…hi Huck, I forgot about your surgery. Seems all is ok right now.
May be the difficult part is mentally develop an state where you perceive that you are not damaging anything when (again) you will be “pushing” the body to does these unorthodox movements, like Surfing, paddling etc.
Took me some time to feel that I could move in a way or other without hurting anything.
thanks all, appreciate the support!
Its been 2 weeks (16th day today), so here are some observations on the process so far.
I can walk a half mile no problem, no cane or crutches needed, and I do every day. But one problem is that the leg with the new hip is now a bit longer than the other leg, so walking is still a bit uncomfortable. I have a sole insert I bought at the drug store, but it won’t stay in place on my sandals, and thats all I wear since the operation. Tying a shoe would be difficult (although probably do-able with some moaning, if I had to).
I have been riding my bike for the past few days - I can’t tell you how it has lifted my spirit to get out and pedal a few miles, after being cooped up and largely bedridden for weeks.
If you’re wondering how I could ride a bike for a couple miles, or walk a half mile every day, and still be bedridden, its because sitting, bending, and just generally moving about is still very awkward. Unlike most other bone operations, a total hip replacement is very strong from the start, you can walk on it the day of the operation (but be careful). The healing is mostly the wound - they cut through skin and muscle, and the whole hip area is traumatized. The process was described by a nurse as “pretty barbaric”. The big fear is having it dislocate from the socket, apparently a real risk for the first month.
Also, I have not slept through the night since the operation, its just impossible. Not because of the pain, even tho there is some pain, its just that I can’t roll over and move around comfortably in bed, and if I can’t get comfortable, I can’t sleep. I do eventually get tired and fall asleep, usually by about 3-5 a.m., and get a few hours sleep every morning. And I generally nap some every day, since other than walking, biking, or exercising, there is little else I do.
I have a hospital type bed set up in my living room, and I’m at the point now I split my bed time between it and my regular bed. I have a porta-potty type seat / frame that goes over my commode, to elevate the seat. Its a pain to use and I hate it, but no way could I get down and up from the normal toilet seat height. Hopefully that will change very soon.
I stretch and exercise every day, and my hip is getting stronger and more flexible by the day. I have a variety of stretches and lifts they gave me to work on, and I supplement that with situps and pushups. Today I cut my toenails on the new hip side, and it was very difficult to reach, the doggone leg is so stiff, but so fantastic that I could finally do it! One of the reasons my leg is so stiff is that with the arthritis, I couldn’t move it much at all. So now that I have a new joint, I am trying to move it in ways it hasn’t moved in years. That, and of course the wound from the operation, where they cut my leg open and pulled my femur out to cut it off. But that is healing up remarkably fast.
I have not taken one pain pill since I left the hospital, I have a full bottle of opioid pills I hope to never open. I will take an advil for pain if I need it, and I took a Walgreens Wal-som over-the-counter sleeping pill one time (those normally knock me out with just a half dose, but even a full dose didn’t do it, so I just don’t bother. My body will sleep through the night when its ready). The pain has really not been all that bad, and it improves daily.
Having the 30 staples removed was surprisingly painful - I would have taken an advil beforehand, and rubbed some kind of topical numbing agent, if I had known.
My physical therapist has not given me the ok to drive yet, but said maybe in a week. Getting in and out of a car is tricky. Once I get the ok to drive, I plan to hit the gym daily.
I have lost about 10 lbs. with the hospital stay, and would like to lose yet a few more. Since my activity is limited, I am trying to cut way back on my intake, intentionally eating less than usual.
I try not to think about surfing, but I do anyway. I take heart that my hip feels so much stronger day by day. Still, it is my goal to make sure it is healed and strong before paddling out. I guess I will discuss it with my physical therapist at then end of my 4 or 5 weeks of healing, depending on how I am feelng then.
Huck-
I also started surfing in my teens, was out of it for a few decades and then got back into it later in life. About 6 years ago, I had major surgery to remove more than half of my left lung due to a cancerous tumor. Throughout the chemo/radiation/surgery, I was asking the docs whether I would still be able to surf again. They looked at me like, “poor guy doesn’t know how much trouble he is in…”. But, it was my motivation to get back out there. Happy to say, I am still surfing at 73. So, the reason for this message is that I wanted to tell you to take it easy - the waves will be still be there two or three months from now. The body has its own time and rhythm. It will heal and you will know when to paddle out. It may take a little longer than you think, but the ocean will be there for you. Be focused, but don’t force it. It will be better than ever.
Regards
TS
Hi Huck. Glad you’re on the mend.I also have a shortened leg after an accident. I just use a drug store heel insert to help. I’ve thought of gluing one to my flaps, but don’t wear the flaps that often anymore do to plantar faciatus problems on that side. Sturdy work boots most of the time. Slip on western style work boot to avoid lacing problem. Very comfortable although my daughter says I look like Frankenstein’s monster and I get funny looks when I stop at the gym to workout in my wranglers and work boots instead of a cute gym outfit! Maybe i should start a new western wear gym clothes line? Keep the rest of your body strong while the hip heels. Mike
Well, its been just over a year now since I began my retirement life with hip replacement surgery, and its been a huge turning point in my life, in some ways.
They say growing old ain’t for sissies, and the older I get, the more I understand that. I’m 64 now, and 65 is coming up quick.
First of all, I should say that I’m very glad to have my new pain-free hip, and I’m getting back out in the surf now without any issues. But its been a journey to get to this point. For one thing, I only made it out in the water maybe 4 times in the entire year following my surgery.
Even tho I was up and around quickly, and got active right away, the trauma to my hip muscles was far greater than I had imagined, and there were other issues, like not sleeping well. I don’t know why that became an issue - researching it, its not uncommon following major surgery, and no one seems to know why. Even now, more than a year after my surgery, I seldom sleep through the night, even tho sleep was not an issue prior to the surgery. I had an allergic reaction to some medication following surgery that had me broken out in hives all over my back. I also pulled my iliotibial band twice, and both times ended up in excruciating pain, and back on crutches for awhile. I’ve also had oral surgery, and some gastrointestinal issues to deal with.
And I was doing some repairs to my mother in laws roof, standing on her patio, when it gave way and tumbled to the ground, taking me along with it. The cat scan showed no broken bones or damage to my prosthetic hip, but it also revealed my other hip is in bad shape, and so is my spine (although the doctor was amazed that I have no pain). So all that combined to keep me out of the surf pretty much, until recently. Now I’m trying to get out once a week, but not always succeeding.
I wouldn’t have believed it before, but I now know that complete hip surgery recovery can take as long as 2 - 3 years. Meaning that you might feel good after several months, but the bone has to grow and attach itself solidly to the implant, and that takes a year. And if you feel good after a year (which I do), the progress should continue another year anyway, so my hip should be better still in another year.
Physical therapy was not particularly beneficial to me, although I’m sure it must have done some good. I went through several bouts, because I just did not feel healed yet each time, and my doctor was willing to write me a prescription which my insurance honored. But it mostly left me feeling worse instead of better, and sometimes I couldn’t even walk for days after a session.
I finally got frustrated with bout after bout of physical therapy, and went and signed up for a personal trainer at my gym (out of my own pocket, since my insurance refuses to recognize this as a valid therapy). And wow, what a difference. I wish I had done this from the start. My trainer has a physical therapy background, with a focus on strength and fitness training. I think the problem with physical therapy as the doctor prescribed is that it is only aimed at healing the hip area. Whereas, during the years of osteoarthritis leading up to my surgery, my entire body was impacted. My surgeon said my entire body was beginning to deform in response to the deteriorated hip joint, and the way it impacted my movement, especially my walking.
So once I started focusing on whole body strength and fitness, including pool time, instead of just torturing my hip joint, I began to feel immediate improvement. My trainer uses a foam roller, and that has been great for my iliotibial band issues - why didn’t the physical therapist tell me about this? The physical therapist also never mentioned massage of the surgery area, but I now know that is a big factor in healing also.
The gastrointestinal issues were triggered I think as a result of the antibiotics I was prescribed, they seemed to have a very negative impact on my digestion. But the problems have probably been building up for a long time prior, since I have had frequent antibiotic prescriptions over the years for various things, and they always left my digestion worse off. I have had to educate myself about cleansing and detox of the GI tract. I have fasted several times, once for as long as 7 days, as a result of feeling sick, and cleansing my intestines of parasites and engine sludge built up.
So where I’m at now, is after all this, is I am working out at the gym several times a week, doing pushups and situps on an almost daily basis, intermittent fasting (only eating between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.), and trying to cut back on carbs and sugar, and eat the healthiest I have ever eaten. I’m down 20 lbs. from my heaviest weight, with another 5 to go, as a goal. The less weight on my hip, the better. Last surf session I felt the strongest I have in ages. My hip feels good, although I can still feel some weakness there, and some stiffness.
No one gets out of here alive, and its not about adding years to your life, its about adding life to your years. I’m just not ready for the rocking chair yet, and I know you guys, fellow surfers, understand where I’m coming from, even tho some people (like my physical therapist) act like I’m nuts for setting the bar so high for my recovery (lots of people seem to think if you can walk around with or without a cane, you’re good enough, and stop worrying about the rest)
And oh yeah, there is one more silver lining to this cloud, and that is my handicap license plate. I can park all day in a metered spot without a ticket. I can legally use those mostly wasted handicap spots everyone covets. And I can park for free in the handicap spot at most beach parking lots. Which is funny to me, cuz my wife and I used to laugh when we’d see a handicap license on a vehicle with a surfboard on top, and now I am that guy. Shameless about it, too, lol.
Amazing… Way to go!!
Not commonly recognized but I think since even rudimentary life forms (like bacteria etc) react to their environments and later behave in ways that indicate learning or rudimentary memory, it is not at all far fetched to think that the cells of the body, each one independently, and then again as groups (tissues, organs…) respond and and form rudimentary memories. If that is the case, even though a person is totally “out” during surgery and has no conscious memory of it, the body remembers. There is sort of a cellular PTSD. And as is well known about the more recognized PTSD, it effects pretty much every aspect of physiology and function, including sleep and immunity.
About 19 years ago I had two knee surgeries one month apart (long story, same knee). I felt like it took me several years to get back up to speed. Now, if I had any sort of major surgery, I would immediately see a skilled practitioner of some sort of trauma integration. Based on recent experience I would go with EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) as first choice. Not only was my experience quite amazing but it also has some pretty solid research validating its efficacy.
After a car accident, I suffered a torn labrum and two herniated discs in lower back. After a year of chronic pain, I finally got arthscopic surgery on the hip. Took me 6 months of PT to feel strong again, but I am limited. I cant run and I cant carry more than 15 lbs unless its centered/balanced across both sides of my body. However I no longer have pain so I think it was worth it. I surf 2x week with no problems so far. If I go on a trip, I can surf two days on, one day off to rest, etc. Think hard before going under that knife. My Dad had full hip replacement and it didnt change a thing for him, he regretted it. And once you get it, you will need it replaced over and over. There are also instances where the bone can fracture during the procedure, and then youre screwed. May not be your case, but thought you should know… Good luck
Heck… you can die on the operating table. Each case is different and each case has a list of known risks/rewards. Read consent forms carefully.
…hello Huck; I say pretty fast recovery; not 100% yet but you are Surfing!
I am out of the surf since four years ago due to broken shoulder few years before but I could not surf more 4 years ago (I am a shortboarder) then a year ago a car hit me when I was riding my motorcycle (and illegal maneuver) and I am still damaged; the fuckers do not want to perform a clavicle surgery; that still is broken in 3 pieces. One year without sleeping to that side (the same of the damaged shoulder)
so man; you are having a great recovery.
Regarding Medicine; the surgeons do not know too much outside the surgery techniques. They do not have an holistic or integral approach of the healing. After the incident I asked if I needed an special meat diet etc due to torn muscles and tissues…they looked at me with a perplexed face
Thanks for posting this Huck. Good to see you are recovering.
all the best
Reverb, that sucks. One reason I opted for the surgery is my dr. said the insurance already pre approved it, and I was in so much pain, nearing retirement with the prospect of spending it as a bent over cripple, I decided to roll the dice before my insurance changed their mind. My wife didn’t want me to take the chance, but I felt pretty sure it was the right choice for me.
Now I find out my other hip needs replacing too, but yet I have no pain. This motivates me to get strong, and drop every pound I don’t need to carry on that bad hip. Would like to avoid or forestall another roll of the dice, followed by another year of rehab, or worse.
Steve is a guy I met at the beach, an old contractor like myself, who had knee surgery in the hopes of getting back out in the lineup. Well, he does still paddle out, but he’s riding on his belly, the knee never healed properly. There are always risks.
My surgeon said there is no cure for osteoarthritis, but strengthening my muscles around the hip is the best thing I can do, so that’s what I’m doing. No guarantee in that either, but I’m just gonna take each day as it comes, and count my blessings. Taking care of my health takes priority over surfing, but I do try to get out once a week.
I have to work on balance, mobility, strength, fitness, weight management, stuff that came naturally when I was younger, now it’s a job. But I’m not complaining, I’m grateful that I can. Depression is always one step behind me, so I keep moving forward, can’t afford to let it get a foothold.
Surfing helps keep me sane, but I can live without it if I have to. I have the memories, and a bunch of pictures, haha. And I have swaylocks, which serves a pretty valuable service in my life.
“Well, he does still paddle out, but he’s riding on his belly…”
Ain’t no shame in it. Lots of guys (and gals) ride prone by choice. Some people still recognize Phyllis Dameron as one of the all-time greats at Waimea…
Oh no I didn’t say or imply there was any “shame” in it, but poor Steve is hugely disappointed that his debilitating pain hasn’t lessened in spite of going through the knee surgery. I was just saying that I consider it a blessing my surgery DID succeed in eliminating my grinding hip joint pain.
BTW, Steve couldn’t ride like that, as he can’t use his legs to paddle. He rides a longboard, but in prone position. I say kudos to him for being out there, not letting his bad knee sideline him.
The human body is pretty amazing, and there is plenty that medical science still does not understand. Studying ketosis, autophagy, & the effects of fasting, you realize the organs kinda have a mind or intelligence of their own, operating without any cognizance on our part.
I think it’s important to note that finding the best sports medicine PT office is very helpful, even if its a drive or costs more. Those guys have a very different understanding to recovery than sugeons. I was convinced that the larbum tear in my shoulder needed surgery, but did PT instead. 2 months later it’s a barely noticeable problem
Jacaroe - in reference to your “sports medicine PT” comment, I agree. The PT offices I went to advertise “sports medicine” but since I was sent by my insurance following hip replacement, they clearly lumped me in the “old guy with sore hip” category, kind of a least-common-denominator approach. They didn’t understand my more athletic aspirations, and they exhibited very little understanding of the hip replacement process.
The PT offices I went to (two of the big names here in town, nice modern high rent gym type offices, full staff) had the same M.O. - a doctor sees you on your first visit, then its all “staff” with a clipboard after that. People with no real knowledge of you, or your specific injury, just a printout of recommended exercises. There is no in depth conversation about specifics of your injury and your healing, no explanation of the healing process, no real communication at all. More like do this, if it hurts too much then do something else.
I would say to anyone who has had, or is thinking of having hip replacement surgery, to search “hip replacement surgery instructional video” and buckle up for some NCIS style gruesome graphics. I think that seeing the replacement process can be key to understanding the healing process.
There are an abundance of “bounce back” testimonials out there, but the reality is that the process takes a long time to completely heal from, even if you feel good pretty quick. The bone has to attach itself soldly to the implant, and that takes a year. If you feel good at one year, you should feel better at two.
An specific add on suggestion based on my own experience with PT: If you want the good stuff, get a referral from the largest, closest to you university that has football and/or basketball team i.e. who do they send their players to. Those referrals turned out to be pure gold for me. I specifically have called tha “coaches office”, or sport specific “Football coach’s office”/“Basketball coach’s office” at bigger university
Sorry you could not find a good PT guy. I’m lucky to live near a big city, so I had many options and got excellent service. Before I started, it had been 3 years since I surfed, and paddling for a mere 2 hours left me with pain for 2 weeks. That’s no longer the case. When I lived further away though, I had bad experiences.
Exactly
