Dear All

I am now at 13 weeks post op. I am due to see my Orthopaedic Consultant again on Tuesday. After a false start with my physio I am slowly getting further forward. I am still having trouble walking and my operated leg has now twisted. The physios are not sure if this is do with the muscle running opposite my scar or if my hip is now causing problems. I have had pain in the hip of my operated leg for the past few weeks and it is getting worse. My walking is so unstable that they have now put me back onto a walking stick. I am frustrated that I am not further ahead with my recovery. However, the biggest factor is that after 10 weeks of remission from my RA, it is back with a vengeance and every joint seems to be affected. Luckily my Rheumy Dept are on the ball. They have increased my Methotrexate and pulled my next appointment forward to the beginning of May instead of June. We have a new Consultant started in Shropshire so I will be meeting him for the first time. I have failed on two anti-tnfs so I will see what the next route is.

Yesterday we went to York for the day. There was no way I was going to be able to walk around so I was advised to hire a wheelchair. My admiration goes out to all of you who are now using wheelchairs. Although it was lovely being able to spend a day out without being in pain, it was certainly an experience being at a different level and not being in control of where I wanted to go. My Husband bless him pushed me around for the whole day but he was somewhat like a bull in a china shop and today I feel as if I have been run over by the bus that we went in. I also found it very strange when we got home as I was very dizzy and my brain felt bruised from bumping up and down pavements. I now realise that shops and town centres are not very wheelchair accessible. There were many shops in York that I would like to have gone into but would not have been able to get into. Many a time I sat outside whilst the family went in. We did go into York Minster twice and on the second occasion the choir were practising and it was magical and spine tingling.

I am due to start back to work tomorrow but it is going to have to be a very slow phased return.

Jackie
xx

Hi Lynne

Thanks for your reply. Yes I did make it back to work on Monday but I felt and looked awful. I think Saturday had caught up with me and also I had to increase the Methotexate on Saturday night so by Monday I was walking around in an absolute fog.

I went back to see the Orthopaedic Consultant on Tuesday about my knee. He is very happy with the way the operation went but very disappointed in my recovery. The old RA is playing a big factor in my slow recovery. It is causing my knee and leg to swell so much that it is almost impossible to do exercises three times a day. I can manage the morning ones but it becomes more difficult as the day goes on and the swelling increases. He is happy that I am going back to see the Rheumy team on the 5th May and has said that they really need to get my RA under control for me to make some improvement. He was not happy about me going back to work. We compromised. I am going into work two days a week for four hours and then work from home the rest of the time so that I can rest and also try and get my leg elevated as much as possible. He is not sure about my hip. He thinks it is muscle as opposed to joint but wants to monitor it. Luckily the company I work for are very good and my Consultant is going to write to them to explain my problems.

I hope you have a good Easter.

Jackie
xx

Sorry you are finding it so difficult, Jackie. It must be so frustrating making such slow progress. As Julie says, thank goodness your employers are supportive. Please keep us posted.
Love Jeanxx