Looking forward to surgery with Dr. Gross!

[ctb]

Hi!  I'm new here and in the process of scheduling surgery with Dr. Gross.  I have sent my xrays and patient forms on to his office and Evelyn emailed that he should have my info today and be in touch in the next couple weeks.  I can't believe I actually am looking forward to surgery. 

My story is much like many of yours.  I am a 44 y.o. mom of three.   I was fine until a couple years ago and then started feeling pain in my left hip that radiated down my leg.  I assumed it was sciatica and my GP didn't disagree so off to PT I went.  That helped and for a while the pain was gone.  Then fast forward to this past February when it came back with a vengeance.  Back to PT for me, but this time it didn't work, so I decided to try a chiropractor.  The first chiropractor took an xray of my neck (??) told me my Atlas (??) was out of alignment and for a mere 3K could fix all that ailed me.  Needless to say I decided a second opinion was in order.  The second chiropractor was much more reasonable.  He did some adjustments and I even got a massage (who knew insurance would pay for massages?  I sure didn't).  When a couple adjustments didn't seem to help, he sent me for an xray (of my hips this time, thank you very much).

That xray showed that I had advanced arthritis in both hips, but it was worse in the left.  Also, I appeared to have a partial tear of my labrum in that hip as well (which I decided must be causing the pain and not the arthritis....not just a river in Egypt).  I have had two injections so far that have given some relief, but they have only lasted about a month each.  I was sent to see an orthopedic surgeon who looked at my xrays and announced that I needed a THR.  A friend had mentioned another procedure, but since I was in denial about needing any surgery at all (44?  Who needs a new hip at 44?!), I blew her off.  I thought he would simply fix the tear and be done with it.  When I asked him about another procedure he just said there was an anterior approach that was an option.  Now, looking back, I know he knew exactly what I was talking about, but since he didn't do resurfacing himself he neglected to mention it.  IMHO this is despicable behavior for someone who has taken the Hippocratic Oath.   

I googled around looking for this other procedure and discovered this site.  I started reading the information on this site and others and joined the yahoo groups, although I find the yahoo boards layout hard to follow.  I contacted Vicky and she was kind enough to forward my xrays to several surgeons and they all confirmed I was an excellent candidate for hip resurfacing.  After reading may testimonials and weighing my circumstances I decided Dr. Gross was the doctor for me.  Now I just wait.  I look forward to getting to know you.  It is so comforting to know I am not alone in this journey.

Any Dr. Gross patients out there who can give me an idea of what to expect?  Will I have drive down weeks before surgery or can I just make the one trip?  Any tips or suggestions for getting ready?

Thanks!

Catherine

[Dannywayoflife]

Catherine,
             It sounds like as many of us on here certain medical professionals have been less than forthcoming with you!
It's a lot to deal with but this is a great place for support and info. I'm sure dr gross will fix you up like new.
Danny

[obxpelican]

It's one trip, we got there Monday, saw Lee and Doctor Gross Tuesday along with getting all your scripts and any hardware you need.  Wed is surgery day, Friday you checkout, Saturday you go home.  That is for a single surgery, I believe Bi-Lats do it all in one trip also, he does the surgeries over 2 days though with some days in between.  When I need my next surgery I won't worry in the least, it's fairly painless and it's very well regimented.

This site has a lot of Dr. Gross hippies.

The hospital is awesome, your family can stay right across the parking lot of the hospital.  Dr. Gross has a great pain protocol, you wake up without pain you usually get up and walk the hall with crutches the very first day, steps the next. 

Ask away, welcome to the site.


Chuck

Any Dr. Gross patients out there who can give me an idea of what to expect?  Will I have drive down weeks before surgery or can I just make the one trip?  Any tips or suggestions for getting ready?

Thanks!

Catherine

[einreb]

It's one trip, we got there Monday, saw Lee and Doctor Gross Tuesday along with getting all your scripts and any hardware you need.  Wed is surgery day, Friday you checkout, Saturday you go home.

I did the exact same thing flying from Chicago.  Outstanding experience!

[curt]

I did mine on a Friday.  I think he has some weeks now where he does Wed and Fri.  They will work with you on a schedule once he reviews your stuff and calls to talk with you.  My only complaint is that I was going to have to wait over 3 months for the surgery, but he was able to move me up over a month with his new schedule (he's popular). 
Consults and some bone density xrays in his office on Thursday.  At 8:30a.m. Friday, prep'd and ready.  Done by 1:00p.m. and here I am over three weeks later a recovering hippy.  Dr. Gross and Lee are great, Providence Hospital makes it easy, Hotels at the end of the parking lot.  He's done a ton of these and is easy to talk to.  I hope I can hold off on doing my other one, not to mention my balsa wood knees, but he's the one I will turn to again.  Best of luck, ask any questions.  Curt

[Anniee]

Hi Catherine,

Welcome to the site!  I just had my second resurfacing surgery by Dr. Gross on October 12.  He did my right hip in April of this year.  I am lucky enough to live only 1 hour away from Columbia, so Chuck knows more than I do about the protocol for out-of-state patients.  I had my pre-op the week before the surgery, then the operation on Wednesday, was up walking the hall on crutches and having physical and occupational therapy sessions Thursday morning, and went home Thursday afternoon.  This happened for both of my surgeries.

I am sure what he will do in your case, is write instructions for all the pre-op lab tests for your local doctor.  Dr. Gross likes to get these done well in advance of the surgery, so that any potential problems, such as low hemoglobin, can be fixed prior to the surgery.  He put me on iron pills both times before the surgery, even though my values were normal but not as high as he likes.  I don't know if he does this with all patients or just women, but it is done to prevent the need for a transfusion in case there is significant blood loss during the surgery.  In my case, blood loss was minimal both times  , so I stopped taking them right afterwards.

I think it is a good idea to get as fit as you can before the surgery, and particularly work on upper body strength.  It helps for the first few days afterwards when you have to be on crutches, and sometimes women don't have much.

You have picked an outstanding surgeon.  Dr Gross and Lee Webb, his assistant, as well as all of his staff are great, and so is the hospital.  Tomorrow, it will be 2 weeks since the last surgery and I am already off all pain meds and walking without crutches or a cane.  I'm sure you will be very happy with your choice of surgeons!

[hernanu]

Thanks for the post, Catherine - it looks like you've got a great surgeon and a good outlook.

[Tin Soldier]

You're not alone.  If I had 2 more hips, I'd consider seeing Gross, but I only have 2 and hopefully won't be needing a surgeon any time soon.  He's one of the best and lots of folks here have great things to say about him and the staff.

[ctb]

Thanks everyone!  I am so encouraged by all the positive feedback about Dr. Gross et. al.  I am very happy to hear I can make it a one week trip and not have to drive there twice before surgery. 

[obxpelican]

You'll be fine, believe me it's not that big a deal when it's all over, of course you'll be excited your pain is gone but you'll wonder why you ever worried about it.

Dr. Gross is arguably one of the best hip doctors in this country, he takes on many difficult surgeries and he's very succesful with them.


Chuck

[newdog]

Welcome to our world, Catherine!

I will explain what you can expect if you are getting both hips done with Dr. Gross. If you get them both done the same week or decide to have the second one done later is your decision. I had them both done the same trip to Columbia because of expenses (one trip as opposed to two, I live in Pennsylvania) and I wanted to have one recovery. It's a little tougher that way, but very doable and I am very glad I did it that way.

After sending my x-rays to his office it was a little over two weeks until he called me. I think it was a longer wait because he just got home from a vacation. He called me via my cell phone on Wednesday, September1, 2010 at approximately 7:00 P.M. We talked for about a half an hour. Some Hippys talked a lot longer than I did. He informed me that I was an excellent candidate for HR. Then we discussed the surgery and I had some questions for him. He will talk as long as you want and will not be in any hurry to end the call. Very friendly, understanding and will answer anything you have about HR and your concerns.

In less than two weeks, Nancy Smith the office RN will call you and give you your surgery date(s).
I had to wait 4 months for mine because I am a bi-lat and wanted them both done at the same time. Again, if you have any questions, concerns or even fears, tell Nancy. Very good and supportive and will do anything to help. She's an angel.

Now on to the week of surgery. If you decide on getting them both done the schedule will be like this.
1. The pre-op appointment will be on Thursday with Dr. Gross, Lee Webb and Nancy Smith. They will take x-rays and examine you. You will also meet with an account person to go over the insurance issues, etc. (fun) I can't think of her name right now but she is really good. Very knowledgeable about all insurances and helpful.
2. Your first surgery will be on the following Monday (the next week).
3. The second surgery will be on Wednesday.
4. I was discharged to go home on Friday. If you are flying they suggest that you schedule your flight for on Saturday so that will mean another stay in a hotel Friday night. My wife and I drove to Columbia. About a 12 hour drive. She drove the whole way home.

That is a long one and one half weeks. But I looked at it as an adventure and getting my life back. If you have both done and your schedule is like mine was, Charleston, S.C. is a two hour ride from Columbia and is an awesome place to visit on that weekend between the Dr. visit and surgery on Monday. Just a suggestion.

I looked forward to my surgery also. My friends, family and co-workers thought I was nuts, but that is honestly how I felt. We all know the misery of bad hips, some others were a lot worse than me. Don't even worry about the surgery. It's not anything like I thought it would be. I was in very little to no pain at all. The pain wasn't even what I would call pain, it was just a soreness. They will take good care of you. You'll be amazed with Providence Hospital and the staff there. The rooms there are private rooms and they are large and have a fold out sofa bed if there is someone staying with you. The staff is very accommodating and will provide them with a pillow, blanket, etc. There is no fee for someone to stay other than meal costs. My wife stayed there and was very comfortable. There are also two hotels next to the hospital. The one hotel shares the same parking lot.

My story is similar to yours. I am in the process of writing it so I can post it on this site. Ask away with your questions and tell us if you have any concerns. You picked one of the best surgeons and you will be very happy with the results.

[obxpelican]

We have other Dr. Gross Bi Lats Catherine, but I think Newdog has pretty much covered the bases for you.

Good luck, keep us posted every step you make.

Soon you will be walking straight and pain free.

Chuck

[ctb]

Thank you newdog and Chuck!  I'm seriously considering bilat although I'll wait and see what Dr. Gross says.  My right hip isn't hurting at all (yet) just some occasional dull aches (mostly because I'm putting almost all my weight on it now), but part of me wants to make a preemptive strike.  I'd rather have the left fixed sooner than 4 months though.  It is getting worse by the day. 

The hospital sounds wonderful! I can't believe they have fold out beds - that will save some money.  My call from Dr. Gross can't come soon enough!

Thanks for all your support! 

Catherine

[Pat Walter]

Hi Catherine

I am not a Dr. Gross patient, but have met him a number of times and did a handful of video interviews with him.  He and Lee Webb are the best - friendly, very competent and very pro hip resurfacing.  He attends many courses for hip resurfacing to keep up to date and to help teach new surgeons about hip resurfacing.  You made an excellent choice.  You surgery will be here before you know it and we will be reading your post op recovery story.

Good Luck.

Pat

[imgetinold]

Catherine,

I am scheduled with Dr. Gross for January 11th.  Your story is similar to mine....pain...goes away...comes back.  I have yet to hear anything negative about Dr. Gross, and can't wait to get this fixed.  Please keep us up to date as you move forward.

Andy

[Anniee]

Catherine, depending of course on what Dr. Gross says about your hips, you may want to seriously consider having both done at the same time.  When I first went to him for my right hip, he told me my left one looked just as bad as the right one, even though I was not aware of much pain there.  As a matter of fact, he told my daughter after the first surgery that if my right hip had not been marked, and based only on the X-rays, he would not have known which hip to operate on!  So I had the surgery for my right hip in April, and decided to schedule the left one for October.  One of the major reasons for this was insurance.  We were going to have layoffs at my work in August/September, and I wanted to make sure I would still be covered for this surgery, plus I had already met my maximum for this year. 

About 2 months after that first surgery, my left hip starting hurting pretty badly, and by the time I had it resurfaced a couple of weeks ago I could barely walk because of the pain.  It seemed to deteriorate so quickly, and I really wished then that I had not waited.  Now that I have had both hips fixed, it feels so great to be able to walk without that awful pain!

[newdog]

Hi Catherine,
I want to add some input on the issue of whether to have both done or not. Anniee made a very good point in her explanation of one hip not hurting as bad as the other even though they both look bad. When Dr. Gross sees your x-rays he will be able to advise you on the "good" hip's condition. He will not do surgery on it if he feels it is too soon. Ultimately it is your decision but he will give you an accurate assessment of it's present state and of course will give you his opinion on the matter.

I also experienced the "other hip feeling like it's not that bad syndrome". When I went to an orthopedic surgeon in my town to get my left hip checked to see what was causing all the pain and discomfort, he found that I had advanced arthritis in both hips. I went to see him for my left hip only, not both of them. The right one was just a little stiff and sore after physical activity, but it didn't cause me any concern at all. He asked me if the right one was also hurting. When I answered him "no", he was rather bewildered. He said that it should hurt because of how bad it looked. Within about two months, the right one started hurting and it eventually got worse than the left hip. The left hip (the original) that I went to see him about was bothering me for at least a year before I saw him.

When I went for my surgeries, I had a choice on which hip to have done first. I chose the right hip because it was really aching the most. It sounds kind of silly choosing between the two because only one day separated the two surgeries, but I thought what the heck. Do the worst one first. Maybe the limping from the left one caused the right one to really wear out fast to the point that it was worse, I don't know.

I didn't mean to write a long post here, but I just wanted to give you some more info and maybe help you out in your decision. It does seem as though once the hip joint reaches a point of deterioration, it tends to go rapidly. You will know what to do after your telephone consultation with Dr. Gross. Good luck.

[ctb]

Thanks Pat - I've watched all your Dr. Gross videos, they helped me make up my mind!

Anniee and newdog - I have been considering the bilateral.  I'm nervous about recovery though - how hard is it to manage with no leg for support?  I will have to wait to hear from Dr. Gross.  If he says I have a couple years left on my right, I might wait, but I seriously think I'm not going to hear that.  The mri showed I have severe OA on my right as well, just more advanced on my left.   

[bigblue]

You will be in good hands whatever you choose to do.

[Anniee]

Catherine, I had a 6 month period between my surgeries, so I had one good leg after each surgery.  I think each recovery is definitely easier that way, but you have to go through it twice!  If you have them both done more or less at the same time, the recovery is a little longer but you only have to go through it once.

I'll be very interested to hear what you decide after your consultation with Dr. Gross.