Hey everyone. Even tho I don't post as much as I used to, I try and keep up with what's going on with ya all.

Mike-so glad you are having a good recovery from your neck surgery-fusion. Sounds like you had a good surgeon and are doing good. So happy for you.

Tammy-see my response to your post about your daughter, but how are you doing?

tspauld, thank you for thinking of me when you posted "where are you and how are you doin." Hope you are doing good.

Red-what can I say-luv ya girl and hope you do come back from your vacation with a clear mind and ready to take on that dam--insurance company. You got screwed by that lawyer but you must try and put that away bcz it is taking over your every thought. I know it's hard to be abused by someone you are supposed to trust. Keep us posted on what's going on.

CAA-luv you girl-hope things are going good for you. I know you've had some rough times but you are strong and you can beat it.

Sorry if I missed someone-if I did, I will write you on my next post. Love you all.

I'm doin better. Had the RTHR (right total hip replacement) end of July and was having alot of pain, more than I should have. I developed drop foot which is where your foot/ankle goes numb and I had this burning sensation on my foot-you can't bring your foot up to normal position, instead it just hangs there. Wierd, but it's getting bette with help from my physical therapist.

Then a few weeks later, developed serious infection at the incision site and had to go back to hospital for 2 weeks so they could give me massive doses of anti-biotics. The good part is that they were giving me demoral for pain-ahhh demoral-wish I could take that home with me, lol. I was in la la land.

Anyway, foot getting better and infection gone. 90% of my pain is gone. So glad I had the surgery bcz I can live with the little pain I have in my hip (which doc says it takes a whole year to completely heal).

Going in sometime after Feb 2008 to get left hip done. That's started to give e a fit lately. Always something. Mri shows I have AVN with collapse of the femur bone (which means I'm at end stage) so only recourse is another THR. Also, having alot of pain in my right knee (unrelated to AVN-I hope although haven't had mri to find out bcz no insurance until Feb 2008 when my medicare kicks in-then I can find out what's going on witht the knee).

Funny, I'm on oxycodone (not oxycontin-wouldn't mess with that stuff unless absolutely have to) 5/325 mg 4x day and vicodin for breakthrough pain and it does help, but I'm so sick of taking pain meds-will be glad when this is all over and can live and somewhat normal life. Anyway reason I said funny is bcz my pcp is conservative about giving out narcotics-I had a time getting him to prescribe something stronger than darvocet-but when he found out I had AVN he knew the pain involved and gave me much better pain mgt.

AVN pain is similar to bone cancer pain in that AVN pain is in the bone-hard to treat with pain meds. If left untreated, your femur bone (bone that runs from front of hip to top of knee) will collapse and the pain is so bad, even crutches don't help. I winded up in wheelchair for 2 mths b4 surgery-couldn't walk or put any pressure on my legs.

I've had back pain-in fact back fusion in 2004 and neck pain-had nerves burned in my neck, si joint pain, nerve pain, degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis-you name it-but of all the pain, the AVN pain was by far he worse pain I've ever felt.

God, I'm ramblin sorry didn't mean to. Hope everyone here is doing good but then again, if you were doing good, you wouldn't have to come here for advise, lol. Sorry, not really funny.

Here's hoping 2008 will be a better year for all of us.

donnaC

Annie--How could I forget you annie, sorry. How are things going with you and the boys? and of course hubby-are things ok now with you and him? Hope you get some relief from your pain. Was it ultracet you're taking? Does it really help with the pain? Do you take anything to help you sleep?

Oz-luv you! sorry I forgot you in myoriginal post-sounds like you are like me, I keep track of what's going on by reading the posts, but don't post myself as much as use to. Too much happened and from what I read, is still happening from time to time. Hope you're feeling better.

donnaC

Sounds like you've really been thru it DonnaC.

I hope you don't have what I ended up with from the S1 joint surgery. I have numbness down my right calve and into both feet. It's called Arachnoiditis and it could get worse but there is no cure.

I like you Donna will be so happy when and if I can get back to a somewhat normal life.

Gentle hugs my friend. Tammy

Sorry took so long getting back. Now that my doc has changed my pain meds I can get around better. I'm so tired of being cooped up in this house but what to do when every step you take is pain; so I resolved I would stay in.

When I told my doc he said no no no and changed meds and they really do take care of the left hip and right knee pain but he told me I have to stay on the crutches so as to preserve as much integrity of the AVN diseased hip. Four more months, I can do after being on them for over a year b4 surgery, lol, grrrr... lol.

So sorry to hear about your si joint surgery going bad. I don't know alot about arachnoidosis but do know there is no cure, only relief from pain and PT. I remember a few years back when I was having so much pain from my si joints, I asked my neurosurgeon if there was a surgery to correct it and he told me there was but he wouldn't even consider it bcz of the risk factors and odds of making it worse. I trusted that doc's opinion-after all he did my back surgery and cured that pain, so I'm glad I didn't pursue it.

Take care,
donnaC

Hi Donna! No worries, mate! (Aussie slang )You really have been through the mill! Could your knee pain be from mva? I know I would have eventually had probs with my knee but think the force of the mva, with my foot on the brake, has sped up the deterioration. Maybe yours affected your knee &/or hip?

Yes, I've pulled back a lot! I hate the nastiness that rises from time to time. I'd rather just ignore those who annoy. Let's face it, we are all different and I believe IF someone is attention seeking it's better to ignore them - then they'll eventually go away.

Been a difficult week! Daughter arrived in Gautier, Mississippi. Living in an apartment miles from anywhere, partner works from 6am to 6pm, she doesn't drive & nearest taxi is 30 miles away in Biloxi. Been talking with her via skype. Then, made a friend, who attended my garage sale a few weeks ago, and he's been helping me do some of the work on the house - really good, but very tiring. Not used to doing more than one thing at a time for such a long time now. I'm very grateful that I do seem to be continually getting better but also frustrating not to be able to do what once came easily. Then went to an employment agency who gave my self-esteem a dive when they emphasised the difficulty of my getting employment after 5 years out of the workforce. THEN, the worst of all is that my Mum had a fall on Tuesday night, which would have been my late Dad's 90th birthday. She's had 2 bleeds in her brain and looks like she won't pull through. She has stabilised but is being sent to a hospice and is unlikely to come out again. I'm sad I can't get over to NZ to see her but at least I saw her earlier this year and got to spend some quality time with her. She's not really with us, seems to be in another time and place.

Sorry if I've hijacked your post, Donna. Just in a rush as not enough hours in the day right now - trying to get this place bush fire safe as we go towards summer & do 101 other things at the same time!

I do so hope the drs get the best solution for your leg, Donna! Love & Light!

Donna, sorry that you have gone through so much these last few months. Amen to 2008 being better for all of us. I will continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers and hope to hear that you are continuing to feel better! Take care,

Mike

Donna,
So great to hear from you!!! Sorry though to hear that you are still having a lot of pain and problems from you hip replacement. I will pray that better days are ahead for you. After you next hip replacement you will be the bionic woman!! Hope that your family is well and getting the old wish list out for the holidays. I know my Grandchildren are all ready asking for their favorite foods and things for Thanksgiving dinner. They like to make sure that it is not just grown-up food!!! LOL I think they would like to have just sweetrolls,pie,cookies, and ice cream if they could. But I do not think that will happen. I will be thankful just to have them all at home that day. Everything can change in a blink of the eye. Lives can be changed for ever. So I thank God that I still have my children.
Even though they at times drive me up a wall.

Hope that you will be able to post again soon. Till then be careful with your body till it heals.
^i^

Oh Donna. I'm glad to hear that at least your pain level is reduced some. It must be a huge relief to have at least the one hip done and now starting to feel better.

Hoping that each day gets better for you.

Yes, I have to say I'm glad I had the surgery and sorry didn't have it sooner. God, I think of all that pain I went thru and there was a surgery that would take the pain away.

There's another message board I go to for AVN support and it truly amazes me that even tho alot of these people who go on there know there's several options of surgery, depending on the stage they are in, they still choose to suffer this pain instead of having surgery. Oh well, different strokes for different folks. Hopefully, they will come around. There's this one lady who had her left hip replaced 10 years ago (she's 86) and she still comes to the board trying to help with answers and encouragement to have the procedure done. She's having her right hip replacement next Friday. Amazing huh? God, I just hope I make it to see 86 let alone have the spunk she has.

Well, think I'm done responding for now-I bought this Joan Baez cd yesterday and catching up on some of my favorite songs from that era. It's so incredible so far-my favorite song she ever sang was Sir Walter Gallahad. Makes me cry everytime-it's about her sister-in-law who lost her husband 3 yrs prior due to drug overdose. She was still grieving when she met this guy who had long hair down to his waist but was a kind, gentle sole who used to sneak into her bedroom window every night and they would talk and he got her over the grief of her husband. But then 8 mths later he moved to California and she stayed behind.

Bob Dylan sings some songs with her like Railroad Boy which they sang together at Woodstock. I love her and his songs bcz they aren't like the songs now-they actually tell a story and the stories are usually sad but true to the era of the 60's.

take care, luv ya,
donna

You are right in your post to stop feeding the beast. Why can't everyone on here just keep their opinions to themselves? I would think it would be easier to ignore the posts they find offensive than to get themselves all flustered writing nasty notes. That's why I haven't returned full time. UNTIL THIS NONSENSE STOPS, I WILL ONLY COME TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH MY FRIENDS.

I truly miss this board AS IT WAS before all this bickering and suspicions started. My health is not good and I can't deal with the emotional rollercoaster some on here have created! And if the suspicions don't stop, we will stop getting NEWBIES which we want to see on here. Without new people coming on, we face closure of this site.

So, for the umpteenth time, please keep your thoughts to yourself. This site is for posting good, clean message of help to others, not spewing anamosities and vile.

I'm sorry CAC for talking about this on your post but I just don't understand it. We "oldies" don't need this crap going on. Let's get this board back to the way it was b4 and the ones who can't do that, are welcome to leave.

CAC I know what you mean about Thanksgiving. It's so special getting all your kids and grandkids together under one roof, albiet chaotic, I loved it and looked forward to it every year. I would make all these lists of things to do, like I was cooking for the president, lol. I forgot, how many grandkids now? I have 3 now-ages 4, 2 and 21 mths and one on the way and will be delievered Dec. 28 (has to have c-section each delivery). I'm still getting used to this "pick the date you want to have this baby and we'll deliver (of course has to be within a week b4 due date bcz they don't want her going into labor). All girls and this one's girl too.

This year, I've asked my sister to cook dinner bcz I just don't think I can do it and that makes me sad, but we'll still all get together, just at my sister's.

Take care and wb soon.

luv ya,
donna

So good to hear from you. How are things with you? Are you continuing to heal well? I hope so.

Are you planning on going back to work? You will feel so much better once you get back in the swing of things and being around people, your friends at work.

Take care and thanks for the prayers, Mike.

I don't think the mva had anything to do with the mva's (one in 11/00 other 3/01) bcz on each one, didn't see them coming so didn't have a chance to apply the brakes. My OS (ortho surgeon) says it could be the AVN attacking my knees (it usually hits in this order: hips first, then knees, then shoulders which happens less often, then the ankles and jaw, which is more rare but does happen in 20% of victims).

He says that bcz I had an xray of my knees and it showed mild OA but no AVN. Of course, the xray and CT scan both missed the AVN so for over a year, while I'm limping around in endless pain, we thought it was the OA. It wasn't til a year later when I had mri that it showed end stage AVN which means I didn't qualify for the less invasive procedures bcz my femur bone had collapsed and there were numerous microfractures from trying to walk on my leg.

Don't worry, I sent the xray tech and ct tech letters telling them what I went thru and the disastrous results that occurred. What I have learned is that AVN is so rare (only about 20,000 people a year get it in the U.S. and Canada) that they just don't look for it. If they had looked for it, my OS said they would have seen it progressing.

Well, that's water under the bridge, can't go back and change it, but hoping that those 2 technicians will be more concerned that patients that come into them with "severe pain" and they only found "mild arthritis," to look further to see if it's AVN. BTW never got a reply to those letters probably for legal reasons even tho I advised each tech I had no intention of suing them which I could have.

So, missy you have a MAN about the house now? A friend huh? OK...but if it develops into something more you'd better tell us, lol.

I'm worried about your daughter being out in bum f--- egypt. What was she thinking? No cab for 30 miles? No neighbors? Is she happy about this or did she go bcz of her partner? You must be worried sick if I'm worried. Try and keep in touch with her as often as possible to be sure she's ok.

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom, Oz. What a tragedy falling like that. I feel so sad that you can't go and be with her. Do you have brothers or sisters near her that can visit with her? Or a friend? I would hate to think she's there alone. I'm sorry if I upset your day by talking about her.

Luv and peace be with her,
donnaC