Barbara’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Su 2010
Barbara’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Su 2010
August 29, 2010
I’m 10 days post op and have a bit of the blues today.
My surgery with Dr. Su at HSS went very well and I was thrilled that I woke to the resurfacing and had not ended up with the THR that was a possibility going in. Yes it hurt but for the first time in years not inside the joint. I actually pushed the PT folks for the couple of extra feet down the hallway each time they came.
Coming home was a bit stressful. My middle daughter is getting married in 5 weeks so It really was a squeeze on their time to drive down from upstate, pick me up at HSS, then drive me to my youngest daughter’s house on the Island. She actually asked a few weeks before if I could put the surgery off till after the wedding then immediately felt guilty for asking. These are exactly the reasons I hate being dependent on others, even family. I don’t like either of us feeling bad.
Staying at my youngest daughter’s house really has been good so far. My 3 year old grandson is here to keep me going with reading and cuddling and my daughter and her husband have a good sense of humor about most of my being here, including taking over my son in law’s side of the bed for now. My grandson’s babysitter on the two days that both of them work at the same time is also my babysitter, lol.
So why am I down? Well, my case is a worker’s comp case and so far I haven’t had the home nurse/PT I’m supposed to have yet, hopefully this week. I’m pretty mobile, but unsure when to push it a bit more or stop. I cannot help thinking about things that can go wrong so when I have increased pain or one cold foot I worry. It’s not drama I’m creating, but being unsure nags at me. Did I really lose a week by not having PT or is that okay since there are some doctor’s that don’t prescribe it till much later? This site has been helpful it getting an idea of some of the experiences and putting them into context for me. I don’t want to worry my daughter with her having to practically dress me and help bathe me. I also don’t want to have to stay with her more than the 2 weeks we initially expected. master
September 11, 2010
After some issues getting the home PT started, I began Tuesday and had 3 sessions this week. Strength is pretty poor in the operated leg and I do so want to dance at least a little at my daughter’s wedding in 3 weeks.
He has me doing two sets, 3X a day of; sitting in a chair lifting bent knee 20X then swinging my leg up and back slowly 20x, on the bed, semi seated, bringing foot back till knee is bent 20x, bringing my leg straight to the side about 40 degrees and back 20x and lifting straight leg up off the bed about 6 inches 20x. I do all the bed work with the non operated side’s knee bent. I have a herniated disk at L2 that has been giving me problems for months.
Day one and two went well even though all was very difficult to do. Day three I started getting pain in the groin and my back so I didn’t do the 3rd session. Forth day I was stiff and in pain. I told the PT and he modified the bed work with me sitting up a little higher which seemed to take some of the strain off my back.. Last night when I went to bed I could hardly walk my groin hurt so much and still hurt this morning. I took the day off and just dis some walking. Am I doing too much? Did PT hurt anyone else this much? I was pretty much done with pain pills but I had to start taking them again. I’m also on a muscle relaxant for my back which I would think should help for my legs as well.
September 24, 2010
I’m at 5 weeks and have had some muscle cramping. Nights after a busy day are the worst. PT 3x per week at home, 3x per day at times is too much. I have periodically taken a potassium suppliment which does help as does hot showers. I actually do my first sets of stretching in the shower. Some days are just better than others.
September 28, 2010
I am doing well. Dr. Su and his new PA very pleased at my ROM so far, xrays showed good placement. We compared before and after, the nasty bone on bone. Apparently we did the surgery at a good time before even more damage could be done. Looked at the left side while we were at it and that side is fine. No resurfacing in the near future. It rained yesterday so I went on one crutch rather than cane. Dr. Su says that I can start walking unaided though to me it seems like I’m walking the walk of a drunk who is trying to hide it. I still have the sensation of the operated leg being a tad longer than the other and find I don’t seem to be able to walk a straight line. Next appointment in 2 months.
I can already do some of the new exercises they showed me and reminded me that if it hurts cut back. I can put stuff on the scar to reduce appearance, and need to psch myself for the scar tissue stretching that will begin next week. I went though this with the two small ports after arthoscopic surgery that we tried first and I thought that was unpleasant. One more visit with home PT to close out the case then back to the PT I was going to that understands my back issues.
I got the surgical report so now know my size – head 44, cup 50 BHR. I also read through all the details of what muscles and tendons were cut or "bluntly separated". No wonder my butt still hurts, lol.
October 18, 2010
Tomorrow will be 2 months. Yesterday not only did I get down on the floor to read a book with my grandson, I got back up without having to grab on to anything and no struggle. On busy days with lots of walking my knee does act up some but I’m working on that in PT and it’s not as bad as it was a couple of weeks ago so I guess the muscles are getting stronger and working better together. We’re still working on the scar tissue and that is no picnic but as more breaks down the more ease of function comes back. I’m still hoping my back improves (herniated disk) as my gait gets better. If I sit too much I get stiff and it takes a bit to get going smoothly again.My back seems to be more of the culprit most of the time. I haven’t been measured but the feeling of one leg being longer than the other has gone away.
November 5, 2010
I’m at 11 weeks and I am also a 44. I’ve have decided to go as conservatively as possible without being a potato. I stayed on 2 crutches for 3 weeks, walking through each step, then went to one crutch for another week and an half when I was cleared to start sailing alone. I had already done some short trips around the house solo but felt my gait still unstable. That was when I started outside PT which began working on the muscles and gait. I still took my cane with me for crowds – they give you a little more space, less chance of getting knocked down, and if I did too much and started limping. Honestly I do fear falling. That’s not to say I won’t go out dancing (already did that at my daughter’s wedding at 6 weeks) or get down on the floor to rough house a bit with my 3 year old grandson (pretty regularly and loving having this back)
I have read that most fractures take place between 3-6 months so I will continue to be wary and not push too hard. I can wait till after a year to start running and climbing and sports that involve quick starts, stops and turns. This is more conservative than my doctor allows but seems to be when I can expect full healing so I am going with that. I’d like to have my resurf for 20 years and I personally think for me that being conservative now will give me that reward.
January 27, 2011
I had new x-rays and everything mechanical looks good. You can imagine my relief. Both the PA and Dr. Su spent a lot of time with me going over the fall and how my body landed, measurements compared to my 3 month visit (I’ve lost some ROM I had) and the problems with my back. They think that the joint capsule connections are probably still trying to heal from all the additional stress from the fall when they were still healing from surgery so that is a minor set back. I do have bursitis on both sides so he gave me a cortisone shot on his side (I guess it’s up to the back doctor to do the other side?). I have to stay with the cane until the back issue is resolved enough that I won’t fall and the capsule gets a little more rest. Once the back doctor clears me again for PT he wants just gentle stretching until I see him again at the end of February. As for the shooting pains down my leg, Dr. Su thinks the back is a player but may not be completely to blame.
April 16, 2011
I’ve been having some burning and pain in my hip for the last few weeks. Since I have major back issues it is hard to tell what is causing the hip pain. I saw Dr Su for my 1st anniversary yesterday and there is some inflammation in the hip but most of the pain is probably from the back issues. Probably just a little tendonitis in the hip.
I had the ions blood test which Dr. Su collects in the office then sends off to Virginia. I have two weeks to wait on results and am a bit nervous even if Dr. Su doesn’t seem concerned. The bad publicity nudges the mind in places it should not go.
Xrays show perfect placement and the bone looks healthy. The left hip doesn’t show any signs of deterioration, Yahoo! Heavens willing, the numbers for the metal ions will come back nice and low and I can focus on fixing my back how ever that will be done. Sadly I am not a candidate for a disc replacement and there is no resurfacing the spine. I will also be able to put the pain I am feeling right where it belongs, at the spine doctor’s door.