Guest viewing is limited

THR The marvels of recovery

Status
Not open for further replies.
I'm so glad you survived that fall. It's amazing what these hips can withstand. A friend of mine in NY fell 40 feet backstage. His replaced hip was okay. Incredible. I'm glad that someone helped you and made sure you weren't hurt. I hope you're not in too much pain now.
 
Thanks for all of your care and concern!

@Hip Hip Hooray! @Gummy Bears @Granny Di @keepmovin @CatLady1 @Cynthia777 @Jaycey

This forum is so wonderful for bringing people together and helping us to support each other.

I was surprised and (positively!) shocked when I stood up with an intact hip after my fall. And the next day, I was amazed that what hurt in my body was the radial opposite of my operated hip. My right shoulder and neck -- ouch. But my operated left hip was like, "What's the matter with the rest of you?"

Almost amusingly, the next day I came down with a cold, so I wasn't sure whether the aches and pains were symptoms of the combination the fall and the virus or just the virus.
 
One year ago, I could barely walk around the block. Walking produced grinding pain and getting around was exhausting, both because pain is exhausting and because the rest of my body was trying to pitch in to produce movement.

Such a contrast to last week...last Sunday, I walked a 10K in Nappa Valley. I walked mainly for the heck of it.

I'm based in NYC, but my company also has an office in San Francisco. My boss decided she wanted to run a half marathon and invited any of us who wanted to participate to come out. Okay, I'll bite. There were half marathon, 10K, and 5K options, and I figured I would just walk. I completely didn't care about time...I just wanted to find out if I could walk the distance. I certainly wasn't among the first of the people who walked the 10K to cross the finish line...but I wasn't the last either. :SUNsmile: I'm glad I didn't opt for the 5K. Although the turnaround was tempting, the walk was even more scenic after the 5K mark, and I felt great after the full 10K.

What a difference a year makes. I still need to continue to stretch and strengthen, but this journey is worth it!
 
You picked a perfect place to prance through a 10 km. I am so proud of you!
I am also at the strengthen and stretch stage. I think we did this recovery well. :martini:
I'll drink to you and me.
Diane
 
Today, I went for my one year check up. :)

All's well! Dr. Sculco seemed genuinely pleased. I'm walking well, I have a range of motion that seems fairly normal (I can sit cross legged now which I've never been able to in my life!), the implant looks good, the scar looks good, and I'm regaining muscle in my operated leg. He commented again to me and to his Fellow that my hip was unusually complicated. He said, "On a scale of one to ten, your hip was an eleven." And he added that my current x-ray and check up are "as good as it gets."

Here's the original hip, btw, which goes up to eleven. [Bonesmart.org] The marvels of recovery

I forgot to get a photo of today's x-ray, alas. Now I have to remember to make an appointment in three years. He doesn't need to see me till then.
 
Wow Julie, nothing left of that old hip. Great update! So glad everything is going well for you!
 
@Jaycey, nope, there really wasn't anything left! I have to say that there wasn't much there to begin with - ball was always small, sitting atop a fairly straight femur, and clapped into a very shallow socket. But by the time I agreed to surgery the head of the femur had kind of mushroomed out and jammed itself into a spot in my pelvis where it just didn't belong! I'm just glad there was enough bone left for my OS to screw the replacement socket into a proper position.

I wish I could get more detail from my OS about what made the surgery a challenge. Oddly, now that it's done and successful, I crave the details that would have made me squeamish before.
 
Hi Julie, just read a couple of your other comments and wanted to thank you for returning to post the reassuring and positive updates. I can relate to much of your story, your world does start to shrink as pain escalates and you don't always realize how much this affects your overall well being and good mood. @gullimac is correct about the mind-body connection. I went from "a THR.. are you serious?" to "oh, no!!" to I can hardly wait!!
Have a great day:)
 
My goodness -you must have been in serious pain. Thank goodness it is all over now and you can enjoy life.
Di
 
@Gummy Bears

Honestly, it was fast: an x-ray, a chat with my surgeon's Fellow, and a brief visit and hug from my surgeon. He said I'm good for three years and reminded me to keep stretching and strengthening. I've got my permanent walker's license. :heehee: Actually, maybe it's more of a normal-person license, since he has given me no restrictions and I'm closer to being able to sit cross-legged since any time before in my life!

I was the first appointment of the day, so I was in, x-rayed, and out in around an hour. An hour and fifteen, to be precise.
 
@Granny Di

Yes...it's crazy that I held on to that old joint for as long (and as stubbornly) as I did. I remember my husband seeing it and his mouth dropping open. He couldn't believe I was able to walk at all. :)
 
@JulieJF Excellent! Looks like things are going well for you. I had my 1-year follow-up last week. I go back in 5 years. He said if I miss that one, just come back in ANOTHER 5-years. He said the next crucial time he likes to see patients again (unless of course there are specific issues) is 20 years.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

  • Jockette
    Jockette
    Staff member since March 18, 2018
  • djklaugh
    djklaugh
    Staff member since December 30, 2020
  • Jamie
    Jamie
    Staff member since Feb, 2009

Members online

Total: 2,006 (members: 3, guests: 2,003)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom