Update on Al Connolly's hip problems

[gmattson]

Al is the inventor of the unique training weights that can be used in a number of traditional Okinawan strengthening exercises. He brought them to camp a few years ago, to demonstrate them to our gang. He has been bothered by hip problems for years and finally decided on a procedure last month. His wife Mary sent Susan this update today:
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Hi Guys;
I thought you would want to know; Al was doing very well after his hip resurfacing (1/23/2007), he was walking around the house. He was 3 weeks post operation on 2/13. He was standing in the living room doing free weights with his arms, he suddenly cried out in pain, said his left hip hurt and down he went to the floor.

We got an ambulance and took him to hospital. The head of the femur (thigh bone) had broken off from the resurfaced head. The joint itself was still in place but since the bone was broken he had to undergo another surgery for a total hip replacement (2/14). This means the end of his karate. He hasn't complained but I know he is devastated. (He had the resurfacing so he could walk and do karate still. Prior to surgery he could barely walk and was in terrible pain but did not want to have surgery if he could not do karate afterwards.)

So now he has a total hip. He lost a lot of blood the first surgery, so he was very anemic when he had the second surgery, and so they gave him several units of blood, ( I wanted to avoid this, but it was necessary.) He has a lot of pain but is staying fairly cheerful now that his is on the road to recovery. I hope there are no more setbacks. I am worn out running back and forth to work and hospital, but am thankful Al is on the road to recovery. He went to the Rehab part of the hospital today and should be home in a week.
Hope all of you are well, I am looking forward to Spring, am tired of the cold.
Love
Mary

[Bill Bauknecht]

George, please have Susan give Al and Mary my email address. He has to know that his karate training IS NOT over. We know that but if he has his doubts, he needs encouragement. I thought it was over for me too. Yet,,here I am. Thanks,
Bill

[Jackie Olsen]

I empathize with Al's dismay and pain. Over the past 2 years my body/muscles slowly deteriorated to where I could not walk at all last summer. I had long since given up formal training and went back to doing a sitting QiGong.

In the past 5 months I've had two total hip replacements ... they took a lot out of me physically/emotionally/mentally.

Right now I am learning to walk again with a cane/walker and go to PT for rebuilding my core strength, abductors, hip extensors/flexors, etc. Trying to find my center again is hard w/o balance and strength.

I said in the early weeks, I thought that getting a black belt was tough. Learning to function again thru the surgical pain and without muscle strength is far tougher. Though it was the perseverance learned thru martial arts that didn't allow me to roll over and quit.

Will I able to ever do a kata again? I don't honestly know... for now I picture the body movements in my head as I move my arms. If anything I've learned, is that I must relax in the process and just take one day at a time.

I hope Al's recovery has gone will the THR and he is able to get around more. That cheers one up immensely.

If there are others out there that would like to discuss their experience offline/online... I am open.

[gmattson]

lots of different results . . . some (like Vinny Christiano) are up and doing kata within a month or two. Others, like Jackie, seem to be having poor recoveries.

I know lots of martial artist have had joint replacements and are doing well. Superfoot Wallace is kicking as good as ever.

Comments???

[Bill Bauknecht]

I have several friends who have gone through the hip replacement. They have all been successful. However, I don't know of any who would attempt kicking. My problem was a massive tumor that ate a large part of my pelvic bone and hip away. Bone healing drugs helped me but I don't dare do any kicking. However, I am still able to do my karate training, kata and such. This has helped me cope mentally and I continue to function, play golf and other activities. Though therapy can be rough and long, the end results are worth it. Keep a strong mind and you will bounce back, maybe a bit slower, but life certainly isn't over.
Best wishes,
Bill Bauknecht