Ruby, you won't think about it after 12 months, you'll be shaking that booty in the Latin and gliding beautifully with the ballroom (can you tell I watched strictly first season?). Mike, long term dont worry, I will be cautious and concious especially in odd contortions 1 year and beyond, normal manoeuvres I won't think about post 1 year. I am very cautious and was with my resurfacing too, but honestly i forget that it isn't naturally mine now. I think our thrs will be just as good but we might need to be a bit more aware to begin with. They are large headed, they were installed by the best in the business, we've just got to do our bit too.  ;)

You've just posted, Anna, I'm in fits of giggles! You live in a pub?!?, we are all coming over for the inaugural surface hippy convention! You crack me up! Xx

Anna i wouldnt worry too much about dislocation etc. You will be under the care of an EXCELLENT surgeon in Mr O Hara! The large head THR's have a very very low dislocation rate.

Glad ive cheered you up Sal!  :) Yup, my parents own a pub in the heart of Yorkshire in the middle of nowhere. The locals speak their own language that not even I understand and ive lived here for the best part of 25 years!!! I suppose thats one plus point of having to move back home last week due to my rubbish disablility ..... good food and free beer ... every cloud has a silver lining. Any hippy is welcome!

Danny - very low dislocation rate is not the same as zero x

Even the natural hip has a dislocation rate hun. Im pretty sure the large head thr's have the same dislocation rates as the natural hip ie 1 in 1000 x

Hmmmm, well if your sure ... but its still those first 6 weeks. They dont give you a 90 rule for nothing!  ::)

I'm not saying don't be careful but I don't think that the problem is a big one. Speak to Mr O he will know the score far better than any of us ;) I think he was involved in the delta motion hip so he's not too shabby at his job ;D

Hey Anna, 6 weeks after your 7 years of pain. It's a trade off. You 'll be alright, we can clear away all the space hoppers, low branches, errant walls etc  ;D.   There's going to be a monster piss up at your pub when you're fixed, we'll all come! Xxxx

6 weeks of being careful is a fine trade off for being out of OA for the rest of your life ;-) Mr OH will know better than all of us, so go by him  :) x

Just think Anna, Nick Skelton won Olymic Gold after both a THR and a broken neck. ANYTHING is possible. You are a positive girl, you have enough get up and go to fuel a rocket. You're going to be fine xx

Sorry about all the negative vibes, Anna.
Not enough sleep = too much time to convince yourself that you're the exeption to the rules!

Nothing wrong with discussing this, Mike - it's a real issue and one of the things we need to watch for, it is good to know the statistics (from the Australian registry, over ten years), which are a very low incidence. After three years, for THRs the rate flattens out.

Dislocation happens at a rate of about 1-2% for small head THRs, about 0.5 to 1% for large head THRs. For those of us it happens to, it's obviously a serious thing and can lead to a revision.

It does happen much more often earlier in recuperation in THRs, but on the whole is not the highest reason for revision. It accounts for about 20% of all THR revisions.

Sorry guys, thats just my silly sense of humour coming through. I was just trying to make everyone smile. I guess its hard to get that accross through email whe you dont know me!  :o Dislocation is probably my biggest worry yes, for the rasons I said, but not enough to lose sleep over so keep talking! I want to know more Mike!!!!

Good statistics there Hern :)

Anna-
I'm not sure my last message came across as intended-funny sometimes when you read it back and think it sounds different than you meant!
When I'm sat up at 3a.m, can't get comfy, watching rubbish on TV, I'll look on here at some of the sections that don't get as many posts: revisions, infection, dislocations etc.
I then find I get fairly negative about my surgery and I'ts too easy to think the worst.
However, when morning comes and the sun shines, things are so different- everything is positive and I wonder why I thought that way.
Then I realise that they don't get as many posts because there arn't too many problems overall.
At those times, I love to read any comments on the forum by the voices of experience- hern, danny, sal, bliss etc. Anyone, in fact, who have had these same issues.
This site is so good for the soul!

I agree. This site has been a god send during some of my 'darker' moments both before and after surgery.

I have suffered with the post-op blues for sure, but reading the kind, positive comments from Anna, Danny, Hern, Mike, Sal, Suze, Pat etc have been wonderful for morale.

Thank you all. I wish we all lived closer so we could have a big Hippy meet! Mike and I almost did lol! x

Got the clips out today-feels a lot different walking without them pinching.
I keep looking down at the wound site , it still looks huge but still very early I suppose so I'm not entertaining any negative thoughts about it!

Feels better doesn't it?  I just wish I could get past the worry of it opening, I keep checking it!! :D

Clips out for me tomorrow! Another milestone! x

Sounds all good guys  ;D

Hi all-
I've been wondering how the recent hippys have been doing as the hospital pain meds have ended.
I thought I'd give it a go at toughing it out and just take a couple of parecetemol as and when, but it didn't work out.
I went back to see my doc yesterday after a really uncomfortable night, and got some proper painkillers again, its so much better.
Hope you're all pain free and making progress.
Also, I've found that doing the exercises three times a day, just slow and steady, not pushing too far, makes a big difference.
I can feel the strength coming back each time I lift my leg up. There's been a few times I'd rather not do them but it's well worth it.

I'm with you Mike on the excercises, slow and steady. I've been lucky on the pain front. It's swollen and tender and the worst bit is the weight shift when your bum touches the chair until you are sitting spreading the pressure  ;). 

I've been taking regular paracetamol, the odd ibroprufen and one Tramadol at night. Things are definitely on the up, I woke up uncomfortable last night but instead of the first thought being more pills, I was just annoyed at the irritating song going round in my head. Got up to go to the loo, stretch a bit and got back to sleep for a further hour until I needed to move BUT, I didn't take any more pills. I think I was taking so much pre op, my body is just enjoying being free of chemicals.  I can't wait for the day that I can put all the strong painkillers back to the pharmacist and shut the paracetamol and ibroprufen away until the odd headache or hangover requires them.

Oh the song if anyone is bored enough... " santa's a Scotsman" my children's hilarious favourite from last Christmas. In August? I must be Xmas panicking subconsciously  :D