Re: Re: First consultation tomorrow

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy,

Great news! .. pity that it can't be on the NHS though! It is well worth

the being careful after the op .. as I have said before I was non-weight

bearing for 6 weeks - but after that the recovery was remarkable. But then

my kids are older which helps! Let us know when you have a date - and a

hospital. Mine was done at the Birmingham Nufflieled - which was superb -

can't fault it at all!

Sue

First consultation tomorrow

>

>

> Hello everybody

>

> I have my first consultation with Mr Treacy tomorrow, plus CT

scan.

> My main questions for him are whether I can afford to wait for NHS

> treatment and what exercise I should do to minimise damage during

the

> wait. Many of the questions I would ask a lesser known surgeon

> (infection rates etc.) are kind of irrelevant. I just wondered

> whether anyone has ideas of questions that they wished they had

> asked.

>

> Thanks

> Kathy

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Kathy:

It was a good thing that you went and saw him ASAP ! Good save... and great

news. I really recommend the Droitwich Spa if you are not living in

Birmingham as it is much easier to get to by car... you avoid all of the

Birmingham traffic. I also thought that they were fantastic and my whole

experience was smooth...

Keep us posted on your progress. Sorry about the NHS failing us once again

! ! ! Is there no way give your condition to cut the que???

> Subj:RE: Re: First consultation tomorrow

> Date:23/05/2002 10:08:38 GMT Daylight Time

> From:<A

HREF= " mailto:suef.burton@... " >suef.burton@...</A>

> Reply-to:<A

HREF= " mailto:surfacehippy " >surfacehippy </A>

> To:<A

HREF= " mailto:surfacehippy " >surfacehippy </A>

> Sent from the Internet

>

>

>

> Hi Kathy,

> Great news! .. pity that it can't be on the NHS though! It is well worth

> the being careful after the op .. as I have said before I was non-weight

> bearing for 6 weeks - but after that the recovery was remarkable. But then

> my kids are older which helps! Let us know when you have a date - and a

> hospital. Mine was done at the Birmingham Nufflieled - which was superb -

> can't fault it at all!

> Sue

> First consultation tomorrow

> >

> >

> > Hello everybody

> >

> > I have my first consultation with Mr Treacy tomorrow, plus CT

> scan.

> > My main questions for him are whether I can afford to wait for NHS

> > treatment and what exercise I should do to minimise damage during

> the

> > wait. Many of the questions I would ask a lesser known surgeon

> > (infection rates etc.) are kind of irrelevant. I just wondered

> > whether anyone has ideas of questions that they wished they had

> > asked.

> >

> > Thanks

> > Kathy

>

[Guest guest]

Ken,

Me again (Saeed). What kind of physical condition were you in pre-op? What

kind of surgical approach did your surgeon use?

Thanks again.

[Guest guest]

Hi Sue,

Why were you non-weight bearing for 6 weeks? I've had uncomplicated

bilateral resurfacing with no limitation on weight bearing.

Ken

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy,

Great news that you have a date .. roll on the 26th!! I can completely

understand your excitement. I think our reaction to this kind of news only

begins to give people an insight into the type of pain we live with before

surgery!

In terms of coping .. here are some of the things I did:

Our shower is also in a bath - all i did was get a large bath mat - then I

would sit on a towel on the end of the bath, move my legs over into the

bath - (with the help of my husband initially) and then I actually took the

crutches into the bath - just being very careful to place them carefully

down - in order to move to the other end of the bath where the shower was.

And then just reverse the process to get out. It took me about a week of

needing support (about 12 days post op) before I could manage it on my own.

Fortunately from about the third day I had no dressing over the staples (I

don't know if this is a std Mr T procedure) but it certainly helped.

If you have a pair of crutches it is worth just trying the process out

before surgery. Something I stupidly didn't do - not thinking for a moment

that I would be non-weight bearing for so long. If I had of done so - we

possibly would have fitted a rail just to help me stand up once sitting on

the edge of the bath.

I found a raise for the toilet very helpful indeed. I have one sitting here

if it is of any use to you - not sure where you live but perhaps I can

arrange to get it to you.

Make sure you have plenty of pillows - these are often very useful for

getting comfortable in bed and if you lie on the unoperated side you have to

do so with at least one between your legs.

What I found hardest of all was cooking - it is very difficult to move

around the kitchen on crutches - if at all possible I would advise as many

frozen meals stored up in advance! There have been some great ideas on this

list eg an apron with big pockets - which I wish I had heard of before.

I had surgery just before Christmas so at least had my girls, husband and a

friend who came to stay, around for a while. The real shock came the first

day I was on my own and suddenly realised that if I wanted to drink a cup of

tea - i had to do so standing in the kitchen because I couldn't carry it to

the lounge or my desk. Soon got wise to that one and had to get myself very

organised - a flask and my lunch ready in the lounge by the time everyone

left the house in the morning!

Two other very useful things I did - organised a cleaning service once a

week for the 6 weeks and shopped online. It also just saved my husband the

hassle - and gave him more time to devote to me - smile!

The physios were great and yes they talked me through everything before I

went home - and made certain I could manage stairs. After the 6 weeks I was

on two crutches for a further 2 weeks - 4 point walk - then 2 sticks for 2

weeks - and then 1 stick - for 2 weeks and then free again!

It is a long haul - but hey it goes much quicker than you think! When I

first heard 6 weeks non-weight bearing it felt like forever - but worth

minute of it now. It also felt so strange to be free of pain for the first

time in years - and not to be able to do anything! A huge contrast to

dragging oneself through every day and soldiering one - when the pain is so

bad.

Can't say enough .. it is well worth it!

Sorry this has been very long already but I hope at least some of it might

be useful to you.

Sue

Re: First consultation tomorrow

Sue /

More news....

I now have a date for my surgery (so excited - some of my colleagues

find that perverse)- on 26th June at the Royal Orthopaedic. I missed

out on that 0% finance at the Nuffield because they didn't have a

date soon enough. Still finances are a minor concern vs mobility. You

would think that my condition would merit jumping the queue, wouldn't

you. I think the trouble is that my hip is borderline for

resurfacing - so the surgeon really has to be Mr Treacy. He's gone

1/2 time NHS, and his waiting list for consultation has shot up to 44

weeks.

- you must be about 3 weeks post -op by now - how's the hip

behaving?

Sue - I'd love to hear your ideas about coping in the home during the

non-weight-bearing weeks. I have NO idea how I'm going to wash. Our

shower is in the bath, which is up a step! Also, how long did it take

to progress from starting weight-bearing to walking? Then to walking

while carrying something heavy? Did you find the physio and

occupational therapy adequately prepared you for coping at home?

Regards

Kathy

[Guest guest]

Ken three reasons -

-cysts above the acetabulum and poor bone density in the femur and then a

changed femoral angle due to prior osteotomies which increased risk of

femoral fracture post-surgery.

It was a quite a shock esp since I was walking with one crutch three days

after a THR on the other side 15 years ago!

Sue

Re: Re: First consultation tomorrow

Hi Sue,

Why were you non-weight bearing for 6 weeks? I've had uncomplicated

bilateral resurfacing with no limitation on weight bearing.

Ken

[Guest guest]

Kathy:

Listening to Sue, I am a bit embarrased to report on my progress... I think

given your cysts that you will be much closer to her restrictions than my

story.

Yes, I am three weeks exactly in a few hours (Sat 8:30am)... it has gone by

very very quickly and I can't believe how fast I am healing...

From PO one week when I came home to PO two weeks, I went from night to

day... I was still very tender when I came home at PO one week although I

was able to walk with two sticks and had learned to climb and go down stairs

one step at a time while still in the hospital... but by two weeks PO I was

moving almost everywhere easily... able to twist out of bed (a big deal as

you will learn when you wake up PO... twisting is very very painful at first

and not something you volunteer to do) and I noted that on the two

weakaversy, I just began to be able to climb the stairs one foot a stair...

that is normally rather than one at a time (with the sticks for support of

course)....

With another week behind me at 3 weeks PO, it is another world yet again... I

am skirting around the house often enough without any canes (still a bit of

limp) although I still use both for strolls outside. I still feel that my

muscles are stiff but I am able to streach them just a little bit more every

day... and yes... today was the first day that I was able to put my socks

and shoes on all by myself... even tieing my own shoelace. ! ! ! (Not that

it was easy or didn't take me about 5 minutes each to get the sock and then

the shoe on and tied....)

Needless to say, I am tickled pink with the way my muscles are coming back on

line...

But I was lucky... I didn't have any major complications... no nasty bone

cysts, no dysplacia... just premature OA which I treated as soon as I went

BoBone.

I wish you the best....

I am curious to know how much longer you would have had to have waited for

the other hospitals (Nuffield, Priory, Droitwich)... I have heard that the

Royal Orthopedic is very good but, being NHS is a bit austire in comparision

(perhaps you will have a private wing?) I never did visit it but I know that

there are several people in this group who have had surgery there... you may

do a search or they may write in their comments if you ask... I seem to

recall that they were still very satisfied.

I know that you are right though not to take any chances waiting or doing it

with any other surgeon at this stage that you are at...

Keep us posted... God bless !

C.

> Subj:RE: Re: First consultation tomorrow

> Date:24/05/2002 15:13:17 GMT Daylight Time

> From:<A

HREF= " mailto:suef.burton@... " >suef.burton@...</A>

> Reply-to:<A

HREF= " mailto:surfacehippy " >surfacehippy </A>

> To:<A

HREF= " mailto:surfacehippy " >surfacehippy </A>

> Sent from the Internet

>

>

>

> Hi Kathy,

> Great news that you have a date .. roll on the 26th!! I can completely

> understand your excitement. I think our reaction to this kind of news only

> begins to give people an insight into the type of pain we live with before

> surgery!

>

> In terms of coping .. here are some of the things I did:

>

> Our shower is also in a bath - all i did was get a large bath mat - then I

> would sit on a towel on the end of the bath, move my legs over into the

> bath - (with the help of my husband initially) and then I actually took the

> crutches into the bath - just being very careful to place them carefully

> down - in order to move to the other end of the bath where the shower was.

> And then just reverse the process to get out. It took me about a week of

> needing support (about 12 days post op) before I could manage it on my own.

> Fortunately from about the third day I had no dressing over the staples (I

> don't know if this is a std Mr T procedure) but it certainly helped.

> If you have a pair of crutches it is worth just trying the process out

> before surgery. Something I stupidly didn't do - not thinking for a moment

> that I would be non-weight bearing for so long. If I had of done so - we

> possibly would have fitted a rail just to help me stand up once sitting on

> the edge of the bath.

> I found a raise for the toilet very helpful indeed. I have one sitting here

> if it is of any use to you - not sure where you live but perhaps I can

> arrange to get it to you.

> Make sure you have plenty of pillows - these are often very useful for

> getting comfortable in bed and if you lie on the unoperated side you have

> to

> do so with at least one between your legs.

> What I found hardest of all was cooking - it is very difficult to move

> around the kitchen on crutches - if at all possible I would advise as many

> frozen meals stored up in advance! There have been some great ideas on this

> list eg an apron with big pockets - which I wish I had heard of before.

>

> I had surgery just before Christmas so at least had my girls, husband and a

> friend who came to stay, around for a while. The real shock came the first

> day I was on my own and suddenly realised that if I wanted to drink a cup

> of

> tea - i had to do so standing in the kitchen because I couldn't carry it to

> the lounge or my desk. Soon got wise to that one and had to get myself very

> organised - a flask and my lunch ready in the lounge by the time everyone

> left the house in the morning!

>

> Two other very useful things I did - organised a cleaning service once a

> week for the 6 weeks and shopped online. It also just saved my husband the

> hassle - and gave him more time to devote to me - smile!

>

> The physios were great and yes they talked me through everything before I

> went home - and made certain I could manage stairs. After the 6 weeks I was

> on two crutches for a further 2 weeks - 4 point walk - then 2 sticks for 2

> weeks - and then 1 stick - for 2 weeks and then free again!

> It is a long haul - but hey it goes much quicker than you think! When I

> first heard 6 weeks non-weight bearing it felt like forever - but worth

> minute of it now. It also felt so strange to be free of pain for the first

> time in years - and not to be able to do anything! A huge contrast to

> dragging oneself through every day and soldiering one - when the pain is so

> bad.

>

> Can't say enough .. it is well worth it!

> Sorry this has been very long already but I hope at least some of it might

> be useful to you.

> Sue

> Re: First consultation tomorrow

>

>

> Sue /

> More news....

> I now have a date for my surgery (so excited - some of my colleagues

> find that perverse)- on 26th June at the Royal Orthopaedic. I missed

> out on that 0% finance at the Nuffield because they didn't have a

> date soon enough. Still finances are a minor concern vs mobility. You

> would think that my condition would merit jumping the queue, wouldn't

> you. I think the trouble is that my hip is borderline for

> resurfacing - so the surgeon really has to be Mr Treacy. He's gone

> 1/2 time NHS, and his waiting list for consultation has shot up to 44

> weeks.

> - you must be about 3 weeks post -op by now - how's the hip

> behaving?

> Sue - I'd love to hear your ideas about coping in the home during the

> non-weight-bearing weeks. I have NO idea how I'm going to wash. Our

> shower is in the bath, which is up a step! Also, how long did it take

> to progress from starting weight-bearing to walking? Then to walking

> while carrying something heavy? Did you find the physio and

> occupational therapy adequately prepared you for coping at home?

>

> Regards

> Kathy

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Sue - wishing you good progress in time. Ken

[Guest guest]

Saeed,

I started getting arthritic hip pain on the right in 1994 and prior to this

had been above average fitness (mountaineering etc). I had to gradually cut

back on long distance walking until 1998, then I started cycling for fitness

which ended a year ago because of difficulty with pain as well as getting on

and off the bike. So for a year before surgery I was getting very little

exercise and took up keel boat sailing for fresh air! My left hip started to

become unstable about 12 months ago with frequent night pain. This convinced

me I needed bilateral resurfacing. I could keep comfortable by sitting doing

nothing exertional all day long but decided this was not an option!

But now I'm 3 weeks post op from Perth Royal Infirmary and becoming stronger

every day. I can rise from normal chairs, toilets etc and am able to cruise

around the house without sticks. However I make a point of using sticks

out-of-doors to avoid waddling which only strains the leg muscles.

I'm 47 and the BHR has given me hope of keeping very fit for the next 10 -

20 years. No-one can say what the long-term outlook will be but the surgeons

performing hip resurfacing at present ( and there are a great many competent

surgeons in UK other than the very famous Mr T and McMinn!) are quietly

optimistic. Ultimately I guess the longevity of these implants will be

decided by miles rather than years.

Best regards

Ken