7/20 appt w/Dr Su

[ScubaDuck]

Lop-

I didn't really have too many problems at 40.  I think I am doing it at the right time.  I have lost some range of motion but I can still barely tie my shoe on the left side.  I haven't been able to run for some time though. 

I am definitely looking forward to "the other side."

Dan

[KirkM]

Been a lot of places, but not Thailand or Korat.

Hey Lop -
One year coming for you.  How's that thing holding up?  (The resurfacing, I mean).
Four weeks for me and it is just amazing how well it is going.

Dan -
You are going to be very happy, I think.  The whole hip thing wears on you for all this time and you don't realize that you are towing an anchor because you just kind of get used to it.  When it is gone, you have this "a ha!" moment.  Look forward to that.   It is pretty cool.

David -
Just because we hijacked this thread, doesn't mean we don't want to hear what Dr. Su has to say when you see him.  Be sure to post the update here after you go.

Got to get some sleep so I can go out tomorrow and push my hip in ways that would send a chill down Dr. Su's spine.   :D

[Lopsided]

Been a lot of places

Yeah.

Hey Lop -
One year coming for you.  How's that thing holding up?  (The resurfacing, I mean).
Four weeks for me and it is just amazing how well it is going.

Broadly well, and still barely perceptibly improving. Next month I will write in detail about how I feel after one year.

At four weeks you will still be enjoying the obvious improvements. You will have plateaus, and setbacks that you have to work through, it is a bit like training for a sport.

David -
Just because we hijacked this thread, doesn't mean ...

I know I am not David, but I do notice when you write a reply, there are three buttons, 'post', 'preview', and 'hijack'. Is that right?

[KirkM]

Too funny.  You obviously hit the hijack button for that one...

[Tin Soldier]

Dan - Kirk nailed it on the anchor idea, I was towing an anchor for a relatively short period from 35 to 42 (still towing the right) and you just kinda get used to it, sort of.

Never heard of using termuric.  Maybe you should just eat the hottest red curry you can find and that'll do it. 

Kirk - I can't find the hijack button ??? 

[David]

Hey hijack away!
I will be sure to give a complete synopsis of my meeting with Dr. Su next week, I am so very much looking forward to it.
Fractured a few ribs on Sunday boogie boarding with my son, at least it's taking the focus off of my hip!
Feel like a shuffling pile of dung...
David
ps:anyone know or follow the story of Cory Foulk?...BHR has not slowed him down...very encouraging...

[Lopsided]

Fractured a few ribs on Sunday boogie boarding with my son,

David, you are hijacking your own health. Hope you get better soon.

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[KirkM]

Lop -
You are killing me here.

David -
Was your son using you as the boogie board?  Just my humble opinion, but I think it would be better if you didn't put yourself into a full body cast by the time you see Dr. Su.

I know Cory somewhat.  I work with him occasionally approaching the Kona Ironman each October on some logistics layout mapping for the event.  That guy is an alien.  If his superhuman feats on the BHR don't prove its durability in the real world, nothing will.  Scott Tinley has a BHR too.  These guys are not tip-toeing around on them.

Cory has a great article on Vicky Marlow's site about getting back to running and the formula he made in warm up and such after getting his BHR.  I am planning on following that when I am down the road to that point.  Only 5 more months to go!  I am back in the pool now and riding outside will come next week.  It goes by pretty quick, so I am just keeping my head into what I am doing and what I CAN do at each point so the wait to be fully back doesn't drive me crazy.

Cliche time.... wait for it .... here it comes ....  YOU WILL BE SO GLAD YOU DID IT!

[hernanu]

Glad to see I'm not the only one spouting cliches, Kirk. I was starting to feel uncool, and that would just bring on the Armageddon.  :o

It's great to see you're recovering fast, did you do anything special to work on your stride?

[KirkM]

Nothing other than literally "working on my stride" (see below).  I always qualify my fast recovery by saying that I am a freakishly fast healer and, probably more significant, I was fully mobile and active all the way up to surgery.  I think that is the biggest thing.  Most people needing resurfacing aren't so fortunate and are in so much pain that they can't do much beforehand.  I was keeping in what I call "Half-Ironman shape".  I was swimming 7500 meters per week, riding 100+ miles per week and (up until a few months before surgery) running 15 miles per week.  The running was a bit painful for the last couple of years, but nothing that stopped me.  It started to get worse late last year and so I stopped running on land and started deep-water running to prevent trashing the bone right out of being able to get it resurfaced.

Regarding the walking and stride -  I could pick up both my crutches and take a few steps at a time by day 3.  It was sore and I was favoring the operated side, but I could do it.  I was tempted to push it, but decided to work with the two crutches and focus on walking dead even with them so I wouldn't create a habitual limp from the start.

Two things about this I feel are important.  First, use forearm crutches.  You can walk much more naturally with them than the underarm type.  Second, just like with good running form, push you pelvis under you and line up your shoulders with it.  Do not hunch forward with your shoulders onto the crutches.  Then you "walk light" on the crutches.  You just touch them to the ground at your sides at the point of full bearing on the operated side and make sure you are walking dead even.  It only takes just a tiny bit of weight onto your arms to help the operated side through the full step and takes just enough of the load off to allow you to walk straight and even.  Then, as you get stronger each day, lighten the load you are putting on your arms to the edge of where you can still walk even.

I worked very consciously at this every day, every walk.  After a couple of weeks, I went to one crutch or cane when I walked for another week.  Same thing here except you are now bearing more weight on the operated side.  I kind of transitioned during that week by using 2 crutches on long walks and the cane for everything else.  When I was on the cane, it was the same drill.  You walk with proper posture and make sure you give enough weight to the cane to allow an even step on the operated side, but not so much that you are leaning over to the side or depending upon the cane too much.  If you can't do that, go back to the crutches until you can.  DO NOT FORCE YOUR RECOVERY.  No one else's timetable is the one for you.  Feel what your body is doing and act appropriately. Your timetable may be 2 or 3 times longer or it may be shorter.  Your body is sending you constant updates.  Tune in and listen.

At week 4, I was using nothing.  Long walks make the operated side a bit tired (3.5 miles), but I am up and down stairs without problem and completely functional without any devices.  They are put in the garage rafters.

The payoff for this came yesterday when I went in to get my follow-up x-rays to send to Dr. Su.  I am at 4.5 weeks and the tech was asking me all about the device and procedure.  As we walked a very long hallway back to the front of the facility, she was about 8 feet behind me and said she couldn't believe that it was just over 4 weeks and I had absolutely NO limp at all.  She said there was no way to know I had this done last month by the way I walked.

That's how it worked for me.  Your mileage may vary.

[Tin Soldier]

Kirk - I really like the idea of fore-arm crutches.  I'm a little surprised all the PTs that I worked with haven't mentioned that but I totally agree.  It seems like it would be a lot easier to focus on the stride and even out the limp by using the fore arm type. 

Also, for you guys that are hard core runners,  I really like to hear the success stories.  I used to run XC in High school and did a fair amount of 10K type stuff later on, but transitioned more into soccer later on, and its nice to hear about the folks that are pushing the limits of HR with triathlons and long distance running.  I shouldn't say "limits", what I mean are the perceived limits of what the surgeons and HR producers are saying. 

[David]

"Alien"...I like that term!
I was looking for a longish term goal and I thought, first BHR to do IMH...guess that's out of the picture :)
How about first to win IMH age group before and after BHR?  That's a stretch, but what the hey ::)
Yea, I can't stop myself from the body sabotage. I'm signed up for a sprint this weekend and was going to do the 3.1 on the crutches until my wife said "you're a retard".  Got that right.
Thanks all for the support.
I'm heading up to Lake Placid right after my appt. with Dr. Su on 7/20 to cheer on friends and a couple of athletes we are coaching if anyone is going there please let me know.
Best.
D.

[KirkM]

David -
Athlete = idiot.  Indisputable fact.  It is just the way of the Universe.  Tell your wife to get over it.  Remind her that you were an idiot when she married you.  No fair moving the goalposts now.

Tin -
As much as HSS is very progressive with everything, I had to argue with them to get forearm crutches.  It has been said before on all the forums, this country is so backward in that respect.  Overseas, they pretty much don't ever use underarm crutches.  I recommend to everyone needing crutches to fight for forearm type.