Hello all,
Well I think I am finally at the point where I am ready to pull the trigger and schedule my HSR surgery. I visited with Dr. Gross last year and after meeting with him, doing all my research, and talking with a few of you that have been treated by him, I'm sure he is the man for the job. The only question I had was when was the right time. Being a relatively young man (40) I have been hesitant to get the surgery. However, my pain levels have gone up over the last year and I have basically adopted a sedentary lifestyle. I have an appointment with Dr. Gross next week for updated x-rays and consult before scheduling surgery.
I would appreciate any feedback or experiences group members have that may be helpful to someone in my position. I also want to let the group know that apparently Dr. Gross now offers for selected patients an outpatient option for the HSR surgery. It involves having the surgery in the morning and then staying at a nearby hotel for recovery with visits from some nurses and Dr. Gross. Apparently they have done this with 17 patients so far with good results. Obviously they are very selective with which patients they offer this to. I was very surprised that this was even an option. I was wondering if anyone out here has done this or even heard of this option. I don't have all the details yet but I suspect it would be a cheaper option. I would also suspect that I would get a better nights sleep in the hotel versus the hospital.
Does anyone have any thoughts or feedback on this?
Hi Scott, I'm glad you've gotten to the point of getting rid of the pain. I guess the time for a resurfacing to me is not by chronological age, although that is a consideration, but in whether the OA is robbing you of your love of life.
There's no plus to me in suffering through the diminution of your life. A resurfacing will get you back on your feet. We all live with the possibility of a revision, but with good luck it will last for a long time. In the meanwhile, you'll live.
As far as the wait in the hospital or out, the time in the hospital for me was so quick (three days the first time, two the second), that I was quickly back home anyways. I think either way sounds good.
Dr. Gross was going to wait until he had completed 100 outpatient hip resurfacings to publically announce it. Lee Webb, however, said it was OK for me to mention it. They feel it is very practical and that the patients really like going to the hotel instead of staying in the hospital. It will be interesting to see how outpatient surgery works out.
Pat
Well shoot. I didn't mean to break the news too early. I didn't realize it was still in the trial period. I do have to say that I'm sure I would sleep much better in a hotel. When my wife and I had our son I stayed in the room that first night and with someone coming in every hour turning on the lights and waking up the baby it was like some sort of medieval torture.
If you have Cadillac insurance then I would stay at the hospital. It is major surgery. My out of pocket cost was $1000 plus a few small co-pays and hotel, food and gas. Since they were done in the same year, my second surgery will cost me nearly nothing but the travel.
On the other hand, if you do not have good insurance, then outpatient would save so much. I probably would not fit their profile for out patient candidate as I am overweight and take BP meds.
I thought of a few practical issues.
Are they using a hospital bed in the hotel? I would really want that.
I imagine your care giver will need to do most of what the nurses and hospital support teamwork do like getting you lots of drinks( I was sooo thirsty), changing the ice in the polar care unit, and keep track of and give you meds at the right time. (That might be an advantage because sometimes the staff were slow at getting to me especially at shift change)
My hubby stayed at a hotel to get some real sleep. He had a long drive home and a lot of responsibilities taking care of me when we got back. I don't know if he would want the responsibility of caring for my immediate recovery in the hotel.
No one really likes hospital food, but how do you eat at the hotel. I would not want my hubby to leave me alone. So I m guessing the chosen hotel has a restaurant or your caregiver orders delivery.
I needed a pain shot the first night after both operations. I suppose there is a plan for that.
On check out day, I was feeling great and went to PT in the hospital to practice stairs again then proceeded to faint. Glad I was at the hospital.
Out patient sounds like a great idea for the right candidate who can't afford the hospital stay.
Just my thoughts.
Dee
I have one thing to add to this discussion, although I've never read of an infection in that hospital you are far more likely to get an infection, especially the ones that are hard to kill in a hospital. So basically you are probably better off not staying too long in the hospital.
Do they rehab at the hotel too?
Chuck
I don't have all the details yet. I will know more next week after I meet with the doctor and have a chance to talk with the staff about it. Of course my first question was "what is the advantage of this?" and I got the response alluding to the hazards of infection in a hospital, however I'm not sure how much of a problem this is at this particular hospital. I know hospitals can be a breeding ground for some exotic pathogens, but hotels aren't exactly pristine either. Don't ever go into a hotel room with a black light you'll never want to sleep there again. :-)
I would suspect the main benefit would be financial for someone that has to pay a larger portion of the costs out of pocket. Like I said I will know more after next week and if the folks out here are interested I can share what I learn with the group.
Thanks again for all the great feedback from all the good folks out here. The information and stories I've read out here over the last year have been a huge help to me in making this decision. It is still amazing to me that strangers would take valuable time out of their day to help another stranger in need. I hope I can "pay it forward" some day.
Welcome.
My 2 cents is I would not stay anywhere other than the hospital, it is major surgery, and any unanticipated issues that may arise would be much easier to deal with in a hospital setting. With that beign said, infection is a risk in the hospital, not sure what that risk would be in a hotel. but given what people do in hotels, that would also make me nervous.
With a DR as experienced as yours, and your life getting more sedentary, given all the data and anecdotal but consistent stories here about how well this goes, I would not wait if I were you. I had mine at 51, had I done this 3-4 years ago, I would have avoided much suffering.
Best regards,
Dan
The only thing I can think of is that the hospital is just across the street if there were problems. I think Dr. Gross has thought this out well. In Belgium there was a nurse on call and the PT came to the hotel. I know Dr. Gross and Lee Webb would not take any chances, so they obviously think this has many advantages. I am sure we will learn more as time goes on - both how well patients like it and how well Dr. Gross likes this method.
Pat
I had a bad reaction to the anesthesia after my HSR with Dr. Gross, causing my blood pressure to tank (to like 50/30). I was grateful for a little time in the hospital. I was actually fairly delirious for a day or so.
If you go for the outpatient option, just be sure to allow for a hospital stay in case the unexpected happens.
Bosox,
Knowing when the right time is a very personal decision. My time was Dec 3 & 5, 2012 at the age of 48 1/2. I went from overactive to sedentary in 4 years. Would not / could not walk the dog around the block. Now I am 5 weeks post Dr. Gross Bi Lateral and walking the dog again, wife holds the leash, ha!
You sound like you have one bad hip and not two? With two I was there M-F, one hip done on Mon and the other on Wed, flew home (14hr trip to PHX - hotel to doorstep; ice to ice) the following Sat, missed connection. I would not fly into Columbia again, drive 1+hr to/from Charlotte!
Dr. Gross has this procedure dialed. He knows who is a good Bi Lat candidate due to Age, BMI, Bone Density & general health. If he has a protocol for outpatient candidates I would trust that. Some things to ask would be what about the catheter, the IV, the meds AND the Bed! Having a adjustable bed helped getting comfortable. A caregiver would certainly be required to be present at the hotel for ICE and food and washroom help?
I would guess that a outpatient candidate would be first up at 8 AM and out of recovery and taking steps by 12-1. Out the door by six seems possible based on how I felt after that first one. Not likely after the second though, haha!
Not to change the direction of your thread but did Dr. Gross tell you that he is giving patients a choice in devices? I had to choose during my pre-op either the Biomet or Wright Conserve Plus with Biofoam.
G_T
Dr. Gross / Bi Lateral / Dec 03 & 05 2012
48 1/2 yrs
I had the surgery with Dr Gross 4 1/2 years ago, and expect to have him do my other hip in the next few years. I am a fan of Dr Gross, Lee Webb, and the hospital. From my own experience, I would be a lot more comfortable staying in the hospital for at least one night. You can sometimes get pretty dizzy when getting up or doing PT during those first 24 hours, and it would seem like a good idea to have someone trained in how to catch/support you if that happened. I had a late in the day surgery the first time, and was in the hospital for two nights, and then stayed in the hotel two blocks away for two more nights before flying home, just to make sure everything was okay before leaving. As far as I know, the hotel across the parking lot from the hospital just has hotel rooms, whereas the one a couple of blocks away has suites with full kitchens and a living area separate from the bedroom.
I have an appointment with Dr. Gross next week and I'm sure ill have many more answers after that. I first found out I had a hip problem about 1.5 years ago. I went to several other orthopedic specialist that confirmed I had advanced OA in my left hip with FAI. Of course all those doctors also recommended a THR and did not speak highly of HSR. I'm sure that's a very similar story for many of you. I've been told my other hip will become symptomatic at some point in the future but so far it is doing fine. I have been reluctant to pull the trigger on the surgery simply because of my age and the possible limited life of the devices. Celebrex has bought me another year but it seems as though the pain has gotten worse over the last couple months and I can't avoid it any longer.
I share all this to say that the past year has given me a chance to do extensive research on this issue. I was even privileged to talk with a few Dr. Gross patients and learn from thier experiences. I won't recount everything I've learned since I'm sure most of you already knew what I was learning for the first time. After all of this research and interviews I am absolutely sure beyond any doubt that Dr. Gross is one of the best if not THE BEST HSR surgeon around.
I'm sure the outpatient option has been well thought out and if he recommends it, then it is safe. However, I know the great value of this website and the power of learning from the experience of others. I've never been through major surgery like this before and it helps to learn from others who have. Fortunately I only live 1.5 hours away from Columbia so I will be able to meet Dr. Gross in person and have many questions for him. If any of you want me to find something out let me know. I will try and share with the group as much as I can. Hopefully it will help anyone that is considering this option in the future.
Gino, I haven't gotten so far in the process to choose a device. To be honest I just always assumed I'd choose the Biomet cement less since that is the main one Dr. Gross uses. Which one did you choose and why?
Biomet.
I must say that this post flabbergasted me. Not sure I can quite get my head around it yet. I imagine I would be in the category of ideal candidate for this trial but not sure I would have gone for it last April (if it had been offered at the time of my surgery, which it wasn't). And I had my brother who is a cardiac nurse staying with me in the hotel room across the parking lot! And I could walk without a cane the day after surgery (a little that is, and I shouldn't have been doing that).
Frankly I need to think about this a lot more before I weigh in. Obviously Dr. Gross knows more about this surgery than I do, but on the other hand, I don't think he's actually gone through it either. He hasn't, has he? I am pretty sure I would want to stay at least one overnight. I could have gotten away without the second, but I have no strong objection to staying two nights.
Even a casual reading of my posts reveal that I am as big a fan of Dr. Gross as anyone on this website. That being said, he is quite upfront about his dissatisfaction with the third-party payment nature of our health care system, and his intent to not accept insurance (some types, all? I forget) once his practice no longer needs to. There was also some recent speculation on this website that perhaps that day is approaching. I imagine out-patient surgery would bring down the cost to someone not using insurance significantly, perhaps far enough that Dr. Gross could make the move to no longer accepting some or all insurance.
That being said I am sure Dr. Gross would not be doing this if it wasn't medically supported enough to at least make a trial (which is all that this appears to be). He is clearly interested in moving the practice of medicine forward, and he is very data oriented. If the trial supports continuing out-patient surgery, great. If it shows that tweaks are needed, great. If it is not a success, so be it.
I am of course just speculating about the insurance thing, but thought I would throw that out there for discussion.
Mike
How do they manage the pain? Do you still get put on the IV?
I still don't have a lot of information. I will know a lot more after my appointment next week. I'm sure questions like this and others have all been thought out by Dr. Gross and his staff. Honestly the only reason I would consider it would be if the portion I have to pay is significantly lower for that option. It's all speculation at this point anyway until I have a chance to talk with him. I'm sure there is a benefit in savings for patients, but lets not be naive. I'm sure the genesis of this was so that Midlands Orthopedics can perform the procedures in their surgical suite and therefore capture the total global cost of the procedure and not have to contract out part of it to a hospital. Having said that, Dr. Gross and his team have an impeccable reputation and I have yet to find anything negative about him. I can trust his judgement while keeping in mind that money is always a major consideration in these matters.
Believe it or not, even when I got mine 4 + years ago many including me picked the Biomet cementless, this was even though it was pretty new, it just made sense to me to be honest with you.
All that said, Dr. Gross and a few other surgeons in this country could probably use most any device and it would turn out really well, this is all about picking a surgeon that has the talent, and this includes the recalled Depuy ASR, if that device is installed exactly right you will probably end up with a good result.
Pick a quality surgeon you are going to get a quality result, personally I would let Gross put a rusty broom handle in me, I am confident he'll make it work ;D
Chuck
Quote from: bosoxgordon on January 08, 2013, 08:22:28 PM
Gino, I haven't gotten so far in the process to choose a device. To be honest I just always assumed I'd choose the Biomet cement less since that is the main one Dr. Gross uses. Which one did you choose and why?
Chuck, Thanks for the response and the encouraging words about Dr. Gross and his work. Way back when I started this process of education and selection of a surgeon and device I was excited and a little worried that he was the only one using a cement-less device. I really was impressed with the long and established track record of the Birmingham system, but the more I learned about and listened to Dr. Gross the more I was impressed with his systematic reasoning. Intuitively the cement-less concept makes sense and the good doctor seems to be making it work well. I at least hope and pray so because I believe I am destine to have one of those little gems in my hip soon.
I would really need to be saving a lot of money to not stay in the hospital for that first night. It was nice to know that I had a staff of professionals watching over me for one night and help me that next morning. I did have some dizzy spells when I first stood up, it took me a couple of tries over a few hours until I could walk without getting light headed. And having 3-4 nurses around to help keep me passing out/falling out sure was nice.
Also, we had a 3½ drive home and with me in the hospital that first night, my wife could get a good nights sleep (at some in-town relatives), so she would be fresh to take us home. The next several nights at home taking care of me were pretty tiring for her, so it was nice not to have her wiped out before we got home.
As several other folks have said in various words, Dr. Gross is a fabulous surgeon and has developed an amazing process, you will be fine either way. But if money out of your pocket is not the issue, I would just stay in the hospital.
As for pain, Dr. Gross's patients (me included) typically do not have a ton of pain and don't need an IV pain drip. They found they were wasting to much, so switched to just pills.
You will do great.
Timing is one of the biggest questions. I think once you've gone through the surgery and recovery, you look back and wonder why you even questioned the timing piece. That perspective probably changes, though for the very few folks that have had complicaitons.
Hospital - On my first hip, I was glad to have the help of more than my wife in the room. I was also a later in the day surgery and it was snowing and dark when I woke up. I was happy to have lots of professionals checking in on me. Getting out of bed was quite a challenge the first few times.
On my second hip, I think I could have done quite well in a hotel the first night. I had a really early surgery and so things seemed to be rather stable for me the first night.
I'm not sure the sleep argument is really all that useful here. Don't expect to be sleeping comfortably and getting lots of it, regardless of where you are, until several days after surgery.
Another thought, the hospital and the surgeon have a certain amount liability associated with early discharge, that's why we do all those stairs and getting in and out of fake cars,... before we go, not to mention your vitals will have to be stable and good before you can go. I would think, regardless of an hour after surgery or 4 days after surgery, those thresholds have to met before any one will let you go. Some will get there sooner than others.
Hello again all. I had a chance to meet with Dr. Gross a couple weeks ago and get updated x-rays for my hips and I wanted to give everyone an update on the outpatient option.
Apparently they have had very good results with this program. They have only done about 20 patients so far and I am still waiting to here from a few of them to get some first hand accounts as to how it went. Dr. Gross said it is for patients with no other health issues (ie. diabetes, heart problems). He also said he feels it can be easily done as an outpatient procedure and that hospitals are just not great places to be if you are otherwise a healthy individual.
All that being said, it will really come down to money for me. With my insurance I will have to pay a percentage of the costs and the outpatient option is about half the cost of having it done in the hospital. That can translate to a pretty good amount of money depending on your insurance coverage. I guess the other thing is if you have someone that can be your caretaker for a few days after the surgery since you will not be in the hospital. Apparently they have an arrangement with a local hotel to have either a one or two room handicap suite. You will need someone there to help you for the first night and next day.
Now the tough part..........when do I pull the trigger? I am penciled in for the beginning of April but I keep going back and forth as to whether or not I'm moving too fast. Anyway, I'm not sure if I will ever have complete confidence about going through with it.
Hi,
I am also having to soon make the decision to have this done. I was informed by Dr. Gross today that I would be a good candidate and I will be scheduling a consult to see him soon.
I, too, do not like the option of staying in a hospital and think that an outpatient option would work best for me. Hospitals breed germs and I don't want to increase my chances of getting MERASA. I will be very interested in how this all works out for you. I live in Florida so would also have to stay in a hotel for the first few days. No big deal... did it in Nashville when I was scoped by Dr. Byrd. Just make sure you get a "handicap room" because getting up and down from the commode can be a problem!
Keep us informed.
bosoxgordon,
I though I'd chime in with a recap of my experience with Dr Gross. I had my left hip resurfaced by Dr Gross on 11-14-12. Dr Gross and his staff are excellent and top notch. He did not present a choice of devices, but I would have chosen the uncemented Biomet Recap, one reason I chose Dr Gross. It was the absolute best hospital / surgery experience ever. The hostpital nurses, staff and therapists were fantastic. I cannot imagine staying in a hotel after major surgery like this, especially the Courtyard Marriot next to the Hospital. In my opinion it was not the cleanest hotel I've stayed in and is quite dated. I would be more concerned about infection there than at the hostpital. Although, Dr Gross seals the wound area very well and it would be difficult to get an infection post op unless it was contaminated it prior to applying the dressing. I do have good insurance and my total out of pocket was about $1500 and may have considered a cheaper option. Post my experience, I would choose the hostpital stay. I agree with claudia, but a scope with Dr Byrd is a totally diffent ball game than HR. About the money, and I'm sure I speak for most people on this site, you cannot put a price tag on getting your life back and being free of the OA pain. It is amazing how much that pain affects your outlook on life. Priceless.
At 40 you are not the youngest to have the procedure done. Don't wait another minute and don't second guess your decision.
PM me if you would like more details on my experience.
Brad
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I thought I'd give an update on what I know so far.
I was put in touch with a couple patients that have recently gone through the outpatient option with Dr. Gross. Both of them had glowing reviews of the entire process. They both said the transition was very easy and pain free. They both walked out of the surgical center (on crutches of course) by that afternoon. In fact one gentleman had an interesting point. His wife had each of her hips resurfaced by Dr. Gross in the hospital and he said each time she was out of the hospital by noon the next day. In light of that he didn't think there was much value in staying in the hospital anyway.
To be honest the outpatient vs. inpatient decision for me would be purely economical. I have to confirm the details with the financial/insurance people, but a preliminary evaluation of the options says I would save about $1200 out of pocket by doing the outpatient option. That may make it worth it for me to do the outpatient option. My wife and I are expecting another child at the end of August so medical expenses are going to be crazy this year. Anything I can do to keep the costs down would be good. I also have enough confidence in Dr. Gross to know that if he recommended this option for me than it would be safe.
As far as the when question, I'm scheduled for early April. I would say penciled in for now...... I'm just not sure when is the right time. Went for a short hike with the family today and actually feel ok. Other days I may suffer more. Who knows.... I almost wish it would just give out or get better (i know it won't) This tweener stuff is driving me crazy.
Hey Scott... In the end it comes down to how trustworthy the doctor and hospital are. Dr. Gross is certainly trustworthy, so you go from there.
Economic issues are important. If you are confident about the situation, then that is one large influence.
As to when, many of us had 'good' days before the surgery. The vagaries of our bodies are disconcerting in that we are not just a hip, but a whole assembly of parts that might conspire one day to make us float, the other to be forced to crawl.
The thing is that it doesn't change the mechanics of the hip and what you know is happening. Once you have this and go through the recovery, the probability and the hope is that you have an endless list of good days.
Thanks for the feedback Hern. Some days I stress over the when question so much I just feel the need to down a few Long Island iced teas and say what the #%&$ let's just get it over with and cut me open doc!!!
I had my hip resurfaced by Dr. Gross just about 2 years ago. I was his last sugery of the day. I joked with him that I hope he wasn't going to hurry my surgery so he could get done for the day and home for cocktails... ;)
I honestly think the idea of staying in a hotel woudl be fine. I remember thinking that I was pretty much pain free the few days I was there. I recall my surgery was on a Wed and I was out by Friday. I live in CA and stayed at a hotel just across the street. The hotel had a small kitchen in it - so my wife was able to cook nice meals. As long as someone was checking on you and making sure you were getting your pain meds - I woudl think they coulc probably do outpatient. the only bad part was when they yanked the catheter out.... ;) aside from that, my hospital stay was pretty relaxing.. i was in bed most of the time..but I was able to get up and walk the halls a bit.
Dr. Gross was wonderful. My other hip is unfortunately probation going to crap out on me in the not too distant future...I am 100% going to get Dr. Gross to fix the othe rone. I sure as heck won't wait as long as I did with the first one.... no need to suffer throuhg so much pain when you can fix it and get your life back!
I just thought I would chime in on the in-patient vs outpatient procedures...
I, too, would prefer to have the procedure performed on an outpatient basis only because of all the many issues regarding in-hospital infections however... Some insurance companies do NOT pay for outpatient on this procedure. It sounds odd because one would assume that outpatient is less costly to the insurance company but United Healthcare Choice Plus, does NOT pay for outpatient on this one. :(
I am now two weeks post-op outpatient Right HR from Dr. Gross and share some experiences as follows:'
1) Dr. Gross and his entire team are extremely diligent, organized, and precise. Make no mistake about it people this is one well oiled team that cares about your entire well-being. The experience of over 3,000 surgeries permeates thru everyone! I felt I received the absolute best care!
2) I am a 55 year old 6 ft male - how did this happen to me etc.. but hereditary/bad ice hockey/box lacrosse fall (none of that sissy field lacrosse for this guy) - who knows?
3) Surgery around 7:30 a.m. at the Harding Street surgical centre on a Thursday- out of there around 4 p.m. - Most painful part is getting into a car. Find one with a reclining seat that goes down all the way so you can inch your butt back and get leg clearance to drag it in. That was agony because it is hard to bend your leg or swing them with the nurse/caregiver's assistance - the leg just feels like a log. Very agonizing here.
4) My wife and I stayed at the handicapped suite at the Mariott. It was clean and perhaps their couches / chair are a little worn but it's a stretch to say it was dated. There is not much to eat around there - Wendy's and the Cracker Barrel are adequate takeout for salads/chicken/reuben/roast beef. The Mariott breakfast is adequate. Due to our mixup we mistakenly thought we had the handicapped suite for 2 extra days and had to move to room 118 which also has had a handicapped shower - Avoid room 118 at all costs! It is adjacent to the elevator motor and gawd people still take it up to 1 a.m.- interrupts your precious sleep
5) Post-op nurse care was solid - never did I feel "exposed" to any health risks as my wife was right there with me, and read thru the meds provided including Oxycontin for short term pain relief. I appreciated the ability to get up move around and watch some TV on thrones of pillows. Dr. Gross visited us on Friday and Saturday (after the nurse visits), and we departed for Charlotte airport on Sunday morning as I had mastered the crutches
6) No question day 2 post-op and day 3 post op (Sat and Sun in my case) are peak pain days from swelling, but there is something mentally fulfilling at getting home which in this case is suburban/rural Toronto (did you know this is now the 4th largest city in North Amercia behind Mexico City / New York . Los Angeles?). Those airport wheel chairs are just awful - hard to avoid being at 90 degrees in these for a short term ride - my mind was saying my femoral neck and another f word. The polar ice machine is a great friend.
7) So now I am mastering the cane and walking with it in my left hand about 600-1000 yards. The incision pain is nothing like the bone on bone osteo pain I experienced pre-op and I look forward to my 6 week xray, and building leg strength on an easy does it basis
Count me as an advocate of the outpatient option - It's been a great experience so far and I am so impressed with the entire team - no second guesses on my part at all!
Thank you for your detailed story. I had my first hip done by Dr Gross almost five years ago, and have a few questions for you when you feel up to it, since I will be having my second hip done in the future.
During the first twelve hours or so, I had a couple of pretty dizzy episodes when I got up, which were covered by the nurse or PT being right alongside. Any issues with that?
Did they have the PT folks come over to the hotel to work with you?
What about pulling the catheter out?
I seem to remember having an IV in for the first day or so, which would seem hard to travel with.
Lastly, operating rooms go to great lengths in terms of special sealed suits for the surgical staff, and sometimes cross ventilation systems, all of which are to control infection risks. Did they give you any information on the Harding Street center relating to these issues?
I appreciate you sharing your experience with this, since it is pretty new to everyone.
Quote from: John C on April 04, 2013, 09:42:51 PM
Thank you for your detailed story. I had my first hip done by Dr Gross almost five years ago, and have a few questions for you when you feel up to it, since I will be having my second hip done in the future.
During the first twelve hours or so, I had a couple of pretty dizzy episodes when I got up, which were covered by the nurse or PT being right alongside. Any issues with that?
Did they have the PT folks come over to the hotel to work with you?
What about pulling the catheter out?
I seem to remember having an IV in for the first day or so, which would seem hard to travel with.
Lastly, operating rooms go to great lengths in terms of special sealed suits for the surgical staff, and sometimes cross ventilation systems, all of which are to control infection risks. Did they give you any information on the Harding Street center relating to these issues?
I appreciate you sharing your experience with this, since it is pretty new to everyone.
Hi John
in answer to your questions
a) Did not have any dizzy spells in the first 12 hours - Day 2, 3, 4 post-op are definitely worse than day 1 re; swelling and pain. There was a slow release pain med and then the instant fast working OxyContin if it got worse. I did take a couple of Oxy's on Days 2 and 3 and they do invoke some weird dreams/sensations/dizziness
b) No physical therapy other than the nurses at the Blanding center (I erronelously said Harding above) had me walk on crutches and urinate prior to car departure. Dr. Gross provided some simple exercises for the first 6 weeks but advised walking is the best PT. MOre advanced PT post 6 weeks is the advice.
c) Catheter was inserted when I went under, and was pulled about 3 p.m. if I recall. Not too uncomfortable.
d) IV was finished between 2 and 3 p.m. prior to exit as well
e) I did not ask about the surgical centre specific infection control. I had such a strong sense during the multiple interview questions with about 5 members of the team during pre-op that ev1 had their role and process fully prepared. I thought the risk of infections at hospitals with the numerous traffic was far greater than the Midlands Ortho centre. That said, Dr Gross and his team evaluate you for outpatient risk and qualifications, and depending on your health, pain thresholds, do not offer this option to just anyone. There are limited days and spots for this.
All I can say is WOW! I am just one week out and so glad I was not an outpatient. Thinking about that first night I was so thankful for the bed trapeze among other things. I hope the hotel has one and also an electric bed which I found invaluable to assist me getting in and out of bed.
The BP tanking is real and I wonder what happens in the hotel room? Is there an overnight nurse that first night to monitor your vitals and manage your IV line and pain?
Best of luck with your decision.
Kim
Kimberly you missed one point - The patient does not choose the outpatient option - Dr. Gross evaluates your qualifications and medical history/condition, to see if you qualify to avoid any unnecessary risks.
In my case, I had none of the blood pressure irregularities that you mention, and I did not have any IV line after my discharge at 3:30 p.m. - only prescribed pills. Day of surgery and first night was no issue whatsoever, and I was physically strong enough to manage crutches in and out of bed. The two days after post-op were the painful ones of swelling and no sleep, and those 2 days the nurse checked on me at 10:00 a.m. for BP, breathing etc., on both days and Dr. Gross even came to see us both days in the late morning early afternoon.
I am happy everything turned out for you and that you were happy with your choice and thx for the info you have provided.
Quote from: kimberly52 on April 14, 2013, 01:07:49 AM
All I can say is WOW! I am just one week out and so glad I was not an outpatient. Thinking about that first night I was so thankful for the bed trapeze among other things. I hope the hotel has one and also an electric bed which I found invaluable to assist me getting in and out of bed.
The BP tanking is real and I wonder what happens in the hotel room? Is there an overnight nurse that first night to monitor your vitals and manage your IV line and pain?
Best of luck with your decision.
Kim