What to do when in need of hip replacement?

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For the past 3 1/2 years I have been living and working in West Africa. While visiting there for 6 weeks in early 2004, I found that many locals would come to me and ask various health related questions once they had learned that I was a nurse. I was more than happy to answer the questions that I could and would often refer them to the internet to research the information.
I learned that most of the care in Sub-Saharan African is administered by nurses in clinics and pharmacies due to the lack of physicians and pharmacist. Nurses there are diagnosing and prescribing medications and treatments. Health information is a valuble resource any where in the world, but in developing countries it is vital.
I decided to stay in Africa and devote myself to helping teach locals on communicable and non-commumicable diseases. I though this would be no problem for me since I believed myself to be healthy. I'm asthmatic and overweight, but I lived and active life style. I enjoyed walking, swimming, excercising and dancing.
All was well unitl about a year ago when I noticed a nagging pain in my right hip that prevoiusly would come and go, but now seem to live with me. Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories are available without prescription in the country where I was living so I'd manage the pain with Naprosyn and Dicloflunac. As time went on the medication became less effective and I began to loose my mobility. I wanted to, but could not walk without severe pain, not to mention dancing and swimming. I started to feel like a prisoner in my home. I sought medical attention, but found no relief. The pain was so severe that I had to use a cane to support myself. After taking some time off to rest, have physical therapy while continuing to take the meds the pain did not lessen so I decided to retern home to the US to get some much needed medical attention.
Upon returning to the US I found that my insurance had lasped and that I am in need of a total hip replacement.
I'm sure I'm not alone

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hip-replacement, west-africa, not-alone

Posted By:

Ndella

1 Year, 4 months, 3 days, 9 hours, 7 minutes ago

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