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My Blog
Saturday, 16 December 2006
Shiney and new
Mood:
 cheeky
Well if you have braved the photo gallery of horror this will seem like an old black and white version of your favourite movie. Here is the star of the show my Birmingham Hip.  That's right folks all glorious #1.5 pounds of Cobalt Chrome! Notice also the lack of the lateral bone spur at the outside of the pelvic (acetabular) side. And this thing didn't set off any metal detectors at the airport. If I ever get the videos to post you'll be able to see me playing around with one of these at my final appointment before coming home. They're truly remarkable. With that device in me I was able to complete my planned 1 mile walk (with trekking poles) Thursday, and a 1.5 mile walk with Amy Friday afternoon. All this two weeks and a day or two post-op. The range of motion exercises continue to bring good results, and with the walking activity I'm sleeping straight through 7-8 hours now. the leg swelling is almost completely gone and now the incision is starting that healing itchy thing still no redness or swelling of the incision even after a mile and a half (no ankle or knee swelling either). So praise God all is well. And thank you for your prayers and support! Over the top and flying BABY!!!!!! Craig
Posted by Craig R Braue
at 1:35 AM EST
Updated: Saturday, 16 December 2006 2:27 AM EST
Thursday, 14 December 2006
The Gorey Details
Mood:
 a-ok
Good Morning!
With being inactive it's difficult for me to sleep longer than 4 hours at a time. So I put this album together early today, believe it or not I've had requests for these surgery pics.
I put these in an album so as to spare the squeamish undue discomfort when visiting this blog. I must warn you these are graphic photos of my femur hanging out of my body and being prepped for my BHR. So here's the address if you dare.
http://craigshhipsite.tripod.com/surgery_pics
Meanwhile back at the ranch certain unnamed members of the "family" are threatening to boycott Christmas if I don't get a new puppy. Union reps are rallying solidarity it looks as if management is going to have to cave in. (Teenagers are so demanding!) So much for suprising them. Looks like I'll have to get my bourgeois butt in gear to stave off a prolitariate uprising, or I could just cut thier rations. I'll keep you posted on further negotiations as they develop.
I feel great just absolutely great! I drove part of my riding route after dropping off the head negotiator Amy at school yesterday. After making her yet another India style breakfast, (I need chips for the bargaining table). And while listening to Bob Marley, watching the sun rise a Queen song came to mind,.....did you guess it?, ..... "I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride it now!" So this Wednesday I can get on the stationary stand and start light spinning slowly adding resistance as pain allows . Then back on the road conditions permitting Jan. 15th. Yes, I ride in the winter.
Again thanks for all your prayers and support!
Craig
Posted by Craig R Braue
at 4:20 AM EST
Updated: Friday, 15 December 2006 11:06 AM EST
Wednesday, 13 December 2006
Roughin it
Now for the sweet side! My BHR is two weeks old today! Things are great. Once again I mindlessly walked up the basement stairs using just the railing and no baby stepping, like normal, that means full weight on the operated hip stepping up 7.5" two weeks post-op slightly ahead of schedule. I want you to know that when these things happen it's just that, they "happen". Both Dr's Bose and Bis said that the body will let you know what it can handle, respect or listen to it. I have no intention after 60hrs of air travel, the cost, the time away from family, not to mention my future success of pushing it. I'm just amazed at how normal things feel.  Now, on the lighter side here's some pictures of MGM Beach resort, including a picture of some new friends Stephan and co. some IT guys from Denmark I had breakfast with Friday. It was good to have a normal conversation as they spoke fluent english with no accent, (less than Arnold Schwarz).
I'm still trying to figure out why the video clips are not working Jonathans' friend Bobby (video editting wiz) is stopping by after work tonight so hopefully they'll be up and running, I get the feeling it's going to cost me. 
Posted by Craig R Braue
at 8:47 AM EST
Updated: Wednesday, 13 December 2006 8:35 PM EST
Monday, 11 December 2006
Bittersweet Return
Home at last! Since I don't know who knows and who doesn't let me start with  the bitter. Driving home From the airport it became my son's duty to inform me that one of my best friends had passed on. One day before I got home the world's most loved and greatest dog Juneau Braue had to be put down.(details later, like they matter) Never forgotten and forever missed I didn't get the homecoming I was dreaming of, her house empty and her leash slack. After all the crap that happened to me on, as Keith so prophetically put it, my Indian adventure, (Details forthcoming) this some how doesn't compute doesn't fit, doesn't make since. So if I didn't take your call Sunday night or haven't e-mailed quick enough please understand! She was adored by every vet. (all of them would say you could tell she was deeply loved) and I think everyone who had the priviledge of meeting her. So since I'm always the first one up, when the kitchen light went  on she was the second (her paws on the screendoor) and the first to receive my affection, a huge hug, general rub down, kiss on the muzzle which she always returned. She would wait, sometimes impatiently for me to make my coffee knowing when after I poured milk into my cup it would then pour into a stainless bowl for her. She quickly learned that if she got too sassy she would have to wait untill she laid down quietly to get her morning treat. She was rarely sassy. Alas, no more. We blessed each other's lives for almost nine years to the day, I have no regrets, just fond memories. I guess that I'm thankful it happened so quickly she only suffered for a day, and I was spared having to watch her health slowly decline to the same end. She was releived of her pain while still under anesthetic yet was able to respond to the families last touch. With all the accidents and things that I've endured none makes me look heavenward more questioningly than the timing of this, not looking for reasons, just trying to understand His purpose in it. So Juneau's life with our family ends, as my new life with the same begins, the sun sets and new one always rises, such is life. The Lord gives the Lord takes away, Blessed be the Name of the Lord! Your fellow sojourner on this planet, still looking for that city who's architect and builder is God,
Posted by Craig R Braue
at 9:56 PM EST
Updated: Thursday, 14 December 2006 2:22 PM EST
Friday, 8 December 2006
CRAIG UPDATE
Hi Everyone, Here's a quick update on Craig... These have been so far and few between because Craig does not have a computer in the resort where he has been recovering since last Monday. He has kept in touch with Sue and Dad by phone and kept them updated on his status. He also just left a voice mail for me (was teaching so I couldn't take the call!!) so this will be the jist of what he said: wait just a second Ok Craig here with more than the jist. Alright this picture is the result of a great story. Please meet my good friend G.Reegan Prabhu. This picture was taken Sunday morning 4 days post-op by yours truly. No big deal right?....Well as Mr Harvey would say,"here's the rest of the story." Reegan woke me up with a "good morning sir" @ 6:30 am everyday. While bringing my early morning steamed milk with sugar. He also brought my food the rest of the day with professionalism and a smile. He likes basketball but doesn't quite get it. So we talked basketball, work, and good attitudes etc. Since I was checking out Monday I wanted to take his picture as he was leaving the room. "Wait wait a second" I said, "I want to take your picture." I then proceeded to grab my camera off the tray (visible bottom left) hop out of bed, walked around the bed was going to move the chair (to the left) Reegan being the one of us in his right mind said,"no sir, please please I'll do it." I proceed to the corner of the room, spin around, lean back to frame him in, and then seeing both my hands on the camera, realize I had just done all that without my crutches. Now they had pulled the pain med pump Friday morning. Saturday afternoon I had stopped the oral painkillers. (I had no pain plus I hate having medicine head.) Then I look at Reegan, he looks at me then both of our heads turn and look at my crutches leaning against the opposite wall. "You're doing very well sir," said Reegan as I'm thinking, man am I busted. So i said to him "shhhhhhh Don't tell anyone." He starts laughing, I go ahead take this picture, walk to him show him it shake his hand then quickly got back in bed befor anybody else see's me without crutches. I then realized all that happened without a twinge of pain, I was so happy I started to cry!  So fast forward to the next day same situation being discharged and i do it again, moron! Right in front of Dr. Bose, I hand Suni the camera spin around and take a couple of steps and come face to face with my doctor who's grinning from ear to ear chuckling and says,"Craig with no crutches."
Now mind you i walked right in front of him and he didn't put his hand out or tell me to go get my crutches, I think he was enjoying the show. So I have documented proof here standing with Mr Mohan,(to my right) next to Dr. Bose, with Dr. Bis to his left, no walker, no crutches 5 days post-op!! Since he has been at the resort, he has been doing the PT exercises 3 times a day, only as prescribed, and has had a great deal of recovery. He says the range of motion is coming back very fast and the pain is diminishing equally as quick. He was using the crutches to get around, but then they became more of a bother then a help, so he checked with the DR and decided to basically just use his trekking poles. He'll start with two and then maybe even drop to one on the plane. He's being careful not to push to fast and try to do to much, but he stated again that he can't believe how little discomfort he's having and how quickly he has been able to work through the PT exercises. He said the biggest problem right now is just BOREDOM!! Apparently he's passing the time by reading "Walden" by Thoreau. When he gets back he needs to take it easy until the 1st of the New Year but then he can begin riding carefully and returning to all normal activities. And the best news, which he's the most geeked about is, in 6 months Dr. Bose says "NO LIMITATIONS WHAT-SO-EVER" So basically a complete success here, even better then what Craig expected so far, SO LET'S KEEP IN OUR PRAYERS for a safe return and a not too uncomfortable trip home! He sends his love and says he misses you all, Craig (by Chris)
Posted by Craig R Braue
at 11:00 AM EST
Updated: Tuesday, 12 December 2006 6:38 PM EST
Friday, 1 December 2006
Craig Update
HEY EVERYONE - Here's not quite the latest from Craig - He Emailed Dad - Dad forwarded to me - but in the mean time Craig was able to get on as you can see from his most recent post. Some of this is old news but you can read it as it happened... From Dad: what a relief to see the backed up EMails from Craig in my Inbox this morning (12.1) .. apparently they finally got a reliable computer connection working in his room and Craig got his Yahoo account established for EMailing. Connection problems also kept him from posting to the blog. Craig is doing VERY WELL!! As you will see from the following ... will do some pastes to give you the essence of what Craig wrote: Friday morning, I still don’t have an internet connection Mohan should be by shortly. I think this extension cable must be bad hope to get plugged in soon. I’m sorry I can’t imagine what you guys are going through not hearing from me. I’m glad Dr. Bose updated you. (The following was written Thursday night) Dad, I couldn’t get to the blog site so I’m mailing you direct. Everything is fine the surgery went well recovery was a lot easier than I expected. Believe it or not there’s hardly any swelling. It’s 8:15 pm thurssday here and they brought the computer in from the foyer room where it normally stays. So physio went well today I already have more range of motion than before, not necessarily comfortably. I got out of bed today and took about twenty steps with a walker was also able to stand hands free for about ten seconds could’ve stood longer but the physio said “Very very excellent craig that is enough.” It’s strange to have two same length legs again I feel I’m listing to the right. The pressure I normally have across my lower back was already diminishing. Doc took a picture of my femur don’t know if it was before or after grinding. There were no cysts in the femoral head unusual for being bone on bone so long, and he said that again the bone He was working with was even better than expected. So there is no worries about longevity. The physio said to me, he had looked at the x-ray, “However did you manage before surgery….you were not walking on that were you?” I just smiled at him and said, “oh yeah, and working construction, biking so on.” He didn’t know what to say to that kind of stood there shaking his head. Typing on a pillow is tiresome so that’s all for now Love Craig I get to walk down the hall tomorrow maybe sit and blog at the desk tomorrow. And now the latest ... Well its two days after surgery I've been walking with the walker twice today. Both range of motion sessions went extremely well. We're gaining every time. All tubes are gone and I'm wearing my scrubs instead of a gown, that feels so much better. I doing so well with the walker I get to try arm crutches tomorrow. I can get out of bed when ever I want to now, I just have to call for assisstance. Like Dr, Bis just said, he was just here, "after all independece is the goal." So todays other activities included watching cricket on espn, reactivating my yahoo account, if you'd like to drop me a line the new address, at least for this India trip, is crbraue@yahoo.com, and finally getting this connection working again. It's been very tempermental, and I've lost some big posts because of it so if I repeat myself its because I can't remember what got lost. That's all for now, God Bless and see you soon! Craig ps I think I finally get this game cricket, scary huh?
Posted by Craig R Braue
at 10:27 PM EST
Updated: Monday, 11 December 2006 6:07 AM EST
Two days post op
 Well I've sailed through two days things are great! Sorry it's taken so long to post this. We have had nothing but trouble with the connection here locally, but now everything seems fine. I've lost a few big posts due to the trouble. I was finally able to get some stuff to my Dad which will get to Chris and then be posted. This is Sister Suni who along with Looma Elisabeth, Jansi, Raji, and many others make up the nursing staff on the fifth floor. I was never in better care on any of my Hospital stays as i was at Apollo Specialty Hospital.
Dr Bose said surgery went excellently. I ended up with a 54 mm BHR (second largest they make). In the world of resufacing  you obviously match the size anatomically, but research has shown that the bigger the diameter the better. While in the recovery room one of his assistants brought in one of the chunks of bone they had to remove, it was huge like something from a gravel driveway. Coming out of anestheia is never fun, but this time was way better than last. Post-op pain has been minimal. I was up watching some TV and eating the same day. He said to call him Dr. Bis. Dr. Bis (pictured here) assisted Dr. Vijay Bose during surgery and both Doc's made it a point to tell me that the bone they had to work with was much better than they expected. Or as Dr. Bose said very dense very strong. You will be able to see them demonstrating how good the bone was in surgery on a soon to come post with gory details if you can handle it (not for the sqeamish).  The next day went well they got me up on a walker I could even stand hands free for about 10 seconds. It was wierd to stand straight again with no pelvic tilt and some of the usual tightness accross my lower backwas already diminishing. Range of motion exercises went well I already have way more rotation than before and the most amazing is laterally. I've got exercises to do every hour they're a little painful but it helps pass the time. The nurses and all the staff are awesome always cheerful and happy to serve. It's funny we're both speaking english but unable to understand each other at times, I'm getting better with the accent as they are with mine. Here is R. Padmaraj one of two PT's that literally got me up and moving they're consumate professionals, gentle, patient, yet persistant. Padmaraj also gives Understanding Cricket 101 lessons. The second day post-op was even better, up on a walker twice, and all tubes came out, so I can wear scrubs, I hate hospital gowns. I'm doing so well that I get to try forearm crutches tomorrow. Gotta go more later. Craig
Posted by Craig R Braue
at 5:59 PM EST
Updated: Tuesday, 12 December 2006 2:29 PM EST
Tuesday, 28 November 2006
The Right Man, at the Right Place, at the Right Time!
Mood:
 on fire
YEAH BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well all those years of not giving in, all this time putting up with the pain (especially backpacking through the Smokies......Ow), all these years of taking my mother in-law's nutritional advice, all these years working constructionand just plain refusing to let this thing called arthritis slow me down have paid off! Dr Bose greeted me in his office with a big smile and said,"It's even better than I thought it would be. There's plenty of good solid bone left for resurfacing!" (Rob, you already knew that , huh?) He proceeded to show me the templates he uses on the new full scale (not a PDF file) x-ray to match the new hip with the good one and more good news. A 60mm size matches my good hip perfectly, I also think it's the largest one they make. That's good news because everything that's good about resurfacing gets even better with a bigger size, more surface area, more thick film lubrication, more bearing, harder to dislocate. He went on to say that it would take the same amount of force trauma to dislocate this hip resurf as a normal hip (hello moguls again), also from doing annual bone density scans post-op they have found bone beneath or downstream gets more dense with time. Heard enough good news yet? But wait there's more! All the white stuff on the right off the joint (osteophytes, see picture below) are a GOOD sign. That means, especially on the pelvic (acetabular) side that the body only responds that way because of there being good bone (When you're bone on bone like me) on the opposite side (femoral/leg) "It's all good baby!". Oh but wait, there's more! In order to install a 60 mm BHR you have to grind off a total of 12 mm off the top of the femur, well guess who's already done that? Huh? That's right! that's right! you guessed it, ME (with His enabling grace!) so that really good dense bone is right there to where he would grind anyhow, that means not only have I/God guaged his procedure for him, lol but I come out of the OR with Identical length legs. Can I hear a Hallelujah! Coincidence? I think not! So basically as far as the ortho side of things, we're about to turn the clock back to June 30 1981 the day befor the accident. And all I got to say is............"on your left" ..........(what is courteously said when overtaking a slower cyclist) Good night Gracie!!!!!!!
Posted by Craig R Braue
at 10:54 AM EST
Updated: Tuesday, 12 December 2006 2:32 PM EST
Plugged in again!
Hey......Hey.......Hey! I was getting worried again not being able to view the site. But I got through! OK where to begin? I'll start with the latest first. I'm in my permanent room now, obviously, complete w/computer and high speed connection. All my tests and x-rays done everything's oakey doakey. But man am I tired! I saw Dr. Boses assistant surgeon Dr Biz his preferred abbreviation). We discussed my case at length. I happened to have a printed copy of the x-ray posted here and with a cursory look he seemed to think there was plenty of good bone left for a resurf. I'm about to eat dinner then will be taken to meet Dr. Bose at his office with the new x-rays that he can template off of. Dr. Biz said to write down any and all questions and feel free to ask away. I just met my nurse Looma-Elizabeth, who is a Pentecostal Christian, and bold she didn't wait too long in our introduction to ask me if I was a Christian! I beleive her picture is there on Gary's blog. I asked her about post-op procedure, oh by the way surgery is scheduled for 8:30 am (10pm EST Tuesday your time), so I'll sleep all day tomorrow. Thursday i'll be up on a walker and progress from there. We talked about pain and she said that there is little to no pain post-op (her experience). So I don't know if that's good drugs or skilled hands or both. I'll beleive it when I don't feel it!!!!  Hey i'm fading fast here.....hope I can stay awake for dinner and more importantly for meeting the doc. I'll try to post the results of the consultation yet tonight, but if I get the same grief trying to get here again you probably won't here from me untill Thursday. Pictured here is Jansi yet another of the excellent staff of the fifth floor crew, she practically fed me my dinner, something I'm not used to but truly appreciated just the same.
So this is great, a big new room (pics to come) the internet, a credit card.......I could burn up some free time shopping for bike stuff all the way from India!!!! just kiddin honey, ........I think..... Love y'all, and appreciate your prayers, I can feel them! Later! Soon to be pain free walking, gear grinding, flying up them hills, (look out John, you too Kroske) running (imagine that after 25 years baby!!!!!!!!!!) ............Truly Thankful, Craig
Posted by Craig R Braue
at 7:20 AM EST
Updated: Friday, 15 December 2006 9:32 AM EST
Monday, 27 November 2006
Quick Update
Hi All, Here's a quick update on Craig via his Dad, Harold. So far he cannot get on to the website to blog but once he's at the hospital hopefully he will be able to. Here's about all we know: "Hi Everyone ... just talked with Craig - he is in his room at the hotel in Chennai  Regency Towers. His trip was stressful .. especially with the 6 hour delay of his flight from Frankfurt to Mumbai. He didn`t really get any sleep for 36 hours. But he is about to order room service. Apparently they are 10 and 1/2 hours ahead of us (in EST), not 9 hours as we expected. Tomorrow morning (Tues) he will be picked up and moved to a room at the hospital, for tests and xrays. Will find out time of surgery on Wed tomorrow." Keep him in your prayers and we'll keep you updated the best we can!! Chris (signed on as Craig)
Posted by Craig R Braue
at 1:23 PM EST
Updated: Tuesday, 12 December 2006 11:04 PM EST
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