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I don't mean to brag, but I am a world-class procrastinator.
For months I debated whether I was in enough pain to need
resurfacing. It seemed like everyone on surfacehippy had
much more pain before their
operations.
My life was full. I work full time, and could limit my pain
by giving up most significant physical activities. No
running or jumping, just walking slowly, and my pain was
only intermittent and usually mild to moderate.
Occasionally, if I had to, I could walk for a couple of
miles at once, with little pain after. My wife and I danced
once in a while. The day before my operation I climbed 5
flights of stairs.
Of course, if I took long walks, danced, or climbed stairs
for two or three days in a row I would have lots of pain,
24/7, for a couple of weeks. Even swimming hurt.
With this lifestyle my weight kept going up, and my blood
pressure. Then came back pain, and some benign but annoying
heart problems. I also missed sports like crazy, and was
turning into a giant marshmallow.
So after months of going back and forth, getting conflicting
advice from friends and relatives, I almost chickened out.
Thank God I didn't!
Thursday was my surgery with Dr. Su. Before the operation he
asked me to sign a consent for right hip resurfacing / total
hip replacement. Dr. Su told me that he had performed over
300 resurfacings and so far had never had to convert any to
a total hip. Well, it turned out that if my hip was just a
little bit worse I might have been number one.
The morning after Dr. Su showed me an intra operative photo
of a large "hole" in my femoral head caused by a cyst that
was not even suspected preoperatively. If I'd waited just a
few more months resurfacing would not have been possible.
An operation was inevitable. My hip was deteriorating
rapidly. There was dramatic worsening in my hip x-rays, from
September 2006 to March 2007. I undoubtedly would have soon
been in severe pain, and required a total hip.
I left the hospital 41 hours after the operation. Now, three
and a half days post-op, pain is much less than I expected,
and recovery much faster. Best of all, I didn't need a total
hip.
I'll write later about my operation. That may be of some
interest for people who are considering using Dr. Su. For
now I'll just say he was great, and the hospital wonderful.
This post is for people out there who are on the fence (and
especially for my friend Brian). I am so glad that I didn't
delay my resurfacing
any longer.
Roger
Woodstock, NY
Su RBHR 4/5/07 (New surfacehippy)
Additional Story
When I first tried to get an appointment with Dr. Su, by
luck that they had a "cancellation" appointment available in
only six weeks. At that November 28 appointment Dr. Su
agreed to do my surgery. The earliest date they could give
me was in early April.
A week and a half before the operation you have you come for
a "pre-op day." That includes a physical exam with one of
their internists who will be responsible for you during the
hospital stay. There is also blood drawing, x-rays,
registration, and a pre-op class. I was by far the youngest
person is to my class, and the only resurfacer. Everyone
else was a total hip . They spent a long time reviewing hip
precautions. But the instructor was careful to point out
that these precautions did not apply to me. They gave us
each a detailed notebook. Toward the end of the book they
showed two pages of sexual positions that could and could
not be used with these precautions. My goodness! I never
even imagined some of these positions. Couldn't help
thinking of "Meet The Fockers." I guess "HSS" stands for
"Hospital for Super Sex." But I digress.
My surgery was Thursday night, April 5. And there I was, 47
years old, 6'0", 260 pounds, and ready to rock. When I first
registered a gentleman who already had all my information
asked me my first and last name, address, date of birth,
type of surgery, and which hip. Later, when they called me
into the pre-op area each tech, nurse, aide, and even the
anesthesiologist each asked the same five questions. Dr. Su
came by and confirmed it was my right hip and that I wanted
a resurfacing and then signed his initials on my hip. Then
he asked me to sign a form consenting to total hip
replacement /
resurfacing. He explained that in over 300 resurfacings he
never had to convert one to a total hip yet but wanted me to
understand it was a possibility. As I mentioned in a
previous post ("Glad I didn't wait") it turned out there was
a huge cyst in my femoral head that almost made resurfacing
impossible.
The anesthesia that they prefer is a hybrid spinal/epidural
with some oral medication. I remember my first two minutes
in the operating room, and then waking up in the PACU.
Apparently I kept babbling during the operation, asking the
same questions over and over, never remembering their
answers. At least that's what they tell me. I remember none
of it.
They also do an interesting technique called "controlled
hypotension". They lowered my blood pressure to
approximately 80/50 during the operation to reduce blood
loss and speed recovery. (I think there were other
advantages that I just don't remember.)
Dr. Su spoke to my family after the surgery. He visited me
both days in the hospital.
That's what blew me away: I was discharged at 41 hours
post-op. They did not force me out. Dr. Su and my nurse both
asked me twice "Are you comfortable going home this soon?"
But I felt fine.
Apparently HSS has the lowest infection rate of any hospital
in the United States. I am not surprised. They were very
impressive, and I am not easily impressed. But the worst
part of HSS was having to drive home through those damn NYC
streets. Cramped up in the back of my minivan with my wife
driving it seemed like she was aiming for every giant
pothole. But I know that wasn't true. The potholes were
actually jumping out of the street and attacking my hip with
little hammers.
But after I got back to Woodstock, lay down and took a
couple of Percocets the pain went away and I could fall
asleep. My recovery since has been incredibly smooth. I was
walking slowly on a treadmill and with very little pain
until day #5. Then I got cocky and really over did it, (and
proved to myself what an idiot I can be. I didn't realize
too many hours sitting up at the computer, especially after
too much walking, could be so destructive. Now it's day #7
and I'm back on track; no pain meds in two days.
Overall, I can't believe how fast and relatively pain-free
has been my whole experience. Please forgive the long post.
I hope someone will find it useful.
Roger
Woodstock, NY
Dr. Su RBHR 4/5/07
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