Birmingham Hip Resurfacing
Patient Journals, Rick Owen

When I was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis in the summer of 2005, I couldn't believe it. I'm a lifetime runner. I went to the doctor assuming my hip pain was from injury. More of the 10-mile a week and ramp up for a long race and having felt the first bad pain in May, this was a real shock. Osteoarthritis doesn't develop overnight so did I just discover it?

I keep some pretty good health records relating to running and as I learned more about Osteoarthritis and looked at past “injuries,” I realized this was a long time coming. For years I thought I was susceptible to left groin pulls. I would often feel the pain after running. Several years ago I came down with the pain that kept me awake at night. I pinned that on gout even though it made no sense and tests showed otherwise. Then came inexplicable knee pain at a time I was training for a possible marathon. All my reading and understanding of Osteoarthritis suggests that pain is often transmitted to other areas of the game leg. I'm convinced that I missed all the signs and that those firm X-rays in 2005 uncovered the source.

As research will tell you, everyone is different. Some will go through excruciating pain and others like me can maintain activity levels. I could still bike as hard as ever but forget running. Eventually, simple exercises began to hurt. I began to limp. When I was cutting the grass with a gas “push” mower it could lead to total disability for the next hour.

I feel very lucky that I never endured level 8-10 pain due to Osteoarthritis and that I could remain fairly active. It's a true blessing to have discovered hip resurfacing as an alternative to a Total Hip Replacement and to have one of the best in the United States perform the surgery. I actually have an opportunity to become more functional than anytime in the last 10 years! This is a true modern miracle.

January 26, 2007
Surgery Day

We live in Brookfield, Wisconsin and had to travel to Madison. The day of the surgery we left around 6:00 a.m. I had seen a full hour long video of the surgery on the Internet. I would not recommend viewing for all, but having had various surgeries in the past it helped me assess what I was facing. I was apprehensive but ready. I hate general anesthetic and would have preferred a spinal but Dr. Rogerson feels the spinal does not relax the body as completely as general.

I was treated well by all. I went under anesthetic around 10:30 a.m. and came to around 2:00 p.m. Thankfully I had no nausea! My wife met me in my hospital room around 4:00 p.m. At that point on, life focused around managing pain and figuring out how to urinate again because I was mostly immobile the pain was very tolerable never over a 4. I even got up once to urinate with the bottle. This is a small victory that can make you feel so much better.

January 27, 2007
(Hospital)

I did not get much sleep. There was a lot of poking and prodding, IV changes, blood pressure and temperature readings. The immediate incision area is sore but pain is very manageable. It is amazing to begin PT and to actually walk! Only complaint was dealing with so many different people.

January 28, 2007
(Hospital/HipHab)

I felt so much better. PT went well through moving operated leg side to side or up and down was virtually impossible all other exercises were doable and walking continued to improve. I was able to wash up in the bathroom and was able to urinate normally which was another pleasant milestone. We were discharged at 3:00 p.m. and were into our room and ready for Marty (PT) at 4:00 p.m.

Marty was a wealth of information on what to look for, what to expect and what to anticipate as the next few days unfolded. It was critical to understand swelling and bruising, which I had become increasingly aware of. I was told others have had far worse, but regardless it's alarming to see your leg swell and bruise in so many spots I did not expect as much swelling. I had knee and inner thigh bruising but learned that almost any area can be affected. The key to dealing with and managing post surgery issues is knowledge and I'm thankful to everyone who took time to explain what to expect.

I forgot to mention that Joann visited before my release. Dr. Rogerson also stopped by on Saturday. Their support is important and it is clear that Dr. Rogerson understands that is critical to develop and establish an effective team to support recovery. They cannot always be there but it is obvious to me they spent a lot of time and effort ensuring that others would offer critical information and support.

January 29, 2007

HipHab in the pool begins today. It's the first time (and so soon!) that I feel normal again. The only aerobic physical activity I could tolerate before surgery was an exercise bike. It felt wonderful to "bike" in the pool.

The afternoon land session helped me truly understand my opportunity and challenge in walking correctly. So many years of compensation led to bad habits, none of which were useful with the new hip that was designed to work perfectly.

While I disguise pain needs an earlier knee surgery had taught me the lesson of not waiting for pain to happen. Never sure how exercise would affect pain, I keep up pain meds as prescribed for the next part. Marty had suggested cutting the dosage or going longer between doses to experiment with how I managed pain. By this time all pain was muscular, it felt like exercising an unused muscle and paying for it later. I reasoned that I had spent enough PT that I could probably test the limits. Massages and icing are critical and I would assume a strong component of pain management. If someone doesn't ice or massage swollen and bruised areas, I would suggest maintaining pain meds indefinitely!

I still kept up pain meds through the night and into the next day having time in between and half or full dosages.

January 30, 2007

I started the day off with a land session. It is amazing how quickly walking returns. I learned the "2 Crutch Step." I focused in on the technique of walking. This is a wonderful chance to get it right and I plan on taking full advantage.

I kind of "hit the wall" after the land session. I was very tired and slept a lot up until the 3:15 water session. As I walked into the humid pool area, I wondered how well this second pool session would go. It took a short while to get my bearings and suddenly I just woke up. The session was fabulous and once again topped bike riding. The session made me feel like I had never had surgery.

I rested after the pool session and dined with my wife. For whatever reason, I noticed an appetite loss that had started even at lunchtime. Not enough to call it nausea but clearly enough to damper appetite. I suppose being overweight adds to limited activity. I'll take any opportunity to limit my calorie intake!

I continue to experiment with pain meds and have vowed to cut them off. At 10:30 it's my last half pill. I hope I remain relatively pain free!

January 31, 2007

My decision to cut pain meds seems sound. With time I feel I'm more in touch with my muscles rather then masking all pain. Just a decision, if I started hurting (4+) I'd go back to meds. You still want to be comfortable doing exercises and that is critical. As a former athlete used to the pain of the first few practices, I can deal with this because I equate the two.

Land session therapy went well today. If you buy the concept that good posture, good exercise routines and paying alternatives to body alignment for better health; then buy. I'll respect that this is an opportunity to get your body into more perfect alignment (walk better, run better, increase flexibility, limber). I have a chance to return to physical health that I haven't experienced for years but only if I follow instructions and do it regularly. I think you know what I'll be doing for the next few days, weeks and months.

With nothing scheduled for the afternoon, I've been able to focus on this journal. In between generous spells of sleep! I'm still tired. I believe it's the general anesthetic still in my system and will be thrilled when signs of the surgery slip away and become memories.

Most of us forget the bad times and remember only the good! I look forward to a simple early morning run that months ago I thought I would never do again or be a possibility. It's so much easier working through the "pain" of training when you can remind yourself of how joyful you feel to be able to compete again.

February 1, 2007

The staples are out! Ouch…According to Joanna the dermabond tape now used makes it a bit harder to pull the staples. I guess a little pain before departing isn't all that bad.

Good luck to those who were before and to the countless that are bound to follow. The important thing is to get the word out to those who don't realize another alternative exists!

Hope this helps.

5/15/2008