Blinkys Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Gross 2015

[blinky]

Happy Hip-iversary to me!


Two years today.


Everything is going well. I am training for a half marathon that will take place in early December and have run three eight mile runs toward that goal. No pain, no hip problems (I did have a Code Brown during my last run, so I can't say "no problems...") I will run ten miles tomorrow, which will be a new hips distance record.


To celebrate, I swam in a 3600 yd swim relay with three friends. We are all adult onset swimmers, so not very good divers and not very experienced in competitive swimming. Two of us swim for triathlons, two for fitness. We had a blast! We were nervous, giddy, proud, and finally triumphant. I could not have attempted a racing dive preop when my hips were so stiff and painful.


I have to set up my metal ion test, so I owe a report on that.


A few other highlights from the last year:


Ran two 10ks, the second one hilly.
Ran half a dozen 5ks, cherry picking (!) an easy one where I placed first in my AG---and yes there was more than one person in my AG.
Experimented with spin class, hip hip and Zumba classes, Cross Fit, and TRX.
Traveled like crazy. This is the reason I didn't get to do a triathlon this year, I was just on the road too much. For the first six-seven months after my one year hip-iversary, I took a transoceanic trip every month. You read that right: every month. (Poor me.) With kids out of the house and new hips, we hit the road with a vengeance. It has settled down now so that I fly to NY every other weekend. During all this travel, I hiked, including at altitude, swam in open water, snorkeled (with sharks!), jumped off high places into waiting deep water. I took fifteen hour flights and managed my own luggage, all stuff I couldn't have done pre op, if not athletic.


Okay, so I do have some niggles and small issues to work out; don't think I'm superwoman. My right side still swells after a hard effort or too much lateral movement. I feel it in my knee, too. I think my right ankle is too stiff (not hip related) and my feet have become lazy. There are symmetry issues in how I use my back I have to figure out. To train for a longer event, I have forsaken some speed. But overall I still see improvement. My short runs are now four miles at a time, for example, easy peasy. I find myself sitting cross legged. I can walk my husband into the ground when we are in NY. Thirty K steps in a day is not unusual.


For the coming year? More travel, but probably not at the same frenetic pace. I will do at least two half marathons, maybe one in NY. (Joined the NYRR club.) I will finally do that triathlon, likely an Olympic distance. Having become better at finding pools when I am traveling, I hope to swim some long postal swims this year.


To Pat and all the posters who came before me, thank you.You showed me what I could hope to do.

[Pat Walter]

Congratulations.

So great to hear from you and all your accomplishments. 

Fantastic - so many folks will read your update.  I am sure you will be an inspiration.

Keep up the good work and I wish you many, many more anniversaries.

Pat

[Quig]

Congrats Blinky! It's always nice to check in here and see a post of yours and this one is especially good! Keep up all the good work and progress and keep enjoying the heck out of those new hips. Awesome job on everything, I couldn't be happier for you. Keep it up!

[Joe_CA]

That's great to hear Blinky. I'm sure there are thousands of potential candidates who will be influenced by your athletic accomplishments - especially after undergoing bilateral hip-resurfacing. That is a serious amount of running and athletics you've performed since your surgeries. These are the kinds of posts which inspire us all. Awesome!

[Tri Hard Alan]

Always interested to read your updates as your op was very close to mine. Mind you mine was only one side so much respect for getting 2 done at same time!


I have also penciled in a half marathon for early December and your reports of little niggles here and there is very similar to what I feel, especially with regards to pushing hard in comparison to running easy.


Congratulations on the progress and good luck in the half  :D

[blinky]

I have to share.


I ran ten miles today, my longest run on my new hips, in preparation for the half marathon. It was a beautiful, sunny day, cool, maybe in the low fifties. I slapped on my Garmin and just hit the road, intending to explore all the places that have been built since I last did a long run, maybe five years ago. I waved to cars, to other runners, was blissfully happy if also pretty slow (12mm, used to be 10mm long run pace, so I do have room to improve).  I am now pleasantly tired and regrouping for the rest of the day. And there all be more to do today. That is another great thing about new hips: I have the energy to keep going. I'll do some chores then go out and do some shopping, then maybe swim (!) later in the day with H.

[Paprika]

Way to go, Blinky!  Which half marathon will you run?  It's so exciting that you have reached this point in your recovery!  'Sounds as if many new adventures lie ahead.  Best of luck!

[Quig]

Another milestone and awesome update Blinky. Very nice job! Congrats, and best of luck on your half!

[Pat Walter]

Thanks for the update Blinky.

Sounds like you are doing great. Keep going!

Good Luck.

Pat

[blinky]

Just got my first metal ions results---normal! Both values 1.0 or under, well under the acceptable limit.


I had no reason to be concerned, but of course in the back of my mind was a little bit of worry. It has taken this long not because of Dr Gross or me, but the Quest lab I went to. They lost my results when I took the test back in early December and I had to retake it. The good news? I wasn't billed. They lost the financial part, too.


I should be adding a signature line, shouldn't I.


Dr Gross
bilat
11-15

[Glenn Urban]

Great update Blinky. Congratulations and keep posting. Beautiful that all is going well.

[surratt]

Blinky im just 3.5 months into my bilateral but I just want to say that your posts here helped me more than any other...I thank you for documenting all this and you were my go to when i was experiencing things i wasnt sure about.  Its awesome to see you are doing great.  I updated my post as well!

[blinky]

Thanks! My motivation was to help others the way I had been helped by those who went before me. I studied the recovery stories for guidance on what to expect and what to do. By posting your story, you will help the next wave of bilats.

[karlos.bell]

 :) Cool keep it up Blinky.....

[hernanu]

Congrats and keep up the good work, blinky.