THR Possible revision surgery after 3 years

[Deni444]

I've resisted the temptation to post a picture of my 'bling' new look crutches. Bright green with shocking pink hand pads and cuff pads... I'm guessing I'd be turned back at arrivals if I attempted to enter NY Seriously, have a wonderful time with your dapper black carbon fibre cane!

 

[HipButSquare]

I have a black carbon fiber cane. I assume that New Yorkers are still wearing black. As someone said when arrived in New York, who died?

Hahaha. You'll fit right in as black is foundational and loved by many, myself included, a great backdrop for fun accessorizing. I'll bet your visit to NYC will feel bittersweet, not knowing if you'll ever return to a place where you created many memories. I wish you the best in finding the least painful ways to navigate the city while you're there. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks.

Yes, my visit will be bittersweet. It’s strange how a place I never thought I’d leave is a place I don’t want to go back to.

The city was my friend and my enemy.

I escaped with my life, and my wife. I’ll call it even.

 

[HipButSquare]

I've resisted the temptation to post a picture of my 'bling' new look crutches. Bright green with shocking pink hand pads and cuff pads... I'm guessing I'd be turned back at arrivals if I attempted to enter NY Seriously, have a wonderful time with your dapper black carbon fibre cane!

Thanks. The cane should come in handy for blocking closing subway doors.

New Yorkers have the ability to ignore people, no matter what they wear. I don’t think you can offend them.

Bill Cunnigham, a former fashion photographer for the New York Times, teased out the latest fashions by photographing on 5th Avenue. People would “dress for Bill,” in the hope that he would photograph them.

 

[myglasshalffull]

I’ve always loved New York City. My GF & I would travel by train twice a year to walk, shop & eat! We even went about 4 weeks after 9/11 & walked down to Ground Zero. So powerful & sad all at the same time.
I hope your trip goes well & you can manage it all. It’s certainly hustle bustle type of atmosphere.

 

[HipButSquare]

I’ve always loved New York City. My GF & I would travel by train twice a year to walk, shop & eat! We even went about 4 weeks after 9/11 & walked down to Ground Zero. So powerful & sad all at the same time.
I hope your trip goes well & you can manage it all. It’s certainly hustle bustle type of atmosphere.

Well, I have PTSD from that day. I can add that to my list of ailments, those being prostate cancer and the hip replacement.

Six months before 9/11, I interviewed on the 86th floor of Tower II. I didn’t get the job. I spent my time in a conference room, after finishing their test, trying to find my building in midtown.

So, I was unemployed on that day, depressed, lying on my couch, when I heard the first plane go over midtown.

I watched the second tower fall from the roof of my building, looking back at where I had been six months earlier.

A year after 9/11, the company that had interviewed me hired me. They had lost three people. The entire company had PTSD.

You never know what will save you or doom you.

 

[Deni444]

You paint a very sobering picture of the tragedy, trauma and challenges of life. It certainly brings hip replacement into perspective. I'm not down playing what we go through in any of our particular and personal challenges, you can't really compare and contrast. The thing that jumps out for me however is that even after the most extreme period of darkness the sun can shine again. Though the scars remain, we walk on. Thank you for sharing

 

[HipButSquare]

You paint a very sobering picture of the tragedy, trauma and challenges of life. It certainly brings hip replacement into perspective. I'm not down playing what we go through in any of our particular and personal challenges, you can't really compare and contrast. The thing that jumps out for me however is that even after the most extreme period of darkness the sun can shine again. Though the scars remain, we walk on. Thank you for sharing

Life is for the living. Who else can it be for? Nobody can live in a state of permanent mourning, although many who lost loved ones that day have suffered greatly.

My first thought was to run down there to help but I didn’t do it. Perhaps that saved me from an early death by cancer. All those days that people worked on “the pile” did not produce any survivors. The event was unsurvivable.

The buildings stood far longer than could have been expected. If they had both fallen immediately, perhaps 20,000 or more would have died.

You might think that working with people who were in one of the buildings and survived that day would find you in a group of people who would show some grace but, sadly, you’d be wrong.

Humans remain human even after surviving a great tragedy. What else could they become?

After 9/11, I worked for the worst manager of my career at that company. She was cruel, petty, and vindictive, and had been responsible for close to a dozen people quitting. They used to hang the name plates of those who quit because of her in a cubicle.

I soon added my name plate to that wall and quit that company. It was a terrible place to work. I’m not in contact with any of the people who worked there.

Eventually, everyone who was in the city that day will die. What choice do we have?

 

[Layla]

You've been through so much and have shown incredible strength in overcoming enormous challenges, HipButSquare. I hope you can draw strength from how far you've come and know there are brighter days ahead.
Wishing you comfort and peace.
@HipButSquare

 

[HipButSquare]

You've been through so much and have shown incredible strength in overcoming enormous challenges, HipButSquare. I hope you can draw strength from how far you've come and know there are brighter days ahead.
Wishing you comfort and peace.
@HipButSquare

Thanks. One always hopes for another chapter.

I was car-free for 20 years in New York. I walked everywhere.

It’s hard to accept not being able to walk very far.

The next chapter we planned required me to walk every day, like in New York. That plan is now in jeopardy.

 

[myglasshalffull]

I can feel the emotional pain you are experiencing. As far as the physical pain just hoping MRI gives you some answers & direction.
I experienced deep depression first part of my recovery because like you I am an avid walker. I have been my entire life. Then when I had a setback after my first year in recovery I was sure I had done something to my hip. It took me about a month to get back on track but I can certainly understand your sadness & state of mind after 3 years.
Hang in there, I know easier said than done but our mental health is as important as our physical well being.

 

[HipButSquare]

I can feel the emotional pain you are experiencing. As far as the physical pain just hoping MRI gives you some answers & direction.
I experienced deep depression first part of my recovery because like you I am an avid walker. I have been my entire life. Then when I had a setback after my first year in recovery I was sure I had done something to my hip. It took me about a month to get back on track but I can certainly understand your sadness & state of mind after 3 years.
Hang in there, I know easier said than done but our mental health is as important as our physical well being.

Thanks.

Life moves from the disability of infancy to the disability of old age.

I was just hoping for a few more decades of limited disability, as I am 60.

I was in a good place after fighting through bursitis but, now, I’m back to square one.

I don’t know what it will take to recover. That’s the most frustrating part of my situation. Walking does not seem like the answer.

I’m glad you found a way to get back on track. What did you do?

 

[myglasshalffull]

When I had my setback after one year I started seeing new OS & had MRI. I was actually back using a cane that’s how bad it was.
I was prescribed steroid pack & muscle relaxers at ER prior to seeing new OS.
I would get done stuff around the house early and only do what needed doing then couch, ice or heat and rest.
After MRI it wasn’t my hip but it was spinal stenosis in my back which is very common at my age as well as given the fact I made my living on my feet for many years, some days in 4 inch heels!
I also had bursitis off & on in both hips even though just my right hip was replaced.
Saw spine surgeon at Mass General/Brigham on referral from OS there. He looked at MRI & said I didn’t need surgery but could get pain injections which he scheduled but they weren’t for another couple weeks. So slowly I just started feeling better & the pain went away but I did a lot of couch time. I ended up canceling the pain injections. I’ve only had one cortisone shot in my life that helped and that was in my knee after I had a meniscus tear. I’ve had a couple of others over the years & none of them did me any good. Former OS wanted to schedule shots for bursitis but I just nursed that as well with heat/ice.

 

[Deni444]

I relate very personally to what you said...

Life moves from the disability of infancy to the disability of old age.

I was just hoping for a few more decades of limited disability, as I am 60.

These words were similar to what filled my head. I'd not long turned 50, been on a 5 day wilderness canoe trip the year before. Had an exciting adventure in Norway... All of a sudden I couldn't walk half a mile without being chair bound for days. I would describe what I went through as a period of mourning for the old me who I knew and loved. All I can say is that even before I found a road to potential recovery, I did slowly put that period of mourning behind me. Life goes on! I became and learnt to embrace the new me. Eventually I ran out of steam pining for what was gone and instead chucked myself wholeheartedly into what I could be and do. Now when the, 'new' me had the rug pulled from under her, thankfully I found BoneSmart and I'm almost scared to believe it but I just may get a little of the original old me back after all. At this point however I'm content with a hybrid of old, new and future.

I don't know what the 70 year old you would say to the 60 year old you in encouragement but I imagine it would include... Make the very best of what you have... Grasp every day by the horns and squeeze it until it gives you something to tell me about. Don't give in on us!

Be kind to yourself, it's tough to endure a challenging life change but it's not the end of the road. Definitely not!

 

[Layla]

Life moves from the disability of infancy to the disability of old age.

Yes, we do begin and end in dependence in most instances, but we can't discount the beauty and wonder of life in-between. It's not over, you can be in a good place once again, enjoying several decades of life ahead.

I am sorry that you're hurting, I am sure it's miserable and agonizing not knowing why. I hope that your appointment mid September reveals something and you're able to formulate a plan that gets you back to living without pain. You've made it through six decades of life's changes and challenges and you're still here so don't give up on the idea of many more years...which may be your best years yet!
I'm rooting for you, HipButSquare

 

[HipButSquare]

When I had my setback after one year I started seeing new OS & had MRI. I was actually back using a cane that’s how bad it was.
I was prescribed steroid pack & muscle relaxers at ER prior to seeing new OS.
I would get done stuff around the house early and only do what needed doing then couch, ice or heat and rest.
After MRI it wasn’t my hip but it was spinal stenosis in my back which is very common at my age as well as given the fact I made my living on my feet for many years, some days in 4 inch heels!
I also had bursitis off & on in both hips even though just my right hip was replaced.
Saw spine surgeon at Mass General/Brigham on referral from OS there. He looked at MRI & said I didn’t need surgery but could get pain injections which he scheduled but they weren’t for another couple weeks. So slowly I just started feeling better & the pain went away but I did a lot of couch time. I ended up canceling the pain injections. I’ve only had one cortisone shot in my life that helped and that was in my knee after I had a meniscus tear. I’ve had a couple of others over the years & none of them did me any good. Former OS wanted to schedule shots for bursitis but I just nursed that as well with heat/ice.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with me.

I had terrible bursitis in the first year after the hip replacement but worked through it.

The cortisone shot I had in my hip before the replacement surgery did almost nothing. Within a few days of the shot, I was back to struggling to climb up and down stairs.

It was then I decided on the replacement.

I noticed something interesting about my pain. Tonight, while brushing my teeth, I absentmindedly leaned against the sink. I’m tall and the sink is low. It catches me somewhere in the region of where the stem is inserted into the femur.

Well, if I put pressure on a spot at the front of my leg for a minute or so, I’m in agony when relieving the pressure. It feels like my leg locks up.

Has anyone experienced anything like that?

If I don’t make the mistake of putting pressure there, the pain is not as bad, although, I still develop pain after walking for short distances.

Last night, we went to a concert. I walked for a few blocks, maybe ten minutes. Well, I paid for that with pain and had to take an ibuprofen.

Maybe my MRI will show something.

 

[HipButSquare]

I relate very personally to what you said...

Life moves from the disability of infancy to the disability of old age.

I was just hoping for a few more decades of limited disability, as I am 60.

These words were similar to what filled my head. I'd not long turned 50, been on a 5 day wilderness canoe trip the year before. Had an exciting adventure in Norway... All of a sudden I couldn't walk half a mile without being chair bound for days. I would describe what I went through as a period of mourning for the old me who I knew and loved. All I can say is that even before I found a road to potential recovery, I did slowly put that period of mourning behind me. Life goes on! I became and learnt to embrace the new me. Eventually I ran out of steam pining for what was gone and instead chucked myself wholeheartedly into what I could be and do. Now when the, 'new' me had the rug pulled from under her, thankfully I found BoneSmart and I'm almost scared to believe it but I just may get a little of the original old me back after all. At this point however I'm content with a hybrid of old, new and future.

I don't know what the 70 year old you would say to the 60 year old you in encouragement but I imagine it would include... Make the very best of what you have... Grasp every day by the horns and squeeze it until it gives you something to tell me about. Don't give in on us!

Be kind to yourself, it's tough to endure a challenging life change but it's not the end of the road. Definitely not!

My wife and I were in the planning stages to move to France when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

So, we canceled the move.

Now, I’m past the cancer surgery but struggling with hip pain. I can’t do the work around the house to get it ready to sell. I can’t imagine doing all of the walking that would be necessary to move to France and live in a French city without a car.

So, I can empathize with your mourning for your lost mobility.

I’m happy at home. I can sit on the piano bench and practice for hours. I can lie on the couch or bed and read novels. Neither of those things cause me pain.

But, still, I know I am disappointing my wife and foiling her plans for us to move to France.

I thump around the house with a cane but don’t go farther than the garden in our small front yard.

I don’t know if I will magically heal myself or if this is my new normal.

I guess I have to prepare for the latter.

It sounds like you’ve done a good job of adapting to your circumstances. Often, that is all we can do.

 

[Deni444]

Could you maybe compromise for rural France? Or have you consider a mobility scooter if it comes to it? The latter is my plan if the hip replacements don't enable me to walk at least 2 miles. I have very low goals compared to many. My recovery goal is literally a 2 mile walk on a flat road, to be able to garden my adapted poly tunnel and greenhouse, manage my home, walk my dog and keep chickens. I'd already made the lifestyle leap before getting mobility issues. Worked in London, hubby and I took a 2 year work contract in Belgium to save up a bit, then down sized with a plan for a mini small holding and semi self sufficiency. Not everyone's cup of tea but our dream early retirement. Within a year of moving in to our house needing a lot of work, I literally got up one morning and could hardly walk. Although I really have come to terms with all kinds of possibilities, it's been tough on hubby who works very hard doing what we planned to do together. Despite that we love our home and life if only for it's remote and beautiful location.... Anyway I'm waffling. If I don't meet my goals, I'm getting an all terrain scooter... A cut above the ones you see. Very enabling and I'd get as far as I want enjoying my local area and be able to use it in the garden. You can even get trailers for them. Just trying to suggest that we all try our best to recover what we have lost but there are options to adapt if things go a different way... I think successfully transitioning and adapting is a legitimate example of a recovery journey for some of us.

 

[Deni444]

Just another thought... Would a compromise on the type of house in France, enable you to sell up without doing the work? We considered France or Belgium very seriously for a while. What about a part time home in France fir the summers? Depending on your funds, there are some cheap properties. My apologies for moving this to general discussion. I'm one of those annoying... Try to fix things type people. Can't help it

 

[HipButSquare]

Just another thought... Would a compromise on the type of house in France, enable you to sell up without doing the work? We considered France or Belgium very seriously for a while. What about a part time home in France fir the summers? Depending on your funds, there are some cheap properties. My apologies for moving this to general discussion. I'm one of those annoying... Try to fix things type people. Can't help it

Oh, thanks for moving this to the general discussion. I guess it doesn’t matter while I wait for some resolution on my condition.

Do I move it back when I get word?

We have decided against houses, so, rural France is out of the picture. My wife doesn’t drive, so, a rural house would put a lot of additional strain on me to drive, to say nothing of the maintenance work on a house, which we’re not up to.

We already picked out the city, Lyon, where my wife grew up. We are trying to get her mother, who is now 80, to move to Lyon from Provence, where she is alone and isolated.

Other members of the family thought we’d want the house in Provence but my wife is dead set against it.

So, we are looking for a 80-100 square meter apartment in an elevator buildings in Lyon. Paris is out of the question, mainly due to the cost of apartments, and all those walkups.

My wife is quite stubborn and won’t consider a phased approach, just the Big Bang, where we sell everything in the states and live in a temporary place in France until we close on an apartment.

This approach is a lot of work. I cannot do it now.

By the way, my mobility goal was two miles on flat terrain. I had achieved it but, now, three years after the replacement, I have lost it.

As Mark Twain wrote, “Circumstances do the planning for all of us.” The most pressing circumstance may be selling this three story house in the states so we can rent an apartment in the states before decamping to France. The stairs may force the issue.

Are you unable to walk at this time? I did ask my surgeon what happened if the stem loosened in the bone, and whether it meant a person could not walk, and he said, yes.

I used to keep honeybees. I knew an elderly beekeeper who had a mobility scooter. It seemed to work for him but it had its challenges. I wish you luck.

 

[Deni444]

My reference to 'general chat' relates to the Bone Smart guidelines that I believe discourage more than a little off topic 'chit-chat'. It makes their job quite difficult if they have to try and unravel questions and concerns from off topic conversations. I'm in danger of being a frequent offender because I struggle to say what could be said in a sentence without writing three paragraphs I'm sure they won't mind this couple of posts but they encourage the use of the PM function for ongoing conversation.

I lost the ability to walk very far a few months before my first replacement because my hips had deteriorated to collapse. I've been improving very slowly since hip #1 and am about to find out how far my recovery takes me following hip #2. I have developmental dysplasia and some significant soft tissue damage along with a slight spine curvature. I also have undiagnosed inflammatory arthritis on top of osteoarthritis. My surgeon now believes my goals are achievable in terms of recovering but I don't expect to regain the level of flexibility or mobility I had before. I'll take what I get.

Thank you for the kind well wishes... Maybe have a look at some of the new scooters out. They have some remarkable options these days.