My physio wanted me to get in touch with my surgeon to make sure we were doing the right thing and for some guidance as to what might be going on and the treatment.  He said it could well be scar tissue and has suggested I make an appointment with him so he can check my hip and we might schedule an ultrasound to see what is going on.  So, appointment booked for 12th May. In the meantime he recommends stretching.

My immediate future (from tomorrow til Monday) involves  a trip to Auckland with snowboarding (first time including a 2 hour lesson ), a possible trip to an island bird sanctuary, a duathlon and shopping!  Eekkk.  I’m a glutton for punishment.

Had my physio appointment this afternoon.  She is still too scared to do anything aggressive given my history and seems afraid she’ll make things worse.  She thinks the latest snapping and tenderness might just be some inflammation from overdoing it at the gym a few weeks ago.  The plan of action is to avoid the hip machine at the gym for the time being, stretch the TFL/ITB at least 3 times a day and do some ultrasound treatments then reassess.  If this doesn’t help, last resort is back to the surgeon for possible steroid injection/scans/xrays.  B L A HHHHH for goodness sakes I thought I was done with all this crap.  I REALLY don’t want a steroid injection.  I have worked so hard at getting off all medications and had been successful for the past couple of months until yesterday’s little hiccup.  Feeling like life is once again on hold until good old leftie starts behaving…

Overall Mr. R. is pleased with my progress which made my day.  I had been worried that it was going a bit slow but he assured me that it is still early days.

The swelling could hang around for another couple of months but he didn’t seem concerned about it.   In the past week I’ve had a little snapping on the outside of my hip when i straighten up from bending over which I never had before.  This apparently is due to the IT band.  I guess while the swelling is still present this is a little irritated but he told me that as my gluts etc. get stronger this should improve.  Come on buns of steel!

The residual pain and limited flexion is due to scar tissue from the capsulotomy.  He wants me to push through this pain now, taking pain killers as needed (and assured me I won’t do any damage) to break down the scar tissue and prevent more forming.  If this doesn’t get better he said he can do a steroid injection to help things along.  I have a follow up appointment in six weeks time so it could be a long six weeks!  Not at all keen on the injection though, remembering the flare it caused in my wrist.

I have the OK to get a pool/gym program so his secretary is going to send a letter of approval to ACC and they will fund it!
I have no limitations, just have to use common sense with lifting etc. and avoid twisting while lifting.

So I’m a happy chicky right now.  Pleased I can push things a little without worrying it will be doing any damage.  Mr R says that he can’t guarantee it will ever be 100% again, but it is already better than pre op and I am certainly heading that way

]]> http://www.jessmcb.com/2010/01/27/11-weeks-post-op-check-no-pain-no-gain/feed/ 5 http://www.jessmcb.com/2009/11/13/hip-arthroscopy-recovery-day-3/ http://www.jessmcb.com/2009/11/13/hip-arthroscopy-recovery-day-3/#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:54:21 +0000 Jess http://www.jessmcb.com/?p=1708 I’m still doing quite well.  Have not had to take pain meds since in the hospital, still just taking the Voltaren to help prevent heterotopic bone reformation.

Using one crutch inside, can go without for a few steps which surprises me and using two outside.  Went out to the mall to get some groceries earlier today, must have wiped me out as I spent three hours asleep on the couch this afternoon!  One cat seems to like sleeping on my hip so if I’m on my side she jumps onto it and I nearly hit the roof.

Trying to sleep on my back where possible as I woke up in the night pretty sore in my right bursa area, don’t want to cause further problems there.

Overall, still feeling positive

2 Days post op ~ can just see the old scars below the new ones

I feel like I’m doing incredibly well.  Post op I couldn’t lift my leg off/on the bed by myself, and today I can get around with no problems.  I have been having a cocktail of drugs including Oxynorm, Codeine and Voltaren so I’m not sure if I ‘actually’ am doing well or if the pain is covered up by the drugs.  Don’t want to be too optimistic at this stage.

I spoke to Mr R yesterday and this morning.  My labrum was pretty wasted, thin and calcified.  He tried to do a repair but there was no repairable labrum left so had to remove it along with quite a lot of damage to the femoral head/neck.

I managed to get two photos of me in traction, but no action shots unfortunately lol…I will get the scope pics when I see Mr R for my post op check in two weeks.

I am frustratingly tired.  Every time I try to read or watch tv I fall asleep so looks like I’ll have no choice but to rest up

Thank you all again for your kind words!

[View with PicLens]

Eeeek! I have finished my last shift at work and thankfully it was super busy with a surgery thrown in so didn’t even have time to check my watch! Took morning tea in for everyone tomorrow because they are going to have to cover my shifts as our scheduled locum nurse got a full time job at the last minute…I feel really guilty about everyone having to work so hard but there’s nothing I can do about it now….thankfully food and chocolate go down well at work and it will soften the blow. It was nice that everyone actually made the effort to wish me luck and give me a hug because until now I have felt like it’s been a bit of a sore point.
I have tidied the house and have heaps of space to move around. Our lounge suite will be arriving on Wednesday, just in time for me to sleep on it if I need to…better late than never.
I didn’t get much sleep last night between nerves and the head thinking too much when it shouldn’t be. I couldn’t get comfortable, it rained and the down pipe outside one window had been removed for painting so the water dripped onto the garage roof below and on the other side the other down pipe was wrapped in plastic sheeting and was rustling in the wind, plus the neighbour was snoring exceptionally loudly (we share a common wall) so I was laying awake for what seemed like an eternity…never mind the fireworks at 12am argh!
Anyways, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, just gotta pack the toilet-bag and I’m ready to go.
Thank you to everybody who has passed on well wishes, it means a lot
TTFN

The nerves are settling in.  I can’t believe how fast the past few weeks have gone!

I have a couple of things I need to get before the op to make things easier at home…number one on the list is satin pj’s and/or sheets to make getting in and out of bed easier! (Thanks for the tip Nicki!)
Non-slip bath/shower mat and a shower seat (not sure if I will get the shower seat yet, but I used one while in the hospital last time and it made things so much easier – ACC will provide this with a doctor’s certificate).  Of course with Christmas just around the corner I need to get my bum into gear and do some shopping as this won’t be much fun on crutches! I have sent my financial details to ACC to help the boss out with the paper work, not sure what’s happening with that so will have to email my case manager again to get the papers sent out.

Hamish has organised to have the two days after my op off work to help me around the house etc.  It works out quite well as surgery is on Tuesday and the Friday is a public holiday.  Yes, I have managed to book my surgery on Cup Day…maybe I should buy a fancy hat to wear into theater?  Gotta beat those disposable caps, even if they do match the knickers!

I have again organised to spend a few days in Auckland with Mum and Mike a couple of weeks post-op to get me out of the house as I’m sure I will be bored by that stage!  I apparently might have underestimated the amount of time I will be spending on crutches and will likely still be on them then, so navigating the airport and plane may prove interesting.  Mum wants to teach me how to make some ‘miniatures’ as she’s right into them at the mo!  Thought I might try to make some tinsy fruit   See her work here http://invokinglibitina.blogspot.com/ so cute!

Am still struggling with the weight gain.  Decided I have to do something as lately I have all but neglected any form of exercise which is so easy to do as it makes such a HUGE difference to my pain level.  When not exercising I very rarely have to take pain killers unless I do something that aggravates the hip such as a busy day at work, long car ride or household chores.
I tried jogging, but could only manage one a week between the hip and muscles that are out of condition.  I got told off by a physio friend who suggested I walk instead of jogging which technically makes sense as it is less impact on the joints.  Oddly enough though, I actually find walking more bothersome that jogging, this completely boggles my mind.  The only thing I can come up with is maybe a longer stance phase during walking causes the irritation, though I have also noticed the stance phase of my left (affected) leg is shorter than my right (in other words my left leg will not extend as far as my right).

My lovely physio friend has also suggested some prehab exercises and has told me I have to get to the pool at least once a week.  This started OK, but after my first pool session on Monday I have been so sore and have been unable to go back yet.  Isn’t swimming supposed to be easy?  I only ever swim freestyle (front crawl) and do a couple of laps with a kick-board.  I only did half of my usual 1km swim and other than muscle fatigue from lack of practice thought I felt OK.

Bring on November 10!

]]> http://www.jessmcb.com/2009/10/08/prehab/feed/ 5 http://www.jessmcb.com/2009/09/24/im-booked/ http://www.jessmcb.com/2009/09/24/im-booked/#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:53:44 +0000 Jess http://www.jessmcb.com/?p=1377 *Does a little dance*

I am booked for my scope on the 10th of November.  This was the earliest I could get in as they are chocka block.  I’m on a short notice list but have been told that as my surgery takes two hours it would require a long surgery to cancel for me to get in and this is unlikely.  However I am happy to finally have a date!

Mr R. told me I’d probably need six weeks off work…this means I will return to work Christmas week lol. It works out well because at least it will be a couple of short weeks in a row

Once again, hoping and holding my breath that ACC will come to the party in funding my surgery but not waiting weeks for them to start things rolling.
Of course after past experiences with them not dealing to things in a timely manner I have been calling for updates myself and documenting my calls.  I recommend everyone do this when dealing with any sort of ongoing problem as it is useful to have a record of what happened and when.

I was told last week that my request would be assigned to someone in a particular department who will then contact my doctors to get all my medical records.  The woman said they had to get the notes from the doctor who put in the original claim (who I haven’t seen in over seven years and the medical practise no longer exists), then it will go to a decision board.  All this will probably take another two weeks and I’ve already been waiting three!
She told me I would get a letter in the post once someone has been appointed to my case and I asked if I could be emailed as well, since any correspondence to or from ACC seems to take at least a week and it’s drawing things out.  She took my email address but couldn’t guarantee they’d email me as it’s not standard practice (that’s fine, I’ll just keep calling them until I get an answer – I can’t believe people don’t use email now, even when requested as an extra).
I plan to call again tomorrow to see if someone has been appointed.  Surely since this surgery is fixing up the original labral tear that was missed in surgery #1  (that I obviously had approved two years ago) they already have relevant medical details so they’d only need medical notes from after my surgery.  Of course it will take my suggestion for this to be looked into because they won’t go back and figure that out for themselves.

So, once again the waiting game with fingers and toes crossed that everything goes smoothly.  I am anxiously waiting to get on with this and cannot even tentatively book surgery until ACC give the go ahead.  I was hopeful for a date by the end of the month, but now that September is here it looks like that won’t be happening.