3 months out for resurfacing with Dr. Gross

[jb46]

I have so many questions and concerns but after reading thru this site for the last couple months I know I'm now headed in the right direction.
I am a relatively athletic 46 year old male. Diagnosed with an arthritic right hip, and told by my ortho surgeon that resurfacing was my best bet, and he had already had his own hip replaced so I valued his assessment.
There are NO resurfacing specialists in Atlanta, so I'm going to Dr. Gross in South Carolina. I've already waited too long but can't fix that now.
Please answer any of my questions, or correct any of my comments or assumptions if you can.

I've seen lots of comments about getting in shape before surgery, so I'm going to focus on that. Figure what further damage can I do.
I'll have a couple hour drive after being released, what should I expect in first few days/weeks after surgery? I will probably be working from home about 5 days after surgery, phone and laptop work. Is this doable? I'm not in position to take more time off.
I've read notes on post op mobility, and realize everyone is different. Just looking to get general sense of what is reasonable to expect. I've gone thru most torturous knee rehab possible, AC implant, so I can work thru most discomfort/pain.

After recovery, hope to go back to running, softball and golf. Not world class in any, but "recreationally competitive". I've been very encouraged by so many of the comments I've seen on the site about...made my decision easier.

Lastly, thank you all so much for all of your posts/comments on this site. Though this is my first post, I have been to the site many times and gained much valued info/support. There are probably many people in my/our situation so keep up the good work...thanks...jb

[hernanu]

Hey jb, welcome to the site, glad to hear you've picked Dr. Gross. Many happy patients of his here.

There's a discussion by Brad, who is three days away from being OA free, which may answer some of your questions:

http://surfacehippy.info/hiptalk/index.php?topic=3422.0

We'll be glad to help you out with any others.

• As to getting in shape, people have done all sorts of things, but I think the best stuff to do is to get your core (especially lower abdomen) strong. It's  not typical weights work, I did stuff with my PT that was more like pilates or yoga. If you can work with a PT to address that, it might help, but I think anything you do will help
• I was on a laptop pretty quickly, but just for entertainment. You'll find that you tire easily, you won't be able to carry much especially on two crutches and you will need REST. You also need to fit in PT religiously, so if you can fit work into this, it's fine, but realize that the most important thing is healing.
• The rehab itself wasn't torture for me, but there was definite discomfort, especially while swollen.
• As long as you prioritize the healing, you should be well. I couldn't sit at a table or a desk chair for a few weeks, so you may want to take that into account. Maybe a recliner would get you comfortable enough and let you elevate the legs.
• You want to avoid blood clots, so moving a good amount is a must. I was usually the more comfortable when I was up or lying down. I wouldn't plan on long stretches with the laptop while your legs don't move. I say this, because I do computer engineering and I can become so absorbed that I don't move for hours. Not good.
• Most of all realize that this is for early on. I was back at full work in five weeks, with no problems or restrictions. Even at five weeks, I still got tired from sitting too long, would take 'tour of the office' walks every 15 or 20 minutes.

Hope that helps, and welcome again.

[Dan L]

JB;

Hern really nailed the big points, very much the same for me all around.  Sitting at a desk chair was a few weeks at least, laptop stuff on the couch was sooner, but I was whipped tired, and too tired to work much.  I was back working from home (laptop etc) at 4.5 weeks.  Exhausted by a fulls day work for the first couple of months back to work, still get that some now 4 months out.

The one thing I did which was long overdue, starting 6+ months prior was to lose extra weight; I carried at least 25 extra lbs for many years, lost most of it prior to the surgery.  It helped not having to carry that around all the time on crutches and through the surgery itself, and I just felt better overall.  It should be lost gradually, and NOT quickly just prior to surgery.  Recently learned, as I prepare for the 2nd one, that you really should eat a well balanced diet for the week or 2 prior to the surgery and not diet, so you have all the nutritional stuff in line as you approach it.

With such an experienced doc like yours and providing you follow the program, you'll be amazed how good you feel once you go through your recovery and rehab over months after wards.

Da,