My PAO story

[oscarsmum]

Well the way things are going, whats the betting my stupid screw removal comes through for the day before xmas eve!!!!! If I don't have a letter by Friday I am going to ring as that will be 12 weeks since I saw him! Guess the 18 week rule goes out the window once you are in the system.

Janet, he would only do the steroid under GA, and insisted I had to stay in overnight because I live so far away,, thats the only reason I asked for the screws to be removed too, although I am glad they are coming out because they are uncomfortable. In actual fact that side seems to have calmed down a bit, although that may be due to all the extra codeine I am takinng for the otherside, good job really otherwise I would be struggling even more than I am. Stupid hips!!!!

Thinking of you for tomorrow Janet, really hope everything goes well.

Hugs
Kate xx

[Janet]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you that you get that letter Kate!! I really feel for you, as time drags on, with you waiting and wondering. Keep taking the drugs, as that seems to be helping. I know none of us likes to take them, but you really need them at the moment. Are you just about managing at work?

Janet x

[SirenMoonBee]

Kate i would definitley ring again, O'Hara's sec never ever returned to work after Christmas last year, so he is hell to get hold of until i wrote a shitty email, soon got a reply then. Perhaps try that, no time to reason with them anymore when your living with such pain and you lives rely on being functional. Hope you get a date real soon you sound so overdue for it xx

[oscarsmum]

Woohoo!! Sent another email this morning(, very professional but slightly more pressing, lol) and got a reply within an hour-with apologises for the delay andoffering me a pre-op appointment on 20th Dec and surgery 21st, with them putting me in a hotel overnight so at least thats just one lot of train tickets. Although xmas week isn't the best time, I am just relieved to have something to work too, more so I can see him about the other hip than anything else. It was then or January so have accepted the December one.

Now for some advice needed from those of you who have had screws removed. Mr Witt said if the surgery was a tues which it is, I would be able to go back to work on the following Monday. I am fine with this,( but bearing in mind that he also said to go back 10weeks post PAO) slightly worried too as you know my job involves standing all day. As its xmas time I don't want to book a week off then have to ring in sick at short notice and let them down (although I know I am able to) so do I tell them I will be off for two weeks (which will involve a drs note) or take the one week off and see how things go-normally I would be expected to do overtime that week, but will tell them if I come in I won't be able to do that. Help please, girls!!

Kate xx

[Paignton]

kate brilliant news! And to put you up in a hotel overnight is even better:-)

As for the returning to work, if it were me, personally I would send in a doctors certificate for a couple of weeks and return in the New year fit and refreshed and hopefully raring to go

xx

[Janet]

Fantastic news Kate!! I'm so , so pleased that they have offered to put you up in a hotel too, and realise the situation you are in, being so far from home.

That's a tricky one about work. I have to agree with Paignton though, and would go for having a doctor's note to have 2 weeks off, rather than risk having to go back too soon.

I can tell you that - at 3 days post-op - it is more sore than I expected it to be. However, it's my left hip really, and that did have a bit more done on it. The right side feels more or less OK, but I still wouldn't want to risk anyone banging into me, or have to stand on my feet all day, less than a week later. Mind you, with the glue you have to close the incision, it might feel a bit more comfortable. I find these steristrips and dressings get uncomfortable when they are caked in oozy stuff (sorry to be gross!).

Also, you don't know if it will be a straightforward screw removal - if your psoas has gotten stuck too and he has to release it, then it might be a bit more sore. Although hopefully, the steroid will settle down any pain there after a few days.

On the other hand, a few girls on the other forum have said that their screw removal was fine and not too bad at all. If you knew you could sit down a bit, then maybe you'd be OK, but I think I'd go for 2 weeks off, to be on the safe side.

Great news about the date though!! x

[oscarsmum]

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll take a few days to think about it. I am more worried about overcompensating on the un-op side, which is now my bad hip, otherwise I would happily go in. I might just throw it over to them, or just agree to go in on Thurs & Fri but if things are really sore will just have to ring in, they wouldn't be happy but then how much better thought of are you when do you struggling in in pain? Would my GP give me a sick noteif necessary do you think? Shes been pretty sympathetic so far, so I think she would be ok.

HUbby has agreed to let me go on my own (convinced him I'm a big girl now and quite capable), so just hope I can manage the 20min walk to Kings Cross ok the next day, might just smuggle my stick in my bag just in case it is sore.

Sorry you are still really sore Janet, I hope it settles down soon-are you using crutches? Are you still planning to go back to work in November?

Have a good weekend all,
Kate xxx

[SirenMoonBee]

OMG thank goodness you have a date and everythink!!! Ace something to finally work towards. I'm not sure i can help in the advice department as it's been a week since my surgery and i could not do a days work if my life depended on it. I couldn't stand for that long, with or without aids and i've been sleeping left right and centre. And the pain from standing wouldn't allow it either. But i say all this, but it's my thigh that i have all my aches and pain and weakness, so perhaps if only my pelvis had been done then perhaps i would be in a better position to go back to work, and would be able to stand for longer as well xx

[oscarsmum]

Thanks Debbie,

Think its just a wait and see! If I tell them a week and need longer then its just tough! Please remind me of this in December,lol.Also I am used to working in pain anyway so probably would be able to manage it.

A question for you, have just seen on Janets thread that your other ( I think) hip is playing up too, do you find that it almost seems to confuse your brain getting pain from the 'good' side, whereas the side that has been bad for ages just seems normal ot hurt and you don't really register it?? If you don't know what I mean that will sound bonkers, but I am so much more aware of my right side now and although I am sure its not as bad as the left was pre-op, if I were to rate it I would put it the same, but purely because I think I'm not used to feeling it there.

I think I'm going crazy lol...............

[Janet]

Hee hee - you make me giggle Kate!

I can remember what my 'other' hip felt like before I had the second PAO, and I think I understand what you mean. The first hip was so, so painful but whilst still recovering from that one, the other started to get really sore too. I kept on thinking "this can't be right, I must be imagining it", but when Mr F said the dysplasia was just as bad in that hip, I accepted it a bit more. My brain always gets confused now, because I had about 10 days off crutches that I'd been using for the right hip, and now I'm using them again for the left hip. I agree that when you've had pain for so long in one hip, maybe your brain does accept it as having a higher tolerance for pain. And maybe if the pain is a bit different, that will be confusing too.

Right, now I'm confusing myself..........lol!

Anyway, keep taking those painkillers, and don't suffer more than necessary.

About the going back to work situation, I'll let you know what it feels like when I'm one week post-op, for reference. I remember Annick saying that Mr Witt did little 1cm incisions, so maybe that would be better too. I've no idea why my incisions are so 'generous', but I guess it was to get to the psoas, and have all 10 screws out. It's really hard to say how you'll feel, but wise to think about it ahead of time.