Stories of great hip recoveries

YoungGuy

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Apr 15, 2008
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Saskatchewan
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Canada Canada
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Thinking....Thinking....Thinking....Been doing alot of it as of late.

Taking things for granted...This is something that i hold very true to myself. First, i will explain how my life was before it was turned around, then i will go over the after effects and how i dealt with them. (Warning: I leave nothing to imagination, some things can sound rough)

When i was 14, going on 15..Very young, very active, very gifted. I was 6'1, 175 pounds and i loved sports. I excelled unbelievably in sports that my friends could not do well, especially volleyball and basketball. I played for Team saskatchewan during the summer of grade 9 (I was still 14 at the time). I was the first guy from my city, Prince Albert to ever play in both, especially basketball...Since our city is not a basketball city. I was playing alongside kids who were 17-18...And i kept up, if not did better than most. During the start of grade 10 (I was now 15) i began to get talked to by Coach's of many universities for both sports, Vball and Bball. Now my grades were also quite good, i did not hold a average lower than 90%. It was a shoe in, my life was set...I would play a sport in which was my choosing on a scholorship that would begin my life. I was as arrogant as could be, cocky as can be...I was the best there was, and this is what i thought of myself..And this was my downfall yet still 2 weeks after all of this good news, came the "Bad".

Now i don't say bad is in...BAD...I say it in a way where it altered my life as i knew it, forever. I will skip the information about what went on in the hospital, i have explained it before in previous posts...The jist of the problem was a Staph infection that near killed me...And i was diagnosed with a bad case of Septic Hip Arthritis, i had no more than a strang of cartalidge left in my leg, the motion was non existant....45 Degree's at most, and no outward movement. I was told i would need a cane, or wheelchair for the rest of my life (This was before the hip replacement came into consideration). I took in what the doctors told me, with many tears shed...And i was not one to cry. 31 days, 3 surgeries later...I was released from the hospital to go home. for 3 months at home i had a Nurse visit me everyday to administer the antibiotic changing on my CADD pack, which was a tube that went to my heart to keep the infection from returning. These 3 months, were followed by another 3 months in which i was grossly sick, due to the fact i had also experienced major withdrawls from the overuse of Morphine given to me during my hospital stay. I puked every morning, and i did not eat to well for half a year. I walked with crutch's for 3 months, determined to be strong again i did not listen to what the doctor said and i tossed the crutch's away, walked painfully on my left leg with no support. With what happened to me, there was no worry of it getting worse or injured more...Since it was already as bad as it could be. I lost the ability to Sit normally, i always had to have my leg out, i could not even sit in a car for extended periods of time because the circulation of my blood did not allow it, cramped up and got very painfull. I could not tie my own shoe, i could not put my own sock on, i could not do things quickly...It was as if my left leg was a stump, and my right leg is all i had left.

Ill skip quickly to 1 and a half years past...Since imagination can fill in the rest i assume ;P. 1 and a half years...I was back to a slight limpy jog...I picked up a basketball for the first time, and i started to teach myself the game over again since there was so much i did before, i could not physically do again. It was a passion, it was my life...I live for sports. I did not give up, and by 2 years past i was able to play basketball in game with much pain, but i was able to play a real game. 3 years after the surgery i even joined a Men's leauge team, and we won the City finals.

Now the school part, which was the toughest. My 90% average, swooped down to me dropping classes...and struggling to get by. I missed so much school, i would be great one day, and not able to move the next...This was so various i could not tell when i was going to hurt and when i was not going to hurt. I lost a year when i first went into surgery at age 15..So i was now 1 year older than everyone...It was luck that i graduated even 1 year late.

Now, not only the school work was harder, the Student body was the hardest to deal with. They did not know what i went through, they heard things, they heard rumours...But that is all they were. People would talk behind my back about how i was limping, how i could not play sports anymore, how i was pretty much useless, they even thought i was just skipping school for the 3 years i had left because it was "cool" to do. Little did they realize i was at home in excrutiating pain..Puking and wishing what happened to me did not happen. 2 years post of my first surgeries i gave the go ahead for the hip replacement, so i was put on the list.

Now, even the hip replacement was not a forsure thing...But i put it this way, when you have a oppertunity, even if the percentage is low...When there is no hope of recovery, physically...You take it, so i took it.

Due to what i went through, one psychologist put it this way, "Losing a limb is just like losing your best friend"...He tried to explain to me how my love for sports could be my downfall in recovery with the thing that prevents me from doing them as well as i did. Psychologist and councelor..One after another did not understand why i was not Depressed, since i never was. I even had one of the psychologists ask me if i had contemplated Suicide...I replied with a smirk and said..."Jeez, now that you mention it"...I thought it was funny, since it never crossed my mind, the psychologist did not laugh :P.

Now...the Hard part. 1 year after the first 3 surgeries, I started smoking marijuana and smoking cigars/cigarettes. This was something i wouldn't ever have thought of doing during my healthy years...I would've laughed at the idea. Yet i did, and yes...I do regret doing it, i was never a big drinker, i have not drank for a long time...But i do still smoke cigarettes/cigars...Which i am trying to quit, and i will quit. I have not smoked marijuana for 2 years.

To quicken things up, i hope i outlined my experiences well enough, Pre-hip replacement. Post hip replacement i do not need to explain, but i will explain what was tooken from me, that i got back...Only 7 weeks in.

The hip replacement was the greatest thing that i have ever decided on doing, i was told to not get it by many people. I can now sit normally, i can bend 3X as much as i could before. My physiotheropist said i will be playing basketball again, like i did in grade 10.

In Conclusion: So much is tooken for granted, people as young as i am do not realize these things. Hell, people twice my age hardly realize it. I hope this does not get tooken the wrong way, but i pity people who have not experienced what We have experienced....There are so many people who think a flu or a cold is the end of the world, these are the people who make me feel sorry for ones who are in hospitals around the world dieing.

As i said before, explaining when i was 15 thinking that those 31 days in the hospital were the worst thing that has ever happened to me. Guess what, i lied...Now i realize not only was what happened to me at such a young age the best thing that had ever happened to me, it is a experience i would not give up for anything in the world, even my old life back. What is in the past, is in the past...the future is a rocky road that i need to now pave for myself.

Hopefully, someone can take something away from this...And as i assume most people have children here, let them know what life really is...it is not what is...it is what it Can be. I became a adult in my teens..yet i still see guys who are older than me...who i am decades above in maturity.
 
Stories of Amazing Hip Recoveries

I'm finally teaching again!! I've had a lot of parents at the studio comment that I just look better not having the constant pain. I think if I put this off much longer I would have started to get prematurely grey! :hehe: I can turn again (and better than I could before) and I'm kicking my leg to about 110 degrees. Still have a long ways to go but my Dr. is extremely optimistic that I'll regain full dancing capacity.

It was weird though at my last appointment to see the last xray taken before the surgery. The head of my femur was halfway out of my socket. I'm glad I had the surgery when I did and didn't put it off. I could have had a major accident while teaching...everything happens in your life for a reason.

I go back to my other job a week from Sunday. I can't believe I'll be back to a full schedule again at 8 weeks out (today is 6!)...This surgery has been more than I ever could have hoped for.:wub:
 
Success stories

Hi guys! I'm so excited :rant: Today, I went on a Canopy Tour in the jungle about 1 hour outside of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. My wife, 10-year old boy and I had a blast! We did 2 miles of ziplines (14 of them, total), about 500 feet of straight up ladders, a 1/2 dozen very cool "Indiana Jones" style rope bridges and a whole lot of hiking and climbing. An amazing adventure. Before my surgery, I told my OS that I was going to do this and he said "hmm... we'll see!" - well, after my 6-week follow up, he said, go for it! And to think - before my surgery I was worried if I'd be playing tennis after the hip replacement (I've been playing for 2 weeks already) :hehe:

Here are a few pics!

Zipline!
anancyrose.smugmug.com_Family_Puerto_Vallarta_Canopy_Tour_IMG8102_786265411_Bmkih_L.jpg


350' Ladder:
anancyrose.smugmug.com_Family_Puerto_Vallarta_Canopy_Tour_IMG8145_786269044_TKGxV_L.jpg


Rappeling:
anancyrose.smugmug.com_Family_Puerto_Vallarta_Canopy_Tour_IMG8119_786266704_3mjDp_X2.jpg


I can't wait to try this again!
 

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Re: Fear of returning to normal activities.

I've been riding more and my fear has lessened. I'm now thinking more about my riding and not my hip!
I'm at the point, where my new hip is feeling stronger then the old one.
I realize I was broken prior to surgery and now I've been fixed.
It's amazing what time and attitude can do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7q5IBMW07E
 
Stories of amazing recoveries

Jamie suggested I tell a bit about myself as I am a newbie, so here goes.

I am a 56 year old male and had RTHR on 10/27/10 at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda Md. I've been lurking on this forum for years because as I was told back in 2001 -"A hip replacement is in your future". I did not want to believe it and so I have been battling arthritic pain ever since. I was able to manage it through a combination of weight loss, chiropractic, exercise, stretching, glucosamine, and pain pills. But in the last year the hip really hit the wall and nothing seemed to work. Even sleeping and sitting were becoming painful.

Went to the OS to try a cortisone shot and it gave me amazing relief..... for about two weeks. Then the pain came back with a vengeance, probably because during that short hiatus from pain, I went nuts with my sports. Athletics have always been a big part of my life, especially skiing, tennis, and road riding long distances. I do the Seagull Century (100mi) bike ride on the Eastern shore of Md. every year. Except for this year. Too much pain.

Plus my hip was getting so bad that I was starting to pedal with my right knee splayed out to the side. After a long ride this was causing a new issue with knee pain that I knew was being caused by my bad hip. Also, I developed a noticeable limp that was making me feel old before my time. Even though I knew it was probably time to pull the trigger on THR, I was terrified, not of pain but of never being able to be athletic again. I figured an artificial hip would feel artificial. Finally I was so miserable, that I pulled the trigger and had the surgery.

My recovery exceeded my wildest dreams! Never used a walker and only used a cane for a few days. I did outpatient PT and went at it as hard as I could (within my 6 week hip precautions) from the beginning. By the end of week two I was doing some light (10 minutes) riding on an exercise bike. On post-op day 30 I went out for a "short test ride" on my road bike and it was heavenly! No more splayed out knee and my spin was smooth again. I ended up doing 35 miles because it felt great! My fitness is kind of gone but it is coming back fast .

Six weeks post-op I did a 60 mile group ride and felt no pain, other than the normal good pain associated with endurance cycling. The hip feels normal and stable and awesome. If my OS were here right now I would give him a big kiss (even though I'm not that kind of guy) ! Anyway, this operation has been nothing short of a miracle and I wish everyone's recovery could mirror mine.

Merry Xmas to all and best of luck to all Hippies. Vic
 
Stories of amazing recoveries

I recieved so much encouragement reading this forum before my THR that I feel as though I owe an update to those that are deciding to pull the trigger on surgery.

I am a 55 yr old male exrunner, had a LTHR on Tues Nov 30, anterior approach by Dr. Yerasimedes at Louisville's Norton Brownsboro hospital. Dr. Y has done over 1500 THR and said that mine was one of the worse he'd seen in a while, I was bone on bone and had several spurs some of which had broken off and were floating around in there. My surgery took 1 hr 10 min when Dr Y usually does one in 45 min.

I was in my room at 1 pm, saw Dr. Y at 8 am on Wed. morning, had PT at 10 am and at noon the nurse came in and asked if I was ready to go home! Dr. Y had written my release as to "whenever I felt like leaving." I had PT again at 2 pm and was discharged at 5pm. I guess this almost qualifies as out patient.

I had very little pain at all mainly just discomfort at incision. The first week was fighting the natural trauma of surgery. I started in home PT on my 2nd day home. At 1 wk post op was using cane part time with walker, 2 wk post op cane mostly. At 3 wk to the day of surgery went back to work on light duty with very little use of cane.

Now at 3 1/2 wks post op have gone back to riding stationary bike at the gym and have pretty well put the cane up. I have some but very little discomfort in the hip, mainly learning when I'm overdoing walking and the bike.

At first visit xray Dr. Y said my left hip was bone on bone and that my right he considered severe. Needless to say I won't wait as long on the right one, he said he'd give me two years.

For all those mulling over surgery I encourage you to do your homework and consider the anterior approach. I wish that I hadn't wasted a year enduring pain and pain meds, I'll never get that year back. But I know where you are, surgery isn't the least bit attractive but neither is the torture of bone on bone hip pain.

Terry
 
Stories of amazing recoveries

Hi all, hope everyone had a great Holiday and is looking forward to a great New Year!:th_jumpy: I know this Christmas has been wonderful for me, I actually had the energy and motivation to go all out with decorating inside and out. Last year I had none of this.

This coming Friday will mark 10 weeks out and I cant believe how great its going. :th_yahoo:

I graduated from PT on the 17th and gained tremendous amounts of ROM/strength in both my hip and knee. I will miss PT though, they were a great bunch of people!

I have not needed any pain meds for about 2 weeks now.

I have been able to wear my pre op jeans for about a month now,no more stretchy pants, took a while to get my swelling down in my thigh to fit into them again!:th_heehee:

I sleep wonderfully on all sides!!! That is a wonderful feeling as its been quite a while since I could even sleep on my left side before surgery.

I can now cross my left leg over my right leg. That was always my fav position sitting but again that was something that hasnt happened in quite a long time.

Energy levels are on the up and up-I can keep up with anybody now:wink:! I have even been able to run around with the kids and our dog some(been a little too cold and snowy to hang outside for too long). Funny to cheer yourself on to RUN when its been a long time, feels good but strange at the same time. My left ankle wasnt too happy at first but it cooperated!:snk:

One of my biggest worries was that my new hip would never feel "normal" or natural. But I am at awe at it feels just that. Nothing feels alien and it is so strong! I dont think about having a THR all the time anymore and sometimes have to remind myself that there is a new hip in there!

Just makes me so emotional to have my life back, not missing out on so much, enjoying my kids while they are still young, the list goes on and on.

I soo cant wait until this summer when beach days are here again. Last summer we went once because it was soo hard for me to walk and carry things through the sand , was painful!

The depression of not living my life like I want to has disappeared and has been filled with joy!:th_yay:

Even my father in law is in awe of how well I have done and calls me the poster child for THR! :th_heehee:

I just want to shout it from the roof tops and give a thousand(or more) thanks to my OS, I will be forever grateful.

I will also be forever grateful to all you wonderful people here at BoneSmart. A great bunch of people, I feel I have a second family here. :thU:
 
Stories of amazing recoveries

I just returned from seeing my surgeon for my two-year check up on a BHR on my right side.

X-Rays show the cup nicely seated and everything as perfectly aligned as when I woke up in the recovery room.

I've experienced no pain, no swelling, and no irritation of any kind short of the occasional tightness along the incision which I still find myself massaging almost every night before I fall asleep.

I am fully active to the point I wish to be. I hike in the mountains, I climb ladders and I get up and down off of scaffolding associated with my work. If I walk a long distance it is much more likely that my feet will give me trouble long before the hip does.

My surgeon broached the subject of Metal on Metal and a recent recall of another brand of hip resurfacing device. He mentioned that the number of hip resurfacing procedures has diminished due to the recent events and concerns over MoM and discussed with me what to be aware of:

  • Sharp or nagging pain.
  • Redness or swelling.

He also said that he concurred with the majority who believe issues related to MoM are either an allergy issue and/or poor positioning of the device resulting in unintended excess wear (edging).

I'm confident that I will fall into the 99% of those who experience no serious problems. One reason for my confidence is that I held a sample of the device in my hands before the surgery. Yea, I know, hardly scientific... But, I am a mechanical kinda guy, and I was amazed as the lack of friction between the ball and cup, the machining of these pieces is unreal. the other reasons is I don't do high impact sports, I don't run, I do walk, swim and climb. And as long as I don't fall and jar the heck out of the thing, I suspect it will keep on moving like a fine swiss watch as long as I am in need of it.
 
Re: New year party here!!!

Hello Bone Smart Friends!
It's 2:52 am Pacific time and I just returned from a New Year's gig with my classic rock band. I actually jumped around and danced in my 2 inch boots and had a great time!!! (Two years ago I was on the couch, not knowing why I couldn't walk and so very depressed.)
I wish all of you a very happy 2011!! Like the Beatles said: "It's getting better ALL THE TIME!"
Thank you all for the support!
Happy New Year!!
 
Stories of amazing recoveries

Hi all, my first year anniversary is fast approaching. I can honestly say my right hip replacement has changed my life for the good. I was back at work and driving after 7 weeks. Swimming 3 times a week helped me so much between 6 & 12 weeks and i was back in the gym after 12 weeks doing low impact work. I was back refereeing football on May 15th in a charity game at Nottingham Forest FC 4 months after my op. I noticed a big difference in the strength of my leg in July & August. Been back refereeing 2/3 times a week since September. I have no pains or aches at all so i am not sure what i am going to tell my consultant (Ian Stockley) on the 11th of Jan. This man has worked a miracle for me and i can't thank him enough.

Happy New Year

Coops
 
Re: Construction work after THR

I am back doing remodeling carpentry work after my RTHR on 10/27/10 and it is going really well. I don't lift heavy stuff all day long but sometimes I do carry some weight ( doors , lumber, etc. ) and have had zero problems. I think it is important to stay in really good shape and be as strong and as flexible as possible. My squatting and bending down are way better than pre-op and my day goes by so much smoother without the constant bone on bone pain. My cycling regime keeps me from getting tired during the day. The other day I even dug a footing and it was a breeze compared with the hip pain I used to get whenever I bent at the waist. You should be fine .
 
Stories of Amazing Hip Recoveries

Just wanting to say hi and to let you know how I am doing.....
Its now 10 months since my hip replacement surgery and (touching wood) all is well....:thmb:.
I get a slight twinge from time to time if I have sat to long but nothing else.....I am able to do every thing as normal.....
I am still astonished that I am no longer in any pain....just a wonderful miracle.....

I would like to thank you for the help and support I received here prior to my surgery, it realy did help me so much.......:smile:

Best wishes to you all......God Bless.
 
Re: A report from the otherside 2/14/11

3 WEEK POST OP REPORT

I almost feel guilty writing this after reading the difficulties and protracted recoveries some folks are experiencing. On reflextion, I want to let Pre Op people know that some THR's can go amazingly well, swiftly and with only minor discomfort and inconvenience.

Quick recap: Had Direct Anterior Approch RTHR 1/31. Ambulatory in 24 hours. Discharged without cane, crutch or walker in 48 hours. Given no restrictions and no formal PT.
At 8 days I overdid it on the treadmill. Tried to push it to 1 mile low and slow. My body let me know. Got real and started over.

As of 3 weeks:

Incision...4-5 inches long, just to right of where the appendix was.....All healed, nice and pink
All swelling gone
No pain at incision
If I run my fingernail down the outside of my right thigh, there is a "burning" sensation on the skin surface over a 3 inch wide path. There is a 1 inch wide area which is numb on the surface. Is this the "stem pain" I hear mentioned?
Everything else, rt. hip, legs, feet, back are all normal and OK.
No trouble sleeping, but I stay off my new hip.
Some sense of fatigue.....take naps ( not my usual style)
No special furniture or appliances.
Get a twinge in hip when rising from easy chair.
Driving, shopping, walking as normal.
Doing 1/4 mile on treadmill 4 times a day.
Taking Celebrex and 2 aspirin daily.
Feel like if I wasn't retired, I'd be back at work.
I can now put on my shoes and socks...while seated. Been years. Next goal is to do it standing.

As I've said before I am amazed at how effortless my recovery has been. Can't explain it ,but I'll take it.

Tomorrow I'm off to the outdoor rifle range for practice. 300 yd hike back and forth to the target rack over uneven ground.

I am very conscious that the bone healing is a 4-6 month event and soft tissue can take 6-8 weeks. I'm no hero and hate pain so I'll listen to my body.

Oh yes, the best part......I'm beginning to forget how much it used to hurt. I am beginning to realize just how much my life was contolled by the old, bad hip.

Keep the Faith

Texas Jack
 
Stories of amazing hip recoveries

I'm six months post op and back to normal.
I'm riding and jumping my horse, like I use to.
I do get sore afterwards, but it's nothing I can't work through. The best thing is, I don't have the agonizing pain when I ride.
Fitting up and looking forward to the show season to start.
I'm so happy I had the surgery done. It was a long road to recovery, but oh so worth it.:biggrin:
 
Stories of amazing hip recoveries

It's been three years since I got my Stryker knee installed and this week I passed a million vertical feet of skiing in Colorado this year. Its better than I ever thought it could be. (Knocking wood now)
 
Stories of amazing hip recoveries

:yes 4:A week ago today was 5mths post LTHR and I couldnt be happier!!
The weather has been awesome and I am back to playing with the kids outside. We play kickball(lots of running!!) and lots of walks. Also a wonderful feeling to be able to do yard work with nothing to hold me back.

I can also sit indian style and curl up into a ball when I am sitting in my favorite spot. Before when I would attempt indian style sitting, my left knee would be straight up, while the right leg was in proper position.

My left leg is now only 1/4 of an inch smaller than my right!And after so many years of having what felt like Jello-y glutes they are starting to tighten up!!

So far no sign of any TB returning and I am not taking any kind of anti inflammatory. Really no tenderness either at the incision site, some numbness though. Now I am able to lay/sit on my left side with nothing that would cause it to become uncomfortable!

I had complained about my back pain a few months ago. It started in the lower back, then onto the middle(right side) and ended at the top(right side-between neck and shoulder). I believe that was an adjustment period to "reset" things. It wasnt too fun but now I am PAIN FREE in the back too!

I am still in awe about my back. I have had back pain for quite a few years now and I barely even get stiff!

So this means I am able to completely sleep through the night no matter what position- between having a pain free hip and pain free back!

Also a few weeks ago my left leg, starting from my knee into my foot, had some ache and seemed to be "resetting" as well. It is gone now and it seemed to really free up more movement in my left leg!!!

I was one of those that had hip problems and let it go toooo long. I know I had really put a strain on the rest of my body but I believe(crossing fingers) my body has finally forgiven me!!

WE are leaving tonight to drive to Washington DC to visit family and do lots of sightseeing(walking LOL) for the week! I can now (after many years) truly look forward to vacations, no matter how much walking involved, and not be in any pain!!

Thanks to all the BoneSmart Buddies for always being here!! This is a wonderful place and I am always willing to share this group with others!

:ThankYou:
 
1/31 One Year Anniversary

So here it is...my one year anniversary of my right total hip replacement. I write this for encouragement for all the newbies out there and to let you know that there IS hope in recovery.

I had dealt with pain in my hip for nine years and went through all the painkillers, injections, and therapies starting at around age 43. The doctors always kept saying "you'll need a hip replacement eventually. You will know when it's time". Then, at 52 years of age I decided perhaps it was time. I met with my surgeon, Dr McLaughlin, at the Kennedy Center for Hip and Knee. The one question I remember asking him was "if I go through with this, will I be able to walk 9 holes with my wife again?" He replied, "without pain". I looked at him and said "sign me up".

The surgery went well. The Dr did mention that he also had to remove 3 bone spurs while doing the surgery...most likely from waiting so long to have it done. I was in the hospital for 3 nights and the one thing I remember was that the ride home was miserable as I guess I expected. Sitting was painful and bothersome for some time. My wife had set up our sunroom with a bed and everything was there on the 1st level for me.

Here is where I would like to make a point for all the newbies out there. It is important not to compare your recovery to others who have gone through the same thing. I have found that we are all individual in recovery. I had made the mistake of listening to too many others about there recovery. One friend said it was 'a piece of cake and I was at a wedding in 5 days'. I guess I had high expectations. By my 6th day I could not figure out why I was having such a rough time at it and that it was coming along so slow, or so I thought. Then it happened...I started to get down on myself, almost a small depression. So early in the morning on Feb 6th I decided to go online and happened upon the bonesmart.org website. It was perhaps the best thing that happened to me last year. I decided to sign up and throw a question out there around 10am. Sure enough, I began to receive responses the first being from Jayceey. I found I was not alone in my feelings of recovery. I continued to follow the site daily and ask questions when I needed. I still follow when I can to encourage others out there. I was out of work 12 weeks. I was scheduled to be out 8 but the Dr suggested to give the recovery another 4wks because of the bone spur removal.

My recovery since has been great..almost amazing. I was able to walk 9 holes of golf again ~ pretty much pain free (even golfed better) I was able to begin biking again after not being able to for many years. Slowly at the start. Biking 1 mile at first was hard but by the end of the summer I was up to 25 miles and loving it. I often said "at first I asked myself 'why did I do this?' and now I ask 'why did I wait soooo long?' "

The only little glitch I had was this past December when I lifted a piece of furniture that we received damaged. It was about 80lbs and I helped lift it into the car and then the UPS truck. Then the next day I made many trips of Christmas boxes up and down the stairs and in the end I paid for it. I have had a lot of soreness where the incision is and tingling in my leg. At my one year exam the x-rays looked great but the doctor said that all my overdoing it has torn some of the scar tissue and the band of nerves that go around there have been affected. So he has put me on 2 alieve x 2 times a day and told me its just a little setback and to give it a month or so and take it easy.

All in all I am very happy. I am so glad I had it done and I do thank Dr McLaughlin for all he has done. I have been back delivering mail since the end of April. I am thankful for my wife for her patience for all she did for this patient. And I thank bonesmart.org for being there for me. I will continue to follow the site from time to time and would like all those out there that I am here for you. Remember to give it time and it will all come out well in the end for youl

Joe
 
Re: I made it!

Back to work!! Eight weeks from a right total hip replacement I was delighted to climb back into the cab of one of my trucks!! Still a slight bit of discomfort around the joint, and an occasional "pop" as things move around, but I am delighted with how it turned out. The doc said to wait 12 weeks but what do they know. Actually, I wish I could have but I have two employees that needed a paycheck. One a single mom and the other with an autistic child. But I was ready. I cannot help that I am a workaholic! Thanks everyone for all the companionship. I will be visiting a lot to contribute where I can!

Back to Work.jpg
 

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