trinkd
Diva in Training
Hi all,
I lurk here mostly, but am going to chime in now. I've made a decision, will keep you updated on progress if anyone is interested.
We're spending our current "summer of sugery" in Vail/Frisco, becoming best friends with all the good folks at Steadman Vail. [lol, I see "summer of surgery" is a thing - not just what we call it!]
Hubs had hip labral repairs done to both hips 8 and 7 years ago, and one had gone bad, so he's just had a Dr Philippon "revision." Things are going well, albeit slowly, but he's in good shape and should be skiing (maybe gently...) by winter. We travel full time, living in hotels and airbnbs, and our winters are skiing.
I've known my left hip was headed to repair for years now (since at least 2013). By the time my FAI was "discovered" it'd been a lifetime of impingement and tearing and, well, it's just yuk. Even Philippon said he *could* try, but repair might not last very long. I'm not losing a summer/fall/perhaps winter to a repair only to do it again in 2 years for replacement; I'm 63 and fully recognize the need to keep on keepin' on. Foot on the throttle and all that. He referred me to Dr Kim here at Steadman, who I gather is quite "the" replacement doctor. I only say that to acknowledge my confidence that I'm in very good hands. The driving force with every person we've encountered here, including patients, has been a very true desire to get you back to doing the things you want to do - to hell with "I'm 63": so what? (I agree!) That's the benefit from sports clinic - and yes, the signed jerseys lining the walls are indeed impressive here.
I'm scheduled for late August. Everyone from the doctor to all the PAs to the physical therapists agree that I'll be skiing by January. I was already skiing easier (no blacks unless really wide and smooth, groomers only) because of some pretty severe osteoporosis in my spine. I have no effects from that, but falls bear a higher risk than they used to.
Oh, and did I mention the two femoral cartilage transplants in the opposite leg's knee I had almost 10 years ago? Yes, I'll go through hell and high water to keep active! Anyway, they say that once I'm through the first 6 weeks of just walking, then 6 more weeks of increasing activities, activity is supposedly unlimited at 12 weeks. Really, NO limitations. SKi, hike, yoga, whatever. OK, I admit, they suggest no marathons, but there was no danger of that: I'm not a runner. I have friends with replaced hips who have been told odd things like no yoga down dog pose, but these guys... nope, nothing. I admit I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, it sounds too good to be true.
The hip decision was tough: I move just fine, mostly, from years of just living with it. Skiing and hiking and tennis and whatnot, I'm able to do things right up until my hip is "dinged." When that happens, usually in spring skiing, I am in for a world of hurt for a while - and each year how long it takes to get over an injury gets longer and longer. This year's ding included a "snap" with stepping up that made going up a stair painfully nearly impossible for weeks. Aching badly enough to prevent sleep at the end of the day has persisted for months but IS waning. Even I have to admit it has finally gotten to where I hesitate to do some things like longer hikes because I'm afraid my hip might "go bad" at an inopportune time (like at the top of a mountain). Ok, and yes, I guess I've been limiting other things as well. Time to be honest with myself.
My husband had been keeping quiet, I found out, but finally this year also chimed in that I was starting to slow myself down not because of age but because of my hip. That came with a loving "stop it!" We're here in Vail, so as soon as he's recovered enough, here I go (gulp).
They assured me that 63 is exactly the average age of a hip replacement currently, and that I could expect at least 20 years, more likely 30, on this hip. When I do the math, that sounds ok. It's a research institute, too, and I have been told I must return at 1 year, 2, 5, 10, and every 5 thereafter to be followed.
It feels surreal. Any positive comments? No fear mongering here, ladies, please, my decision has been made.
I lurk here mostly, but am going to chime in now. I've made a decision, will keep you updated on progress if anyone is interested.
We're spending our current "summer of sugery" in Vail/Frisco, becoming best friends with all the good folks at Steadman Vail. [lol, I see "summer of surgery" is a thing - not just what we call it!]
Hubs had hip labral repairs done to both hips 8 and 7 years ago, and one had gone bad, so he's just had a Dr Philippon "revision." Things are going well, albeit slowly, but he's in good shape and should be skiing (maybe gently...) by winter. We travel full time, living in hotels and airbnbs, and our winters are skiing.
I've known my left hip was headed to repair for years now (since at least 2013). By the time my FAI was "discovered" it'd been a lifetime of impingement and tearing and, well, it's just yuk. Even Philippon said he *could* try, but repair might not last very long. I'm not losing a summer/fall/perhaps winter to a repair only to do it again in 2 years for replacement; I'm 63 and fully recognize the need to keep on keepin' on. Foot on the throttle and all that. He referred me to Dr Kim here at Steadman, who I gather is quite "the" replacement doctor. I only say that to acknowledge my confidence that I'm in very good hands. The driving force with every person we've encountered here, including patients, has been a very true desire to get you back to doing the things you want to do - to hell with "I'm 63": so what? (I agree!) That's the benefit from sports clinic - and yes, the signed jerseys lining the walls are indeed impressive here.
I'm scheduled for late August. Everyone from the doctor to all the PAs to the physical therapists agree that I'll be skiing by January. I was already skiing easier (no blacks unless really wide and smooth, groomers only) because of some pretty severe osteoporosis in my spine. I have no effects from that, but falls bear a higher risk than they used to.
Oh, and did I mention the two femoral cartilage transplants in the opposite leg's knee I had almost 10 years ago? Yes, I'll go through hell and high water to keep active! Anyway, they say that once I'm through the first 6 weeks of just walking, then 6 more weeks of increasing activities, activity is supposedly unlimited at 12 weeks. Really, NO limitations. SKi, hike, yoga, whatever. OK, I admit, they suggest no marathons, but there was no danger of that: I'm not a runner. I have friends with replaced hips who have been told odd things like no yoga down dog pose, but these guys... nope, nothing. I admit I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, it sounds too good to be true. The hip decision was tough: I move just fine, mostly, from years of just living with it. Skiing and hiking and tennis and whatnot, I'm able to do things right up until my hip is "dinged." When that happens, usually in spring skiing, I am in for a world of hurt for a while - and each year how long it takes to get over an injury gets longer and longer. This year's ding included a "snap" with stepping up that made going up a stair painfully nearly impossible for weeks. Aching badly enough to prevent sleep at the end of the day has persisted for months but IS waning. Even I have to admit it has finally gotten to where I hesitate to do some things like longer hikes because I'm afraid my hip might "go bad" at an inopportune time (like at the top of a mountain). Ok, and yes, I guess I've been limiting other things as well. Time to be honest with myself.
My husband had been keeping quiet, I found out, but finally this year also chimed in that I was starting to slow myself down not because of age but because of my hip. That came with a loving "stop it!" We're here in Vail, so as soon as he's recovered enough, here I go (gulp).
They assured me that 63 is exactly the average age of a hip replacement currently, and that I could expect at least 20 years, more likely 30, on this hip. When I do the math, that sounds ok. It's a research institute, too, and I have been told I must return at 1 year, 2, 5, 10, and every 5 thereafter to be followed.
It feels surreal. Any positive comments? No fear mongering here, ladies, please, my decision has been made.
