otisbeagle
member
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2018
- Messages
- 143
- Age
- 48
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
Hi Everybody!
Thank you for this wonderful forum, which has already become invaluable to me. Please pardon the long story, but it’s so cathartic!!
I’m a 42 year old with an 11 month old baby who was only recently diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia. Though I’ve never had any symptoms in my left hip (and I know this could change!), I realize in retrospect that my right hip has always been weird—less flexible, and with a tendency to turn out. After having a very big baby (thanks, massively tall Hubbie!!), I started working out again and was immediately taken down by right hip pain. It deteriorated spectacularly rapidly, and the injection we tried did nothing. Taking care of a baby for many months without being able to walk or bend in most directions was absolutely exhausting. I’ve always looked young for my age, but between my difficult pregnancy, C section and then this arthritic hip, I aged about 20 years in 2. But at least I have a really fun little baby to show for it!!
I had an anterior hip replacement on Nov. 7, which went well, I was released on Nov. 8 as planned, and then we went home. Just a few hours later, the crazy Southern California fires started up, and my husband’s ex-wife (we are friends) had to evacuate to our house. A few hours later, we were all on the run (including my husband, parents—who had come from the east coast to watch the baby—and assorted dogs), but when we arrived at the beach hotel, the rooms we reserved were mysteriously gone. In all of Los Angeles, there wasn’t a single hotel room available. So around 5am, we were sitting in the lobby of a hotel that couldn’t accommodate us, and I needed to use the restroom. So my husband brought in the little “princess toilet” provided by the hospital, but the bathroom was just too far away. Humiliated and experiencing spectacular pain, i started sobbing uncontrollably (normally I am NOT very emotional). I was whacked out on Oxycodone and hadn’t slept in ages, so I was beginning to reenact scenes from Taxi Driver.
Eventually, we found a friend of a friend’s apartment, and managed to stay there two nights. Then we went to my uncle’s house, which was going okay until his girlfriend’s mother suddenly wound up in the hospital. My parents immediately started guilting me about leaving right away, but I was on Day 4 and in major pain. I started crying again.
The following morning, our mandatory evacuation orders were fortunately lifted, so my parents made sure we booked it out of there. I begged to have some breakfast so that I wouldn’t get sick from meds, but they were in some kind of insane hurry. I threw up after taking the meds, but then I was pretty much okay.
That night at home was more relaxing, but then I woke up the next morning with severe flu-like symptoms. I was retching and almost passed, but my husband managed to get me back in bed. We called the nurse, who was certain that it was a reaction to the Oxycodone. Amazing, because I was only taking 5mg (I am a small female, so maybe it hits me harder). So I went cold turkey on drugs, and my symptoms improved over the course of the day. Though no one told me not to take any meds, and my internist was willing to prescribe me Traumadol, I had had enough of opioids. My brain cleared almost immediately, I stopped crying, and found my parents much easier to deal with! My doc did allow me to take a small amount of Naproxen, so that’s all I’ve been taking. The first few days without meds were horrible, but I didn’t want to get sick or lose my mind again.
On day 8 I finally had my first home PT session, as the fires had backlogged everything in town. That went well, though I was tired and weak. ( And I’m a pretty fit, almost hyperactive person, so that was depressing.) My PT (who has forty years of experience) doesnt want me to use a cane anywhere but the stairs, because he thinks I could end up with a limp. I wholeheartedly agree, so I use the walker primarily.
Today is day 13, and everyday I get a little stronger. Today was my third PT session, and we went from 4 laps around the house to 12 to 25. My pain level is pretty low, though there is still plenty of upper hip swelling and lots of stiffness. My PT wants me to start playing around with walking unaided, though I can’t do that too well yet. I still sort of shuffle.
So, my health care providers feel that the whole trauma of the evacuation set me back three or four days, but now I’m doing a lot better. They tell me that I’ll be walking unaided soon and doing more, though I don’t know when I’ll be able to take care of the baby again. Can’t wait to go back to being autonomous!!
Thank you so much for reading, and I wish you all great success with your new hips!!
Thank you for this wonderful forum, which has already become invaluable to me. Please pardon the long story, but it’s so cathartic!!
I’m a 42 year old with an 11 month old baby who was only recently diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia. Though I’ve never had any symptoms in my left hip (and I know this could change!), I realize in retrospect that my right hip has always been weird—less flexible, and with a tendency to turn out. After having a very big baby (thanks, massively tall Hubbie!!), I started working out again and was immediately taken down by right hip pain. It deteriorated spectacularly rapidly, and the injection we tried did nothing. Taking care of a baby for many months without being able to walk or bend in most directions was absolutely exhausting. I’ve always looked young for my age, but between my difficult pregnancy, C section and then this arthritic hip, I aged about 20 years in 2. But at least I have a really fun little baby to show for it!!
I had an anterior hip replacement on Nov. 7, which went well, I was released on Nov. 8 as planned, and then we went home. Just a few hours later, the crazy Southern California fires started up, and my husband’s ex-wife (we are friends) had to evacuate to our house. A few hours later, we were all on the run (including my husband, parents—who had come from the east coast to watch the baby—and assorted dogs), but when we arrived at the beach hotel, the rooms we reserved were mysteriously gone. In all of Los Angeles, there wasn’t a single hotel room available. So around 5am, we were sitting in the lobby of a hotel that couldn’t accommodate us, and I needed to use the restroom. So my husband brought in the little “princess toilet” provided by the hospital, but the bathroom was just too far away. Humiliated and experiencing spectacular pain, i started sobbing uncontrollably (normally I am NOT very emotional). I was whacked out on Oxycodone and hadn’t slept in ages, so I was beginning to reenact scenes from Taxi Driver.
Eventually, we found a friend of a friend’s apartment, and managed to stay there two nights. Then we went to my uncle’s house, which was going okay until his girlfriend’s mother suddenly wound up in the hospital. My parents immediately started guilting me about leaving right away, but I was on Day 4 and in major pain. I started crying again.
The following morning, our mandatory evacuation orders were fortunately lifted, so my parents made sure we booked it out of there. I begged to have some breakfast so that I wouldn’t get sick from meds, but they were in some kind of insane hurry. I threw up after taking the meds, but then I was pretty much okay.
That night at home was more relaxing, but then I woke up the next morning with severe flu-like symptoms. I was retching and almost passed, but my husband managed to get me back in bed. We called the nurse, who was certain that it was a reaction to the Oxycodone. Amazing, because I was only taking 5mg (I am a small female, so maybe it hits me harder). So I went cold turkey on drugs, and my symptoms improved over the course of the day. Though no one told me not to take any meds, and my internist was willing to prescribe me Traumadol, I had had enough of opioids. My brain cleared almost immediately, I stopped crying, and found my parents much easier to deal with! My doc did allow me to take a small amount of Naproxen, so that’s all I’ve been taking. The first few days without meds were horrible, but I didn’t want to get sick or lose my mind again.
On day 8 I finally had my first home PT session, as the fires had backlogged everything in town. That went well, though I was tired and weak. ( And I’m a pretty fit, almost hyperactive person, so that was depressing.) My PT (who has forty years of experience) doesnt want me to use a cane anywhere but the stairs, because he thinks I could end up with a limp. I wholeheartedly agree, so I use the walker primarily.
Today is day 13, and everyday I get a little stronger. Today was my third PT session, and we went from 4 laps around the house to 12 to 25. My pain level is pretty low, though there is still plenty of upper hip swelling and lots of stiffness. My PT wants me to start playing around with walking unaided, though I can’t do that too well yet. I still sort of shuffle.
So, my health care providers feel that the whole trauma of the evacuation set me back three or four days, but now I’m doing a lot better. They tell me that I’ll be walking unaided soon and doing more, though I don’t know when I’ll be able to take care of the baby again. Can’t wait to go back to being autonomous!!
Thank you so much for reading, and I wish you all great success with your new hips!!