I will be dropped off outside the main out patient entrance and will use crutches to "walk" the 100 yds or so to the ground floor clinic. I expect I will have an X-Ray on arrival and then wait to speak to the surgeon or one of his staff.
If I can I will try to take a digital camera image of any relevant X-Ray - if only so the physiotherapist has a "clear picture" of the extent of the remodelling in cement of my right femur.
I will go wanting answers to the following questions:
- Is the 2nd stage still practicable?
- If so what can be done to minimise the risk of infection next time e.g. prophylactic antibiotics and/or wait a further 2 -3 months to be sure the infection is out of the system?
- Should the 2nd stage wait until my iron stores and haemoglobin levels have been boosted by the iron infusion course and EPO injections?
- How will the bone graft be formed into a femur?
- After the 2nd stage would the progress to full weight bearing be as for any other hip replacement?
- What should the physiotherapist be aiming to achieve with me in the next few weeks / months?
On a practical level I continue to gain in confidence and in the last week have not only managed to top up the bird feeders, have another steam shower, be driven to renal out patients for an iron infusion but have also managed to ascend the stairs to the converted loft on crutches which means no more "climbing" up the stairs by sitting down. I was even contemplating seeing if I could stand at the lathe long enough to finish off one of the two half completed bowls I started a couple of months ago.
I still notice that my right leg seems happier with my foot pointing out between 45 and 90 degrees. Great if I wanted to be a ballet dancer but otherwise not much use, although it would be the perfect angle for side footing a ball past a luckless goalkeeper diving full length to the left! Chance would be a fine thing!
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