A little news...

And good news at that too. Delighted to say I'm 6 1/2 months pregnant and baby is due in July. Obviously getting that hip fixed was a good idea and I have no doubt that if I hadn't a pregnancy would have been rather more difficult than it is. So, the replaced hip has behaved very well so far and I'm crossing my fingers that it continues that way. My OS thinks there's no reason why I can't try for a normal delivery so am hopeful that this will be the case.

The right hip (also dysplastic and structurally worse than the left) is also holding up so far, helped by the fact I have managed to keep my weight gain under control - only 11 lbs so far. I'm still walking a lot every day and not having any real problems with that.. yet.

Will keep you all posted as to how things progress..

One year on !!!

wow, so that was quick. What a difference a year makes is all I can say. This time last year I was recovering from my LTHR and anxious/excited about how it was going to pan out. One year on, my new hip is fabulous and hasn't let me down once. I can walk for miles, swim (even breast stroke !), run (if I had the notion to), canoe, row, dance, jump, twist, crouch, bend...well you get the picture.

My consultant is delighted at my progress and thinks I'm doing so well he doesn't want to see me for another 18 months - 2 years. Woohoo !

So it's back to having a life and getting on with it....More on that soon !

Missed the 6 months post op update !!

well it's all good on the left and getting better every day - ROM is almost 100% and the leg is strong and capable. I wish I could say the same about the right which for some annoying reason won't let it be. It's not at the stage yet of needing painkillers round the clock but I feel a bit like it's a volcano bubbling away and just waiting to erupt.

Official position on it is the angles are worse than the left hip (which has always been the problem one but is now bionic.. yay !) so structurally it's bad and the socket is very shallow. The femoral head is a good shape though and my OS is of the opinion that it's a great candidate for a PAO and we have a window of opportunity before the damage sets in and takes it down the path of a THR. According to xrays in March there doesn't look to be any significant damage and of course any pain is a sign of things starting to deteriorate. Up until last summer my right hip never ever caused me ANY pain whatsoever and I guess I was lulled into thinking in the last year it had been a bit overworked and would settle down.

Clearly it doesn't feel the same way and now thinks that it has a shot at glory, and can disrupt my life now :( It started a few months ago and the best way to describe the pain is that it's noticeable on going upstairs and feels like it is at the top of the socket (right inside if that makes sense). It's a sharp pain but then goes as soon as I stop. In the last week though I've had a couple of long days sitting in the one spot, in an uncomfortable chair, and the right hip is not happy about it. The dull nasty ache deep inside the joint sets in and is only relieved by painkillers. I've also got a bit of tenderness in the trochanteric bursa (which was the indicator of the start of the downfall of my left hip) and can't lie on the right hand side for too long.

I'm still in denial/absolutely terrified of a PAO/not ready for that decision and hopeful that if I can lose a stone or two, that might make a difference (note to self, stop the chocolate biscuits then).. because another surgery requiring another 2-3 months on crutches after 3 surgeries in 2 years, and most of that time on crutches, is NOT in my plan... full stop.

but equally, I've had a glimpse of having my life back and that makes me determined not to live in pain for any longer than I need to. Arghhhhhh...

5 months post op...

...yes it really has been 5 months and I've all but forgotten about the new hip - apart from being continually amazed by it's greatness ! It really is fab. Doesn't stop me from doing anything I want to do - I got back to swimming last month and I could do the breast stroke kick without pain or difficulty for the first time in a long time !!

Touch wood the right hip is behaving itself at the moment too so all in all life is good.

Swimming....

at last I finally feel my old self coming back. Swimming was always my thing when I was younger and even in recent years. I haven't really been able to swim much in the last 3 years because of the pain in the hip. Even more galling, it's the only thing I could beat my husband at so I was desperate to regain my former ability to win at something !
So yesterday, I bit the bullet and went to the local pool.

I got into the pool with a bit of trepidation but was delighted to find that yes, I could still swim, and even managed the breast stroke kick. OK so it was only 12 lengths but you have to start somewhere and I was a bit worried about how it might feel today so consciously didn't want to overdo it. If anything, my cardio fitness held me back rather than the hips ! I did lots of exercises too which always feel good in the water, and a bit of deep water running (OK only a minute or two but again, a start !).

So pleased to report I feel good today, the muscles aren't complaining and I'm going back tomorrow for some more !

No news is good news...

wow,I've really been a stranger - sorry followers that I've been missing. You may have guessed that this means the hip is doing great ! I passed the 3 month milestone last weekend and I am totally at the stage of forgetting 90% of the time that I even have an artificial hip - which has to be a good thing ! I decided to look back on my pre-op entries and found a list of things I hoped for post op..

Things I am looking forward to are:

*being able to walk upstairs like a normal person yep - can even run now...
*being able to walk upstairs whilst carrying something no problems - washing baskets,boxes, ladders, etc, etc
*not being stopped in my tracks by a nasty sharp spiky jab to the hip no more nasty spiky pain - yippee !
*being able to put my own socks on and tie my shoelaces (well eventually) yep - have done for weeks now..
*being able to paint my own toenails (hey a girl has to keep standards up)as above !
*being able to walk as far as I want to without worrying about how I'll get back 3 miles at the last count - unheard of !
*being able to meet a friend for coffee without having to go somewhere next to a car park
delighted to park at the furthest away spot now !!

wow, when I look back at those simple wants, I'm more than delighted at where I am 3 months post op and feel like it's just getting better and better. I also feel passionately about others who are on this journey not taking no for an answer and pushing back against that diagnosis of 'yes you need a THR but only once you're over 50....' No, not acceptable at all - there is a pain free life out there and I never imagined it would be this good. I feel amazed and grateful every day about my new hip.

Sorry - been awol....having a life !

ooops... missed a few weeks there - was off on a work trip to France which I'm pleased to report went well as it involved lots of trekking around airports and towns & cities - all of which the new hip coped brilliantly with. Even the now bad hip behaved itself. Then I had a lovely week on holiday and did lots of walking and a little cycling, and it continued to behave itself.. I love my new hip !!

I'm now 9 weeks post op (I think - just had to check the calendar which is a good sign) and it's not all about the hip - at last !! I'm at the point of more or less being able to do most things - can do upstairs now although there is a bit of residual muscle tightness down the left of my thigh - about halfway between the knee and hip.. so am working on that with my physio.. can put my socks on and tie shoelaces - not quite with total ease yet but I can do it and that's what's important !!

Inevitably now the left is fixed, my mind has turned to thinking about the right - no real symptoms - just the odd niggle if I've been sitting in a funny position. My OS has told me I'd be a great candidate for a PAO (the mother of all hip surgeries and not be taken lightly) on the hip and as it's largely symptom free he thinks if we do the PAO I might never need a THR.

I guess what I'm struggling with is I've had a great recovery from the THR (touch wood) so far and I know the PAO recovery would be much tougher and longer. Having had 2 previous ops on the left hip in the last 2 years which were difficult to rehab from I'm not in any hurry to go down that path again any time soon. I also feel like I have my life back now and I want to get on and live it and not have to rely on other people AGAIN for another x number of weeks while I'd be on crutches unable to do cook, look after the house, walk the dog etc.

Plus, thinking about having kids and although I know it would be sensible to get the PAO out the way - I'm sick of having the hips dictate what I can and can't do and just want to live. So, I've left it with my OS that I'll have a follow up at 1 year post op for the left hip and if I experience any increase in pain on the right, I've to get in touch with him. So fingers crossed it stays as it is. I think my gut feel is if I could get through having kids etc and a few more years down the line, have a THR on the right I'd be happy.

Seems extreme I know but I am a bit freaked at the thought of messing with something that doesn't hurt at the moment (athough once the pain starts it means that damage is being done and a PAO will become less successful) What I do know though is if the right starts to hurt the way the left did when it began to deteriorate a few years ago, I'll be knocking down the surgeon's door for a PAO asap. I guess I want to have my cake and eat it but is that so wrong ?!!

'Scuse the rambling !