Spent the Night in the ER

[Jeff Higgins]

With a dislocated right hip. This is my new, aftermarket hip (the left is still OEM), installed five years ago. I've felt a little "pop" in it about four or five times in the last several months, but it always stayed in place. Last night is just let go.

I was in the driveway washing my bicycle, of all things. I simply squatted a bit and twisted to my right to pick up the spritzer bottle I had set down beside me. No real load on it other than me, just an odd angle.

Boy did that freaking hurt. When it happened, my phone squirted out of the pocket of my gym shorts and skittered under the front of the car. I couldn't reach it and I couldn't move. I couldn't even crawl. And I was laying in the sun, on a driveway paved with bright white-ish pavers, just baking. I decided I should head for the open garage door and both get out of the sun and try to get something to drink. I was pretty dehydrated by then, having stayed there now for about two hours, unable to move. Funny, several neighbors drove by and must have seen me, but, well, Higgins is often seen laying in the driveway next to a car...

So I finally managed to slither like a snake into the garage and drag myself up using the crash bars on the Road King. I couldn't put any weight on my right foot, and my leg was dangling at a weird angle. The refrigerator, where I keep big bottles on seltzer water, was clear across the garage. No way in hell... Then I remembered I had been at the track this weekend and had not yet cleaned out the 911, which was close enough to reach and had several unopened bottles of that seltzer water. What a Godsend.

So here I am, in the garage around the corner in the shade, with water. Two hours after I fell. And the cell phone was out in the driveway. My wife was not due home for another two and a half hours (she was babysitting our grand daughters). Did I mention that this freaking hurt?

Finally, when she got home, we got a medic and I was whisked off to the ER. Long story short, I was there for five hours, getting x-rays, doctor in and out, etc. He finally sedated me (I was on some mondo pain meds right away anyway). I was out so I missed the show, but my wife tells me that he got up on the gurney and, with a resident putting all of his weight on my left hip, stomped on my hip joint in a surprisingly violent manner. And it popped right back in place.

When I came to and they told me they were successful, I asked the doctor if he could write down a description of how he got it to go back in place. He asked me why, so I told him it was so my two sons could do this for me at home if it ever happens again. He didn't think that was very funny. Besides, he said, you would have no way to sedate yourself. I told him I had a couple good bottles of Scotch. He didn't think that was very funny either.

So, here I sit, with one pretty sore hip. I've got a call in to the surgeon who did it to schedule a consultation. We'll see where it goes from here. I'm very concerned that he won't let me ride my bicycle for awhile. I started in January (after many years of not riding) and now ride five days a week on one 30 mile loop and one 30 mile out and back. I really, really, really don't want to give that up, even temporarily. I've lost 25 pounds so far, my strength and endurance are coming back, and I'm just generally feeling pretty damn good about the whole thing. Hopefully this doesn't prove to be that proverbial "wrench in my spokes". Fingers crossed...

[osidak]

good luck that sounds like it was really rough ride

[unclebilly]

I’m hoping for a speedy and mostly unpainfuk recovery.

2 hours in the sun… jeebus.

[Seahawk]

Wow.

It is remarkably painful.

About a year after my left hip was replaced, I was riding my motorcycle when I caught a bee in the forehead. I had a helmet on, but the visor was replaced in favor of Ray Bans.

Yes, I am an idiot.

The bike went down and I thought I'd lay myself down to rest
In a big field of tall grass
I lay there in the sun
And felt it caressing my face
As I fell asleep and dreamed

Until the ambulance came.

My wife recounted exactly what your wife described: "Glad you were out...wish I had been."

Best and rest!

[masraum]

Yikes! Glad it wasn't worse, and they were able to kick your ass back into place!

This would have been a good time to have a smart watch. Something strapped to your body that you can use to send texts or make calls even when you can't get to your phone. Kind of like the "I've fallen and I can't get up" button but way better and more useful.

The good news is that your wife got to see the process so she can show the boys how to do it!

[jhynesrockmtn]

Gheez Jeff, what an ordeal. Hope you get some good news from the surgeon. My wife had both of her hips replaced in 2020, 9 months apart. I remember the surgeon warning us about certain movements during the healing process, but I thought there were no restrictions later.

[oldE]

Keep riding the bike. Just don't wash the effing thing. Get someone else to do that ****!.
It's going to take a while for those tissues to recover. Be careful.

[peppy]

I hope you mend quickly. My brother had his hip done a few years ago and is scared to death of it popping out.

[ramonesfreak]

Glad it worked out ok but let me suggest considering an Apple Watch with cell service activated. It adds about $10 to my cell bill. I almost never use it to make calls but have it and wear it just in case something like this happens

[herr_oberst]

Sorry this happened to you, Jeff. I have a Ti and ceramic hip, too, and I hope I never have to go through this. Hours flat out on the driveway with mercy only a few unreachable feet away. Damn.
Just damn!

[masraum]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Glad it worked out ok but let me suggest considering an Apple Watch with cell service activated. It adds about $10 to my cell bill. I almost never use it to make calls but have it and wear it just in case something like this happens

Yep. We got ours because we were running, and used it to play music to headphones, track our run, heart rate, etc... I use it all of the time now for all sorts of things, the timer and all sorts of stuff. I always take it when I go out on the property or to work on the car just in case I need to make an emergency call.

[rwest]

Dang, glad you finally got help. Good thing you’re tough.

Once you get healed up, probably be a good idea to get a real big hose clamp and wrap around both hips so they can’t pop out!

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rwest

Dang, glad you finally got help. Good thing you’re tough.

Once you get healed up, probably be a good idea to get a real big hose clamp and wrap around both hips so they can’t pop out!

He's just going to have to always wear really tight jeans. LOL! No photos, please.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Wow.

It is remarkably painful.

About a year after my left hip was replaced, I was riding my motorcycle when I caught a bee in the forehead. I had a helmet on, but the visor was replaced in favor of Ray Bans.

Yes, I am an idiot.

The bike went down and I thought I'd lay myself down to rest
In a big field of tall grass
I lay there in the sun
And felt it caressing my face
As I fell asleep and dreamed

Until the ambulance came.

My wife recounted exactly what your wife described: "Glad you were out...wish I had been."

Best and rest!

You’re not an idiot, a bug hitting you in the face at high speed is unexpected and can knock you right off of your horse, (or MC). A pillow can take someone’s head off if it’s going fast enough. I flip my face shield up all the time on my MC when it’s hot out.

Higgins, sorry to hear about this but glad you’re okay now. I actually had a somewhat similar experience last week but for different reasons. The back story is that I had a bout of extreme vertigo a few years ago and wound up in the ER. So last week, I’m laying under my PU truck trying to put the fuel tank back in, (36 gallon plastic tank empty), when I twist the wrong way and get the worst spins I’ve ever had in my life. I honestly could not stand up or really move, I laid there for over an hour before finally calling a friend who shares the space and he was on his way over so I had someone else there.

To make a long story long, I eventually pulled myself up into my truck and just sat for a long time until I was ok to go home. The last time it happened, they ran every test in the book and found nothing. I’ll tell my doctor about it but that’s about it.

Glad you got it handled and glad that you’re getting in shape, that’s on my list.

[juanbenae]

Wow, not good. Had my hip replaced 2.5 years ago and about 2 weeks post install I slipped on some ice on the patio putting all my weight on the new hardware. More pain from that than any point post surgery and it was nearly unbearable. I had a surgery follow up appointment a few days later that xray were taken before I saw the doctor. When he came in he had a concerned look on his face that grew as I told him what had happened. He said the stud in my femur had been shoved 4mm deeper into the bone.... Scared the heck out of both of us and he said I was lucky it did not blow the femur up

Separated my shoulder back in January far and away the worst pain I'd ever experienced. The morphine was god sent in the ER. Get well.

[rfuerst911sc]

Higgins that is quite the adventure sure glad you're on the mend .

[masraum]

SHeesh, you guys make a guy not want to get old! Good thing I found out about it now right before I turn 55 so I can put a stop to it!

[onewhippedpuppy]

Damn Jeff, that’s quite the experience! Glad you turned out ok, or at least ok-ish. Hope you bounce back quick!

[greglepore]

Drugs are good...
There is nothing worse than dislocating a major joint. I'm glad you're not ptsd'd from lying in the driveway. My biggest fear here is that I have no real cell service and rely on wifi calling, and if i have a medical emergency its probably a crapshoot as to whether my spouse finds me or I expire first...

[LWJ]

Wishing you well. That sounds absolutely AWFUL.