HR in 3 days - Thank you!

[Doug J]

Hi Everyone,
I am 37 and I am scheduled to have my left hip resurfaced (Conserve Plus) in 3 days.  I just wanted to thank Pat and all of the Hip Talk members.  This website and discussion forum has been invaluable.  Like many of you, I received conflicting views from different doctors, which made the process confusing.  But, after much reading and reflection, as well as drawing from your experiences, I decided that a hip resurfacing was my best option. 
I have 3 young kids who I have only been able to watch play on the playground.  I have been active (basketball, skiing, karate, cycling, etc.) my whole life, so it's been frustrating to only walk a block or two without experiencing pain.  I walk with a major limp.  I want my active life back and I want to be able to chase my kids. 
This site also helped me find a fantastic doctor - Dr. Thomas Vail at UCSF.  He is a confident yet humble surgeon and I know I am in the right hands. 
I started a blog (thehippingpost.com) to chronicle my hip resurfacing story.  It's mostly to update friends and family, but I intend to share a successful story and hopefully others who either may be facing a similar decision or may have already gone through a hip resurfacing can draw from my experiences. 
Thanks again everyone, and I wish you all a healthy and happy life with your new hips. 
Best,
Doug J

[Tin Soldier]

Doug - I'm scheduled for no. 2 in 3 days.  You'll do well and soon you'll be able to play with the kids.  I'll check out the blog, great idea  ;)

I'll say this for the others here as well, we want to here how things go, so post when you get a chance after surgery.  If you have questions, ask here, you'll get lots of great info.

Good Luck!

[23109VC]

Doug-

I was in your exact shoes about six months ago.... that was when I had my left hip resurfaced.  I also have three small kids, and it was no fun to miss out on a lot of fun activities because my hip hurt so much.  My 3 year old could outrun me... since I couldn't really run.. more like hobble...

I had my left hip resurfaced by Dr. Gross.  Today I'm at about the six month post op mark.  To celebrate the occasion we went for a family bike ride... I rode 10 miles... pulling two kids in the trailer behind my bike.  Zero pain in my hip.  I also ran for the first time in a LONG time and felt no pain.  it was the first time I really tried to run on my new hip.  I'm not exactly ready to run any 5ks or anything..that's for sure... but it sure did feel nice to stretch my legs and actually jog a short distance and NOT feel pain in my hip.

Do NOT worry about the surgery.  It is the best thing you are doing for yourself and your family.  In about six months.. you're going to be blasting all over.. feeling 10 years younger (I do!) and wishing you had done the surgery sooner!!!

Post up after you are done with surgery and keep us all posted on your improvement!  I also found this website invaluable prior to and up to my surgery... it is great to read about everyone's success....  it sucks to live in pain and it is liberating, and sometimes truly emotional, to finally live without the pain and feel "fixed".

Good luck!!

[jjmclain]

Good Luck Doug! You will be so much happier after surgery!

June

[rbt2011]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery Doug. 

[ScubaDuck]

Best wishes on your surgery.  You are doing this for your family as much as for yourself.

I will be three weeks tomorrow and I feel great.  Very little pain anymore.  In fact I am starting to have stretches where I don't think about my hip.

Dan

[lori.36]

Doug. I am 37 also and having an excellent recovery.  It is so nice to play with the kids again.  You know you are feeling good when the kids start jumping on you!  :). Keep us posted.

[hipnhop]

Doug, congrats on getting it done. You will be amazed on how fast you recover.  It gets better with every passing week. I am going in for number two in October. 

The time in the Hospital passed quickly.  Make sure you got everything you need to get started on a good recovery.

Keep us posted.
HipnHop

[Anniee]

Doug, I'm sure you'll do great!  Look forward to hearing about your post-op progress!

[newdog]

Doug,

Best wishes and you will do great! Life is a whole heck of a lot better on the other side. You'll see!

[Doug J]

Wow!  Thanks everyone for your well wishes and inspiring stories.  I'll be sure to let you know how I'm doing post-op.
Tin Soldier and hipnhop, all the best on your upcoming surgeries. 
Many thanks!

[hernanu]

Good luck and keep us posted, Doug.

[maxi]

good luck doug ...


Maxi

[hernanu]

How goes it Doug?

[Lori Cee]

Hope the rehabilitation is going well :)  I've subscribed to your blog and looking forward to your updates!

[Luann]

Hey Doug, thinking of you! Hope you are doing well. I have a Conserve + also. Seems we are the minority. My Dr. said he like it for me better than the BHR because I am a small framed female, and it came it more varied (and therefore smaller) sizes. Happy healing!  Lu

[DirkV]

Best regards and wishes for great recoveries for recent resurfacee's. Glad to hear surgeries went well. The pre-surgery comments ring a bell - about diminishing activities (cycling, hiking), about the difficult decision of whether to play basketball (at 1/5 pre-arthritic level of effort) with your kids for 10 min and really hurting for days after or saying "nah, you guys go out and shoot around without me."
As some encouragement, 3 1/2 yrs after my surgeries, I'm playing hockey again, just finished riding bicycles across Iowa this summer, and planning a rim to rim hike across the Grand Canyon this fall. Life is good. Keep looking up. There will be plateaus in your recoveries, disappointments, but focus on milestones achieved and long-term recovery. I remember commenting during my first 6 mo that I thought the recovery was really slowing down. Then I clipped my toenails, and what was a severe contortion 2 weeks prior was accomplished with only a little discomfort.
-Dirk