Hello all. I bet you didn't even know I was gone. Boy have we had a few rough
days!! I got home last night and am trying to catch up on all the email I
received while I was gone.
In the wee hours of Thursday morning--while I was sleeping my hip popped out.
The pain woke me up. Called the doctor, dialed 911. Ambulance ride to the
hospital felt like it hit every bump on the road. The ER doctor was a little
too sure of himself for us. My husband, Dennis finally had to lay down the law
"We talked to her surgeon before we came here and he said 'don't pull on it
and don't try to put it back in'."  The type of hip I have HAS to be put back
in surgically. So the Dr. in ER started going on about how many hips he's put
back in and how he and Bradley (my surgeon's first name) have been friends"
etc... Like dropping my doctor's first name was going to pull some weight with
us. We refused to let him try. Then Dennis over heard him telling one of the
nurses that we were refusing care and letting me suffer. Dennis went right out
there and told the doctor off. He was polite but firm and the ER Dr. backed
down.  (As a result my surgeon promised to educate the ER docs about this type
of hip prosthesis).
I spent two days in traction because I had to wait until late Friday night for
the surgery. The hospital had a blood shortage. [I have heard all the blood
banks are very low probably because of winter colds and flu. So if you can
donate blood please do. There are a lot of people like me waiting for
"elective" surgery.]
Everything is put back together but the drop foot and neurological symptoms
are far worse!! The pain is awful. I have never had such constant severe pain.
I am taking 75 mg of Amitriptyline (Elavil) at h.s. to help with the nerve
pain plus the Vicodan. Nothing seems to help.  The circulation in my lower leg
is now affected by  this. My lower leg turns purple if it isn't elevated
Poor Dennis is a nervous wreck. He went back to work today. I hope it takes
his mind off of my misfortune and the work routine will reduce some of his
stress.
It is hard not to begin blaming people, like everyone involved, when these
crazy things keep happening. Especially when the doctors don't even know how
or why this happened.
Marie Davis