Tag Archives: hardware removal

Summer 2014

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Holy macaroni has a been a while! 6 months since my last post is inexcusable so I have made a commitment that even if I do not have an impending surgery scheduled, that I will update my blog at least once per season. And this, dear readers, is summer.

Since I last posted, I completed the “plan of attack” I mentioned in my previous post — a combination of 2/week pilates, 1/week physical therapy, daily anti-inflammatories, and monthly meetings with my surgeon.  I still need to lose weight (for health reasons) but am hopeful that the regimented schedule required by part-time law school in the fall will help that along.

I am happy to say that my right hip, the PAO side, is doing really well.  In general, I have no pain unless I walk for a really long time and even then, the pain is mild (though I have to acknowledge that I haven’t pushed my hips beyond basic activities like walking).  Dr. Sink has been very happy with this recovery as well, although he did acknowledge that my recovery from the PAO was about 200% of the average.  I am the turtle of recovery but dammit, I think I pretty crossed the finish line.

The left hip continues to strengthen but unfortunately, the pain caused by activity – specifically any significant distance walking – has steadily increased.  As a result, my left hip is out of line and thus in pain.  Often, after sitting for a period of time, my left hip will ache just from standing up and I limp around for a while like a Weeble-Wobble.  I avoid stairs as much as possible because they cause the greatest pain.  On top of it all, I have maxed out of PT sessions because apparently I am ‘all better.’  All of that said, Dr. Sink and I agree that it seems possible that it will continue to improve, if slowly, so I am going to wait a bit longer see him around Christmas to discuss next steps and to have new MRI and X-Rays taken.  Based on my symptoms and the pain level, my guess is that I will have a total hip replacement within the next 9-15 months.

All of that said, I start back at my last semester in of law school in 2 weeks, followed by the Bar in late February, and then I’m DONE!  While it is unlikely I will ever run again, I’ve wrapped my head around that fact.  However, I continue to take pilates, bowl, golf, ride my bike (on occasion) and even take weekly trapeze classes — strangely, trapeze doesn’t bother my hips a stitch —  and here is video proof from my trapeze show on August 8th.    Onwards to Fall!

Dramatic Improvements

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Just under 3 weeks post screw removal and I did something today that I had honestly believed I’d likely never do again. I ran!

I decided to try to go for a walk to see how my hips are really doing by testing them out. I’ll admit that and it was rough at first – the bursitis in both hips (especially in my left) is definitely still there and both psoas were a little crabby – but felt a little better after a while (or maybe I was just numb – it was pretty cold outside). So after I’d been out about 20 minutes and was feeling a little cocky, I figured what the heck and just jogged/ran a block. It didn’t hurt any more or less than walking and felt so incredibly freeing that it was like I was dreaming. I proceeded to walk/run for the next 40 minutes, mostly walking but taking breaks to jog a block or two. I smiled the entire way.

I’m gonna ask my physical therapist if there is any reason I really shouldn’t run a bit but I think that as long as I’m careful and take time to strengthen and stretch they’ll be on board. I was never a very good or fast runner but I really loved it. I am so happy to imagine that it could someday be a real part of my life again!

Oh, and I had my 2 week post-op last Monday and all went well. Dr. S. was really happy with my progress and pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t using any sort of walking aid, either a cane or crutch. My scars are healing quickly and I’m not due for another follow-up until April. I got my operative report which did note that they’d had to repair my bursa when they removed the screws and that I’d had a lot of bursitis in my left hip, a fact that came as no surprise to me based on my previous levels of discomfort. I am meeting with PT before that so they can give me guidance on what I should focus on.

Onward and upward!

(Mostly) Hardware Free 2014

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Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fantastic time celebrating the end of 2013/start of 2014.  I spent last evening at home, recovering from yesterday’s removal of 7 of the 8 screws that were installed during my PAO and Open surgeries. Here’s a (rather long) recap of how surgery went and how recovery has gone so far.

Before surgery...

Excited pre-op

Surgery was initially expected to take about an hour and a half; it ended up taking closer to two and a half hours. Anesthesia consisted of a spinal and sedation. Dr. S started by removing the 3 screws from the left side which had bursitis that he had to clean-up and then removed 4 of the 5 screws from my right side (1 of the screws was positioned too deep to be easily removed).

I woke up in the PACU in a lot of pain in my left side, a burning ache from my left hip down my left side into my knee and cramping my left calf, pain at about a 7 or 8/10. The pain in my right side was not nearly as bad, about 3/10.

...after surgery

Exhausted post-op

The nurse injected liquid Motrin into my IV (which basically had no effect) and then injected Dilauded which worked right away (thank goodness). Dr. S stopped by to check on me (I only vaguely remember that he was there, I was still drugged from surgery) and talked to my husband about how the procedure went. The nurses in pre-op and the PACU were very warm and helpful (another great experience at HSS).

I was in the PACU for 2-3 hours, had 1/2 a cheese sandwich and some ginger ale, and my first dose of Percocet. I got to the point where I felt ok enough (pain at about a 4/10) that I managed to dress myself and was released last evening.

The evening was uneventful and I faithfully took my Percocet every 4 hours, even through the night which was restless and insomnia filled. Unfortunately, this morning I made the mistake I tend to make the day after surgery – I felt so OK, pain wise, that I thought I could wait 5-6 hours to take my pain meds. Bad, bad idea. The pain in my left side, which had been at a steady 3 or 4 out of 10, spiked to 8/10, and I was suddenly in tears. Just then a nurse from HSS called to check-in with me (perfect timing) and reminded me that I MUST take my pain pills every 4 hours on the dot. So I’m on it, the pain’s down to about a 5 or 6/10, and we’ll see how the next few hours go.

Right hip

Screw removal -- Right hip (gauzed) (2)Here are some photos of the surgical coverings (and a peek at a few of my tattoos).  My left hip is on the left side, my right hip on the right.  I can’t take off the gauze or take a shower until Friday so I won’t know how long the incisions are until then. Bathing in the sink until then — Yippee!

My next appointment with Dr. S is Jan 13th when the stitches will be clipped and the steri-strips replaced.  For now and the next few weeks I plan to take my pills and take it very easy.