Re: from Imelda Sutherland New Zealand

[Guest guest]

Imelda,

Wow. What challenges you have faced. I got two hips at 45 and my RA is

everywhere. I

will need neck fusion also and some knees too. Probably elbows also. How do

you

manage each day? Can you walk without assistance?

>

> Yesterday my computer sent out an improper email - it a worm, went right

> through my address book.

>

> Please believe me that I had nothing to do with this - I have received a

> number of reply all along the same line about having a sick, or twisted

> mind; I totally 100 % agree.

>

> I am sick - I have had severe sero-positive rheumatoid arthritis since

> 15 with multiple joint replacements (8x hips YES EIGHT, five on the

> right and three on the left, both knee's replaced and C1-C2 fusion with

> halo traction for 13 weeks ... and so on)

>

> I also have a rare leukaemia that comes with long term chronic severe

> sero+ RA called LGL - large granular lymphocytic leukaemia, thankfully

> at present it is only being treated as a W & W (wait and watch) and not a

> chemotherapy regime or worse.

>

> Please do not judge me by this photo - I am even more upset than you

> have been about it.

>

> Regards: Imelda

>

[Guest guest]

Bless you both:

Imelda, I didn't know you could replace hips that many times! I have a

friend who just did the C2, C3, C4 fusion, but I have not seen her yet. She

says

she is doing OK. Question for both of you: Did your doctors keep tabs on

your neck joints and your odontoid? No-one ever mentioned it to me or my

friend. But, when my friend's eyes developed blurriness, they did an MRI and

accidentally discovered the odontoid had disintegrated and that her neck

movement

was too extensive. I am sick of going to doctors, but the neck issue

worries me as I have had a lot of neck pain. Did they discover neck issues

with

an X-ray, an MRI, CT scan, or what?

I have had total joint replacement in both hands and both feet, both hips

replaced, and only one knee replaced. Because of steroid use, my colon

ruptured, and I wore a colostomy until they could do a reversal surgery. I

just did

surgery on an individual finger for boutonniere deformity, and a year ago I

did surgery for a swan neck deformity on another finger. I have had several

surgeries beyond these, but repeat surgeries are my greatest fear. I don't

know how you faced them. I am becoming more and more crabby with each

surgery, and my spirit is waning. I live alone, and the world is starting to

look

more and more cruel to me. My hand doctor says I need to repeat the total

joint replacements in my hands, but I just can't go there yet. I have been

investigating factory farming, and what we do to animals and to ourselves in the

process is disgusting. It helps to know others have faced multiple

surgeries. I feel the pain of suffering in all living things.

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[Guest guest]

Dear ,

I am a " furniture " and " wall walker " :-)

I recently had an occupational therapist come and visit me in my home

and it was her that used those words but they describe me perfectly. I

waddle around the house and balance myself by touching the furniture or

walls as I pass. The moment I leave the house I use elbow crutches.

I was 17 when I had my first hip surgery - they did a realignment just

putting the ball and cup in. This was very successful as it was

experimental back in 1981. In 1988 they had to do both hips and I had

an expensive PCR joint prosthesis used instead of the Charnley ? (not

sure of its spelling) where the top was honeycombed so the bone could

grow into the holes, and a long stem went down into the femur.

Actually, I notice your comment about elbows - I broke my elbows as a

child (twice) and my elbows are one joint so far that are only mildly

affected. I have often wondered if there is any connection.

Regards: Imelda

savannahhipchick wrote:

>

> Imelda,

>

> Wow. What challenges you have faced. I got two hips at 45 and my RA is

> everywhere. I

> will need neck fusion also and some knees too. Probably elbows also.

> How do you

> manage each day? Can you walk without assistance?

>

>

>

> >

> > Yesterday my computer sent out an improper email - it a worm, went

> right

> > through my address book.

> >

> > Please believe me that I had nothing to do with this - I have

> received a

> > number of reply all along the same line about having a sick, or twisted

> > mind; I totally 100 % agree.

> >

> > I am sick - I have had severe sero-positive rheumatoid arthritis since

> > 15 with multiple joint replacements (8x hips YES EIGHT, five on the

> > right and three on the left, both knee's replaced and C1-C2 fusion with

> > halo traction for 13 weeks ... and so on)

> >

> > I also have a rare leukaemia that comes with long term chronic severe

> > sero+ RA called LGL - large granular lymphocytic leukaemia, thankfully

> > at present it is only being treated as a W & W (wait and watch) and not a

> > chemotherapy regime or worse.

> >

> > Please do not judge me by this photo - I am even more upset than you

> > have been about it.

> >

> > Regards: Imelda

> >

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Imelda,

My implants also have a pourous coating on top for bone ingrowth and I have a

small sten

in the femoral neck only. That way if/when it fails, I have bone left for the

longer stem.

I'm happy that yo can get around outside, even if it is with crutches. My

elbows have

flexion contractures, although not too bad yet. Amazingly I have been showing

this to

doctors for five years and all they can say is inflammation. They never picked

up on RA. I

hope your elbows will be okay. Another lady I know only has RA in her hands.

It seems to

be so different with different people.

Have a beautiful evening,

> > >

> > > Yesterday my computer sent out an improper email - it a worm, went

> > right

> > > through my address book.

> > >

> > > Please believe me that I had nothing to do with this - I have

> > received a

> > > number of reply all along the same line about having a sick, or twisted

> > > mind; I totally 100 % agree.

> > >

> > > I am sick - I have had severe sero-positive rheumatoid arthritis since

> > > 15 with multiple joint replacements (8x hips YES EIGHT, five on the

> > > right and three on the left, both knee's replaced and C1-C2 fusion with

> > > halo traction for 13 weeks ... and so on)

> > >

> > > I also have a rare leukaemia that comes with long term chronic severe

> > > sero+ RA called LGL - large granular lymphocytic leukaemia, thankfully

> > > at present it is only being treated as a W & W (wait and watch) and not a

> > > chemotherapy regime or worse.

> > >

> > > Please do not judge me by this photo - I am even more upset than you

> > > have been about it.

> > >

> > > Regards: Imelda

> > >

> >

> >

>

>

>