Up at 5.30am to catch my train to Birmingham as my appointment was for 11am. I actually arrived 1hr early (the trains weren't late for once!) and was taken straight through to the clinic. The nurse on duty was really nice and said that it seemed to be really quiet today so if I popped upstairs for my x-rays I could probably go in early. Excellent I'm thinking! Uh-uh.... there was a reason it 'seemed' quiet. There was a 2hr back-log in x-ray as the computer system had gone down! I've never seen the waiting room so packed, seating was only for patients, rellies had to make do!
After putting in my form and thus effectively joining the queue, I asked if they didn't mind me pottering off for a while - nup! So I walked straight back down to the clinic to let the nurse know as clearly no-one had thought to pass on the message. I also wanted to let them know because if I had waited I might not have gotten to see Mr. O! Previous experience pays off - consultants on the NHS usually only hold morning clinics and if it runs over, you get re-scheduled to another day. As I've always come to the hospital from far away I've always reminded them of this fact so not seeing my orthopod is NOT an option!
So, after letting the nurse know she scuttled off to ask Mr. O; I walked straight in for consultation! As it was 'quiet' we had a good long chat. He said I didn't need a new x-ray that day as he had the set from 5 weeks ago (he thinks the ROHB gives people unnecessary x-rays sometimes and one shot of radiation less is good!). He'll be seeing me in 2 months and I will have x-rays then.
He was pleased with the progress so far and in the ROM that I have regained. He wasn't impressed with my limp! He wants me to have physio and was a bit annoyed that it hadn't been set up already. I explained to him that I'll be moving due to my new job in Nottingham mid-may and as it can take a month to set up the first appointment on the NHS, he said that he has a friend that is an excellent physio down in that neck of the woods so he'll get in touch with him and set it up for me in time for me moving. In the mean-time he's given me a whole bunch of exercises to do, including abduction exercises that he initially told me not to do. I've also to get myself working out in the gym and in the pool. The only downside to this limp is that he doesn't want me to ditch the crutch yet until I get physio!! It is a fairly bad body tilt, swaying thing I have going on - at first he thought perhaps he got my leg length wrong, but its not, its perfect. We think its just my poor muscles got so used to that leg being slightly (0.5cm) shorter for years that now the legs are equal, the muscles are too tight on one side, thus causing me to tilt. It's not a good look so whilst I'm a little disheartened not to lose the crutch any time soon, it is for the best I suppose *sigh*.
I am a considered a complicated resurfacing. So it looks like I'm in it for the rehab long haul! I have done remarkably well recovery-wise so far but its going to be a few months of hard work to sort out all the incorrect muscle usage. Some muscles have been used incorrectly for years, that is one of the consequences of arthritis, chronic pain and previous surgeries. That won't be easy to correct. But I'm going to give it all I have for as long as necessary!
X-ray taken 4 days post-op. Resurfacing with extra fixation screws. Scary!
Close up of my right hip. Red circles highlight the remnants of broken screws left after my osteotomy. Red arrow shows muscle anchors/staples used to reattach one of my muscles back to the bone.
My scar at 5 weeks post-op. Looking much better!
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