Here I am, two years -- almost to the day -- recovering from another joint replacement surgery. In 2016 it was my left shoulder, which had long bothered me since I injured it nearly 30 years ago. Over time arthritis set in and my shoulder joint deteriorated to being bone on bone. In 2018 it is my right hip, which had not bothered me all that long before it, too, deteriorated to bone-on-bone.On and off the past few years, I had times when it seemed my leg/hip wasn't acting quite right. Getting into the passenger's side of the car, I sometimes would pick up my leg and set it in, as it was a bit painful to try to do it the normal way. I would get into the driver's seat an odd way as well, backing in with my knee bent, sitting, and then turning the rest of the way in. There were times I felt like I was going to fall off my leg when I was walking. At times, turning in bed to lie on that side was uncomfortable. These instances would come and go.
That changed sometime in March. I soon came to the conclusion that I should visit my orthopedic medical people and start a record. At my first appointment the first week in April, x-rays showed that I had arthritis in both hips as well as my back. I was aware that I might have it in my back because I often experience stiffness when I get up and moving, whether getting out of bed or out of a seat. It was obvious I had it in my right hip. The surprise was that it was showing up in my right hip, as nothing in that area bothers me. So, we discussed some ideas for me to get some relief: aquatic therapy, glucosamine chondroitin and ibuprofen, a steroid shot. None of them did much of anything, and my pain worsened over the months.
Summer was a challenge, as we headed South on vacation. Both the Syracuse and Charlotte airports were under major renovation, and so I had to do a lot more walking on hard surfaces than usual. That irritated my hip. We mostly just relaxed in Charlotte. Gary and Marilyn had been on a lengthy vacation and just returned. We were content with not being tourists. In Greenville, Milt and Janice had planned things so that I would not have to do a lot of walking. We did enjoy a trip up to the mountains, where we enjoyed a pontoon ride and then went on to Hendersonville for lunch and a visit with my cousin and her husband as well as my aunt. We managed to go to a church picnic and enjoy fireworks, and the guys got in some golfing while Janice and I enjoyed a park, visiting, and getting coffee at a local coffee shop. NICE.
Things continued to deteriorate. Between April and the end of June, I had made four visits to the doctor. Added to my regimen was tramadol, a light narcotic, in case I could use a boost while we traveled. Sometimes, I could not sit comfortably no matter how I tried. More and more, it was difficult for me to stand up from sitting. I felt as though my bone may have shifted a tiny bit and I was needing it to slip back in.
The end of July I had another appointment, after it was obvious aquatic therapy was of no use to me. At that time I told my doctor that I was not going to try another shot. The first one didn't do much, AND I knew that if I got a shot, I would have to wait three months, if it was decided I needed surgery. From my first visit in April until this time, we had talked about joint replacement surgery. In April, I thought that was way off in the future -- may spring or next summer. By July, that wasn't an option. My situation was worsening. If I kept putting off surgery, who knows what effect that would have? I was really hurting as it was.
My surgery was scheduled for September 24. My surgeon, Dr. Ian Dickey, met with me and told me what he planned to do. At that time, I must not have been paying a lot of attention. I thought that once I had the surgery, there would be about six weeks I would not be able to bend more than 90 degrees. My recliner would not work for sleeping because sometimes I end up in a tighter angle than 90. I wasn't too sure how I was going to sleep, how I was going to dress myself, and lots of other things.
As it turns out, my surgeon used a newer procedure, anterior arthroplasty: smaller incision, no cut muscles, less pain, quicker recovery. I would be able to bend, but I did have a few other restrictions.
So far, my recovery has been uneventful. Both the therapist (came to my house) and surgeon said I was "ahead of the curve." Friends are amazed at how mobile I became so quickly.
Bets are now being taken for which joint it will be in 2020. Any guesses?
