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Hip Infection* Westy's Hip Recovery Thread

Good heavens. The incompetence is off the scale. Are you sure he operated on the correct hip?!!

Seriously I admire your sense of humour and fortitude. Hoping for an uneventful ride for the rest of your recovery!
 
@Westy I was reading my February 2020 Mayo Clinic newsletter today. It had a section devoted to THR Infections. Bottom line, they claim a 90% success rate. I thought that sounded very encouraging.
 
Hi all,

This coming week I have:

Monday: *NEW* (YESSSSS) home health care nurse to install a new dressing on my PICC line and another home health care person to draw blood for the gazillion weekly blood tests they run. After that, my first post op appointment with my GP.

Tuesday: first in office meeting with the ID doc. Will be glad to see her and discuss some of the blood test results from tomorrow. Also want to inquire about long term immune system damage from taking all these blasted antibiotics. Time to hear some [HASH=236]#truth[/HASH]. :)

Barring any further screw ups by the home health care people, and assuming everything remains ok in terms of the recovery, I don't anticipate any more unplanned visits to the hospital or doctor's office this coming week. That said, the way things have been going, I just never know. <SMH>

I still have a fair amount of drainage from the incision. Fortunately, it's been clear yellow with just a tiny tinge of pink (caused by a tiny bit of blood from time to time) and most importantly, totally devoid of any foul aroma. Of course, this was the case after surgery number two as well,so I don't really know if the "being devoid of a foul smelling aroma thing" means anything. I am kind of bummed that the incision hasn't completely closed yet, but we'll see what this week brings. Also, on a brighter note, my body seems to be accepting the antibiotics a bit better. The only downside, I still have a decent amount of pain in the way upper portion of the groin, where the thigh meets the pelvis. It comes and goes, and it is where most of the work was concentrated, so it's probably normal. I'm down to 3 Norco per day, and plan on going down to 2 starting Tuesday. Going to stay with 2 per day for 4 days, and then get down to 1 per day for a total of 5 days. Hopefully that schedule will allow me to come off them without any ill effects.

I'll be back on Wed to share what the ID doc said. Of course, if there's any more comedy of errors that pop up, I'll be back sooner. Thanks everyone, and have a great week ahead.

Westy
 
VSlowLife said:
@Westy I was reading my February 2020 Mayo Clinic newsletter today. It had a section devoted to THR Infections. Bottom line, they claim a 90% success rate. I thought that sounded very encouraging.
Click to expand...


Hi @VSlowLife The ID doc that's treating me claims a 90% success rate as well. The OS and the guy I got the second opinion from claim more like 70 to 75% success rate specifically for the procedure I had on surgery #3. Those are all decent numbers. Maybe I'm just being selective, but the ID doc we're using seemed to be the sharpest of them all. The nurses I spoke with while in the hospital referred to him as a "total genius" I'm under the care of him and his female partner. They both come across as very bright. Only time will tell. Thanks for all your encouraging posts, I appreciate you and everyone else here, very much.

Westy

PS, the nurses at our hospital that took care of me were all brutally honest with their opinions. I really appreciated that.
 
Good afternoon to all my online Hipster friends. I saw my ID doc this morning and unfortunately, she's very concerned about infection on the implants. What led her to this conclusion you ask? Well, as you may recall, I was quite optimistic as my wound (incision) drainage had subsided quite a bit over the last few says. A scab had formed on top of the area where most of the drainage was coming from. Mind you, most of the incision is healed and back together already, just this pesky little 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch area is wear the round scab had formed. The ID doc took a long wood (medical grade) "q-Tip" and peeled the scab off. Once she did we had a GUSHER, ladies and gentlemen. She was able to easily push that "Q-Tip several inches into the open portion of the incision, and stopped before bottoming out, because she fears it may have gone all the way into the actual implant (the top part, forgot the name, sorry) This is very concerning to her as this should have been fully healed by now. I'm also feeling a good deal of pain and stiffness in that upper region, which bothers me.
She said I'll send a note over to your IS to see if he's going to want to do another surgery to remove the implants and stick a spacer in there. YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told her, he'll not have that opportunity, as i am going to another OS for any further surgeries. I called the other guy when we got home, and registered with his group. He was recommended by a guy I grew up with, who was a big time surgeon with this group for a very long time. Sadly, he retired back on July 1, but he recommended the new guy and gave him glowing reviews. He specializes in fixing other doctor's work that didn't errrrrrrrrrr, ummmmm, go so well. LOL

I'm trying to keep a positive attitude, but to be brutally honest with all my online buds here, this STINKS and I'm not a happy camper.
Surgery [HASH=60]#4,[/HASH] if deemed needed, is the open me up, rip out the original implants, clean all the still infected tissue and bone matter and then put the spacer in. That comes along with a fresh round of 6 more weeks of these IV antibiotics. After the 6 weeks passes, the ID doc said they like to go 3 to 4 weeks with the IV antibiotics before proceeding with the #5 surgery, which of course is the REVISION surgery. the reason being, they like to see how the body reacts with just the spacer antibiotics. If all this comes to be, we're now in high risk area, and facing many possible complications. I'm no spring chicken and to be honest, I can't stand hospitals.

That's where I am at the moment. I am waiting on call back from the second OS to see how soon he can get me in. I'm hoping sooner rather than later and if i have to name drop, LOL, I will darnit!!!!!

thanks for listening. have you guys notices how long my posts are? My good ness, what a BIG MOUTH long winded air bag I can be. Have a great day y'all, and thanks in advance for all your good thoughts. You're my people in the HIPSTER world, and I darn sure appreciate each and every one of you.

WESTY
 
Aww, Westy....I'm so sorry. Not anything anyone wants to hear. But you want to get this right and if what you've explained brings you back to health with perfect healing...you'll get through it. You'll have many here to encourage you along the way with words of support, prayers and healing wishes. Take it one step at a time. While difficult, you will make it to your happy ending.
We're here and will continue to be here for you. We care.
Big hugs to you. :console2:
@Westy
 
Oh @Westy my heart goes out to you. It does stink, :tantrum2: but I am so glad this specialist had a good look and is steering you in the right direction.

It sounds like you have some better direction, thanks to your childhood friend. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
 
Oh my stars....how absolutely horrid that description sounds...I bet you were just floored!
I am also sending prayers and hope they get you in quickly.
I can only imagine the prospect of two more surgeries is overwhelming...but there are No Choices. We will be collectively sending you good vibes and are here when you need us...for as much as we can do.
 
Good evening all,

I'm seeing my original OS tomorrow to get his input. We're working on a date with the new OS, and will hopefully have an firm date by tomorrow.
Thanks to everyone for the good thoughts and positive vibes. They really do help.


Westy
 
Well, phooey! Westy, you have a good attitude, I know you are discouraged but you still write your experiences with some humor.I wish you didn't have as much to write about though!
So glad you were able to see the I.D. Dr and glad she was so thorough with that scabbed area.

Good luck with your appointment tomorrow.. I hope the surgery can get scheduled asap.

hugs! @Westy
 
:wave: Westy. I am sorry to read of all the issues you have been going through and I hope you get definitive answers with your new OS.

I know from experience how unpleasant an infection can be having had e-Coli in my hip and down through my thigh almost three years after my original THR when I went in for a Revision following a fall and shoving the stem through my femur.

I took antibiotics in tablet form for nearly five months after the discovery of my infection, debridement and placement of the spacer as IVs collapsed my veins before my Stage 2 was performed.

Just me (and I have no medical experience) but I wonder if the US doctors rush things a wee bit. I would not like a debridement and everything be put back immediately.

Ant old hoo, sending you best wishes from across the waves and I look forward to reading about a successful recovery one way or the other.

Keep those spirits up.

[Bonesmart.org] Westy's Hip Recovery Thread Izzy xx
 
@Westy
Hope your OS visit went well on Weds!! Not sure where you live but if you don’t get satisfaction where you currently are I would go to HSS, Mayo or another top Center of Excellence to deal with this. I got a great consult at HSS within two weeks of my initial phone call.
 
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