This is a really hard post to write. I have tried to keep the emotional side of this journey mostly at bay; because splurging my emotions all over the internet is not my thing; because I'm going to be a health professional and it's important to be Proper and maintain a professional persona. But I said this blog was to give you an inside view of this experience, so what would be the point to miss this stuff out? As fellow health professionals, you need to know what it is like on this side when things go wrong, and why it is so important to get it right for patients!
I had my 8 week follow up clinic appointment a couple of days ago. This right hip is healing well post TPO, my surgeon is pretty pleased with it (x-ray pic below). He said it is possibly one degree out from perfect but what is that? And I like his honesty. The left hip is not looking great, we discussed more the 'redo' of that one that he is keen to do. He explained to me all the angles and degrees and how they analyse it on the x-ray. Basically it is still dysplastic and I couldn't help feeling quite shocked - to have gone through all the trauma with the previous LPAO and find this out. Redoing it means going through this surgery and all the rehab again for the third time. Not redoing it means early OA and having a THR at some point in the next few years. I don't really feel I have much of a choice.
 |
| My 8 week post-op x-ray |
The most discouraging part though is that we had quite a frank discussion about doing impact sports as well, as part of this story has involved trying and failing to get back into hockey repeatedly over the last 8 years. He was really not happy about impact sports post-op! And this is something I am debating as to what he meant, exactly. My previous surgeon was convinced I would be able to "run marathons" after I had had the left hip done, and I have always been using the thought of playing hockey again as something to aim for. Unfortunately it seems much clearer now that his experience and forthright-ness was not entirely what I believed it to be. Inevitably less impact sports will save my hips for as long as possible. This concept was not explained to me properly back then and that whole picture is one of a lack of integrity. It now feels like this is never going to end and, I admit, there have been tears.
It's very difficult to understand how all this has happened and has taken so long when I've only ever recounted my symptoms to the plethora of health professionals I have seen over the last several years, and plugged away at rehab like a 'good patient.' Knowing that I am representative of a whole cohort of people with similar stories, or worse. If there was a lesson to be drawn from all this, for the health professionals I am aiming this at, I don't know what it would be, my head is too mashed right now. Maybe "This is What Happens When You Don't Listen," or "Please Don't Lie To Patients."
There is hope, though:
1) It's not the end of the world
2) I'm not dying
3) Even without hockey, I have every reason to believe these surgeries will mean I am able to keep my mobility for as long as possible, and I can cycle and swim to my heart's content. That in itself is enough to be grateful for (or should be)
4) The surgery and recovery has been hugely less traumatic this time around. My pain has been minimal after the first week, and I haven't even had any numbness or serious nerve irritation anywhere.
5) I am walking much better on my crutches and bearing more weight on my right side everyday. See below!
He says he usually leaves a 6 month gap before doing the opposite hip. After the surgery and rehab for the left hip I would probably be done by... Christmas next year, maybe? I think it might be time for me to bite the bullet and make a decision about it.
5) I am walking much better on my crutches and bearing more weight on my right side everyday. See below!
He says he usually leaves a 6 month gap before doing the opposite hip. After the surgery and rehab for the left hip I would probably be done by... Christmas next year, maybe? I think it might be time for me to bite the bullet and make a decision about it.
