My PAO story

[oscarsmum]

Update ( knid of)


After the email (which I think went to his private sec, lol) I got a phone call! Yay! His sec finally reappeared from wherever she had been hiding to ask for more details. Got a bit shirty when I told her that my physio had also been trying to get in touch and announced that she is a PA not a physio (duh!)
She rang through to the physio department to get some advice, but there wasn't anyone there so she emailled them with my details and guess what-I'm still waiting!

Anyway, after all that I have officially given up. It actually feels slightly better today, so have decided to just listen to my body and if its still ok in a day or to am going to progress as planned with full WB. If things get bad again, I will go to my local A&E as UCLH obviously don't give a damn once they have thrown you out-which is a shame because Witt is an amazing surgeon, and I imagine all of this is going on without his knowledge ( however I shall tell him in September, if only to prevent someone else going through this).He is not away as I know someone who saw him at his private practice on Monday.I will also ask my physio to stop holding back and go for it, or hopefully refer me for hydro first. I think as long as I stop if something hurts between us we will manage ok.

Will keep you informed with my progress , stage 2 starts tomorrow, lol.

Kate xx

[oscarsmum]

Hi All,

I am now managing to full WB on one crutch (just). I haven't left the house yet, and am just doing little and often pottering around and resting inbetween. I went into town for half an hour yesterday to do some banking, used two crutches for that, and even that jars my pelvis badly.

Hip is stiff and sore(as expected) and as swollen as it was when I left hospital. Glutes area is achey and the front where the tendon was cut also get sore pretty quickly, both of these things I am sure are normal and will improve over the next few days. The posterior pain is still there and getting worse again as I put more weight on it. I can't do the physio exercises at all, but am using my dressing gown cord to assist and doing them that way. Am up to 15mins on bike which feels fine.

Rayray, have been reading over your posts when you dropped the crutches and saw it took about 7-10 days for things to improve, so hopefully I will be the same. It is really a test of patience, I thought I would be able to things much quicker. Mr Witt told me I should be able to return to work at 10-12 weeks post-op, and by then would be able to walk and stand for hours without walking aids!! Either I will suddenly have a massive improvement or that was a tad optimistic-at the moment I can manage up to an hour on one crutch in the kitchen when I first get up, then need to rest as I am in pain and so tired, and that cycle continues throughout the day. Am still getting intense pain when trying to change position when lying down. Returning to work seems a lifetime away. I feel as if I am being a real wimp,lol.

Thats my daily moan over with,
sorry folks
Kate xx

[Rayray]

Yes Kate the recovery is a test of patience. I am very impatient and this certainly does not help. I think that your consultant was way over optimistic! I was told 12 weeks minimum off and you have had a bigger surgery! I think the minimum you should allow for is 6-8 weeks from going fully weight bearing and with your level of pain I don?t think the clock has started ticking yet. I have talked of going in to help Hubbie at work but I do find that it is the twisting and turning you do when working that hurts rather than the standing and it completely wears me out. I am happy ironing, cleaning waist height and above etc. but dipping in and out of cupboards for cooking etc. is not good.

From the point of dropping the crutches as much as possible to feeling more confident was about 10 days as you say but I still do have bad days. I went mad yesterday as the treadmill was delivered so did two sessions on that and we went on a long evening walk half of which I used no crutch or stick ? okay at the time but I am back using a crutch again today.

Moving in bed is painful for me too although not as bad as you and I still wake up every time I move. I have also gone back to having backache in bed ? on my un-operated hip side only which tells me something and is a huge disappointment. Any movements sideways are pretty bad and getting onto the floor to do my lying flat and other floor exercises excrutiating although judging by Hubbie?s reaction very amusing.

Funny what you say about how you are when you first get up. This is my worst time as my hip is so stiff and it doesn?t really come around until late afternoon. It is beginning to annoy me but The Duchy physios have said not to be concerned for at least another month. Hopefully the hydrotherapy will sort this out.

I hope that your pain does ease. It is ridiculous that you can?t get hold of anyone at UCLH for advice, please ring PALS today as I said on the other thread ? you can only gain from this and this is what they are there for.

[oscarsmum]

Thanks Rayray,

I have a hot bath first thing in the morning, which seems to help the stiffness. I find lunchtime about the best time for me. I agree with you on the work timescale. I want to be comfortable doing things around the house, and going for walks unaided for a couple of weeks at least before I add the extra strain of working as well.

I can imagine your hubby does find it amusing to watch you struggling to get up/down. I can only imagine what we must look like. I tried taking a few steps without a crutch-managed to lurch-come-shuffle , looked more like a 90yr old penguin!

I am sorry your back pain is back, it must be disappointing for you, but the good thing is it is only on the unoperated side. That must give you great hope that once the other hip is sorted you will be pain free. I know you were hoping to possibly avoid that surgery, but at least you will have the success of this one to spur you on.

I will ring PALS but not today, because they promise to get back to you within 24 hours and I am going away for the weekend first thing tomorrow. I want to be available to get the call when(if) they ring back.

Hope you enjoy the treadmill. I wouldn't mind if it was in front of the TV,lol.

Take care
Kate xx

[Rayray]

Have a lovely weekend!

Yes, we have got our tiny portable right in front of the treadmill otherwise I couldn?t bear it!

[Janet]

Kate - sounds like you are still in a fair bit of pain, so doing little and often is probably the best thing. When you've been non-WB for so long, it takes a long time for the muscle strength to return, and it's very hard work! Don't get too despondent, as it was major surgery, and you're still bound to get tired - I was really shattered when I went back to work, just doing half-days. You will get there, but it would be good to get the reassurance about the pain you're experiencing.

I hope you have a lovely weekend away - where are you going?

Rayray - agree about needing the TV in front of the treadmill! I've only ever used one about twice, and it was very boring. I don't mind my exercise bike though (although I'm not using it at the moment), as I love cycling, and just imagine myself outdoors!

Janet x

[oscarsmum]

Thanks Janet, I'm too impatient for my own good.

We are just going up to Pickering ( North Yorkshire for a chill out weekend).

I always have the urge to sing out loud 'I'm on the road to nowhere' whenever I am on a treadmill-not good in a crowded gym!!

[Spam1]

Hey Kate,

I've been away a week, and it seems you have got nowhere, grrrrrrrrrrr!!! Honestly, has the sec even talked to Mr Witt about it? If the pain is much worse on WB, I'm not sure you should be WB really. And if its swollen up, it is obviously inflammed so maybe rest some more and ice ice ice. Don't rush to get off two crutches, particularly as it sounds like walking outside is not good for your pelvis. Perhaps you should ring your local OS who did the arthroscopy and ask for an appt just to be sure anyway? As that will be a good few weeks, but if things are improved then you have someone to talk to about it.

Really hope you get some answers soon, I would guess that if you haven't been contacted perhaps he isn't too worried, but at least they could tell you that.

Have a lovely weekend in Pickering (thats where my grandparents are from) and take it really easy,
xxx

[oscarsmum]

Hi All,

Back from a great weekend. Hip was okish. I used one crutch and two when walking any distance.Was pretty sore most of the time, a lot was muscle soreness which I expect, and in the front of the joint when I did too much. Still getting the sharp bum pain when lying down, and have gone back to lots of paras and dyhydrocodeine some nights, apart from that it is definitley getting stronger, and I am doing more each day. Its just taking longer than I expected, and this stage is far harder than I thought. Everyone told me the first few weeks were the worst, but I found them fine, its this stage that is much harder and more painful than I expected.Still walking like a penguin and can only manage a few steps without a crutch but my aim for this week is to ditch them in the house completely by Friday.
Take care all
Kate xx

[Rayray]

Kate,

I'm so glad you had a great weekend - it must have done you the world of good. I found the first two weeks of weightbearing a massive effort but things felt suddenly much better one morning. I still have up and down days but each day is easier. I still think I am not far forward and then Hubbie says that I couldn't even carry a mug of tea two weeks ago because it would have been all over the carpet and now I can. I still have to remember not to waddle sideways and sometimes it is impossible not to. I think to us it seems like there is slow progress but to others they can really see the distance. Mind you the 'being able to play sport' I was told, which is now three weeks away, is downright stupid and I do wish that I hadn't been told that. Bit like you going back to work in the next few weeks - in their dreams!!!

Take care and pleased to hear that you are progressing. Are you still going to ring PALS?