12 days today

[rotag]

Hello to all.  Here is my story.

I had BHR on November 29th, in Bradenton Florida.  I was freaking out about the anesthesia...so I opted for an epidural with a sedative.  I am glad I did...woke up fine, not foggy at all.  I did not feel pain, until 5:00AM the next day, due to the fact the spinal/nerve block wore off, and I refused oxycodone, the evening before.  Anyway...I realized I needed pain meds, so I asked for the oxycodone, and it helped...made me sick but it helped.  Anyway, I had the TEDS, inflatable booties..that inflated alternate foot every 8 seconds (yes I counted).  I was on IV's antibiotic and fluids, for two days.  No fever ever, low blood pressure (but mine is low anyway), normal drainage, and because I am in the US, I did have a catheder (sp).  My doctor also uses a triangular shaped pillow, that goes between the legs.  I had to use that when I was in bed, up until the last day I was there.  I was up a walking..painfully the next day after surgery, but then later that night I got up and sat in a chair..it felt good.  The next day they took the catheder out..yeah, and I could use the bathroom. I did a lot of walking and had PT on stairs.  All IV's disconnected.  I went home three days later, sick from the narcotics, and never took another one again. I had to give myself 7 injections of Lovinox.  Pain was controlled by tylenol.  I slept well and am still sleeping well...a bit of cramping at night so I just get up and walk around.  I have been on one crutch since I got home and have actually taken many steps without it.  I am doing home PT for now, and the only thing I can't do is lift my one leg, with knee bent, while sitting.  I could not do that prior to surgery, because my hip was so bad.  So basically...no problems at all.  Slight swelling on the knee of the surgical side.  Insicion is healing well, and I feel good.  I am looking forward to getting the TED's off...they are driving me crazy  :).  Anyway, thats about it.  My rehab is better than I had even thought, and the pain is minimal.  So thats about it.  Now, I am hoping for no problems to occur down the road.  I wish everyone the best.

[Pat Walter]

Hi

Congratulations on your new hip.  Glad to hear your recovery is going well.  It will get better and better.

What surgeon did your surgery?  People always like to know that. It helps them when they are trying to make decisions on what to do and who to use.

Lifting your leg will take quite awhile to achieve along with any abduction - trying to move your leg out to the side by itself. With time, everything will work again.

I hope your recovery continues to go well.  Good Luck and keep in touch.

Pat

[rotag]

Hi Pat

This forum has helped me, and through this site I have met a few other firefighters that have had this done.  I live in Bradenton, Florida. My OS is Alan Valadie, and the hospital I went to is called Blake Hospital, and it has a special wing called the Joint Care Center.  It is more like a hotel than a hospital, and the care was outstanding.  I am lucky enough to have my Doctor and the hospital, in the city I live in.  I met a guy through your site that lives in St Petersburg, and he is coming down here, to have his surgery and Doctor Valadie is also his doctor.  My only nemisis so to speak right now are these TEDS....they are driving me crazy and I can't want to get them off!!!

[Pat Walter]

I am glad my website and Hip Talk were a help to you.  That's why I spend so much time on the website - to try to help others learn about hip resurfacing.

I wore my TEDS 14 days post op.  I also took them off at night when I was in bed.  I suppose at this late date, that is not helpful news to you.

Do you know how many hip resurfacings Dr. Valadie has done to date?  I would like to list him on my Doctors list.  I try to only list experienced doctors with at least 50 - 100 resurfacings, but if patients really like a doctor and he is very committed to hip resurfacing, I will consider listing him.  Sounds like the hospital was a real winner.  More like we had in Belgium.

Good Luck and keep in touch.

If you want to write a longer story, I will be happy to post it for you.  A photo of you back in action as a firefighter would be fantastic too!

Pat

[Ronnie]

Hay Rotag
               I dont know your age but i am 2 weeks post op today. The teds i take it are for blood clots i havn't had them on since out of the hospital. I have a question about u taking steps with no crutches. Did u do that on your own without docs concent? My doc does't want full weight for 6 weeks but i feel i can walk can't due a leg raise but. I will be in Fla. in july white sands in Long Boatkey.

[Pat Walter]

Hi

Each doctor has their own recovery protocol.  My doctor, Dr. De Smet of Belgium, said we could stop using a crutch whenever we did not limp.  I was on one crutch at 4 days and none at 4 weeks.  My PT people here in the states thought I should not be using the crutch even at 3 weeks, but I felt unsteady and still had a little limp.

I often would forget my crutch in the middle of the night after going to the bathroom.  You are sleeping and just walk back to bed without thinking. I would find my crutch in the bathroom.

Dr. De Smet and many overseas surgeons allow 100% weight bearing right after surgery.  Of course, that really is quite possible, but it doesn't take many days or weeks to be able to be full weight bearing.  The crutch was more for balance for me.

If you have more problems with your hip, sometimes a surgeon doesn't want you full weight bearing.  But that is the main difference between most US doctors and the overseas doctors that have done thousands and thousands of hip resurfacings.   They are not worrried about being sued and know what to expect.

It takes a long time before you can do a leg raise or abduction - moving it out to the side.

Some doctors make patients use TEDS for several weeks.  I have a study on my website that indicate that they stop blood clots in 40-60% of the cases.  So I did not take a chance. Every doctors protocol is different.  I took heprin shots for 2 weeks too.  I also flew 8 1/2 hours on a plane from Belgium on day 10 post op.  You take a double shot of heprin for that.

Good Luck.

Pat