1. < Bones, Joints & Muscles

Girdlestone Procedure

Posted by conroy @conroy, Jan 22 12:21pm

Has anyone else had the Girdlestone procedure performed? I had teeth removed since Sepsis supposedly originated in my mouth. I then had my right hip removed. Consequently my right leg is 2.5" shorter. I use a wheelchair and walker. I am interested in other peoples experiences.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Bones, Joints & Muscles Support Group.

conroy | @conroy | May 17 5:35pm

Hi Lauri, Cindy, & Janeen, I have been home for almost a year after spending 6 months in the hospital and rehab. I can walk with my standard walker very well now and have recently started to learn to walk with a cane. My foot is still facing in the wrong direction but I, too, am hoping it improves over time. I have an excellent physical therapist who comes to my home 2 times a week and I do various exercises in between. I had a shoe with a 2 1/2 " lift but recently had my leg remeasured and found out that I only need a 1 1/2" lift now. That is brand new and will take a while to adapt to the new shoe height. I am 80 years old and am very grateful that I am doing as well as I am! I'm an interior designer and am working from home now but go to client's homes when necessary. That keeps me busy so I don't dwell on my health problems constantly! Hang in there ladies!! Best wishes, Joan Conroy

REPLY
1 reply
sbrown293 | @sbrown293 | May 17 10:55pm

Welcome to Mayo Climic Connect. Thank you for sharing your experience. I

REPLY
janeen17 | @janeen17 | May 18 10:16am
In reply to @laurib "Cindy I love your story!! What an inspiration!! I just had my 67th birthday. My husband..." + (show)
@laurib

Cindy I love your story!! What an inspiration!! I just had my 67th birthday. My husband and myself are fortunate enough to belong to a gym where we like to use the warm water therapy pool. Haven't been been back yet since it's only been 2 months since my surgery but I need to go soon? Does your foot turn sharply to the side of your procedure or did that get better?? I will be praying for you as you are praying for others. Lauri

Jump to this post

Hi friends, my foot turns sharply outward because the infection damaged the muscles that would keep it turned upward. Wouldn't make a difference if I exercised them. I find it hurts other parts of my leg for it to just turn fully outward like that so I use a wedge and some pillows to prop it up.

I just learned that I know have an infection in my other hip and my surgeon and infectious disease Drs are recommending that I have a Girdlestone on the only remaining hip. That means I will have NO HIPS. I'm terrified. This infection business is no joke. I feel like these damn little organisms are really trying to kill me! Have you heard of anyone who has no hips? I'd really like to talk to them right now. Thanks for listening. 😟

REPLY
3 replies
laurib | @laurib | May 18 1:40pm
In reply to @janeen17 "Hi friends, my foot turns sharply outward because the infection damaged the muscles that would keep..." + (show)
@janeen17

Hi friends, my foot turns sharply outward because the infection damaged the muscles that would keep it turned upward. Wouldn't make a difference if I exercised them. I find it hurts other parts of my leg for it to just turn fully outward like that so I use a wedge and some pillows to prop it up.

I just learned that I know have an infection in my other hip and my surgeon and infectious disease Drs are recommending that I have a Girdlestone on the only remaining hip. That means I will have NO HIPS. I'm terrified. This infection business is no joke. I feel like these damn little organisms are really trying to kill me! Have you heard of anyone who has no hips? I'd really like to talk to them right now. Thanks for listening. 😟

Jump to this post

I'm sorry I haven't heard of that but there must be others. I will definitely be praying for you!! This isn't easy that's for sure. My foot turns sharply to the right as well. That's because I need to build up muscle. My surgeon mentioned maybe getting a brace for my knee to help that. We will see. It's a day to day that's for sure. Don't give up!!!

REPLY
laurib | @laurib | May 18 1:48pm
In reply to @conroy "Hi Lauri, Cindy, & Janeen, I have been home for almost a year after spending 6..." + (show)
@conroy

Hi Lauri, Cindy, & Janeen, I have been home for almost a year after spending 6 months in the hospital and rehab. I can walk with my standard walker very well now and have recently started to learn to walk with a cane. My foot is still facing in the wrong direction but I, too, am hoping it improves over time. I have an excellent physical therapist who comes to my home 2 times a week and I do various exercises in between. I had a shoe with a 2 1/2 " lift but recently had my leg remeasured and found out that I only need a 1 1/2" lift now. That is brand new and will take a while to adapt to the new shoe height. I am 80 years old and am very grateful that I am doing as well as I am! I'm an interior designer and am working from home now but go to client's homes when necessary. That keeps me busy so I don't dwell on my health problems constantly! Hang in there ladies!! Best wishes, Joan Conroy

Jump to this post

Thank you for sharing! That's a long time to be away from home! So glad you're doing so much better! I'm so happy to have found this site and have others to learn from and share with. Have a great weekend! Chin up...God bless!!

REPLY
Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | May 18 1:49pm
In reply to @janeen17 "Hi friends, my foot turns sharply outward because the infection damaged the muscles that would keep..." + (show)
@janeen17

Hi friends, my foot turns sharply outward because the infection damaged the muscles that would keep it turned upward. Wouldn't make a difference if I exercised them. I find it hurts other parts of my leg for it to just turn fully outward like that so I use a wedge and some pillows to prop it up.

I just learned that I know have an infection in my other hip and my surgeon and infectious disease Drs are recommending that I have a Girdlestone on the only remaining hip. That means I will have NO HIPS. I'm terrified. This infection business is no joke. I feel like these damn little organisms are really trying to kill me! Have you heard of anyone who has no hips? I'd really like to talk to them right now. Thanks for listening. 😟

Jump to this post

@janeen17 You may be interested in these discussions with members without a hip joint.

Bones Muscles & Joints - "Walking without a hip joint"
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/walking-without-a-hip-joint/

Bones Muscles & Joints- "Can walking be accomplished without a hip or hip replacement?"
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/can-walking-be-accomplished-without-a-hip-or-hip-replacement/

REPLY
Cindy | @cmarsh | May 21 2:03pm
In reply to @laurib "Cindy I love your story!! What an inspiration!! I just had my 67th birthday. My husband..." + (show)
@laurib

Cindy I love your story!! What an inspiration!! I just had my 67th birthday. My husband and myself are fortunate enough to belong to a gym where we like to use the warm water therapy pool. Haven't been been back yet since it's only been 2 months since my surgery but I need to go soon? Does your foot turn sharply to the side of your procedure or did that get better?? I will be praying for you as you are praying for others. Lauri

Jump to this post

Hello Lauri....I'm sorry to hear that you have joined the "Girdlestone" club. It's definitely life altering, but over time, you learn to accept it and live with it. My feet both turn out a little, but more so on the left (affected side). I've always had more of a duck foot walk my entire life I think. I was put in a special boot after surgery to keep my foot/leg from rolling out while in bed. I probably used that for about 8 weeks at night. I think without it, my foot may have turned out more. It's been 2 years since surgery and I feel it is not as bad as in the beginning. I also lost my Vastus Lateralis, Iliotibial Band and part of my gluteal muscle on that side due to necrosis so that leg has a mind of it's own sometimes!!! That's great that you and your husband belong to a gym where you can get some water therapy. Keep me posted how you're doing and if you want to be Facebook friends and private message me that way, I'm fine with that. I only check emails once or twice a week. Take care and I'll be praying for you too!!! Cindy

REPLY
1 reply
Cindy | @cmarsh | May 21 2:16pm
In reply to @janeen17 "Hi friends, my foot turns sharply outward because the infection damaged the muscles that would keep..." + (show)
@janeen17

Hi friends, my foot turns sharply outward because the infection damaged the muscles that would keep it turned upward. Wouldn't make a difference if I exercised them. I find it hurts other parts of my leg for it to just turn fully outward like that so I use a wedge and some pillows to prop it up.

I just learned that I know have an infection in my other hip and my surgeon and infectious disease Drs are recommending that I have a Girdlestone on the only remaining hip. That means I will have NO HIPS. I'm terrified. This infection business is no joke. I feel like these damn little organisms are really trying to kill me! Have you heard of anyone who has no hips? I'd really like to talk to them right now. Thanks for listening. 😟

Jump to this post

Janeen....I am so sorry to see that you have another infection in your other hip! Unfortunately, I don't know of anyone that is a double Girdlestone or whatever you would call it. I will pray for you and please keep us posted. .......Cindy

REPLY
laurib | @laurib | May 23 12:54pm
In reply to @cmarsh "Hello Lauri....I'm sorry to hear that you have joined the "Girdlestone" club. It's definitely life altering,..." + (show)
@cmarsh

Hello Lauri....I'm sorry to hear that you have joined the "Girdlestone" club. It's definitely life altering, but over time, you learn to accept it and live with it. My feet both turn out a little, but more so on the left (affected side). I've always had more of a duck foot walk my entire life I think. I was put in a special boot after surgery to keep my foot/leg from rolling out while in bed. I probably used that for about 8 weeks at night. I think without it, my foot may have turned out more. It's been 2 years since surgery and I feel it is not as bad as in the beginning. I also lost my Vastus Lateralis, Iliotibial Band and part of my gluteal muscle on that side due to necrosis so that leg has a mind of it's own sometimes!!! That's great that you and your husband belong to a gym where you can get some water therapy. Keep me posted how you're doing and if you want to be Facebook friends and private message me that way, I'm fine with that. I only check emails once or twice a week. Take care and I'll be praying for you too!!! Cindy

Jump to this post

Thank you!! I wonder why I wasn't put into a boot a first. I would love to be fb friends with you! I too only check my emails a couple of times a week. Please give my your information or I can just give you mine. Lauri Praetz L'HUILLIER. I use my Maiden name with my married name because my sister in law spells her name the same. Have a blessed day!!

REPLY
1 reply
Cindy | @cmarsh | May 24 12:22pm
In reply to @laurib "Thank you!! I wonder why I wasn't put into a boot a first. I would love..." + (show)
@laurib

Thank you!! I wonder why I wasn't put into a boot a first. I would love to be fb friends with you! I too only check my emails a couple of times a week. Please give my your information or I can just give you mine. Lauri Praetz L'HUILLIER. I use my Maiden name with my married name because my sister in law spells her name the same. Have a blessed day!!

Jump to this post

Hi Lauri....I think I found you on FB and I'll send you a friend request! My name is Cindy Showerman Marsh and I'm in Michigan. We can then private message back and forth as we learn more about our disability or whatever you want to call it and offer encouragement. Have a great weekend! Cindy

REPLY
1 reply
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.