Re: C+ Passes the Fenway Box Seats Test....

May 23, 2004

,

Less than serious my A*#! Those are the things in life that were

taken away from us little by little, leaving us less able to be who

we want to be. Taking your kids to the ballpark IS life. I

completely relate!!! It would take me 5 minutes to finally get my

hip " warmed up " enough to walk after I sat in a stadium or theater

seat for a couple of hours. I haven't even been able to shoot around

the basketball in the driveway for 5 years. (It just aint 21 if you

can't elevate for your shots). You and I took the pain and risk of

surgery because we didn't want to be " done " yet. It was the whole

point. These next 10 or 15....or hell, hopefully even 20 years could

be awesome with a normally functioning hip. I had to go from surfing

to kneeboarding waves about 10 years ago cuz of my friggin' hip.

It's gonna be a magical day when I get up on my FEET on my board,

and take my first turn. I may even cry, who knows? I want to carry

my grandbabies (when they get here) on my shoulders at the fair....I

want to hike back to the top of Mt. Whitney with my wife....I want

to be able to walk across a room and not be self conscious about my

waddle....I want to be able to dance with my wife...

I felt what you shared in your post at a very personal level. I

eat those posts for breakfast.

And by the way, at 5 weeks and some change, with a little PT,

the ROM stuff is starting to came around. The last couple of days

have been very productive. The capsule just needs to heel, and it

takes some time. The 45 cm ball trick works superbly for your

flexion.

Did you solo Fenway, or did you bring a cane?

C+ 4-15-04

> I am 19 days post op and I realize it was the trivial things that

> seemed to bother me the most with ROM issues and OA pain. For

many

> of us with this condition you understand how difficult it is to

sit

> through a movie, baseball game or other sporting event. A big

part

> of the reason I took action on this was to keep up with my two

> little boys. Last night I took them to a movie and sat through

the

> entire film without thinking about my hip. Prior to surgery I was

> good for about 15 minutes at a time in a theater. This evening I

> drove my car to the T station, rode the T and took my kids to

Fenway

> to watch the Red Sox beat up on the Toronto Blue Jays (sorry

> Canadian friends). If anyone has ever sat through a game in the

> middle of a section at Fenway you will know what a breakthrough

this

> is. I watched nine innings with my kids and never had that sharp

> excrutiating pain that comes with hip OA cramped in small hard

> plastic seats for hours. My new hip passed the Fenway box seats

> test and I feel like I am ready to take on world. Sorry for the

> less than serious post, but I am certain many of you will

indentify.

>

> Good health to all....Go Sox!

>

> ....C+ Dr. Amstutz 5/04/04

May 23, 2004

I am pleased that you can relate. Similar to many of you, I am

looking forward to sharing all the great envelope-pushing athletic

challenges in the future with my new hip, but for now I am content

with these realtively small day to day postitive life altering

changes. When I look back it was the hip pain that dictated so many

of my activities and fun. The OA had me feeling many years older

than my age.

Due to the bone grafts I promised our doctor that I would remain on

the crutches. I brought one to get people to provide me with some

space at the park, and most importantly, I needed one free hand for

the beer and hot dogs. I was just happy to be there. I had a whole

new appreciation for being at the game. I even had a good laugh at

the drunk guy next to me. His t-shirt said, " any team can have a

bad century. " With all this renewed hope, who knows maybe the Red

Sox can even beat the evil empire this year.

I am pleased to hear of your progress. Keep up the great work. I

am looking to you as a benchmark.

Best... C+ Dr. Amstutz 5/04/04

> > I am 19 days post op and I realize it was the trivial things

that

> > seemed to bother me the most with ROM issues and OA pain. For

> many

> > of us with this condition you understand how difficult it is to

> sit

> > through a movie, baseball game or other sporting event. A big

> part

> > of the reason I took action on this was to keep up with my two

> > little boys. Last night I took them to a movie and sat through

> the

> > entire film without thinking about my hip. Prior to surgery I

was

> > good for about 15 minutes at a time in a theater. This evening

I

> > drove my car to the T station, rode the T and took my kids to

> Fenway

> > to watch the Red Sox beat up on the Toronto Blue Jays (sorry

> > Canadian friends). If anyone has ever sat through a game in the

> > middle of a section at Fenway you will know what a breakthrough

> this

> > is. I watched nine innings with my kids and never had that

sharp

> > excrutiating pain that comes with hip OA cramped in small hard

> > plastic seats for hours. My new hip passed the Fenway box seats

> > test and I feel like I am ready to take on world. Sorry for the

> > less than serious post, but I am certain many of you will

> indentify.

> >

> > Good health to all....Go Sox!

> >

> > ....C+ Dr. Amstutz 5/04/04

May 23, 2004

,

The baseball Gods are fickle...and perhaps your resurfacing, and

subsequent return to the ballpark may be what tips the scales of

cosmic whammy that plague the boys from bean town. So, if they win

the series this year, you may be the reason why. Well done!

C+ 4-15

> > > I am 19 days post op and I realize it was the trivial things

> that

> > > seemed to bother me the most with ROM issues and OA pain. For

> > many

> > > of us with this condition you understand how difficult it is

to

> > sit

> > > through a movie, baseball game or other sporting event. A big

> > part

> > > of the reason I took action on this was to keep up with my two

> > > little boys. Last night I took them to a movie and sat

through

> > the

> > > entire film without thinking about my hip. Prior to surgery I

> was

> > > good for about 15 minutes at a time in a theater. This

evening

> I

> > > drove my car to the T station, rode the T and took my kids to

> > Fenway

> > > to watch the Red Sox beat up on the Toronto Blue Jays (sorry

> > > Canadian friends). If anyone has ever sat through a game in

the

> > > middle of a section at Fenway you will know what a

breakthrough

> > this

> > > is. I watched nine innings with my kids and never had that

> sharp

> > > excrutiating pain that comes with hip OA cramped in small hard

> > > plastic seats for hours. My new hip passed the Fenway box

seats

> > > test and I feel like I am ready to take on world. Sorry for

the

> > > less than serious post, but I am certain many of you will

> > indentify.

> > >

> > > Good health to all....Go Sox!

> > >

> > > ....C+ Dr. Amstutz 5/04/04

May 23, 2004

For me one of the little things in life that was easily achieved in

the early days post-op, was presenting at a symposium. That was 13

days post-op, in an auditorium that just happened to be at the same

hospital. The only snag was the toilets, and someone borrowed an over-

the-toilet seat from the hospital for me. Sitting in the tiered seats

of the auditorium was no problem and presenting was easy. One of the

other " little things " was being able to get my own food at morning-

tea and lunch, and to stand round eating it, instead of needing

someone else to bring it to me.

By the way, my last belly-dancing class for the semester is on

Wednesday. The hip movements have been really easy from the start. A

pity that I'm still as clumsy footed as I was in my youth! - I'm

always moving the wrong foot in the wrong direction. And that has

nothing at all to do with my hip or knee surgery!

I also got up and joined in the Greek dancing at Brisbane's annual

Panigiri festival yesterday. Felt good! I learnt the grape vine step

at belly dancing.

Virginia (RHS hip, BHR on THR stem, 27 Aug 03.)