Bilateral Boomer Story

[Boomer]

I have made it through to the other side of the other side. Pretty goofy from the drugs. No pain. Neither of my legs move yet. Haven't seen Dr. Rector yet. He told my wife the hip was shot and said everything went well.

Not alert at this point but neede to say thank you to all you well wishers. No way I could have done this without all of your support. My OA nightmare is over.

Thank you Hippy Nation. So many of you have stayed with me from the beginning. Humbling experience, but here we are.

Sleepy now.

Thank you. You Hippys are the finest group of people I have ever been associated with.

Boomer

[hernanu]

Excellent, Boomer - thanks for checking in, I know how groggy you are. Congrats!

[lori.36]

Great to hear from you Boomer.  Enjoy the view of Boulder. 

[Kiwi]

Great stuff Boomer!
All the best for your recovery & remember, you've got experience on your side this time!
I heard from your son today, sounds like he's nearly there with his itinerary.
Cherz
Simon

[bilateralbliss]

So pleased Boomer Had to check in and see !!

[Boomer]

Thank you for the kind thoughts. I'm doing OK. Great lunch and dinner, good pain management by the nursing staff and first PT today. I have a nice view of the Flatiron Mountains. Bleeding has stopped. Pretty good first day. I get to see Dr Rector tomorrow, which will be good. My lawyer is coming by at 7:30 with some good coffee. And, it is so nice to have the two surgeries behind me. Really does take a load off the mind.

Simon, thank you so much for helping my so get his NZ adventure organized.

Thanks to all of you for seeing me through this long journey. I know I still have the recovery to deal with, but you carried me through the worst of it.

Live Strong

Boomer

[WTW15]

So Glad to see this post Boomer!  Was thinking of you today as I rode through the Boulder Open Space and hoped you'd had your surgery.  We'll have to take that ride this Fall! 

Happy Healing! 

[Dan L]

Boomer;

Fantastic to hear you are doing as well as possible following your 2nd hip surgery.  You've also been there for many of us, so the appreciation is indeed mutual.  The relief of being through it is a huge thing, enjoy it.  Just a few weeks of predictable recovery to go!

Beware of lawyers bearing gifts, even good coffee, and don't tell the medical staff he/she's of the barrister clan, they may spill something on em.

Best wishes, Dan

[Boomer]

Just finished that incredibly long first night. Nurses did a wonderful job controlling my pain, but sleep was fitful. This morning all the inserts and tubes get yanked so I can start moving around. No complaints so far except thath they could not accommodate my wife last night, so I missed her company.

The hip got really stiff laying around all night. Toes and feet are moving fine.

WTW a celebration ride sounds most appropriate! Give me three months to recover.

So many good, kind hands have been laid on me recently. Just as many good thoughts. As Kirk M told me when I first started this journey, you need to give yourself up and let people take care of you. Enjoy their kindness. That was wonderful advice. Thanks Kirk M. Special thanks to Woodstock Hippy for helping me move forward with hip number two quickly. Dan, Kiwi, Lori, WTW, Hernanu, Tin Soldier, Curt, Pat and all the rest of you Hippys raise a glass for me tonight. We're going down this road together! I've never felt alone.

Thanks to all.

Bilateral Boomer

[Pat Walter]

Great to hear things are going well.  Stay patient and keep in touch when you can.

I started a new chapter in your story so people can read about your recovery.

Good Luck.

Pat

[hernanu]

Boomer, all good news, happy to hear you're at a good starting place. Kirk was right, we're all programmed to be self sufficient, but sometimes the best thing is to be the recipient of tenderness from others. You need it now, so why not?

Sounds great.

[Boomer]

Met with the incomparable doctor Rector this morning who told me I now have two, perfect matching hips. He gave me permission to go home today if I feel up to it. I'm enjoying my stay, so I may stay a second night to take some pressure off my wife.

What a joyous feeling to be done with the surgeries! I knew if would feel good, but wow, this is just amazing. Thinking about buying some new hiking boots so I can get back into the Rockies. Had given up on that activity. All the doors that had been closing over the past few years are starting to open again. A year from now I can ski. I will be able to get back on a surf board. Picking up the pieces as Hernanu described.

Dan, notice that I am not talking about doing any work. I've got two Birmingham "Play Hips". The warranties are void if I do any kind of labor. It reads " Congratulations on your Birmingham Play Hips. These hips were made specifically for recreational use. Any attempt to use these hips for physical labor will void the warranty. Now, go play!"

I'm about the happiest Hippy you ever saw. Just had a great cup of coffee with my attorney. OT and PT in a little while.

It's so good to be on the other side. Raise a glass.

Bilateral Boomer

[hernanu]

Will be raising a glass to you once in the domicile (or maybe my favorite pub).

Excellent news, love the matching hips. As a seasoned driver of such, here's to your having a long and exciting trip on them.

[Dan L]

Boomer;

My 2 cents is stay the extra night, just easier all around, room service, shiatsu massage, happy hip talk, and all those fun people to amaze with your new appliance.

Just check the fine print very carefully on your post-op x-ray-- damnedest thing when I saw the mix of devices, but needed a magnifying glass to pick it up.  Hopefully the label is not on the back of your device and not visible in anterior view.  You'll know you got the wrong one if you start squeaking at Garden of the Gods, or "up on Cripple Creek" (no pun intended, ancestral home of one side of our family).

I got my hiking boots on after #1 last fall, maybe a bit too early-- the weight of the boots in the snow was a bit of a challenge at first, and added some pain, but only briefly.  Have been using sneakers since for hiking, but now approaching 4 months on #2, time to get the Merrill's back out for a good hike.  I purchased a really nice pair a couple years ago, with the slightly rocked (convex) soles that are great on good hips (were very hard on the bad hips though).

Will toast you while not working in Grapjuiceland this weekend, will hoist a number of frosty cold Molsons for that matter, hopefully in front of a roaring campfile.

The happyness will continue, I feel so incredibly fortunate every day, and you're going to as well, with the great start you're off to already.

All the best,

Dan

[Tin Soldier]

Boomer - so glad to hear you're doing well.  I was thinking about you last night when I played 2 hours of soccer  .  I'd say you have 2 really good success stories of your own now and a helluva lot of other ones coming up.  As a bilat and one who has followed many stories here, I've really enojoyed your perspective on the journey and its really great to know that you've completed the big hurdles.  Now it's time start having fun, obviously in moderation over the coming weeks. Take care of those hips. 

BTW - I never got any shiatsu when I was in the hospital.  All I got was a good stiff yank of the catheter and the threat of a suppository.  Good times, but I still think the meat loaf was truly the best part of the hospital, other than the excellent staff.   

I'll hoist a couple pints for you tonight, it'll be Oakshire pale ale.

[Woodstock Hippy]

Boomer, get those new hiking boots as soon as you can.  You've earned them!

Congratulations on your matching hips.  It's a good move to stay the extra night, just sit back and relax.

[Boomer]

Physical therapist got pretty aggressive with at about 5 PM yesterday and encouraged me to do a cycle of the entire medical ward with my walker. We've been trying to regain control of the pain all night. I finally threw in the towel at 4:38 AM. Four Norcos, four tramadol, two ambient. What a horrible night. I did no PT in he hospital the first time except learning how to shower and go up and down stairs. I can assure you we are taking it slow and easy today, and I am going home after lunch.

Dannywayoflife warned me about the PTs. It's back to slw and steady for Boomer.

[Dan L]

Sorry to hear, hope it gets alot better, real soon.  I wonder if crutches vs a walker might be easier that early into the recovery.

Dan

[hernanu]

Take it easy Boomer, every recovery seems to be a little different. Don't give up on PTs due to one hyper one, but you know your body best. Keep us posted...

[Boomer]

We have the pain under control now and I have regained my composure. Off to take a shower and do some stairs and then I'm going home. I have outpatient PT starting next Tuesday. I'll do PT every Tuesday and Thursday for ten weeks.

I think we all have that one bad night when things slide a bit. I' through mine. Dr. Rector came by for a visit, which was comforting.

Looking forward to slipping back into my recliner.

Boomer