RHD,
This:
"avoiding activities that aggravate my hip"You shouldn't have to do this, with resurfacing you could probably get back to doing what you love to do.
As others have said all surgeries have risks but if you research, Hip Replacements/Resurfacings are one of if not the most successful surgeries ever. With Dr Gross and crew you're getting one of the best.
I'm 10 days out from my surgery with Dr. Gross I'm 53 y/o male so about the same age as you.
I can tell you I know exactly where you're coming from. I too was hesitant, but for a slightly different reason. My symptoms were only around for about 7 months before I saw Dr Gross and was told I needed a new hip. After the shock wore off, I had the same questions you had, but realized that I really didn't have another option other than not walk, basically at all. Dr Gross told me we could manage the pain with meds but that it wasn't going to get better. I couldn't walk a city block, my golf game was suffering from lack of ROM. I decided to pull the trigger.
10 days out and I don't have any regrets. The arthritis pain is gone, now it's just the slow and steady recovery. I think the shape you're in before the surgery will have some affect on your recovery. I'm not in the best shape, I'd describe myself as more of a workhorse rather than race horse. I'm able to walk with one crutch and for short distances without any crutches at all. I've still got a limp but it's get better every day.
You obviously won't remember anything about the surgery but the whole process from check-in to recovery is amazing with Dr Gross and his crew.
The pre surgery jitters, anxiety or whatever you want to call is most definitely common. That's what made me move my surgery up 2 months. I didn't want to sit around wondering/worrying about EVERYTHING, which is what I was doing
I won't tell you what you should do but I can tell you, I'd make the same decision I did the first time.
Good luck and keep us posted
-PG