Uber Alan's Bilateral Hip Story: Dr. Gross - Right (3/16/09) and Left (3/19/09)

[uberalan]

May 1, 2009  Post Op Day 46 (right) Day 43 (Left)


I showed up at Dr. Gross' office ten minutes early for my 09:50 AM appointment.  They called me on the dot and took me back for two sets of x-rays.  The first was from an overhead machine and the second was from a sideways machine that shot from the inner thigh outward.  They had me fill out the patient hip survey.  For normal and "at its worst" pain levels I answered 0 and 2 for my right and 1 and 4 for my left. 

Lee Webb tested my range of motion and was very surprised and pleased with the increase over the ROM before surgery.  She also tested the strength of my legs by having me resist as she pushed and pulled on my legs.  Again she was surprised and pleased with my strength.  I assumed my left side would be much weaker than my right, but she said they were essentially the same.

She then went over the phase two restrictions, which last until six months post op.  Basically, I am not to cross my legs at the knees or above, avoid extreme stretching or bending until 6 months, no impact exercises like running, no bike riding due to the risk of falling and fracturing the femur (but an indoor bike is fine) and no contact sports.  (I'll have to postpone my post-op mixed marshal arts match for awhile.)  But anythings else that is not prohibited is a okay as long as I ramp up with moderation.

Next Dr. Gross came in and reviewed my x-rays.  He said everything looked perfect.  There was perfect symmetry between the left and right and the critical angle on each side was exactly 38 degrees.  I told Dr. Gross, "You do very good work."

We talked about the soreness in my left hip and he said that I shouldn't be alarmed that one side was healing different than the other.  The mechanical parts are perfectly positioned and the bones show no fractures and with that the soft tissues will heal - eventually.  I asked him if I might have pulled the internal sutures loose by overdoing the walking and he admitted it was possible, but even so the tissues would grow back together.  At this stage, there is nothing to really do about the pain in the left hip, except just wait and see if the soreness goes away.  He said to call the office if it doesn't improve in the next few weeks.  He said that if possible they would like to see me 1 yr post-op and if I couldn't travel to SC, I could have x-rays and ROM exams done locally

I thanked both Lee and Dr. Gross for the wonderful job they had done and told them how thankful I was that my life had been given back to me.  I left their office about 12:15 PM feeling very happy with my decision to travel out of state to a doctor that I had found out about on a web site with a strange name about surface hippies.  I was also glad I traveled back to SC for the six week post-op exam in person given the concern I had developed over the soreness in my left side.

I had lunch and then drove the Charlotte airport arriving at around 02:30 for my 06:10 PM flight.  I had a couple of hours to kill so visited the Carolina Air Museum that is located at the airport.  I wondered about the exhibits and even crawled up into the cockpit of the DC-3 that is the museum show piece.  I left when the museum closed at 4:00 PM and then realized an amazing thing. I had been on my feet walking around and climbing into the aircraft for an hour and half without having to sit and rest because of the OA pain and weakness!!!!


May 2, 2009  Post Op Day 47 (right) Day 44 (Left)

Saturday I began the new phase 2 exercises and could really tell they were doing something by the end of the day.  I worked on doing the stairs foot over foot and then my wife and I installed two ceiling fans.  She did most of the work on the ladder, but I made numerous trips up and down the stairs to my tools in the basement.  Surprisingly on the afternoon walk I found that my left hip was not nearly as sore .  Maybe it is healing after all.

May 3, 2009  Post Op Day 48 (right) Day 45 (Left)

The Sunday was the most amazing day.  After waking up, I did the Phase II exercises, went to Church and had to park a good distance from the entrance and I walked in with no pain or soreness from the left hip.  After church my wife and I went out eat lunch and then I did something with her I hadn't done in ages, (no not THAT) but we went shopping.  We spent an hour and a half walking through Sam's and then spent another hour buying grocery store, walking each isle.  All of this was on my feet and without sitting down.  Before my surgery, I would just wait in the car while she shopped.

Then we returned home and I mowed the front and back yard for the first time since May.  We then decided to go buy a leaf blower and discovered Sears was having "Friends and Family" Sale from 6 PM to 9 PM.   We went to buy the leaf blower and spent another 90 minutes walking around the store and also bought some patio furniture.  When we returned home, I assembled the leaf blower and used it to clean off the grass clippings from the drive way and sidewalk.  When I finished that and still had plenty of energy to get on the computer and make these posts.

This has been the most amazing day.  I feel like I have my life back and can do normal everyday activities that most healthy people take for granted.  I don't think I will ever take doing these normal everyday activities for granted.  I have had no pain today.   Seven weeks ago before my surgery, I would not have been able to do a fifth of what I did today.

Miracles do happen to ordinary people like me.

[uberalan]

May 4, 2009  Post Op Day 49 (right) Day 46 (Left)

Today I returned to work after being gone starting 3/13.  I took the crutches with me just in case, but kept them in the car, (they are kind of becoming a crutch to me  ;) if you know what I mean.)  My coworkers were glad to see me.  At the staff meeting they even gave me my own bullet point on the week's significant events.

• Alan (The Terminator) Uber returns to work

Some of my other coworker accused me of faking the surgery, just to be able to have a six week vacation.  They said I showed no signs of having such major surgery just six weeks ago.  I was so tempted to show'em my other "cheeks", but now my scars don't look all that bad and they are only 4" long. I didn't want a bullet point next week saying "Alan (The Terminator) Uber moons coworkers."

Even though I had been teleworking from home, we have another email system that is only available in the office and I had over 1,100 unread emails waiting for me.  Oh the joys of a "paperless society." 

In the afternoon, I had to give a briefing to a visiting VIP at one of our other facilities that is so large you literally have to walk nearly a mile from the available parking spaces to the entrance.  I had intended to see about getting a short-term handicapped parking sticker, but forgot about it until Monday morning.  Anyway I negotiated the distance just fine, gave the briefing and walked back to the car.  Probably close to two miles.

Although I had intended to may be leave early, I wound up working an 11 hour day. I was tired when I returned home, but I was delighted that the hips had carried me through my first day at work without pain or problems.

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[MarilynRS]

Alan, How inspirational !!  :) :)  I can't wait for this sort of miracle as well !  It feels like forever and ever yet until my scheduled time in mid-July with Dr. Gross for my bilateral.  I am so hoping that somehow there will be a cancellation and an opening at an earlier time in June.  I can no longer take enough weight off of my hips with my two canes, and can only shuffle along at 8" to 10" per step, barely lifting my thighs.  Most days, I cannot take more than perhaps one step on my own anymore.  I wonder if I will still be able to walk at all by the time I get there.  But these recovery stories are wonderful to read.  Even though I still have fears (of going under anesthesia, etc), I am just so, so ready to take the plunge...  and I gain and maintain hope through your wondrous experience.  Wow !!!!  Thank you, and thank all surface hippys who post !   Marilyn