2% Club

[Guest guest]

Hey Hippies:

I think I remember reading in here that the failure rate for

resurfacing is something like two percent. Unfortunately, I can now

be considered part of that exclusive failed-hippy club. Last Friday

I went to the University of Virginia for my six-month post-op visit

and the doc there said my bionic part isn't working.

The doc wants to go back in and give me a standard total hip

replacement. He said I am exhibiting symptoms of an infection in the

joint (pain, swelling, occasional joint lock-up, inability to walk

without aid), but repeated bloodwork shows no infection. I asked why

he thought this was happening and he said there were two

possibilities: 1) my pre-op condition (Avascular

Necrosis/Osteonecrosis) has continued and the femoral head has

continued to deteriorate under the cap (but there aren't any pictures

they can take to see if that's the case because of the nature of the

cap). 2) The prosthetic and my cartillege aren't a good match and my

body has failed to accept the new part (something about

" articulation " ?). He also said it could be a combination of the

two.

I told the doc there was no way I could go under the knife again

so soon (for one thing, I don't have the leave time available to take

time off from work; for another, I just can't afford another round of

surgery even with my excellent insurance. Also, learning to walk

again twice in one years seems a bit overwhelming) - especially for a

THR which I was hoping to avoid altogether. I asked him if some more

intensive physical therapy might help and he told me it couldn't hurt

and wrote out a prescription for it.

This coming Tuesday, I am meeting with my Primary Care Physician

to discuss this new round of physical therapy and new methods of pain

management (I feel like I have GOT to get off of these heavy-duty

pain pills before they create new problems for me [i.e. liver damage,

etc.]). I'm hoping the ever-brilliant and creative members of this

group can suggest some exercises that have worked for you that I

could discuss with my physical therapist and maybe some ideas for

alternative pain management I could try on my own or discuss with my

PCP. At this point, I'm game for anything - except swimming (this

mountain boy is a total hydrophobe) - so please let ideas and

suggestions fly!

Thanks!

~ L.