Chuck's story

[obxpelican]

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Disclaimer:  Do not use my or any other person's recovery to gauge how your recover is going, everyone recovers at a different rate.  Many people have recovered faster than I have and many have taken longer, but guess what?  They all pretty much recovered in the end.


My recovery --- Operation date: August 6th 2008, 7:30AM
Columbia, SC  Dr. Thomas Gross, Lee Webb Assisting



Wednesday August 6th -Operation day:  Woke up from surgery, no pain at all, at 2:30 the PT people got me up and walking the hallway.  I had some nausea.  I had expected some pain but I was delighted to have zero pain.  I got asked if I wanted pain meds but I said no.

Day 1 post-op:  No pain until late in the day, had nausea from the surgery meds for the first 10-12 hours the day of the operation.  Took no pain meds until after dinner time today.  Walked the steps across from my room and walked the hallway several times.  I spent a number of hours sitting on the chair in my room.

Day 2 Friday Discharge Day:  Pain from around and under the incision, felt like a large monkey fist, this is the first day I took pain meds the whole day before I was discharged and in the evening.  We tried going out to dinner to celebrate my discharge from the hospital but I could not find a comfortable seated position.   I should have taken a pillow with me.  Ate my dinner at the hotel.

Day 3:  Pain like a bad cramp from around and under my incision, took pain meds before we left for Pittsburgh and was the passenger in our car for the first 4-5 hours, in Virgina we had a late lunch/early dinner I did not take pain meds then so I could drive 4 hours or so to get us to West Virginia where my wife took over.  At a rest stop in West Virginia my wife took over driving.  Sleeping is bad as I am not a back sleeper.

Day 4:  Pain like a bad cramp from around my incision, took pain meds when I got up, had swelling from the trip back to Pgh, elevated and iced the whole day on Sunday.  Walked around the house a lot with 2 crutches.

Day 5: Have been trying to get my leg into my own bed and I can almost drag it up myself.   I did not sleep well until last night, I slept in my own bed and was able to sleep almost the whole night, I am not a back sleeper so it's hard.  Took pain meds all day.

Day 7:  I slept on my good side and what a relief, I slept the whole night on my left side and it was the best sleep I've had in a week.  Since day 6 I've been on tylenol no need for anything stronger.  I can now put my leg in the bed by myself using my patented swing technique where I hook my bad leg with my good leg's foot.  Works like a charm.  I attended my daughters tryouts for fast pitch softball which lasted 2 hours.  I spent the time walking with my crutches.

Day 8:  I started using only one crutch today and I even dropped both crutches and walked 3 steps without any assistance, I got chicken and went back to one crutch.

Day 10: WOW!  Pain is down to a 1, my monkey fist is gone, I was told by Dr. Gross's surgical assistant that around days 9-11 is the magical time for Dr. Gross patients and she was right on.  I've tried walking without a crutch only around the house to go from my chair to the tv and back, still not real steady.  Still on one crutch.

Day  12:  Slept on both sides and what a relief, at around midnight I decided to try to roll over to my bad side and other than feeling like I am laying on a ball it feels great to sleep on my operated side.  Pain is just about all gone.

Day 13:  Walking around the house without a crutch at all for the better part of the day.  No pain, some stiffness and soreness but no pain that you can measure.  I still use a crutch outside because I am nervous of falling on an uneven surface.

Day 19:  Started going unassisted for short periods outside I can now easily get in and out of my car and blazer as my rom has really improved.

Day 22:  I am now going longer distances without any assistance whatsoever.  For my long walks I still take one crutch for insurance.  

Day 25:  Actually did some work around the outside of my house.  I used a weed whacker for about a 1/2 hour unassisted.  It was nice to be outdoors doing something without having to run to a chair every 5 minutes.

Day 28:  I have ditched my crutches, they are safely in my attic where I hope they will stay forever.

October 6th 2008.  Around 8 1/2 weeks post-op.  Played my first round of golf, was only going to play 9 holes but I continued on and I actually won the round of golf.  My golf buddies will never live down me beating the 3 of them just 8 weeks post-op.

I went back to work the first week of September, although I could have gone back probably weeks ago my classes do not restart until the beginning of Sept.

Fast forward.  I am now past the 6 month point.  I go to Bally's every Mon, Wed and Friday I do weights, I started squatting on the horizontal squat machine, I did 175# last night on the squat machine, I also do the abductor machines for inside and outside set at around 90 pounds.  I swim everyday we go to Bally's.    I still have startup stiffness but I've never had sharp pain like pre-op since the day I walked into the hospital.  My post-op pain never got worse than my worst day pre-op.  

I was someone who waited to the very end to get the surgery, I suffered for a long time before being diagnosed last February with end stage arthritis.  I am sure had I waited much longer I surely would been in a wheel chair or at very best 2 crutches just to get around.  I actually had to use crutches when the US Open was in Pgh a few years back as it was way too much walking for me then.

My advice to anyone out there, don't wait to get your life back, I gave up many things that I loved, golf, surf fishing, softball and riding my mountain bike, I was wrong, I should have gotten myself taken care of.

I now have zero limitations and this Summer I hope to play some softball, water ski and some water volleyball with my daughter and friends.  



Fast forward once again.  It's now been 1 year and almost 3 months for me, I am still doing well.  This past Summer I purchased a boat and jet skis, I got out water skiing, jet skiing, white water rafting, mountain biking and lots of water volleyball but I never got out and played on an over 50 softball team, I ended up being an assistant coach of my daughters fast pitch softball team.  

I have never regretted getting my hip done, the only regrets at this point is that I did not act more quickly.

Chuck