JSS Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Gross 2015
January 9, 2015
We’re now home in Dallas after a Biomet hip resurfacing with Dr Gross. It was an uneventful surgery and Dr Gross is expecting a “normal” recovery after which I will have no restrictions.
The pre-surgery appointment was incredibly enlightening. He blames most failed resurfacings on mal-placement of the acetabular cup. I know we’re all familiar with the problems associated with “edge loading” the components. We discussed all of the issues that I had, and before we were done, I was 100% certain that I’d made the right choice in choosing him.
I woke up in recovery pain free. As you all know, that wouldn’t last. My insurance, UHC, didn’t have a contract with the surgery center, so I had to spend the night in Providence Orthopaedic Hospital. We played catch-up on pain beginning the next morning. They’d pumped me full of oxycontin and another fast acting pain killer. Those caused problems as bad as the pain. My urine production had slowed way down, but they checked me out anyway. Later that day I was nauseated and vomiting, and I couldn’t pee (my bladder wasn’t filling). I discontinued all pain medicine and within 4 hours those symptoms resolved. No more nausea and I was up from 12:30-4AM this morning peeing.
The trip to the airport and then the flight and drive back home was uneventful. I’m haven’t taken any pain medicine, except for acetaminaphine, since mid-day yesterday. I HATE taking pain pills and unless I have a spike in pain, I’ll just stay on acetaminapnine.
January 16, 2015
A 10 day post-op update.
The clunking continues (incurred maybe … 4 times a day), but as y’alls testimonies say this is normal, I’m not concerned. I was able to discontinue acetaminophen yesterday and removed dressing placed at the time of surgery. To my surprise the incision had already stopped oozing and had no scabs. I’m not going to use that as an excuse to hammer out 1000 meters in the pool, but I’m very happy with the incision. Mobility and pain with movement gets a little better each day, and I even managed to sleep on my non-operative side for a bit last night.
Though I knew it would get better, the first three or four days were kind of … discouraging. I’m sure glad to be past that. Of course cabin fever is setting in pretty strongly. Today has been the first nice day here (Dallas) where one could go outside and not freeze down to the implant. It was nice to stand outside (on crutches) for a few minutes today.
February 8, 2015
Four and a half weeks post-op and am now more ambulatory than before surgery. If I concentrate on it, I can walk without a limp.
Yesterday the wife and I went for a leisurely 3 mile stroll through Breckenridge Park; my first attempt at anything over a half mile. I wanted to walk the whole park, but the gluteals that Dr Gross navigated through were complaining by the time we got to fork in the path that required a decision to go back to the car or go on a 5-ish mile loop. So we went back to the car. They feel Ok now, the morning after, but they did complain the rest of the day yesterday.
March 4, 2015
I had my six week check up two weeks ago. I had x-rays and an appointment with a PT and the sent it all off to Gross for evaluation.
The PT put me through all kinds of stretches, strength and ROM measurements. While I am pain free and get around without a limp (after the first few steps after standing), the evaluation showed me that I have a long way to go. She put me on a stationary bike. As I’ve made a habit out of 60-100 mile bike rides, I figured it would be easy. Whew! I had to move the seat to the highest position and then struggled on each cycle as the pedal on the operative side approached top-dead-center.
She assured me that I was doing great for being only six weeks post op. She went over all of the phase 2 exercises that you’re supposed to begin at 6 weeks. Except for the two that used the hip abductors and lateral rotators, I had no problem. The ones that gave me trouble were the ones that used the muscles through which Gross navigated to get to the joint. For the first 10 or so days, I could do the phase 2 exercises only once every three days; far short of the prescribed three times per day. The aforementioned muscles that were effect by the surgery were unhappy for three days afterwards. I’ve finally gotten to where I can do them once a day; which is probably where I’ll hang out for a while.
May 9, 2015
I’m 4 months post-op and like everyone else that’s posted, I have the same clunking. It’s pretty common. I only notice it when I’m standing and shifting my weight in certain ways.