Hi all.
Just got home from hospital (Wed, Sept 22, 2010) after surgery two days ago. Am doing great - easily walking on two crutches but mostly just using a single cane. Still painful to lift leg while lying down - Dr. says it will take a few days for muscle to turn back on, but does not affect walking. Doing stairs at my house to go up and down to patio. I feel great. Hoping recovery continues as well as it has in just two days.
I am 47, male, 6'5", and a former casual runner (30 miles per week) but stopped 2 years ago due to pain. Picked up road bike, which I enjoy very much. But, the cartilage was gone, bone on bone, much pain, so went to Dr. Schmalzried at the Joint Replacement Institute in LA. He's a tall (6'8") and fun guy, who really inspired confidence. He said I was a good candidate for resurfacing vs. Total Hip Replacement, so I set the date.
My brother drove me to downtown LA Monday morning at 5 am (hey - no traffic at that time). Checked in and was rolled into the surgery room about 9 and given the knock out drops (epidural and general). Next thing I knew I woke up around 2:00 in my hospital room for the next couple days. Was very woozy, and threw up a few times from the anesthesia. Did not eat at all Monday. But around 4:00 the physical therapist took me walking! Used a walker and he told me to put as much weight on the right leg as I could. I was amazed I was walking on the day of surgery. Had a lousy night puking, but in the morning was much better and used crutches (no more walker) to go around the 6th floor of St. Vincent Hospital 4 times. The PT also took me up and down stairs. This seemed crazy to be so active so soon, but they were encouraging it. Don't misread me - the walking was great, but getting into and out of bed was very painful due to the "dead weight" of my leg.
Today they released me home around 12:00 (after yummy hospital lunch - actually not that bad), and I easily walked up my stairs (with crutches) to home and relaxing, going on walks about every 30 mins for exercise. Difficult to put on socks and pants, but use a "grabber" which greatly helps. I live alone and am getting along fine. Family and friends keep bringing in food - so I'm set for awhile.
A few other notes: I get 120 degree angle bend of leg, not 90 degrees as I see many on this site, which is making it easy to use the toilet seat and getting in and out of cars. Also, I was supposed to get the Converse Plus System, but the doctor said when they got in there, my bone was bigger than Converse provided so they slipped on the Cormet/Corin devise which comes in larger sizes. Also, Dr. Schmalzried used an amazing stitching technique so it is all under the skin. There are not sutures, staples, or anything that show or need to get pulled out. I get to remove all bandages Saturday, take my first shower, and don't have to put any bandages back on. Everything is sealed. The only time I see the doctor again is in 6 weeks, and if I want to drive before that he says it's fine as long as it is safe (leg strength) and not on any pain killers - which by the way I have not had at all today as I am not in any pain!!
They say it varies as a patient heals, but I should not have any stiffness or pain in 3 to 6 weeks and possibly driving in 3 to 4 weeks. I have no restrictions on activities at all except what pain will allow and for no internal rotation of the knee and exceeding the 120 degree angle. After 3 months (when soft tissue heals) I will have no restrictions at all and hope to return to biking and light jogging soon (hey - maybe full running again).
So I am very impressed with this web site (Thanks Pat) and with the expert team of Dr. Schmalzried.
Ted