Chuck B’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Gross 2010
Chuck B Dr. Gross August 2010
October 15, 2011
Had a complicated HR done by Dr Gross in August 2010. He had me on his slow recovery program which included 6 weeks of crutches with 10% weight bearing. He also ordered no horseback riding for a year. I felt great after the HR, and have been driving continuously since 3 days after the surgery and with no pain. But I followed the doctor’s order carefully about the horseback riding (actually, my wife made me follow the doctor’s order carefully about the horseback riding). At the one year post-op checkup, Dr Gross cleared me for everything. I had already been doing everything for several months, except the horseback riding because wife was adamant about that.
Regarding waking up with THA instead of resurfacing:
I was scheduled for resurfacing with Dr Gross in August 2010. He said that because I had been bone-on-bone for more than 20 years (resulting in lots of heterotrophic bone growth) that he would have the THA parts on hand in the operating room in case resurfacing was found not to not viable. I woke up after the surgery, and I asked the attending nurse if the operation was a resurfacing or a THA. She examined the records and said it looked like a THA. When I met Dr Gross several hours later, he told me that resurfacing was done. Not a THA. Later, I saw the x-ray . . . NOT a THA!
Because of the messy hip situation, I was 90% non-weight bearing for 6 weeks after the surgery. After that, I’ve been wide open for anything (except told to wait one year before horseback riding, which I followed). Now I’m riding horses, but the other hip sure hurts. Gross saw the arthritis on that other hip at the one-year follow-up, and he said it was a candidate for surgery. Scheduled for next resurfacing in December with Gross. The operated (left) hip has never, ever had pain since surgery. Was driving two days after surgery with no limits or accommodations. Just a little slower getting in and out of the car . . . a very little bit slower.