Re: Hi from Lois the second

January 15, 2004

> Hi all. Just wanted to send an update - It's now five months and

> counting for me since my op with the fabulous Dr gross. I haven't

> posted much since about one month after the operation - I had too

> much living to do (and still do)

>

> I have a new lease on life - NO pain, NO restrictions, No remnants

of

> what I used to be, No regrets whatsoever about traveling the 700

> miles I did to get this done. In fact, I have to chuckle at

myself -

> last year, my Christmas letter to distant friends and family told

of

> my crippled self, having difficulty getting around being in pain

(and

> that was before the OA got really bad). This year's letter time

came

> around, I wrote it, mailed it out and later realized I hadn't even

> MENTIONED the surgery! I am so totally normal again that I

> completely forgot about it. My only reminder is a thin pink line

on

> my hip and the occasional ratcheting (thunking,clicking,whatever

you

> want to call it) that I feel in the hip. A true blessing is this

> technology.

>

> For those that don't know or remember me, I'm a 50 year old

> housewife, about 30 pounds overweight, not particularly athletic

but

> very flexible and kinda strong for a fat lady (I do work out - I

just

> don't look like it LOL) Was bone on bone, so went to Dr Gross

in

> August. Three weeks later, with his blessing, ditched the walker,

> and cane, and concentrated on walking without lurching. Once I

did

> that, and started driving (at 2 1/2 weeks), I hit the ground

running

> and haven't stopped moving yet. It's a wonderful thing.

>

> I attribute part of my success to several things... 1, obviously

is

> the skill of the surgeon. I had done much homework and noticed

that

> Gross patients had a tendency to heal more quickly, with fewer

> complications than those of some other doctors. That point, along

> with many other factors made me decide to become SOuth Carolina

> bound. Secondly, I worked out for about 6 months before the op.

It

> hurt bad to work those muscles and joints, but I persisted (I'm

very

> stubborn)and got them rock hard, which contributed greatly, I

> believe, to the rapid healing process. As I mentioned before, I

am

> very stubborn, and there was no way I was going to let this keep

me

> down, either before or after surgery. Last, and the most elusive,

was

> luck. I had no complications, made some of the right decisions and

> things fell into place. I got lucky. I don't always, but I did

this

> time.

>

> I hope all of you that are thinking about this op decide to do it -

> you will not regret it. I try to spread the word whenever

possible -

> this surgery is a godsend for those who are eligible, and it sure

> beats losing your (femoral) head!

>

> Good luck and good health to all.

>

> Lois (the second)

> Dr Gross RHR

> 8/6/03

Way to go Lois! I was talking to my OS (Dr. Kennedy) and

he said to me that all of you people who get resurfaces do fantastic

because you really want it to work. Attitude and effort make a big

difference. I just came back from a long walk at lunch time. I was

literally crying to God one year ago that I would never play

softball again (I had to quit 12 years ago because of the pain) as I

ate my lunch and looked at the ball field in the park. Today, in

that same park I walked around the warning track on the field and

said to myself if I wanted to start playing softball again, I

believe that I can.

Jeff (C2K - 1-3-04)

January 15, 2004