Things are not looking good........at all

Oh boy you guys, I am really and truly scared to death. I got the MRI done of my hips today. I have the CD. When I say that those pictures are scary, I am not kidding, or stretching the truth. It looks like there are pieces of bone, rather large pieces too, missing from the balls of the hips joints on both sides.   I an literally afraid to move for fear of managing to break either hip.

I am going to call the doctor tomorrow and see if he got the report but it sure looks like I have avascular necrosis in both hips and pretty severely.

I am going to put a few of the pictures into my photobucket site and post the link if anyone is interested.

I am going to have to see a hip surgeon and find out what my surgical options are, but I don't think that I am going to have too many of them.

    I know that I am considered too young for hip replacement but I don't think judging by what I have read on this, that I am going to have any other option.

I don't want to tell my husband, he's worried enough over my wrist, he is going to flip out now. We are going to have to find the funding somewhere to get that stupid ramp built, because I am going to need it, and soon.

I won't be surprised if I get told that I need to be in the chair if I am up or risk fracturing what is left balls of the femurs going into my hips.

HELP, please......

Sandi

 

Hi Chartreux,
I am just blown away....I expected it, really and truly did. I just didn't expect to see pieces of bone missing.......as if someone just took an ax and cut it away.....and it is a fairly large part of the ball that articulates into the cup of your hip.....it's no wonder that I have had the pain that I have had when I try to stand or sit sometimes. I think even my PM is going to be blown away when he sees the actual pictures. http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p54/sandim1016/
He was astounded yesterday when I showed him the CD of my wrist and that is not nearly as bad to look at as this is.

I am scared, of what this is going to do what little bit of ability I still have to walk......I have clung to that little bit that allows me to walk 30 feet before having to sit because I refused to give into this spinal cord injury and now, it's not that that is taking it away, it is some "disease" that no one has heard of , that no doctor tells you can happen from those stupid steriods....and if my pulmonologist thinks that he is ever going to get me to take another steroid again, he's got a few screws loose....

Ahh, I will get over this freaking out stuff........it's just so new......know what I mean? I will figure out what to do, and how to get what needs done , done....or better yet, maybe I will wait until all the kids are asleep and have a really good cry.....

Sandi
Your right hip looks like it is the worst if I am looking at it right! Hopefully they can do a hip replacement, I mean what else can they do? I can only imaging how scary this is for you, please know that I wish I could do or say something that would make you feel better! I keep you in my prayers!!!

I do wish you all the best Sandi

White Beard

Hi Whitebeard,
You are looking at it right, it is the right hip that is in worse shape than the other, but the left isn't too far behind it.....it is the pieces of bone that appear to be missing that says that I am in serious trouble and the amount of surface of the ball and the cup area that is damaged that is going to make this a huge mess. I am taking bets that I get a phone call tomorrow( well today now) saying that I am not allowed to stand and have to use my chair full time.....
I don't want to......but I also don't want hip fractures either.....talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Nothing like it.
Got any bone putty? LOL We can fill holes in wood grain right? Using wood putty? I want some bone putty........and I want it now...LOL
Sandi

Hi PA Lady,
You are up late my dear friend......I am putting them away, all I kept doing was looking at them and seeing all of that damage. It is even worse when you have a few hundred different images in front of you, each one looking worse than the one before it....aaaaggghhhhhh
I have managed to give myself a major headache looking at those things. Yes, you are right, I do need to regroup and get things settled in my own head before he comes unglued and starts thinking the worst. One of us has to be optimistic and it is usually my job, this time I am not quite ready to throw on my don't worry honey, it'll be okay face..... :o(
They don't like to do hip replacements because the data suggests that they only are good for about 20 years and that is with relatively mild/moderate use....and it is too easy to fracture the femur, which creates other problems....I understand why from the research but there have to be some other options....
I would love to share a bottle of wine with my friends.......I have one sitting right here, unopened....but we can chill it and drink a toast to some better days for all of us.
And I would love for you all to drink that toast with me......and just bring yourselves......and some cheese for the crackers.
Hugs
Sandi

naaw'h sandi, thats horrible news : (
maybe check the hardware store, they might have bone putty next to the wood putty ;)
keep well honey
XOXO

Sandi, do you have an appt for a follow-up with your doctor? Maybe you need to relax until you get a chance to speak with him/her.

You talked about the steroids causing this. Maybe I missed something but how many shots did you receive in a year?

So sorry you are in such pain and now you have the unknown to deal with until you speak to your doctor. Keep us posted and go ahead and cry, we've all gotten to that point before so your not alone in this.

I was so tired last night and worn out.....I managed to sleep rather fitfully, well around 6 am until 7 when it was time to get my youngest ones up for school. My younger son is home today, not feeling well so he is providing lots of distraction. I got out wine glasses so whenever you all want to come and visit, it is here and waiting for you all to join me for that toast.....
PA Lady and Whitebeard are bringing more cheese and crackers too...Later, after my sons doctors appointment, we will go to the hardware store and find some extra strength wood putty if we can't find bone putty. Ah ha, I think I have an answer......they use bmp ( some ground up mineral stuff when they do fusions to make bone grow in the lumbar spine right? Well, maybe we can use some of that in my hips??????LOL It might work!)
And WB asked what he can say that would be of help? All I had to read was the very next line he wrote.....thank you WB.
Jag asked about the steroids and how many injections in a year. It is not just the injections, I only had two of those, but I was on steroids for respiratory problems on top of those, and then kept on what is considered high doses of steroids for about 6 weeks last spring. It can be caused by a one time dosage of high steriods, but most of the time it is a cumalitive problem, over a period of time, days, weeks, months or years. It depends on the person and how their body handles the steroids. That's why there are guidelines that say that a person should have no more than 3 injections of steroids within a year, because it can cause this. According to some of the stuff that I have read over the last couple of days with this wrist thing and now the hips, steroids cause somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 new cases a year....and that is just steroids.
Hi SE, yes, my husband will be supportive, it's not that he won't, but he will be scared to death......and we have four kids, so one of us have to be confident and reassuring....and I am usually the one that plays that role. He does take excellent care of me and of our kids, he just doesn't handle situations like this one, when it effects his family well. He deals with a lot of garbage at work, and handles the stress that comes with it, quite well, but when it is family........well, that' s a different ball game.
Sandi

YYUUUUMMMM........I love brisket.......and we have a smoker here, so you don't even have to bring yours. You can use ours.
Sandi-<-------------- who is now drooling like a fool......

Hi Sandy

I am new here but I believe you replied to one of my posts recently.  I am sorry to hear of your not good MRI results.  What a horrible blow esp around the holidays.

I agree with someone who wrote quit looking at the pics they are just hurting you.

One thing I wanted to write to you about hip replacement surgery.

My sister was in the Marine Corps (so was I btw) but she had an accident in 1984 or so and had broken her hip.  She eventually was pushed out of the Marines on a medical discharge.

She recieved a 10% rating from Military typical low but later a 30% then 100% from VA.  This was all due to her ever increasing hip pain, leg/knee pain due to hip , depression, chronic pain etc.  A little off topic but she goes is seen at Durham NC VA med center which partners with Duke Medical school which is also a teaching hospital. 

The Orthos Docs started pushing her to get a replacement because it was bone on bone and she was in pain and losing mobility etc... Eventually she had enough of the pain and found some courage Sister hates blood and needles and such but she opted for surgery.  The Chief of Duke Orhto because of her age 35 performed the surgery because he wanted it to be done perfectly so it would last a long time.  Hopefully she will not require another one but if it does she will have to have a replacement or something.  But what I am saying she could not live that way anymore the Docs knew it and she finally realized it.  It is a quality of life issue as well not just an age issue.  So please be optimistic that if your hip (s) are that in need of surgery you will find the best surgeon for you.

Bless you and your family as you go thru this crisis together.

Rhonda

PS I can put you in touch with my sis if you have any specific questions she may help you with.  She is a talker.

Sandi...

Trying to catch up on all of the reading here, after a week-plus hospital stay... So much has gone on!! ...Anyway, I just looked at the pictures from your MRI... I'm so sorry for all that you are going through. I wish there was something more that I could say...but I'll just join White Beard and others and put you in my prayers.

((((Sandi)))) ...Love, Tina

You will be up walking the same day of the surgery.You will do just fine...........