Four years ago my life changed. I went from being an independent, active person to someone who is housebound, unable to walk and totally reliant on my husband as my carer. All because of a hip infection.
My NHS orthopaedic consultant admitted that as it would be an extremely complex operation, he didn't have the necessary skills to repair the damage caused by the infection (it ate everything in it's path - skin, muscle, bone, even my metal hip joint). Instead of referring me to another consultant who could do the op, in his opinion I was coping well without a hip and that was the end of it.
The idea of spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair, looking at the same four walls and been completely reliant on others really did hit me hard. I became depressed. 'Understandable', sympathised my GP, as she had known me long before this had happened. My mam and sister took a different view. They thought I should pull myself together and make the best of what I had.
One of our motto's is 'we will never be beaten' (the other, by the way, is 'dignity, always dignity'....) so we decided to try and find a private consultant who could perform the operation. After a lengthy search we eventually found Professor Cobb and I had hip surgery on 13th June.
Although I've had a slight set back with my hip I am confident that once my period of convalescence is over I should be in a position to learn how to walk again.
I've thought a lot these past four years about what would happen should I be able to walk again, and I've decided to use it as an opportunity for a new beginning - a new life.
I know it's all very slushy (totally out of character for both of us!!!!) but what better way of starting a new life than renewing your wedding vows. So that's what we're going to do when we're on our cruise next year. When I suggested the idea to Mr Gertie I said 'I'd like to get married again'. He replied, 'I hope it's to me....'.
There are a few more things I'd like to do with my 'new life' but the main one is setting up my own business designing and making one-off and limited edition bags and other handmade items. I know it's a huge undertaking as there are lots of others doing the same thing. However it's something that I really want to do so maybe starting a new life is the right time to do it.
Have a great week.
Gertie xx
PS why not pop over to Handmade Monday to see what other fellow craft bloggers have been up to.
Sunday 25 August 2013
Monday 19 August 2013
A dash for freedom
Many thanks for the crocheting advice following last weeks blog.
I've decided to ask the Birthday Bunny for one or two hooks for now
then progress (maybe with Santa's help.....) to a crocheting set
later.
We were back down in London on Tuesday for my hip op. The Professor explained that there were two options to fix the problem: the easy option which would only require a day or two in hospital or the hard option with a minimum stay of eight days. Yikes !!!!!
All of us, the Prof included, hoped it would be the easy option. However he wouldn't know until he opened me up which one it would be.
I was first on the Prof's evening theatre list (7pm....) so had plenty to keep me occupied until my op.
To everyone’s relief the Prof was able to perform the easy option which meant that my hip was now much more stable than before. So on Wednesday Sarah, one of the physios, got me up walking – actual walking !!!! Having not been able to put any weight on my leg for four years it was an amazing feeling.
Everything was going great for me to leave hospital on Thursday. Then three hours before we were due to catch our train my wound started to bleed quite heavily. Agnes, my nurse, called the Prof who came immediately. It was now 50/50 whether I would be able to go home that day.
The Prof asked what time our train was. 1.30pm, but as we required assistance getting on the train, we had to be at Kings Cross twenty five minutes before hand.
He had to dash into theatre so instructed Agnes to put a pressure dressing on my hip. He would then come back to see me around the time we would be due to leave to say either yes or no.
True to his word, still in full theatre scrubs, he came back at 12.45pm and checked the wound again. He would discharge me on one condition. I had to let my body heal slowly so had to promise to take it extremely easy at all times. His departing words were he did not want to see me on the ward again.....
So, if I thought the past six weeks were tough not doing anything, in the words of Al Jolson, 'you ain't seen nothing yet' !!!!
Have a great week.
Gertie xx
PS why not pop over to Handmade Monday to see what other fellow craft bloggers have been up to.
We were back down in London on Tuesday for my hip op. The Professor explained that there were two options to fix the problem: the easy option which would only require a day or two in hospital or the hard option with a minimum stay of eight days. Yikes !!!!!
 |
| Chester and Frank keeping me company while I wait for my op |
All of us, the Prof included, hoped it would be the easy option. However he wouldn't know until he opened me up which one it would be.
I was first on the Prof's evening theatre list (7pm....) so had plenty to keep me occupied until my op.
To everyone’s relief the Prof was able to perform the easy option which meant that my hip was now much more stable than before. So on Wednesday Sarah, one of the physios, got me up walking – actual walking !!!! Having not been able to put any weight on my leg for four years it was an amazing feeling.
Everything was going great for me to leave hospital on Thursday. Then three hours before we were due to catch our train my wound started to bleed quite heavily. Agnes, my nurse, called the Prof who came immediately. It was now 50/50 whether I would be able to go home that day.
The Prof asked what time our train was. 1.30pm, but as we required assistance getting on the train, we had to be at Kings Cross twenty five minutes before hand.
He had to dash into theatre so instructed Agnes to put a pressure dressing on my hip. He would then come back to see me around the time we would be due to leave to say either yes or no.
True to his word, still in full theatre scrubs, he came back at 12.45pm and checked the wound again. He would discharge me on one condition. I had to let my body heal slowly so had to promise to take it extremely easy at all times. His departing words were he did not want to see me on the ward again.....
So, if I thought the past six weeks were tough not doing anything, in the words of Al Jolson, 'you ain't seen nothing yet' !!!!
Have a great week.
Gertie xx
PS why not pop over to Handmade Monday to see what other fellow craft bloggers have been up to.
Sunday 11 August 2013
Crocheting
With my birthday coming up in a months time Mr Gertie asked what the Birthday Bunny could get me.
There isn't really much I'd like this year as I'm not in much of a birthday mood what with everything going on hip-wise (I'm a bit anxious about going back into hospital on Tuesday).
I would love some new clothes but shopping isn't very practical at the moment so Mr Gertie's kindly going to put some money aside for later.
What I have said I wouldn't mind is some crochet hooks as I'd like to learn how to crochet more than just granny squares.
Would it be best to buy the hooks individually or in a set? I've seen lots of sets but they vary tremendously in price.
What wool will I need to use? Ordinary knitting wool (double knit/4 ply etc) or is there special crocheting wool.
Is there anything else a beginner will need? Any help will be gratefully received !!!
Have a great week.
Gertie xx
PS why not pop over to Handmade Monday to see what other fellow craft bloggers have been up to.
There isn't really much I'd like this year as I'm not in much of a birthday mood what with everything going on hip-wise (I'm a bit anxious about going back into hospital on Tuesday).
I would love some new clothes but shopping isn't very practical at the moment so Mr Gertie's kindly going to put some money aside for later.
What I have said I wouldn't mind is some crochet hooks as I'd like to learn how to crochet more than just granny squares.
Would it be best to buy the hooks individually or in a set? I've seen lots of sets but they vary tremendously in price.
What wool will I need to use? Ordinary knitting wool (double knit/4 ply etc) or is there special crocheting wool.
Is there anything else a beginner will need? Any help will be gratefully received !!!
Have a great week.
Gertie xx
PS why not pop over to Handmade Monday to see what other fellow craft bloggers have been up to.
Sunday 4 August 2013
Two steps forward, one step back
I had planned on giving you a tour of my sewing room this week.
As it's been seven weeks since my hip op I was hoping once I'd seen the Prof on Friday he would give me the all clear for my room to be no longer be out of bounds.
Unfortunately there has been an unforeseen turn of events. I've dislocated my hip !!!!!
According to the Prof it's probably been like this for about three weeks. Normally when it pops out the patient instantly knows as the leg goes very limp and they are in excruciating pain.
In my case I had no pain at all and having had a limp leg for four years I didn't notice anything untoward.
Given that bending, twisting, stretching too far are the major causes of hip dislocation I felt so ashamed as I thought it was my fault. I had tried to be good, I really had!!!! The Prof, however, reassured me that I hadn't done anything wrong. According to the x-rays it had just slipped out by itself.
To pop it back into place it does mean though another short stay in hospital. Had he not 'promised to take the children on holiday' he would have done it yesterday so I'm back at the King Edward on 13th.
The Prof is hopeful I'll only be in a day or two, then it'll be back to the no stretching, etc all over again !!!!!
Have a great week.
Gertie xx
PS why not pop over to Handmade Monday to see what other fellow craft bloggers have been up to.
As it's been seven weeks since my hip op I was hoping once I'd seen the Prof on Friday he would give me the all clear for my room to be no longer be out of bounds.
Unfortunately there has been an unforeseen turn of events. I've dislocated my hip !!!!!
According to the Prof it's probably been like this for about three weeks. Normally when it pops out the patient instantly knows as the leg goes very limp and they are in excruciating pain.
In my case I had no pain at all and having had a limp leg for four years I didn't notice anything untoward.
Given that bending, twisting, stretching too far are the major causes of hip dislocation I felt so ashamed as I thought it was my fault. I had tried to be good, I really had!!!! The Prof, however, reassured me that I hadn't done anything wrong. According to the x-rays it had just slipped out by itself.
To pop it back into place it does mean though another short stay in hospital. Had he not 'promised to take the children on holiday' he would have done it yesterday so I'm back at the King Edward on 13th.
The Prof is hopeful I'll only be in a day or two, then it'll be back to the no stretching, etc all over again !!!!!
Have a great week.
Gertie xx
PS why not pop over to Handmade Monday to see what other fellow craft bloggers have been up to.
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