After returning in January from my combo work/fun trip to Miami Beach and Turks & Caicos, the ortho surgeon who repaired my hip March 2023 agreed to order MRIs to figure out why my pain had gotten to the point I could not walk - and the pain was 24/7 excruciating.

From the imaging I learned that I had avascular necrosis (AVN)  in the femoral head and the head had collapsed. This imaging should have been done in the fall but the surgeon kept insisting this pain was normal as I was rebuilding my leg.  I should have known better and pushed him more after all my doctor debacles over the years, but he was so certain in his view.

Once I knew the issue, I scheduled 4 consults which was a long process as ortho surgeons have little availability, at least in LA.  A dear friend steered me to Dr. Jay Lieberman, Chief of Ortho at USC but more importantly an AVN specialist. The other 3 were dismissive of the AVN and Dr. de Vos advised me that Lieberman was the right guy to go with due to his thoroughness and experience. 

After a few months wait due to surgery backlog, last Tuesday I had the surgery.  Dr. Lieberman was concerned there was an infection in the head and had it biopsied. The results were inconclusive but some of my markers were elevated. We thought he would be doing two surgeries 6-8 weeks apart (one to deal w the AVN and treat the infection; the other to replace the hip) but we agreed he would decide when I was open on the table.

Gus flew in from D.C. for the surgery, what a ray of light to have him here. I was fortunate in that the surgeon found no sign of infection when he opened me up. The surgery was not simple, he had to remove the 3 screws that were placed in me last year, remove the necrosis, and do a total hip replacement - the surgery was over 4 hours long. I was very happy as he didn't use general anesthesia, just a spinal and Propofol.

I was kept at Keck Hospital just one night and I had a great experience there. I have seen the inside of several hospitals and I have to say it thoroughly impressed me. 

I am now 9 days out of surgery, walking well, doing at home PT and off the pain meds. 

I call these types of health hiccups the afterburn of cancer treatment. During my 12 years of treatments, steroids were always a part of the process, prednisone and dexamethasone in use regularly. These steroids weaken the bones and lead to fractures, etc. once one is done with treatment.

But the good news is this was fixable!

I will be resuming my travel this summer and am scheduled to speak at 4 events, 3 in Philadelphia. Can't wait to get back out there.

And believe it or not, my 6 year post CAR T scan is July 16 (and that also happens to be Ben and my 30th anniversary of meeting).  🤞🏻🙏🏻🤞🏻

xxxlaurie