had a quite a journey at a very young age. Hope you are doing well now.

I'm curious if my OS can fix my leg length its a little off, I have a very slight limp normally more noticable when I'm tired or have been walking alot, best place to see me limp is during my trade shows at the end of the day (BAD then).

My biggest goal after the surgery is to build back good muscle tone, the last 2-3 yrs I've been wussy because of the pain, I also know now I've taken a few short cuts over the years and could have done a better job preserving my legs, my range of motion and stretching skills are limited especially with my knees, plus bad posture. My next chapter is learning how to do excerses that are muscle friendly and low impact....ie maybe yoga, pilates. Its an age thing trying to get a nice balance and become user friendly to ones body (laughing I'm serious though)

One thing that keeps me sane is a genuine appreciation for having my legs after my car wreck, and still be able to walk keeps things in perspective.

Yes very soon my next chapter starts WooooHoooooo!

All the best,

Sarah

 

[C Mac]

Ultra cautious, isn't she?

Hi Jo,

Yes, Ultra cautious!! So, I chatted by phone with the PA and she approved me for the foam roller IT band stretch. No tips on how to do the other IT band stretch -- the standing one with one foot crossed over the other and arm over the head with hip pushed out to the side. I can't push my hip out to the side enough to feel anything stretch in my leg...

The PA read to me the last report by my PT and apparently my range of motion has reached a plateau. I guess I know this as I still seem to have trouble with my knee and low back as they compensate for my hip...

I did ask if I'm done stretching internally from the leg extension and the PA says -- No and that the stretching can continue for a year! So, LLD buddies it takes a while....

Take care,
Cardie

 

[Jaycey]

I did ask if I'm done stretching internally from the leg extension and the PA says -- No and that the stretching can continue for a year! So, LLD buddies it takes a while....

Yup - it does take some time Cardie. Glad you had this confirmed.

 

[Josephine]

my Dr here in Dallas did Joint Replacement Surgery Rotation: Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, Norwich, England.

Not sure if this means anything today just figured would share, its a small community in the big scheme of things!

Means a lot to me, Sarah - I trained at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital! When you see your surgeon again, tell him I worked with Ken McKee and John Watson-Farrar and see his reaction!

 

[DallasSarah]

I will for sure Josephine - I copied your reply and pasted in my thread so I dont babble here in Cardie's sorry!!

 

[C Mac]

I had read your thread before and enjoyed all your postings very detailed and specific. You had a quite a journey at a very young age. Hope you are doing well now.

Thanks, Sarah. I don't remember any of my early journey (thankfully) but it was very traumatic for my parents, especially my mom... I'm glad that she is not around to see this second round of surgery and after effects!

I'm curious if my OS can fix my leg length its a little off

My doc added some length to my leg, about 1/2" -- ask your doc if he has planned for an extension as well.

My next chapter is learning how to do excerses that are muscle friendly and low impact....ie maybe yoga, pilates.

I have found, both before and after surgery, that the elliptical machines and exercise bike (both regular and recumbent) are helpful ways of exercising without all the crazy impact stuff. Yoga and pilates will sure be helpful for stretching and range of motion gains, I'm thinking about that since I'm done with PT.

One thing that keeps me sane is a genuine appreciation for having my legs after my car wreck, and still be able to walk keeps things in perspective.

Yes, you are lucky -- we are lucky here to be having our hips & knees fixed. It always keeps things in perspective when I see someone walking about in the real world and struggling with some obvious leg related issue. Makes me quit my complaining real quick...

Take care,
Cardie

 

[DallasSarah]

TGIF!!

Thanks Cardie, I've added the leg length question to my final list for the dr's nurse I've been pretty well behaved not serial stalking them just writing down important questions and calling once in a while.

Without a doubt traumatic for your mum and family when you were young, so tough for youngsters! Plus its tough when you grow up too living with these things.

Wishing you a good weekend, thanks for you thoughts.

Sarah

 

[C Mac]

Hi Friends,

I thought I’d take a moment to write a little update to my progress since it has been a while since my last visit into my thread. I am now 5 months out from surgery. Last week my PT released me after we spoke on the phone about how the past month has been going with my working solo at the gym and at home. I’m not completely pleased with my month of exercising solo as I’ve had to drop all the weight on the machines and stopped a few of the one-legged exercises due to continued problems with the flash pain I experience in my knee when I come off a one-legged stance. I continue to have some wicked SI joint pain and swelling that provides quite a bit of distraction. However, I can work out in the gym without being a danger to myself and that’s the goal from my PT for now.

I plan to start some yoga with a yoga teacher-friend on a weekly basis, continue to visit the chiropractor each week and will see the OS at the end of the month for my 6 month follow-up visit. Still working on mastering all my stretches and feeling a bit more confident to try stretches that I’d been able to do prior to surgery but hadn’t tried afterward – my new hip seems to be holding in place well (knock on wood).

While most of the above sounds a bit like a moan, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the moderators and people here on Bonesmart for the encouragement and information that they provide here on the forum. I could never have made it this far in my recovery without this cyber support. I wish you all good health and a most happy holiday season.

Take care,
Cardie

 

[DallasSarah]

Hi Cardie,

Nooooo you never sound like your moaning, your posts are always well thought out, articulate and very detailed I really do appreciate reading them you cover lots of important details I tend to think about them after the fact...your thread has helped me many times!

Hope you are getting ready for a nice holidays!

all the best...

Sarah

 

[C Mac]

Hi Cardie,

Nooooo you never sound like your moaning, your posts are always well thought out, articulate and very detailed I really do appreciate reading them you cover lots of important details I tend to think about them after the fact...your thread has helped me many times!

Hope you are getting ready for a nice holidays!

all the best...

Sarah

Thank you Sarah, what a sweet compliment & comment. I actually started my message in the a.m. and it was filled with a bit more crankiness, but after getting my day underway and working out at the gym and a few edits in between it seems like it's less of a moan than it started out as... :th_heehee:

I'm glad that you are doing well and hope you'll continue with your progress thru the holidays!!

Take care,
Cardie

 

[C Mac]

The illiospoas thread w/ helpful stretches from Alex the Cat:

Is this an Illiopsoas problem?

Going to see the OS in about 2 weeks for my 6 month follow-up appointment. I have asked for an x-ray of my knee and a standing x-ray of my spine & pelvis. My OS can interpret the knee x-ray as he also works on that body part. I may have to make an appointment with the "spine doctor" in the practice regarding the other x-ray.

Taking a break from the gym because of continued discomfort in my SI joint, groin & knee discomfort with most of the PT exercises. Just doing some stretches at home and nothing else...

Not sure how I thought this hip replacement was going to be helpful, six months later and I have more problems than when I started this process...:hissyfit: Need the optimism infusion.

Cardie

 

[DallasSarah]

Hello Cardie,

Happy Friday....I just read the posts on the other thread between you and Alex between the two of you...well you both sound excellent in understanding all these muscles. I did like Alex's final suggestion of taking a break, I'm not a PT specialist and definitely not a work out guru, however her logic made good sense. Forgive me for also sharing this you sound like your being incredible tough on yourself, then again I'm sure it's frustrating and I feel for you no one wants to have those aches and pains.

One thought have you heard of "Ortho Kinetics" we have this health club that specializes in this area, I had gone PRE surgery for an assessment it blew me away how knowledgeable and professional these folks were with the muscles etc I never went back at the time, because not sure it would have helped...not sure but I'm tempted to look into it again in the next month or two once I have my post OS appointment pus once he lifts my restrictions. Maybe after you rest it could be a good option if you'd have something close to you?

Sending you lots of good thoughts, plus have a great weekend!!

xxooxx

 

[DallasSarah]

Oh my goodness Cardie....please know my last post was definitely not discounting your pain, I don't sense you would take it that way from me. I just want you to fix this!! xxooxx

 

[Jyoti]

Hi cardie, i do appreciate how you feel. the frustration gets to you. i remember at 6 months feeling very similar to how you are. i would constantly be hoping that this month things would improve. however, i had a very long plateau. as in the other thread you need ro have a break and do some simple exercises and stretches. it does get better. promise ;-)
Jyoti

 

[DallasSarah]

Hi Cardie,

Hope you are having a fabulous holiday week!

Thank you for your kinds words and support. Quick reply to your last one, I think I'm going to start to out patient quickly because I do need a little more confidence in my basic walk, me and my home therapist talked about this and she also felt like my dr jumping in would take me quickly to the next step.

I might go to the kinetics place, for now though I want and need my basic walk back then I can build onto there, nothing to complicated.

Wishing you a lovely New Years Weekend!

xxooxx

 

[C Mac]

Six Month Report:

Went to visit the OS for what was my 4 month appointment but had been postponed as I’d had an acute appointment right around the time my 4 month appointment would have been scheduled.

Three x-ray views of my knee and two of my pelvis (without my hip joints…) were taken. The bony structures of my knee look fine no effusion or bone related issues and the “exam” by the fellow was normal . The fellow and the OS are not back doctors and the sacroiliac joint is difficult to image but, other than that, they didn’t seem to see anything remarkable there either. Some speculation that my knee pain is referred pain, which seems odd to me because that joint is definitely limited in range of motion and is now keeping me from any sort of exercise or activity.

I asked about my acetabulum and whether it was malformed because of the dyplasia; it was not, and did not require any special attention other than the reaming and placing of the cup. My only oddity was the shape of my femur and that is gone, so my x-ray reveals no evidence that I had any congenital issues at all now that the fake hip is there. My cup is not “proud” (sticking out beyond the socket) so any issues that I have in the groin tendon area are not related to cup placement and the “strumming” of that tendon. My OS does not deal with soft tissue related issues and had no other suggestions for my aches and pains other than to just stop all activity and let healing occur. It was stated that I was being “type A” in my desire for mobility and activity in the gym.

On the curved spine and tilted pelvis issue – OS doesn’t know if this will level out or correct at all in time and says “who cares, it’s really about how you feel.” I didn’t have much length added to my leg and no one seems to do measurements in that office. I had mentioned having some periodic pains in my quadriceps muscles and OS thought it was due to the bone in-growth occurring. This seemed implausible to me as the pain seems to be about midway down the front of my thigh and no where near the implant, especially the part of the implant at the top that he refers to as the area where the in-growth would be occurring.

Lastly, on the god-awful gluteus medius lurch that I now have – the fellow hadn’t read my history so was taken aback when I flashed him the scar on the side of my butt from my surgery as a baby! The OS wouldn’t speculated on whether any muscles were cut from that surgery (osteotomy) and if that was what is now making me walk so lopsidedly. He reassured me that he did not cut any muscles on my anterior approach surgery. I did get a PT script for abduction strengthening but I can work on that my own self!

I left feeling like an anomaly with 18 different sore places and type A behavior.:rolleyespink:

So, now I am working on my next plan of action as once again I am left to my own devices! I’m going back to doing my phase 2 exercises/stretches in the evening, chiropractor once a week and I’ll see someone for broken link removed: https://www.rolf.org/about towards the end of the month as it’s theorized that all my issues are related to soft tissues. I stopped going to the gym about a month ago. I guess I’ll have a plateau for a few months and see what happens in the spring.

Happy New Hip Year :skeptical:
Cardie