My intro - new hip on the 5th of Jan

[Guest guest]

Hellow everyone - I thought I would take a few mintues to introduce

myself and to wish everyone a good holiday. I joined this group in

hopes of reading about all of your experiences in order to better

prepare for my upcoming battle.

I am Beth and I am a 53 year old prison nurse from Michigan. Last

June (a scant 6 months ago) I had a total reconstruction of an ankle

and foot that was done to correct the problems resulting from an ankle

fracture of 30 years ago. I spent the whole summer progressing from

non-weight bearing in a wheel chair to a walker, to crutches - a cane

and finally after daily physical therapy returned to work on the first

of November.

A few short weeks later - I started experiencing excruciating pain in

my groin and leg on the opposite side as the newly reconstructed foot.

After being on my feet for any length of time, I couldn't even lift

my own leg up to put it in the car! And, if I sat for more than a few

minutes I couldn't get up and there started to be times when it felt

like I wasn't going to be able to sit after standing for awhile. My

ankle specialist assured me that I was using muscles in the painful

hip area that had not been used for months if not longer. His

suggestion that I may even have a bursitis or tendonitis in the

ileopsoas area also was entertained. I kept getting worse and worse

and hurting more and more until I could only walk about 20 steps until

my entire thigh muscle was on fire and in spasm. Walking down the

hallways of a prison hanging on to the walls for support is NOT a very

safe position to be in!

I insisted on X-rays of my hip and although I am delighted that there

is something there that can be fixed, I am more than a bit unhappy

that the films showed bone-on bone in that hip. I also have

significant hip dysplasia with only about 50-70% of the hip socket

depth that I should have. So - I am having a total hip replacement on

the 5th of January.

We will take down the tree right after Christmas and drag out the

walker, raised toilet seat, shower chair, etc. Sheesh - I really

don't want to go there again, especially so soon!

Along with dealing with the recovery of this THR, I need to deal with

the fact that I had already used all of the sick time and family

medical leave time that the " State of Michigan " needed to give me, so

being off work for this surgery means that they do not need to

guarantee my job when I return.

They are NOT happy with me. They are even acting like I chose this

route. You know - " Well - I've been back to work for 6 weeks now and

need to find another reason to take a few months off. I guess I'll

have a hip replacement. "

They will guarantee that I have " some " job when and if I am healthy

enough to return to the prison, but not the one I left. And they can

put me to work in any prison in the whole state! Driving from

mid-Michigan to the Upper Penninsula to work every day may be a real

pain in the neck! :-)

Will I even be able to return to working as a trauma nurse? Walking?

Climbing lots of stairs? Moving quickly to get out of the way of a

prisoner that it trying to hurt me? Or - do I start thinking about

disability?

Sorry this is so long. Thanks for listening!

Beth

bwills91@...

[Guest guest]

welcome to the group Beth. You surely have been through the wringer

and have more to go. I am sure things will work out and there is no

doubt that you need the hip replaced. You have to do what you have to

do so make the best of it and hopefully the state will be compassionate

enough to give you your job or a decent job back. Would your doctor

write a letter on your behalf of the importance of the upcoming

surgery>

On Dec 22, 2006, at 7:41 AM, Prison_Nurse_2 wrote:

> Hellow everyone - I thought I would take a few mintues to introduce

> myself and to wish everyone a good holiday. I joined this group in

> hopes of reading about all of your experiences in order to better

> prepare for my upcoming battle.

>

> I am Beth and I am a 53 year old prison nurse from Michigan. Last

> June (a scant 6 months ago) I had a total reconstruction of an ankle

> and foot that was done to correct the problems resulting from an ankle

> fracture of 30 years ago. I spent the whole summer progressing from

> non-weight bearing in a wheel chair to a walker, to crutches - a cane

> and finally after daily physical therapy returned to work on the first

> of November.

>

> A few short weeks later - I started experiencing excruciating pain in

> my groin and leg on the opposite side as the newly reconstructed foot.

> After being on my feet for any length of time, I couldn't even lift

> my own leg up to put it in the car! And, if I sat for more than a few

> minutes I couldn't get up and there started to be times when it felt

> like I wasn't going to be able to sit after standing for awhile. My

> ankle specialist assured me that I was using muscles in the painful

> hip area that had not been used for months if not longer. His

> suggestion that I may even have a bursitis or tendonitis in the

> ileopsoas area also was entertained. I kept getting worse and worse

> and hurting more and more until I could only walk about 20 steps until

> my entire thigh muscle was on fire and in spasm. Walking down the

> hallways of a prison hanging on to the walls for support is NOT a very

> safe position to be in!

>

> I insisted on X-rays of my hip and although I am delighted that there

> is something there that can be fixed, I am more than a bit unhappy

> that the films showed bone-on bone in that hip. I also have

> significant hip dysplasia with only about 50-70% of the hip socket

> depth that I should have. So - I am having a total hip replacement on

> the 5th of January.

>

> We will take down the tree right after Christmas and drag out the

> walker, raised toilet seat, shower chair, etc. Sheesh - I really

> don't want to go there again, especially so soon!

>

> Along with dealing with the recovery of this THR, I need to deal with

> the fact that I had already used all of the sick time and family

> medical leave time that the " State of Michigan " needed to give me, so

> being off work for this surgery means that they do not need to

> guarantee my job when I return.

>

> They are NOT happy with me. They are even acting like I chose this

> route. You know - " Well - I've been back to work for 6 weeks now and

> need to find another reason to take a few months off. I guess I'll

> have a hip replacement. "

>

> They will guarantee that I have " some " job when and if I am healthy

> enough to return to the prison, but not the one I left. And they can

> put me to work in any prison in the whole state! Driving from

> mid-Michigan to the Upper Penninsula to work every day may be a real

> pain in the neck! :-)

>

> Will I even be able to return to working as a trauma nurse? Walking?

> Climbing lots of stairs? Moving quickly to get out of the way of a

> prisoner that it trying to hurt me? Or - do I start thinking about

> disability?

>

> Sorry this is so long. Thanks for listening!

>

> Beth

> bwills91@...

>

>

" the church is not suppose to be a country club for the saints, but

rather a hospital for the sinner. "

[Guest guest]

Hi Beth- I had a resurfacing done on 10/17+31/06. It is a similar

technique, cutting less bone & using a larger ball & socket joint than

many THR's. You can look up BHR resurfacing on Google, and check out

the Surfacehippy group here at .

If you are still going for THR, check the web for large ball THR's,

from my research they seem to give you the ability to do alot more

than some of the smaller head THR's. I work as a contractor &

carpenter, doing everything from trim to tile, so I needed to be able

to have normal range of motion & weight bearing. The BHR resurfacing

gives me that, & there are some THR's that promise just about as much.

Peace

[Guest guest]

Welcome Beth. I have a similar experience. I started having a lot of pain the beginning of this year and was told I had to have my right hip replaced. I had it done on 9/19. All was going well then my left hip started hurting terribly. I went for Xrays and saw I had to have the left hip done because it had gotten bad very quickly. At first the people at work were very sympathetic but now they just about won't talk to me. I have my next surgery scheduled for 1/04 and I just found out my job is going to be eliminated so I don't know where I'll be working either when I get back on my feet. I'm worried about it because I've been at that site for 25 years but I realize that if I don't have this surgery I won't be able to work at all so I'm just leaving it up to chance and saying a few prayers that wherever I land it'll be fine. Margie __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Dear Margie ... blessings & energy are being sent to you. Yes, it is scarry just trusting everything will be ok. I am a free-lance consultant and MLM marketer. So my business depends on whether I work or not. I lost 4 weeks this Oct/Nov and I will loose some time again in January. Especially while recovering it is hard to sound coherent on the phone or sit in front of a computer at any length of time. I agree with you ... get the hip done. If necessary, after I heal, I could look for additional work. But I wouldn't be able to do that if I couldn't walk!. Hang in there. You're not alone.JackieNo banners. No pop-ups. No kidding.Make My Way your home on the Web - http://www.myway.com

[Guest guest]

Margie and Beth,

These companies that are so unsympathetic, well all I can say is "What goes around comes around", and one day, whomever is in charge, or is treating you all nasty, they'll get theirs. It's horrible to treat someone so badly who is going through all the pain, surgery and recovery. How rude and heartless! I hope the best for both of you . ((((((((((HUGS))))))))))

Lindy LouRight THR 1/22/2007

Welcome Beth. I have a similar experience. I started having a lot of pain the beginning of this year and was told I had to have my right hip replaced. I had it done on 9/19. All was going well then my left hip started hurting terribly. I went for Xrays and saw I had to have the left hip done because it had gotten bad very quickly. At first the people at work were very sympathetic but now they just about won't talk to me. I have my next surgery scheduled for 1/04 and I just found out my job is going to be eliminated so I don't know where I'll be working either when I get back on my feet. I'm worried about it because I've been at that site for 25 years but I realize that if I don't have this surgery I won't be able to work at all so I'm just leaving it up to chance and saying a few prayers that wherever I land it'll be fine. Margie

[Guest guest]

Beth, I have had 2 THR on one side and now have learned about hip

resurfacing. It's something you might want to see if you are a

canidate for. It's less intrusive, longer lasting. They don't drill

down into your leg. Check out surfacehippy on . and also

http://www.surfacehippy.info/links.php

Don't bother talking to a dr about it who doesnt perform resurfacing

as they will tell you bad untrue things. There are plenty of drs in

the US doing it and since I dont' have insurance I'm going to India.

Merry Christmas

> Margie and Beth,

> These companies that are so unsympathetic, well all I can say is

" What goes around comes around " , and one day, whomever is in charge,

or is treating you all nasty, they'll get theirs. It's horrible to

treat someone so badly who is going through all the pain, surgery and

recovery. How rude and heartless! I hope the best for both of you .

((((((((((HUGS))))))))))

> Lindy Lou

> Right THR 1/22/2007

>

>

>

> Welcome Beth. I have a similar experience. I started having a lot

of pain the beginning of this year and was told I had to have my right

hip replaced. I had it done on 9/19. All was going well then my left

hip started hurting terribly. I went for Xrays and saw I had to have

the left hip done because it had gotten bad very quickly. At first the

people at work were very sympathetic but now they just about won't

talk to me. I have my next surgery scheduled for 1/04 and I just found

out my job is going to be eliminated so I don't know where I'll be

working either when I get back on my feet. I'm worried about it

because I've been at that site for 25 years but I realize that if I

don't have this surgery I won't be able to work at all so I'm just

leaving it up to chance and saying a few prayers that wherever I land

it'll be fine. Margie

>