Welcome Back to Life - LBHR Mr Treacy 9th August 2012

[Mike D]

Pat commented a while back about how important it is to keep the crutches until you can walk properly and it sounds good to me.
She said it was best to go down to using one opposite the operated hip for as long as it takes.
I got so fed up of people asking me about my limp that I'll keep them till the limping ghost is fully exorcised!

[rubyred]

I think that I'm so used to being lop sided that a limp feels normal for me now! I don't limp when I use just the one crutch though, so maybe time will sort that.

[hernanu]

You have a lot of muscles to retrain, ruby - use whatever doesn't give you a limp. Walking without that will let your body relax and realign.

[rubyred]

I wouldn't dare go out without at least a cane or a crutch, but I do admit to 'testing' my body when I'm in the house.... just to see how it copes with walking unaided. Usually it feels weird and unbalanced, so I always have something nearby to grab.

One of Mr T's surgical team kept changing his mind whilst I was in hospital with regards to how long to use the crutches for and how many. At first he said 2 crutches for 2 weeks then to just use whatever felt comfortable and if that meant walking with nothing by the time my 6 week follow up came, then that was a bonus. In the next breath he'd change his mind and said I should remain on 2 crutches until my follow up.... I was a bit confused really so in a way i've followed what feels right for my body and right now it feels most safe and comfortable with 1 crutch.

[gary2010]

Hi Ruby,
I passed the 2 year mark yesterday and I've nothing to report except that I feel completely normal.
All the best
Gary.

[rubyred]

I'm a little over 5 weeks and this groin pain is showing no signs of letting up! I swear if it wasn't for that I'd be flying high!

[morph]

HI Ruby, sounds like you are doing fine, the groin pain will go. The outside heals but you are still very tender inside and probably will be for some months yet, but this will gradually get better. I was on two crutches most the time for six weeks. The limp is probably a mental thing as well as muscular, don't rush it, keep up the excercises and walking, it's not really the distance but the quality.

[rubyred]

6 Weeks follow up appointment happened this morning.

Didn't see the man himself but his lovely nurse, Christine. All is in great shape. She said the 'not routine' part of my BHR was where Mr T had to angle the device in such a way as my pelvis is so tiny and my hip sockets are some of the smallest he's seen for someone of my age. He had to over hang the device a little, more than he would normally, to get the best fit. If he had tilted it anymore to the right then I would be having severe groin pain - worse than I'm getting now! But other than that, it's perfect. He's very happy apparently.

I can come off the crutches now too! And i'm pretty much free to do as I wish :) Aside from heavy lifting for about 4-5 months. I've been told to look after my new hip and that Mr T will see me again on my hips 'anniversary' :)

I feel weird now. Don't get me wrong, i'm pleased, but I think it's because I've spent years being in so much pain, having not much of a life and now all of a sudden it's like, 'well, go on then! Off you go'.  It's almost like I've forgotton how to live, or how to function in a world without arthritic pain..... I don't know what to do first! LOL.

[obxpelican]

Glad to hear all is well in Ruby's part of the world.

Now go out and live your life to the fullest.


Chuck

[hernanu]

When I was two, I scared the bejeebers out of my parents. We had gone to the spa town of Banos on the edge of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

The place is known for its mineral baths and swimming pools surrounding the baths. We were at one of the regular swimming pools, I apparently decided to walk around the pool and on my way back thought it would be good to walk back through the pool.

I walked right into the deep end and remember floating to the bottom, just staring through the water and really enjoying sitting on the bottom. I had gotten up and started walking to the shallow end when my uncle swam down and got me, bringing me up to a truly horrified group of about twenty of my relatives.

What they didn't know is how unafraid and calm I had been under there and how I knew I was just going to walk out. I wouldn't have made it, but now, when things are rough, I've thought of how when you fall, what keeps you intact and going is your attitude and the feeling that things will work out.

Ruby, I remember your struggles before and just after, and you're right, the absence of the pain is a sometimes flummoxing thing, but now you can take that walk out and get back to that awesome life that I know is ahead of you.

Really happy for you.

[Anna]

Thats great Ruby. Im really glad everything is going so well x

[Mike D]

Hi Ruby- glad the news is good. I know the feeling- the OA has affected us for so long, the trauma of the surgery and recovery, then it's like we're free again.
I was there today and got the same news-lose the crutches, get swimming and cycling, push yourself within reason to reach down to tie shoelaces- so many new things to do.
I hope you can find time to report in here with all the new activities to do!

[Anna]

Sounds like its going well for you too Mike  :)

[Dannywayoflife]

Ruby I'm so glad your check up went well! Christine is sooooooooo knowlagable about the subject of resurfacing. Mr McMinn talks about the dialing back of the cup to match the anteversion of the femour in one o his interviews. That's how they deal with dyslexia.
Try to keep positive and patient I know how hard it is! But you WILL GET THERE!
Danny

[Pat Walter]

Ruby

Great to hear about your follow-up.  Now it is time to start that new life without pain and problems.  It will be an interesting part of your new life to start again and learn to live without pain.  Good Luck and stay in touch when you can.  We still are interested in knowing how things will be going for you.  Exciting times!

Pat

[lyn]

Hi Ruby, Im really happy for you! Things are on the upswing. Enjoy. Lyn

[Jason0411]

Ruby I'm so glad your check up went well! Christine is sooooooooo knowlagable about the subject of resurfacing. Mr McMinn talks about the dialing back of the cup to match the anteversion of the femour in one o his interviews. That's how they deal with dyslexia.
Try to keep positive and patient I know how hard it is! But you WILL GET THERE!
Danny

Love it Danny dyslexia LOL

[Dannywayoflife]

Ruby I'm so glad your check up went well! Christine is sooooooooo knowlagable about the subject of resurfacing. Mr McMinn talks about the dialing back of the cup to match the anteversion of the femour in one o his interviews. That's how they deal with dyslexia.
Try to keep positive and patient I know how hard it is! But you WILL GET THERE!
Danny

Love it Danny dyslexia LOL

Doh!!!! Dam predictive txt on iPhone!

[Mike D]

Ruby-
Saw your post on the other thread about knee pain and wondered where you are with the flexibility?
I can't get my knee close to level from a standing position, how about you? I had that awful shin pain you mentioned for about seven days in a row but its eased now, I just get it occasionaly.
Can you tie shoelaces yet? I'm nowhere near, at least a month away, i think.
I think Mr Treacy enjoyed tackling us, I think we gave him something slightly different to fix!

[kamoynsgi]

Hi Ruby - really glad you had good news at your check up. Way to go! Ka