JohnieKnoxville
new member
Hi Everybody,
I want thank all those who have posted on this forum and also a big time thanks to Josephine for everything she does to keep things going here! I've been a 'lurker' on the site for probably a few months, and have wanted to contribute by posting my story. But, most of my questions, concerns, and fears have been covered by others and my 'story' to this point, THR surgery in 5 days, doesn't pop out to me as anything exceptional - but I still want to contribute. Somewhere in my medical travels over the past 6-8 weeks, I was asked, "you know the difference between minor and major surgery don't you(?), it's minor if it's on anybody else, but it's major if it's on you!" We can all relate!
I'm 55, male, fairly active- gardening, landscaping, carpentry, golfer -'have been in and out of shape several times in life, and out of shape (30-35 pounds over weight) about 4 months ago when I told I needed hip replacement. I spent a year thinking I had a hernia which my family doctor diagnosed as a slight or 'sports' hernia which might be healed by taking anti inflammatories and laying off the activities for a few weeks. That routine always seemed to work for awhile, and it also did when a general surgeon who I went to see to get the hernia surgery wanted to try it. It was the general surgeon who did a hip x-ray and found that the advanced arthritis in my hip was causing me the problem. (All things considered, I'd rather be having a hernia surgery, but oh well...).
So a few week later when my orthopedic surgeon, (the general surgeon sent his father to this O.S. for arthritic joint problems- a fairly good recommendation), told me I needed a hip replacement, I was floored! While I'm thinking, 'man, I'm way too young for this program', he told me that I had three options; 1) live with it, 2) pain management with anti inflammatory and possibly a steroid shot right into the hip joint, and 3) total hip replacement surgery. Then he says "whatever you decide, I still want to see you in 6 months, but if you want my honest opinion - you won’t make it 6 months without deciding on the hip surgery"! And damn, of course he was right.
I've been accused of being 'long-winded', but have two things about my program to point out, and will try to practice brevity. First for any potential THR candidate lurkers out there who may be trying to decide what to do, I chose my O.S.'s options 2 and 3. I got the super steroid shot right into the hip joint in December and took anti inflammatoriess so I could exercise like crazy to loose weight and build muscle strength prior to surgery. I was a slacker through the Christmas holidays but been in the gym and on the track since then losing 15 lbs, and 4 inches in my waist. (I still have 4-5 inches to go and was doing great on the 'good diet', until all the Girl Scout cookies started showing up last week..., but I ain't finished, and will reach my goal, after surgery!) My theory was/is, that if I could manage, or eliminate the pain it didn't matter how much damage I did to my hip since they're gonna throw it away and put in a new one. The only irony is that now my leg muscles are in better shape then they've been in for a long time, just so they can be sliced and diced by the Doc!
Lastly, (Finally!), because I've read so much here about people who have put up with their pain, suffering, and lifestyle curtailment for years, or long periods of time, I kinda feel like I haven’t adequately paid my dues, so to speak, to be able to join this club. I've only had pain problems for about a year, and it only got really bad when I did serious exertion, or maybe over -exertion. When I was talking about this a few times with one of my golfing buddies, he said that his wife said she noticed that I was limping after a round of golf when we walked uptown from his house to see a concert a few years ago. I always thought it was normal 'old guy' aches, and it was sort of like a 'catch' in my hip when walking sometimes, but not real major suffering. But wimp or whatever, I'll be a full fledge member of this club in 5 days on Thursday morning! I will side over to the recovery side of the forum after surgery and post some follow up info on how I do. Maybe the surgery will solve my hip and long-windedness issues!
Thank you really everybody, for posting on what's going on with your hip replacements, it's been a real big help to me!!! (Fooled you 'thought I was done –I’m getting a metal on metal, no weight restrictions once I'm healed, and a 'minimally invasive' surgery procedure). My name is John and I'm from Knoxville, TN, but I go by Jack.
True best wishes too all, and again, Thanks!
Jack
I want thank all those who have posted on this forum and also a big time thanks to Josephine for everything she does to keep things going here! I've been a 'lurker' on the site for probably a few months, and have wanted to contribute by posting my story. But, most of my questions, concerns, and fears have been covered by others and my 'story' to this point, THR surgery in 5 days, doesn't pop out to me as anything exceptional - but I still want to contribute. Somewhere in my medical travels over the past 6-8 weeks, I was asked, "you know the difference between minor and major surgery don't you(?), it's minor if it's on anybody else, but it's major if it's on you!" We can all relate!
I'm 55, male, fairly active- gardening, landscaping, carpentry, golfer -'have been in and out of shape several times in life, and out of shape (30-35 pounds over weight) about 4 months ago when I told I needed hip replacement. I spent a year thinking I had a hernia which my family doctor diagnosed as a slight or 'sports' hernia which might be healed by taking anti inflammatories and laying off the activities for a few weeks. That routine always seemed to work for awhile, and it also did when a general surgeon who I went to see to get the hernia surgery wanted to try it. It was the general surgeon who did a hip x-ray and found that the advanced arthritis in my hip was causing me the problem. (All things considered, I'd rather be having a hernia surgery, but oh well...).
So a few week later when my orthopedic surgeon, (the general surgeon sent his father to this O.S. for arthritic joint problems- a fairly good recommendation), told me I needed a hip replacement, I was floored! While I'm thinking, 'man, I'm way too young for this program', he told me that I had three options; 1) live with it, 2) pain management with anti inflammatory and possibly a steroid shot right into the hip joint, and 3) total hip replacement surgery. Then he says "whatever you decide, I still want to see you in 6 months, but if you want my honest opinion - you won’t make it 6 months without deciding on the hip surgery"! And damn, of course he was right.
I've been accused of being 'long-winded', but have two things about my program to point out, and will try to practice brevity. First for any potential THR candidate lurkers out there who may be trying to decide what to do, I chose my O.S.'s options 2 and 3. I got the super steroid shot right into the hip joint in December and took anti inflammatoriess so I could exercise like crazy to loose weight and build muscle strength prior to surgery. I was a slacker through the Christmas holidays but been in the gym and on the track since then losing 15 lbs, and 4 inches in my waist. (I still have 4-5 inches to go and was doing great on the 'good diet', until all the Girl Scout cookies started showing up last week..., but I ain't finished, and will reach my goal, after surgery!) My theory was/is, that if I could manage, or eliminate the pain it didn't matter how much damage I did to my hip since they're gonna throw it away and put in a new one. The only irony is that now my leg muscles are in better shape then they've been in for a long time, just so they can be sliced and diced by the Doc!
Lastly, (Finally!), because I've read so much here about people who have put up with their pain, suffering, and lifestyle curtailment for years, or long periods of time, I kinda feel like I haven’t adequately paid my dues, so to speak, to be able to join this club. I've only had pain problems for about a year, and it only got really bad when I did serious exertion, or maybe over -exertion. When I was talking about this a few times with one of my golfing buddies, he said that his wife said she noticed that I was limping after a round of golf when we walked uptown from his house to see a concert a few years ago. I always thought it was normal 'old guy' aches, and it was sort of like a 'catch' in my hip when walking sometimes, but not real major suffering. But wimp or whatever, I'll be a full fledge member of this club in 5 days on Thursday morning! I will side over to the recovery side of the forum after surgery and post some follow up info on how I do. Maybe the surgery will solve my hip and long-windedness issues!
Thank you really everybody, for posting on what's going on with your hip replacements, it's been a real big help to me!!! (Fooled you 'thought I was done –I’m getting a metal on metal, no weight restrictions once I'm healed, and a 'minimally invasive' surgery procedure). My name is John and I'm from Knoxville, TN, but I go by Jack.
True best wishes too all, and again, Thanks!
Jack
United States
