My Post op with Dr. Gross (Origional post was lost due to hacking)

[surfhippy]

Hi everyone who was posting on this. Due to hackers, Pat was unable to recover everything. I'm now 7 weeks post op, walking 2 miles in the morning with no limp, and going for ocean swims for 30-45 minutes. I don't swim the entire time, it's just nice to swim, and float around in the surf again. I had some massage therapy last week but the guy got a little close to my incision, and I was quite sore for a couple of days. Won't be going back. I  was told no massage on the incision for the first 6 month period. I still experience some pain around the incision, and just assume it's still healing underneath, as my incision on the surface healed nicely with no oozing.

[surfhippy]

I'm now 9 weeks post op and seem to be doing well. Still doing my 2 mile beach walks in the morning. The past couple of days I,ve been swimming in the ocean and bodysurfing in soft 1-2 foot surf. Feels so good! Just when I feel like I've reached a plateau for a couple of days, I will show progression the next day. Most of my pain is gone, although I still get a bit sore at the end of the day. I found if I take a day or so off from my exercises when I hurt really seems to help calm the muscles down. I was taking Advil PM to sleep but rarely take those now. I'm even sleeping on my incision side. I just got a "spin" bike from my friend who owns a bike shop, and that is really helping. Started with 20 minute sessions on the bike keeping a good cadence. I may go to physical therapy, went to them for an evaluation since I didn't travel for my 6 week post op appointment. The therapist was very thorough, and it doesn't hurt that she is easy on the eyes. So glad now that I'm feeling so good compared to how I was pre op. 9 weeks down, 17 weeks to go. Yew!!

[surfhippy]

Hey everyone, Just an update now that I am 14 weeks post op, and doing great. I'm counting down the days until I'm released for full activities. I just booked a surf trip to Sumatra, Indonesia for mid April 2016, which will be my 1 year anniversary. Depending on my progression, I may do Hawaii or Nicaragua before Indonesia. I'm to the point where I have no pain, and very little soreness if I have a very active day. I never thought I would feel this good again after dealing with such intense pain for 6-7 years. I'm also planning on doing some epic hiking, and mountain biking as time allows. The last big hike I did was a 9 mile intense hike in Moab, Utah, and I could barely walk when finished. I would start to hurt just after walking a city block, but no problem walking 3 miles+ now.

[lori.36]

Did you fly for your surgery with Dr Gross?
I am  scheduled for September and want to get my ducks in a row.

[Woodstock Hippy]

Good luck Surf!  When will you doc let you get back up  on a board?  How long were you laid off?

Also, where are you planning to surf in Hawaii.  I'm a 3.5 year bilateral hippy and I am just loving life.  Just came home from Haleiwa.  My wife and I did a ocean swim race from Sunset Beach to Pipeline.  You know, in summer the North Shore is supposed to be ''flat city''.  Most of the 11 days we were there was head high or better all along the North Shore.  There was a huge pod of surfers at Rocky Point that we had to swim outside off and most times we couldn't see the guide buoys.  I was so glad to get back onto the sand at Pipeline only to get knocked on my @ss by a wave.  Finally got up and across the finish line and on to the food!

Last question, where do you get into the ocean right now?

[surfhippy]

Lori, We drove for the surgery with Dr. Gross and it was an out-patient procedure. It was about a 4 and a half hour drive from my house in Florida, We drove up Sunday, surgery on Monday morning, and drove home Tuesday morning after Dr. Gross checked in on me at the hotel. I'm not sure of the protocol for flying. I wish you luck. You will feel so much better.


Woodstock, That's a great story about the ocean swim. The doc doesn't want me doing anything that would cause an impact for 6 months. After that, I am free! It will take some time to get in shape and Hawaii may be a pipe dream (no pun intended), but head for the North Shore. I do surf/wave art photography, so it would be a business trip, and since I'm there, I may as well catch a few waves in between shoots. I live in Atlantic Beach, Florida, (east coast) and live by an oceanfront park that has a few good breaks. I will soon take my longboard out just to get some paddling in. 

[Woodstock Hippy]

That's cool.  I just got a print on aluminum by Brian Beilman.  I got it for my wife, it was her birthday,  at the new Wy's Gallery in Haleiwa.  It's a wave at Pipeline with the sun setting through it.  It's also the only photo in the gallery that was taken on film.  Wy's Gallery is really something.

Good luck and heal well, you'll be back up on a wave very soon.

[surfhippy]

Just thought I would comment on how amazing I feel just after 20 weeks. The hip feels loose every now and then, but from what I hear, this is normal. I've been walking, some exercises. riding a spin bike, and doing some swimming, and a little body surfing in smaller surf. If you told me I would feel this good after 20 weeks, I wouldn't have believed you. My life has changed due to the absence of chronic pain. Six more weeks and I'm free! I can't wait.

Woodstock, Beilman is one of my fav ocean photographers, and he lives in an incredible place for ocean/wave art. I'm sure the print is unreal. Are you talking about Wyland's Gallery? Clark Little was just in town promoting his work, but I missed him. I really need to get out of Florida, as I'm tired of waiting on swell events to occur...lol. Take care.