The opportunity to undergo hip replacement surgery is a fairly significant one. And judging by the stories of others who have had this procedure, I can look forward to a fulfilling active life.
In hearing and reading these stories, I am reminded that each osteoarthritis sufferer has differing circumstances and degrees to which this form of arthritis has changed or impacted their lives. These differences, which may be limitations to some, are often the basis for decisions, as to how one can choose or not choose a particular form of corrective action.
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I look at the implant as the only choice, as it will allow me to regain, hopefully, my full life by eliminating the pain and constant discomfort.
An implant has two pieces. Imagine a sleeker more slender version of a rail spike and on top of it at 45 degrees is a shiny metal ball sitting on top of a short metal bar. Separate from this is a kind of cap lined concavely with a shiny metal material and covered on the outside by an almost porous looking matted metal compound. That's my implant.
The design of metal hip implants replaces the ball of the femur and its socket-like home of the pelvis. The other implant choices are: a metal prosthesis and plastic socket; or a ceramic hip consisting of a metal ball into a ceramic socket. If you'd like to know more you can take a look at any of the following links:
- a short visual slide show (not graphic) of the replacement
- a patient's experience and some images
- here are some of the implant options
My Confidence Is Whole
Did you know that certain sound frequencies or certain light will impact the ways in which birds living in that environment function? They will experience an imbalance to their natural way of living. This imbalance may create other issues such as interference with their feeding patterns or migration patterns. This in turn will create further detrimental impacts upon them.
My osteoarthritis functions just as sound or bright lights do to birds. The physical impacts the emotional, and can impact my social behaviour as well. I am looking for minimal impact upon my life, if at all possible. The metal on metal will be physical, but over time that will improve. If that improves my emotional well being will as well. I am confident that this implant will be robust and strong enough to allow me to continue what I like to do, and to explore other activities with confidence.
Metal-Plastic Hips Wear Away
(But very very slowly. And so do metal-metal implants, but at a much slower rate.)
It was suggested I get the metal-plastic hip. But in doing so, I would have to reduce my participation in impact sports - running, basketball, lacrosse, and tennis. The reason for the reduction is that the metal-plastic implant is not the strongest of the options and has a higher rate of wear and tear than the other choices. Sure, there are a ton of other activities and sports I can do, but it would not feel the same. I have spent all of my life playing these sports and I am not ready to call it a day.
Ceramic Hips Might Break
Probably won't happen, but it might. I play too hard and would worry about breaking it. In thinking about my hip I would not be fully in the moment, whether walking, cycling or whatever. There is some (probably very slight) possibility of squeaking as I walk, and this does not work for me. My experience of Ceramics is something that I admire from afar.
I Prefer Lifestyle Change to Lifestyle Alteration
Darwin's adage of the survival of the fittest is a metaphor meaning "better adapted for immediate, local environment" and is poignant for this situation. To me Darwin is talking about change, and how we understand it and how we should live it. Let me explain.
If I was to change my lifestyle as requested, the changes would not be occurring in a natural way, and as a result I would not become "better adapted", in the Darwin sense. I would instead, be altering my existence. For instance, I would be removing myself from social groups in the sports I play, and the opportunities of performing in competition in environments I am familiar with and trained for. Being told not to do something for the rest of your life is an alteration, it is not change. What I would fear in this instance, is to undo the alteration and go back to what I like to do. This would put me back under the knife in due course.
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If I truly have a choice, then altering my lifestyle would be a first big step to giving in to some of the challenges life asks us to participate in. I prefer to let natural change, not the alterations in how I participate in my life, slow me down.