I'm a hippy, Dr. Gross 10-22-08

[triathloner]

I'll be making this short but sweet, I don't have a comfortable chair in front of the computer at this time.  Well I flew down to sunny South Carolina to have my left hip resurfaced with Dr. Gross.  Once I had my pre-op appt the day before my wife and I knew we were in the right place.  Dr. Gross and his staff are excellent.  I talked to two people who were there for their six week check and they couldn't say enough good things about Dr. Gross.   Day of surgery I was a little nervous but the poeple at Providence northeast took great care and made me feel at ease. 

The surgery went great I'm told.  It took about an hour and a half, plus another hour and half in recovery.  My hospital stay went pretty well,  I was in there from wed afternoon to fri. afternoon. 

To get home we had 3 hours of driving to Atlanta, then our flight was 2 hours late, so 3 hours in chairs at airport.  Then a 2 hour flight to Minneapolis, and a 3 hour drive home.  It's doable but I was pretty stiff and sore when we got home. 

I'm moving about the house pretty good on my crutches, doing my excercises and and walked about 400 yards this morning with crutches.  I'm still sore and get stiff.  I'm still taking the vicodin but stretching it out from 4 hours per pill to 8 or 10.  I hope to get off them as soon as possible. 

time to hit the recliner!  I'll try to add more soon. 

[obxpelican]

That is great news!!!  Welcome to the "hippy other side".

One comment most everyone makes about Dr Gross, his staff is top notch.  Providence is the best hospital I've ever stayed at.  The people there go out of there way to make sure you're happy.  Another comment people make, when they meet Lee and Dr G the day before their minds were put at ease.

My whole stay there was great, I even drove home about 3 of the 8 1/2 hours home from Columbia to Pgh, PA.

Life will soon be really changed for you, I've been golfing and I've beat my buddies on the long drive fairway everytime we've gone.  I tell them I need the extra dollars to help pay my deductable.  This November I'll be surf fishing for stripers on the outer banks which I have not done in 2 years.

Glad to hear you're doing well.  Keep us up to date on your progress.


Chuck

[B.I.L.L.]

Glad it went smooth and you are back home. Congratulations and good luck !!

[CITY2SOUTH]

Another happy hippy from Grossville....Congrats and all the best to a speedy recovery.


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

[John C]

Things will just keep getting better from here!

[Pat Walter]

Hi Triathloner

Congratulations on the new hip. I hope your recovery continues to go well and you are "up and running" soon.   Well, you might have to wait 6 months or so for the running - but you will be active soon.

Good Luck and keep in touch.

Pat

[triathloner]

Day 17 Update,  I am feeling great.  On day 16 I walked 2 miles with 1 crutch (which I probably didn't really need).  Every day gets better as long as you stick with your rehab protocol.  Dr. Gross doesn't use PT except for in the hospital where they show you the exercises to do and then walking 2x a day.  After about 1 week everything started getting better.  I got off the vicodin at 1 week. and just take a couple of tylenol now a few times a day, usually time it for after my walks.   

It cost me about 2500 extra to go to DR Gross in SC.  And I really now believe how great it was to gave a good surgeon.  Good luck all. 

[Pat Walter]

Glad to hear you are doing well.  Keep up the good work.

Dr. Gross is a great surgeon.  I am going to SC this week to do a video interview with him for the website.  It will be a nice addition to the website.  Besides being a great surgeon, he is a really nice person.  I spent some time with him in LA a few weeks ago.  Very dedicated to hip resurfacing.

I hope your recovery continues to go well.

Pat

[John from Thornhill]

Well, I am scheduled for a right hip replacement with Dr. Gross next Thursday, Dec. 4th in South Carolina. Looking forward to getting this behind me.

Glad to hear the good feedback on Dr. Gross, it is comforting at this stage.

Still undecided on cemented or uncemented. Any words of wisdom out there?

[Bionic]

Not to be left out, I'm also scheduled for surgery with Dr. Gross in mid-January.  I emailed my x-rays to Lee Webb last week and was pleased to receive a same day reply saying I was "an excellent candidate for hip resurfacing."  I got the Dexa Scan today and am waiting for the results.

Now the big question is whether to cement or not to cement.  I am leaning toward not, and hope to post something soon to explain my decision (assuming I make it soon).

[KarenZ]

Hey Triathloner,
How about an update?  I am interested in how you are doing, hope all is going well for you and you are getting better every day.
I am scheduled to become a Dr Gross hippy next Wed, Dec 3.   I am really looking forward to it, in a weird kind of way.  Looking forward to being on the other side!  I have high hopes for what I will be able to do with my new hip!  This old one sure is worn out.
Karen

[triathloner]

Well, here's an update.  I'm 5 weeks post op, and I went back to work today.  I could have gone back at least a week before maybe two, but I was getting slightly enough from short term disability so I figured what the heck, spend some extra time with my wife and 2 year old during the days.  I feel great,  I walk about 3 miles at a time and it feels great, I could walk more but get board being out there for an hour or more.  I am a swimmer/ cyclist at heart and have started swimming at four weeks.  Today I swam 1000 yards and it felt great.  No regrets, and I am sooooo glad I chose a great doctor.  My only scare anymore is watching it outside not to slip as mother nature has sent us some snow.  I was hoping to XC ski this winter but Dr. Gross doesn't want us to fall until at least 6 months, after the surgery I thought no problem this winter, I didn't think no how I would want to try to get out there.  Well now that it is getting to be almost normal it's going to take a lot of discipline.  I do still have a very slight limp, it's not pain at all, just need to get those muscles back into shape.  Good luck on your surgery.  Al.