People have been saying to me for years: Pitney, why don’t you get hip? So I am going to!
I was diagnosed with Vascular Necrosis back in 1992 and Doctor Turner at Baptist Hospital in Boston wanted to immediately replace my left hip, saying it was a 4.5 out of a 5, with 5 being the worst possible! I looked at the procedure as it was done at that time and after getting a second opinion I opted to go into the gym and try to bring the muscles back to where they had been before my leg and butt atrophied. I did really well and kept the operation at bay for 14 years! My left leg is now almost one inch shorter than my right and forces a limp. I have so much padding in the left shoe I can just about get my foot in!
These days the operation is amazing. A friend of mine just had it done and he is fully recovered after seven weeks. It is now a 3 to 4 inch incision, one hour and fifteen minute operation, lifetime hip with which you can hip hop if so desired, on your feet the first day, out of hospital under your own power on the fourth day, driving after four weeks, and doing what you want after seven weeks.
When I saw Dr. Sculco in New York he was amazed that I did not take any pain medication! I did not know that the hip is not where the pain comes from. It is the inflammation surrounding the hip that causes the pain. He gave me an anti- inflammatory that is allowing me to do the current tour. It is the first time in 20 years that I have been virtually pain free on stage. I saw Dr. Sculco on March 7th and flew to London on March 12th, so it was very close.
No need to feel bad for me. It has been great and can only get better! Onward and Upward! Hip Hip Hooray!!