June 24, 2011

45 and scheduled for resurfacing in September (although I am only doing one hip at a time)!!

I was recently diagnosed with OA in both hips. it sounds like I have a little more pain than you. my OA has caused me to give up a lot of things that I enjoyed the most … running, snowboarding, surfing … I have slowly had to give these up “over time”. sitting and sleeping … no pain. although my walking is affected, I don’t have what I would really call pain.

August 10, 2011

I had an appointment with Dr. Della vale/mor/rush this June and had a very positive experience. the hospital floor is super well organized (it’s color coded) and ran efficiently (I went from x-rays to exam room to ct scan and back to exam room and waited less then 5 minutes in each place). the staff was nice and Dr. Della Valle seemed confident, willing, and able to answer all questions. I had heard several different people say very good things about him as a surgeon. his total number of resurfacings is not as much as some but he does seem to do enough to stay fresh (as far as I am concerned). after my visit with him was over, he introduced me to a 50+ male patient who was there for his 6 week post-op exam; the patient walked up and down the hall virtually limp free, said he felt great, and gave high praise to Dr. Della Valle … that was enough for me … my surgery date with him is 9/14 (5 weeks from today, if you were counting). feel free to ask me any question about him you want.

September 22, 2011

1 Week Post-Op … I feel like I had a very successful week one … woke up in recovery, with pretty much zero pain and that has continued throughout the week. left the hospital after 1 day (about 36 hours), walked with crutches during hospital PT #1 and walked up/down stairs during hospital PT #2 (was surprised how easy stairs are). my lower leg (foot, ankle, calf) is a little swollen even today (day 7) but not too bad; the rest of my leg is not swollen at all. so far, no bruising on my leg (yes, I said no bruising). getting in/out of bed was a little tough the first few days but now it is no problem. sleeping has been better than expected. I am just sleeping on my back even though I am a side-sleeper; I am able to sleep several hours at a time, wake up and can quickly fall back to sleep. I have been having in-home PT 3 times a week and that is going well. my leg gets a little sore after PT but it’s more like a good after working out sore than pain. I still have a long way too go, of course, but I could not have asked for a better first week. so far, I have been getting better every day without any set-backs.

September 29, 2011

2 week post-op report: so far, so good. everything is a little better in week two compared to week one. I had just minimal swelling in my ankle/calf and no bruising. I do 3 sets of “exercise” and take 3 walks each day (and a mid-afternoon nap, of course) … so my day is pretty busy!!! I am still on two crutches but I have a follow-up appointment with the doctor in one week and hope to hear him say all is going well and I will likely move off the crutches quickly from there. I am able to put a normal amount of weight on my operated leg and I have taken several steps without the crutches and things felt fine (i.e., step with the crutch, step with the crutch, step without the crutch). sleeping has gotten easier, too … being a side-sleeper, I am able to sleep for hours on my non-operated side; still can’t (or don’t want to) sleep on my operated side. the most surprising part so far has been that I have experienced virtually no pain in the hip area since waking up from the surgery. still have a long way to go …

October 8, 2011

Week Three Post-Op Update:

The Highs: still hip pain free!!! Moved from two crutches to one crutch to a cane. Able to walk (around the house) unassisted without pain. Able to get into and out of cars with ease; able to drive my own car with ease (my left leg was the operated side). Able to put away the raised toilet seat and the “grabber”. Able to put on my own socks and tie my own shoes!!!

The Not-So-Highs: Although probably walking better now than pre-surgery, I am not exactly walking completely “normal”. Outpatient PT says I have a slight “pelvis dip” due to weak gluteus maximus muscles; he said that is completely “normal” for someone just 3 weeks post op. I plan to go back to work full-time in 3 weeks (6 weeks post-op) and my goal is to be able walk into the office completely “pelvis dip free” like a “normal person”!!
October 21, 2011

brief week 4 and week 5 update: the operated hip is still doing great!! I can honestly say my operated hip joint is pain free (as others have said, it’s probably the most painless joint in my body). new things I have done during week 4 and week 5 include going to the gym on non-outpatient PT days and lifting weights (mostly upper body), riding the stationary bike (trying to take it easy but it feels so good), got into the swimming pool but per doctors/PT order not able to swim (so I did some pool walking, leg lifts, etc), used the elliptical last night, and the best new thing that I have done … being able to walk my dog by myself (65 lbs, Australian shepherd). oh, and in week 5 I have been able to sleep on my operated side (not all night long like I did pre-surgery but probably for like 1 hour-ish at a time).

November 13, 2011

week 8 update: I can’t believe how good the operated hip feels!! strength, ROM, flexibility are better than it has been since pre-OA days. my Saturday included … outside bike ride, few hours of yard work/leave raking, trip to the beach to walk the dog (walking on the sand felt great … I was a little nervous), visits to some stores for errands, and a trip to the gym for a good workout (weights and cardio); it was pretty much a non-stop day and the hip felt great the entire time. I refuse to say “I wish I had the operation sooner” but I am happy to say “I am so glad I had the surgery”.

May 2, 2012

Today I am four weeks post-op on my Right BHR with Dr Della Valle/Rush Hospital/Chicago.

The good news … after four weeks, I am feeling great. I can do all the daily living tasks like put on my socks, tie my shoes, walk up/down stairs foot-over-foot (not one at a time), and drive my car. I am completely off pain meds and am feeling way better than pre-surgery. Today, it outpatient PT I rode a stationary bike for the first-time for 10 minutes … completely pain free; that was a nice feeling (pre-surgery I had to dip my road bike down to about 10″ off the ground to get on it … I think those days are over).

I am still walking with a cane. If I walk without the cane, I have no pain but I have a small limp (due to a dippy, i.e., weak, pelvis). I had the same issue at this time after my first surgery. At this point, I feel that by my six week doctor appointment, I will be cane-free. limp-free, and pain-free … than the summer fun can start!! I love to walk in the sand at the beach and that activity has been so uncomfortable pre-surgery; it will be nice to walk in the sand pain-free and get back to other activities that I had to cut back on.

When I was told by multiple doctors that I needed bilateral hip replacement surgery at the age of 45, I was not looking forward to any of that process … now, four weeks after my second hip surgery, I am happy with my decision to have these operations sooner rather than later. It is amazing how “normal” these implants feel in my body!!

June 4, 2012

8 weeks post-op and I never thought I would feel this good. I want on vacation this week to a fitness/spa and, in addition to being pain free the whole time, some of the activities I did including … walking, standing, hiking, biking, spinning, swimming, pilates, and a few other fitness classes (bosu ball, etc). I even hit a few tennis balls but only the ones that were hit right to me.

two small, unexpected post-surgery joys: … 1) being able to put on my pants while standing up!! I have been sitting down to do this task for the past year or two. 2) when I drop something on the floor, I just bend over and pick it up (rather than my pre-routine that typically included a curse and some thought as to the best way to get down and back up).

July 6, 2012

Thought I would post a quick 3-month post-op update. in a word … doing excellent. I am able to be as active as I want to be (minus the impact sports restriction for 6 to 12 months). I remember pre-surgery reading someone post saying that “their hips are the most pain free joints in their body” … I found that hard to believe but I find it now to be true for me. so far, no moment how active I am, my hips always feel so good (I say “smooth and silky”). hoping that this feeling lasts a long, long time.

April 5, 2013

Today is my 1 year anniversary of becoming a bilateral hippy. I can still remember the day when the first doctor I saw said I needed two hip replacements (especially considering I made the appointment due to pain in one knee). I was in a semi-state of shock for a few days. the next 2 months were filled with research (including this site) and doctor visits (yes, visits … I saw a total of 5 doctors before setting my first operation date.

I had three levels of goals that I hoped to get from hip resurfacing: level 1 was being able to walk my dog (and around the office) pain free and without limping. was able to do this at about 6 weeks post-op!!

level 2 was to be able to go to the gym and have an intense work and feel good both during and after the workout. was able to do this at or around the 2 to 3 months post-op!!

level 3 was to be able to go surfing and snowboarding again. my OA had really affected my ability to both do and enjoy these two activities. I first surfed at about 4 months post-op (against doctor orders … shhh) and finally got to go snowboarding last week (hip wise, I could have gone sooner but weather-wise I waited for the perfect weather day).

the best words I can use to describe my 1 year results …. “amazing” and “night and day” (difference between before and after surgery). when the first doctor said I needed two hip replacements, I never thought I would ever feel as good as I do now!! can’t wait for a summer that will hopefully be filled with surfing, wakeboarding, TRX, and SUP!!

September 14, 2013

Today is my 2nd year anniversary of my left BRH. Amazing how nervous I was two years ago and how happy I am today. When the first doctor said I needed two hip replacements, at that time I never thought I would ever feel as good as I do now.

It has certainly been interesting and virtually all positive. I celebrated my 2nd year anniversary by going surfing for the 5th day in the last week which is a lot for any time of year in NJ!! I have never surfed better – although I think my new board has a lot to do with that so does my new hips.

My only mini-set back during the last two years was when I strained my calf running – yes, it was my first time running. And, my last. I never loved running (i.e., not my passion) and I took the injury as a sign that I should not be doing things that I don’t truly love. When people ask if I can run with my new hips, I tell them “I can but I choose not to”.

I had three goals when I decided to get the BHR.

1, be able to walk my dog pain free and limp free.

2, to go to the gym and get a good workout in.

3, to be able to surf and snowboard. Honestly, I would have been (very) happy to only reach my first goal but thanks to Pat, Vicki, both their sites, a friend in the medical, Dr. Della Valle and his staff, my sister and her family for letting me rehab in their home twice, and others I have meet along the way, I have been able to reach all three goals.

Is it too late to add a 4th goal? I have never kite boarded and that sure does look like a lot of fun.