What turned needing a hip replaced onto wasting my life

Well l have the story that started at a hip replacement and has just took over my life and had nothing but bad luck since it started.

Before l had my 1st hip replacement and just thought l had pulled a muscle in my groin. I drove 4hrs to get to York from Scotland only for my hip to go really bad. I felt like l was being stabbed inside my leg, the pain was unbearable. I arrived there at night time and hardly slept because of the pain. I am allergic to asprin so could not take any NSAIDs. I had the choice of paracetamol. But when l got up in the morning l was in tears on the floor trying to put my jeans on. My husband seen how much pain l was in and said right this can't go on. Do you want to go to a hospital or what do you want me to do. At this point l just wanted home and my husband does not drive, but all l wanted was to get home to my own house. So we checked out after 1 night even though we had paid for the 4 nights. I was just determined l could drive the journey home and did. I was at the doctors the next day, they sent me to the hospital for xrays. Four days later l got a call from the doctors to go see them.

Thats when l found out l needed both hips replaced as they were both totally bone to bone and fragment of bone were broken. It was a total shock ! Me and my husband were outdoor folk and walked everynight about 7 miles. We loved to walk. That was in December 2015 and l had my 1st hip replaced. Next one done in Feb 2016. Since then Ostioarthritis has took over my life. I have it in both knee's so far l have had 1 replaced in Aug 2016 then when recovering from that my ankle got it and the pain was worse than my knee that still needed done. So had an ankle fusion in April this year which was a simple operation but had the worse recovery as l had to wear a cast non weight bearing for 3 weeks. Then l was changed to a moonboot which l thought would be better.......l was wrong it was so heavy and l had to wear a really thick sock underneath it again being non weight bearing for 6 weeks and had to wear it in bed. Then another 5 weeks weight bearing with moonboot. I was really low for that recovery. I got it off and my foot has not felt great since.

I wonder to myself why have l had such bad luck since l turned 42....l am now 44 and in desperate need for the knee replacement but my mum got cancer and l had to delay it as she was going through treatment. Sadly my mum died last Thursday after being told she was cured, but never really got over the hard radio and chemothearapy. She suffered from anxiety and the fear she still had it. We all tried our hardest to convince her she was imagining it she had a year of wasted life as she was never the same again for the full year. She kept saying she had lumps in her kneck and a sore sholder. The doctor said she was fine. But it turns out she was right all along and the cancer had just spread everywear. I am now grieving the loss of my mum and in severe pain in my knee. I am taking the strongest painkillers you can get as l had to get past my mums funeral. I am now having a break before l start again with the knee.

I think why me my life has been awful since the end of 2015 and its just got worse. I hate OA its wasted me having any sort of normal life. I have even had to give up my position in the job l had and go part time even though l have hardly been at work the last few years. I just wonder if l will ever be in no pain.

Right now l am grieving and l am so mixed up and feel heartbroken.

But life has to go on and my OA will go on as well. Even though there is no link to why l have it in nearly ever joint in my bottom half. I just think what happened to me to end up like this at 44.

Sorry for the long doom and gloom post l just felt l had to get it out as this forum was a godsend for me when l 1st had my hip replacement.

Laura

0 likes, 23 replies