2 1/2 Weeks out with Mr. Treacy from UK

[coskater]

So, I am 2 1/2 weeks out from my hip resurfacing with Mr. Treacy in Birmingham, UK. The plane flight back to Colorado was easy on my hip but just very draining overall.  This was my second hip surgery on my right hip, prior to the BHR I had surgery for labral tears, microfracture and the rebuilding of my ligementum teres, which was a stabilizing ligament between the femoral head and the acetablum. I am not that young at 43, but very active, plus tall 5'9' and 125 lbs with a very small frame. I must admit that this second surgery has been so much easier than the first, I have no pain just the itching of my scar. I walk about 1-2 miles a day and do my exercises 3 times a day and just try not to get bored. Taking nothing for pain and only aspirin for the next two weeks.  I walk with 2 canes and am working on a nice even stride, stairs are easy and have to be since I have 4 flights of stairs, my cats have shown amazing restraint and don't try to trip me every time I move around the house, they do seem slightly worried and all 3 of them sleep next to me each night. Overall, this has been a very pleasant experience, I would highly recommend my doctor, Mr. Treacy he has done over 4000 of these hips and is a very articulate and charming doctor, the staff at the hospital was great.  I stayed in the hospital for 6 nights and paid for everything out of pocket but it was really reasonable, the only thing excessive was the business class airfare but in the end that was very much worth it.

It seems I should add more about the surgery itself, I was referred to Mr. Treacy by my first surgeon Dr. Philippon at Steadman Hawkins in Colorado.  I arrived on Monday in Birmingham, had my appt with Mr. Treacy, he told me I had done a good job on my hip, I had cysts and was bone-on-bone, plus hip dysplasia all which would make my hip difficult but doable.  From their I went to the Priory hospital, where they took blood and asked questions.  I woke up the next morning, and was the 2nd surgery of the day. I went in for surgery around 9 and was in my room by 1, I wasn't in pain just foggy, my friend who I had listed as my next of kin came up and visited for a few hours. My scar was big about 10" long with subcuteaneous stitches and then glued together on the top layer covered with a waterproof sterile dressing. I had an uneasy night but refused a catheter so suffered on, that was the worst part.  Got a small fever and I seem to suffer from really low blood pressure usually about 80 over 50.  Day 2 got up in a walker but just around the bed.  Day 3 had fever but learned to walk using 2 canes, made it easily a few hundred feet.  Day 4, walked a lot more and managed stairs, went through exercises and officially graduated from PT. On day 7 went to hotel, started lengthening walks, managed to go see a movie or two, saw doctor one last time, warned me about over doing it. Day 14 flew home and here I am....

Leslie
Treacy
10/2/07 R BHR

[Pat Walter]

Hi Leslie

Sounds like you are doing great. You are having a similar recovery to mine.  I know people hate it when I say this - but it seems from all the reading I have done that people using the overseas doctors usually have pretty quick and easy recoveries.  The US doctors are more conservative and less experienced in hip resurfacing.  I have to say we do have some experienced, good surgeons in the US, but by far the most experienced are in the UK and Belgium.

If you have some time while you are recovering - could I ask a favor of you? Could you possible jot down the costs of going to Mr. Treacy.  Try to include his fee, the hospital and whatever medical fees and then your lodging, food and plane fare.   It is so helpful to other people to have this information. 

I thought since you are bored, it would give you a little project.  It doesn't have to be exactly to the penny, but a good idea of the total cost.  I would post it here  http://www.surfacehippy.info/costofhipresurfacing.php  You can see that a  few of us have done this.

Meahwhile, I am glad you are doing well.  I was walking about 1 mile a day at 2 weeks.  The animals seem to understand things have changed.  I came home to 16 dogs!  14 in the house and they all seemed very cautious of me.  Perhaps it was the crutch I was using. It also become helpful if I needed to remind anyone to be careful.  Just waving it a little or bumping it on the ground got the dogs attention.

Mr. Treacy sounds like a great doctor.  I agree the flight is the most problem.  I had the bulkhead seats that gave me more leg room and no one in front of me.  I am also 5' 8" and overweight, so happy that my hubby and I had the 3 middle seats. I was able to put the arm rest up and make my seat wider so my operated hip side did not rub on the side of the seat.

Keep in touch.  Good Luck.

Pat

[kriyamon]

   Stoked for you Leslie!!!

Kevin

[coskater]

It is interesting to read other posts, I am still doing well. I find it odd that I had virtually no bruising and my scar is healing really nicely.  I walk 2 miles and maybe an extra half which is my limit.  I actually bought a little pedometer to keep track becasue one day I easily hit almost 4 miles and one really big hill.  I live at the base of a canyon in Boulder, CO so it is a smidge hilly. I am getting nice swing in my leg both forward and to the side, my biggest accomplishment is being able to do the clam shell it is still small about 30 degrees but the first week it didn't actually move.  I can also lift my entire leg up while sitting very easily but I don't think I should be doing this yet so it's just something I noticed I could do.  I walk 2x a day and do the exercises 2-3 times a day, I am sleeping about 10 hours a day and sometimes a little more..seems to be going well.  Only needed ice 2 times so far.

[Pat Walter]

Hi Leslie
I have your story posed on Hip Stories also.
http://www.surfacehippy.info/leslietreacy07.php

As you get updates, I hope you will post them or send them to me via email.

I would love to follow your story as you start to skate again.  Maybe you can get me some photos eventually and I will add your page to my athletes page when you are further along and back to skating.

Good Luck.

Pat

[kriyamon]

Wow...no bruisng or pain!!!  A very gentle surgeon and great response from your body.  Interesting you had the fever and low blood pressure like I did.  Did he use an epidural or general anesthesia?


Another question, were you in a lot of pain pre-surgery or were you still in pretty good shape.  I let mine go too far and my general health was on a downhill slide prior to surgery.

Stoked for you doing so good.  Do you take any dietary supplements or eat special?

Kevin LBHR Dr. Ure 10-8-07

[coskater]

My doctor used a general anesthetic and interestingly I was intubated even
though the surgery was all of 45 minutes long.  Mr. Treacy is very fast at this surgery and has a good sized team working with him.

I was in very good shape, doing pilates 3x a week and light weight training.  I had lost flexion in my right hip down to 90 degrees, it had been 160 degrees, 2 years earlier. I do take multi vitamins and glucosamine and eat pretty healthy.

I am pretty healthy but I have had surgery for cataracts, both eyes 4 years ago and the 7 hours of arthroscopic surgery just last year so my body is falling apart pretty quickly.  I hope this is the last surgery for a while.

Good luck Kevin!

Leslie
Treacy 10/2/07
R BHR

[coskater]

I was cleared last week for swimming a cycling.  I have done both, went swimming today, more difficult doing flutter kick on stomach, and much easier doing flutter on back.  Of course when I swam in HS I had a great 2 beat kick on backstroke and a less effective 6 beat kick on freestyle.  Have managed stationary bike several times and really feels good, allows me to get a good burn going even though only do it for 10-12 minutes but works with my mile walk which is about 20 minute.  Started doing pilates within restrictions and only 6 days until I can start walking with out canes. Yeah! Still no pain, sleeping well and scar looking good.

 

[coskater]

So I am currently 9 weeks out, I no longer use a cane single or double.  Back doing pilates and walking hilly terrain everyday.  I go back to my favorite sport in January.  I am doing leg presses and have good flexion, even though it will take a while to get it to match my other side. My new hip tracks better than my left but everything seems to be working just fine. Yeah!

leslie
rbhr Treacy
10/2/07

[Pat Walter]

Hi Leslie

Glad to hear you are still doing well.  What a great way to start the new year - skating!

Good luck and I hope you get a little better each day.  You will soon be on the ice and forgetting all about hip surgery.

Pat

[coskater]

I was actually at the rink where I skate and I was within my guidelines so I decided to see how difficult it would be for me to skate at 10 - 11 weeks out.  Mind you I was wearing tennis socks, very fitted jeans and a pair of skates that I had not worn for a year, and they were freshly sharpened.  Not ideal circumstances but still helpful.  I could skate pretty easily, deep edges were all good both forward and backward, good extension, still can't hip 90 degrees on r leg solo, but can manage on left leg. Managed about 40 minutes and was very happy with that, got in some 3 turns and basics, best thing...it didn't hurt.

I told my PT's and they gave me more exercises to work on strengthening that right leg, I have no joint pain just muscle and my hip flexor isn't a giant steel cord anymore so I am very happy.

I do not know that I will ever be able to adequately express how happy I am at being able to go back to the sport I love so much.  It is an incredible gift.

Leslie
RBHR/Treacy
10/2/07

[Pat Walter]

Hi Leslie

I bet it really felt great to be out on the ice again - and with no pain. Hopefully, with time you will get all your muscle strength and rom back. 

I am glad you at least got to skates on the ice.  I am sure that had to make your day.

Hopefully, you PTs will know how to guide you to get back to where you need to be.

Glad to hear from you.

Keep up the good work and stay in touch.

Pat

[coskater]

I have gone skating again this time with a friends 4 y/o daughter. Spent most of the time carrying her around and spinning her, which I was shocked that I could do since I had to balance most of my weight and all of hers on my R side while spinning.

All went well, I did go cross country skiing since we had 6" of new snow.  Fell twice kinda hard....one time on each hip, got a little worried but my discomfort is mostly muscular.  Felt good enough to do about 1/2 an hour of pilates after dinner.  Hip flexor is tight but not terribly, think I'll just get some snow shoes and then I can walk in the snowy weather.

Going back to skating and ballet at the new year, I'll work on simple tests starting at the beginning and slowly moving towards my old level.

Leslie
RBHR Treacy (UK)
10/2/07

[coskater]

Just an update, at almost 6 months out I have finished all the adult field moves and will start working on my Jr and Sr moves on the standard track.  I leave for NY for the Adult Nationals championships in figure skating next week.  While I still can't jump and won't until the year mark most of my skills have come back stronger than they were prior to the surgery.  I am doing pilates and ballet to cross train and some weights. I still get a little freaked out at how strong my right leg is....

www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

[Pat Walter]

Congratulations Leslie.  Glad to see you are doing so well on the ice.

I bet you can't wait to start some jumps when you 1 year anniversary arrives.

Good Luck.

Pat

[drmike-s]

Sounds like you're doing great, Leslie!  Mr. Treacy is one of the hip resurfacing greats.  I had my Rt. hip done in 2004 by Koen De Smet, and my experience in Belgium was wonderful.