Hello friends,
Well the blog has gone from deep winter to mid summer - whoosh just like that...
Quick catch up; I am just recovering from my third hip operation in twenty one months. This operation has been on my left hip. The previous two being on my right hip; a Dynamic Hip Screw, converted to a Long Stem Total Hip Replacement (THR). The operation on my left hip has been slightly different and very quick. I went for my annual review for my THR and the Physiotherispt’s were not happy with the size of my bones in the pelvis area. I only live approximately fifteen minutes from the hospital and on the journey home I received a telephone call; asking me to come in the following day at 15:30 hours to see my consultant/surgeon. My goodness and please remember this is completely NHS 100%.
I returned the following day, due to the timings, Poppy dropped me off and Noel was going to collect me when he had finished work. The wonderful receptionist on the main desk of the hospital, who I see so regularly, offered to push me down to orthopaedics in my wheelchair - which meant we could have a good catch up. But again completely over and above her duties - I love my hospital.
I ended up having a very long appointment with Mr Brooks - he spent such a long time checking me, checking my X-rays and repeating. He really wanted to make sure what he was doing was correct...
The X-rays were showing such tiny eroded bones in my legs and a vey tiny hair line fracture just below my left hip. The advice was do nothing, wait and see or operate. I opted for the operation, which was the correct answer because Mr Brooks then went on to say, he could be over operating but if that hair line fracture did break and I do not need any trauma for my bones to break. They just snap. It would be awful and very painful for me and a very difficult operation for the team. His last words to me was I will see you in 10 days and do not walk - I do not want that bone to break. Ohhh 😮 okay then!
Ten days later I was in surgery and can I kindly remind you (again) this is not private this is all NHS 💖 LOVE 💖 the NHS 💖
I have had a long Gamma Nail from my hip to my knee - this is not my x-ray but it gives you a very good idea what I have had done.
Mr Brooks stated that the hair line fracture may never break but he was completely vindicated in his thought process because three weeks after the operation, which was three weeks ago. The hair line fracture did break. It just broke; no trauma, falling, tripping, knocking - nothing it just snapped ☹️
I didn’t go to hospital because I knew what had happened and I had complete trust that the gamma nail would do its job. Not to say I’d didn’t hurt because it did - a lot. Morphine required!
I had a routine post operation physiotherapy appointment the following Tuesday; the physiothrepist was slightly confused 😆 because I was saying: lOOK - I can stand on one leg, I can bend my leg up to here and she was so pleased with all the exercises I had done but there I was saying I think my leg is fractured! I think in the end she was like well why would you fib about this....
The quickest and best way to be seen was actually to be sent to ED (A&E), so that I could have an X-ray and been seen by an orthopaedic doctor. My x-ray confirmed that ‘yes’ my leg had fractured. However, as I thought nothing needed to be done as the gamma nail was keeping the fracture secure.
Again I had a follow up appointment already for the orthopaedic department for a week on Friday, already made - so I was discharged from ED as I had this appointment. Well I thought I did; in fact the next day it was cancelled. Mr Brooks had cancelled his whole clinic - so I am assuming he had something very important or very nice to do 😀 He is human this is perfectly acceptable in my mind.
As soon as I received my cancellation letter; I rung the department and very kindly explained my predicament and wow what service - I was fitted on to the end of the day before; Thursday clinic. What amazing service - thank you 😊 At this appointment, I was shown all my X-rays- I love seeing what is inside of me. I was told everything was doing very well despite the break, which was stable and would take approximately 12 weeks to heal and I would be seen in six weeks time. Fabulous ....
I can now hobble around with just a little bit of grinding!! Sleeping on the hip is still very sore and I have to do this swing motion to move in bed but really I am so pleased I opted for the operation. Where would I be right now if I hadn’t - I hate to think.
The one thing that did surprise us as a family was the amount of bruising - thinking, this is my third hip operation, never had bruises like it.
The shin bruising is because of my whole leg being put into traction. The bruising went round my ankle all the way to my toes.
How about that for colour...
There is another set of stitches on my hip too but I little bit high to show 🤭
I really hope to chat to you very soon - take care, Jacky xxx
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