IT'S ALMOST TIME!!!

[newdog]

Hello All!
I haven't posted here for a few weeks. Some of you may remember me, some may not. I am getting both hips resurfaced by Dr. Gross in South Carolina....when?....THIS COMING MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10 AND 12, 2011!!! YIKES!!!!!
I can't believe it's here already. I am sitting on the hotel bed here in Columbia, S.C. on Friday night trying to relax and think good thoughts. My pre-op meetings are done and everything is set and ready, I hope.
Did anyone else have thoughts like,"What the hell did I get myself into this time?" So far it hasn't been too bad but I have to admit at times I have to wonder what the heck happened to me. The last two years have been very challenging and emotional. That is the amount of time that I have gone from very active 50 some year old to (I have to admit this) to a crippled person. It's been really hard.
This web site has been more help to me than anything else. Thank you Pat Walter and others who have helped so much. I'm "hanging in there" as we say, but it's a very overwhelming ordeal it seems. The surgery doesn't worry me as much as the healing time after  wards. Maybe I'm worrying too much, I don't know. I am aware of the post op issues and I guess I'm dwelling a lot on that. Sorry to ramble on about negative stuff but I guess I need to vent somewhere. 
The other thing is I had the first x-rays taken in almost six months. What a mess my hips are! I knew that they were bad, but I didn't realize how bad they look.
I'll let everyone know how it goes. I just wish it was over and I was at home.

Steve (newdog)

[Dayton96]

Good luck Steve.  It seems you have done everything you can and now it's time to take the ride.  Keep us posted.

Mac

[Pat Walter]

Steve

Good Luck.  Try to have a few good meals and relax.  Just think how great it will be this summer.  The worst is almost over.  The worst often is not the worst at all.  I have visited Dr. Gross patients in the hospital the next day and not one was in pain.  You are in good hands. I understand your nervous feelings. I had them prior to my open heart surgery as I made my way to Cleveland and stayed in the hotel for a night.  You think - OMG - what is going to happen.  We all pick the best surgeons and just like flying in a plane - we depend on them as if they were pilots.  Actually they are.  We don't fret the whole time we fly - we know we are in good hands - at least most of the time!

Take it easy and enjoy your time. If you are with someone enjoy the weekend and party without the drink.  If not, party by yourself.  No better company than yourself.

Stay in touch.  Everything will go well.  I will be posting your story soon. 

Good Luck!  I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Pat

[littleb]

I wasn't sure I'd go through with surgery till a couple of days before. The time prior I was going through the motions incase I decided to do it. Good luck!

[23109VC]

I will be in your exact shoes in about two months.  I am scheduled with Dr. Gross in late feb.

Hang in there...im sure i will feel the same way you do.  I'm not as close to the OR as you' but i am already nervous.  Im excited to think that i am close to being fixed, but nervous knowing whiat will happen to my body.  It is creepy to think of the details of thesurgery...

Just know they will put you out and you wot remember a thing.  I the end it will be worth itl. Im ready to get on with the restofnmy life and this is a necessary step in that directional

Good luck!

[BrianROC]

Did anyone else have thoughts like,"What the hell did I get myself into this time?"
Steve (newdog)

Hi Steve.  I had similar thoughts myself the weekend before my surgery.  Monday will be four weeks post-op on my right hip and Wednesday will be four weeks on my left.  The recovery will amaze you.  One day you will be hobbling around on two crutches thinking you will never get better and the next day you will be moving well on one. 

I wish you all the best with your surgeries and hope you have a quick recovery.  Keep us updated.

Brian

[Dayton96]

You know Steve, I think Pat made a couple of good suggestions, including get out and get a couple of good meals.  I seem to remember some of Dr. Gross' patients posting recommendations of good restaurants in the Columbia area.  I think Dr. Gross and Lee Web have even recommended a few restaurants.  Check out the U of SC campus.  Walk through the historic areas in the center of the city.  If you find a restaurant your crazy about, please share.  I'll be down there in March.

P.S.  Pat, are there restrictions on what we can drink before surgery?  Except for the night before surgery, I was planning on going out and enjoying  a few drinks with dinner!

Mac 

[hipnhop]

Steve, good luck on your operation. You will be fine and back on your feet in no time.  I hope to get my hips done soon so I can walk without crutches.  Do me a favor, after it's done - take an extra step for me.

Ed

[newdog]

Thank all of you for your wonderful support.
Like I said before, this site has been the best. The information and emotional support has been priceless. I will do my best to help others by sharing advice and my experience. You know, we couldn't go through with this surgery if we weren't miserable and hurting from bad hips. I can't go on living this way either (I'm not suicidal or anything) it's just that I, like the rest of you, found something much better than to continue suffering needlessly. It's not just the pain, it's the functionality. We just can't or (in the case of you surface hippies) couldn't do what we did in the not long ago past. Just the simple everyday tasks.
I'm really not as scared as I thought I would be. Sure, it's not a great thought, and I wish it was over, but at least I'm not freaking out like I thought I might do. But then I'm sure early Monday morning when I wake up (if I sleep much) the adrenalin will strike and I'll be looking forward to the "happy shot". It still seems unreal that I'll be doing this.
The meeting with Dr. Gross and his team was great. They are very kind and friendly and will talk as long as you want. I never at any time felt rushed or like I was a "pain" to them with all of my questions and concerns. They were very supportive and understanding of my concerns.
Pat and Dayton96,
I spent today with my very supportive and understanding wife in the city of Charleston. After talking with Lee Webb and my account person in Dr. Gross's office, Tracey, we decided to drive the 1 hour 45 minutes to go there and do some sight seeing. If you have a car and don't mind driving, it's well worth it. What an interesting and enjoyable day this was. Very well worth it, plus it got my mind off of surgery.
ed@ydrf.com,
Thanks, I'll do that extra step for you.
Brian ROC,
You've been more help than you know. Thanks.
VC,
If you want, go ahead and email me if you have questions or whatever.
littleb,
I know exactly how you felt. It's kind of like, I don't have to do this you know. But hey, you did it!
I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes.
Thank you Pat.

Steve (newdog)

[DirkV]

Hi Steve,
Best wishes for successful surgeries. It's a tense time in the days before surgery, but try not to stress too much about recovery. I think that it's somewhat the nature of message boards that we read more about the problems and less about the majority of recoveries that go fine. Many, if not most, are relatively pain free - at least compared to pre-op pain. I think the only pain I had was during rehab, and then based on how hard I pushed rehab exercises, or more accurately, if I pushed a bit too much. Oh yeah, sleeping was a bit painful for a few weeks if you put pressure on the incision, but that easy to avoid. And things like putting on shoes and clipping toenails caused pain in soft tissue (probably due to cut soft tissue healing). If you listen to your body and try to stay within the pace of healing, it shouldn't be a problem. Just try to cut your toenails close the day before surgery :-) .
Keep lookin up!
-Dirk

[23109VC]

hang in there!!!  your posts are making ME feel better... I'm a couple months away from my surgery with Dr. Gross...and I have been wondering how I will feel the days before when I am in in SC...  I worry that I will get freaked out too... 

hearing that you are NOT too worried reassures me that I can get through it too. 

you'll have to let us know if they do give you a happy shot shortly before you go into the OR...  I'd just assume take a happy shot on the flight out to SC and wake up on the flight back...    that way I'd be knocked out before I even had a chance to worry about it.. hahaha.

seriously, good luck in your surgery.  Dr. Gross is one of the BEST surgeons for this procedure...there are many good ones out there, but you know that you made a good choice in picking him and you have to trust that he will do his best and that your outcome will be good.  the odds are on our side!!!  the success rates for this surgery are VERY good. 

I don't know what you are doing to stay focused.. I'm trying to think about the things I will be able to do when the surgery is over... like run and jummp around with my kids.  I have three small kids and even my youngest, 3, can outrun me now!  I can almost keep up with my limp/hobbling... but if he really takes off I can't catch him!  It's the simple stuff like that I think about.  And getting back on the racquetball court... my old racquet is out of the case and hanging in my closet for me to see it everyday....  reminding me of an actual real sport I will soon be able to enjoy once again... 

I may also get a really good cigar to fire up after the surgery.. if Dr. Gross says it's ok of course..   maybe a few days after the surgery..

I'm very interested to hear how you do the night before, day of, and how your recovery goes.  now that I'm so close to the surgery... all of those little questions that I never thought of all start popping in my head...

i'm curious how recovery goes for us.  how soon will I be up walking around...  i know they have you walk on it pretty soon..but how soon can you be up enough that you could go out to dinner, for example?

good luck and I will be thinking of you Monday!! 

23109VC / Sean

[Pat Walter]

Mac

I don't think I have ever heard of the surgeons telling people they can't have a couple drinks the few days before surgery.  I was in Belgium and had to try some of the Belgium beers.  I would not drink the night before surgery.  If you are not sure, ask your surgeon what they suggest.  Common sense and moderation are always good guidlines.

Good Luck to all.

Pat

[einreb]

Good luck Steve!  I think you've made an excellent choice.  I'm right behind you with Dr gross on 2/16. 

-B

[Dayton96]

And I'm on for 3/23.  So if all the posters are wrong and it really does hurt like hell, please let us know, so I can still switch to Dr. DeSmet (Pat said he gives all his patients really good beer!).

Mac

P.S.  I know what you mean about Charleston.  I'm an American history buff and enjoy reading about the Revolutionary War and the Civil War.  If you decide to see Dr. Gross in person for your six week or one year check ups, I would highly recommend the drive from Charleston, SC to Savannah, GA.  It is only a few hours and full of history, scenery, neat little towns, and really good food.     

[newdog]

Dayton96,
If it hurts, I'll complain to Dr. Gross ad tell him DeSmet gives his patients beer LOL!!

[23109VC]

Hope you are sound asleep in Columbia as I am typing this in California!

I hope it all goes smoothly tomorrow!  If you have a laptop or something in your hospital room be sure to post how it went, how you feel, etc! 


GOOD LUCK!!!

[Pat Walter]

Hi Guys

Dr. De Smet does not actually prescribe beer before surgery!  LOL   You can, however, buy beer in the hospital cafeteria - after all it is Belgium.  YOu can also get cans of beer out of the vending machine at the Holiday Inn.  Pretty hard to go beerless in Belgium.  They have over 450 kinds of beers there and each beer has it's own glass.  In the little pubs, there are all kinds of glasses on the shelf and you get the one that goes with the beer you are drinking.  I brought one home of my favorite beer on tap.  They also smoke everywhere in Belgium.  Quite different overseas than the US. A very nice different actually. 

Have fun and don't drink too much!   

Pat

[Lopsided]

... You can, however, buy beer in the hospital cafeteria - after all it is Belgium.  YOu can also get cans of beer out of the vending machine at the Holiday Inn

Pat, I am afraid Belgium, or at least the parts of Gent that hip patients see has changed. You don't stay at the Holiday Inn any more, you stay at the doctor's own 'villa' (which is great). There is a restaurant there that can serve some good food, and maybe beer. When I was there I do not remember anyone actually ordering a beer!

I am not sure which hospital you were treated at, but the Jan Palfijn hospital is infamous for its food (or what passes as), and certainly no beer, or any enjoyable refreshment is allowed passed its doors.

As for pain, I am pleased to say that during my stay at both the hospital and the villa, I had absolutely no pain.

D.

[newdog]

Hello All!!!
I had my first resurfacing today, Jan. 10, Monday. I will try to explain the best I can.
On a scale of 1 to 10 based on the whole experience i would give today a 9. (I don't give out 10's to anyone).

When I went in this morning, I wasn't as scared as I thought I would be. I was anxious but not freaking out. Believe me, I don't want to be a patient in a hospital. I guess what I am trying to say is, I get about as scared as anyone else. I'm not a fearless superman.
When they wheeled me into surgery I wasn't scared much at all. Of course they gave me 'happy pills" a little earlier. Good stuff!!! Someone in the O.R. asked me to sit up. That was it! The next moment I was in recovery. It happens that fast. No counting backwards or anything. Amazing!
 
It is now 7:30 Monday night. I am very comfortable, I have had 0 pain. It hurts a little when I move but that is it. My surgery was at 9:00, I was out of the O.R. at  at 10:20.

23109 VC,
You have nothing to worry about, it goes fast.

Right  now I am lying on my hospital bed checking this site. I am sooo glad I am had this done and I have a second one to go Wednesday. I'm not a bit worried or scared. What a feeling to be almost done. I feel so good. I went for a walk in the hallway using a walker. No pain and it really was a morale boost. That was about 3:00. As I lay here and think about all that has happened it's really very exciting.
 
I will try to write more posts, however I can hardly concentrate at the moment due to the meds and I'm really tired
I just now realized that I am now a Suface Hippy!!!!!


 

[Pat Walter]

Congratulations on the new hip. Normally you don't have much pain while in the hospital.  Sometimes there are exceptions.  Take it easy and we will keep you in our thoughts and prayers for the next hip.

Pat