Counting Down to #2

[FlbrkMike]

25 days since my first BHR (left side) and now 3 days until the second.  I'll report to Thornton Hospital in La Jolla at 9:00 a.m. on Friday for my RBHR.  A lot of things are going through my mind right now.  Here's a random sample.

I've been through this before...I shouldn't be nervous but I am.  The first surgery and recovery (so far) have been textbook.  Out of the hospital on day 3, off of crutches after a week.  No more cane, except on long walks, after two and a half weeks.  I'm obviously not at 100% after 25 days, but there are a lot of times when I don't even think about it.  The second one could go just as smoothly, or it might not.  I've been very aggressive in building strength through exercise and PT but I will now be depending on this leg to be the "strong" one, at least for a while.

Textbook recovery doesn't mean that there wasn't a lot of pain, a lot of stiffness and occasional depression.  Now I'm going back to square one.  What a "pain in the a$$" this will be, but worth it in the end.

I hope I get the same nurses I had back in February.  They were all great.

I already have crutches and a grabber.  Two things the hospital won't need to supply this time.

I was able to sleep on my right side immediately after the first procedure.  Will I need to learn to sleep on my back this time?

I was driving after a week and a half with my LBHR.  How long will it take to drive with my RBHR?

I ordered my temporary handicap permit over two weeks ago. Where is it?

How long before I can go back to outpatient PT?  Will I lose all the progress I've made?  How confusing will it be to have two legs in different stages of recovery?

Have to remember to charge my Kindle, put new batteries in the book light.

I already know which shorts to pack and which sweats.  Remember to pack at least two changes of shirts.

My friend got tickets for opening day April 5 at Petco Park.  Will I be ready?

March Madness starts next Tuesday!!

[Tin Soldier]

Like I said in the other post, good job.  I sort of wish I had stuck to an aggressive schedule.  Actually, I could have taken 3/21 with my surgeon, which would have been 5 weeks separated.  There was mid-year change in my insurance and so "elective procedures" after April 1, would cost an additional amount to the insured.  I mistakenly thought it was the whole 15% of $50k and so I frantically asked if I could get in for No. 2 before April 1.  (It's like a bad April Fool's Day joke, but it's for real).  Turns out the addtional cost is only $500 on top of my deductible.  I told the wife that I should have stuck with the aggressive schedule and then go buy a new tv or something with the money we would have saved.  ;)

No, I'll pay the extra to have some summer recovery before hitting it all over again.   Just think, next fall when I'm posting about heading in for No. 2., you'll be happily beyond major recovery and potentially off having fun not even thinking about the hips. 

Again, keep us posted.  It'll be just like the first, but you'll know more about what to expect. 

[hernanu]

Just went through this on my second:

I've been through this before...I shouldn't be nervous but I am.  The first surgery and recovery (so far) have been textbook.  Out of the hospital on day 3, off of crutches after a week.  No more cane, except on long walks, after two and a half weeks.  I'm obviously not at 100% after 25 days, but there are a lot of times when I don't even think about it.  The second one could go just as smoothly, or it might not.  I've been very aggressive in building strength through exercise and PT but I will now be depending on this leg to be the "strong" one, at least for a while."

Exactly what I thought. Turned out fine, the exercise you're doing now pays off, and while there's no guarantees, my second surgery went as well as the first. I got the same nurses and PT, all of them welcomed me back and were just as good the second time around. I was actually released a day earlier than the previous time.

Textbook recovery doesn't mean that there wasn't a lot of pain, a lot of stiffness and occasional depression.  Now I'm going back to square one.  What a "pain in the a$$" this will be, but worth it in the end.

All true, but also since you've done it before, you know how to recuperate, will be less scared about the daily stuff (will the sock puller cause me to dislocate my hip?   ???) and it will be the last procedure you'll need.

I was able to sleep on my right side immediately after the first procedure.  Will I need to learn to sleep on my back this time?

I slept on my back for three weeks the first time, for about two weeks the second, the pillow between the knees worked for me. Of course, I checked with my surgeon to Ok it, no problem there. I slept on my back with a pillow under my knees. Helped with the blood clot issue according to my surgeon.

I was driving after a week and a half with my LBHR.  How long will it take to drive with my RBHR?

I drove after two weeks with my first (left) and about the same with my right. I only needed to make sure I could easily move from the accelerator to the brake and back; once I tested that, the only issue was sitting for a period of time. I brought my ice pack (thin) and took some tylenol before.

How long before I can go back to outpatient PT?  Will I lose all the progress I've made?  How confusing will it be to have two legs in different stages of recovery?

I didn't lose the progress, if anything, the rest seemed to invigorate the other side. I also found it easier, since the unoperated side wasn't fighting the operated side due to its limitations. As to the stages, you just go by the limitations on your weaker side. I went to outpatien PT after 4 weeks.

My friend got tickets for opening day April 5 at Petco Park.  Will I be ready?

I don't know about this one. It's the length of time sitting, the temperature and the quality of the seat. Might be better to watch at home, but at least you have a shot at it.

March Madness starts next Tuesday!!

Have someone get you a <for amusement purposes only> March Madness pool card.

[bdoughty]

I give all the bi-laterals and those who go for 2nd surgery relatively soon after 1st a lot of credit. I'm 1 week post-op and while things are going well, I don't know that I could have handled having both done at once, nor do I think I could get myself mentally recharged so quickly to do it again. While I have mild OA in the other hip, and I know I won't wait nearly as long to address it if/when it starts acting up, I'm praying that it holds out at least a couple years so I can get well beyond this one (and put the bad parts out of my mind) before gearing up for another.

Bill

[halfdone]

Good luck Mike!

Treat yourself to an extra grabber.  :)

[FlbrkMike]

My friend got tickets for opening day April 5 at Petco Park.  Will I be ready?

I don't know about this one. It's the length of time sitting, the temperature and the quality of the seat. Might be better to watch at home, but at least you have a shot at it.

Sort of ironic...my friend is in a wheelchair so we'll be sitting in the handicap section.
8)

[23109VC]

Good luck with #2 , I wish you the best.  I was scared going in for mine, but it went smoothly.

If you breezed through the first one, odds are you will do great for the next one!

I can offer some insight on the handicap placard.....  I called CA DMV and asked about mailing it in...the guy told me to NOT mail it and said they are backlogged and it will take months..he suggested I go into DMV in person which is what I did.  I walked in with my form and walked out with the placard.

You may want to get another form from your doc and go into a DMV office....you may be waiting a while....

[FlbrkMike]

Good luck with #2 , I wish you the best.  I was scared going in for mine, but it went smoothly.

If you breezed through the first one, odds are you will do great for the next one!

I can offer some insight on the handicap placard.....  I called CA DMV and asked about mailing it in...the guy told me to NOT mail it and said they are backlogged and it will take months..he suggested I go into DMV in person which is what I did.  I walked in with my form and walked out with the placard.

You may want to get another form from your doc and go into a DMV office....you may be waiting a while....

Thanks for the advice.  I'm in CA and did mail it in.  The form said it should take two weeks.  What's the point of getting a temporary card if you have to wait months?   ::)

I'm going to try and get a new form from the doc while I'm in the hospital.  Maybe stop at the DMV on the way home...

[23109VC]

I was told the form is wrong and the "two week" turnaround is not happening.....   The DMV is hopeless.........   It is nice to have the placard.... I can honestly say I need it...now that I park in handicapped I notice there are obviously handicapped people using them, and people who appear to be abusing it because they look fine.....  I hope they ticket the stink out of the ones who abuse it!

Good luck with #2

[DirkV]

Hi Mike, Best wishes. I was in your shoes - bilat 5 weeks apart with Dr. Ball - almost 3 yrs ago to the day. It's almost a cliche, "getting your life back," but it has been nothing less for me. You have a great attitude, and you are in good hands.
Recovery after the 2nd surgery was a little more difficult for me - that may be expected after having major surgery 5 weeks earlier. But with the luxury of time and a successful outcome, it wasn't a big deal, and I was happy to get overall recovery completed that much earlier.
Keep lookin up,
-Dirk

[FlbrkMike]

Thanks guys, for all the info.  It's really good to hear from people who have already gone through it. 

[FlbrkMike]

I'm now officially a bi-lat!!

The surgery took a little longer this time, apparently I have very hard bones, but according to Dr. Ball everything went well and the placement is perfect.  Pain is under control, but I'm getting really tired.

[halfdone]

Congratulations!! Wishing you a fast recovery with #2 catching up with #1 asap.

[Tin Soldier]

Good job!  I'm jealous, sort of.  We'll want to hear how the recovery goes, since a few of us are in the exact spot you are on the first one and we can wonder how difficult it might to get around the with a freshy and a recent one.   

[FlbrkMike]

Epidural is out, foley catheter is out (thank God).  I've done three walks around the floor with the therapists.  I'm wearing human-style clothes and watching hoops on TV.

I had some mildly disappointing news today.  On my first procedure the weight bearing instruction was "as tolerated".  This time there was some trouble getting the acetabular cup seated.  Though it ended up perfectly placed he gave me some restricted weight bearing for 4 weeks.  I'm supposed to use two crutches and keep most of my weight off the operated leg until then.  All other restrictions are unchanged.  It just means that I can't be quite as aggressive in my recovery this time.  A little disappointing but all in all I'm still quite happy with the results.  It just means a couple of extra weeks before full recovery.

[halfdone]

foley catheter is out (thank God). .... I'm wearing human-style clothes ... and watching hoops on TV.

hip hoop hooray

I had some mildly disappointing news today.  On my first procedure the weight bearing instruction was "as tolerated".  This time there was some trouble getting the acetabular cup seated.  Though it ended up perfectly placed he gave me some restricted weight bearing for 4 weeks. .......  It just means a couple of extra weeks before full recovery.

a bore but not a bad trade-off for a perfectly placed cup.  I'm guessing that your recovery from week 4 (HR # 2) will be very rapid.  Plus the #1 will be super strong by then.

Good luck

[DirkV]

Hi Mike,
Wow, the similarities continue to accrue. I'm the Dr. Ball patient who had bilat 5 weeks apart 3 yrs ago. My 2nd op also had a 1 month weight bearing restriction of 25 or 35%.
Some general advice that helped:
* step on a scale to see what 25% of your weight feels like. It was more than I thought.
* I used a backpack when doddering around the house - something to keep my grabber in and carry around a book and such.
* When I was almost done w/ my month on crutches, I met a guy in some docs office in a wheelchair, and considered how much more liberating it must feel for a person in a wheelchair to graduate to crutches - it gave me a little bit better attitude about the crutches.
Some reality: As you've probably found already, 2 crutches suck compared to one. You don't have a free hand. You're much more dependent. Even getting a bowl of cereal and the paper and a cup of coffee is a major endeavor. The closest I came to crying was when I wanted to read the paper one morning and decided I'd get it all by myself. I put on my backpack, stuffed in my grabber, got my crutches, and went out to get the paper. It's laying there on the ground, so I get out my grabber, and it's like one of those arcade games where the toy keeps slipping out (they wrap papers in a plastic bag in my area). I finally get a good purchase on it and get it sooo close to where I can grab it with my other hand, when the paper slips out of the bag and onto the ground and separates into its various sections. I just turned around and went back in.
Some encouragement:
* You're still healing at the same rate, even though you aren't using your new hip joint as much. After a month, when the restrictions are lifted, you'll quickly catch up to where you would have been.
* With the passing of 3 yrs for me, that one month is just a blip. It's a tough month, but it's not all that long a time period.
* I've mentioned how happy I am with results. For relatively short term results during the first year after surgery, you might want to read my "hip story" (on Pat's main site, under Dr. Ball patients). Longer term, in the past year, I've hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, play mens league hockey, completed the 110 mile Tour de Tucson bicyle race/event, and am planning a week-long bike tour this summer.

Good luck (and keep those poor wheelchair people in mind),
-Dirk

[FlbrkMike]

Hey Dirk,

Thanks for the info.  The similarities are pretty amazing. 

It's funny you should mention the wheelchair thing, because the only thing that gets me depressed is having to hold back on the mobility.  I feel like I could be doing a lot more, especially considering the rate of progress I made aftger my first surgery.  My wife used to work (a long time ago, before we were married) as a LVN at Sharp Rehab in San Diego.  Most of her patients were long term paraplegic, quads and head injuries.  She was reminding me the other day that my disability is TEMPORARY and that I will be better than before in the long run.  She had patients that kept a positive outlook even though they had no hope for further recovery.

I guess I'll just have to suck it up and stay on the crutches for a few weeks, and be grateful for what I have.  I think I can do that.

I don't do all the athletic stuff you do but I sure am looking forward to swimming, hiking, biking, working out again on my rowing machine and, especially, my next round of golf.

[svanci02]

GOLF is what is keeping a positive outlook!!!

[FlbrkMike]

Another one of those little victories...

Three weeks post BHR #2, and still on crutches due to docotor's orders.  I know I could walk well if I just threw them out, but I'm going to stick it out until my follow-up next Wednesday.  

Anyway, like I'm sure most people here do after surgery, I tend to notice little milestones - putting socks on unassisted, etc.

This morning I dropped a section of the newspaper on the floor.  I had put my crutches aside in the kitchen and so wasn't leaning on them.  Without thinking about it, I partially bent at the waist and partially squatted to pick up the paper without leaning on the counter or steadying myself in any way with my hand.  I haven't actually been able to do that in at least 3 or 4 years due to the OA and then my surgeries.  

Life is good...
Golf is coming, and then life will be great...

8)