Details:
Age: 51
H/W= 6'4/238 lbs
Previous Surgeries: 2006 FAI/Cam, 2012 FAI/Cam with labrum fixation (same hip)
Athletic level: weights 4-5 days a week, extreme skier, college athlete
The day was March 30, 2016.
I flew in from California on Monday March 28th. I made sure the trip wasn't just about the surgery. It is of course ALL ABOUT THE SURGERY, but for our caregivers, we need to be aware of their needs too, and not just think of ourselves. So I saw that one of our favorite bands was playing in Durham, so I secured some tickets and surprised my GF. So we took a 5 hour flight into Charlotte, rented a car and drove another 146 miles to Durham, where we grabbed dinner and treated ourselves to one of the top bands of the 1980's. DURAN DURAN. The show was great, and it was nice to do something for my caregiver because I knew that I would NOT be such a good patient once the surgery took place.
The show ended around 11:30 and we drove back down to Concord. Where we spent the night and got up early to drive to meet Bruce at Providence Hospital. He was great. Gave us a lay the land and explained step by step what would happen as the day progressed.
From there, I met with Dr. Gross, where I was x-rayed, picked up crutches, etx, and did the DEXA SCAN. My dreams came thru, and I was granted FULL WEIGHT Bearing after surgery since my bone scan was top tiered.
He answered my questions as I kept drilling him about the 90 degree rule. He laughed and said don't worry about it as much as you are. Just be aware of it. Finally I took his advice and stopped concentrating on it.
We grabbed some lunch at the Blue Marlin in downtown Columbia, and then picked up all of my presecriptions, some water, Gatorade etc. Staying at the Marriot next to the hospital was amazing. The ease and proximity made that step a lot easier. What I wasn't happy about was that they were renovating the lobby and putting down new tile. I could just see myself getting thru a successful surgery, only to slip and fall in the lobby of the marriot. It never happened, but it was on my mind. My surgery was the 2nd of the day and scheduled for 9am. When I arrived at the hospital, I was brought back around 6:30, where they changed me, shaved the surgical site, and then had me wait. Lee came in and marked the CORRECT hip with a smiley face, and said it would not be much longer. My nerves were in check due to the happy juice that started to flow in my IV. I remember being wheeled in and asked to move on to the surgical table. I leaned forward for the spinal, and next thing I knew, I was waking up in my recovery room.
Stiff, SORE AND WEAK are the 3 sensations I was feeling post op. Dr. Gross came in and said everything went perfectly. They got me up out of bed and had me walking down the hallway right away. I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to stop. I wanted to keep walking. Of course I was with both crutches, but I was walking. Not really in pain, but rather stiff is how I would describe it.
I did the prescribed isometric exercises as I lay in bed. I watched some tv, and then loaded up on pain meds to make it through the night. I was hoping for a easy night.... Guess again.
I believe I fell asleep around 9:30......which felt like eternity. Then all of a sudden, this loud alarm went off......I was PISSED. I had NO idea where I was, or what the alarm was. I was so disoriented because of the surgery and the pain meds.....I think I tossed and turned in my bed....trying to get out of the bed...or something. until I finally relized that the alarm was a medication alarm .. The IV had finished pushing in the antibiotic. Finally the nurses came in and settled my down. I was not happy. I just prayed I didn't break the 90 degree rule during that chaotic time.
I managed to fall asleep, and slept til 7 am. I was greeted in the moring by my GF and PT, OT etc. I completed all the exercises including the spirometer. I was instructed on how to get in and out of bed. I got up and walked the hallway some more. Still really stiff, and "crunchy" is how I can explain it. no pain, just tightness and stiffness.
They were holding a group therapy session and so I attended that. Showed you how to walk up stairs and curbs etc. Then I was released. It was nice to get out of the hospital and back into the hotel. Once there, I iced my hip and reloaded up on pain meds. Lot and lots of fluid to avoid the dreaded constipation man.
Grabbed some food later that night. Didn't feel to well so left the restarant early. Got back to the hotel and went to bed. The next day (Friday, we checked out and drove up to Charlotte Airport (131 miles away) so we didn't need to do that in the early am. Our flight back to CA was at 7:30am. So we found a Marriot 1 mile from the airport and stayed there Friday night. That was the worst night. I couldn't get comfortable sleeping, the room was hot despite the AC at full blast, and I was getting cranky. I told my GF to remember the concert
Got up at 5am and drove to the airport., Got a wheel chair and went thru security. I was hoping this was going to be a quick process. Wheelchair, full docs on my surgery etc. That could not be further from the truth. Since I didn't want to stand up unaided in the X ray machine, I opted to be patted down. Which I was. Then my bag was searched. For some reason it triggered an alarm. So I was patted down again. Yup # 2. And bag was searched again. The bag was then swabbed for explosives and triggered another alarm. Oh boy. Now I was getting frustrated. AND angry and PISSED. 2 pat downs and 2 bag swabs. Then they pulled me into a private room and did a more thorough pat down. So after 3 pat downs and 3 bag swabs, I was finally allowed thru security. I am sure I didn't look like a nice person. I stand 6'4 and 235, and grumpy. So by being delayed I was getting pissed.
Got on the plane. Took my pain meds and fell asleep.
5 hours later, back in CA, and now back home.
Take aways
1) Dr. Gross was my surgeon and wouldn't have it any other way
2) I wasn't prepared for how stiff I would be after surgery
3)Preventing the 90 degree rule break is challenging but not impossible.
4) How the hell do people survive BI Lateral resurfacings?
5) How long til the stiffness goes away?
Looking for other tips of people fresh out of surgery.
I hope this implant gives me my life back, for many many years.