Remembering pain

[obxpelican]

How many of you have to be reminded of situations before you remember how bad you were?

It's funny, but we stopped at a local dairy queen for ice cream last night and my wife in the past usually went in for us and when she went to get out of the car, I said "I'm coming in too" --- my wife looked strangely at me and said "you're going in too?"  You see she remembered that I would always have her do the shopping trips and I would sit in the car because even standing too long I would have excruciating pain up and down my leg and accross my back.

Some days when I wake up I wait to feel the pain in my hip that never happens, it's a great feeling when I realize it's not going to happen.

So my question to everyone is--- do you remember your pain and how it used to control your life?  Do you have to be reminded sometimes how really bad you were?

Chuck

[TomBuell]

Chuck - I think you really hit the nail on the head, because I sure know what you're talking about and I think a lot of others here do, too.
Thanks, Tom

[Pat Walter]

That's the great part about our minds - we tend to forget the negative.

That's why it is so important to support people post op when they are feeling bad and discouraged.  That bad times are so real - but all of us know that they are soon a memory.  So we just need to help people get thru the tough times.

Pat

[takilasunrise]

Just last week, I was walking back to my desk at work and it dawned on me (again) on how I'm walking pretty normal now, and without pain!  Yes, our brains are wired to forget pain and bad things.  Like they say, if women remembered their first pregnancies and births, no one would ever have any more children!  It's a good feeling when a co-worker sees you walking and comes up to you and says you don't limp anymore, that's awesome!  And this particular co-worker had her knee redone.  To be honest with you, I don't remember the pain itself anymore, but I do remember how miserable I used to be from the pain!  Even my teenager noticed the other day when I was moving something big...she said so, your surgery was worth it?  You don't have pain anymore?  When a teenager notices, that's something!!!  I am so glad I had the surgery because I feel like I have my life back! 

[Pat Walter]

Great to hear you are doing so well that others notice!

Pat

[Big Bill]

Big Bill here ---I still catch myself putting my hand behind my thigh to help my leg up as I get in the car or truck...I used to have to lift my heel and transfer weight to the ball of my foot to make up for the leg length discrepency...I could go down the stairs...but ALWAYS took the elevator going up ...the list could go on and on....but 90% or more of the time , I forget I even had my procedure (the other 10% is still my guardian angels responsibility!). It feels totally natural and I have no more pain. I will be at the 11 week mark in a few days....really looking forward to the 6 and 12 month mark. I am going to have a little party for those milestones...hippies are invited...  BRTSYS...    ...  "be ready to show your scar"   (for free admission)...especially you Shark Girl! 

              Big Bill  C.A.S.H.   7/09/08     

[obxpelican]

LOL

You are so right about the woman and pregnancies.  I was there the whole time with my wife and afterwards I even did not want to have any more kids, but she never remembered it.

Just tonight my 14YO daughter and I made cupcakes and I was on my feet for a long time and she turned to me and looked and said, "I bet you're glad you had your surgery, huh?"  So many times I forget.  This past weekend I was on my feet for 6 hours running around a boyscout camp (my daughter is a Venturer) and I did not think twice when someone asked me to spot (belay) the repelers, I did that for almost 3 hours.  Now mind you, my muscles were sore in the evening but I never had any hip pain.  Sometimes I look for it to happen and it never has.

Chuck

Just last week, I was walking back to my desk at work and it dawned on me (again) on how I'm walking pretty normal now, and without pain!  Yes, our brains are wired to forget pain and bad things.  Like they say, if women remembered their first pregnancies and births, no one would ever have any more children!  It's a good feeling when a co-worker sees you walking and comes up to you and says you don't limp anymore, that's awesome!  And this particular co-worker had her knee redone.  To be honest with you, I don't remember the pain itself anymore, but I do remember how miserable I used to be from the pain!  Even my teenager noticed the other day when I was moving something big...she said so, your surgery was worth it?  You don't have pain anymore?  When a teenager notices, that's something!!!  I am so glad I had the surgery because I feel like I have my life back! 

[obxpelican]

I was just mentioning that to someone tonight, I cannot feel a difference in either hip both feel natural, fact my operated feels better than my non operated... I wonder if Gross will give me a 2 for 1 deal?

Somebody has to let me in on "Shark Girl"  is that Lisa?

Count me in on that party Bill.... hey I am proud of my scar, I'll show it to anyone that will look 

Just don't overdo it Bill.... no fractured femurs here!!!!!

Life is GOOD!


Chuck

Big Bill here ---I still catch myself putting my hand behind my thigh to help my leg up as I get in the car or truck...I used to have to lift my heel and transfer weight to the ball of my foot to make up for the leg length discrepency...I could go down the stairs...but ALWAYS took the elevator going up ...the list could go on and on....but 90% or more of the time , I forget I even had my procedure (the other 10% is still my guardian angels responsibility!). It feels totally natural and I have no more pain. I will be at the 11 week mark in a few days....really looking forward to the 6 and 12 month mark. I am going to have a little party for those milestones...hippies are invited...  BRTSYS...    ...  "be ready to show your scar"   (for free admission)...especially you Shark Girl! 

              Big Bill  C.A.S.H.   7/09/08     

[CITY2SOUTH]

Big Bill- You havem guessing don't you...I've been out of the loop a bit but missed you guys so I thought I'd show up and look around tonight....Texas is a bit far for me so just print my ass picture from Hip stories and hang it on the fridge when you have your parties. I'll cheers you and sip some wine.

Chuck - I am SHARKGIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   LOL

P.S. How is your Lisa doing? I am sure she is getting nervous about upcoming procedure. We emailed a bit a few weeks back..Tell her No Worries Hippy Land is a Good place to be!


Lisa
Uncemented/Biomet/Gross/6-23-08

[obxpelican]

Shark girl.... there has to be a story hanging around somewhere in there.

I called Lisa yesterday and am awaiting her return call.

So far I am enjoying hippy land.


Chuck

Big Bill- You havem guessing don't you...I've been out of the loop a bit but missed you guys so I thought I'd show up and look around tonight....Texas is a bit far for me so just print my ass picture from Hip stories and hang it on the fridge when you have your parties. I'll cheers you and sip some wine.

Chuck - I am SHARKGIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   LOL

P.S. How is your Lisa doing? I am sure she is getting nervous about upcoming procedure. We emailed a bit a few weeks back..Tell her No Worries Hippy Land is a Good place to be!


Lisa
Uncemented/Biomet/Gross/6-23-08

[CITY2SOUTH]

Chuck,

There are some posts from back in July from Big Bill, Xocy, and myself discussing our scars and I think I mentioned telling people (since I live 3 miles from the shore) that I was attacked by a shark and Xocy who had a bilat said he got bit on the ass twice..It was hilarious...This site is awesome and I have missed all my buddies. Would love to get together at what some hippies have posted in the past as a " A Hippy Convention".
Let's all go on the Oprah show and tell the world..lol...

See ya,
SharkGirl

Lisa
Uncemented/Biomet/Gross/6-23-08

[obxpelican]

Lisa,

Thanks for clearing that up, I had all sorts of things spinning around in my head wondering what that meant.   


If I hit the power ball I'm going to fly all of us surface hippies to Hawaii and we'll have a huge party, just make sure nobody falls over after drinking too much... NO FRACTURED FEMURS!!!!

Bill can be in charge of holding all the drunks up.


Chuck

[Pat Walter]

Hi

It would be neat to have a hippy get together.  There have been a few done.  Normally it is more like a hippy gethering to teach new folks about hip resurfacing, but wouldn't it be fun to spend a weekend together just celebrating hip resurfacing!

Go somewhere like a resort and invite non hippies to see what surface hippies can do after surgery! Tennis, golf, biking, hiking, swimming, etc. 

The problem is to decide where to have a Hip Resurfacing Conference - what area of the country?  It could be fun and educational too if we could find a good meeting place and people willing to come.

We should all think about it.

Enjoy those new hips.

Pat

[CITY2SOUTH]

Ya'll come down to Good Ole Myrtle Beach South Carolina and show off your HIPS...

Lisa
Uncemented/Biomet/Gross/6-23-08

[xocy]

This morning I was thinking about how incredibly scared I was of the surgery (any surgery) and how intense the pain must have been to make be go through bilateral hip resurfacing. I still can't believe I did this. It is hard to remember the feeling. What is not hard to recollect is how I could not do the things I can do now. I can play golf. Saturday, I'll take my grandsons to the Georgia / Alabama game--GO DAWGS. Last year I never used any of my season tickets because I could not walk across campus. Now I walk as far as I want. Actually, the more the better!

I can sleep in a bed rather than a recliner. I can even sleep on my side! I can put on my socks and put my ankle on the opposite knee. I can sit slighty indian style in the floor and becoming  more flexible everyday.

It's not hard to remember being at a park last February and having such a sever pain in my hip that I was unsure how I would get back to my car. I stood frozen praying that the other hip would hold up, and couldn't help but laugh out loud at myself, being stranded and limping along like Quazi Moto. The memory of the old pain is faint, but my old limitations stay fresh on my mind, and always will.

I thank God for leading me to the point of surgery, and bringing the people on this web site, and Dr. Gross into my life. I am grateful.


Mike
Bilateral - Uncemented
Dr. Gross
L - 6/23/08  R - 6/25/08
mraycox@aol.com

[CITY2SOUTH]

Mike,

Awwwwww....We love you too!

Lisa
Uncemented/Biomet/Gross/6-23-08

[obxpelican]

Mike it's great to hear you're doing so well, keep up the good rehabing.  Sounds like you really did well, WOW 2 hips done.... I am attempting to try some golf next week, if that is what you want to call it.  I am 7 weeks post-op and I feel great, I cannot wait till I become old hats at this like you and the sharkmeister.

Hey guys.... did you see that Dr. G is doing a chat with Pat, Sept 30th?

Take care,


Chuck

[xocy]

Chuck, the surgery improved my game temporarily. I really slowed my swing six weeks post op. The bad news is that the more confident and stronger I become the worse I get. Last week at a range I practiced the "six week post op" swing, and, sure enough, straight and long.

On another note, anyone having bilateral is in for a few surprises. It is like I had to learn to walk all over again. Dr. Gross realigned my feet and legs, lenghten the right leg about 1/8". Also when I lay on my side, my knees and ankles touch differently ( hard to explain) and it still feels strange. I've never been able to wear flip flops because I walked off the side of them; not any more, flip flop work fine. I ask Dr. G at my six week check up if he disasembled me and just put me back together the way he wanted. His reply "Yes"!

Now for some fun....try this

HOW SMART IS YOUR RIGHT FOOT?

This will boggle your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to
see if you can outsmart your foot, but, you can't.


It's pre-programmed in your brain!



1. Without anyone watching you (they will think you are GOOFY......) and while
sitting at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the
floor and make clockwise circles.



2. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand.
Your foot will change direction.



I told you so!!! And there's nothing you can do about it! You and I both know
how stupid it is, but before the day is done you are going to try it again, if
you've not already done so.

Ask a someone to do it, but don't tell them what to expect, then watch the expression on their face.



Mike
Bilateral
Dr. Gross
L 6/23/08 R 6/25/08

[obxpelican]

Mike,

You know there was a time I am remembering when I swung slowly and I actually played better.  If this works and my 7 week plus post-op swing helps out my game I may go back to Columbia and get him to do my left hip.   

On a chat with Dr. Mont he said not to swing 100% when I start out @ 6 weeks and as I progressed through I could add some more speed, problem is when I swing harder everything goes right.

My golf buddies have been bugging me now for 2 weeks to get out and I am just as eager to take their dollars on the greenies.

Glad to hear Dr. G was able to put you back together correctly.


FORE!!!!



Chuck

[xocy]

Your Doc is correct, don't swing too hard. In golf, less = more.

Good Luck,
Mike