Hip Replacement Today

Hello ATSers, this was the day I've been dreaming about for a little over a decade, my right hip has finally been replaced.

Every single day of the last 11 years has been excruciatingly painful, every single one. Over the last few months, the pain has gotten progressively worse, to the point of missing work, needing crutches, crawling on the floor and those little screams when the pain shoots through that makes everyone around me uncomfortable.

During the day, I put on a facade and live by the mantra 'fake it till you make it'. Every step is agony, but no one, other than my husband, truly realizes this. How can someone, living a life free of chronic pain, realize just how difficult and emotionally overwhelming it is just to think of making it through the day.

The best part of the day is when I get off work, sit in the car, and cry. Just let it all out and congratulate myself on making it through another day, one that entailed walking and standing on the bad hip.

You see, I like my job and enjoy what I do. If I go on disability, then my disability wins. It already puts me through such intense agony each and every day, that I refuse to let it run my life any more than that.

The pain medications help keep the pain in check, but who wants a little pill to make them feel normal? Who wants to have a 'contract' with their doctor promising not to take anything else, swearing you will take your medication and not sell it, ensuring you get that drug test and check in with the doc every six months. They ask a bunch of questions like 'is there anything else that would help your pain' and 'does anyone else have access to your medication'. It makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong, that I'm a bad girl for taking medicine that gets me through the day. That is finally coming to an end. In a matter of weeks, I will no longer need those little blue and white pills to make me feel normal.

At age 25, I became really sick and no one could figure out what was going on. I had been sick every day for a year, stomach pains, vomiting, sleeping 18 hours. I had wasted away to 88 lbs. So guess what, everyone (except my husband) assumed that of course I had to be anorexic or bulimic, but I wasn't.

One afternoon I woke up sweating, feeling really hot and really sick, so I took my temperature, 92.7F. Obviously that is a really low temp, the thermometer must be broken. My husband took his temp, normal. My roommate took his temp, normal. I took my temp again, still 92.7. I asked my husband (boyfriend at the time) to take me to the ER. There was one less than a mile down the street, but for whatever reason I asked him to take me to the hospital in a neighboring city; if he hadn't I would have died.

We sat in the waiting room for about 3 hours. People were leaving and going home after asking how long I'd been there, it was obviously really bad. I was laying on the floor in the middle of the ER in the fetal position with a paper bag by my face, for 3 snipping hours.

Finally after being placed in a room by the supply closet, a doctor walked by to grab something out of it. He happened to take a look at me; this was not my attending physician. 2 weeks before, this doctor had taken a class on a Addisons Disease, and just by chance he walked by and took a look at me. You see, I had undiagnosed Addison's; if he didn't walk by I would have died in the ER.

After being transferred to the ICU, having a near death experience (heart stopped, code blue, wake up with 20 people around you kind of NDE) they fixed me up, made me all better and sent me on my merry way.

Then a doctor made a huge mistake; he left me on a really high dosage of steroids for 90 days causing Avascular Necrosis in both hips and left shoulder, at only 25 years old. This is the same doctor, who told me it was 'too complicated for me to understand', when I asked to explain how my medical condition worked. As it turns out, it's not too complicated and I understand it perfectly well. But hey, I do have blonde hair and have been told I look innocent, maybe I look stupid too.

My left hip was replaced at age 32, and the orthopedic surgeon told me we would wait to replace the right hip until 40. Well, I couldn't make it to 40 and finally got them to agree to replace it at 38.

The right hip was much worse than the left was when it was replaced. There are bone spurs, the hip was covered in cysts and collapsing. As expressed before, the pain had become intense. It's hard to explain, but it's the kind of pain that if you had to live with it for the rest of your life, you might consider other options to get away from the
pain.

Finally, no longer getting yelled at for 'using my grandmothers disabled placard'. None of those 'you're the reason why all the disabled spots are unavailable' while shaking their lil heads at me, disgusted. No more threats of having the police called on my butt because I'm parking in a disabled spot. One that I have every right to use with out the verbal attacks. People can't see pain, and some see a young 'healthy' woman in her 30's parking in one of those spots and go bad snip crazy.

I'm in a lot of pain right now, but the pain will fade away. It feels surreal. It's hard to imagine living with out chronic pain, always by my side for the last 11 years.

Tomorrow go home, it's unbelievable how quickly that medicine changes and advances so quickly. With the last hip replacement, I stayed for 3 days and had 2 blood transfusions. Now they're sending patients home the next day and no more blood transfusions! Yay!

I am looking forward to a life free of chronic pain, finally!!!

Happy to hear that you will be free of pain finally! How wonderful for you! Hugs!

originally posted by: Jennyfrenzy
I am looking forward to a life free of chronic pain, finally!!!

Congratulations, girlie. You deserve a break. Enjoy life.

a reply to: Night Star

Thank you, Night Star!

a reply to: Snarl

Thank you, definitely will now that I've got this new fancy ceramic hip

originally posted by: Jennyfrenzy
a reply to: Snarl

Thank you, definitely will now that I've got this new fancy ceramic hip

Sounds like a good deal for you. Hope your recovery is speedy.

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

Congrats !

Fingers crossed that you have an easy and quick recovery... and that the rest of your days are finally pain-free !!



Shall we watch for you on "Dancing With The Stars" in the near future ?

Jenny "The Hip" Frenzy showing Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers a thing two...

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

I had chronic sciatica for a couple of years in my 30s so can slightly empathise with what life is like with 24/7 pain and discomfort. Never being able to sit in one position or relax and not being able to walk properly etc. Broken sleep! Urgh. It was horrible.

Hip replacements are such major operations and you've got through it successfully. It'll be like having a new lease on life and opportunity will replace "can't do it" at last. Quite a few people go on to complete runs and marathons too.

It's great hearing someone's good news

a reply to: Deplorable

Thank you! Hopefully it will be

Another benefit of the hip replacement is the 2-3 month vacation from work. I do love my job but also love a nice long break for a bit.

a reply to: CranialSponge

Thank you

Jenny "The Hip" Frenzy showing Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers a thing two...

Oh you know it! Gonna be dancing and running all over the place.

a reply to: Kandinsky

I had chronic sciatica for a couple of years in my 30s so can slightly empathise with what life is like with 24/7 pain and discomfort.

Chronic pain is no joke. It is physically and emotionally draining, like you said, it's horrible! The sleep disturbances only make it more difficult to get through the day. I've been waking up in the middle of the night, screaming in agony, its awful, my poor husband.

It'll be like having a new lease on life and opportunity will replace "can't do it" at last.

This ^^^^
So many tears of joy have been shed today, for this exact reason.

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy


Star n flag,


I will pray for you!! Screw those people who blame you for being disabled. I would sincerely recommend you try medicated marijuana for your pain, it could really help you.
Please take care of yourself!! I don't want to hear about any more bad health reports. You can learn from that time when the doctor gave you 90 days of strong steroids. Use that knowledge to your advantage, so you may prevent anything else in your young life.

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

Get the recovery out of the way and don't try to rush anything.

Maybe set a target or a holiday for next summer? Even a bike ride or a 5k run in August 2017 can help to drive sensible recovery. Swimming each day 'cured' the sciatica when doctors said it was permanent. I know swimming is great for regaining the muscle mass you've lost prior to the replacement. All your tendons, nerves, adductors and abductor muscles will get a gentle work-out doing slow breast-stroke swims in the pool.

Anyway, enjoy the moment

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

Four years ago I took a fall and broke the transverse portion of my right femur: the part that's between the long bone of the femur and the hip ball.

The pain was beyond anything I had ever experienced, beyond anything I can yet describe.

So I cannot imagine what you have had to live with these past years.

I can only say that I am so happy for you now and hope that the rest of you life is a celebration of health and happiness.

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy
Your story just gave me a powerful flash back.

In 1981, when I was 16 I was hit by a car. Pretty much crushed from the waste down as the car backed over me and I ended up under the engine block.
Left Femur broke high up by the ball, I was pinned all back together and sent home after 15 surgeries and 4 months.

After about 2 months I had pain increasing in my left hip and was diagnosed with Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head.
2 second opinions and a year and a half of ever increasing pain I felt like you did with never ending pain and looks of wtf is wrong with you? suck it up. Some people have no clue....

I was too young and the replacements in the early eighties were not very good, so at 17 they performed my first hip fusion.
Turns out the pain returned after a short time because they didn't remove enough of the necrotic bone. so I was rescheduled for a second fusion surgery.
I ended up with 4 fusion operations over a 3 year period. The fourth finally was successful with the help of a body Spica cast.
I am so happy for you! Its like you have been given a new life. I KNOW. I am waiting for the pain in my knees and good hip to get bad enough to go through replacements now. Turns out a fused hip puts a LOT of stress on you good joints.

They warned me back in the eighties that I would have 'issues' later in life. At least I got rid of the Hep C from transfusions back then. Harvoni is awesome, only costs $150,000.

OK, rambling now, your story just hit a cord with me. Enjoy your new life!

wow, that's quite the story. I hope you're feeling better.

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

I feel for ya,I too have a bad hip that keeps getting worse,I have a feeling I may too have have surgery soon,good luck to you and a speedy recovery,because of all the surgerys I've had,rehab always most painful,if I knew I was going to live this long,would of taken better care of body lol

a reply to: Bhadhidar

That sounds extremely painful, can not even imagine what it feels like to break a femur. Hardcore pain is so difficult to explain and hard for others to understand. Sorry that you had to go through that, and glad it's over and in the past.

One thing about pain, it made me appreciate feeling normal, it wasn't ever a thought that crossed my mind. I'm looking forward to that normal again and will never take it for granted.

a reply to: stosh64

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

Thank you for sharing your story, it brought tears to my eyes, like lots of them. Kindred AVN spirits.

In 1981, when I was 16 I was hit by a car. Pretty much crushed from the waste down as the car backed over me and I ended up under the engine block.
Left Femur broke high up by the ball, I was pinned all back together and sent home after 15 surgeries and 4 months.

I'm so very sorry that happened to you. Can't imagine the fear and pain you must have been experiencing. And to be so young and have that happen to you.

After about 2 months I had pain increasing in my left hip and was diagnosed with Avascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head.
2 second opinions and a year and a half of ever increasing pain I felt like you did with never ending pain and looks of wtf is wrong with you? suck it up. Some people have no clue....

AVN is no joke, some people are so ridiculous with their opinions on other people's lives, what they're going though, what they're feeling.

Those looks are uncomfortable, something I understand and can empathize with. The looks aren't as hard as the laughs. As you know a bad day with AVN is excruciating, often times there's a little hobble involved, guess some people find it funny. I don't hold back anymore though.

I've been cornered by some psycho lady because I was using 'my grandmothers placard'. This was on the first day I could drive, after the first hip replacement. 'You're not disabled' she said, like who TF is she to determine a stranger is not disabled?!??

I was too young and the replacements in the early eighties were not very good, so at 17 they performed my first hip fusion.
Turns out the pain returned after a short time because they didn't remove enough of the necrotic bone. so I was rescheduled for a second fusion surgery.
I ended up with 4 fusion operations over a 3 year period. The fourth finally was successful with the help of a body Spica cast.
I am so happy for you! Its like you have been given a new life. I KNOW. I am waiting for the pain in my knees and good hip to get bad enough to go through replacements now. Turns out a fused hip puts a LOT of stress on you good joints.

People getting joint replacements these days are very lucky, I feel blessed that the products are excellent and have greatly improved over the years.

It's interesting how when one part of the body goes bad, other parts do too. At one point, I though the AVN had gotten to my knee. The doctor said that when you're in bad shape, the good pieces of the body pick up the slack. The pain travels, it's awful.

I know it might sound weird to others, hopefully not you, but I hope they get bad soon. It feels so much better once they've been replaced and have healed up. It's the best feeling in the world to escape out from under your chronic pain.

a reply to: bigpatato

Thank you, love Lana!