HI to those I know and to those I do not know. I have not been engaged with this wonderful site for a while, too long, and I miss it! This site helped me survive one failed THR and the revision.
Quickly my story...First THR went perfectly. It was an anterior approach method and within five weeks I was moving about like I had never had surgery. Second one went wrong within the first couple of weeks. My surgeon tried various proceedures to help the situation but to no avail. Then I was kicked out of his practice because I missed two payments on my account and I was left writhing in pain, crippled, for life. That is how it felt. I could not move without screaming and I became depressed. My whole life was changed by this.
THEN I discovered this site and the wonderful people on here helped me go for a second opinion, taught me to research the surgeon first and I chose Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, about five hours from my home. That surgeon found the problem immediately, while the other could not, and it was that my device had come loose and was migrating, twisting and projecting outwards, hitting every nerve possible. So he did the successful revision! Revisions are tough.
Around 6 months post op I began to pray for a part time job and one surfaced almost immediately. A light duty janitorial job for two hours a day. And I can tell you that after laying aound deteriorating for two years, it left me MORE than out of shape! The first two months at this job left me feeling that I was going to die! Oh my! I am 57 and never felt so weak in my life. I sweated, I mean drenched with sweat because the physical exertion was so difficult to do.
Then my newest hip began to hurt. An x-ray showed that there was no damage, so I just had to work out the kinks. I was very careful not to break the 90 degree rule and twist while breaking it. Now I am 10 and a half months post op and feel stonger, more flexible than I have in a long time.
It feels good to be back out among the living, earning a little money, and feeling a sense of accomplishment that the bad THR took away from me. And I job share with a friend who covers me when I cannot work. I am proud to say that I just accomplished working five days a week three weeks in a row!
After all that extreme pain I suffered, I want you to know that I am having many, many mornings when I awaken and feel absolutely no pain! I lay there and thank God for moments like this and try to just soak up the good feelings before I have to get up to begin my day.
When I was down and out with all that pain and failed device, that was all I could think about. Life all but stopped and sometimes I wished I were dead. Now I can reach higher levels of thinking. I have even meandered around my yard making mental notes of what needs done in the Spring and actually feeling as though I will be able to complete the tasks.
I want to send the message that no matter how bad off you are right now, it will, it can, get better. Just around the corner there is life as you knew it. And for those who are permanently in pain, know that my heart goes out to you and I admire how you survive. You ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE TO HEAL RIGHT, so be patient with yourself and your medical team and do what you are told to do. There is nothing wrong with stretching yourself to see where you new boundaries are as you progress, but do so carefully.
Hugs to all!
Dawn, USA