How are you with getting in and out of the pool now? Previously you were walking in and out. Are you still doing that, or are you able to use the ladder? If the ladder, for in, out, or both?

Sounds like you are progressing and doing well. We all have to do this recovery at our own pace. I have backed off all running several times during my rehab do to soreness in my non operated leg. I am careful not to run unless I can maintain and good gate with no limp. I really think it is going to take the full year to get all the kinks out. In this case I believe slow and steady wins the race - obviously not a sprint.

Good luck.

I started using the ladder to get in and out of the pool at six weeks, I think. I couldn't turn my knees out yet, so I went up and down sideways, knees pointed in the same direction and body facing forwards. At six months I was allowed to squat to get in and out...but couldn't do it. I can do it now. I get in and out of the pool by just pulling myself out with my arms and then squatting and standing up like a regular person!


I can also crawl and can sit cross legged. Not sure when those abilities came back. Kingrob, I agree this will be a year long (at least) recovery. There are all kinds of subtle things that aren't quite right yet, but keep getting better. (Watching the Olympics, makes me remember that I am stiff when I do butterfly or breaststroke. I don't have the suppleness in my hips yet.)

I am a little late, but it sounds like you are doing great at 9 months.  Took a long time, but you have come a long way.

I gathered some of your posts and started a story for you.

http://www.surfacehippy.info/hipresurfacing/stories/dr-gross/838-blinky-s-bilateral-hip-resurfacing-with-dr-gross

http://www.surfacehippy.info/hipresurfacing/stories/dr-gross/839-blinky-s-bilateral-hip-resurfacing-with-dr-gross-p2

I know you still have a way to go, but you have taken a lot of time to document your surgery and recovery, I thought it was time to get your story on the main website.  It was so long, I started a second page.  I imagine you have many more chapters to add.

Good Luck.  Pat

Sure!


Believe me, I am just getting started. Much more to come.


I was saving this, but will share now. It is my latest airport story:


Flying home from a trip to Israel. It is August. Everyone is traveling. Maybe the Israelis are like the French and every one goes on vacation in August. The airport is crowded.


Nonetheless, I zoom through the first security check, the one where you are asked questions. I travel light and don't have any bags to check. I get to the metal detector and X-ray machine. As I have been doing for the least nine months, I warn the local TSA that I have metal hip implants and that I might set off the machine. There is no body scanner, so the officer tells me to walk through anyway. The metal detector goes off.


A very young female TSA officer comes up and asks me if I have on a belt or have anything in my pockets. I tell her no, that I have metal hip implants. I expect to be wanded and/or patted down. That's what usually happens. But no, she asks "Can you take them out?"


Okay, it made me laugh. But I didn't lose my cool. I replied "I can't take them out because they are inside my body. I have metal hip joints."


"Can I see them?" she answered.


Now her cohorts were also giggling. I wondered if I should drop my pants and show off my scars. Instead, I calmly replied "No, you can't see them. They are inside my body. They are my new, metal hip joints."


Completely lost, the young screener said "I am going to call a supervisor."


She did and he stepped over, glanced at my passport, and waved me on.


Next time I am bringing a picture of my X-rays!

Wellllll......at least she was able to find a government job to save her from a life of "Would you like fries with that?" ;) ;D

That's hilarious. I would love to have seen the look on her face later when somebody explained to her just what the word "implant" means.

 :) LOL!!!

 :) Hi Blink. Read through your posts. Try a squat to get the ROM up in the hip. That is a squat right down with heals on the ground and bum right against the heals use you elbows to help on your knees or someone to hold onto or something to hold onto Slow. This helped heaps with my running. Do a little riding for warm up say 15 mins if you can then a small run 10 mins. Add them up each day and if you see you get stronger take it easy. Then diet or not so much Pie more carbs - ie vegetable carbs - good protein them work on the ROM again. Bit of a cycle but what you are after is consistency of feeling you can do it no problems. Then increase your runs out. Something like that. Cheers K 8)

Ten months post op now.


I was hoping to tell you guys I just completed a sprint triathlon, completed not raced, but motherhood got in the way. I had picked out a nice race in a nearby city but one where I would have to spend the night. No problem. Older son is in school there and we were going to do the race together. I was going to stay with him and then the two of us would trek over to the starting line in the morning. But then younger son scheduled his return from a summer studying abroad for late tonight---and he is ill. So no tri for me. I will be picking younger son up at the airport with a bottle of Pepto Bismol in hand. There are times when you just can't delegate a job.

To make up for it, I did a soft mini tri today just on my own. Ran 25 minutes, about two miles, swam 1500m, went to spin class. Everything felt fine.

Meanwhile making progress in all areas. Did I mention I can put my pants on without sitting down? Yeah, stand on one foot then the other, balancing. I do need to work on strength in squatting. I can get down there, but not always rise without using my arms and pushing off the floor. Also lost a little weight without really trying. I am more active so I burned it off. I think about my hips less and less as the little things that used to remind me occur less frequently.

I also wanted to add about my travel story: to make it even more surreal, the passenger behind me in line was Orly Taitz. Remember her? Dentist, lawyer, Birther Queen? Yep. I am not sure what it says about me that I recognized her instantly. Anyway, she was getting annoyed as it took me forever to clear security and get out of the way.

I agree with Blinky's comments about Dr. Gross and his team.  I had my hip resurfaced on August 17th and I'm close to ditching my cane.  So far, I've had no complications and I continue to notice improvement every day.

Blinky,

  That's so funny you can dress without sitting down, I cant remember how many years since I was able to put my pants on standing, a faint memory, lol.

I worked in the garage all day Sunday and was able to get on the floor and up from the floor over 10 times without grabbing something with arms to help me up. So a lot of progress for myself as well. I have 4 more weeks till no restrictions, all is good.

Regards,

Larry

First 5K 34:17. Ten months and one week out.


Okay, so I have run more than a 5K distance following the resurf to 5K program, but this was my first time to pin on a bib and run without taking any walk breaks. I found a Miles for Melanoma race, good in terms of timing for me and also a near to my heart cause since H was diagnosed with stage III melanoma almost twenty years ago. Also a good event for me because it was likely to be small and was run on a course used by a 5K I help organize for a different cause.


Warm as usual in South Texas, but not terribly humid. I have been running my neighborhood runs at an easy sub 12:00 pace. When it came time to line up for this race, I placed myself in front of the (many many) walkers, but behind the fast looking people. There was a guy with a stroller who looked about right for me, or maybe the slim, sixtyish woman with the cool running skirt.


I went out with stroller guy, feeling good, but a glance at my Garmin (yes, I am finally fast enough to think  about wearing one again)showed I was going way too fast for me, just a little over 10:00 pace. It felt fine, but I didn't think  I should try to hold that for the whole distance. I backed off. Eleven was probably more realistic for me to try, so that's what I aimed for.


It was a flat, shady course, quiet. I was joyful, high fiving everyone I passed.


Felt good. A little right hip pain, but not bad---especiaily when I stayed at a reasonable pace and didn't let myself creep faster. More because of my age and the size of the race, I may have placed, but I couldn't sick around to check. H and I had a swim date afterwards (yes, we went and swam 2k together later) and he had to hurry to the airport. I will have to check the results in a few minutes.


The good news is I beat my expectations. I was hoping for a sub 40 based on my training pace, and was secretly hoping to break 36:00. And I felt good. The sad news is that it was about ten minutes slower than my pre OA pace, so I have a way to go.


The plan now is to run a few interesting looking 5Ks the next few months and see if I can get faster. Maybe sub 30 by my one year mark?

Two day after adds:


1) Here I am all excited about my first 5K and then I learn http://www.irunfar.com/2016/07/down-to-the-very-marrow-my-2016-hardrock-100.html.


I am very very happy for him, a fellow Dr Gross patient. Gives the rest of us something to strive for. It also gives me something to show to the nay sayers, the people who think I shouldn't run or don't believe in resurfacing as an option.


And while we are on the topic of superstar resurfacing patients, check out Dr Su's Facebook feed. (spoiler: patient wins Olympic gold medal in fencing)


2) I feel pretty good, but my right hip is a little sore today. I think the lesson for me is the one my PT has been harping on: work on those rotators. My quad and glute strength are pretty good, but rotators are lagging behind.

Good job Blinky! It's great to hear you're getting back to running. Keep at it and it'll keep getting better.


And thanks for the link to that article. Incredible story, what an inspiration.  8)

So many inspiring updates!


I will offer my eleven month report:


Running. Two 5ks under my belt now. The second was a little faster, averaging 10:55mm. Subjectively, it felt much better, whether due to better pacing or just being further along I can't say. No aches or pains whatsoever. I have settled into a three miles every other day pattern, with a long run of four miles on the weekend (3-3-4 or 3-3-3-4). I think I should stay here awhile and let my body get comfortable with this---and work on getting faster. In December I'd like to bump up my distances a bit. We will see if I am ready to run two days in a row or not.


Swimming. Real life has interfered with my ability to get in the pool as much as I would like, but I am averaging four swims a week. Everything is improving. I am more supple when undulating for breast or fly, for example.


Biking. Okay this element has been neglected. I was riding my bike to run errands and attending spin class pretty regularly at the start of the month, but have fallen off in class attendance. (I still ride my bike on errands)


My right hip still swells and feels weaker. It is pretty subtle and it happens when I put a new stress on the hips, like running a new, longer distance or doing a long kick set with fins. I am going to bring this up with Dr Gross in November when I go for the one year check up, but I am not very concerned. Ice and pulling back on the activities seems to make it go away. I think time is the cure. Well, and reinstating some of the strengthening exercises. I feel like my glutes and quads are doing pretty well, but those external rotators have been left behind. They need a chance to catch up.


Lots of small things I can do now that are pretty cool: deep squatting, getting up from deep squatting (!), getting down on the floor to play with cats and babies. I carry heavy things, I take long car trips, I walk on slippery surfaces. Such a big change from this time last year!

One year and a few days later...


I flew to SC for my one year check up with Dr Gross. No problems, just wanted him and Lee to look at my X-rays and manipulate my hips. Well, and I wanted to take a victory lap, show them how well I was doing and then go celebrate.


The X-rays looked great and Lee was excited by my range of motion, strength, and the fact I am back to running again. Dr Gross came in to answer a few questions and give me the okay to go out and live my life.


I asked about my right knee falling in and what might be causing that. Dr Gross said probably the rotators that were detached during surgery, that it takes a while for them to come back, and they might not return to 100%. He took the time to do a bunch of testing on my movements and strength and told me to work with bands to get stronger. (I think the issue is pretty subtle, one of those things I am aware of and know could be a long term limiter for me, but well within normal range). I asked about going forward, what to watch out for, infection, etc. No surprises there, to take antibiotics before invasive procedures.


I let my husband ask the big question: should I limit my activity, especially running, to have the hips last longer. Dr Gross said no. He said in his data the very active and the less active have similar results ten years out, so to go for it. Music to my ears! (Of course, we will see what I am truly capable of. Just because I am allowed to run as much as I want doesn't mean I will be able to. My other parts are aging as well.)


So where I stand now: running every other day 3-4 miles, looking to build to six at a time. Swimming all strokes four times a week. Riding my cruiser bike on errands, spin class as able to make it. And Zumba once a week! I decided to see what my lateral motion was like, not to mention pivoting and jumping on one leg at a time. I should confess that one of my ongoing issues is that as soon as I feel completely good and normal, I feel like it is time to test the hips a little bit more....run further or try a new activity.


Then we flew to Barbados to celebrate. Where I swam, walked, climbed, treaded water, and felt completely normal!

Awesome report Blinky, I like the running part. Such a big advantage over regular hip replacement.



I am dying to do a little jogging myself. I know my Dr.Gross right hip is up to it, its my left that I worry about. I have a failed scope on that side as well just not as bad as my right was. I don't want to prematurely wear it out if I can get a couple of years from it.

Larry

Congratulations on your anniversary.  Sounds like everything is going great.  I appreciate you posting your story and updates.  They are very helpful to perspective patients.

I wish you the very best and hope you have many, many more anniversaries!

Pat

Go Blinky, GO!!  8)


Congrats on your successful first year as a Chrome Hippie! Best of luck in the future, I hope you keep vigorously enjoying those new pain free hips for a very long time.

What a lovely report, congratulations and very pleased for you.


Our ops were quite close so have been reading your reports and updates over the last year with a keen interest.


Keep up the good work :-)