Congratulations Pat and thank you for all you have done to allow folks to become better informed on their surgery options.  This forum allowed me to make a well educated decision on my surgeon and device and I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome.  Success stories like yours are an inspiration for those of us expecting to have our new hips for the rest of our long lives.

That was just 3 days ago so I don't think he's landed yet. I'm sure he'll reply back after he finishes the jump. :p

Congrats Arrojo.. !!!

I wonder if athletes with healthy hips who see this will start asking for HR's to improve their performance?
  ;)  :-X

Pay;

Congratulations for your anniversary and for all the difference you have made in so many people's lives by running this site and being so incredibly supportive.

You are an inspiration

Dan

oldsoccerplayer, I have a Gross device as well.  Glad to hear you still boot it around.  Played since a kid through college myself and looking forward to getting back to all my sports with the new HRA put in by one of the best if not the best ortho surgeons around.

Happy to hear that you are going to dr gross, he does the uncemented ones too.  with your age, I think you are making the perfect decision.  I will be watching for post from you as April 8th approaches.

I had the MARS MRI last Thursday. I got a copy of the images on CD but I can't make much of what I am seeing.
No call yet with results. Not sure what I will be hearing and when, but I will be glad that we will have another piece of the puzzle.

UPDATE...got a call from Dr Brooks nurse that he wanted to see me on Thursday to discuss my MRI results. I asked the nurse if she could at least tell me if the results were abnormal vs normal and she simply said that Dr Brooks wanted to talk to me face-to-face.  :-\
I will update my thread after the appointment.

Follow-up questions.  I now have the Breg Polar Care Kodiac which I think is the one that Dr. Gross is currently using.

1.  The directions constantly emphasize not to let any part of the pad come in contact with the skin.  Have you all accomplished an insulation barrier by placing the pad over your clothing, or did you purchase the Breg Polar Dressing Insulation Barriers?
2.  When you want to turn this unit off/on, is it OK to simply remove the transformer plug from the top of the unit or is it necessary to unplug the transformer from the wall?  If the latter is required, then I'll purchase an extension cord with an on/off switch like oldsoccerplayer suggested.
3.  Is there any reason why frozen plastic water bottles couldn't be used over and over again instead of ice?  I can get 3-4 Vitamin Water bottles in my unit.  This seems like a better way to go, but nothing about this (or any of the other questions) are addressed in the instructions.

thanks

Quote from: DeviceGuy on March 24, 2015, 02:15:13 PM
Arrojo,
That's great you're competing, but enough suspense……..How far did you jump?  Where was the competition?

Hi there.  This was at the National Masters Track and Field Championships in Winston-Salem, NC.  My jump was 4.38 meters, about 13 1/2 feet.

Can't address questions 1 and 2 (as I have the Kodiak), though I think you could just unplug the cord at the device end and not the wall (as I did with my Kodiak).

Frozen water bottles probably work just fine, but would not transfer cold nearly as quickly because of the plastic barrier and the smaller surface area (a bottle as opposed to dozens of square cubes). I really don't know if that would make a noticeable or therapeutic difference. You could agitate the entire cooler to periodically to accelerate the cold transfer, but you probably wouldn't want to have to do that.

Sorry, can't help myself, but no one else has weighed in yet. I have made it a hobby to master the art of chilling a beer in two minutes or less (can, of course).

That is most excellent!!!  Congratulations.  So I need to ask, I realize you're landing in sand, but do you, did you, feel any discomfort with the landing?  I'm so jazzed to think I can get back to doing these sorts of things with a descent risk/reward.  I just am planning on doing impact activities that give me pleasure without the pain.  After complete recovery it's going to be fun to see where those limits are.  I do want this hunk of metal to last a very long time.  Thanks for reporting and best of luck in your future leaps.

Quote from: Miguelito on March 31, 2015, 05:58:13 PM
Can't address questions 1 and 2 (as I have the Kodiak), though I think you could just unplug the cord at the device end and not the wall (as I did with my Kodiak).

Frozen water bottles probably work just fine, but would not transfer cold nearly as quickly because of the plastic barrier and the smaller surface area (a bottle as opposed to dozens of square cubes). I really don't know if that would make a noticeable or therapeutic difference. You could agitate the entire cooler to periodically to accelerate the cold transfer, but you probably wouldn't want to have to do that.

Sorry, can't help myself, but no one else has weighed in yet. I have made it a hobby to master the art of chilling a beer in two minutes or less (can, of course).

I think you and I have the same device (Kodiak).  If you unplugged yours at the the device end without any problem, then that answers my question.  Also, I have learned that clothing (i.e., sweat pants, tee shirt, hospital gown, etc.) is an acceptable barrier.  The idea is not to let the pad itself directly touch your skin.  Your point about the surface area of ice v.s. frozen plastic bottles is spot on--at least for start-up cooling.  However, when the water ultimately reaches it's lowest temperature, my guess is that it makes no difference which type of ice you use.  Ice water is ice water.  Also, based on my camping experiences, the frozen plastic bottles will outlast cubes by a long shot.  Next time I get bored, I'll do a test run to compare. 

FWIW I used a towel between it and my sweats. I was plenty cold.

Well maybe I just didn't realize that you could unplug the device at the other end! Still I think that the extension cord with on / off switch is the most convenient and flexible. I had the unit on the floor in between the recliner and the table with the cord on it. It's been a while but it seems like the unit made an annoying buzzing sound so I put it on a towel on the floor and that seemed to work.

Quote from: DeviceGuy on March 31, 2015, 06:27:19 PM
That is most excellent!!!  Congratulations.  So I need to ask, I realize you're landing in sand, but do you, did you, feel any discomfort with the landing? 

Not at all.  I did wait 2 years after my surgery before long jumping (ie I waited to resume my long jumping until last summer).  I've read here that the bone grows around the implant for up to two years after surgery, so I was extra cautious with that.  But, I sprinted (100 meter dash) one year after surgery, and ran the Boston Marathon two years after surgery with no issues. 

Heck, I dont even think about the implant any more unless I am going through an airport metal detector. 

Quote from: DeviceGuy on March 31, 2015, 06:27:19 PM
I'm so jazzed to think I can get back to doing these sorts of things with a descent risk/reward.  I just am planning on doing impact activities that give me pleasure without the pain.  After complete recovery it's going to be fun to see where those limits are.  I do want this hunk of metal to last a very long time.  Thanks for reporting and best of luck in your future leaps.

:)  Thank you and yes, I have full clearance from Dr. Su to do whatever I want, so why not?  Just remember to keep focusing on the soft tissue - deep tissue massages, foam roller, Active Release Technique.  The pain most people experience after surgery (assuming all is well with the implant itself of course) is almost always related to scar tissue in the surrounding area, so you need to focus on that (I love A.R.T - going at least once a month, starting 6 weeks after my surgery).  Also, and make sure you are stretched and warmed up before any strenuous activity.

Great advice, thanks.

I saw Dr Brooks today. We looked at the xrays I have had done the past few months and the MARS MRI I had a few days ago.
Dr Brooks feels that I have a hairline fracture in the femoral neck.  Dr Brooks showed my husband and I, in great detail, what he was seeing and comparing the area on the xray to the area on the MRI.
He told me he was going to speak to the radiologists regarding further followup and get back with me.
Until then I am back on crutches, touch toe weight bearing.
When I look up signs and symptoms of hairline or stress fracture of the femoral neck I have all the symptoms.
Good news... <sigh> I can deal with crutches.

Just talked to Dr Brooks. No weight bearing  for 6 weeks, repeat xrays and followup with him.
I am so grateful that this is not a pseudotumor or failure. He is not concerned with my metal ions at this point but will repeat it at some point in the future to assure they are not going up.
Dr Brooks thinks this will heal 100%. (fingers crossed)

I'd recommend going to PT.  During my recovery PT period, my PT told me that he has seen a number of patients who had total hips done that have developed tendinitis many months post-op and attributed it to patients getting lazy with their excercises.  I've been finished with formal PT for quite a while now, but continue to do many of the excercises I did during PT, specfically a lot of rubber band work.  You can get some from your PT or a medical equipment store.

Rubber band work such as side steps, monster walks, clam shells, bridges, along step ups and squats on a bosa ball will all help keep you strong in the muscles that you need to stay well conditioned.

Just my $0.02.

Matt

mmooney42,
Matt,
Dr Brooks has advised me to avoid any weight bearing, what so ever, so I think most exercises are out. I do need to verify if I can do any isometric exercises and/or stretches.
Again, if this heals like he think it will, I will be THRILLED. But I understand the fracture can worsen if I don't do what I am told.
Beth