Re: 6 Days Post-Op -- IT WORKED!

July 14, 2004

Dear Bruce

This is so encouraging. I am just starting the process of getting consultation,

insurance war, etc for surfacing on my left hip with Dr. A. I was wondering if

you could answer a few questions for me?

1. I will probably be going to LA alone. Any thoughts on this? There are

family members I could take, but would rather do this by myself if possible.

2. Were you able to get a guest room in the hospital for the last night or did

you stay in a hotel? If a hotel, any recommendations?

3. About how far is the airport from the hospital and did you fly into LAX or

Burbank? How was the flight home (where are you, by the way?)

4. Did you fly in the morning of surgery or the day before?

5. Any suggestions on what to take, things to do, etc?

6. Did you locate an orthopod in your local city before you went to JRI for

follow-up after surgery? I'm thinking about doing this, however the local OS

strongly advises against the resurfacing (of course).

7. Did you have any problems getting insurance to cover?

8. Did you have general anesthesia or an epidural? The epidural sounds better

to me but then I just watched Dr. A's video of the surgery and I'm not sure I

could handle waking up to all that pounding and drilling!! : ) I'm a nurse and

am well aware of what goes on in the OR - would rather be unconscious. I guess

I'm just afraid I'd wake up.

I know this is a lot of questions, whatever you have time to answer will be

greatly appreciated.

Carol

6 Days Post-Op -- IT WORKED!

I just copleted my 6th day of post-op and am feeling less pain than pre-op.

In my wildest dreams, I could not have hoped for a smoother surgery and

recovery. Dr. Amstutz impressed me by the amount of follow-up he

personally did. Dr. A did 3 hip resurfacings on July 8. He visited us in

the recovery room, in ICU, and called us from the plane on his way to

Washington, DC on Day 4, the day we were discharged, to ask how we were

doing and if I had any more questions.

I was fortunate to go through this all with Cincy (51, former European

Pro Basketball player) and Idaho Spencer (75, not a typo, Alaska Oil Field

Engineer that is still working). We visited each other on our walks (all

of us on crutches by day 3), compared information we were getting (we each

asked slightly different questions), and joked about drag racing on

crutches to see who was the fastest (a little competitive spirit that

helped my recovery).

Fear of the day: I going to get an infection in the joint because I have a

slight soreness in my nose and the top of my mouth (silly me).

Challenge of the day: Not to overdo it. It feels so good that I am going

for walks of about 300 m, with 1/2 hour plus standing and talking to

neighbors. I swell after this and I pay the price in discomfort. I also

can walk without crutches, but I am resisting the tempation and going with

crutches and better form.

Bruce

L C+ Dr. Amstutz, 7/8/04

------------------------------------------------------------

Bruce Jaffe 'at home'

July 14, 2004

> Dear Bruce

>

> This is so encouraging. I am just starting the process of getting

consultation, insurance war, etc for surfacing on my left hip with Dr.

A. I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me?

I'm not Bruce, but I was resurfaced bilaterally by Dr. Amstutz on

April 20.

> 1. I will probably be going to LA alone. Any thoughts on this?

There are family members I could take, but would rather do this by

myself if possible.

It's *possible*, particularly since you're unilateral, but it really

would be better if you had somebody with you on the way home. LAX is

pretty bad even if you're hale and hearty, 5 days after major surgery

it was as close to hell as I ever want to get. Since you're only being

resurfaced on one side, it will be much easier for you than it was for me.

> 2. Were you able to get a guest room in the hospital for the last

night or did you stay in a hotel? If a hotel, any recommendations?

I assume you're talking about the last pre-op night. Yes, I was in a

guest room in the hospital for my last pre-op night. The accomodations

were a bit spartan, but it sure made getting to the nurses' station

for pre-op stuff in the wee hours of the morning a lot easier.

Post-op, I spent an additionjal night at the Holiday Inn City Center

on Figueroa St. before flying out.

> 3. About how far is the airport from the hospital and did you fly

into LAX or Burbank? How was the flight home (where are you, by the way?)

The hospital is right downtown, I flew into LAX. The flight itself

wasn't bad at all (I upgraded to First using frequent flyer miles).

Getting through LAX was completely nuts. It took over an hour to get a

wheelchair.

> 4. Did you fly in the morning of surgery or the day before?

You'll probably need to do pre-op X-rays and exams the day before

surgery. I would plan on flying in two days pre-op and flying home 5

days post-op.

> 5. Any suggestions on what to take, things to do, etc?

Pack light, you'll be wearing a hospital gown most of the time.

> 6. Did you locate an orthopod in your local city before you went to

JRI for follow-up after surgery?

Yes, I did. Fortunately, they were the ones who advised me to consider

resurfacing in the first place (even though they don't do the

procedure). You'll need to arrange with *someone* to get your staples out.

> I'm thinking about doing this, however the local OS strongly advises

against the resurfacing (of course).

> 7. Did you have any problems getting insurance to cover?

Innumerable and interminable ones. This varies from company to

company, so your experience may be different.

> 8. Did you have general anesthesia or an epidural? The epidural

sounds better to me but then I just watched Dr. A's video of the

surgery and I'm not sure I could handle waking up to all that pounding

and drilling!! : )

I was supposed to get an epidural, but the last thing I remember

before the surgery was the anesthesiologist saying, " I can't get the

needle in to give you an epi, so I'll have to give you a general. "

The next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room.

Steve (bilateral C+ 4/20/04, Amstutz)

July 14, 2004

Can't help but ask...any relation to Stuart Jaffe? )

I worked with him for a bit a couple years ago.

In surfacehippy , Bruce Jaffe wrote:

> I just copleted my 6th day of post-op and am feeling less pain than

pre-op.

> In my wildest dreams, I could not have hoped for a smoother surgery

and

> recovery. Dr. Amstutz impressed me by the amount of follow-up he

> personally did. Dr. A did 3 hip resurfacings on July 8. He

visited us in

> the recovery room, in ICU, and called us from the plane on his way

to

> Washington, DC on Day 4, the day we were discharged, to ask how we

were

> doing and if I had any more questions.

>

> I was fortunate to go through this all with Cincy (51, former

European

> Pro Basketball player) and Idaho Spencer (75, not a typo, Alaska

Oil Field

> Engineer that is still working). We visited each other on our

walks (all

> of us on crutches by day 3), compared information we were getting

(we each

> asked slightly different questions), and joked about drag racing on

> crutches to see who was the fastest (a little competitive spirit

that

> helped my recovery).

>

> Fear of the day: I going to get an infection in the joint because

I have a

> slight soreness in my nose and the top of my mouth (silly me).

>

> Challenge of the day: Not to overdo it. It feels so good that I am

going

> for walks of about 300 m, with 1/2 hour plus standing and talking to

> neighbors. I swell after this and I pay the price in discomfort.

I also

> can walk without crutches, but I am resisting the tempation and

going with

> crutches and better form.

>

> Bruce

> L C+ Dr. Amstutz, 7/8/04

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------

> Bruce Jaffe 'at home'

July 14, 2004

Carol,

My responses to your questions are below. Feel free to contact me for more

info.

Bruce

Date: Wed, 14 Jul 2004 08:38:29 -0600

Subject: Re: 6 Days Post-Op -- IT WORKED!

Dear Bruce

This is so encouraging. I am just starting the process of getting

consultation, insurance war, etc for surfacing on my left hip with Dr. A.

I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me?

1. I will probably be going to LA alone. Any thoughts on this? There are

family members I could take, but would rather do this by myself if possible.

I went there alone. My wife came on my discharge day to help with

the trip home. I could have done it alone, but it was easier with my

wife's help.

2. Were you able to get a guest room in the hospital for the last night or

did you stay in a hotel? If a hotel, any recommendations?

Guest rooms are avaiable on the 4th floor of Orthopedic Hospital.

I stayed at the Radisson Hotel because I wanted a jacuzzi the night before.

The Radisson is run down, has USC students during the school year, and

overpriced. The jacuzzi was nice, but I had to get them to turn on the

heat once. The wife of another Amstutz resurface patient stayed at the

Holiday Inn and liked it. Spouses can stay in the Guest rooms at the

hospital free of charge.

3. About how far is the airport from the hospital and did you fly into LAX

or Burbank? How was the flight home (where are you, by the way?)

LAX is a zoo, but it is close (less than 1/2 hour when there is not

traffic). The locals assummed I flew into Burbank.

4. Did you fly in the morning of surgery or the day before?

You will need to run the pre-op gauntlet the day before surgery.

For me this was a 10:00 appt. with Dr. A, going to Admissions, check-up and

health history by hospital nurse, blood draw, chest x-ray, 1:00 pm appt.

with internist for OK for Op.

5. Any suggestions on what to take, things to do, etc?

I took my Ipod, computer, and too many clothes. I was glad I had

my Ipod because the hospital is right next to the 105 freeway and there is

constant traffic noise. I suggest you request a room not on the side

facing the 105.

6. Did you locate an orthopod in your local city before you went to JRI

for follow-up after surgery? I'm thinking about doing this, however the

local OS strongly advises against the resurfacing (of course).

I didn't have an orthopod in my city lined up, but decided to have

one take out my staples. I am doing this tomorrow. I chose an orthopod

who I had not seen before, but had good recommendations, to avoid seeing

someone who recommended not to do the operation.

7. Did you have any problems getting insurance to cover?

My insurance (GEHA) said they would cover everything except the

investigational device, which costs $6050.

8. Did you have general anesthesia or an epidural? The epidural sounds

better to me but then I just watched Dr. A's video of the surgery and I'm

not sure I could handle waking up to all that pounding and drilling!! : )

I'm a nurse and am well aware of what goes on in the OR - would rather be

unconscious. I guess I'm just afraid I'd wake up.

I had an epidural with Phentanol, a light seditive to put me out, a

light general anesthesia to keep me out, a scopalomine (spelling?) patch

behind my ear for nausea, and some other anti-nausea meds. I was out 4

hours and woke-up in recovery looking at an x-ray of my new hip on a light

tablet.

------------------------------------------------------------

Bruce Jaffe 'at home'

July 15, 2004

Dear Steve

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Every little tidbit of

information helps so much