I guess strutting around in crutches to parties, weddings, the beach, the supermarket, the bank, in the lift of my unit block.... pretty much every where I go, ALWAYS attracts the question "So what have you done to yourself?" I find it quite comforting to see jaws drop when i reply "I had my hip replaced", and they say "oh wow for someone so young?" Then I smile "Well actually I had it replaced 10 years ago and just had some revision surgery done a few weeks ago"... The fact they are gobsmacked and would never have picked something as crazy as a hip replacement instead of a broken leg does more good to my self esteem than they know.
I'm happy to tell my story, its my way of self therapy with dealing what I have gone through and even though I am telling others that everything is OK, I really am telling myself too.
The thing is people listen and then instantly feel sympathetic, or sorry for me, of which I completely understand! Why wouldn't they, I am most probably worse off than they are. This is where adding the final comment "At least I have my legs" seems to floor people, and i see them thinking, shit I really am lucky! This chick was 19 when she lost her natural hip, and she still has the ability to recognise that there are others out there that worse off than her and she just walked away smiling or turned the conversation onto something else, like asking me how my kids are or what I did on the weekend! This is what gets me through, that people really care to listen and understand, and that I hopefully help people appreciate that what they have in their own lives is always better than someone elses.
So right now, I am still hopping around on 2 crutches, which is 4 weeks post op from having a bone cyst curetted out of my pelvis (above my socket cup) and my bone stock grafted into the hole remaining. Its like I have cement that is setting but it still isn't dry, another 2 weeks and Ill be good to go :)
Unfortunately though, 2 weeks ago I noticed my incision became really inflamed and I am now on my 3rd course of antibiotics to treat an infection :( of which I hope is not in my bone, but as always Ill get through it, just means i have been given a great excuse to be forced back onto my backside! DVD's and day time TV here I come!
It helps to have the most amazing friends and family supporting me through all of this, so for those of you reading this, thank you! You know who you are xxx
Wear your scar like a cute new dress, it will leave a lasting impression, more positive than you think :)
Love Bel....
P.S. photos below with my artificial pair of legs for now - they make great accessories :)
At a wedding at the Siebel Pier One in The Rocks, Sydney Harbour!
After midnight at a Hawaiian themed New Years Eve party. The crutches were used more than just for my leg, helping me with my intoxication worked wonders :)
I hope one day that I have your attitude. I'm new to PVNS and when diagnosed with a disease there is a grieving processes. I'm at the anger step being 3 weeks post op open synovectomy. You have encouraging words so please keep writing.
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