Hip Replacement Page
On this page, you will find links to my free book and my photos relating to my personal experiences with total hip arthroplasty, along with links to other, relevant hip replacement sites.
My Hip Replacement
Total
hip arthroplasty surgery was performed on my left hip on June 7, 2001,
by Dr. Peter Gearen at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida in
Gainesville, FL. In the ensuing years, I have put a lot of miles on it.
Current News
It is June 2007. My hip still feels great and I'm still doing a lot of walking and hiking. When I do long hikes, say 10 or 12 miles in a day, my feet, ankles, and back get sore, but the hip does not! My aim is to put a lot more mileage on the prosthesis before it is time for a revision (which I might be hastening in the process).
I really owe you all an update that will give you a better idea about all that I've been able to do in the six years since my surgery. Alas, good intentions though they may be, I need a foot up my semi-metallic butt to get going on it!
In the meanwhile, take a look at Steve Blanchard's personal account of his surgery. Steve, an engineer, is a brave man--he stayed awake through his surgery and wrote all about what happened on the operating table!
Read About My Experience!
I wrote a book about the experience, which is available to everybody right here. Unlike some other books you might read about hip surgery, this one is written from the personal perspective of the patient (me), as I progressed through the various stages leading up to the decision to have surgery, through hospitalization and surgery, and beyond surgery to rehabilitation and recovery. Please read it and, if you like it, let me hear from you.
To access the book, click the title bar below:
Photos
The
photos of me during my hospital stay are old news. However,
feeling that some of the photos might be helpful in preparing you
for this surgery and its aftermath, I've made them available to you on
a separate page.
Hip Replacement Links
Totally Hip - an online support group for hip and joint problems (has lots of additional links)
National Institutes of Health - Questions and Answers about Hip Replacement.
Healthpages.org - A Patient's Guide to Total Hip Replacement
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia Health System - Total Hip Replacement Guide
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - Total Joint Replacement
Dr. H.D. Huddleston presents HipsAndKnees.com - Arthritis of the Hip Joint
Vesalius - Total Hip Replacement Images (strong stomach necessary!)
University of California at San Diego - Total Hip Replacement (a printable patient's guide in PDF form).
Steve Blanchard - Hip Replacement. Steve's nicely written personal, non-technical account of his total hip replacement surgery. It takes you through the experience from Steve's personal perspective, including what he observed while staying awake through the actual surgery.
Sigrid Macdonald - Sigrid's Recovery A personal account of recovery from a total hip replacement; tips on what to do and what not to do; coping skills to manage more effectively after hip surgery.
Virtual Hospital - Total Hip Replacement: A Guide for Patients
Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics - Total Hip Arthoplasty (A chapter from the definitive orthopaedics textbook, for those who wish to dig deeper and get more technical.)
Arthritis.org Surgery Center - The Arthritis Foundation's animated presentation on Total Hip Replacement.
Keith Brewster - ActiveJoints.com Total hip replacement and alternatives for young and active patients, produced and maintained by a young and active hip patient.
