6 weeks post op today - hooray!

The time has flown by and it's hard to believe that 6 weeks ago today I was in the recovery room about now. I'm starting to forget what the pain like, an eerie similarity to the childbirth experience.

I worked out with a trainer on Tuesday, as a follow-up to my PT, and it was clear that I overdid it. I ended up with an annoying pain in my glute but perhaps it was a good lesson that I am still not back to 100% yet. It is hard to be patient! It is a little scary because I am feeling so good that I forget my hip precautions. Last night was a perfect example. I'd build a fire in the woodstove because it was snowing again (I'm starting to think I live at the North Pole!) and I SQUATTED DOWN without thinking. It freaked me out but fortunately I don't think I did any damage. I realize that as of today, the 6 week mark, I can test the hip precautions. I just don't want, or need, to push them to the limits right away.

I also got to see my new "Valentine's Day bling" at my 5 week xrays, which was pretty cool. The xray tech called it my "hardware." I sent them off and hope to hear a good report. Not having a medical background, I am clueless what it is supposed to look like so I hope everything is where it needs to be.

5 weeks post-surgery

I have felt so great the last week that I hardly remember that I had surgery, which can be a slight problem since I have one more week of hip precautions to go. I have been walking without assistance and it feels so normal (except for going up the steps). I asked the physical therapist about it and he said you have to retrain your brain about where your body is in space, which sounds weird to me but it kind of makes sense. He gave me some balance exercises and had me do some strengthing on each leg and that seemed to help. Going up the steps used to hurt so badly - guess my brain still thinks that way. I graduate from PT on Friday!

I was also able to go back to the gym this week - strictly due to logistics, physically I think I could have gone sooner. It definitely added some new dimension to the mall walks - after awhile that gets old. Could do the eliptical trainer for 40 minutes and then I walked outside with a friend. It was one of those beautiful days - a Montana robin's egg blue sky, sunny and cool - that remind you why you live in Big Sky Country. I actually could not remember the last time I could take a walk without pain or limping so it was simply glorious! I hate to be redundant but I will never take walking for granted again.

This week, I have to go up to the hospital to get my 5 week x-rays to send to Dr. Rogerson. my fingers are crossed that the x-rays look as good as I feel. It will be interesting to finally get a look at my new bionic part.

One month post-op

If you would have asked me if I'd feel this great one month after surgery, I probably would have laughed. Now it is hard for me to remember that I actually had surgery! Something amazing happens between the 3rd and 4th week out - you seem to regain so much. I have 2 more weeks of hip precautions to follow so I do have to pay attention. But I haven't needed my crutch/cane for 5 days now - I'm on my own!!

Really, the thing that lets me know that I had surgery is that I have NO pain anymore. I still can't quite get my brain around it but I'm getting closer. I love being able to walk and will never take it for granted again.

The snow has melted quite a bit and I was able to go walking downtown for a few hours. I even looked at a new mountain bike!

Progress!

Three weeks out from surgery yesterday and it was as if I hit some sort of breakthrough. Turned the crutch around to use like a cane like they showed me. It makes you realize that you can be too dependent because you are just scared. Walked three laps at the mall - about 45 minutes, even a bit without the crutch at all! I might have actually overdone it because I ended up with what I would describe as a charley horse in my butt. Not pain, per se, but just a naggy feeling.

Another Set Back

I thought I was having problems with the medicine but apparently I had a bout of stomach flu. The last two that I'm on can cause nausea. Couldn't eat and all I wanted to do was sleep. But today, I finally feel human again. Whew!