Screwed?!?!

Today I went for my two week post surgery check up with DR. M (I am really only 1.5 weeks post surgery, but lets not split hairs about it ;) )
To the left is the beautifully drawn masterpiece of my hip by Dr. M. The scrambled mess on the drawing is the artistic version of all my cartilage that is bad/gone/ and or destroyed. I also have no labrum left either (so glad the first two surgeries to repair my labrum worked!...and yes that was me being totally sarcastic)
So The Brief Version:
* Removed Bandages...incision looks ..um lets say..gross..yup that's a good adjective!  It will get better w/ time...he cut into a good 4 to 5 inches of my SDD incision. Good News no infections and it is healing well!
*Stopped Pain Meds (DR M was actually shocked...he said "good job, because I know you must be in pain") Pain meds are like poison to my body..they make me so sick, but on the same note they are a little piece of heaven when you are in severe pain....it is my body's catch-22! Ice, ibuprofen, and rest can take care of me  now.
**Now that the screws are out we will be doing a double MRI of both my left and right hip..yes my left hip also has FAI and is hurting currently..but we are so not going there at the moment. It is a 2 hour MRI..I am actually freaked out by this more than surgery #4 (OK maybe I won't go that far nonetheless not happy about it)...I really don't know how I can stay still in a MRI machine for 2 hours!

So I now have two appointments set up with two different hip surgeons in two different hospitals who do hip replacements..I am not going to rush into this..I want to make sure this is the only way to go..and one opinion at this point won't cut it for me!

Good news I can start to go back to PT next week..just no aqua therapy for a month (boo!), because of the incision.

I guess the best news from all of this is that that screw removal really seemed to have help the sharp pain I was getting in my side..so YAY..a surgery worked..but I couldn't help feeling a little "screwed" leaving my appointment with Dr. M. 


(Picture to the right...2 weeks post op...I put on some make-up and made myself feel more human than patient..it actually picked up my mood ..which is nice after a looooooong 2 weeks ;)

Later Hipsters! xo

Screw It!

4th Hip Surgery: Had to even change my intro to my blog.

So on Jan 12th 2011 I had my three screws that were in my hip taken out. Also I had my IT band lengthened and leftover stiches from surgery #3 removed. As well as a cortisone injection into my hip joint for pain relief and diagnostic means (to check-in on my arthritis situation in my hip). Dr. M felt that the surgery was a success..to define sucess with this surgery:

1. Screws did not break during removal

and I survived..;)

A little pre surgery drama set the tone for the next 3 days:

1. Massive Snowstorm was heading to Boston for the morning of my surgery

2.A relative of Dr. M died the day before and he had to leave right after surgery during the storm to a funeral in NJ (Dr. M called me the night before surgery to tell me this and to go over all the possible outcomes "bad things that could happen" during surgery)

3.I was told by Dr. M that I would have a covering surgeon follow me post operative (lets just put it this way..I wasn't a big fan of the "covering Dr"...enough said)

So a Action Plan was put into effect: Plan is as followed:

 A. D and I packed our bags and headed out the night before surgery to stay with my Dad and my Stepmother who live close by to the hospital

B. We parked my car in the Beth Israel Hospital parking lot to avoid parking issue in Boston..and shoveling!

C. Slept

D. My Dad and D got up at 6:30am and shoveled out my Dad's car (HUGE SNOWSTORM..predictions were correct) while I showered w/ this cleansing shower treatment the hospital wanted me to use (that was the first time I had to do that..maybe because I was at an adult hospital this time around ;) )

E. Made it to the hospital because of my dad's superior driving skills and was the FIRST patient to arrive at the OR for my 8am Check-in (no stickers for being on time..awww i missed the good ole days at Children's Hospital ;) )

F. Dr M arrived at 9am (surgery on)

New Hospital but same old routine..... put on a hospital johnny that was way to big and did not cover my backside....had IV put in...went over my thousand allergies and had and in depth talk with the anesthesiologist (the please don't let me die speech I usually give them ..just to keep them on their toes)... then Dr M and his gang come by and do the greet and meet....then I get the speech about all the what if's.....I then sign my life away on the dotted line....Dr M then autograph's my right hip...Mr. anesthesiologist comes back and gives me the "relaxing med" through my IV (and trust me those meds relax the heck out of you to the point you are almost laughing going into surgery..I think I actually started making jokes, and I was scared out of my wits only a few moments prior)...and then they wheeled me into the OR..Lights Out!

When I awoke..Ok I don't remember much at that point..I do remember that they gave me a container with my screws (a request I made before surgery..and as my friend pointed out why not I paid for them)...I remember having the chills really bad...and I remember I wasn't allowed any visitors..(that kind of sucked.) I think a few hours went by and then I got wheeled to my hospital room. D was there when I got there (at least that is what he told me) in all seriousness I actually don't remember a lot of the first day and night, but D was by my side the whole time so he filled me in. It took me 24 hours before I actually got some sleep..well besides when they knocked me out for surgery...does that count as sleep?? I spent a total of 3 days in the hospital. I felt pretty lousy the whole time I am not going to sugarcoat it for you..there was a lot of pain and the medication made me very sick. I got up on my crutches and walked the hall a little by day 3 and that felt really weird. I only can described it like this: It felt like they sewed a lead weight into my hip. It was heavy, tight, and painful to move, but I did walk and that is what you have to do to move on!

Dr M had to re-open 4 inches of my 12 inch scar from my last hip surgery (it is still covered up with bandages, so I have no idea what it looks like..all I can tell you is that it's real itchy..ugh). I see Dr M in a week for my follow up and I think bandage removal. I am now officially one week post surgery and I am definitely doing better than I was a week ago. My pre- surgery pain has subsided (yay), but I have surgical pain in it's place..it will be interesting to see how my hip will be feeling once it has healed...fingers and toes crossed that it will feel much better. It is truly a pain to be in pain..and that my friends is quite the understatement ;).

Dr M says the first two weeks are the worst....so I will get back to you in a week and let you know how things are..until then I am going to keep on resting and healing!

**Thank You D for staying with me morning, noon, and night for the 3 days in the hospital..I can't thank you enough for being my prince charming!

**Thank you to my family and friends for all your encouragement, love and support!

I Always Think People Are Joking When They Tell Me I Have A Screw Loose ;)

Well actually I have 3 screws that need to be removed!
So to backtrack a moment:
On Christmas Eve I felt a sharp shooting pain in my hip that literally made me scream out loud (I actually think I scared D and his brother). After resting for 10 minutes or so the pain subsided. 48 hours later it happened again..twice! To describe the pain that I felt I believe is virtually impossible...but the only thing I can say it didn't last long, but the sharpness of it took my breath away ...OUCH!
I then developed swelling next to my incision going towards the back of my leg..kind of like a tennis ball under my skin. After a few calls back and forth with Childrens Hospital's on call staff (who are great by the way) I decided to pay them a visit. They waived the "I am to old for Children's Hospital rule" for me that night. So back at CH one more time. They got me into a room in the ER immediately after walking in the door (impressive) ! I had some X-rays done on my hip , was administered pain medication (which did help), and some Zofran for nausea (upset belly due to pain) . After seeing two surgeons and the ER Dr. their  conclusion was that I had no infection, but an abnormality on my X-ray, swelling in my hip (duh), and a very tight IT band and Psoas tendon, as well as tendinitus in a new set of muscles/ tendons?? in the back of my leg. They felt that my "hardware" should be removed/ my body was rejecting the screws and causing some havoc in my hip. On Monday when Dr. M was back at work he looked over my reports and X-rays and felt they were right and has now booked me for surgery.... NEXT WEEK!! I guess this time there really is no waiting game. So 2011 and one more hip surgery........4th time is the charm ????!!!!
 Dr. M is also going to be doing a cortisone injection as well that day into my hip joint for a diagnostic tool and  for possible pain relief as well (there was talk last month at our visit of possibly needing to replace my hip..this is one tool he will be using to see how my hip is doing).
Hopefully the removal of the screws will bring me the pain relief I so desperately need. This hip is really making a mess of things for me and I need it to behave...like NOW!
So at this point I am back on crutches to reduce swelling, and waiting patiently (kind of) for next week to come and get this hopefully LAST surgery over and done with.

I really hope this works...I am done with pain, surgeries, and my hip in general! I will let you know how it goes..until then please keep your fingers crossed for me! Cheers!
(X-ray of hip is post -surgery Feb 2010)