tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72024704520605582892024-03-13T05:28:32.196-05:00Goodnight Nobody"Am I right-side-up or upside-down,And is this real or am I dreaming?”Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.comBlogger589125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-56330737926982245542016-03-28T20:53:00.000-05:002016-03-28T21:00:18.911-05:003.5 years post open surgical dislocation <span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">Lately I have been getting a lot of emails from hip patients as well as comments on the blog which makes me wonder if it is coming up higher on search engines than in the past. The multitude of emails has reminded me that it is only fair to continue to update my readers to my progress. Well, here I am, 3.5 years later, and I am RUNNING. Yes. Running. I decided that it was time to once and for all take my life back and get back into shape. A lot of my friends and family members had been talking about a gym/ workout called Orange Theory Fitness. If you don't know what OTF is then I highly recommend you google it. It is a form of high intensity interval training involving a treadmill, rowing machine, weights and straps. About half of the 60 minute class is spent doing cardio and half is spent in the weight room. Throughout the class, your heart rate is monitored and the goal is to spend greater than 12 minutes working at 84% of your maximum heart rate. I started almost 4 months ago. It was a very timid start as I still had trochanteric pain and at times other parts of my hip would flare up. I began with only walking on the treadmill and avoiding high impact activities in the weight room including jumping. After a few weeks, I was feeling good and honestly I wasn't being challenged like I wanted to be. I decided to jog for part of the treadmill time. I jogged when we were to increase the speed and walked when we were to do a slow jog. Well, 3 months later my jog is a run and my walk is a jog. I feel better than I have in years. The trochanteric pain has disappeared almost completely. I can comfortably sleep on my right side, something I haven't been able to do in 3.5 years. In hindsight, my body needed to get strong and I was holding back out of fear. I don't recommend that anyone jump on a high intensity workout when they are still recovering but for me, the time had come. Enough was enough. I am now enjoying OTF 4-5 times per week, my husband comes as well. We are having a blast getting into shape together. When I am having a tough day in the class, I flash back to my post-op X-Ray, and remind myself how far I have come and much I am capable of. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span>Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-44285077590763875242014-12-21T08:22:00.002-05:002014-12-21T08:22:51.674-05:002 years post open surgical dislocation/ sddI guess time really flies. It has been 2 years since I had my open SDD, 2 years since the hellish roller coaster ride of a violent, gruesome surgery. 2 years since my life was turned upside down and permanently changed. But looking back now, 2 years later, I have come a very long way. I now function like a normal person. No one in my new city even has a clue about my past. No one walks up to me and says "wow, you are walking so well" or "wow, you are finally off of crutches". I look just like everyone else does on the outside. Of course no one has X-ray vision and sees my scars, my surgically reconstructed labrum, my cadaver hip, my reattached glute etc. But from what they can see, I look normal. I have come a very long way in 2 years. And yes, most people would have made it to where I am a lot sooner than 2 years, but nonetheless, I am grateful I have come to this point and hope I will continue to make improvements. Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-46974586991562307112014-08-12T19:04:00.001-05:002014-08-12T19:04:06.941-05:0014 months post hardware removal
An update....appendectomy was 4 months ago... The most common and simplest surgery! Of course I had a complication. My incision opened up due to the sutures dissolving too early. Fast forward to now ....let's just say my scars will prevent me from ever being a bikini model. But anyway... I had a benign tumor detected and removed from my appendix which had the potential of becoming cancer. I am grateful for that.
On all other fronts, my family has relocated from NYC to south Florida. We have always wanted to live in a warm climate, have a house with a backyard and pool for our kids, and we finally did it!
I scheduled a cortisone injection into my trochanteric bursa a few weeks before the move because I continued to have pain and discomfort there. I also wasn't able to (still) sleep on my op side and it has been over 1.5 years since my open dislocation. It took 3 weeks but the pain finally diminished and the area doesn't look swollen like it used to.
About 5 weeks ago my body was ready to go back to exercising. In my previous life (before hip problems) I was an obsessive Spin class goer. I am happy to say that I am back in the saddle, literally and figuratively. My life is really coming back together and although I know my hip will never be the same, I am finally reaping the benefits of a very very long ordeal. val
An update....appendectomy was 4 months ago... The most common and simplest surgery! Of course I had a complication. My incision opened up due to the sutures dissolving too early. Fast forward to now ....let's just say my scars will prevent me from ever being a bikini model. But anyway... I had a benign tumor detected and removed from my appendix which had the potential of becoming cancer. I am grateful for that.
On all other fronts, my family has relocated from NYC to south Florida. We have always wanted to live in a warm climate, have a house with a backyard and pool for our kids, and we finally did it!
I scheduled a cortisone injection into my trochanteric bursa a few weeks before the move because I continued to have pain and discomfort there. I also wasn't able to (still) sleep on my op side and it has been over 1.5 years since my open dislocation. It took 3 weeks but the pain finally diminished and the area doesn't look swollen like it used to.
About 5 weeks ago my body was ready to go back to exercising. In my previous life (before hip problems) I was an obsessive Spin class goer. I am happy to say that I am back in the saddle, literally and figuratively. My life is really coming back together and although I know my hip will never be the same, I am finally reaping the benefits of a very very long ordeal. Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-1338352939657025982014-05-07T20:28:00.000-05:002014-05-07T20:28:43.274-05:00Post-appendectomyIt has been 1 week since I had a laparoscopic appendectomy. What a breeze this surgery was. I was in and out of the hospital faster than with any of my hip surgeries (9 hours from check in to discharge) and today, one week later, I went out to work (not to see patients but to meetings). Pain was minimal and manageable. It helps that I already have a list of which meds work and which don't and have no qualms requesting the right meds. I had a long talk with the anesthesiologist before hand and things could not have gone smoother. Of course there is always some issue when it comes to me and surgery. In this case I am having some issues with one of the incisions but its not a big deal and should be fine in a few days. Nothing compared to the nightmare I have been through with my hip!Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-28849190657358611922014-04-11T12:00:00.002-05:002014-04-11T12:00:10.309-05:00I was actually hoping that 2014 would finally be the year of no surgeries.
As you probably already know, life throws us a curveball every now and then. The last few weeks I have been trying to run away from my current curveball but have failed. I probably have mentioned that I have Crohn's disease. It is very mild and not a big deal, it just requires some monitoring. A few weeks ago I had a routine colonoscopy which showed swelling of my appendix. I had to have a CT scan to further investigate. It turns out I have a mucocele, which is when the appendix fills with mucous, which is an abnormal finding, and must be removed.
I met with a surgeon this week and scheduled surgery for 4/30, less than 3 weeks away. I figure I just want to get this over with and move on, rather than have to think and worry about this.
I was happy to actually have a normal appointment with a surgeon. And know that we will not be having a long standing relationship! I figure I saw him for the consult, will see him the day of surgery and maybe once or twice post op and be done. This is how relationships with surgeons should be! I am more than happy not to have his cell phone number and carte blanche to text anytime. We will not be seeing each other extensively for the next 8 years, he will not lose sleep over my case and I won't have nightmares where he appears! This will be routine, normal and quick!Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-33008426138612033092014-03-19T20:16:00.001-05:002014-03-19T20:16:49.506-05:0016 Months Post Open DislocationWow, I just realized I haven't blogged since January. Well, what happened was I stopped using crutches and I returned to my life! I am busy running my practice and reaping the benefits of being a hands-on practice owner. I don't have to rely on someone else to do my marketing, do my lectures, go to meetings etc.
As I mentioned in my last post, the bitter cold of this winter has been great for me. We are still dealing with cold days and I always feel better on those days. When it warms up I have some pain, but I manage. As we transition into spring, I am a little bit nervous about how the weather will affect me. I will try to post updates more often!Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-57399219769298201492014-01-26T22:33:00.001-05:002014-01-26T22:33:50.876-05:00Is this "The Corner"?Over the past year, and really over the past 8 years, my blog has been full of my downs more than my ups, so today I wanted to write about an "up".
Today I finally felt normal! I went through my day like any 30-something, mother of 3, entrepreneur, wife etc would. No crutches, no pain, walked throughout the neighborhood from one activity to another. Basketball game, birthday party, bbq....This is the day I have been waiting for for a very very long time. I will say that it is bitterly cold in NYC and these bitter cold days work miracles on my hip, I can't figure out why but whenever we have had these cold snaps I feel amazing. I hope that this time this feeling is here to stay.Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-76634481175491775092014-01-16T21:00:00.002-05:002014-01-16T21:00:56.704-05:00One Month Post Trochanteric Bursa InjectionThings improved with my injection. The swelling in my leg went down miraculously and the bursa started to feel better. I have been able to pretty much get rid of my crutches for the most part. I had a little scare a few weeks ago, my groin pain came back. I had a melt down. Literally. I flipped out. Luckily my OS and PT were very responsive to my drama and I had an MRI and an appointment with him right away. Luckily there is no problem with my new labrum, and even better, it has integrated so well into my hip that the radiologist didn't know it was an allograft. The pain may be from an inflamed suture in my capsule, but things will hopefully settle with some more PT.
Pt has been going well, but has been incredibly painful. I have a very very angry hip, and all my muscles are always angry and have developed tendonitis. My OS broke it down nicely, I basically have 4 problems, adductor tendonitis causing medial pain, abductor tendonitis and trochnateric bursitis causing lateral pain, hamstring tendonitis causing posterior pain and the suture issue causing groin pain. All in all one big barrel of fun....
Life has begun to be more normal in some respects. I am able to run short errands with no crutches and attend work meetings as well throughout the city. I get pain with prolonged standing and walking. It has been about a month since my injection and I feel some of the bursitis returning,but hopefully it won't be so bad this time. It has been 13 months since I had the open dislocation and I never, in a million years, expected such a roller coaster of a recovery.Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-31171928978949582582013-12-14T18:58:00.001-05:002013-12-14T18:58:36.364-05:00Trochanteric Bursa Injection
I had my bursa injected 2 days ago. It was ultrasound guided and scheduled as a possible aspiration of the swelling in my leg. Fortunately of unfortunately (not sure which) there is no clear defined pocket of fluid but rather it is dispersed interstitially and could not be removed. I am going to speak to my PT about it and maybe start to wear compression shorts to reduce it.
I was in a ton of pain yesterday, today was better. I am cautiously optimistic bc my last few cortisone injections have started like this and then been horrible for 2 weeks before subsiding again and kicking in. Unfortunately I am so busy for the next few weeks and can't really take it easy until we go on vacation for the kids holiday break. I will try to write an update soon. Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-23162992035109294992013-12-03T21:04:00.001-05:002013-12-03T21:07:33.191-05:00One Year From Open Surgical DislocationToday marks one year since my open dislocation surgery. When I think back on the year I am overcome with so many emotions. Anger, sadness, pain, embarrassment, devastation, accomplishment, happiness and so much more. It had been one hell of a ride and as I write this I have tears in my eyes, tears of happiness and tears of sadness. Happiness for all I have overcome and for how far I have made it, sadness for all I endured and had to give up, what my family went through and just plain self pity. When I think of where I was exactly one year ago today, I cry. Fresh 9" incision, newly healing femur fracture, cadaver labrum incorporating once again, IV line, spinal, catheter, and probably the worst pain I have ever been in in my entire life, and a lot more than I probably remember. And now I think of where I am today, and I am crying as well.
At one year postop (with a gluteus medius repair 6 months ago) I am making slow progress, but I still need my crutch at some point of every day. I still deal with pretty severe pain in my greater trochanter as glute at times. I still have to ice. I still can't function like most people do. I can't run off to the supermarket if I need a few things, I can't spend the day in the mall, I can't take my kids ice skating, or play soccer with them. I still need daily meds. This surgery was supposed to give me back my life, but it is happening on my body's timeline, which is quite slow.
I want my life back, the way it was in October of 2006. That is just before I started my hip journey/ nightmare. My kids don't know what life is like when I don't have hip pain. L was 2 when it started and Jk was one. Z came a long in the middle of it all. He is almost 5 now. L is almost 10 and Jk is 8.
I hope and pray that this coming year will bring me back to where I was at that point, no pain and able to be a mother to the fullest degree. Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-23153228061191832672013-10-19T20:37:00.001-05:002013-10-19T20:37:11.853-05:004 months post hardware removal/ glute repairI have been to PT 3 times and all I can say is that it is has been life changing. I can walk now. Well, I can walk well now. Some things seem like they haven't really changed, but I know they have. I am still on the same routine, crutch when I leave the house, no crutch at home....but I can walk like rock star now with my crutch! Quite honestly, I am pretty fed up with people asking my why I need my crutch since I walk so well, or, my all time least favorite "how much longer do you need that thing?".... To which I'd like to reply "do I look like a fucking fortune teller?" But always smile and say "just a few more weeks".
The issue really is that at times, I can walk perfectly, with no crutch. I can stand in my kitchen and prepare meals for over a dozen guests, I can do homework, feed, and put my kids to bed. But usually, at some unpredictable point, my glute will rebel and say enough! Then I am on my own. If I am lucky I have my crutch, other times I have not been so lucky and have gotten myself into a tricky situation where I am half a block from home, no crutch and no functioning glute. I have learned that as much as I want to, I have to take my crutch with me if I am planning on waking more than half a block. My glute now fires but has no endurance and quickly fatigues and shuts down. This is going to be a long an tedious process until I can do everything I want with a fully functioning glute!Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-36359382732187577212013-09-18T12:26:00.000-05:002013-09-18T12:26:11.992-05:003 months post hardware removal
Crazy how time flies!! It's been 3 llloooonnnnggggg months since I had my screws removed and my glute repaired. My medrol mess is pretty much under control. My glute is still painful and swells... A lot.... In an area posterior to my greater trochanter. My OS offered a cortisone injection, I am going to try to put it off for now. I started PT again yesterday. One of the PTs I have seen in the past is now working at a "boutique" private practice and charges an arm and a leg for visits. Since she is the "glute master" I am left with no choice but to pay out of pocket and see her. The plan is to see her every few weeks and be compliant with my exercises at home. She have me a few very very specific and targeted exercises that really work the area I feel won't fire, so hopefully this will be money very well spent. A far as the crutch situation goes, I am not using any indoors for the most part. Occasionally I will have too much pain and swelling and need one. Outdoors I use a crutch. I have tried not to and the results have been poor. I walked my daughter to a play date 1 block away on a day I was feeling good. I decided not to use my crutch. On my way home, I had to stop and rest on a scaffold bc I couldn't continue. 2 days ago I tried avian, 1 block away, but this time I rested once I got to the play date before turning around. Still not great. I guess I am not ready yet. My PT said to expect this I take 6-12 months (from the glute repair) to feel back to normal, or whatever normal will be for me. Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-23670512691204300232013-08-30T12:05:00.002-05:002013-08-30T12:05:53.753-05:00Post Medrol Mess
I think I've been off of the steroids for 3 or 4 weeks now. Unfortunately it has left me a mess. I continued to have panic attacks. One was so bad it caused my hands to clench up and paralyze and my feet as well. I thought I was having a stroke and made my husband take me to the ER (that's my second ER visit since the last surgery.... The "easiest one"). They diagnosed it as just another panic attack, which I think was the best thing ever, bc it confirmed than any sensation I have good forward is just a panic attack and not any of the crazy things I had been fearing, like difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, tingling in my extremities, tingling on my tongue and lips etc. Since that day, I haven't had a full fledged panic attack, but started taking Ativan when I would feel an attack starting. I hated the Ativan and could feel myself becoming dependent on it. For a good portion of this, I was out of town. I decided I needed to stop the Ativan since it wasn't helping anyway and try to get my hands on my herbal and homeopathic remedies from my acupuncturist. Once I made the switch I felt a lot better. I was finally home yesterday and was able to have an acupuncture session. What a difference, even with 1 treatment. She gave me a regimen of herbs and minerals and other natural remedies to take. As I write I am on a plane heading back out of town, I left my Ativan at home by accident. A week ago, that alone would have caused a panic attack. Today, I am ok without it!
As for the hip, still on 1 crutch (I think it's been about 10 weeks) and still with bursitis. I think I may need a cortisone injection to end this but am really scared of steroids. Not sure what to do...Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-46904551721440902662013-08-15T20:54:00.000-05:002013-08-15T20:54:14.496-05:00Post- medrol dose pack
I am happy to say the medrol dose pack helped my leg tremendously. The burning I had in my foot is gone and I have graduated to one crutch/ no crutch at times. The medrol was one of the worst meds I have ever taken in my life and will publicly say I will never ever take it again.
I started it on a Saturday morning and by afternoon I was feeling amazing, my pain was at least 50% better. By Monday 80% better, one crutch and a friend noted I had a "spring in my step". It was a tapering dose, starting with 6 and one less each day. I realized Tuesday I forgot my last Monday night dose so I took it after breakfast. About 20 minutes later I started having a bad reaction and I honestly though I was going to die. Now I realize I was having a panic attack from the meds but at the time..... I was really scared. My heart would start racing and I would feel like I was going to pass out, and then the feeling would just go away. It finally stopped after a few hours. I called my pharmacist who said take more food with it. When I took it that night I was fine.
The next morning it happened again but not quite as badly. That night things got really bad and the panic attack was intense. I still didn't know it was a panic attack. I was shaking on top of everything , I was home alone and freaking out. My husband called my brother in law who happens to be a doctor and lives down the block. He immediately realized it was a panic attack- which is a side effect of the medrol, and had me take Ativan to stop it. For the next 6 days I had to take Ativan to deal with the effects of it. I also skipped the final dose because I was so scared to take more.
Luckily I got enough in me to get me over the hump!Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-73770375030806822282013-08-05T05:16:00.000-05:002013-08-05T05:16:07.088-05:006+ weeks from hardware removal
As usual, things have been slow, if nothing else. At 6 weeks I was still in crutches without a firing glute and to make matters worse, I had burning in my foot. It started around week 5 and was not getting better. I saw my OS last week who wanted me to start a Medrol dose pack (tapered steroids). I initially said no, and we agreed to increase Lyrica and the compound cream I have. A few days later I was going to rip off my foot....it was time for the steroids. I started them Saturday morning and by lunchtime I felt better. That night I had very little burning in my foot. On Sunday my whole leg felt better and I was using one crutch all day. I feel like superwoman, I even cleaned up the entire kitchen last night, emptied 2 dishwashers, bathed the kids.... I know I know..... Don't overdo it....but I feel like I am free!!!! I have a small worry in the back of my mind.... What will happen in 4 days when I am done....but I am trying not to worry about it and rather enjoy this liberating feeling of finally feeling better! I will report later in the week!Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-65738374400750569252013-07-24T05:45:00.002-05:002013-07-24T05:45:53.090-05:00First PT appointment after hardware removal
I've been having a lot of hypersensitivity on my hip lately. It hurts to touch. I've also been unsuccessfully trying to come off of crutches. He said the hypersensitivity is from fluid collection in the tissues, the exercises I am supposed to do will help move it all out. At 5 weeks out from the glute repair he does not think I should be coming off of crutches yet and thinks I need to wait a little longer. My OS had said start weaning off around now but clearly my hip has a mind of its own. Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-22628016874892609992013-07-18T05:45:00.002-05:002013-07-18T05:45:25.526-05:004 weeks since HWR and Glute repair
Well, I can say that this surgery has certainly thrown me for a loop, which I should have expected, but was trying to be hopeful. It has most definitely not been my easiest surgery, as my OS assured me it would be. At 4 weeks I am still on 2 crutches. I tried using 1 yesterday and I can walk well with it but there is significant pain in my glute and I paid the price later in the day. I have had horrible bruising, it is finally going down and fading now. I have my first PT session next week so we will see what my PT wants me to start with. At 4 weeks I don't feel better than preop but I am sure it will come soon. I am still really sore on the greater trochanter and really swollen. Ice is my best friend because I have completely stopped pain meds because I was so sick a few weeks back. I am still occasionally battling dizziness, headaches, nausea etc, but less and less every day. Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-1365782401853414382013-07-07T22:26:00.002-05:002013-07-07T22:26:53.478-05:002.5 weeks post hardware removal
I have a few complaints to make... The first is that my OS said this would be easiest surgery out of the 7..... It has not been. Also, I was expecting a 3" incision. We are at about 9" or 10".
As usual, my post op period has not gone as planned. Initially I was in so much pain from swelling. I developed a large bump at the top of my incision. My OS told me it was probably a hematoma and not to worry. My massage therapist showed me how to do lymphedema work on it. The next day it was a lot smaller but my leg looked like it had been through a war. I've never, in my personal and professional life seen bruising like this. It is slowly resolving.
About 6 days post op I was sitting at my computer trying to work and I became extremely dizzy. I moved back into bed and basically stayed there for days. I was so sick- weak, dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous, headache etc. I've never felt so sick before. 4 days later I was still sick and could barely pick up my head off of my pillow. I asked my OS what he thought and what could be causing this- he didn't know but suggested I go to urgent care if it got worse. At urgent care I was seen by a nurse practitioner who felt that I had decreased breath sounds and sent me to the ER to rule out a PE (pulmonary embolus). I was really hoping urgent care would give me IV fluids and send me home!!
At the ER they did give me IV fluids and some Reglan, ran a million labs and did a CT to check for a PE. Everything came back negative but once I had the IV I felt so much better.
I spent the entire week following the ER in bed (again) slowly recovering. I am finally feeling a lot better, which I attribute to my acupuncturist who I saw 2 days ago. The day I saw her I felt worse but I woke up the next day feeling great.
I am still on crutches and hope that when I see my OS this week he will let me go down to 1. Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-47544868199450941212013-06-25T18:47:00.003-05:002013-06-25T18:47:33.896-05:00Op report #7
Right Hip Open Removal of Hardware, Bursectomy and Gluteus Medius Repair
Indications: the patient had a prior surgical dislocation, painful hardware and loose medius and adductor weakness. She had a failed non- operative management and indicated for removal of hardware and Bursectomy and gluteus medius repair.
Procedure:
The patient was correctly identified in the holding area, she was brought to the operating room. Spinal anesthesia was administered she was placed in the lateral decubitus position and the right leg was prepped and draped in the standard, sterile, fashion.
Approximately 4cm incision was made over the previous lateral incision from the Gibson approach and taken down to the level of the iliotibial band. Scar tissue was debrided. The iliotibial band was split using modified anterior Gibson approach in line with the fibers of the gluteus Maximus. There was significant bursal inflammation on the undersurface of the iliotibial band which was excised and resected en mass. Three 2.5 mm screws were identified and extracted. The abductor tendons were intact although there was some attenuation of the posterior superior facet, insertion of the round fibers of the gluteus medius. Using drill tunnels through the posterior, superior facet, modified Mason- Allen sutures using #1 OrthoCord sutures were used to restore tension on the abductor in this region.
The PRP was then injected at the site of the abductor repair. The wound was copiously irrigated. A light closure was performed with 0 vicryl for the iliotibial band and 0 vicryl 1 and 2.0 Vicryl for the deep layer and a 3.0 Monocryl sutures with Steri Strips. The wounds were cleaned, dried and sterile dressings were applied. Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-14286483549975288212013-06-23T07:10:00.001-05:002013-06-23T07:10:24.137-05:00I am unscrewed!My unscrewing was 4 days ago. Leading up to the surgery I was pretty calm. My OS and I had discussed things and decided that while taking out the screws he would do whatever he could to help my gluteus medius. This including repairing any and all tears and injecting PRP. It turns out I didn't have a bad tear but I had a stretched out tendon. I am not 100% sure why it was stretched. My OS said it may have healed like that after the open dislocation or, since I hadn't been firing, it looked all loose. I guess it's one of those situations- what came first, the chicken or the egg.
Surgery was on Thursday (6/20/12) and I was supposed to come home that day. Since I am usually not the star patient in the PACU, I had a lot of trouble recovering and was in a lot of pain so I ended up staying over. The next day things didn't go too well. I was in a lot of pain and very dizzy. The hospital won't discharge you until you "pass" PT. I was too dizzy for PT so I was stuck another night. Yesterday was almost a repeat of the day before. I failed PT twice bc I was too dizzy and in pain. Plus the PT said I was way too pale and was nervous I would pass out. Everyone gets PT 2x/day so I maxed out my opportunities. I REALLY didn't want to stay another night so I skipped a dosage of pain meds and made sure I drank a ton of juice and ate a little. I asked my nurse to beg the PT to give me one more chance. A really nice PT came back and cleared me to leave! Yippee!! So now I am home, I feel like I did after my open surgery, if I don't move I am fine, if I walk, roll in bed, sit, scoot etc I see stars.
My OS took pics with his phone so I a waiting for him to send the to me, he showed me in the PACU but I was a little out of it!Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-66257148098203805632013-06-04T20:33:00.002-05:002013-06-04T20:33:28.213-05:00Hardware Removal Pre-op Appointment
I decided to make an appointment with my OS to go over some last minute pre-op concerns. Primarily what the heck is going to happen with my glutes. He will fix whatever needs fixing and suture it back down. He will also put prp in while in the surgery to promote healing. Post op I will be on crutches for 2 weeks minimum and no active abduction for 2 weeks minimum. Since I've been on crutches this whole time I shouldn't expect to miraculously walk!Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-25167977828769096392013-05-24T14:02:00.001-05:002013-05-24T14:02:24.756-05:00Gone...Just like thatMy new found painlessness has disappeared just as quickly as it came. I guess I have a very shortened cortisone life in my hip. I am back to pain and crutches :-( The "good" news is that I scheduled my hardware removal for June 20, hopefully that will put an end to all of this and I can finally move on!Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-32251635386960494592013-05-21T20:23:00.003-05:002013-05-21T20:23:53.902-05:00The Light
Fianally- after 6 months of pure hell, I can walk without crutches (well, at home, for short periods of time). Seems like with most other things related to my hip, the cortisone took a long time to kick in but it finally did and I feel like a new person. I can walk again! It's like night and day. This has been a game changer in so many ways but most importantly, I am so so so happy right now. Since injecting near the screws made all the difference, they have to come out. I feel like I am living with a dark cloud hanging over me with this fear that any day the cortisone will wear off and I will be back to where I was before. Right now it looks like I won't be able to coordinate my husband and my Mom's schedule for another 4 weeks but I guess in the grand scheme of things what's another 4 weeks? It's been 6+ years since this started and I can't wait for it to finally be over. Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-23442159099570682432013-05-08T17:26:00.001-05:002013-05-08T17:26:24.549-05:00At the 6.5 year mark I may have reached my breaking point
I think I may have just had the worst 24 hours of my hip journey. Given everything I have been through, I think I have done a damn good job of keeping it together, pasting a smile on my face every day, and just continuing to plug away. In the last few days/ weeks, the pain on the side of my leg has gotten so bad I can't take it anymore. I am also developing compensatory tendinitis in every muscle around my hip, contributing to my pain issue. The fact that the injection did nothing for me and the increasing lateral pain has left me in such a poor emotional state that I have had more than one meltdown in the last 24 hours. I don't know what the next step is, I don't know what to do and I don't know how I will manage at this point with pain this severe. I am hoping it is a temporary flare up- maybe from too much walking or activity. Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7202470452060558289.post-87714564077116998422013-05-04T20:30:00.002-05:002013-05-04T20:30:32.356-05:00Trochanteric Bursa Injection
I ended up having the injection yesterday. After yet another ridiculous fight with Oxford and Orthonet, I got approval about 1.5 hours before the procedure was scheduled (will post on this soon). I am a little disappointed because the numbing medication (marcaine) did nothing for the pain I have been having which is just posterior to the greater trochanter. While there is pain at the trochanter and screw sites- it is the pain posterior to that that is debilitating. My MRI report shows a glute tear and my scan from September does not. I plan on asking for a re-read on the glutes to know specifically what had changed. I still cannot walk without crutches and have a major trendelnberg if I try to. I still can't believe that I am still dealing with this, having to have scans, injections and anxiety oer my hip. It makes me so mad....Susiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09347230625534251497noreply@blogger.com8