Thursday, October 3, 2013

Hip Replacement

My new hip is 5 weeks old and I'm doing amazing!!! The surgery was a complete success and I couldn't be any happier. The decision to have the replacement done came very suddenly. 

This past January, I started to feel pain in my hip. At the time, I thought it was a muscle pull or a tweak. The pain was off and on for several months. In April, I decided to see an Orthopedic surgeon in Dallas. The X-Ray showed signs of osteopenia but the cartilage and bone looked okay. I was told to start physiotherapy. I did PT and saw a chiropractor for a few months but the pain wasn't going away. It was actually getting worst. In July, I returned to see a different Orthopedic surgeon in Florida who diagnosed me with AVN (Avascular Necrosis). This time, the X-Ray showed a different story. The cartilage was gone, the bone was deteriorating and it confirmed that I needed a new hip. 

The news didn't stun me. I've been told in my lifetime that I have cancer, therefore anything after that is peanuts to me. So, I started doing some intense research. Apparently, this is not unusual for someone who has been through chemo and steroids, per my bone marrow transplant team.  

Here is a groggy picture of me taken a few hours after the surgery with my large dressing.


Excess bleeding in the incision area was drained out through a small tube which was inserted during surgery. Out came the tube!


The very next morning, it's up, up and away! 


They get you moving pretty fast to adjust to the new hip.



Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better experience. There are so many ways of doing this surgery and I give all kinds of information on my CaringBridge. (http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/moniquepineault/journal) I enjoy sharing all this information because I could be helping someone else ;) ;)

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