Hip Infection* Westy's Hip Recovery Thread

@Westy my hippie friend! So very happy to see your update.. good for you! Everything sounds very optimistic and your update was very lucid and detailed.
I also enjoyed reading that you are following the elevation and icing routine. I sure hope you will have less pain with having a new hip installed!
Congrats!!
 
Hi, @Westy....great news so far! Glad to hear it. My husband used Juven after one of his surgeries and I think it is an excellent product. It was a nurse that told him about it as well. Those nurses are smart cookies! Hope things continue to go well for you.
 
Hello all my hipster friends, Two weeks post surgery today. Some very cool stuff to report (at least to me) When the home health nurse removed the wound vac, we were both surprised to see that the OS used the surgical glue to close the incision as opposed to the HD sutures the last OS used.

We were also very pleasantly surprised to see the incision was almost totally dry, with very little fluid leakage and healing beautifully. That was 7 days ago. (Wound vac removal) Since then the only trace of leakage has been a drop of blood from what my wife describes as a blister that was off to the side of the incision and caused by the wound vac. Other than that, this incision is a thing of beauty.

Now I do have a small issue at the very top of it, and that would be a small seroma.
This is the first time I've dealt with one of these seroma's The OS gave me a a few pages of printed material pre surgery, and these are mentioned. I've been instructed to ice the seroma several times a day. Mine is not painful, tender, or large. I'd say about 50 to 60% of the size of a golf ball. It's not growing, and in fact, it feels to me like it's going down in size a little each day.

I've had just two sessions with the PT lady, and she's awesome. She really knows her stuff compared to the last several I've had.

Much to my delight, I've slept the last 5 nights in a bed in one of our back bedrooms. These are the first 5 nights I've been able to sleep in a bed back to back since Jan.

I'm getting around pretty darn well too. I still use the walker or the cane 99% of the time.

The pain level varies from day to day. The good part is that Norco knocks it away really well and fairly quickly.

The OS also prescribed Lyrica, which is a first for me. I have to time it such that I'm not taking the Norco and Lyrica too close together, which is no biggie for me.

The latest surgery left me with some nerve issues, and that results in a "tingling" sensation on the side of the thigh, and at times in my left foot. The Lyrica helps greatly with this.
Over time, this should subside, as the swelling from the surgery goes down.

Speaking of swelling, it's gone down a ton since they released me from the hospital. I'm icing, elevating, and taking Meloxicam, which seems to be working well.

So far, (knock on wood) everything is going really well on the recovery front. I'm taking an oral antibiotic twice a day which is intended to keep infections at bay, given my history. (YIKES)
This product called Juven which I'm taking twice a day has really helped the incision heal well too.

First post op OS visit is coming up. I'm sure they'll grab some X-ray's to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be.

Oh, and that left knee which was giving me a ton of pain has calmed down quite a bit. I think it's a combination of meds, icing, elevating, time, and exercises. All in all, so far, it feels very much like this might be the surgery that got me out of the hole. Finger crossed, time will tell.

I'll update the thread once I see the OS and as time goes by. Thank you to each and every one of you awesome people for all the support throughout this entire past 12 months. Words can't possibly describe how much you all have helped me get through this period. I am grateful for all of you and so lucky to be part of this hippie family. Thank you, thank you, thank you


Westy
 
What an encouraging update to read. It slapped a big ol smile on my face and warmed my heart! We’re all rooting for you, Westy, and will continue to follow your story all the way to your happy ending. PTL!
A wonderful week to you. :)
@Westy
 
wonderful news @Westy ! That's a shame about the seroma, but at least it's not a sizeable one.. let's hope it continues to recede. Your pain is under control, too.. this is how it's supposed to be.. Congrats!!
It's great to also hear that your PT is a keeper! It's so nice to trust trust for your therapists.

Well, as you can see, we are all so happy for you, you deserved to see the rainbow after the storm.
Long overdue.

Take care and will look forward to the next update. :yay:
 
Great news @Westy! Hopefully nothing but smooth sailing from here, you deserve it.
 
Oh my stars. .I am so happy to see your updates:yes!:
I haven't been on the forum regularly for a few weeks as my father passed but, Boy Howdy, this makes my morning.:yahoo:
Eat well...be well.
One day at a time...
 
Hello and Happy Summer to all my hipster friends,

I know I haven't been around the forum at all for a while. Since the last surgery, the revision, my entire day to day life has changed dramatically. I use to spend hours every single day in my office/man cave, which is otherwise known as the basement. LOL Well, as I type this from my PC, this is literally the first time I've been down here since my last posting to the thread.

Being pretty sick and in pain over the last year, I wasn't able to spend much time outdoors, which is something I love to do. Our little house backs up to 13 straight miles of farm fields, with lots of gorgeous views of various clumps of trees and greenery on hilly areas. I've spent close to 10 hours per day out in our back yard, soaking up the fresh air, the sunshine, and the smells of summer. I feel almost normal again, but don't let that fool you.

I don't know if I mentioned it or not, but on my first post op visit to my OS, he mentioned that I had a "possible" fracture in the Greater Trochanter. The radiologist confirmed the very same in his analysis of my X-Ray. I didn't give it much thought, as I had a fracture in my femur that occurred during the explant, if I recall correctly. That healed up in a few weeks, maybe 3. This "possible fracture in the greater trochanter" isn't healing up, and in fact may be getting worse. I'm in a fair amount of pain at times, and still have a hard time walking without the cane most of the time. After visiting with my primary and backup primary, they both said to stay on a small dose of Norco to keep the edge off, pain wise. While I thought I'd be narcotic free by now, sadly, the pain is enough to where I'm still having to take 5mg of Norco in the morning and after dinner. Sometimes, that goes up to 10 mg. I'm also taking 75mg of Lyrica in between the Norco doses for nerve pain. At times I have very little feeling in my thigh muscles, which the OS addressed. He sadi the infection did a major number to my muscles, tendons, and bone. That's why he said plan on 6 to 12 months for recovery. YIKES!!!

All that said, I see the OS again this coming week, and I'm hoping he orders fresh X-Rays and some sort of scan to see if the "possible" fracture has worsened. My labs all came back really good last week, save for my Hemoglobin, which is stil a tad low. Another month of the iron pills should fix that. All this said, I'm still 1000 times better off than I was prior to the latest surgery. I'm grateful for that, very grateful. I do hope we can get to the bottom of the ongoing pain, but if not, and I have to live with it, I'm good. I'll catch you all after the OS visit. Meantime, I haven't forgotten about all the support you all gave me during this whole ordeal. I just needed to catch up on my love of fresh air and sunshine. I hope everyone is well in these surreal times we're living through. All the best to you and yours.

Westy
 
Aww, Westy, I’m sorry to read this. I will look forward to your update after your visit with the OS and will continue to pray for your happy ending. I have faith it’s coming. We’re here for you always.
A peaceful Sunday to you!
@Westy
 
:wave:All the best for your upcoming appointment and I hope you get encouraging news..
Fresh air and sunshine is an important therapeutic strategy...good for the spirit also:SUNsmile::SUNsmile::SUNsmile:
I hope your pain lessens and things keep getting easier.

Healing mojo still coming your way, friend.:friends:
 
@Westy

Thinking of you and hoping you received some positive news at your recent Dr visit.
Would love to hear how you are doing, when you are up to it.

:praying::praying::praying::praying:
 

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