Buddy’s bilateral hip resurfacing Dr. Pritchett 2008
I’m a bilateral Birmingham, having done my first hip (right) on July 1, 2008, and my second (left) just two weeks ago, on September 30, 2008. After my first surgery I experienced some blurring of vision post op, and my excellent surgeon (Dr. James Pritchett, Seattle) told me that it sometimes happens but they aren’t sure exactly why – some combination of the drugs plus the surgery itself. First hip it went away in less than a week, but this 2nd time around I still have blurred vision and also some headaches and dizziness when I get up from lying down. Wondered if anyone else had experienced these symptoms and when they cleared up.
I have high praise for Dr. Pritchett in Seattle; he’s done hundreds of resurfacing operations and the place – Swedish Orthopedic Institute is first rate -a- brand new building and state of the art everything.
October 20, 2008 Buddy Levy here, from Moscow, Idaho. I’m three weeks post op and generally, things are going great. Have transitioned to cane, the hip joint feels excellent, and there is only moderate discomfort at the incision–pretty normal I think. Even feels like I’m healing faster than the previous hip.
Except–this one odd problem I’m having which is located on the recent surgery side (left) and is in my low glut high hamstring area–in the back of my leg pretty much where the glut meets the hamstring. The skin feels dead, numb, and when pressure is applied (certain sitting positions, or direct contact of some sort) there is a sharp, deep, almost electrical pain back there. It’s tingly and numbish, but if I press my fingers in there it feels like a deep, deep charley horse or something.
I first noticed this a few days after surgery, when getting into a car and pressing back against the car seat with my butt. But that was so soon after surgery I did not think much of it. Now, at three weeks, I’m concerned because it does not seem to be going away.
May 6, 2009 I had my right hip resurfaced July 1, 2008 and my left done September 30, 2008. Both by Dr. James Pritchett in Seattle, WA. He’s great. I was telemark skiing by late December, 2008! Felt fantastic. I have been skiing all my life and grew up ski racing in Sun Valley, Idaho, so am very comfortable on skis, but i was still just a bit apprehensive at the beginning. After a few runs, it was like I had never left! I will say that I was diligent about my rehab and PT in preparation, though, and highly recommend that course.
I skied quite a bit this winter (maybe ten times) and also went backcountry skiing which involved hiking many miles in the mountains and skiing down. So, get back out there!
June 24, 2009 Now i’m training for a big bike ride (202 miles in one day!).
I too have thought about the implications of a big crash and what that would mean to the hips. I returned to my normal setup, which is non-releasable heavy duty tele gear. I’m on Scarpa T-1’s with alpine skis (big fat Scott Santiago Missions) and G-3 bindings. My tourning setup is a bit lighter, though I use the same boots and then have Black Diamond 01 bindings (also non-releasable) on Black Diamond Crossbow skis. I didn’t crash this year, so saved the field testing!
I was quite aggressive after the 3rd time skiing, actually, though took it easy in the backcountry. I think I will get releasable stuff next season, just to be safer–but I’m going to ski like hell and try not to fall! That’s been my MO.