Birmingham Hip Resurfacing - Patient Journal

Before undergoing the hip resurfacing experience with Dr. Rogerson, I had limited mobility with my left hip/leg, experienced chronic lower back and hip pain for the past seven years, walked with a significant limp, and was pretty well exhausted after a long day on my feet at work. Two years prior, I experienced a herniated disc in my lower lumbar region and while it was not conclusively proven to be attributed to my hip deterioration, the consensus between my physician and chiropractor was that it was probably due to my overcompensation of my left hip. I was off work for six weeks because of that. So much for the "before" picture.

I first heard about this innovative but as of then, unapproved procedure through my chiropractor, Dr. Daniel Soderholm, who happened to be Dr. Rogerson's second patient for the hip resurfacing procedure. He and I are the same age, suffered from the same condition and as my chiropractor, he was in a good position to evaluate my being a candidate for this surgery. When he told me that it looked very promising for FDA approval early last spring, I made an appointment with Dr. Rogerson's office to see if this was a feasible option for me. I was very impressed with Dr. Rogerson and his staff; they were very professional and yet took a friendly and personal interest in my situation...comfortable would be a good word of how I felt with them.

When the FDA approved the procedure in early May, I quickly scheduled my surgery for Oct. 16, 2006. Having had undergone some minor surgeries in the past, I wasn't very anxious about the procedure itself. My only concern was how well I would come out of the general anesthesia afterwards, a difficulty I've had in the past. The procedure went well, although it did take them about 1/2 hour longer than expected due to difficulty in separating the thigh muscles and having to remeasure my hip due to further deterioration since my MRI in July. I did experience difficulty with anesthesia in post-op which delayed my coming to my room by 2 hours. The staff was good in communicating with my wife and letting her know what was happening so she wouldn't worry.

The first thing I noticed after waking up was that I didn't have any discomfort in my hip whatsoever! It was wonderful! Yes, I did have pain from the incision and my leg was swollen to 2 times its normal size but that was due to fluid from stretching the muscles in my thigh. The post-operative care was very good; I was looked in frequently and had vitals taken all the time (so it seemed). As predicted, I was up walking with crutches Tuesday morning after my surgery and it was a different experience; it felt like I was learning to walk all over. One of the greatest pre-operation guidelines was the exercises given to me to prepare for the surgery. I believe that they helped me make the progress and recovery I did because my muscles were already "trained" to do them.

My stay at Meriter Heights was equally as pleasant as my stay in Meriter Hospital, although the apartment. was much nicer than the hospital room. The physical therapy staff were very good to work with and I especially enjoyed the water therapy sessions. Since we are a society that has come to expect "instant" results in just about anything, the range in movement you experience the first time in the water definitely lets you see "immediately" the benefit of the surgery.

It has been six months ago today that I had my hip resurfacing surgery and I can say without hesitation that it was one of the best decisions in my life. My quality of life has improved dramatically, my wife and children could see almost daily gains in my recovery and work has become more enjoyable since I am pain-free.

If you are reading this and have any doubts or fears about having this procedure done, I would encourage you to make an appointment with Dr. Rogerson's office without delay and see them for an evaluation. They will put you at ease and answer your questions. If you would like to communicate with someone who has experienced this surgery, I would be more than happy to oblige. And now, since it's a beautiful spring day outside, I think I will do some yard work and then go for a bike ride, something I haven't been able to do in seven years!

Gary Sasinowski

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12/6/2007

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