Broken surprises.

It has four years since I had the replacement and four months since the bone graft.

Recovery from the graft is proving to be interesting, more difficult than I thought and with a surprise that my surgeon has never seen from this already unusual surgery.

I had a check up six weeks ago and I am still processing the news, the x-ray showed that I have fractured the bone graft. Clear through middle, where the stem tip hits the bone. We are a bit of a loss as to how this has happened and what this means for the success of the operation. It is gutting.  The unknown of this is a bit tough.

The recovery has been difficult with stiffness and flexibility. I am finding it frustrating and depressing, having a toddler around has made extra hard and I am thankful he came along after the hip replacement! It may have been easier to put this off till Squeaky was in school but we have so many other unknowns this had to be sorted.

I had four Hydrotherapy sessions and they helped. I am finding being focused on the physio difficult and really need to be better. I find I can lift and carry Squeaky but a bit loathe to run after him and he is running! Everywhere!
I need to find some motivation and not let this fracture drag me down and hope that my bone merges in with the graft. I need this leg to be back to normal regardless. I have to this but am so worried it is has failed and all this pain and the lack of flexibility is for nought.to write this a few
I have tried to be sparkly about this but am failing a bit. I am still off work and trying to get myself and this damn leg. Then forward.

Held together with Zip ties.

I am currently propped in my bed with Wonder Woman playing on the TV. My right leg is sore, painful to the bone but slowly getting there. Would you like to know how I got here? Are you okay with slightly gory post operative pictures? Yes? Read on! No? Close the window and find something else to read!
Last Tuesday I was up before the household, quick shower and final pieces packed and off I went, early enough to catch a night bus to the station. Travelled on the tube with the retail workers and work boots and tool boxes. My mohawk sans produce tucked up in a turban and a totally comfy but weird slogan for the day hoodie and I arrived early to UCLH. (University London College Hospital)

In totally British fashion there was a queue at the door as the department did not open till right on the dot of 7am. Peed in a cup and was told I was the first on the list. Which was a surprise but good. Went thought the standard medical questions and the nurse went off to get my gown and assorted gubbins. She returned with the news there was no bed for me at the moment and I would have to wait. No idea how long that would be and that generally these things resolved themselves. I hoped so, having to rearrange all the arrangements we had made would be a pain. The Anaesthetist arrived and was very pleased that I would rather a spinal over a general anaesthetic.

I sat around for a while, and Mr Gin joined me after dropping Squeaky off at childcare. I met Mr Hutt’s Fellow (possibly Registrar) and we signed forms and again I was told they generally sorted the bed issues out. While we waited in the waiting room Mr Hutt dropped in to say everything was ready to go ahead, all the bits assembled. He thought there was a bed but the surgery wouldn’t happen till the afternoon.

I was taken up around 11:30, dressed in the hospital’s finest gowns. I walked to theatre, this something if found interesting, normally there is a wheel chair or bed involved. I left Mr Gin behind, he wouldn’t be there when I got out as he had to pick up Squeaky.

The spinal went smoothly, both Anaesthetist , Mr John Dick and Chris (missed the last name) were lovely, apparently I sat very still but to be honest I didn’t feel it at all. Good work. Mr Hutt was relived that I had selected to be sedated, personally I didn’t want to be awake, nerves would make me extra chatty.

The operation was a bone graft, a piece of donor bone was to be attached to my femur with wires. The medicine/science is that the donor bone should grow into my bone and make it thicker, hopefully this will take the pressure that I can feel and spread the load. Thus hopefully lessening the pain from the stem tip that is resting against the inside of my femur.

I woke in recovery, a bit fuzzy and sore. Lovely staff, as always, recovery nursing staff tend to be the most attentive, I am assuming that recovery is a place that you have to be on your toes. I call Mr Gin, because they realised there would be no one to meet me and I really wanted to let him know I was okay. I had a lovely chat with a Filipino nurse, we talked about being a long way from home and the British weather. Then I was very proactive and threw up my nice short bread biscuit in a vomit bowl. I was feeling a bit dissociative which was to be expected but this nausea was not something I have had with a spinal. I was given a drug to help and then a swift and slightly painful bed change because my bladder was not really there so to speak and throwing up set it off. My blood pressure was low as was my heart rate, this was little bit weird, it is not a rare side effect of a spinal but the heart rate was causing concern. I needed to drink more water. Another nurse came in, a fellow who obviously spent a lot of time in the gym. We had a conversation about my gym experience as a 40 tiny woman compared to his as a hefty nurse. He felt my lower heart rate may result in being fit. (I am not sure if he was being nice, it is odd being called fit by a medical professional.)

I was taken up to the tenth floor where I was looked after by an amazing Irish nursing assistant called Kathleen, she found my home so I could call Squeaky which made me cry. She decided that a slightly nauseous, weepy, Australian mum needed that phone quickly and located it for me. She also took away the sausages and mash that landed on my table that really didn’t help and found a sandwich. Small things that helped. I rewarded her by throwing up the sandwich but in bowls, sadly still required another bed change. Another anti – nausea drug and pain killers followed. My temperature was low, not sure why, the nurses covered me up in blankets and tried to get me warmed. I was surprisingly in a single room, I was warned I would be moved onto a bay, which was fine, but I was happy to be a in a single room for the first night, feeling as spaced as I was.

A friend, H, who worked locally came over after work and sat with me for a bit. We looked at the amazing view over London but I have very little memory of the conversation because the combination of three anti-nausea meds, painkillers and wearing off sedatives really made life interesting. My blankets began undulate on their on accord, looking like that they were breathing. It wasn’t a pleasant experience but I think H thought it slightly amusing!

She left and I dozed for a bit. The downside to low blood pressure is that nursing staff want you to drink water, that in turn means that you need to pee and then that means bed pans! Ack, and getting onto those bastards is hard with a very stiff and painful leg! I hate, loathe bed pans. End of subject.
In the morning, the Surgical Fellow I met before the surgery arrived, looked at the scar, which is lower than my replacement scar, and felt that as long as the physio team agreed and I got an x-ray and that looked good I could go home that day. That was a little bit of surprise, we were expecting a bit longer and if we could get out in the early afternoon it would be all fine. My temperature was higher but blood pressure a touch low.

The Physio arrived, a lively lady named Stacey, arrived with crutches. I had morphine before she arrived in anticipation of this being tough but I was so ready to walk to the toilet it wasn’t funny. We went through a refresher of crutch using and I gently stood up. I then swore, a lot, it fucking hurt but manageable. Mr Hutt had told me that it was likely to be more painful than replacement, he wasn’t wrong. So, up I got, I was going to pee. I turned and my ears began to ring, my head felt tight and I felt really hot. I realised that I was going to faint. I told Stacey that I had to sit down, rapidly and she told me to lie down. She then harassed the bed to get my head lower than my feet. She was quite concerned and checked my blood pressure, which was low, not very low but a bit of concern and my colour was extremely pale. More goth than goth.  The Physio decided that I wasn’t going to be discharged the day with low enough blood pressure.  It took a while for my colour to return.

Stacey decided she would come back in the after lunch to see how I was going and do walking and stairs then. Annoyingly I was to stay in bed until she came back and that meant bed pans.

Mr Gin visited with snacks and I perfected some origami as we waited for the x-ray and physio. The Pharmacist dropped by and discussed drugs, including one that I had not tried before.
Dihydrocodeine, first test to see if it made me throw up and if it works.  During the day I ended up doubling it up with morphine as the pain was pretty full on. In an attempt to feel more human I changed into a nightie of my own which helped.

Stacey the Physio returned and I was fine with the crutches, although the leg was sore, I was happy to give it a go. We did not do the stairs as there was no wheelchair but I wasn’t going home anyway because the x-ray had not happened. But I did not have to use a bed pan so I did not care!
So, Mr Gin went off to pick up Squeaky and H dropped in before she went off a meeting. I was nice to have her company, we admired the view again and I wandered around a bit on my crutches. She headed off on to her meeting and I settled in for the night after saying good night to Squeaky. By 9:30 I was struggling to remain awake so I went to sleep.

The morning was an early start with the Physio turning up before the joy of the pain med cart. I walked on my crutches to the stairs, the leg was very sore but I was going to do this, I miss Squeaky and my bed. (I missed Mr Gin too, but I was seeing him.) There was two Physios and we went up and down a flight of stairs. Oh boy, it hurt, my leg is so stiff, the femur hurt a lot and the incision was tight. I did it though. I got back to my room and Stacey was a gem and located a some morphine, I was very pleased to see it. It takes a fair bit to put me in tears but there was I lying on the bed sobbing but after a while it settled.

Stacey was happy to discharge me, now it was only an x-ray and we were golden but considering they had ordered it yesterday, I was a little worried. I had a pain free nap and an entertaining time doing origami feeling floaty.

The x-ray happened and I got to see the hardware, I have five metal zip ties attaching someone else’s bone to my femur. No wonder it hurt! The x-ray technician thought I was brave, which not what I would call it.  There was a dressing change and the unveiling of the incision, it joins my replacement scar which means it that is one very long scar! The nurse said it was very neat.

The time was slipping away and Mr Gin had to go and pick up Squeaky. Thankfully the lovely R was pleased to duck out of work and wait with me while I butted my head against the wall of hospital policy about not prescribing oramorph. I was not happy with the pain management of the codeine, ibuprofen and paracetamol combo. It removed some of the pain but I wasn’t overly comfortable. The doctors suggested that I stay another night but I wanted to come home and hug Squeaky.
In the end I left with R and we had a bit of a tough time getting a cab due to being officially discharged at 5 pm. Getting discharged from hospital is unbelievably complicated and time consuming.

Home was lovely, Squeaky was lovely and it was good to see Mr Gin and eat real food. All in all it was a very different experience to Epsom and I felt it was odd that I only saw Mr Hutt once.

I see dead people in my future.

I have had a bit of a time with planning my next operation. The timings all centred around Squeaky Cub and him finishing with the Spica. When we knew the Spica journey was coming to an end I contacted Johnathon Hutt at St Georges, only to find out that he was moving to University College of London Hospital to take up a position there.

This put timings out a bit and I had to think if I wanted change hospitals or surgeon.  After thinking I decided to continue with Mr Hutt and we moved hospitals and I saw him three weeks after he started in his new role.

To resolve the pain issues from the implant I am going to have a bone graft to hopefully distribute the pain that flares up and either reduces or removes it.  The pain is okay in the summer but winter it can be terrible. I ended up on my stick a couple days with a cold snap and it certainly was nagging.

This stem pain is a known side of the implant (S-Ron) and the bone graft should resolve it. If it doesn’t then I am going to lump it and chase a toddler, as the other option is a revision and I am too young for that. Neither I not Mr Hutt are keen on that option, because in his words, those replacements are hard to take out.  The graft will be donor bone, so prepare for dead people jokes and a push to donate your bits when you move on. (Tell your family.)

When I saw Mr Hutt, he was not sure what his waiting list was like and I have some plans coming up that we needed to work around. With some phone calls I sorted a date with the lovely scheduler and I have surgery on the 17th of September.  This could very interesting; the recovery shouldn’t be as long as a replacement but could be more painful to begin with. This could be interesting with a toddler!

I have had the pre-operation appointment and considering there has been no communication it is all go. Fingers crossed Squeaky is walking and we have begun planning, the logistics are a little worrisome.

12 month review - Could do better

Yesterday was the 12 month anniversary of the hip replacement and I am nursing a stonker of a hangover today.

A lot and nothing has happened since I last blogged.  I went to Australia, relaxed, showed my tattoo of my implant to my mother and drove 1500 km in 10 days with surprisingly no ill effects! I also have managed to swim a full 1 km in the pool. All in all, the joint is wonderful, it sometimes grates or vibrates when I stretch which an odd sensation.

I have have very sore feet, I have developed plantar fasciitis which is makes my heels and arches very tender, I went to the GP when they got unbearable, not long before headed to Australia in November. She gave me some exercises that seemed to be okay and my sports masseur released my rock hard calves and stretched the soles of my feet. The reason for the developing of the feet is because of my pretty sudden change from no activity to wanting to walk everywhere!

There was not much improvement but I stuck with the exercises and they settled whilst in Australia only to flair again when back walking in London. I had organised some more Physio on the suggestion of Mr Hutt earlier and we were looking at my walk which is still very limp like and he had done a pretty good job on the skeletal stuff and I shouldn't be limping.  So the Physios have started building my glutes in an effort to stop me dropping into the joint. This seems to be working, very slowly. They also rejigged my exercises for my feet to accommodate my hypermobility. This seems to be helping but I still get days where the feet burn as I sit in the tube which is very uncomfortable. I am finding that I want to limit the amount of walking and that is frustrating, so I am heading back to the GP to see if I can get some steroid injections so I can continue with the exercises but not be in as much pain.

The feet have been frustrating but the fact the thigh pain has not disappeared has been very difficult. We were hoping it would go over time and it wasn’t obvious in Australia except when I tried running on the beach (soft landings there).  Coming back into the cold it became apparent that the pain was still there, some days very bad, sharp pain, when I walk. Going up stairs I can feel the implant every step. Getting up off the floor, that downward pressure is very evident.

I went for my 12 month check up with Mr Hutt, he was very pleased with my progress, the bone is growing into the replacement and overall he is very happy besides the ruddy thigh pain. We talked about what was causing it, the shape of the stem, which is a documented issue but fairly rare. The tip rests on the bone of the femur, which is causing the pain, we think.  Hutt feels it is a pressure differential between the metal and bone. Hence when there is pressure put on the joint moving there is pain flairs.

He has suggested we leave it for another six months, to see if it rights itself. If not we will have to have a CT scan and isolate if it is the whole stem or the just the tip of the stem causing the issue. If it is the whole stem the option will be replacing just the stem.  If it is the tip, it would be putting in a plate to spread the pressure and possibly some bone grafts. Of course the third option will be to leave it and live with it.

In the meantime I am going to try to lose some weight and strengthen the muscles around the hip. This may help and frankly I am ready to grasp at those straws.  I am overweight and the muscles are weak so there are improvements to be made there regardless.

Needless to say the thought of more surgery and revising the implant has made me quite upset and my mental health has taken a bit of a tumble with this newish development. I am really disappointed about it and finding it difficult not to worry big time. It will not be an easy decision if I have to make it. Thankfully Mr Gin is being wonderful and supportive as always.

So Hippy Birthday to me and hopefully this will pass.

Testing of the Bionics.

Seven months have passed and generally things are the same.

I am not sure if the implant pain is lessening or I am getting used to it. It is a bit ouchy today, with the pain seemly traveling down to my knee. But this could be because for the long weekend I spent in a hotel with over 800 people at a Convention for the Discworld series of books by Terry Pratchett. There was a fair amount of walking, standing around, sitting in uncomfortable chairs and drinking. In between there were interesting talks and what not.

The last time I was at one of these was four years ago. I had a blue dot on my name card, an indication that I could queue jump and not have to stand to queue. I was grudging about taking one but in the end it was very needful. I was on a stick intermittently and found the standing in queues exhausting. By the time I finished the four days of Con I was tired and broken.

This time I went without my blue dot, I knew they were there but honestly didn’t think that I needed one.  I did have my sensible hat on and was ready to get a blue dot if needed. I figured the first day would be a good test. It is almost a half day and would give me an idea how much effort and energy I would need. The venue was compact with some stairs but there was also a lift if I needed it. The first day was not too bad at all. There were places to sit and the general feeling was grand. The queues were long and friendly.  (In the end I didn’t really queue because the front chairs of the big venue were uncomfortable and frankly the view was pretty rubbish in most places.) I was pretty much sold that I could handle the experience as a normal person.

It was a really good test for the leg because I tend to love these events and drink too much and tire myself out a lot. I think over the three evening I managed about 10 to 12 hours sleep. I jammed in as many talks as I could and lined up on tarmac for long periods and trundled my camera bag (which is not light) around with me. I even walked 40 minutes to the venue one day!

All in all it was good, I felt I was tired because I was burning the candle at both ends and not because I was being slowed down by the leg. This is all very good.

I think the next step now I pretty much back to post op six years ago is to try and drop some weight and get a bit more fit. Then I think tackle my walk, that is going to take some emotional space and I have a trip home lined up which is approaching, which as always stressful. These trips are generally not really a holiday and not matter how often I say I am not going run all over the shop I end up doing that anyway!  

Six months, really, yes really!

The Big Six month update.

It has been quiet on the blog because there is not all that much to report. Not much has changed but I have had the six months check up with Mr Hutt so an update feels to be in order. It is not an overly cheerful update because I am still frustrated but will try for an upbeat mode.

So, sports massage, brilliant idea, has sorted out my back. Fabulous! I have found a good masseur through work, she is close and reasonably priced. My rock hard calves have settled down which is brilliant. I suspect this is no longer a luxury but a necessary to help my body along as I try to sort this walk. Loosening muscles seems to help a fair bit and maybe it will help with the thigh pain I have having.

Thigh pain. A frustrating new thing along with a knee that is a bit sore and audible in its crunching! The thigh pain is from tip of the implant in my thigh bone, it is deep and ranges from nothing, a bit achy to quite sore. I rarely take pain killers for it but it is not something I want to live with. Mr Hutt has explained some of the issue comes from me being a dainty wee thing, well, short (153cm) and the stem being reasonably long. It tends to get sore when I put pressure on it from exercises etc. It is deep, under muscle pain. It was intermittent when I first got the hip done then disappeared and then came back in June and has not disappeared. Yet. There is hope as it all beds in that the pain will disappear and things will be peachy. The pain is such that I am bit wary of trying to run, even for a bus because I think that will be a nasty sharp pain. Mr Hutt, thinks in 12 month we will know if it is going to be an ongoing issue.

Sadly, if it does not go in that time, the only option maybe a revision and new hip. I want to avoid that. So much. So much. So at the moment lots research happening and exercising to gentle persuade the tip to bed in and the bone to become less sensitive! I just hope it is all worth it.

The knee could be muscles pulling on the knee cap which I will get my masseur to look at that and if that does not help, off to the GP! Frankly dodgy left knee is in the bad books because I would like the body to give me a break for a while.

Needless to say all the above it a bit tough to deal with and digest but recently finding someone with similar issues with the same implant and put in by the same surgeon has helped a lot.

Exercise. I hate the gym. But I am doing static biking, leg weight machine things and cross trainer. Not too much swimming lately but I am doing a fair amount of that, not quite cracked the 1 km in 30 minutes mark but hoping to soon. At some point there will be leg presses and rowing soon, if I can work out how to use the rowing machine!

The bloody walk. I have new sneakers but they are being rapidly destroyed by my twisty left foot. I am still hip hiking and a little bit of the waddle, a throw back from the old walk and also a bit with the thigh pain. Mr Hutt felt that perfection will not happen on its own and there are some terrible habits of a lifetime break. The skeletal foundation is the best we can hope for, we think the hip has settled about 1mm down which is not much but could have been the angle of the x-ray or a result of normal settling or a major collision I had with the floor 3 months ago. He is very pleased (as am I) with the movement I have. I can sit cross legged like a primary school child, this is something I have NEVER been able to do even as a child. The range of movement is very good and smooth. The muscles are building nicely but could do with some more building.  So, this means some more gym work and locating a physiotherapist to help with the walking. There is more in this than weak muscles, there are old habits and I do not really know what a proper walk feels like.  I think this is clincher, the past physio expected I would know what a normal walk would feel like. I really don’t I have never walked like a normal person, my gait has been awkward since I learned to walk on a dislocated hip as a two year old!

I am walking fair distances and with speed, I can keep up with Mr Gin pretty well and now there is no longer any forward planning for going out, I walk my local high street easily and climb two to three stories of stairs, although a bit puffy, quite well. My overall fitness and weight leave a bit to be desired but that is the story of my life and not really to do with the new hip. I could do with losing a good 30 kilograms and that might help with the overall fitness. Sadly, I find gym boring and rather like food and booze, so this is always going to be a struggle.  I have been walking more because of all things, Pokemon Go, it drives Mr Gin bonkers but gets me out and about. I am trying to catch buses that require more walking and generally not take the lazy way out. I have to try and cut down on the red wine.

Work is a stressful which makes cutting the wine down hard. We have a trip to Australia booked, I am sure that I will set some sensors off! I have also got it my mind this new hip is going to do some driving, a lot of it. I am looking forward to a holiday.

There is not much else to report besides a little six month celebration but that will get its own post!

Walk like a hippie

It is a long weekend in ye olde Britain. On the hip front we have been doing well, Mr Gin has friends in Cheltenham, which is where we spent Saturday in this pleasant town. We walked quite away. My walking is getting better but I don’t have huge amounts of stamina. We figure I walked about 3 km in about 40 minutes. Not all in one go but it didn’t wipe me out completely. (I must learn to not sit for hours as well, I do love good company, they do distract me to a point of forgetting to get up.)

Sunday was another walk Sunday, we walked into our local town centre, roughly 2 km, then a bit of a wander, film and then walking home (via a baby pop up bar for a pint).  Less tiring than Saturday’s walk, which meant heading out to my first gig since the hip operation went well. The good thing about many goth gigs is they are not overly crowded and this one I knew a lot of the people there. Making me comfortable that I wasn't going to get knocked over.

Monday it was a rest day and then a brief walk to the local shops. I did do a lot of physio exercises.
There is going to have to be a lot more walking because that, along with the swimming and the exercises is going to improve my walk. Which is why I am going to try to walk back from the bus station a couple of times a week along with the swimming and bit more effort in the physio exercises.

Positive post, moving forward.

So, after the previous post it is time to do a post full of joy!

So in the past month there has been some very steady progress. I am going to compile them in sort form. They may not mean much to you but for me, they are big deals.

I attended a wedding armed with a crutch and wearing high heels and corset. I ditched the crutch early on and stood, walked and chatted most of the night in said heels and corset. I reverted to the backup sneakers late in the evening and had, in general a wonderful time.

I have pretty much eliminated all pain killers. I am no longer taking any drugs besides the odd paracetamol.

I went to Hastings with Mr Gin and another mate, we walked all over, including up the steep hill to the castle. (It takes a lot to stop me checking out a castle.) Mr Gin estimated we walked 6 to 7 kilometres. We don’t think I've walked that far in a day for a good nine months.

I can easily walk to the long bus stop and have walked to one of our train stations, regular like.

I have stood on a bus, for a couple of stops.

I have pretty much abandoned walking aids of any sort. I do carry a stick for when I get tired, but that is a last resort type of thing.

I can get down on one knee in order to do my shoes up, it is still awkward and quite stiff but I am getting there.

Stairs are slowly getting there, the ones at home are proving a challenge as they are deep and bit steep. I am still struggling with the corner.

I got up and down some portable steps to paint a door, it was not a difficult thing. It was soothing to be able to something so practical.

I’ve started sewing seriously again.

I vacuumed.

I had a bath, getting in was a challenge and getting out was a touch entertaining, having to turn over get up from kneeling position.

The waddle is slowly lessening. It gets spectacular when tired but hopefully another month and it will be gone!

I am slowly extending the time I can sit in an office chair.

I smile a lot more, a lot more. I knew I was sad and struggling with depression but not quite how much.

I still am getting implant pain but that seems to be lessening.

So all in all, not bad at all.

Proving how awesome I feel! METAL

Working for the man

I’ve been a bit quiet of recent times.
The few weeks or so has been a little more stressful than I would have liked. The main reason for this is work. I have thought long and hard about blogging about this stress because I know there are some people from work who read this. On the whole work have been really helpful, especially Occupational Health and Human Resources. Answering questions and helping with making sure I was coping.
And to honest, mentally, the whole situation has been challenging and returning to work was not something I was looking forward to. The final month or so at work was physically difficult due to pain management and astoundingly stressful. The commute was difficult and painful, my independence was eroding away and I was scheduling my out of work life so I could manage work. Even at work I wasn’t pulling my weight, pain made if difficult to think on a good day and on a bad day it was nigh on impossible.
So, going back wasn’t something I was looking forward to. Occupational Health put me in touch with a scheme called Access to Work. A governmental grant. I had contacted them early in the piece but into the lead up to the operation had lost touch with them. (A lot of things slid then.)  I realised I had not heard from them when getting organised to return to work. I called and the case manager had left and I had to start all over again. Cue crying.
Not great but they seemed pretty helpful although a little astounded that I did not have a car and did not want to drive to work.  I pointed out in the end that this was not unusual for London at all. The ball was rolling there and I was getting all the documents that work required. They wanted a fitness to work certificate before anything else happened which was a little fiddly to obtain as they are not something that is done by my GP surgery.
I was quite worried at this point I wouldn’t get paid if there were gaps between my sick leave and returning to work.  I said this and work agreed that wouldn’t happen. I had been in physically to work and a time to start the next Monday was agreed but I was a little concerned that the paper work for occ health had not gone in as promised but figured it would be all okay.
The following day I got an email that I was having my occ health appointment on the 21st, a week after I started back. I thought that was odd but figured if there was any change to the start date I would be told. I had been told over the phone that Access to Work funding would be in place for the 14th and all information would be emailed out. Before I started.
Friday afternoon I have not heard from Access to Work, I called only to find the case worker stopped work at 2:30pm.  This was suboptimal so I braced myself for the tube journey because I had not heard anything from work.
Monday morning I headed off and arrived at work feeling quite sore and tired but okay. The tube was stressful on my own and I felt pretty vulnerable. Mr Hutt’s words about falls and fractures were ringing in my ears as I navigated my way through the heaving mass of humanity that is London underground.
I got into work and my boss asked me why I was there. And I said that we had agreed to this start date. It transpired that that work wanted me to work from home and had emailed me on my work email. The one I wasn’t checking. I could have cried at that moment. The bonkers bit was that I could not have worked from home because there was someone in my desk. We log into our work PCs from home for remote access. The thought of having to turn around and head back on the tube pretty much blew all the mental effort I had pulled together to cope out of the water. What cope I had, run out.  I just wish my boss had called me when I had not responded to the email.
So home I went and tried to get my head in the right place to start work on the Tuesday, via remote access. I felt pretty out of sorts. My job although, not overly complicated has a lot knowledge to retain and remember, being off work for 8/9 weeks meant I felt I could remember very little. I felt isolated as I sat at home and tried to get my leg to be happy with sitting at desk. Even though I had being playing a lot of Minecraft, I would play a little bit then get up and do something else. Work I could not do it. 45 minutes sitting still was painful.
I also was fighting a cold that would not go and that with working from home, it was a week of fighting my body and dodgy brain chemistry. Not a good start at all.
I went back into work the following week, using the cab service.  Going through London traffic is not very stress free. There were some entertaining times and routes but at least I was not having to worry about being jostled and knocked.  The Occupational Health doctor was lovely and impressed with my new posture and the lack of walking stick. We started on a phased return which is shortened hours and slowly moving up to full time hours. Thankfully we had a shortened week so that my leg could get used to the sitting. There was a lot of implant pain but as time went on it did settle.
Being the office helped mentally as well, much more able to focus and felt a lot less out of my depth. We have some interesting times as I don’t think I could manage the three flights of stairs for fire evacuation but it looks like I will be sheltering in stairwells unless there is a serious risk.
All in all it was an sub par return to work but somethings could have been handled better because my stress levels really didn’t need that spike.  Oh well, onwards and upwards, let’s hope my first full week goes well.

Hi ho, hi ho, it is off to physio we go.

Today was my second trip to Physio. I have dumped the second crutch after Mr Hutt said that it was could go. He also said if the physio was happy with me not using crutches to go for it!

The Physio was very much willing to let me go. We practised walking with a waddle and stairs. Not that thrilling but for me amazing. I do walk with a waddle but that should disappear soon enough as we get more strength in the legs and bum. Some of my gluteus muscles were cut during the operation and they need to heal as well as get stronger.

Putting on shoes and socks is still a bit over exciting and I have some options but need to stretch some muscles that have not been used much.  I really need to get this sorted quickly, I am bored of my slip on sneakers that have been my only shoes for six months!

She was pleased I was going to going swimming and felt that back stroke and freestyle (front crawl) where going to help a lot. I have some new exercises; mainly bum and strengthening the old muscles up for striding around like a boss.

Other things that have been going on is getting ready to return to work. Long term sick is something I really would not like to repeat because the general mayhem it is causing. My GP is not that helpful with such things like certificates etc. They are so difficult to get on the phone and Mr Gin rang for something else today and he only dialled 37 times and spent ten minutes on hold. That gives you an indication of the interesting aspect of getting hold of them. I rang a number of today and in between trying to sort out some odd jobs, physio and their very long lunch break where they not pick up the phone at all. Very frustrating because lots of people need a particular certificate to get things moving and I have no idea when I can get it!
This includes Access to Work, a government scheme that hopefully will help with taxis for the first couple of months as I heal and work.

This week will be busy but there has to be time for walking, and more walking for a little bit with one crutch on the tube etc but I am thinking of going back to my walking stick for a bit to be able to fold it up and then have it for when I get tired.

So, it is all full ahead for returning to work. As much as I love my job, I wouldn't mind winning the lottery at the point to have a full six months to strengthen me to a new body of awesome.

Six weeks!

Six weeks this time I was sitting up in a hospital bed with Mr Gin and Mum chatting away. I had a very numb, wooden leg and the bruises had started to rise.
Six weeks is the sweet spot with hip replacements. You get rid of TEDs, you can drive, some can go back to work, you can road test it in intimate moments and you have a check up with your surgeon. A lot of the dangers have gone, dislocation, although still a risk for a month or so longer is less. You can start to experiment with going over 90 degrees and generally try and get your new life going.
It has been an interesting time, it has been eye opening how amazing my body is and how crap my brain chemistry is.
I have more movement and mobility than ever. I have even legs which means when sorted I should not have a limp. I have never walked without one, it has been always there, from a small one right through to a full hip hiking ship rolling pirate walk. My muscles stop me before the joint, again a new experience.
My brain has suffered a bit. There have been some very flat days. Sitting and crying because bed to drawers was hard work. Struggling to see the point of getting out of bed. Losing days to Minecraft because then l don't have think about much more than killing zombies and long straight tunnels hunting for diamonds. And then amazing highs, feeling like I could take on the world and then taking a step and everything goes ouch. At least I knew how screwed my brain was going to be. I knew I could be crying over silly things and struggling with feeling useless.
My rock, Mr Gin, has been amazing, through thick and thin. Being caring and carrying most of the house hold duties. And just his presence pretty much limited my mood.
It certainly feels a lot longer than six weeks, the improvements so swift. I'm able to shower myself, almost get socks on like a normal person, walk with one crutch, waddle without any and be pretty much pain free. Still taking naproxen but don't miss the grinding and gripping pain of bone on bone.
All it has been an amazing ride and it can only get better.
Tonight, I will have some drinks with good mates and celebrate this exciting new chapter.

Six Week check - Mr Hutt

So, today was my six week check up.

I trundled my way out to the far reaches of Wimbledon. Went through the now standard excitement of X-Ray (Yay for yoga pants) and then without much waiting it was off to see Mr Hutt.

Mr Hutt 

He was very pleased with the scar, even though I have had an awful outbreak of eczema around the scar. That should be solved with large amount moisturiser.

The implant is a titanium and ceramic S-ROM implant with a Pinnacle cuff. It is attached using ‘Press Fit’, which means they are both uncemented and the bone should grow to attach them firmly.  It has a long stem and the reason for some of the thigh pain I have. Hopefully this will disappear but this could stick around. It also is closer to a normal hip on its angles so I have a different range of movement. Not a huge different but it does explain why my turn in is not as awesome as it used to be. The small fracture I got in surgery was because I have round shaped femur and not elliptical like most people. The stem is shaped for normal people and was a very tight fit.

Mr Hutt was awesome and answered the three pages of questions I had. Very matter of fact. Very little sugar coating. The left hip looks good but not great and I should be aware that it could go but he said that is a while away yet.

He was impressed by the knee bruise, he felt it was referred bleeding from the operation.It was not something he had seen before. He said that knee had been twisted but not to the bruising extent.

He also said that I can ski and ice skate but to be aware that if I do take a tumble and fracture the right femur it is more likely to be a nasty fracture.  So I shall think about those. Cycling and swimming are for the win the win. This bit is for Red, Mr Hutt was slightly horrified at the thought of Skydiving and that the release of the shute could cause some issues. He did not say no but did look little bemused by the suggestion. He did say that marathons were totally off the table.

So, onto slightly more practical matters. I am able to get rid of the second crutch and when the Physios are happy with the walk, getting rid of the second crutch soon. Also, I can gently attempt to go for putting on socks and tying up laces. If my muscles allow it I should also be able to squat and to sit cross legged.  If I manage to sit cross legged, this will be something I have never done! Never!

There is very little I should not be doing. Most of the danger zone for dislocation is over, and I have to be aware of some twisting but generally it all good. I doubt Prima Ballerina is going happen but I think that there will be a new me.

So, this is a large thank you to Mr Jonathan Hutt for undertaking the job.  At six week I am more than happy with the outcome and the care both he and the EOC showed. Mr Hutt said that we really should know in 12 months how well it has gone.  Hopefully the year mark will be a show case for exciting new movement and life.

Packing list for Hospital.

This is not really about what is happening to me now but more advice on what to take to hospital. Of course, your mileage may vary, the EOC does things differently to other hospitals and I am bit younger than most hip replacement patients.

When I was packing for the hospital, the EOC had provided a pretty good list I have added some bits to the list with additional notes:

• Walking Aids (Be prepared not to be using your old one when you leave.)
• Slippers and/or trainers. Nothing open backed BUT slip on with a good grip on slippy floors is the best. I had a pair of slippers and pair of sketchers that are slip on, Additionally your feet are likely to swell the size of small melons, so have some shoes are a little too big or stretchy unless you want leave in socks! 
• Nightwear – loose is good but also if you intend to wear a night gown, long enough to go over your knees when sitting. I am not the most modest woman but frankly flashing the people opposite you is a little carefree.  If you are going to get a catheter, consider a nightshirt of very loose, short pyjama bottoms. Also, I took a light dressing gown, it was handy at various points.
• Loose day clothing – stuff that will stretch over your swollen leg, I swear by yoga pants, minimal waistband and enough stretch to accommodate a leg at least twice is normal size and looking like it belongs to elephant. Also the high waist of yoga pants are a little easy to deal with when having to deal with limited mobility. 
• Big knickers! Not grandma knickers but something without tight elastic around the leg and with a reasonable amount of fabric across your butt and not to narrow at the side. I wore girl boxers, that have no elastic in the leg and covered most of the incision site, this minimised the amount of rubbing and were easy to get on!
•  I took enough clothes for five days and that was a little much but better than having to ask Mr Gin find a black t-shirt in a drawer of black t-shirts.
• Personal Towels (not white) – I could have got away with not taking a towel but for me it was nice to have one of my own. Also if you like big fluffy towels, this is something hospitals don’t have! Also take a flannel, scrubber or such like. Orthopaedic surgeons love a permeant maker and mine liked a bit of ball point pen. When you finally get to have shower you are going to want scrub that graffiti off.
• Toiletries – If you don’t normally use soap, you will need a bit because of the graffiti loving surgeon. (I don’t use much soap due to it making me itch if I use too much and didn't pack it.) If you are female and have not been through the menopause route be aware that major surgery upsets lots of things and my hormone cycle was upset. I was caught unprepared and I cursed my body at that point.
• Helping Hand, long arm grabber, reacher. I did not have one of these. Get one before you go in if you don’t have one and if you want to be able to put on your own underwear you are going to need this. Amazon provided mine. (Some councils and hospitals will also provide them.)
• ALL YOUR DRUGS! In their boxes! No doesette boxes. Also any other aides – splints, braces!
• Glasses, hearing aids, contact lens and dentures. I wouldn't bother with contact lens, mainly as putting them in when taking opiates is bloody difficult.
• Fruit juice, ready to eat prunes, apricots. Now I did not really understand this but opiates are evil for giving you the worst constipation. If you have some food you know helps get things moving take it with you. I also got bored of drinking all the water, and had Mr Gin bring in some diet lemonade for me. If you thingy about your tea and coffee, I suggest you take in a small supply too. E, 80 hip lady had a china mug and her own tea and that made her very happy.
• Coat and keys for the house. Self explanatory, especially if the hospital take you home.
• A  Cushion. I have carried around a chair pad a fair bit because being a little higher is easier and if you have to get in a car being high is a blessing!
• No valuables including jewellery. Don’t wear anything into theatre but if you, like me feel naked without your rings take some non-important ones with you.

Added to the list by me!

• Something to do with visitors – if you are having visitors, a game, we had dominoes is something that is helpful so you are not discussing bodily fluids all the time.
• Sleep mask and ear plugs – sharing a ward with strangers is entertaining up until they snore like the stream train from Whitby to Pickering without the wonderful views. Additionally hospitals are not the quiet places and sometimes getting the lights turned off is not a battle you want to take on.
• Something to do. I took a book, as did the other ladies on the ward but we all struggled to concentrate. So, I spent a lot of time on my phone, I got extra data because I knew that Wi-Fi in the hospital was pricey. I also had a small deck of cards and I played Patience because that is all I could concentrate on. I also had my laptop and played games (Minecraft of course). If you have a tablet that would be a good thing, but of course keep an eye on the expensive technology. I also had pencils and a colouring book.