Hey everyone!

It's been 5 months post surgery and awhile since I've been on back on this site. I hope everyone is doing well with their recoveries. For me it has been undeniably the best decision i've ever made and the biggest fear I've ever had to overcome.

Since the surgery, I've been able to get my life back on track, lose 20 lbs and reduce my health risk compounded from the last 7 years of being sedentary due to this injury.

In any event, a local news station did an interview and aired my story. I hope this inspires others to take action and recover their lives like I did.

Here's the link:

http://www.wftv.com/video/16202469/index.html

It's only a small narrative about my condition but I hope my story helps.

Very nice...thanks for sharing. I am 55 and went through the same emotions to make the decision for double THR after 8 years of progressive pain. I did not bounce back as quickly...but after 3.5 months feel better than I have in years. Best wishes.

Great to see you back, DqP. And ever greater to see you and your terrific recovery! I am going to stick this thread for others to see. I think it is the single most positive post I have seen on here bar none! Thank you so much for coming back to post it.

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Please post in forums; PMs and emails for personalized help are not community oriented and will not be answered. Also search the Library and other threads for information.Thanks.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER - Moderator comments on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from your personal physician or surgeon.

Administrator is an orthopaedic nurse of 50+ years experience in joint replacement.
Left arthroscopic menisectomy 4th October 09
RTKR 17th March 09
Right arthroscopy June 06

DqP,
I just watched your video. It is awesome. Thanks for sharing it. I am scheduled for right hip replacement this coming friday.
When I think of when the hip pain started it is crazy. I remember having an epidural with my last child (she will be 14 in december) and thinking wow even with an epidural my hip still hurts!!!
I have been a very obsessive runner for 25 years, the recent inactivity is killing me!!!!
Thanks again
Judy

Thanks for the kind words (postings and private messages) everyone.

Also, i meant to put a link to my blog post about recovery...I actually started writing about it about 9 days after surgery but hopefully, for anyone interested, you can see what how I felt going through the recovery stages. Here's the link to that blog page:

http://danqpham.blogspot.com/2007/12...rt-day-b9.html

there's some other following blog post about it but just in case you didnt want to fish it out, here's the link where the TV channel got my post surgery videos from:

http://danqpham.blogspot.com/2008/01...te-week-3.html

I was pretty much the same rate of recovery as you were although I never did jump rope. I saw where you said you were going to start jogging again. My surgeon says that jogging is out for me. I can run if I have to but regular jogging would be too much impact and wear and tear on the joint. That doesn't really matter because I would much rather ride my bike. I got a plastic hip but a freind of mine the same age (54) got the steel one and he's not supposed to jog either. I wish I would have done this 5 years ago when the pain got intense. Good lucl!

Great story!! I feel much better about going back on Ambulance again. We're like the athletes of medicine, and if you can move around like you do, I see a ray of hope for me as well. Thanks.

Thanx for the encouraging post!!! I am scheduled for Bilats next Tues. I will film the first time I run one of my hounds - can't wait!

Best wishes,
Donna

Donna,

Best of luck next Tuesday. It is finally here for you.
I know you would appreciate my morning's dog story. Me and buddy were heading out to hike our trail ( have had permission for over a week now). There is a road crew outside, which normally buddy ignores. Well today he was especially excited and ran up to see them. They had just poured and very nicely smoothed a large cement sidewalk.
Within seconds it contained many many doggie prints. They were not as amused as I was.

We just got back and darn if they did not smooth every one of them out!!!! ANd they were sooooo cute.

I will be thinking about you next week. Post as soon as you can after
Judy

Have a look at the advertisement for your hip. (It sounds like it anyway) Very cool. My spouse is in advertising.


http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/sm...tion_in_motion

That's a great vid, Jessie. I shall keep that on tap for the next new member that want's to know if he/she can continue with their sports!

__________________

Please post in forums; PMs and emails for personalized help are not community oriented and will not be answered. Also search the Library and other threads for information.Thanks.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER - Moderator comments on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from your personal physician or surgeon.

Administrator is an orthopaedic nurse of 50+ years experience in joint replacement.
Left arthroscopic menisectomy 4th October 09
RTKR 17th March 09
Right arthroscopy June 06

I thought it was sort of funny that I was being shown the advertisement, because it was a cool ad and I have a new hip. I was showing the video from the post here. We saw the ad first, then this one. We just looked at each other. Same hip, two different videos.

thats a pretty cool ad video from Smith & Nephew.

Actually, my hip called the Total Conserve Hip made by Wright Medical. Before i had my surgery, i was given the link www.jimmysnewhip.com (as endorsed by Jimmy Connors). I also looked at another one made by BioMet (http://www.maryloushipreplacement.com/find_more.cfm) endorsed by Mary Lou Retton.

I had a couple of consults and went with the Wright medical one for the procedure and also the Dr. was a colleague of my Brother.

Either way, my understanding is that these large femoral head hips have been around Europe for the last 15 years and only the last 5-6 year have they been in the US. THe larger head wears better and for active people, the fear of dislocation is minimized due to the large angle it has to overcome.

In fact, at the time, we had a difficulty finding a hospital (where the Dr. had privileges) that would allow this procedure without having to go through a board review. Luckily the Dr. pulled some strings and we were able to get it done.

In any event, I'm in my 10th month of recovery and it's pretty amazing. I'm back to working out, running and feeling pretty great. Martial arts...not so much because I'm trying to ease in to the lateral motions carefully and also working on some strength building for it.

I've also lost about 40lbs, my dropped my cholesterol levels (from 268 to 167) and got rid of Diabetes type 2 onset (reduced A1c from 7.1 to 5.8). So all in all, it was the best decision i've ever made.

Good luck to you all!

Hi there, Great to hear you are doing so well at 10 months--and sounds like it is similar to the type hip I got 7 wks ago (the Biomet that Mary Lou Retton has). I am recovering great--and will return to work on Monday. Plan to do everything I previously did but never did run so don't plan to now.

Anyone else out there have the type hip that I do? If so, how is it going? .
Thanks.

Laurie

Excellent report there!

__________________

Please post in forums; PMs and emails for personalized help are not community oriented and will not be answered. Also search the Library and other threads for information.Thanks.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER - Moderator comments on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from your personal physician or surgeon.

Administrator is an orthopaedic nurse of 50+ years experience in joint replacement.
Left arthroscopic menisectomy 4th October 09
RTKR 17th March 09
Right arthroscopy June 06

Hello All: I am inpressed by the ad from Smith and Nephew too, and am so glad so many of us can have our active lives back again! I'm featured in the Wright Medical Company's advertising campaign for their Conserve Plus resurfacing components. Their advertising people called and interviewed me and then sent a photographer out from Florida to do the shoot that resulted in the photos you can see on their website. It was fun to do! The shoot was done in my ballet studio in Costa Mesa, Ca. I think I was about 16 months post op. I've improved a lot since then. Anyway, if you'd like to see the photos and read my little story, go to http://www.wmt.com/Conserveplus/Patients/ruth.asp.

Take good care all, and happy dancing,

Ruth Z

Ruth,
Those are some awesome pictures! Thanks for sharing!

Ruth, Wow, you look great and very impressive flexibility. I just want to cross my legs and perhaps get to the point where I can sit on floor comfortably. Slowly getting there every day. Overcoming the fear factor with lots of encouragement from Dr and Pt.

Laurie

Hi Folks:
I used this forum before I made the decision to have hip replacement surgery - first on one hip, and then on the other hip 6 months later. My second operation was last Christmas, so I am about 10 months away from that second operation and 16 months away from my first hip replacement. I am returning to the forum to give a boost to anybody thinking about doing this surgery. The anticipation of the operation is far worse than the recovery! With my two new hip joints, I am able to do all that I want to do without pain. I mow the lawn, take long, brisk walks with my dog, travel, and generally do everything including exercise at my local fitness center. My life is full and rich and active and yours can be as well. Pick your surgeon carefully, prepare your home in advance, and line up friends and/or family to help you for awhile when you come home from the hospital. While everyone's recovery is different, a positive outlook and keeping active and doing the rehab exercises will get you back in action quickly. While the decision to have surgery is a personal one, and it needs to be very carefully made, my decision was the right one for me and it gave me my life back.
For those of you who are thinking about this surgery, i wish you luck and good wishes.

PT109

PT, thanks for that! And nice to see you again. I was going through all the old threads in the post-surgery forum right from the beginning, entering tags in every thread, and I read so many of your previous posts. Happy memories! (for me!)

Thanks for stopping by.

__________________

Please post in forums; PMs and emails for personalized help are not community oriented and will not be answered. Also search the Library and other threads for information.Thanks.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER - Moderator comments on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from your personal physician or surgeon.

Administrator is an orthopaedic nurse of 50+ years experience in joint replacement.
Left arthroscopic menisectomy 4th October 09
RTKR 17th March 09
Right arthroscopy June 06