It has been an interesting week and I wrote thoughts as the week progressed. Far more occurred than I am sharing here, but these are the major happenings. I am so grateful for progress and I am choosing to focus on the progress and not the unexpected challenges. I feel like this week is less of surgery progress report as a collision between the multiple other chronic medical conditions.
11/7/16
After another challenging week, another weekend of being in recovery mode, I received a call this morning asking if I could come in yet this afternoon for the injection? Yes! Oh my, that was fast once they called! I already felt better as I left and had an amazing rest of the afternoon actually being able to walk and sit pain-free or minimal pain in both hips! So relieved! It took over two months to finally get the injection, but it is definitely working! With the anesthetic part of the injection in effect, I find I am actually starting to do things more normally and more balanced again--less shifting of weight onto the op side hip to give the painful non-op hip a break. It is still habit to shift onto op side, though as it has been so long from compensating. Funny how fast new compensation patterns develop. I used to always stand with weight shifted onto right hip before surgery--hence it always getting irritated every time left hip flared before surgery. I had been told, and learned how, to force myself to evenly distribute weight in spite of pain before surgery. But after surgery, as left hip got stronger and right failed to calm down as we tapered prednisone, I gradually shifted to using left side more and protecting right side.
I am far more hopeful again, but honestly also a little apprehensive as the true test starts--tapering the oral prednisone the rest of the way. The past tapers have flared all pain, but especially hips and shoulder. I am hoping things do not get too bad and that the shoulder will stay pretty stable. The left hips was tolerating the taper fine for the first time ever when we began tapering in August six weeks after surgery. But, that is when the right hip and the left shoulder flared back up again and have not calmed since except for the high-dose prednisone burst several weeks ago.
It has been a rough evening after the anesthetic wore off, but by this time, I have had so many injections, I know normal response and knew it was going to be even more painful once the first part wore off than prior to the injection. Hoping the cortisone takes effects as well and quickly this time as it has in the past. But, hoping it lasts longer this time.
Probably worth noting, but trying not to think about what this may mean: the anesthetic worked 100%, as in completely pain-free. As it wore off and pain returned, I only felt pain in all of the normal areas, with exception of muscle soreness. Things were reminiscent of injections in the other hip prior to surgery. I am intentionally choosing not to think too hard about any of this or try to sort out what it might mean. I honestly do not want to know. Normally, I am curious, inquisitive, wanting to know and understand everything I encounter. Normally, I think of knowledge as being power. But, sometimes ignorance truly is bliss.
11/10/16
By later in the week, I noticed definite times of no pain in the injected hip, suggesting the cortisone is starting to take effect! This afternoon PT checked motion on both hips and said both were moving well and with full normal motion! So exciting and encouraging! She was really pleased! I was pleased that someone other than myself could tell--that I was not imagining things out of too high of hope. We are again working on slowly adding strengthening exercises for the right hip and it is amazing how weak it got when we were trying to get it calmed down.
Now that I was finally able to get the injection, we are again tapering the oral prednisone. So, that means now the other problematic joint (shoulder) that we had actually tried to check about getting injected a couple of months ago but not able to, is now flaring up. But, since the right hip is finally calming down and both hips are doing well, there is more time to work on the irritated shoulder. It could be frustrating, but I am grateful that at least things are sort of taking turns now, rather than hitting me all at once. The shoulder is limiting but less so than the hip has been, so this is still improvement compared to early in the week.
I also allowed myself to be persuaded into trying a new medication to try to help support my body as we taper the prednisone. I am notoriously unpredictable in my responses to medications, so I am being as optimistic as possible and asked how to improve the chances that my body tolerates this medication and it actually does what it is supposed to do. So far, not really noticing anything at all. Pain in general is worsening, but suspecting prednisone taper for that and not concerned.
Still so relieved and excited. Finally! Progress! It has been a difficult couple of months of fighting, almost giving up so many times--including earlier this week.
11/12/16
I was so encouraged with finally making progress, finally getting pain under better control! But then almost ended up in the emergency room last night. The best guess at present is severe exacerbation of pain as a side effect to the new medication that was started a few days ago in an attempt to support me during the prednisone taper as tapers have historically not gone well for me. Well, this medication certainly did not help and maybe made things worse. Pain spiked far faster and higher than with normal flares and compared to past prednisone tapers as well. This is certainly not normal for me. I went from pretty functional Friday afternoon to barely able to finish getting groceries, leaning on the shopping cart for support, barely getting things up the stairs to my apartment (left all non perishable items in the car to carry up another time), then lying on the floor with ice packs the rest of the evening unable to sit or stand longer than a few moments at a time. I had intended to go to another couple of stores and start laundry but those ideas were completely abandoned due to pain levels and inability to stand or walk very far. Discouraged as this means yet another weekend spent in recovery mode after all. I am very grateful that I was able to go to a family function that I had been looking forward to, but I had to take it easy. This set back has been discouraging and last night in particular was difficult. It is getting easier to want to quit fighting and just give up. I am still hanging on but not sure how long. This evening is better than this morning, which was better than last night. So, slight hope is returning, but much more cautiously optimistic at present than the past few days before this situation happened. I am at the moment completely back off the break through pain medication and being careful, but trying to see if I can stay off of it if things are calming back down. The new medication has been stopped and it should be fully clearing my system relatively soon as I had not been on it that long. (There were multiple discussions with medical resources last night and this morning, but more will have to be discussed and decided Monday.)
11/13/16
Seemingly making progress again. Things are still challenging, but grateful for any progress again at this point, Praying for wisdom for my doctors tomorrow when they see the notes of what happened over the weekend. Praying for acceptance for me of whatever new plan is suggested.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
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