Author Topic: Among the missing (Read 10585 times)

Les · « **on:** April 17, 2016, 09:44:11 am »

Hi Folks, I know I have been among the missing lately. Been sitting in the corner poohing (as my kids call it).
I have been dealing with chronic hip pain and they have me on crutches. In two weeks they are doing an x-ray guided injection into my hip. I wait all winter for outdoors, gardening, bird watching, etc. and this happens now. I was given warning signs last fall but just thought I'd pulled a groin muscle and figured it would heal up during the winter. Nada, zip, nope! Come January the hip pain started and the rest has been three ortho doc's later and I have turned into mush. So bummed out and miserable. Even had to postpone our wedding. I still have two northern Nucs coming in May so that will bring a smile to my face. I miss my bees. Unfortunately, Ken will have to step up to the plate and become the "beekeeper" for now.
Les

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2016, 10:03:39 am »

Les, i took those shots in my knees, it helped for awhile but it got so bad that they didn't last very long before i needed another one. The last time i went to get one the doctor wouldn't give me one? He said you know what you need to do, i did and it changed my life, no more pain in the knees.Just saying.

Jack

Perry · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2016, 10:05:26 am »

Personal stuff must always come first Les. Your health comes before anything. We will always be here for you when needed.
I have a good friend Volker, who just had hip replacement surgery on Wednesday. I visited him in the hospital on Friday and he went home yesterday. It is amazing how quickly this stuff goes for some folks. Not saying that's what's in your future, but even that isn't so bad.

Les · « **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2016, 11:46:11 am »

The doctor's words to me were we want to get you out of pain but I am not ruling out surgery.
Interesting that they think the bone is dying due to use of cortisteroids from my years of Asthmatic/Bronchitis. If the disease doesn't get you, the cure will LOL. Ken is going to find out how much I do around here LOL! I just said to him we need to get fertilizer for the evergreens. This perplexed look came to his face. I said, to him you never knew I fertilized all the shrubs each year??? This will be interesting .........,.......

neillsayers · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2016, 12:02:25 pm »

Welcome back Les....get better!

Dunkel · « **Reply #5 on:** April 17, 2016, 12:49:31 pm »

Glad your back, I'm really sorry to hear your in pain. I'm sure they can patch you up for a while until everything is more convenient for you. You'll be back to doing the waggle dance before too long. You maybe be able to add in a new step or two.

I

Jen · « **Reply #6 on:** April 17, 2016, 02:47:07 pm »

Hey Les, Bummer! It's hard to get knocked down any time in life. But at least this won't kill you! Any woman who takes on bees has got to be one tough gal! You got this! Love ya bee sistah!

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #7 on:** April 17, 2016, 04:16:23 pm »

OH HOW I am also feeling sorry for Ken...
Once upon a time... my best friend would see me struggling, and volunteer to mow the yard, feed the chickens take care of the horses etc, etc... Help me pull fence and replace posts, and generally BE THERE if I needed a hand, despite the fact that she worked full time....
Full time... is a strange way to describe a job where you work nine to five.... Since my wife moved away for a time, I have been working 9 to midnight, 7 days a week.. NOT including dusting, laundry, general cleaning, weed eating and trimming, even just COOKING!!! I have lost 12 lbs and am still going down, because I am JUST too tired to eat... No, not eat, too tired to make the mess and clean it up! The load without her occasional help seems to more than triple.. so yes, he is about to get an education! Les, you should prepare to be worshiped!

Honestly, I hope you can get some relief for the pain. Being in constant pain is no way to live. Everyone associated with you suffers as well. I'll be thinking about you with my fingers crossed!
Scott

Les · « **Reply #8 on:** April 20, 2016, 11:16:56 am »

Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement. We hemmed and hawed the other night about getting the two Nucs in May. I said, "maybe we shouldn't do it now with everything going on". I was prepared to go to our bee club meeting and offer the Nucs to anyone but I got to the meeting and just couldn't give them up. I miss seeing them buzz around the yard and most of all just watching the behavior at the hive entrance. So, probably not one of my wiser decisions but we are going to persevere and continue. I can't wait....I might not be able to do all the maintenance but I can sure crutch my way out to the back of the yard and pull frames to see what's happening inside.

I have a bumper sticker on my car that reads, "Beekeeping, better than TV anytime" and after these many weeks being stuck on the couch I am convinced of that even more LOL!

Jen · « **Reply #9 on:** April 20, 2016, 11:48:12 am »

Atta Girl Les! This is my favorite bumper sticker, sitting right along with the bee poop on my truck

riverbee · « **Reply #10 on:** April 20, 2016, 07:43:22 pm »

les, very good to hear from you, and for myself understand where you are coming from.
like jack, been there done that. the steroid injections may give you relief for a little bit of time.......for me, they barely lasted one month. (steroid injections both hips) you may be different. in the end, if the orthos/surgeons are telling you the bone structure is dying......it will only continue to deteriorate, it cannot repair itself and you will continue to suffer. steroid injections are only good for so long and at some point, good orthos won't order the injections and/or the docs that do them won't administer them. (happened to me, but i understood why).

had my first total hip replacement last july, i waited 6 months, and had the 2nd one on feb 1, 2016. osteoarthritis (wear and tear), no cartilage left, bone spurs developing, (bone trying to heal itself) so essentially bone on bone. so much pain les..... when my surgeon told me about a year ago now i needed surgery, i was't wasting time, i said get er done. i haven't looked back, and like jack said, changed my life, and am getting my life back for all the things i love to do.

as far as the bees......yep been in your shoes..........my prince stepped up and we have managed to maintain our hives through pre and post surgeries, and many other things. it's just what our spouses do, thick and thin, bad and good, whatever all the sayings are...... and i am guessing you would do the same for ken if the 'shoes' were on the other foot. hmmm wait, hips?...........

you hang in there les, don't get discouraged. (and yes i was and sometimes get frustrated, but i am in no pain) if they say you need surgery go for it, don't put it off, it only makes the muscles work harder to protect the joint and recovery time longer........ya won't look back........

also, just know i am thinking of you and wishing you the best.........don't give up the bees!.........

Les · « **Reply #11 on:** May 05, 2016, 01:21:44 pm »

So yesterday I went for x-ray guided steroid injection into the hip. Very cool watching the procedure and I had a great radiologist that I could actually understand what he was saying. Anyway, the verdict is osteoarthritis but he said it is not that horrible yet. Surgery not recommended at this time. As Riverbee mentioned, the recommendation is to have these injections as needed and wait as long as I can for replacement. I did have great relief after the injection. Radiologist stated relief could last 5 months or more. He said that the reason I had so much pain depends on where the joint wear is taking place and putting pressure on the joint. He also told me I need to slow down.....it's an age thing. He jokingly said there are new inventions called chairs and couches and I should try them. I laughed and said to him that is NOT happening!!!!! Bees are coming on the 15th and I am itching to get back in there.
Jen, I think there will bee some apitherapy taking place on this hip 🐝🐝🐝🐝

apisbees · « **Reply #12 on:** May 05, 2016, 03:59:09 pm »

Nice to see you back les. Hopping the injection lasts a long time, you don't need the pain.

Lburou · « **Reply #13 on:** May 05, 2016, 04:06:52 pm »

hang in there Les, glad to see you back in the conversation.

Jen · « **Reply #14 on:** May 05, 2016, 10:28:40 pm »

Hi Les

So glad you're getting some relief! Pain is a monster! I have a friend that had injections for about 4 years in her lower back. They lasted about a year each injection. Wishing the best for you.

Les · « **Reply #15 on:** May 09, 2016, 09:49:09 pm »

As mentioned in my other post, the injection lasted for a couple days but the pain came back. 😖😖

apisbees · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2016, 05:36:03 am »

Dam Les sorry to hear this. Get the docs to take care of you proper and good. You do not want to be dependent on pain killers to make it through the day.

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #17 on:** May 10, 2016, 08:16:32 am »

Sorry to hear about your arthritis, Les. Take care of your back. Get someone to help you lift your bee equipment.

Mikey N.C. · « **Reply #18 on:** May 10, 2016, 04:42:35 pm »

Les, we have Angel's in all medical fields here in the U.S. and everywhere, didn't understand that until I was 49 yrs. old. So ,I'm wishing you a speedy recovery

riverbee · « **Reply #19 on:** May 12, 2016, 08:39:13 pm »

hey les what mikey said......
"Les, we have Angel's in all medical fields here in the U.S. and everywhere, didn't understand that until I was 49 yrs. old. So ,I'm wishing you a speedy recovery"

"the injection lasted for a couple days but the pain came back."

osteoarthritis........it's not going away les, and it's not always about age, it's just wearing them out........cortisone injections only get us 3 months maybe. the injections i received gave immediate relief but didn't last more than 3 weeks for me and the doc would not give me anymore......the docs say because it didn't last/work the first time around, they really are hesitant to give them again, mine flat out refused, i get it, or did get it at the time (both hips). no cartilage left, bone on bone, with spurs developing.
constant pain.

i cowboy-ed up and said DONE! no slowing down for me, no couches and sitting around. consider getting surgery done, one at a time, 6 months apart,
you won't regret it!
that's what i did, now going on 8 months for the first one, almost 4 for the second one.........no pain!

just want to say, the longer one puts off the surgery, the longer the recovery will be..........meaning getting your muscles to the hips, thighs, pelvis, etc... (all affected) back in shape..........

wish you well les!