Total Hip Replacement: A Personal Perspective

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Chapter XI. Conclusion

This book has chronicled my journey through hip replacement, from the onset of pain through surgery and early rehabilitation. It is my hope that my experiences have proven useful to the reader who is about to embark upon a similar journey. Above all, what I wish to emphasize is that you do not have to live with excruciating hip pain. Modern orthopedic surgical techniques can provide almost complete relief from pain without significantly compromising an active lifestyle.

Complete recovery for me will take about a year. With a non-cemented joint, the natural process of bone growth that is required to secure the prosthesis requires that length of time. Twelve weeks after surgery, however, I can say that I was almost there. I no longer had post-surgery fatigue. I was pain-free and for the first time in almost ten years, I was not taking heavy daily doses of NSAIDs. I was walking without a limp, which I had not done for at least six years. I arranged some vacation travel without having to plan around my hip pain. I had not been able to do that in many years.

Now that you have read my saga, it is time for you to return to Chapter II, which recommends three more books on the subject. They are each excellent books; if you have time, I would advise you to read all three. You can never have too much information; you can never be too well prepared. There are many other excellent sources of information on the Web if you are adept with searches. With your favorite search engine, using the keywords “total hip replacement” or “total hip arthroplasty” will provide a good start. Regardless of whether you obtain your information from reliable sources on the Web or from books,  magazines, or professional journals, arm yourself with as much information as you can digest.

The theme of this book is that pain from hip degeneration need not rule your life as I let it rule mine for years. If I have succeeded in convincing even one reader to choose total hip replacement surgery over debilitating pain, then I have accomplished my objective.

I encourage you to share your experiences with me. I welcome any communication relevant to the subject, including critical comment about the contents of this book. I can be reached via email at goldfarb@mrbig.com.


 

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