New name

[halfdone]

Hello again everyone. 
I am pleased to report that I will be looking for a new name following a RHS BHR on Tuesday.  I will revisit bothdone's suggestions and give some thought to a suitable update to my now outdated moniker.
I was resurfed Tuesday, again at the KE7 in London, which is freshly familiar to toby and andybc.  This is my second visit to the hospital.  There have been some changes in the protocols and routine since last time but the experience has lived up to toby's "gold standard" appellation.
I'm pleased to say that all seems to be progressing smoothly.
There are already many more entertaining posts on the site on the resurf experience than I could muster, but I thought I might comment on a few of the differences for me this time round.
1. Urine retention and constipation were both a challenge and discomfort the first time around.  This time I chose to be catheterised in theatre.  I kept this until early am of day2 post surgery.  Very happy with this decision - catheter out is much less uncomfortable than catheter in, which this time was painless because I was under GA.  No subsequent problems.  On BM encouragement, I stuck to a BM friendly diet supported by softener and senokot before and after surgery which got the Bs moving again day 2 with minimal discomfort in the interim.  Thank you Lord for inventing the prune.  Overall huge improvement on QOL since last time.
2. I was a late patient - midday - and was not asked to get up on my feet day of surgery - but was up with little drama day1.  Despite my persistent attempts at negotiation, I was not allowed to have a shower (even seated or supervised) on day 1.  As I experienced some faintness as I was up and about on day 1, I gained first hand appreciation of the merits of this rule - and it made the first shower on day 2 all the more glorious an experience.
3.  I have been using Flowtron "squeezy boots" this time.  Many don't, but I like 'em.  They have even made the TEDs seem a little more bearable.
4.  The anti-clot protocols seem to have changed quite a bit.  I've had a couple of shots in the stomach and will be discharged with some oral meds for this.
5.  Physio.  Very similar programme as last time but progressing a bit more quickly.  Apart from a few no-nos, like no stairs on day 1, the approach seems to be a little and often routine progressing as the patient can handle.  My approach will be to keep to the routine of standing, walking and hydro exercises that I'm being retaught this week for the first 3 weeks following discharge and then branch out with a little more professional guidance at that stage.  Last time my 6 month progression worked very well, so I'm looking to replicate that experience.
6.  Less ouchy around hip and wound site post op - possibly because surgery required a little less trauma and dislocation, but pain management is different also and this hip was in better condition than the last one going in.  This has also helped facilitate more rapid physio progress.

Good wishes to all other recovering surfacehippies.

HD

[andybc]

Great news HD and thanks for the update re KE7.

Gold standard indeed. Actually, if you are insured and want to visit London, good plan would be to complain of minor ailment and be admitted to KE. Get a day pass and have the luxury of the room at night, eat there and send the bill to your insurance company!

I was especially impressed with the food. For dinner there was a choice of 6 starters, 6 cold and 6  hot mains, 6 desserts and cheese! If you didn't like anything on the menu, you could phone the room service number and speak to the chef who would prduce something else. Oh, and the wine list was pretty good, too. I had champagne sent up most days. My wife said it would be the only time the wine bill was larger than the surgeon's fee!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Andy

[bothdone]

Hi

Congrats on your new hip and very best wishes on your recovery.

Ed
Bothdone

[FlbrkMike]

Gold standard indeed. Actually, if you are insured and want to visit London, good plan would be to complain of minor ailment and be admitted to KE. Get a day pass and have the luxury of the room at night, eat there and send the bill to your insurance company!

Never been to London, but would love to visit sometime.

I wonder if my insurance would get me there from California...  :-\

[toby]

HD,
Well done!
Just back from my swim, watching Southampton 1 up against Man Utd-exciting, switched on lap top to see update on Surface Hippy (who said men couldn't multi task) but my attention immediately switched to your wonderfully, humorously articulated challenge for a new identity. Plus the equally entertaining account of the bodily functions. Sod it-Owen's just equalized(missed it!)
Hey Buddy I had my op  at KE7 exactly one year ago today! I'm delighted that the fine standards have been maintained.
HD  are you still in hospital? when will you be leaving KE7? I think that a patient-Liz who emailed me offline had her surgery at KE7 today-you m ight meet her in hydro-please send her my regards. Oh dear Man U scored again!
Anyway-really pleased for you-keep updating.
Have a great recovery
Toby

[halfdone]

Thanks everyone for good wishes.

Happy to report that I got early release - time off for good behaviour - today.  Sorry toby, didn't have a chance to meet and pass on your regards to Liz.

Small glass of wine, which happily tastes really good, tonight to celebrate.

Cheers, HD

[halfdone]

PS Good luck FlbrkMike.  I have great admiration for you brave bilats - truly the special forces of surfacehippy world.  On the other hand, why go through this any more often than you have to..... ;D

[FlbrkMike]

halfdone,

I'm glad to hear that your second procedure went well.  

Maybe you could change your name to "alldone", or "welldone".   ;)

How long did you wait between surgeries?

I have a lot of pain on my left side and very little on the right, but both sides have very limited ROM.  Of the three surgeons that I've seen, two of them thought that the right side was the worse, based on x-rays, before I told them otherwise.  My thinking has been...why get one side fixed and have the other still holding me back?  I inquired about having both done on the same day but my surgeon prefers not to do same day bilats.  My ultimate goal is to be able to fly to Park City, Utah (about a 2 hour flight) for my oldest nephew's wedding at the end of April.  My second hip is scheduled for 3/11 but the doctor told me he wouldn't hold me to it if I decide I need to wait longer after the first.

[halfdone]

Hey Mike.
Interesting that your more painful side seems less bad on the Xray.  I had my LH done in 2006.  At that time I had no symptoms on the RH but was warned that the RH was following the same pattern as the LH.  It was fine until about 2 years ago and I decided to get it done much earlier than the other in its pain experience progression.  But the RH Xrays showed problems and the surgeon was happy to proceed - he confirmed that when he got in there it "needed doing" based on femoral head damage.  My advice is go ahead with both right away, with whatever surgical plan works for you and your surgeon.  Although I can imagine the challenges of rehabbing the bilat in the early stages, I expect you will ultimately be happy that you front-loaded the process.  With 3 months until your nephew's wedding, you've got great odds of being in really good shape to enjoy the event.  Plenty of bilats on this forum for advice/support.
Best
HD

[AlanN]

Congratulations HD!

Good luck with the rest of the recovery and the search for a new "handle" ;)

[halfdone]

Not much to do at 4am, so time to think of new name. 

"OverEasy", as in American for fried egg done on both sides?

or much more obscurely, "Lonnie", as is Lonnie Done-again after famous musician of old?

I'll just duck now........

[Lopsided]

"OverEasy", as in American for fried egg done on both sides?

This is one thing I have often wondered at, why would you want to cook an egg on both sides?

[toby]

Hi HD(how can we still call you HD?),at least temporarily-HD Plus/ HD+other side/HD+other half etc until the perfect address is found
Sorry buddy...but did you take this long to name your kids? I do remember some banter with you and Ed a while ago-can't remember the suggestions..
Anyway hope the recovery's going well.
BW
Toby
ps when you come up with some new possible titles, how about having a poll on surface hippy?

[halfdone]

"HemiDiploischioantikatastasis" - translated roughly as half double hip replacement, would allow me to keep "HD".  Actually "DiploHemiischioantikatastasis" would probably be a more accurate description, but doesn't work with "HD".  "Diploischioxanastrono" may be more accurate still but now I've completely lost the HD......

Toby, it took me no time at all to name my kids - you've probably even read about them: Thing One and Thing Two.

2 weeks post op and all seems to be going well, as I hope it is with all of you.  :) 

[toby]

HemiDiploischioantikatastasis,
A moment of genius-so catchy and may I suggest that if you go with this, then we challenge fellow hippies to avoid copy and paste and spell correctly.Could even have spelling tests (just can't switch off being a teacher). This would also be a real contribution towards maintaining the group's mental dexterity and encourage cerebal well being.
Listen buddy-loved your email-yes I do recall reading about the Two Things (and this brings to mind I guess a simple . HD to TD)

Great to hear that all is well at 2 weeks. I got a blue booklet with the protocol from KE7 is this what you are following? Are you still attending hydro?
Keep up the progress
Toby

[halfdone]

Couldn't be happier with progress so far. (Actually I want to whisper this because I feel slightly bashful sharing progress when others are on a longer recovery track.) I've been walking with just a cane since day 2 and my PT (just walking and the basic hospital exercise programme at this stage) has progressed daily up to 3 miles on my longer walk.  Much less post-op tiredness than last time through as well.  Wound looking good.  Back in the pool for HT when I get home next week. Close to being ready get rid of the stick, but will keep it for a while to ensure that my walking "technique" remains good and I don't lapse into duck walk -and of course to beat off muggers.  Getting lots of sleep  :) :)

Trust you are going from strength to strength.  Best
HD2TD

[toby]

HD/Parent of things 1&2 (until official confirmation of new title)
You're doing amazingly-just take care not to over do it-I too had the cane from day 2 and know from my own experience that perfect walking is essential before completely parting company with it (in my case 6.5 weeks).
I'm in the process of planning a summer challenge!
BW
Toby
ps forgot to ask who did you eventually entrust to carry out the surgery?