Surgery scheduled for 8/29 w/Dr. Su

[David]

Had my consult with Dr. Su on 7/20 and all went well.  Found him to be extremely intelligent, likable, approachable and compassionate.  Thanks to you all he said I had surely done my research in asking the right questions and voicing my concerns.  All pointed to me being the "perfect candidate" for the BHR...wonder if I'm alone with that status ;)
He was booked for surgery dates through the end of December, but I've already been bumped up twice to my currently scheduled 8/29.
Thank you all again for alleviating some of my anxiety leading up to this decided point in time.
Looking forward to 8/29 and beyond

David

[KirkM]

That's great David.  I found him to be all that and more and couldn't be happier with my results so far.  You are in very good hands and I wish you all the best!

[David]

Thanks Kirk.  As you seem to closely mirror my history and direction it's very comforting to know you are doing so well.  Spent the week in Lake Placid having fun and watching the race.  Rode up the backside of Whiteface Mountain with my wife for her 40th birthday. 4000' of climbing in I think 5 miles or so. A lot for this flatlander with most of the work being done with my left side.  Was awesome though.  Took my SUP board out into the middle of the race swim start like I knew what I was doing and was supposed to be there, great experience and got some good pics.

I'm holding off on signing up for the Honu 70.3 until afterward, but I will be there for sure anyway.
Please continue to share your progress either here or privately by email.  Thanks for giving me your contact info.

David

[KirkM]

Hey David, the ride sounds great.  I love LP.  I heard from my IM contacts there that the weather held up nicely for race day and it went very well. 

So yesterday I took my tribike off the trainer and rode outside for the first time.  I am now just under 8 weeks out.  It was just a short 20 miler on some mild rolling terrain but it was GREAT!  There are a couple of short but sharp climbs and it was heaven hammering up them without the deep bone pain in my left leg. 

I was pretty much riding on one leg before the surgery so it seemed surprisingly easy to climb without that pain.  You are going to LOVE that after you get your hip done.  I had more fun riding yesterday than I have had in years. 

You just don't realize how much the nagging pain and resulting weakness and imbalance affects your enjoyment of things until that pain is gone.  I really didn't think it was so bad at the time but then I looked back after my ride yesterday and remembered that as time went on, I wasn't having much fun.  In fact, during many, if not most, of the rides I just wanted it to be over so I could go home and bury myself in my computer work and not feel that physical pain and emotional frustration and disappointment. 

I couldn't ride with my training buddies anymore, so it was over a year of slow and unpleasant pushing through rides I wasn't enjoying but kept telling myself it would be better next time.  It was the classic illustration of Freud's definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome.

Even without the great results I have had thus far after the surgery, I will never regret breaking that pattern of insanity.  I don't fear failure but I am terrified of stagnation.  I would much rather move forward and risk failure than fear moving and guarantee it.

Look forward to seeing you on the Kohala Coast next June.

[David]

Brother you hit my nail on its' head...doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome...
I did not post on Susan T's message about her "Canceling my surgery" but I can empathise.  I tried all I could do, probably most of her "125 modalities", and 2 years ago would never have even thought of surgery. Now I'm embracing it. It's all "natural healing", Dr. Su and cobalt both come from the earth right? :)

[KirkM]

Oh, and don't think for a minute that I didn't try and hope on alternative methods.  It just came down to acceptance of the next best option as each were tried and exhausted.  Always at the bottom of the list was having some doctor treat my thigh like a Christmas ham.  I managed to delay facing that for over 3 years.  I had to do what I had to do before I was finally ready to accept having the surgery.

In retrospect (hindsight is, of course, 20-20), I could have easily had at least a couple of those years of pain and frustration back and been racing and enjoying it all again that much sooner.  I also blindly risked making myself ineligible for a resurfacing by waiting too long.  I can't tell you the relief of getting through with a resurface and not a THR when I found out (after unknowingly risking it for years) that a person could actually wait too long and wear the hip beyond HR.

You have to weigh the risk and benefit against the very basic, unstoppable rule of time.  Time is constantly moving forward and you only get so much, so are you going to use it or waste it?  I guess each of us has to decide for ourselves where that line between using and wasting is.

[Woodstock Hippy]

David, good luck with your surgery and good luck at Honu in June.  I have an appointment to see Dr Su on Sept 26.  I'm a finisher of IMLP '99 and I'm looking forward to getting my problems repaired and running again.  I had to stop running two years ago, moved on to mountain bike racing and had two good years.  Now I can barely ride the road bike, can't kick in the pool and I'm not doing too good walking.  I don't plan to go back to long distance triathlon but I'm going to use swimming as my main outlet after surgery and hope to celebrate my comeback at Waikiki Roughwater Swim in September 2012

[Anniee]

In retrospect (hindsight is, of course, 20-20), I could have easily had at least a couple of those years of pain and frustration back and been racing and enjoying it all again that much sooner.  I also blindly risked making myself ineligible for a resurfacing by waiting too long.  I can't tell you the relief of getting through with a resurface and not a THR when I found out (after unknowingly risking it for years) that a person could actually wait too long and wear the hip beyond HR.

You have to weigh the risk and benefit against the very basic, unstoppable rule of time.  Time is constantly moving forward and you only get so much, so are you going to use it or waste it?  I guess each of us has to decide for ourselves where that line between using and wasting is.

Kirk, I think a lot of us on this site have the same feelings!  I certainly feel now that I waited much longer than I should have to have my first hip done. I also wish I had not waited as long as I did to schedule the second hip. The pain from that one is having a negative impact on my life now. 

David, best of luck with your surgery!  I have heard nothing but good things about Dr. Su, so I know you're in good hands!

[David]

Does anyone who has had BHR with Dr. Su know if he uses the Smith & Nephew device with the OXINIUM technology material? (I can ask him, but was just rainy Sunday morning surfing and am curious)
Thanks.
David

[bluedevilsadvocate]

The Smith & Nephew website information on Oxinium indicates that it is available only for total hip replacements --- not for resurfacing.  Interesting, though.

[KirkM]

From what I understand from interviews I have seen and read with Mr. McMinn, the BHR device hasn't really changed for most of its existence.  They did do some experimentation very early on and then got a formula that worked.  I guess they are going on the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" line of thought.  And you can't argue with the track record so far.

[David]

Thanks Blue & Kirk, obviously I had not looked into it too far, but was checking out the S&N site.
Curious why that material for the THR  and not the BHR.  Mentioned no nickel in the OXINIUM, and that was supposed to be the culprit.
I just looked on the site a little more and find it's only available for knee replacements.
http://global.smith-nephew.com/us/OXINIUM_OXIDIZEDZIRCONIUM_24484.htm

[Hummer]

Hey David,
Smith & Nephew makes resurfacing device. Here's the website: rediscoveryourgo.com
Good luck, David!

[Lopsided]

Oxinium is a ceramic and has to be of a certain thickness or would shatter. Resurfacing devices are thin and so are made of a 'stella' alloy.

[David]

Makes sense...thanks Lop.

[David]

In NYC, hurricane is gone and I'm excited for my morning surgery.
Looking forward...
David :)

[ScubaDuck]

I have been following the hurricane but didn't even think about it affecting surgery for a future hippy.

Best wishes tomorrow David.

Dan

[Anniee]

I'm glad Irene did not interfere with your surgery!  Good luck tomorrow!

[hernanu]

Good luck tomorrow from Boston, David - should be a beautiful day.

[Luann]

Hi David,
Good luck with your surgery! We all will be thinking of you! So glad your weather has cleared up!   Lu