I am a 19-year-old in dire need of a hip
replacement.
I know the risks involved. I am by no
means a naïve little girl.
I also know the risks involved if I do not
get a hip replacement.
My bone is brittle. It has been brittle
since last september. I had an infection
in the femoral head that has eaten away
the cartilage in the socket and now have
severe arthritis. I walked with crutches
through november into december. I walked
(after a bad hip pinning) with a walker
for two months, crutches for one, and a
cane for about a week. Then I had a
relapse in april. I went back to the
crutches for about a month and half, and
have since been using the cane. I was
doing well until my (new) doctor told me
the other day that using the cane when
there is no cartilage has begun to erode
my pelvis. Within a year, even on
crutches, the pelvis will be so eroded
that, to do a hip replacement at that
time, as I had planned, would be far more
risky as it would include a bone graft
which might not fuse. He wants me to
have the surgery as soon as possible.
I was fine with this information, too,
until he told me that, if the hip doesn't
take, I will be wheelchair-bound without a
portion of my hip.
Basically, I am scared out of my mind. I
know I have to do it. I even want to do
it. I am sick of being in this much pain
all the time. I know that I am young for
a hip replacement, but what choice do I
have? I have been following my doctors'
orders for ten months now and nothing has
worked. I need reassurance. I need
people to tell me about their success
stories. I know it won't necessarily
apply to me or that I won't necessarily
turn out the same way, but I just need the
comfort. I'm the only one I know who has
had to go through something like this, and
my friends just don't understand. When I
bring it up, the room goes quiet because
nobody knows what to say.
I'm just so tired of feeling alone.
|
skeb_nz
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Posts: 16 Location: New Zealand
a Happy Story Posted: 07-26-04 00:04am
Hi
a friend of mine, who is also 19, has
recently (as in a couple of months ago)
had both her hips replaced as she had bad
arthritis in them. She was in a lot of
pain and unable to walk for very long at
all. Due to having arthritis right
through her body was confined to a
wheelchair for most of the time.
Since the surgery she has felt a lot
better. She is straighter (in body
height), and taller and can walk for much
greater distances.
She took a few weeks to recover but is
much happier after having the surgery.
Hope this helps, or at least makes you
feel a little better.
|
Outsider
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Jul 2004 Posts: 26 Location: USA
Posted: 07-26-04 01:07am
Hi cheer up if u feel alone u got someone
here to cheer u up :d im new here too if
u need someone talk I get lonely to my
email is na
ughtyboy_nc69@yahoo.Com dont let the
email fool u haha im really a nice guy
and like care for others then myself hope
we can talk soon I hope the best for u
tc
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This page was last updated on June 11, 2008
