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What kind of mobility can I expect with an antibiotic spacer in my hip
Joint Replacements | Last Active: Aug 26 2:26pm | Replies (282)Comment receiving replies
My surgery was September, so I’ve had my spacers fo 7, going on 8 months. I did start PT last week,so I have some things to work on. I feel very discouraged finding out the horrible outcomes some people have. I don’t know if I should live with the spacers, or do another hip. I will add I went through the pic line antibiotics and oral antibiotics. And several hip aspirations, always fun. I appreciate your concern, and reach out to me. I really need to work on improving my attitude, I know this is very important. I guess I wish I knew how I got this infection.
You take care, and thanks again for reaching out. My name is Cathy😃
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Cathy, Your "attitude" is a natural reaction to the bad situation you are in. It's very hard to keep reading and hearing horror stories and still stay positive and strong. I encourage you to remember that people love to talk about extreme cases, not about the many people who live with challenges and just keep on going.
The people on Connect are all here to share our experiences and suggestions for dealing with what we face.
Let me start with "...how I got this infection..." I am assuming you were the unlucky recipient of MRSA, and you probably never will know the source. I live in a small, mobile community (RV Park in South Texas) and each of my friends here has at least as many health challenges as mine. In particular, I have a chronic lung infection called MAC and an underlying condition called Bronchiectasis. I never heard of either until my diagnosis 4 years ago, and was stuck for a long time on how & why. One of my friends always says "it doesn't matter how you got something, just how you handle it." That was what I needed to jump the last hurdle, and concentrate on how to best live with my challenges. In 2020, that led me to get into a pain management program, get busy exercising to keep my lungs clear, accept my limits and then do everything I can on any given day.
In my first post I mentioned my cousin. She has lived without a hip for nearly 20 years now, and is not a candidate for a new hip because of other health issues. She is also profoundly hard of hearing, and nearly blind. But...she got out of an abusive marriage and lives with her daughter's family, is exploring a cochlear implant, having cataract surgery, losing weight to improve her diabetes, cooking and baking with her granddaughter, and is looking forward to the reopening of the local senior center. She visits with extended family via FB and in person. She wishes she never got MRSA, but has mostly stayed positive even through the isolation of Covid. She is one of my inspirations.
So, now that you are starting PT, maybe your best option is to get as strong and mobile as you can, just in case you might not get a new hip. Figure out what you can do, and what you need to find help to accomplish.
What is the one thing you most want to be able to do?
Sue