Two (!) Hip Replacements.

[still kicking]

I haven't been on here much lately, because I've been kind of preoccupied. In January I had my left hip replaced, and the right on March 1st. It's not that I didn't have time to hang around on karate forums, it's just that it was too hard to not be training, so I didn't even want to think about karate very much.

Recovery is going well, I think. Doc gave me "large ball" replacements, which means little chance of dislocation, and says that after I am well healed should be able to do pretty much whatever I want in karate! I am planning to take it easy with running and jumping, and not do any full power bag work again, but other than that I am really excited to get back to it. Have gone to class a few times in the past couple of weeks -- just real easy warmups and walking through kata in high stances, but it felt SO GOOD to be there and see everybody and be moving again. Almost 3 months of pain meds and TV makes for major sluggishness -- I mean seriously.

My main challenge will be to not try to do too much too soon, but since I have absolutely no desire to repeat the whole process any time soon, I plan to be real careful for a while. Oh, there is this little detail of wanting to test for my shodan-ho next March, but I figure if I can wait until late summer or fall to start really cranking it up, I should be OK.

I know a couple of people on here had previously mentioned that they knew other karate people with joint replacements who had been able to get back to training, and I am quite hopeful about it. And HAPPY to be back!!!

[still kicking]

Oh, forgot to mention. Of course I would be very interested in hearing from anyone else who went through it and is back to training. What did you do to rehab, etc. I am doing a lot of PT exercises, plus walking w/ my trekking poles.

[DWx]

Wow hope you have a speedy recovery and that you're back to full form soon. Sucks to have been out of training for so long but at least you're back now.

There was a great article in TotallyTKD issue 23 where the author had had a hip replacement and how he got back into his training: http://www.raynerslanetkd.com/TTKD/TotallyTKD_Issue23.html#

He talks about his whole journey, from finding out he needed the op through to all the rehab afterwards.

[still kicking]

Thanks for the link to the article, DWx. That was great -- very detailed, interesting read, even funny. The funniest part to me was when Master Weiss said that he picked a hospital nearby so he could jog home from the recovery room. Right. Well, it's good to be optimistic. He ended up having a great result, ant that's all that matters.

I think this would be interesting for any martial artist to read, even if hip surgery is nowhere in their future, just for the info and inspiration about how to overcome major obstacles in our training, and the importance of perseverance. Thanks again!

[bushido_man96]

Wow, man, that's a killer for sure! Its good to hear your recovery is going well, and your tasting training again. Keep us posted as you go along.

[Patrick]

Sorry to hear about that, still kicking! But, happy to have you back and glad to hear that you are on the road to recovery!

[still kicking]

Thanks, bushidoman and Patrick. The silver lining is that I am now appreciating my training, and being able to participate, all the more. I will never take good health and able bodiedness for granted again, of that I am sure!

[The BB of C]

That stinks. I could imagine that surgery was all kinds of painful. But hey; if you keep training than maybe one day you can use that side of your hip as a weapon. If that happens, please believe I'll pop out of a nearby hedge just to say, "I've heard of deadly hips but this is ridiculous!"

[still kicking]

I'll work on that, BB of C.

[The BB of C]

I'll hold you to it.

I like your username. "Still Kicking" Whatever happens, keep living up to it.