Crushed Head

[Jason0411]

I thought i would add myself to this section as I had a pretty serious problem.

I had my right BHR on 6th December 2011. Everything went extremely well (in fact a bit too well) I pushed myself too hard too soon. About 7 weeks after surgery I decided to help my staff out in the dining room by clearing plates. On the way back to the kitchen I tripped and put the foot of my right hip down hard in front of me to prevent falling. Apparrently one of the Rotarians we were serving saw me whince with pain, but I carried on into the kitchen with the stack of plates. I knew I had done something but thought I had just jarred my hip. decided I had better use a stick the rest of that day. Started to get more discomfort as the day went on and when I got home I was realy starting to hurt and had a powerful pumpimg sensation and stabbing pain everytime I had a pulse/heart beat. I took some of the pain killers I had brought with me from hospital and went to bed. Got up in the morning still feeling a bit sore put the pumping stabbing had stopped. Went to work put walked with a stick thinking I would need to protect it. Felt a little bit uneven as if my right leg was shorter. Two days later went to Edgbaston for my 8 week check totally dismissed my trip as nothing and told Chandra about another small trip i had had a week earlier. I walked in with no sticks, he was horrified that I was able to as the femoral cap had moved backwards by a centimetre crushing the bone underneath it. The allignment was still good and the neck wasn't fractured but prognosis was not good. Unfortunately McMinn was off ill. Chandra put me onto two crutches immediately with no weight bearing and I had to go back to see the big man a week later to get told off. He told me that I had a very unfortunate trip and that there were two options. First was an immediate revision to a large head THR leaving my original socket in place as that was fine, or i could try and heal myself. He explained to me that the odds were stacked against me and that the most likely thing to happen would be that some time in the next three months the head would just collapse and i would be in a lot of pain and need surgery immediately. But if I got to the three months then I had a chance of recovery. Three months later I walked in to McMinn on my crutches to find that the cap had not moved any further and therefore in his opinion must be on the mend.  Obviousley you couldn't actually see the crushed bone as it was under the cap. It was mthen decided to start to reintroduce weight to my hip gradually over a period of several months. I being the pain in the arse patient I am stuck to that for two further months on two crutches and then tried to walk unaided. I got to the point where my left hip and right shoulder were giving me a lot of discomfort and thought if it is going to go then lets get it over with. I made an appointment to see Mr McMinn and walked in unaided to be told off again. He shook his head and said you are determined to bugger this up aren't you, but with a bit of a cheaky grin on his face. So I replied no I am determined to get better. He then told me that despite me taking a gamble and full weight bearing I appeared to have gotten away with it. But in his pessimistic view there was still potential healing to be done under the cap. I said that in my optimistic view I thought I had healed. So we had to disagree but were both on untested ground as nobody had ever got past three months in this country and he only knew of two cases in Australia who had. He then said to me that there was no point in asking me to return to two crutches as he knew I wouldn't do it but could we compromise and walk with one stick until I see him again in October.
So I still carry one stick (most of the time) but I am sure I am fixed. Since I got off the crutches my right shoulder has improved and I only get minor discomfort in my left hip. Apart from what feels like bruising on the outside of my right hip occasionally and the odd cluncking sensation I feel fine. Just if I sit in the wrong position for too long I can feel discomfort but I soon walk that off.
The stick now is really an accessory not a neccesity.
Just thought I would give a full account of where I am and give hope that certain things can heal. I have got a slightly shorter right leg now but nothing major and don't have a limp.

Jas

[Dannywayoflife]

Your a very very lucky man jas! Good write up
danny

[Jason0411]

Cheers Danny. I got to the point where if it is going to go then let it. It was ruining my life and I was determined not to let it, knowing that if I had to have the THR I would be better quicker. If the bone isn't healed now then it never will as far as I am concerned.

Jas

[Neild5]

It was explained to me by three different ortho surgeons that after RS surgery your bone is weakest at the 3 month point, by 6 months it has regained 75-80% of its strength and takes 24 months to heal 100%.

[Pat Walter]

Jas

Thanks for the update.  So happy things are working out.  I am glad to have your story for several reasons.  One to remind people to be careful, but accidents happen.  Second, sometimes there is good luck in our lives and we can overcome the odds.  Best not to challege that, but you did and hopefully, you have won.

I will post your story on the main website too.

Good Luck.  Keep in touch when you can.

Pat

[Jason0411]

Thanks Pat

[Mike D]

Hi Jas
thats as close a shave as anyone wants-so glad its worked out well.
I must admit, if I'm in the kitchen at home, I'll leave the crutches in one place and use the work surfaces to swing around on.
It feels ok but I think I'll go back to proper crutch use at all times,
good post from you-the story got better and better!

[Anna]

Thanks for sharing that with us Jas!

Your very lucky. Keep healing

Anna

[bilateralbliss]

Great story Jas- keep on healing

[obxpelican]

Dr. Gross has said all along he's never had a patient fracture the femoral neck > 6 months, that's why he limits his patients until 6 months.

Jason, I applaud you for telling your story, it will be one that I will point to when telling patients to take it easy.

I had a scare, I am 4 years post-op and fell down about 15 stairs in my home on my operated hip, I think I am going to post it.

Chuck

[Anna]

Post it Chuck! It will give people more faith in their new hips

[bilateralbliss]

Goo idea Anna- go for it Chuck

[Tin Soldier]

Agreed.  These sorts of stories provide lots of confidence about the strenght of our bones and synthetic alloys.  Sorry about your crushed head Jas, that's a pretty amazing account.

[phillwad]

Great story - glad you are doing better

[Jason0411]

Thought I would do a quick update. Three years have passed since I buggered up my BHR and I totally forgot about it so enough said.

[bluedevilsadvocate]

"I totally forgot about it" --- Great news!

[hernanu]

Great news Jason - that recovery was tough, but you've made it through.