Hamstring Avulsion (complete tear from pelvis)

[carolg]

Hi JR-NZ,
Welcome to the site. I have learned a lot from this blog, and it is helpful talking to people wwho are experiencing the same injury.
I'm Carol. It's been 16 days post op, for a complete avulsion repair. I am doing fairly well. I too have a leg brace from the top of my thigh to my ankle. I spent most of the first 2 weeks in bed. I have been given the Drs. OK to slouch now, although it still gets painful. I am still on strict instructions not to sit, or bend forward.
Carol

[carolg]

Thanks for checking in Flerdle. It helps to hear how you are doing, and get a glimpse ahead. It's great that you aren't limping anymore! Congratulations! It's helpful for me to hear you talk about the motivation factor. I can see myself falling into that. I think I'll take a calendar, and list monthly goals, and achievements. That way I can see improvment over time, since it can be so gradual.
Carol

[alpinebunny]

Carol

You need a leaning stool. Look online - amazon have them.

Tania

[alpinebunny]

Hi All

Thank you for all your advice, it really helps to be able to chat with other people going through this.

I woke up at 0730 this morning (on my day off in case your wondering!) worrying about the brace and the cadaver and what if the muscle doesn't reach back to the pelvis again - blah blah blah, I am driving my family and friends nuts I am sure. Anyway I managed to speak to my physio who has dealt with a number of avulsions and is the physio for the British waterskiing team - hence his experience. And he has said not to worry about all the details. He reckons that the Professor dealing with my injury is the god of tendons in the UK and he will know what to do no matter what the situation, I am praying I can't bear to think about being stuck like this for the rest of my life.

When I had previously asked the surgeon about the brace he said he had previously used them but feels that the recovery is better without in his experience which is dealing with one of these a month. I am worried after what you have said Carol, but I need to trust him as he is dealing with my case. Mobley I would normally be questionning and I have read all the papers on our injury too, and I have sent him an email asking my questions, but he is one of apparently only 2 surgeons who deal with this regularly in the UK so I think I just need to go with what he recommends - I can walk around perfectly OK at the moment and I can cycle on the spinnning bike for 40 mins pretty hard, plus hamstring curls, leg press etc on the weights machines as I have been told by surgeon and physio, so possibly not as bad as it could be. I do have a constant feeling as if the adductor is being pulled away though, but hopefully that is just the strain from taking all the strength of of the missing hamstrings, hoping he can check that whilst he's in there!

Carol that was very helpful about the lying in bed and sitting positions, I am hoping I can kind of recline in bed with leg on pillow, that's how I had it when I originally did it. I am half way through my assignment, so hoping to have it ready to hand in before the op.

What have you been doing the whole time while you have been in bed? My friend asked me tonight what I am going to do for the whole time lying around, I am thinking probably sleep alot!

My Whizz Freedom arrived today (another brand of she-wee) it is brilliant - you can wee standing up just like a man and aim it exactly where you want as it is rubber. I at least now know I will be able to wee without pain!

Bring on a week on Monday, I just want it out of the way now.

I'd just like to add that I am very very grateful to my parents for paying for my operation to get it done quickly - I hope to try to pay you back one day!

Tania

[Mobley]

Hi Tania,
I am where you are in regards to anxiety of our pending surgery. Its hard, do we have the right surgeon, will we recover fully, should we wear a brace? And, I am so tired of waiting so long for a surgery that will be painful and with a long recovery. I have had a real down day. But In all my up and down feelings I had a real perspective slapped into me tonight that we all should understand. I spoke to my sister-in-law today who has been battling myeloma (bone cancer) for the last five years, has endured stem cell transplant, enless rounds of chemo, etc., and has the most wonderful attitude about life. She has said for all of us...stay positive, play mind games with yourself to stay positive and hopeful. Lets face it, we are not going to die from this, we are just going to be laid up a long time. She would change places with us in a heartbeat.

Tania , you probably have very good doctors. This has not a surgery that has not been around for a long time, so how can we judge what is the best approach. Oops, I don't have an MD after my name. So feel confident in your docs and give your parents a big hug and kiss for their generous gift. And to all my other forum friends, today has not been my best up day, so sorry for not being there. We all will get thru this long road together.

[alpinebunny]

Hi Mobley

I am glad I am not the only one! I thought I was being neurotic. I have had two very down days ranging from anger to crying about why this has happened to me and whether I will ski ever again the same (my one big passion sportwise) I know its not the bee all and end all, but it is not helping with the ski season being on and my boyfriend and friends all out there having a great time - its not just the missing of the present season, its about the implications of this for the future that is making me depressed.

I just can't stop worrying that I won't ever do the things I love again to the same standard. Every time I see someone jogging I feel like crying and it sends me into an immediate depression. Its very hard for everyone around us to understand the worry, I know I am being negative but its hard not too when you have this problem and the surgeon says that he may open you up and not be able to fix it and then you will be recovering from surgery with no benefit from it - I guess they have to say that, but I am wishing he hadn't as I am fixated on that now.

You are right though about your friend - I keep thinking things coud be worse and yes no doubt there are lots of people who would trade places with us! Stiff upper lip as my Dad keeps saying to me (that might be a British phrase)!!!

I have a second interview for a new job on monday and am so worried about telling them about the long time till my start date and also worrying about whether I will actually be able to start then, what if the op has complications etc. My head is spinning!

Sorry for whinging on - it's nice to be able to commnuicate with people who understand! Anyway I had better get on with my assignment - one more essay to write!

Stay positive all

Tania

[carolg]

Tania and Mobley,
I understand how you feel. Waiting for the surgery once you have it scheduled is horrible. I too was anxious and crying. Tania, I would trust your surgeon. It sounds like he is very familiar with this surgery, and he wouldn't be going w/o a brace if it was causing major problems for his patients. These Dr. are very opinionated, and they all think they are right. What matters is what the final result is, and he is having great sucess, or he wouldn' t have the reputation he has. My brother is a Dr. and when I told him my surgeon said it might not be fixable, my brother's comment was, " well, then he's an idiot". I liked that! Ha. Once the Dr. had a new MRI of my leg, he knew it was fixable and exactly how he was going to go about it.
Mobley, you are so right about putting things in perspective, and your sister-in-law's situation. We are not dying, and we haven't lost a limb. I've done a lot of searching on line, and people who have this surgery do very well. Most of them are almost like new, and they can do what they did before, after the long period of healing. The key is in staying as positive as possible, and yes, we will all have our meltdown moments. Laughter is a great healer, so watching comedies, and having friends to laugh with helps a lot. I have much gratitude to live in a time and place where fixing my leg is possible, so I keep thinking about that.
Tania, finding things to do in bed was so important to me, especially because I hate to be still, and I'm usually on the go. I love to read, but at first, with the pain killers, I was too grogy. I did get some audio books. I also got on the internet a lot. When I switched to advil I started reading. I like to compose music, so I've been reading about sacred geometry and music. I am composing pieces that correlate with geometric shapes. It will beinteresting to hear what they sound like when I am done. I have a basic idea, because I can hear the intervals in my head. I love to draw, and haven't done so in awhile, so I'm doing a bit of drawing. What is really hard for me is the lack of physical exercise. I was limited for 3 months before the surgery, and I really miss working out, and the endorphins. At first I slept so poorly, and a lot of that was due to lying around all the time. I am going to start using small arm weights just to do something, and I hope that helps a little. I went to physical therapy before the surgery and my PT showed me how to do a modified ab excercise that doesn't hurt the leg at all. Lying flat, you lift your upper body just off of the surface, and then with your arms straight out against your sides you move them up and down about four inches each way relatively quickly, while you breathe in and out. I've started doing these. I also get up and walk around the house on my crutches fairly often to get the blood flowing, and to not get too weak.
Carol

[carolg]

Tania, 18 years ago, I had back surgery, and was in a much worse place than I am right now. I had a desk job in a buying office, but I could not sit for more than a half hour. worked in a cubicle with my desk just being a slab of counter going across. What I requested, is that tey buil a raised desk in part of the cubical. That way I could go from sitting to standing throughout the day. I had a stool that I could put one foot up on also, to have another position to shift to. It didn't cost them hardly anything to do this, and I used it for 2 and a half years (that's how long it took my back to heal). There are always ways of figuring out how to make your environment work for you. Plus this is a temporary situation, and you will be getting better all of the time. What is your Dr.s opinion on when he thinks you can start work? This is an individual thing, and you are young and strong.!

[Mobley]

Hi all,
First of all I want to thank you Carol from your words of emotional support 2nites ago, telling us how your husband has helped you through this. I read it to my husband and it choked him up. At my age I should have better perspective about things, but I guess we all share the same emotions daily. Thank goodness we have each other. And welcome Flerdle!

Tania, don't worry about if you get a job you are seeking. There is always a better one waiting around the corner. Jobs and careers are fleeting. Fate does put you where you are supposed to be. (oops, why are we here?!). Ha! I too have experienced the depression, anxiety and tears. You are not alone.

I like your creative approach to filling time, Carol. I hope we someday hear what you are composing. My son is in the movies business and is a member of the academy, so he has loaded me up with all the Oscar movies and then some, to keep me entertained. I have had an Oscar party for the last 10 years, and have decided to still have one this year, even though I am laid up and surgery will be 3 days later. Might as well have one really great party with really good friends before the big day.

Dave, where are you? Here is hoping we all get well thru just today...let's just worry about today...

[Dave T]

Hi All.
Tania and Mobely, I can't imagine the stress right now for you both. Like everyone has said, keep your eye on the goal. This might sound strange but something I've done in the past is put up a picture(s) of you doing what you love to do the most, something you could do before your injury and use that to help yourself visualize where you want to be. It will be a long road, but from what I've read on here, it will be worth it. The whizz freedom!? My Wife and I had a great laugh with that this morning. It sounds like it should work great!

Carol, you are an inspiration to anyone looking at or going through this surgery! I love to read your updates and your suggestions.

I have surgery to remove the tumor scheduled for March 13th. Should be no big deal. Especially compared to what others will be going through at that point.
During a PT session last week I had a chance to corner the therapist for a while and drill him with questions. He also did a lot of testing and exploration and he thinks that only one tendon is completely gone with the other two still connected and taught. I asked him will I ever be able to run again? He said " of course". Athough he did say I will probably never be able to do the "chop kick" again.
I did seem to turn a corner last week after some grueling PT sessions. (1.5 hours!) I have a renewed interest in the therapy and will give everything I've got. Time will tell.

Dave