Countdown to my 2/23/11 resurfacing with Dr. Gross

[newdog]

I iced the whole first week I was home. It was probably about 10 days total. I was off the narcotics at 6 days. The reason I stopped was I became nauseous for a few days and blamed it on the drugs. Not sure if that was what caused it. I was fine using X-strength Tylenol from then on.


Sean,
When you remove the bandage, there will be left over residue that will take a while to wash off. So don't be alarmed, it's normal. Just gently wash the area, don't scrub it hard. I think it took about 3 weeks to get the stuff completely off. It's not sticky or messy, it just doesn't come off easily.

Sounds to me like you are doing very well.

[23109VC]

Steve,

Took off the hand age this AM and noticedmthat leftover residue...like black stuff...glad that wasn't me....  :o

It does look kind of strange to see a big slice on my hip, but it doesn't look that bad.  I'll put the ointment on it as directed and will wash gently.  No way I could scrub it if I wanted to, that would hurt!

Thanks for the heads up!

[23109VC]

TWO WEEK UPDATE

I am nowslightly past the two week mark, but rather than post every day at this point, I figured I'd slow down and post weekly.

At about the two week point I think one noticeable change for me is that when I am out of the house walking around now, I am only using one crutch.  Before, I found it necessaryto use two for going out to a store, and things like that.  Now, my leg seems to have improved to where I can go lager distances and only use one.

Around the house I am walking without any crutch, but I limp still. 

I still have pain in the incision site, and I still feel a weird weakness and numb type sensation in my leg at times.  If I sit in a chair for too long, my leg feels weird, and weak when. I get up.  If I am up on it, it fels better.

I don't notice any pain in my hip like I used to!

I'm not taking the narcotic pain meds, and were off those around day 5 or 6 after I was out of the hospital.  I am still taking Tylenol and that seems to be enough.  I ran out of Tylenol yesterday and didn't get more until this evening.  Being off it all day, I do think I detected slightly more discomfort in my leg, but nothing substantial.

I'm hoping to go into work on a limited part time basis next week....I think I'll do fine...I just won't sit in one place too long!

[einreb]

Thanks for the update!  Its nice to hear about your progress.  :)

[23109VC]

ONE MONTH UPDATE

Ok, I'm a Couple days early, but this Wednesday will be the one month mark!

I have continued to improve gradually.  The little nagging pains and sensations are lessening.  They are still there, but they seem less noticeable.

I am still on celebrex for a few more days until my prescription runs put, and the only pain med I am taking is Tylenol.

I have totally stopped using crutches and have been using the cane for the past week or so.  I can tell my walking has improved a lot since going to the cane.  I think since you can't put as much weight on the cane, it's making my leg do more work and get stronger?

I take the cane when I leave the house, but I only use it off and on in the house.  

Yesterday my wife and took the kids to the wild animal park, we live near san diego and the park is close to out house and we have passes...so I've walked there many times beforemthe surgery.....this was my first time there post op.  If have been there, you know it has a lot of hills.  

I used the cane, but there were a few times where I picked the cane up, and just walked on my own.  At one point I was going up a mild incline, did not use my cane, and started smiling...because I was walking uphill with no assistance and for one of the first times in as long as I can remember, I had no pain!!   :D

Everyone probably had unique things that really hurt their hip...for me it was walkinguphill.  I could walk on flat ground and itmwas ok....uphill HURT.  To be able to walk uphill, put weight on my hip, and feel normal....it was Unbelievable!

I still get a slightly weird sensation in my left butt...deep in the glut...I don't think it's my implant, I think it's the muscle...it comes and goes..and I noticemit less than I used to....but it reminds me I am not totally better...and I have no plans to push things.  My walk at the animal park was not all day, we were there a few hours and I had chances to sit.  The tram ride was all sitting, but it was a fair amount of walking.

Having dealt with pain for so long, and after compromising so many aspects of my life due to that pain...that one moment of walking uphill without pain - felt great!!

Things are only going to get better!

[Lori Cee]

That is awesome.  Talking about your uphill walk makes me smile (and to be honest a little emotional!).  I know exactly what you mean and can't wait to have those moments for myself in a couple of months time.  It's the little things that will change in my life that are making this whole process such a big deal for me and I can't wait. Thanks for your story!

[newdog]

Sean,
Sounds like really good progress. Yes, walking uphill was real bad for me too. My driveway is on a hill and I hated walking up it. Not anymore! Thanks for the update.

[Lopsided]

ONE MONTH UPDATE
Yesterday my wife and I took the kids to the wild animal park ...
Things are only going to get better!

I have often thought about doing that too.

[23109VC]

That is awesome.  Talking about your uphill walk makes me smile (and to be honest a little emotional!).  I know exactly what you mean and can't wait to have those moments for myself in a couple of months time.  It's the little things that will change in my life that are making this whole process such a big deal for me and I can't wait. Thanks for your story!

I didn't want to admit to it, but when I walked up that hill, it actually did make me a tad emotional too!  I didnt cry or anything like that.... Butmit was an emotional experience.  Going from being somewhat crippled to suddenly feeling like I have my life back..... Almost... I'm only a month out...but it gave me a major taste of what things will be like at six months out and I  Can't wait!

[23109VC]

FIVE WEEK UPDATE

Well, today is the fifth week!  wow, time has gone by so quickly.  It is hard to believe that six weeks have already gone by.... and when I think about how good I feel right now....it's amazing how fast my body has recovered!  

This week has been my first official week back to work.  I have done really well.  One thing I've noticed at work is that sitting too long really makes my hip sore.  I have a desk job..and sit a lot.  I have tried to get up and just walk about, but there were times where I saw in my work work chair for a couple hours straight, and when I got up, my leg muscles felt sore and I had my limp back.  After walking around for 10 minutes though, I felt fine and almost felt like my limp was gone.  So it's NOT the joint and there's nothing wrong with my recovery...but sitting agitates things!

I used my cane on Friday, and a bit over the weekend.  When I went to work on Monday, I didn't use it.  I left it in the car.  It has STAYED in the car all week.  I keep bringing it as a sort of security blanket, but I feel good enough to walk without it.  I think I am getting very close to not needing the cane at all.  If I was going to walk a LONG distance, I think I'd still want it and would use it.  Monday night we went for a walk.  My commmunity is built around a man made lake..and the lake is very close to my house.  If I walk to the lake, around the lake, and back home, it's maybe a total of 3/4 of a mile, maybe a mile max.  We took the kids, the stroller for the little guy, and I tossed my fold up cane in the bottom of the stroller.  I walked almost the entire way without the cane.  I walked to the lake and around the lake without the cane.  I even pushed the stroller a while. :)  I remember commenting to my wife how it was first time I had walked around the lake and not had pain in my hip!  and that was the truth.  I have been TO the lake since my surgery... but only on the crutches and we drove there... yes, we drove down the street to the lake. a place we usually walked to...Monday was the first time I walked around it after surgery.  When we moved to this community I had plenty of hip pain and everyh time we walked it....it hurt.  Monday night was fun.  I walked around  my pretty lake and never once thought "ouch".  :)   you all know what I"m talking about!!!  at least you who are POST OP do!

Toward teh end of that walk my hip did get tired.  i coudl have pushed myself and tried to "make it"..but I'm not out to prove anything, so I unfoled the cane and used it the last few hundred yards...  the next time we do the lake, maybe I will finish it sans cane!  :)  something to look forward to.

the funky pain in the back of my butt seems to be subsiding.  i feel it now and then, but i think it's going away...

i feel so much better.  like i said, sitting too long makes my hip sore and the limp come back.  walking helps.  i honestly feel l ike if I am up on m y feet for a while, i can almost walk with zero limp.. not quite...but im getting there.  i feel so much better than before myh surgery it is amazing.  living without pain is a blessing.

if you are one of the people who is on this website, living with hip pain that is afffecting your quality of life, and reading all of the posts.. jus tlike I was about a year ago... don't wait.  go get your hip fixed.  I shoudl have done this sooner.  I have read other people say that they should have fixed their hip sooner, but waited out of fear regarding the surgery, and now I know exactly what they mean.  the surgery was NOTHING.  I don't even remember it.  I remember getting an IV, and I have a vague recollection of someone telling me to sit up.. the next thing I knew I was waking up, NOG in pain, and over the past 5 weeks I have steadily become better, stronger, and the horrible pain that  lived with day ina nd day out is HASTA LA VISTA!


I'm going to restring my racquetball racquet soon, and start making plans for my racquetball debut in about 5 more months.  :)

[hernanu]

Nice post, Sean - happy to hear you're doing well.

[FlbrkMike]

Awesome Sean, thanks for posting this.

I was just about where you are now, after my first surgery, when I went in for my second.  A little frustrating to have all that progress and then go back to "square one".  I'm now 21 days past my second and still on crutches due to doctor's orders, but I know (don't ask me how I know  ;) ) that I can walk on it fine.  I just can't wait until next Wednesday for my follow-up when I can hopefully get rid of the crutches and start walking the neighborhood again with my wife.

Golf weather is here, and the pool will soon be warm enough to swim in too.

Keep up the good work.

[newdog]

Thanks for posting your progress. At 11 weeks PO I still get pains and strange sensations. I just accept it as normal and part of healing.

[23109VC]

don't get me wrong.. I still get pains and weird sensations at times...  I think they are definitely less noticeable as time goes by... but they are there.

I have noticed that since I"m back at work - sitting for an hour in my chair makes my hip muscles / the incision area agitated... when I first get up i feel tight and limp.. then by the time i have walked a few minutes, i feel much better and looser...  maybe that too will disipate over time...

i'm taking it day by day / week by week - I k now that I am getting better..  i'm not rushing it.  i am very happy with how things are going.  I am by no means ready to do a carthweel or jump up and down...  i'm taking it very easy on my hip... but walking is getting much much better.

next update at 6 weeks!  i have to start planning to get xrays and a PT exam as I don't think I will be heading back to SC to see Dr. Gross in person... maybe I will see him at the one year anniversary?? 

[Tin Soldier]

Nice job Sean -

Your progress sounds like about like mine.  I'm 5 weeks out and doing pretty good, but getting up off my duff and moving is probably th ehardest part.  I need to keep moving and the joint stays nicely lubed up.  I am beginning to notice the right leg a lot.  The pain is just starting to impact my recovery.  I probabaly should have stuck to orginal schedule and doen both hips within the 5/6 week span.  Oh well.

[23109VC]

*****THREE MONTH UPDATE *****

Today is about the three month mark for me.  I'm doing GREAT!!!

It's really amazing how the human body recovers.  At the one month mark I was mobile but nothing like I am now.  I have no doubt that if I wanted I could take off and run full speed....but I haven't tried it because Dr. Gross says not to until six months...I can wait!

I go up and down stairs with no problem.  I can squat down and tie my shoes with ease.

I still get pain and minor stiffness after sitting down...but it goes away after I walk for a short distance.  I have had several coworkers comment thar they have really noticed my walking has become virtually normal with zero limp.  Very cool compliment!

I'm doing the phase 2 physical therapy which is really just leg lifts and some stretching.  I noticed when I first started that my leg was really weak.  The leg lifts hurt after 5 reps...now I'm doing 20-30 reps and it's not nearly as hard. 

My life has literally transformed from being partially crippled and horribly limited to being virtually normal and almost entirely pain free.  I feel so amazing.  I have zero regrets about having surgery...it was the best damn thing I have ever done.  In three more months I'm goi to be running, playing racquetball, and who knows what else.  I think I will not go crazy..I don't plan to run or jog as a main exercise activity...I'll try bikes and swimming...but I will do it pain free. 

If you have hip pain and are sick of living in 24/7 pain...and you area candidate for thus surgery...get it fixed.  I watched the YouTube videos of the surgery, was all freaked out by how gross it looked, and put off surgery at least a year or two...I wish I had done it sooner.  The surgery was apiece of cake.  The most painful part was the IV.  Seriously, it was not bad.  I was out before anything scary happened and when I woke up I felt fine.

Now at three mo this post op I feel so great.  I'm anxious to hit the six month hark so I ave the green light to really try my new hip out!
;D

[newdog]

My life has literally transformed from being partially crippled and horribly limited to being virtually normal and almost entirely pain free.  I feel so amazing.  I have zero regrets about having surgery...it was the best damn thing I have ever done.

Sean,

I hear you! People around me are taking it for granted what I had done because I move so normal. Not me though!

Steve