50 year old home school mom of five, not an athlete but very flexible since I did acrobats as a kid. Finally diagnosed with labral tear and oa after 5 years of pain, rom loss and unexplained buckling. Arthroscopic repair ruled out by 2 doctors. Local Ortho doc said I wasn’t ready for THR. Thank God for this site and new choices,  I found Dr. Gross of SC.

May 23, 2012 I did it! It was nice to wake up with no pain, unlike the hysterectomy 3 years ago which was awful.

Surgery went well. Evedently my weight was not an issue. Dr. Gross told my hubbie fortunaley i have very strong bones but that I had hip dysplasia which patially accounted for my extreme flexibility and probably caused the deterioration to bone on bone. I will post my whole hip story later.

I wanted to walk and stretch so at 4 hours post op I took a little cruise down the hall. It felt so weird but good to be up even, for a short while.

Unfortunately, the pain kicked in once the epidural wore off and I have to wait for more of the fast acting meds. (on extended release) it shouldn’t be too much longer.

this sight has been such a wonderful resource.

May 25, 2012 I head home today if all is well. I really like Dr. Gross, Lee and Nancy. The hospital experience has been less than satisfactory.

I did have some trouble the night of surgery. After the epidural wore off I proudly took my first jaunt down the hall. But after that, My pain spiked so bad that I was overwhelmed, agitated, frustrated and emotional. Unfortunately I tried to get help during shift change and it took the nurse an hour , before they finally got me a shot of demoral. That helped only a little but enough to get my emotions back in check. After that I stayed ahead of the pain and I feel much better

Another thing happened with the catheter. I was drinking a lot of water and I told the nurse that I could feel my bladder filling up. He checked the output and said I was producing urine and that some people just have that sensation while on the catheter. I tried to get him to take my request more seriously so he talked to the on-call Dr to see if I could have it taken out. The Dr said no, so meanwhile my bladder is getting uncomfortable. I was just about to call the nurse again and make him feel my full bladder when I discovered that I was sitting in the hose and it had a kink!!! Once that was resolved my bladder emptied and I felt so much better.

The next morning I had a battle with low blood pressure when OT tried to get me up. I almost passed out. They helped me back to bed and got that under control. No more BP problems after that.

Combined with some other communication problems, I would have to say my experience at Providence hospital has been slightly disappointing.

They sent my husband to the wrong room post op so he wasn’t there to greet me when I got to my room. That was tough, I just wanted to see his face.

My first nurse seemed a little frazzled and grumpy. I became frustrated that my husband was not in the room and she did not seem to want to help find him. . She even scolded me later on another issue.

I was told not to bring any medicine from home, but their pharmacy did not have 2 of my Meds so I had to miss a day of one. I had questions some of the Meds they were giving me post-op and the nurse did not know what I had been given pre-op.

The vp of the hospital did come by to talk to us as well as the clinical director but she did not know that the vp was in earlier. I told my stories to each, but I really wasn’t trying to get anyone in trouble. I am frustrated with the lack of coordination / communication.

I am just so glad to be heading home today. My hip feels pretty good. I am sore of course. I will probably be getting my left hip done so I will know a lot more next time .

May 26, 2012 Wow it is great to be home. We made it all the way in one day. It was not too difficult a drive on me, but my leg and ankle did swell after 8 hours on the road even with some walking breaks. I am better today but still stiff.

I appreciate all the encouragement from you experienced hippies.

I admitted that i was surprised how good i actually felt and Dr. Gross just grinned when he dismissed me. He must really enjoy helping people get there lives back. I am glad he keeps the statistics but that we are more than a number to him. My husband always supported my decision to pursue a long distance dr and felt very satisfied once he met Dr. Gross and his staff.

My experience so far is surprisingly good. I thought I would be in more pain at 3 days out and I am not. I thought it would be hard get around the house especially stairs and it is not that hard, just tiring.

It is easy now because I don’t have any responsibilities other than to rest, do my exercises and walk.

I am staying on the long acting pain meds and slowly backing off the short acting ones since I don’t hurt that much.

I am sorry that I fussed so much about the hospital. In hindsight it was a lot of mostly little things that just added up. They were very attentive and apologetic when they realized the snafu. I told everyone going in that waking up fom anesthesia makes me grumpy until it is out of my system. I guess they all got to see that.

May 30, 2012 I am one week post op and found that I sleep best in the anti gravity lounge chair purchased at SAMs club for $75. I can’t sleep on my side yet in the regular bed. So when the pain hits I get up take a fast acting pain pill and move to the lounge chair for the rest of the night. It is working so far.

June 2, 2012 I made it to church today (day 12). It felt good to be out and among friends. All were amazed at how well I am doing. I used both crutches for safety( it is a large church with lots of hall traffic) but I am on a cane around the house!

It is fun to be able to spread the word about resurfacing. Most people just don’t know about it.

June 6, 2012 Today I am 2 weeks post op! I am having a good recovery. my hip is sore but not really painful. Every once in awhile I will get a quick sharp pain in the groin, but I realize I broke the 90′ rule and bent too much. I assume that pain is normal. Any body else feel that pain?

I am down to a cane around the house. I use 2 crutches for my distance walking because my left un-operated hip is symptomatic and is buckling so 2 crutches are safer. I actually went over a mile by accident when I got out to do a little shopping with my hubby at Sam’s club. I used the pedometer ap on my phone to track and did not realize how far you walk in the big box store when you zig around shopping.

I have been off the narcotics for a few days now, but Last night i took a quick acting pain med because i was so achy. I think I am overdoing due to boredom and have vowed to back off and sit by the pool and read a book the next few days. I just wish I could get in the pool, but it is off limits until after 4 weeks.

June 10, 2012 18 days I started walking around the kitchen today with no aids!! The countertop was close in case I felt weak. I did not limp after steps 1-2, but I did have to think about my steps. I think my muscles aren’t sure about their capability, but after the first few steps it almost feels like normal. I am so amazed at recovery!

I am using the cane most of the time. Distance walking is with the crutches. I don’t need them but they are there in case my left hip buckles( it will catch and give way which is how my right leg started 5 years ago, but my leg muscles support me enough to not fall. I don’t want to take chances hence the crutches for extra support)

I think I stressed the quad of my unoperated leg close to the knee towards the inside. Certain moves feels like fire! I have tried to rub it and avoid that move. Also the knee of the operated leg hurts on the outside below the patella, it was slightly sore before surgery but now it is quite tender and complaining.

June 13, 2012 Today is 21 days post op I went to the grocery store on my own but started feeling weird, so i did not take my distance walk for the last 2 days because of weird symptoms probably from changing/ starting new meds but could have been something I ate. Tingly lips &tongue, racing heart, headache and diarrhea Only a headache today – the docs are informed.

Just want to share that I finally made it all night in bed without moving to the anti-gravity lounge chair!!! I know it has to do with the fact that I can sleep for longer periods of time on my unoperated side. Poor hubby has to endure me shifting several times with the pillow between my legs. But it felt great to wake up in bed. The lounge chair was awesome for sleeping, but I prefer the bed.

I am eager to walk today and hope to make it to 1 mile. At about 1/2 mile both hips get tired. My left hip is unstable. I have to be careful. I want to get out in the yard and pull the weeds so bad, but I can’t do that with out breaking the 90 rule. Patience is hard when you see weeds taking over the garden.

June 16, 2012 Just over three weeks post surgery. I started having a cramp-like sensation in my right calf (operated leg)and a pain near my shin when walking. no fever or redness or shortness of breath. So I check the Mayo website for dvt symptoms and I decide to call dr. Gross office. Of course they tell me to go to the ER and have an ultrasound to rule it out. Very precautious and I am glad.

Thankfully it was negative. But I learned the importance of getting it checked. Everyone at my local hospital confirmed the wisdom of ruling it out. One nurse said 40% of patients like me who come in actually have a blod clot. Another nurse said that 2 hospital nurses at that facility died from it.

I took my X-ray to show everyone what a hip resurfacing looks like since it is not done here in Huntsville AL. They were curious!

July 3, 2012  I am 6 weeks out and doing well. I go for my check up next week. Despite all the mom hype, I plan to ask for a left hip resurfacing to be scheduled before the end of the year. I hope My X-rays say I am ready, cuz my body does.

I have been walking every day and enjoying being outside even in the Alabama extreme heat. It has been tough with having lots of leg muscle issues and lower back issues that have kept me from feeling 100%. The buckling has become worse in the unoperated hip. Yesterday i went for my 1 mile walk and I started limping half way through on the un- operated side. It was the weirdest sensation to know my right hip was good and strong and the left hip pain kept increasing the further I walked. I think it was the first time that I could really feel the OA pain was truly gone in the right hip!!

I am hoping that the lower leg pain along the shin ( not all the time but definately annoying) will resolve with more excercises. The lower back pain is from spondilolisthesis which I had pre-op. dr. Gross said if the back symptoms get really bad, injections( which helped in the past) are ok by him anytime post-op. I think I just need to get to PT which will get me some strength and flexibility back.

I have been in my pool the last couple weeks to beat the heat. I have been pedaling around and doing a few laps. It feels good, but since I was never in shape I wondering if I am making myself sore!!

July 16, 2012 I will be a bilateral on Dec. 5, 2012

Because my right hip is so much improved after surgery, I asked to have the left hip done. You may recall that I have symptoms in my unoperated hip such as random buckling, ROM pain and great pain while walking my prescribed 1 mile for rehab on the operated hip.

Dr. Gross said I probably have a labral tear causing the buckling and that the displasia will continue to contribute to the degeneration of the hip. He said the OA is NOT bone on bone in the left hip, and I could consider other options to hold off the surgery such as a hip injection or arthroscopic repair. I told him that Dr. Byrd in Nashville(expert in Arthroscopic repair) said he could do the left hip, but the recovery is worse than a total hip and that I would still probably need that down the road. BTW, I plan to write to Dr. Byrd’s office and encourage him to consider referring patients for HR instead of THR.

Dr. Gross agreed that I would probably still end up needing an HR after a repair becasue of the dysplasia. He wanted me to know that I had choices, but that HR would solve the problems with my hip. So I scheduled surgery!!

It is weird to think that I am electing to do this all over again, but my right hip is so much stronger and no OA pain – I want that for my left hip. I am hoping that my spondilolisthesis back issues will improve when I am walking better with 2 new hips.

One of the reasons to do it sooner than later is because recovery has been pretty amazing. I do not have the ROM yet that I so desire but I am only 8 weeks out. Dr. Gross warned me not to push too much in ROM until after six months. I can already move in a pretty far range, but I have a painful catch in the groin on certain moves. Lee explained that there is still a lot of healing going on, blood in the area, bone growth etc. and to wait until 3 months when I should notice much improvement.

September 2, 2012 I can finally do my prescribed leg lift exercise with out the sharp pain in the groin. It still feels like a sore muscle but the sharpness is gone.

On the setback side I am experiencing more aching in the operated hip when I sleep. I still have muscle soreness in the buttock and IT band area when I go up steps. I have 14 steps in my tri-level home so i am up and down 7 at a time a lot. Any body relate to this? When did it go away?

I am getting more range of motion but ever so slowly. I am impatient in this area. I guess I expected more by now. Pain stops me in certain positions.

Walking is fine. I can only manage 1.5 miles before the left hip says no more. But that is so much better than preop where I old not make it around the block most days.

I am going to pt and it is helping me with strengthening. My lower back is trying to flare up (spondilolythesis) so we are working the core a lot. I have been doing scar therapy and lots of clamshells and bridging to get those sore muscles working.

All this recovery makes me want to put off the second surgery. I feel like the first hip won’t be back to normal and I am not wanting issues in both hips,

September 25, 2012 4 months ago I could not walk around the block most days. Now, I regularly walk 1.5 miles(wish I could do more) BUT

I just got back from 6 days at Disneyworld with my hubby, 17 yo daughter and her friend!!!

We made it through and my new hip did great. I did use pain meds because of my back issues(spondilolisthesis), and sleeping was tough on the hotel bed. I ended up taking my shoe inserts out because they were too much for my arches being on my feet that long. Knees were aching, feet were sore, back was trying to flare up, but I rode all the coasters, watched a lot of shows, traversed the parks for about 10 hours each day. Went to Downtown Disney 2 nights.