Tuesday 22 June 2010

Linoleum diving

So I fell today for the first time since the resurfacing, or nearly fell....

Pootling down the corridor at work, sole of my left foot just sorta caught the linoleum at a funny angle propelling me face first towards the floor at high speed - and out of instinct I put out my right leg in a lunge to catch me! Then I panicked, sorta twirled and ended up with my back against the wall, standing up. Quick anatomical sweep of what's still in place and in pain - NOTHING!! Thank goodness....

If I did that pre-op, well I'd probably have face dived the floor because my right leg would not have responded at all. If I had lunged to keep my balance, I'd have been paying for it instantly and for days.

I just stood there waiting for something to happen (other than my heart rate to go down!), like my hip spontaneously dislocating, or sharp pains attacking my knee. One, I was amazed that I effectively corrected myself (then let myself go!), and two, nothing happened, AT ALL to the joint. Mr. O has a point there about me doing whatever I like physically huh?

I'm so chuffed my muscles are getting so much stronger and they are responding correctly. They are still weak but I'm working on those physio exercises and by the end of any one week I can tell a difference (it's small, but that's just the way it's going to be!). Slowly slowly catchy monkey.....

Tuesday 8 June 2010

Orthopod 3mth check-up

Okay so I have no new x-rays to put up today. Mainly because it was identical to my last x-ray taken 4 days after surgery! Really, mr. orthopod put them up on the screen and I initially said "no that's the one from March", he said "check the date", today! Side-by-side identical. Excellent news!! No movement of implant, just as it's supposed to be. No collapsed femoral head or extra bone growth where it shouldn't - you know, it goes through your head...

Now here's something I suspected, forgot to ask and wasn't told last time. There was bone grafting in the socket. I don't think every resurfaced hip has this and was probably done because of the dysplasia. Mr. O was pointing out how well it's all knitted together, so well in fact that he could barely see the original outline of the socket before it was filled. Apparently the original outline is slightly higher than where the metal cup sits in the socket because it had to be reamed back due to osteophyte formation (knobbly bone spurs) and that the socket was shallow and mis-shapen etc. Bottom line, it was wonky, now its not!

He was also very pleased with my general progress and said I was doing remarkably well considering it was only 3 months post-op. He was pleased I could get my knees to my chest and hold certain leg movements. So it's all good! He did want me pass on a message to my physio - see how far you can push it. Mmmm, scary thought from my point of view! Shall we pass that on....