I had my 4 month post-op appointment with my local OS this past week. I was there to get the routine post-op x-rays and to determine if the bone was continuing to heal properly. I was also there to get a gameplan to when my hardware would be able to come out and determine why I was having intense nerve and joint pain. The appointment was complicated by the fact that I had tripped and fell a week and a half prior, so we were also checking for any damage from the fall.
Unfortunately, my bones do not seem to be healing as they should be at this point. It did not look as if the fall had damaged anything, but we would not be completely certain until the hardware is out and further diagnostics can be done. I asked if Dr. Maiers would be willing to do the hardware removal here, since Millis said that it can easily be done locally. Unfortunately, he does not want to do it because of my complex medical history and who can blame him. So, I will be heading back to Boston for yet another surgery and probably not the last. I wasn't sure what to ask him at this point, even though I had already prepped questions, but it didn't seem to matter because the surgery wouldn't be happening locally. I asked about the intense pain and whether it would get better with hardware removal and he said that only about 25% of patients get relief from hardware removal and I know how well that helped me by removing the pins, it didn't. At this point I asked if the pain was ever going to get better and he said it would be hard to tell because we are not sure where the pain comes actually comes from, if it is from the nerves, the joint or even part of it was stress/anxiety/psychological. I asked if I should consider a THR or if that would even help. He did tell me that it could help if the pain was coming from the joint. I was in tears by this point and asked if that would even help or if this was going to be it. He then responded by saying "that this may be as good as it gets." Of course, that didn't help. To feel as if my doctor was giving up on me or giving up on the fact that I would be fixable. I don't remember much after this point. I put on my jacket, grabbed my stuff and checked out. I was not composed as I wanted to be, but rather left with tears streaming down my face. I couldn't have been more upset.
I have been digesting the information and it has not been easy. I emailed Millis in Boston and have not heard back yet. I am anxious to hear what we are going to do next because that is what was suppose to happen during my appointment with Maiers. I am hoping to be able to schedule my hardware removal in December prior to next year so that it will be fully covered by insurance and help lower our costs even a little bit. I also left a message to request an appointment with a local neurosurgeon to test for femoral nerve entrapment and other nerve issues that I have been having and to determine if it is contributing to the hip pain or different altogether. A friend of mine, Sarah Zimman, gave me the number to her THR surgeon in Boston and I will see if I can have a consult with him to see if a THR is a viable option for me at this point. I am not sure how much more I am willing to endure at this point. Hopefully in a few days I will have heard back from Millis and have some appointments set up and at least have a gameplan in place.
I just want my life back, as much as I can get back.
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