1/4/21 Biomet Magnum Uncemented Right Hip Resurfacing by Dr.Gross and Lee Webb

[MarvinB]

Whoo hooo!!!  6 week followup success!  X-rays looked “perfect” according to Ms. Webb.  No problems with motion of the repaired hip and strength was better than expected.  I received clearance for the next set of exercises as outlined on Dr. Gross’s webpage.  A bit disappointing that I won’t be able to bike or kayak on our late April beach vacation, but the 6 month “mind that hip” rules shall be followed to the letter.  Many beach and mountain vacations in the near future and I WILL be healthy enough to enjoy them with ZERO restrictions.  Got to hold an implant similar to mine, although smaller.  Much heavier than expected.  The smoothness and range of movement between the two Biomet components was incredible!  They fit together so well that there almost seemed to be suction or magnetism holding them together.  Neither of course, just awesome design and machining.  On to Phase II exercises!

[MarvinB]

I think last night may have been the first uninterrupted solid night of sleep since OCTOBER!!!!  Not sure if it was the new exercises that I did twice, one set before dinner and one before bedtime, or just the total activity of the day, or the two Advil at bedtime, maybe just because I feel so doggone GOOD, or a combination of several factors.  I am just plain GRATEFUL for an excellent night of sleep.  Did the new exercises this morning before breakfast.  Tied my shoes for the first time since before the surgery.  So happy to finally be able to touch my toes again.  It truly is the little things in life...  gave myself a toenail trimming!!  Advice to you Future Hippies:  trim the toenails the morning of your surgery or treat yourself to a pedi.  You’ll thank yourself later.  Almost started poking holes in my socks!  The new exercises are tough.  Starting out slow doing only as much as I could without discomfort, but pushing through a little bit.  I found that both sides are a lot weaker than I thought, but managed to go from only 5 reps yesterday to 10 this morning with no problems.  Stay tuned!!    :D

[MarvinB]

Managing more reps on the exercises.  It’s amazing the improvement from day 1 (“AAAAHHHHH!!  I CAN’T EVEN DO THREE!!!”) to day 4 (“Gee, I don’t have time to do twenty...). Since being cleared to exceed the 90 degree rule, i’ve been able to tie my shoes all this week.  Again, it’s the little things that you take for granted that can bring you the most joy and will NEVER be taken for granted AGAIN!! Laced up the hiking boots for the first time since last year to go for a woods hike with the family this morning.  Didn’t get to do our annual New Year’s Day hike in Hitchcock Woods due to Covid and poor weather so we’ve been looking forward to this.  Heading to the woods in a few...

[MarvinB]

2.2 miles in the woods yesterday!!  Mostly flat walking with not much elevation change.  Last night’s sleep was good initially, but woke up at 12, 2, and 4 with hip pain.  Don’t think it was from the hiking, just that annoying “sleeping the wrong way” or accidentally letting my legs cross in my sleep.  I told my wife I was going to invent a human rotisserie that you strap yourself into.  It will slowly roll you around during the night to keep the blood circulating. Might make getting up to pee interesting!  EMERGENCY STOP!!!  :)

Managed 15 reps each on the new exercise regimen.  Guess I need to start shopping for those ankle weights I’m going to need soon.  Heading back to a different trail today with the family.  Really missed the woods walkies!!

[MarvinB]

2.7 yesterday!  Still mostly flat, but navigating some very wet sand and puddles from all the rain we’ve had.  Beautiful cool sunny day.  Great to be outside and hiking without a bum hip!  The woods are good for the soul.  Didn’t have have any residual hiking pain today, but took two Advil before bed last night, just in case, and slept really well.  Think I’ll do the same tonight.

[jimbone]

Hey Arthur-

Great to hear your recovery is progressing so well.  It's a wonderful feeling to experience Life again without the OA pain, isn't it?  Congratulations and keep on keeping on.  Gonna be good again.  One recommendation I got from another poster here- avid elite skier/surfer- was the Bosu ball.  Started using it at the health club and worked up to single leg partial squats.  Great for regaining strength and stretch of the external rotators that take a hit from the surgery, but it was a good several months before I could start those.  They helped a lot in finally getting the last of the scar tissue released and working again.  Take your time and enjoy every pain free day.

[MarvinB]

Thanks Jimbone!  That it is!  I saw those at our Planet Fitness, but didn’t know what the were called.  When we get back to the gym, I’ll try them out.  I’ve been working the non-op leg along with the involved just to keep even and aligned.  The involved side catching up to the non-op faster than I thought it would!  No Advil last night and slept well.  Happy for that!!

[MarvinB]

I’ve been considering NOT going back to the gym.  I’ve been really enjoying mixing beginner yoga poses into my prescribed strengthening/stretching exercises and putting on a yoga lesson on YouTube.  Some relaxing nature scenery and soothing music seems to be more beneficial to me than a noisy gym and rushing after work to get there.  A nice walk in our neighborhood listening to the birds and dogs barking, kids riding their bikes, and folks walking their dogs is SO much better than a treadmill.  Plyometrics and light stretching just seems good for the soul.  Think I’ll stick with this for a while at least until these “challenging times” are over.  May reevaluate if the muscles start getting saggy.   :P

[imgetinold]

I was around 40 when I first started having symptoms, and also was told I'd need a hip replacement.  I waited for years until the pain was too much, and started researching.  I actually found out about resurfacing early on in my research, because I was so young and I was (am) very active.  I live in a suburb of Atlanta, and found a doctor in Atlanta that did them.  When I had my appointment with him, he said he doesn't do them anymore, but he assured me that a THR was just as good.

NO THANK YOU.


So, I did more research and found Dr. Gross, who is just 3 hours away.


I find that doctors who don't do resurfacing actively discourage it, and they even use statistics that are not resurfacing-specific (metallosis) to disparage the procedure, even though those statistics include THRs.  I can't remember exactly which article I read that pointed this out, but it's out there.

Best of luck!

[MarvinB]

Totally agree, Andy.  I hate to think it would be because of greed, since a patient’s future and quality of life is on the line.  Why would a surgeon be motivated to do one of these complicated yet beneficial surgeries in the morning and one in the afternoon when they can make more money doing three THR’s in the morning and three in the afternoon and charge the same amount for each procedure?  I still believe its a money thing...

Walkies are getting longer, hip is feeling better, yoga stretches are getting easier... life is good!  I felt some twinges in the non-op hip this last week.  Reminded me of the first shots-across-the-bow I had when the right hip pain started 5 years ago.  Dernit, I was hoping for at least a couple of months pain-free.  I was planning to hold out for another 2 years before visiting Dr. Gross again, but age and nature may have other plans.  Don’t want to go back to Advil and Aleve like candy just yet!

[MarvinB]

4/4 will mark 3 months of progress.  Yay!  We’ll be out of town visiting family on the coast, walking on the beach and enjoying some great food and family time, so probably no time for logging.  Will be enjoying whatever my Bro-in-law has on tap in his Kegerator (hear that, Dannythebeerman?)  ;D. The Mrs. got her second vax yesterday and I had mine in February, so we’re ready for some quality active time with the fully-vaxed family.  I’ve been adding back some yoga stretches I haven’t been able to do since before surgery.  Feeling good.  Still getting the “clunk” or “thunk” as some call it:  the muscle moving over the implant.  Not uncomfortable, just weird!  Feels like something is going to give, but I’ve been able to do all kinds of floor stretches and standing stretches with no issues.  We’ve been walking almost two miles every day.  Getting stronger, but need to work on the winter/COVID belly now.  Definitely feel good enough to get it done. 

[imgetinold]

Have fun!  Expect some extra tiredness and possible soreness from walking on the beach.  I went for a weekend visit to Folly Beach, SC at about the 3 month point.  A 2 mile or so beach walk and my glute was done.  Much different (to me) than walking on the sidewalk/road.

[obxpelican]

Hope your follow up with Dr. Gross went well.  I am a Dr. Gross Hippie from August 08.  I was one of the earlier uncemented patients of Dr. Gross and I would do it again in a heartbeat. 

I am a side sleeper and I remember the first time I could roll and sleep on my side, it was pure heaven.

Glad to see folks are still utilizing Miss Patty's forum, this is arguably one of the best hippie forums around for sure.

-Chuck

Tail end of week 6!  Follow up with Dr. Gross and Ms. Webb scheduled for this Tuesday.  I decided to try Advil tonight to see if it will stave off the pain that keeps waking me up.  I can’t figure out if I’m accidentally exceeding the 90 degree rule or fidgeting in my sleep and letting my legs cross, or what.  My kingdom for a solid night’s sleep!!  Haven’t been on a walk for the last two days because of rain here.  Tomorrow, it’s a rain jacket and hiking boots, dernit!  Hoping to get clearance for the next stage of exercises and get back to stretching and light yoga.  I was happy to hear a couple of co-workers tell me last week it looked like my limp was gone.  Even though a muscle will misfire occasionally,  I can maintain a pretty brisk pace walking for over a mile.  More to come!  Happy Valentines Day, Fellow Hippies!

[MarvinB]

Thanks, Andy and Chuck!  No soreness whatsoever from the soft Carolina beach sand.  Spent the day playing bocce with the family and chased my very-active 6-year old great-nephew around the playground at Huntington Beach State Park!  He crashed on the way home... I was ready for more!  Beautiful day in the sunshine.  Needed that extra vitamin D after this winter.

I’ve noticed more occasional jabs in the left hip in the past couple of weeks, just as Dr. Gross predicted.  My retirement present to myself in 2 years may be to become a bilateral Surface Hippy.  I definitely will not put it off or cover it up with NSAIDS this time.  I haven’t had to take ANYTHING for over three weeks now.  THAT’S progress!

By the way, dannythebeerman, it was Wicked Weed Pernicious IPA and Terrapin Hopsecutioner IPA in the Kegerator.   8)

[MarvinB]

A straight month now with no NSAID’s...  not even Tylenol!  :D. Walking over 2 miles every day.  The left hip is behaving itself for now, so that’s good.

We lost our little walking partner of 19 years on March 31.  He was a little machine on the walkies and quite an inspiration and motivator to the very last.  We miss you, Cisco!

I’ve kinda hit a plateau on exercises.  Trying to do a straight set of 30 leg lifts and there is a jabbing pain in the psoas muscle (which has been recently renamed to “sorea$$ muscle).  I back off a bit and do 15 to 20 for a few days, then try to add a few more every day.  Back to that whole “two steps fore, one step aft” progression again.  I figured to be adding the 1 lb ankle weights by mow, but I’ll be patient and not overdo.  All good things in time, I suppose.

More to come!

[jimbone]

Have you been doing clamshells and sideward walking with resistance bands?  Not so much for the psoaz but the rotators.  I found strengthening them was a challenge that supported the other and the core.  Next step for me was squats on the Bosu ball, same purpose and same results.  Sounds like you're progressing one step ahead of the other.  Congratulations.

[MarvinB]

Clamshells yes, but without the resistance bands.  Those I will add at 6 months.  July 4 will be true Independence Day!  I managed 15 leg lifts on each leg, holding for 10 secs, then down, switched to the non-op leg for 15 more, then back to the op leg.  I think both legs are pretty much even now, so that’s good.

Ready to walk on the sand of the Florida panhandle for our vacation next week.  Can’t ride a bike until 7/4 or squat to get in my kayak, but lots of walkies will be just fine!

[MarvinB]

Wow, I could get used to this!  White sugary sand and boat drinks!  The toughest decision every day is...left or right?   8)

Went on a five mile round trip in soft sand in the state park on Monday with no issues.  Walks of about a mile up and down the beach two or three times every day.  Built sandcastles yesterday and received the approval of a young lady who put us to shame with her artistry.  She looked to be about six.  I think for fifty years older, we gave her a little competition.  Serious sandcastle building is hard work, but about as Zen as you can get.  My knees got a serious pumicing, but haven’t felt this good in years!  It’s never too late to have a happy childhood!   :D

I think the extra doses of vitamin D every day are not only good for hip recovery, but the soul as well.  No painkillers needed.  The frozen margaritas haven’t been required, just appreciated!  Unfortunately, we will head home Saturday and back to work on Monday.  I’ll do my best to keep the activity level high upon our return.  Now where do I put that sandbox in the back yard?   ???

[MarvinB]

The walks in the sun on the sand have done wonders:  three days in a row of 30 straight leg lifts on each side.  The op leg is now as strong as the non-op!  Yay!  Ordered these while on vacation:  http://ironwearfitness.com/anwrirhawran4.html  I’m all about buying American!  Will keep up the straight 30 for another week or so while waiting for these to come in.  I have the stretch bands on standby for the 6 month mark.

I noted on our first morning walk since coming home from the beach that the non-op hip started misbehaving again.  Nasty groin pain that didn’t really bother me at all last week.  Seems the stride I can do on flat pavement aggravates more than the short steps on the beach.  The clock is ticking louder...

[MarvinB]

Started with one pound on each ankle this last Monday and can still do a straight 30 leg lifts and side lifts with no problem.  I think I’ll continue with the one pound for another week and then add the second pound to each.  Counting down to July 4 Independence From Restrictions Day!   :D  I’m planning to start gentle stretching so I can hunker down again and work towards that goal of sitting crosslegged in front of the Christmas tree.  Golf, bicycling and kayaking just in time for the hot Southern summer… oh boy!   8)