My HR with Dr. Pritchett 2014

[Evan Thoms]

Hello everyone,
So, I am 4 days away from surgery with Dr. Pritchett in Seattle for my left hip and getting anxious! A bit of my history is in my first post: http://surfacehippy.info/hiptalk/hip-resurfacing-topics/soon-to-be-a-hippy/.

I know it will all be for the best, but still, getting metal in your body in place of bone is a one-way street. I am so glad I have all of the success stories here, not to mention the numbers and studies, to think about to allay my fears. I am nervous but also looking forward to having the hourly distraction, fitful nights, and all of the physical restrictions behind me. I feel enormous gratitude to all those who went before me into a less certain future in order bring this method into maturity. You are the brave ones!

I have my house arranged (had to put a bed frame under our mattresses to raise them up off the floor) and a bunch of heavy-lifting chores out of the way. I bought a commode off craigslist, crutches from the Salvation Army, a shoehorn, some slip-on shoes, a sock putter-onner, and a pair of compression icing shorts (Transformers from 110% Play Harder - we'll see how they work!). My wonderful wife will be going with me while her sister watches our kids. The surgery will be on Tuesday and we'll fly back to Anchorage on Friday unless I feel good enough earlier than that. I should still have a few snow-free weeks during my initial recovery so I am looking forward to daily walks to the nearby coffee shop and meeting my kids after school. I can log in to work from home, so hopefully I will won't get too far behind.

I will be posting to this thread for anyone who is interested.

Tally ho!
Evan

[Pat Walter]

Good Luck Evan.  I will look forward to reading your story as you progress.

Pat

[toby]

Hi Evan,
Seriously no need to be anxious-just prepare to enjoy what will be an amazing process which will day by day return you to excellent fitness and well being.
Good luck for the big day from over the pond
Toby

[dfox]

Evan,
I think its normal to feel a little anxious but it is very much worth it. It is life changing. So nice to walk pain free now. Good Luck.

[Dave Like Festus]

Hi Evan,
No worries! I just had my right hip done on August 6, 2014. I am a wimp, but not too out of shape. My surgery with Dr. Peter Brooks went smooth as could be and I can't say enough about his team and the Cleveland Clinic.

On to you though...the success rate and your recovery will please you I think. Follow your docs recommendations and be good to yourself for a great recovery. I had surgery Wed. morning and was discharged Fri afternoon. Didn't think I would be ready (read wimpy), but I was. I only ended up taking 1 percocet after leaving the hospital and none of the oxycontin...not because I was worried about addiction or anything, but truly didn't need them. Tylenols did the trick and ice packs helped a lot! Again, take the pain meds if you need them...don't be a hero and get 'behind' it if the pain is there.

Time is a funny thing as you recuperate I think. Seems like a long haul when you start and then, dang your 3, 4, 5 weeks out then months and wham. Back into it. You will have a few moments when the surgery is first over like...what?...you want me to stand up and walk??? Believe in the teams expertise. They will take good care of you and help you be a success story. My worst part was taking off the bandage to check the incision... kind of like a wax job I think.

Don't be afraid to ask questions and help when you need it!

Now just 4+ weeks out I'm walking about 2 miles a day on crutches (till the 6 week mark) and doing my own PT 3X a day. You will feel better everyday and look back and say..."Thank goodness I had this surgery"

Good luck from another newbie Hippy guy. Many are with you in spirit!

David

[Evan Thoms]

5 days post-op

Last Monday, 9/8/14, my wife and I flew to Seattle. We sat in on a joint replacement seminar at the Swedish Orthopedic Institute and then met with Dr. Pritchett. He came in, introduced himself, and said, "Well, do you have any questions for me?" at which point it became clear to me that if I hadn't, he might have walked right back out! But I did, so we talked for awhile and then my wife and I went out for dinner.

My surgery was early the next day. For anesthesia, I got a spinal block so the knockout drugs were not terribly strong. I woke up in the recovery room fairly lucid. I was numb from the waist down until the late afternoon or so and on oxycodone so I was not in much pain. I was able to enjoy visiting with my wife, brother, and a couple cousins. Dr. Pritchett came to visit and explained that everything went well and that they installed a 50 mm BHR. A physical therapist came in the mid-afternoon and I crutched around the nurses' station. After that I also got up two or three times on my own to go the bathroom. I slept well that night.

The next day, Wednesday, I had an occupational therapy session. They want to make sure you can negotiate getting in and out of a shower, a mock-up of car, and some steps, with which I had no problem. Before being discharged I also had two more PT sessions where I crutched around and did the 2 week in-home exercises (holy cow, did I hate the abductions!!). The care at Swedish was always excellent.

Upon being discharged, we took a shuttle from the Swedish First Hill campus, to the Swedish Cherry Hill campus about 6 blocks away and checked in to the Inn at Cherry Hill, which is a floor of old hospital rooms that have been converted to lodging. It is not quaint and it is not cheery but it is cheap and convenient. Also, the bathrooms have bars all over the place, so it's a good place for hippys to convalesce. I put on my compression shorts with ice packs which felt great. The best thing about these is that you can be icing as you move around. Very nice.

By Thursday afternoon, now 2 days post-op, we realized that I was pretty constipated, probably because of the oxycodone, and I was getting very nauseated. That night I stopped taking the oxycodone and switched to acetaminophen. This was the start of the worst time of my recovery so far. Over the next 2 1/2 days, during which time we also flew home to Anchorage, I went through epic gastric distress, from the initial constipation clear to the other end of the spectrum with diarrhea. As I write this on Sunday evening, I am finally starting to feel like myself again.

I am using just one crutch to get around the house, but need two for walking any distance outside. My left leg is, at least functionally, longer. But I am not going to worry about that until all swelling has gone down and my pelvis has had a chance to reorient. Sounds like a lot of people notice a length difference immediately after the surgery that goes away over time.

I am still spending a lot of time in bed. There is no seat which is comfortable to sit on for more than a few minutes and standing up gets tiring as well. The most difficult motion for me at this point is swinging my legs up and into bed. Otherwise, throughout the day, the pain is a 1 or 2 out of 10 and seems to be moving from sharp pains around the wound site to deeper aching and throbbing.

I still haven't had a moment yet when I realized that the motion of my hip is easier or less painful than it was before, but I trust that will come soon.

Thanks to everyone who has posted their experiences and comments! I enjoy reading them.

[evant]

Congratulations on your new BHR.

Glad you're doing well barring the usual short term early stage recovery issues.

I like the car mock-up teaching aid - I recall being momentarily slightly baffled as to how to safely get into the passenger seat for my journey home from hospital.

Best wishes.

[dfox]

Congratulations EvanThoms,

Glad to hear you are doing well. You are right on about how hard it is to get the leg in and out of bed. I remember that well and it took several weeks to get easier. It does get better and then you will no longer even think about it. Drink lots of water and keep icing it.

Dave

[Dave Like Festus]

Congrats Evan!
You seem to be doing very well from my non-professional opinion! As for getting your leg into bed, cars and otherwise...have you tried one of those loops on a stick helpers? Like a invisible dog collar? That helped me a lot.

I just got back from my 6 week post-op check up and yahoo no more crutches and I can drive ;D

You'll be amazed at your day to day progress and soon be looking back going, hey, that wasn't too bad and the pain will continue to abate!!! I was just changed from supine leg abduction exercises to side lying reps and yikes, those are the hardest for me. My doctors assistant said those muscles (and all of them) are what will really stabilize the hip and help you walk without any limping. Keep diligent on your PT!!!

Your doing great. One day at a time and don't stress too much. It does take time.

Keep on moving,
David

[trgcfrg]

Congratulations, Evan! I am also a patient of Dr. Pritchett, having had both left and right BHR surgery within a seven week period a little over a year ago when I was 38. It was a great decision and I'm doing well. Saturday I ran four miles and last night I played in my weekly basketball game. I've also successfully returned to snow skiing and waterskiing.

You can read more about my experiences in the link in my signature. I laughed when you talked about Dr. Pritchett and his "what questions do you have for me" line that opened several of our appointments. If you don't have any, he'll say see you next time 😊, so it's good to have questions ready. The leg length thing was also something I felt the first few weeks, but after about two months the sensation was gone.

Good luck - excited to hear about your progress!

[Evan Thoms]

Thanks for all of the encouraging comments everyone! This is a great group.

I got back last night from my two week follow-up. Yesterday, I flew from Anchorage to Seattle, took the light rail and bus to Dr. Pritchett's office for the appointment, and then flew home at night. I am still on two crutches, at least for a day like this, although in going through security for the return flight, I was able to walk short gimpy steps through the scanner unassisted, which was a bit of a milestone. Other than some anticipated tiredness and soreness, all of the travel went fine.

Pritchett said everything was perfect and then, in an understated tone, that it "should work out real good for ya." I only had a few questions to which I had mostly predicted the answers (Is it worth it, even if only for my own interest, to track cobalt levels?: no. Can I have a copy of my chart?: sure, but there is very little that's interesting in it. Is my pelvis cockeyed?: yeah, maybe, let's wait and see). He gave me a referral for a couple weeks of PT. The next time I have to see him in person is in two years.

I am finally starting to have the "A-ha!" moments I've been anticipating when I find my leg in a position that used to cause pain and instead find only smooth, well-oiled action. It's very cool.

Wishing everyone well on their own Joint Journey! That's what Swedish hospital calls the information binder they send out to all orthopedic patients.