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Author Topic: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross  (Read 3117 times)

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Anniee

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Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« on: October 06, 2011, 05:28:08 PM »
Just got back from Columbia, where I had my pre-op appointment this afternoon.  I was a little worried that I had done too much, and caused my left hip to wear down too much for resurfacing, because it has been hurting a whole lot more than my right hip did before the surgery.  They decided to take another set of X-rays to make sure, since my last ones were taken at my post-op appointment for the other hip last June.  Good news!  It does not look much worse on the X-rays, so resurfacing is still on for Wednesday next week.  Yay!!  I would have been pretty depressed if they had discovered that it was too late, and I needed THR!
Annie/ Right Uncemented Biomet 4-20-11/Left Uncemented Biomet 10-12-11/Dr. Gross

sdunn4

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2011, 06:14:48 PM »
Great news!  I am also on Dr. Gross' schedule, for my right hip on the 24th and will be seeing him on the 20th.  My last x-rays were done here in New York in June, and I am also "feeling the pain".  I have stayed very active- 30 minutes to an hour of either rowing, swimming, or biking at least 6 days a week, and I have noticed some more pain over the past 6 months.  I am really anticipating getting this behind me!  Good luck with your operation; I will be following you!

Steve
52 YO Rt Hip Biomet Dr. Gross, 10/24/11

Aerial

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2011, 07:40:35 PM »
Annie- Yippee, you were in my hometown today.....go Gamecocks!  My pre-op is not until Thanksgiving week and it is scheduled with Lee on my appointment card.  Was your appointment with Lee or Dr. Gross?  I was hoping to be able to see Dr. Gross prior to surgery as I have some questions.  What do they do during this appointment?  Best of luck to you with your surgery.  I am hoping you will be posting so I can follow your progress.

Good luck to Steve as well.  I am so ready to put three years of pain behind me but have to wait until December due to my job. 
« Last Edit: October 06, 2011, 07:43:53 PM by Aerial »
Right hip resurfacing with Dr. Gross on 12/5/11!

einreb

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2011, 09:00:47 PM »
Was your appointment with Lee or Dr. Gross?  I was hoping to be able to see Dr. Gross prior to surgery as I have some questions.  What do they do during this appointment?

The appointment will be with Lee and Dr Gross.  They run a pretty tight ship and were right on schedule when I did mine.  You'll likely get x-rays and a dexa scan.  I did a bunch of pre-op overview with somebody before Lee came in and then Dr Gross.  He's a pretty personable guy and I in no way felt rushed as he listen and answered questions.

One amusing thing though... i could tell when i was asking the questions that he had heard thousands of times before.  I could kind of hear him reciting some of his writings. However, my case was somewhat difficult and when asked particular questions, he really perked up and got excited as he addressed each of my concerns.  Every issue that i had was referenced to past data and how he had dealt with the situation before.  It really put me at ease considering the surgery I was facing.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again... the pre-op,  surgery and post op experience there and at the hospital was absolutely outstanding.  I'm at 8 months and feel great.  best decision of my life, possibly shoulda done it sooner, etc, etc...

40yo at the time of my 2/16/2011 left hip uncemented Biomet resurface with Tri Spike Acetabular cup by Gross

John C

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2011, 09:21:03 PM »
einreb really nailed the feel of the pre op appointment. I would add that you should not underestimate your time with Lee. She is much more than a nurse or PA. She assists in all of the surgeries, and I believe knows way more about resurfacing than 98 % of surgeons. Plus, she is incredibly supportive.
I had to laugh at einreb's great description of Dr Gross answering questions; it was right on. He does a great job of answering all of the standard questions in depth and backed up with research; but he really lights up with enthusiasm when he gets to talk about something new or different. He spent an incredible amount of time with me, even exploring other options. He even stayed to meet me after hours when I came back with a CT scan that he ordered. I guarantee that you will enjoy meeting them both.
John/ Left uncemented Biomet/ Dr Gross/ 6-16-08
Right uncemented Biomet/Dr Gross/ 4/25/18

Aerial

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #5 on: October 06, 2011, 09:56:30 PM »
John C and Einerb- I am fortunate to be from Columbia so I have already had an initial appointment with Dr. Gross.  I also had my bone scan done at that point.  I totally agree with that Dr. Gross has some pretty standard answers.  I have a research background and mentioned a couple things relative to research design and working with longitudinal data and in response he did seem to turn on a different channel. 
Right hip resurfacing with Dr. Gross on 12/5/11!

Anniee

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2011, 08:57:37 AM »
Aerial, my pre-op appointment was with Lee.  I think that if you are local and have had your initial consultation with Dr. Gross, your pre-op would normally be with Lee.  If the pre-op is your first visit to their office, it is with Dr. Gross, or both him and Lee.  As John points out, Lee is extremely knowledgeable, and can probably answer most of the questions anyone would have.

What they normally do at the pre-op appointment for local patients, is go over the instructions for the surgery and give you your prescriptions for the narcotics, fax the non-narcotics prescriptions to your usual pharmacy, check your hip, answer any questions you have, and get you the Polar Care machine, crutches, etc., if you ordered them.

Although my appointment yesterday was with Lee, I did also talk to Dr. Gross briefly before I went off to have my X-rays (this normally would not have been part of my pre-op, but was done because of the worsening pain) and they both checked my X-rays.  I am sure that if you have questions that Lee cannot answer, he will be very willing to answer them.  At my post-op appointment for my right hip, which was shortly after all the hubbub about metal ions, I asked him about that issue, and he spent a lot of time talking to me about it. 

Steve, you couldn't be in better hands!  It is such a relief to get rid of all that pain and stiffness!  It was kind of funny yesterday when Lee was checking first my left hip, and then my right one, which used to be the bad hip.  Now my previous bad hip is my good hip, and the previous good one is the bad hip!  Luckily I'll be back to having two good ones soon!

I will be posting after the surgery, but probably not for the first week or so.  I don't have a laptop, and sitting at my computer was uncomfortable right after the surgery.  I probably should invest in a better chair.  I may check that out this weekend. :)
Annie/ Right Uncemented Biomet 4-20-11/Left Uncemented Biomet 10-12-11/Dr. Gross

hernanu

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2011, 10:10:50 AM »
Good luck Annie and Steve! sounds like you're in good hands.
Hernan, LHR 8/24/2010, RHR 11/29/2010 - Cormet, Dr. Snyder

Aerial

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2011, 01:26:50 PM »
Annie- Are you from SC?
Right hip resurfacing with Dr. Gross on 12/5/11!

Anniee

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #9 on: October 07, 2011, 03:50:47 PM »
Yes, I live in Aiken.
Annie/ Right Uncemented Biomet 4-20-11/Left Uncemented Biomet 10-12-11/Dr. Gross

Aerial

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #10 on: October 08, 2011, 07:58:34 AM »
Aiken, yes you an I are both lucky to have Dr. Gross close.  Best of luck Wednesday!
Right hip resurfacing with Dr. Gross on 12/5/11!

Tin Soldier

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #11 on: October 08, 2011, 07:17:09 PM »
Good job Steve and Anniee.  We'll want to have a blow by blow account of the surgery.   :o

Wishing you well!
LBHR 2/22/11, RBHR 8/23/11 - Pritchett.

Anniee

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #12 on: October 09, 2011, 10:50:11 AM »
Tin, I sincerely hope I'm fast asleep during the surgery, and unable to provide a true blow by blow account!

Thanks for the good wishes!
Annie/ Right Uncemented Biomet 4-20-11/Left Uncemented Biomet 10-12-11/Dr. Gross

ScubaDuck

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #13 on: October 09, 2011, 12:48:40 PM »
Best wishes Steve and Anniee.

Dan
LHRA, Birmingham, Dr. Pritchett, 8/1/2011
RHRA, EndoTec, Dr. Pritchett, 12/6/2022
fullmetalhip.wordpress.com

sdunn4

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #14 on: October 12, 2011, 07:55:36 PM »
Thanks for the best wishes!  I am ready to be through with the pain and limping, but as I get a little closer I am starting to get a little nervous.  My wife and I leave Tuesday to drive to SC.  After the appointment with Dr. Gross on Thursday the 20th the 20th we will visit Savannah and then stop in Jacksonville to see my Mom and younger brother.  Surgery is scheduled for noon on Monday the 24th.  It will be tough not to eat or drink anything from midnight on until after the surgery on Monday!
52 YO Rt Hip Biomet Dr. Gross, 10/24/11

Tin Soldier

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #15 on: October 13, 2011, 04:35:17 PM »
Steve - I had an afternoon surgery on my first one.  Yeah it was a long morning waiting to go in and not eat or drink.  I made it worse by going out with some friends the night before and drank a little too much.  I pretty much maxed out the pre-op restrictions.  I woke up at 6 am with a bit of hangover and slugged a bunch of water.  Hey, they said no food or drink 8 hours before surgery, surgery was at 2:30 pm.  The prep nurse couldn't get an IV in me, because I was so dehydrated.  I am licensed and certified to tell you adamantly, "don't do that!"  Twas pretty stupid, but it all worked out.

BTW - if you have enough nerves before surgery you might not feel that hungry anyway.  On my second surgery I went with the 7 am, o'dark hundred surgery and stayed away from the beer.   ;)     
LBHR 2/22/11, RBHR 8/23/11 - Pritchett.

newdog

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #16 on: October 17, 2011, 09:58:12 PM »
Anniee,

I'm looking forward to reading how your surgery went. I'm sorry I wasn't on here to wish you well before your surgery. I've been really busy and haven't been on the computer much the past week or so.

Steve,
Good luck. You are in really good hands. You'll do alright.

John,
I laughed too at einreb's story. Dr. Gross REALLY lit up when I asked him to see some of the hip devices he has in his office. He carried in a plastic box of them and I don't know how long we talked about them. I was the last patient he saw that day and he was in no hurry at all to end the appointment. We talked for a long time. Dr. Gross is the only doctor that I enjoy seeing and can't wait to visit for my one year post op. You are 100 % right about Lee. And I love that Southern accent. (Can't let my wife see this.)   ;D
Steve, Dr. Gross bilateral, uncemented Biomet, January 10 & 12, 2011, Columbia S.C.

sdunn4

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #17 on: October 18, 2011, 08:20:35 AM »
Thanks for all the good wishes!  We leave shortly on our car journey to South Carolina.  I am very much looking forward to having this surgery out of the way.  Has anyone heard from Anniee?  Her surgery was 1 week ago tomorrow, and I am hoping that she did well!  I will try to send an update after my surgery once I am "with it"!

Steve
52 YO Rt Hip Biomet Dr. Gross, 10/24/11

Anniee

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Re: Pre-Op Appointment with Dr. Gross
« Reply #18 on: October 19, 2011, 11:07:42 AM »
Thank you everyone!  My surgery went well and I will tell you about it in a separate post.

Steve, I know you probably won't be reading this before your surgery, but you are in very good hands and I wish you the best!
Annie/ Right Uncemented Biomet 4-20-11/Left Uncemented Biomet 10-12-11/Dr. Gross

 

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