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Author Topic: 21 Months and finally happy !!  (Read 2391 times)

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B.I.L.L.

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21 Months and finally happy !!
« on: June 29, 2010, 02:46:11 AM »
Hi guys, I haven't posted in awhile due to some computer issues and work load. Just wanted to touch base with you all and give an update on my progress. At 18 months I was still having some swelling and pain issues and after my "My butt hurts" post in the recovery issues topic I changed a few things and it seems to be working. Basicly I stopped stretching and doing strengthening exercises every single night after working cleaning pools all day and concentrated on just doing my job (wich invloves being on my feet all day, lots of squatting and carrying heavy equipment, opening and closing gates with my feet, getting in and out of the car all day etc.) and resting at night with very gentle stretching every 2-3 days. I know now that I was over doing it. It was starting to get busy at work so I quit doing all the exercises so I could save myself for work. After about 2-3 weeks the swelling subsided and I started being able to work longer hours without swelling or pain. I have also tripled my water intake, forcing down bottles of water even when I don't feel thirsty. I still get soreness somedays but not everyday, and I feel like I am still progressing even at almost 2 years.  As far as limitations go, I feel like I can do anything I want, the hip feels strong and solid, no complaints there.  In the last month I have surfed, bodysurfed, raced motocross, rode bikes and gone on hikes, with little to no pain...I'll tell you what I'll take it ;D.  It seems like the worlds longest recovery but as of today it feels pretty damn good (knock on wood haha) I still have concerns about longevity with the steep cup angle and possible ion issues, but like I said I'm finally satisfied with the performance and it seems to be getting better and better as more time passes by.   Anyway hope everyone is doing well, good luck and thanks for taking the time to read this, Bill 8)

LOGAN13

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Re: 21 Months and finally happy !!
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2010, 07:32:00 AM »
Congrats Bill....Posts like yours is great news for all of us. I just pasted 10 weeks on my road to recovery & have (on a smaller scale) had frustrating moments....wishing my recovery would speed up. I guess I have been spoiled with how much better I feel since my BHR that I sometimes expect perfection...my bad  ;). Your post brings me back to reality. It is a work in progress & I am thankful for my new lease on life.

Again....Congrats  ;D

jwtoto

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Re: 21 Months and finally happy !!
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2010, 10:04:16 PM »
First off, congrats on feeling better, Bill. And secondly thanks for validating a thought I recently had about stretching and rehab exercise. I think that as the patient we feel that the only thing we can control is how diligently we do what the physical therapists tell us to do. My PT has be doing stretching and exercise three times a day. I have been doing my best to keep up with this regimen but it is getting a bit too much I think. I am actually experiencing problems with other parts of my leg, knees, good hip, etc. It's just that I want to get back to normal so much that I will do anything to get there and sometimes I am my own worst enemy. So, although it is too early to just quite doing stretching and exercises I am going to back off a little to see how that works. Sometimes less is more.

                                 Keep getting better,

                                           Jerry
Jerry RBHR Dr. Su 4/15/2010

B.I.L.L.

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Re: 21 Months and finally happy !!
« Reply #3 on: June 30, 2010, 09:27:33 PM »
First off, congrats on feeling better, Bill. And secondly thanks for validating a thought I recently had about stretching and rehab exercise. I think that as the patient we feel that the only thing we can control is how diligently we do what the physical therapists tell us to do. My PT has be doing stretching and exercise three times a day. I have been doing my best to keep up with this regimen but it is getting a bit too much I think. I am actually experiencing problems with other parts of my leg, knees, good hip, etc. It's just that I want to get back to normal so much that I will do anything to get there and sometimes I am my own worst enemy. So, although it is too early to just quite doing stretching and exercises I am going to back off a little to see how that works. Sometimes less is more.

                                 Keep getting better,

                                           Jerry



Thanks Jerry and Logan,
Don't get me wrong, I'm a firm believer in PT and stretching, you have to rebuild all those muscles that were cut, tugged on and pulled out of the way out of the way, not to mention their decline in use over the years as the hip got worse and worse. But sometimes you need to listen to your body and take a break I guess ?  I don't know... Throughout my whole recovery it has seemed like there is a very fine line between doing too much vs. not enough. Too little and you don't make much progress and feel like your stagnating, too much and you go backwards and create a bunch of pain and stress for yourself.  The frustrating part about that fine line for me was you don't really know if you've crossed it until the next day when you're telling yourself "Oh shit I shouldn't have done that"  Haha. ;D
 I really don't know why it took me so long to recover and get to the point I'm at, I did the pt I was supposed to, and as soon as I could work, I worked.  I finaly got to where I was working 8 hours+ a day and was too sore and tired to do the exercises at night. I started concentrating on getting more sleep and rest after work instead of an hours worth of exercises and yanking my leg every wich way to gain r.o.m. back, and lo and behold the work during the day began to hurt less and less.  Maybe the work cleaning pools is enough pt now ?  Maybe it would have taken me almost two years to get strong and pain free no matter what my program was ?  Maybe my muscles had to be "re-trained" to get used to the different geometry due to my steep and shallow cup ?  Maybe the doctor was a hack and chopped through way more good parts than needed ? (My scar is one of the longest I've heard of) Maybe I was too fat and out of shape or waited too long to have the surgery ?  Maybe I'm kidding myself and my leg will come off next week ?, I don't know ;D    All I know for sure is that since I backed off a little the progress has been better, and for that I am extremely gratefull 8)   I can't tell you how good it feels to type some good news in this forum, I don't know how long any of you have been reading my posts but trust me I've been all over the map, some docs said leave it, some said re-do it asap, and some said who knows....hopefully my current trend will continue. I have actually gone for hours and sometimes a day or 2 without thinking about my hip, and that hasn't happened for almost 10 years. 8)   
Good luck to all and thanks for taking the time to read this, Bill.

John C

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Re: 21 Months and finally happy !!
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2010, 01:08:00 AM »
Hey B.I.L.L.,
Since we had our surgeries at about the same time, I have been following your up and down story. I am really happy to hear that you are on a major upswing, and fully expect that it will continue.
Best of luck on a hip that will just keep getting better!
John/ Left uncemented Biomet/ Dr Gross/ 6-16-08
Right uncemented Biomet/Dr Gross/ 4/25/18

bothdone

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Re: 21 Months and finally happy !!
« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2010, 04:43:22 AM »
Hi B.I.L.L

Good to hear your good news.  Over the years I've had my new hips ( 6 and 2) I've had all kinds of aches and pains.  Some of it I put down to overdoing things, some of it is down to getting older!   ;D.     I've found easing off for a few days or weeks usually helps.   

I really hope your recovery continues to get you better.

Best wishes

Ed
LBHR 25 May 2004
RBHR 19 March 2008

stevel

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Re: 21 Months and finally happy !!
« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2010, 01:05:04 PM »
Hi Bill,

Congratulations on your complete recovery!
I am also 21 months post-op and I've been happy since 6 months post-op since all restrictions were lifted and I haven't had any issues.
My next report will be at 2 years.
I check in to this website to see how fellow hippies are doing and to learn about new developments in hip resurfacings.
May we all be buried with our new hip resurfacing(s). :)
Steve
LBHR 60mm/54mm Dr Su 9/29/08 age 55
RBHR 60mm/54mm Dr Su 11/1/19 age 66
Age 71

B.I.L.L.

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Re: 21 Months and finally happy !!
« Reply #7 on: July 01, 2010, 03:34:04 PM »

May we all be buried with our new hip resurfacing(s). :)



Sounds good to me at long as it lasts another 35 years or so  8)

Thanks stevel, you supplied me with a lot of info and links going through this, it's appreciated.  Whenever Pat throws her Hippy get together party I'll buy you a beer ;D  , Bill

obxpelican

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Re: 21 Months and finally happy !!
« Reply #8 on: July 01, 2010, 04:12:35 PM »
Bill,


Sounds great, I am so glad your recovery has really kicked in so well, you sound like you get quite a workout without even doing a workout.  I'll be 2 years this August and after hitting my first year I've never looked back. 

Tonight we're playing our daughters in a fast pitch softball game (it's a surprise she does not know it yet) dads vs daughters for her rec ball league.   Our only worry is that all of our hearts hold out ;-)  I keep telling them to have an ambulance nearby.

Keep in touch,

Chuck
Chuck
RH/Biomet U/C Dr. Gross/Lee Webb
8-6-08

 

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