Hip & Knee surgery-My experience.

My first surgery to correct my hip & knee was in Feb 2010. (Sorry it's taken so long to update!) The surgery lasted nearly 15 hours. I was in the hospital for 9 days & I had so many plugs and drains in me that I lost count. I was in ICU the first 3 days. My incision starts at the top of my hip and goes down the side of my leg wrapping around my knee. I had to be lifted from my bed to a stretcher twice a day to lay in an oxygen chamber. The first 3 tries didn't work because the pressure in my ears caused too much pain. I had to have an additional surgery just to have tubes put in my ears. It was completely random & completely unexpected. We tried again. Twice a day, 2 hours at a time I spent in that BORING chamber. Sometimes I would sleep, sometimes I would watch TV. The chamber was meant to help heal my incisions.

I remember a physical therapist coming by the room once a day. She got me to sit up on the side of the bed. We started slow. The next day she had me try to stand up on my walker. When I took that first step up it felt like a knife had stabbed me in the hip. (This was the start of my anxiety) I was surprised at the pain, and surprised at myself for crying over it. I usually handle things really well. I was embarrassed & upset that I couldn't hold my emotions back. I sat back down. I started wearing a brace I had been measured for while I was in ICU. It was bulky & I hated it but it protected my fragile leg. The first steps on my walker were from the bed to a nearby chair. By the time I finally sat down I starting having a panic attack. I didn't know why I couldn't breathe and that made me panic more. I couldn't talk to tell anyone what was wrong, but I could cry. I had to start breathing treatments.

Another day one of my drains was ready to be removed. It was a long tube inserted at my hip area that went far down inside my leg. The PA told my sister to hold my hand. I didn't expect it to hurt but he pulled it out fast and I yelled. It burned so bad. I started to build up anxiety about my other tube in my side being removed. It wasn't ready yet but I knew it'd be soon. One day when I was being transferred back to my bed from the chamber, mom was there waiting. I was emotionally and physically exhausted. I started to cry, the more I cried I felt the panic start to set in. I couldn't breathe again. I wanted this to be over. Mom finally got me to calm down. The day came for my second tube to come out. I was scared to death. A different PA came this time. He said "Breathe in through your nose & out through you mouth & on the count of 3, it's coming out." Before he could finish his sentence it was out. I didn't feel a thing. :)

I was finally discharged from the hospital on what I believe was a Saturday. I was feeling better by that time, still fragile but so happy to get out of the hospital. I started physical therapy the following Monday. Geez it hurt. It was a hurt I could handle though, because I knew how great the outcome would be. That's all I was worried about.
I went back to work after being out for 7 weeks. I was on crutches and still hadn't gotten my new prosthetic. It was scary & I felt awkward. It was weeks before I finally got it...& 4 more months before I came off the crutches. Even then, I wasn't strong enough to walk without limping. It's also really hard to adjust to a new prosthetic.

It was supposed to take a full year from the time of my hip & knee surgery before I could go ahead with lengthening but in June Dr. Paley was looking over my x-rays & noticed how my bones had completely healed up! He said if I wanted I could start lengthening that September. (The only thing stopping me was work.) I scheduled my surgery to have my fixator put on for November 2nd. I will write another post about THAT experience next.

I hope this helps give a general idea but I don't want it to scare anyone either. Remember that everyone has a different experience, no one will go through the same things I went through, some will be much better & others may not be. I dont regret starting this incredible journey & I know that I won't in the future. I'm halfway there!