Brian’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr.Callander 2013
Brian’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr.Callander 2013
May 15, 2013
I started running when I was still in elementary school, and loved competing in fun runs, 5ks etc. up till HS when I ran Cross Country and Track. In my senior year I started to be plagued by "leg problems". Through college I played Ultimate frisbee at a fairly competitive level and continued for 5 years after. I was also active with hiking, backpacking, surfing, mountain biking, skateboarding, yoga etc.
I first started noticing something was wrong probably at 25 when I would have a weird clicking in my hip sometimes. By 28 I noticed that my range of motion was starting to be different on my right side during yoga and would sometimes notice pain after a backpacking trip. By 30 I was aware that something was wrong and sometimes experienced pain after activity. By 33 pain was a more normal experience (I almost completely gave up running) and I started sleeping with a pillow between my legs. By 35 pain was a daily experience and I started restricting my activities no more running but still active in other ways. Here I am at 38 deal with a constant low level of pain and walk with a prominent limp and if I do anything active it requires tons of Ibuprofen before and after to even get around.
May 22, 2013
Got my BHR earlier today, and everything seems to have gone smoothly. Had sedation plus a spinal but I was out, like way out. Took a little over 1.5 hours for feeling in legs to come back. Surgery was at 12 and I was in my room by 4. They have some automatic foot pumpers which I think helps with the swelling. I have been dozing lightly since 7 thanks to the dilaudid. So far so good.
Will start Occupational and physical therapy tomorrow, and hopefully be out of here sometime Thursday.
May 23, 2013
2 days post op.
Struggled yesterday with fogginess from all the drugs in my system. A huge milestone was getting the catheter out. Slept much better last night. Today has been better, and able to make some progress with occupational and physical therapy. The pain level is really manageable on 1 10mg percocet every six hours but even that has me foggy. The foggieness is probably a blessing in reminding me to slow down.
Will probably spend one more night here depending on PT outcomes later today. I have accepted that this is a marathon not a sprint. Already amazed at how little pain I am in. Have taken a couple short trips using the walker and crutches mostly for balance. Depending on how I feel I may even taper that off altogether or only use at night. Looks like I will be discharged with buffered aspirin for blood clot prevention.
May 29, 2013
Update from Day 8
I am so glad I had the procedure done.
I feel like I am healing quickly. I would say the biggest challenge is slowing down and following the restrictions and just resting. Never thought of myself as type A, but it seems very difficult to not be productive, or moving very much. I have to remind myself that my "job" is to rest up and heal.
Looking back on the last week, I would say the greatest initial challenges were related to the surgery and drugs, getting the catheter out and coming off the strong medication and getting my digestive system normal again really helped. Now the pain is manageable with ice, advil, and only a painkiller at night.
Because of the holiday weekend I haven’t seen my in home Physical Therapist yet, but I have been walking a little each day. I tried to do 1/2 mi one day but it completely drained me. I take at least one nap a day.
A little bit about my Post Op situation:
I had internal sutures, glue, and steri strips. The incision looks good, no draining, swelling or weirdness.
I am on 2 weeks 90 deg restriction, and 3 weeks crutches, no driving for 3 weeks. Hope to return to my job on week 4. Follow-up with Dr. Callander at 3 weeks. After that I can get into the pool.
June 7, 2013
Coming up on 3 weeks, and feeling much stronger, had a bit of a setback when I was hit by a stomach bug. The incision site looks awesome and I was lucky to be spared the swelling most people seem to be hit by. Still on the crutches and no driving till I see the doc next week. Finally weaning off the pain meds and feel more myself on Tylenol, Advil etc.
Able to walk up to 1/2 to a mile or so on crutches, of course then I need a 2 hr nap. Seem to have a few good days, then a day when I have no energy.
Looking forward to getting clearance to get in the pool and do some stretching.
July 2, 2013
Just wanted to give a quick 6 week update! Been back to work for a couple of weeks now and everything is going great. (Other than occasionally and randomly being really tired) I am just about to head out the door for a loooong weekend trip down the California coast to take it easy and enjoy the beach/camping. The last two weeks of PT (and homework) have made a huge difference in my strength and ROM. Taking it slow there… but it feels really great to get on the stationary bike and elliptical and start to feel more normal. I am still using one crutch at the end of a long day, or if my limp starts to creep in. A little stiff and sore right on start up from sitting, but other than that hip feels really good.
It is funny the PT keeps asking me if things hurt and I say "more sore than pain" this new kind of pain/stiffness just doesn’t seem in the same realm as the OA pain from before.
July 15, 2013
I am 7 weeks out from a right BHR with Dr. Callander. I have gotten back in the water to do some body surfing and bodyboarding, and now I am itching to get back on my board. Of course I will start in very mellow waves with my longboard, and wait until I get clearance from the Doc.
July 18, 2013
I am at 8 weeks right now and for the last 4 weeks in PT I have been working on three things, core, balancing, and stretching the hip flexor. I have noticed a huge improvement in my balancing even just the last two weeks. One other trick I used when coming off the cane and crutches was to do walks with my trekking poles nice and slow and using them for balance. That combined with the uneven streets I think really helped my early on balance.
July 23, 2013
8 week update: I am absolutely stoked! I think it is fair to say (knock on wood) that I have had a Cinderella recovery so far. The first week was pretty bad, but after that it has been clear sailing. I was very lucky to not have any swelling, or any problems sleeping and only minor incision pain. I really tried to focus on the idea that my "work" the first few weeks was resting and healing. When I got to PT on week four, I still needed one crutch. I have been working hard the last four weeks in PT and it has really paid off. I have been incorporating hiking, elliptical, and swimming in the ocean the last two weeks. I saw Dr. Callander for my 8 week follow-up and he was really pleased, with my 4 week xrays, and update from PT. He told me that I can start to introduce any non-contact sports I want as long as I ramp up slowly and listen to my body. He said he doesn’t want to see me till my one year follow up.
Totally excited for the next phase, of continuing PT to strengthen, and start to get back to all the activities I enjoy. How to define.. what is reasonable? that is the question. Still have the vision that this is a journey, and patience and hard work (and healing and resting) will get me to 110% by my one year follow up!
August 22, 2013
I am constantly amazed by my new hip and wish I had done it a bit sooner. At 3 months things are going great. I started off a bit slow and focused on just healing for the first few weeks. Spent quite a few hours and days just sitting and icing, but I was very lucky to have a fast healing process. I think alot of that had to do with being young, fit, and healthy. So if you are holding off cause you are only X years old…. don’t! I should have done it at 35.
I was still sometimes using crutches at week 4. I made my biggest progress during the weeks of PT between weeks 4 and 10. My hip now feels far better than it did prior to surgery. With the clearance of the doc have started integrating all my activities (except for Ultimate frisbee and Mountain Biking). I went surfing last week for the first time, went on a backpacking trip with kids, I am up to 2 miles running easy, started doing yoga again. The hardest thing is still being conservative with my hip.
I still get soreness, but not bone pain, when exercising, but I have yet to been laid up the day after exercise which was a common occurrence before surgery, so I must be doing something right. I think I have taken less Ibuprofen in the last two weeks than I used to take in one day.
all in all I couldn’t be happier, on my way to my goal of 110% at one year post op.