I'm still in PT for the right hip. I don't use crutches anymore. I still haven't done a whole lot of walking distance wise but I will build up to that.
In PT I'm still struggling with straight leg lifts on the right side. It just does not want to do it. My left knee also still hurts, especially on stairs or with a wrong move while turning.
But I am able to lead up steps with my right leg and I can do abduction exercises pretty well, so that is a good thing. I think in my next PT session I'll be getting my ROM measured again so we can see where my hip flexion is at this point.
I am being choosey on jobs as well, trying to find something that isn't as physically demanding, so I am not working yet. Which is ok, since Z said I wouldn't be 100% ready to go just yet anyway. Squatting down and getting back up still bothers my quad on the right and that will be important to get back. Pain is kind of in the background now, like a familiar old ache. It's usually worse after sitting awhile from stiffness or if I'm up doing an activity for too long. But if I rest, it goes away. Icing and heating still do well for me too.
I see Dr. Z again September 12th for my 3 month follow up, so I'm looking forward to hearing good things when I'm there.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
10 weeks post op and this thing called patience.
10 weeks seems like a long time when you're analyzing days but it's really not that much time when you look at it in terms of recovery from surgery. I'm starting to get impatient with everything and it's probably because I have technically been recovering since November 30th when I had the LPAO. In a way it's really nice I had the amount of time off (8 months now) but it's also been a little challenging on the lifestyle I am used to.
So at this point in recovery I am no longer using the shower chair (actually wasn't using it since week 8, but kept it in the shower til now). I don't need a chair to sit in to dress now that I can put full weight on my hip. Driving is an independant activity with very little issue and I'm now walking around crutch free, even outside. I have brought a crutch with me if I know I'm going to be walking a lot, but otherwise am doing well enough without it!
As far as pain goes, I've been on Mobic (prescription NSAID) for 3 weeks now and it seems to take the edge off the aches I get in my lower body but it's not the miracle I was hoping for. It does work better than motrin at least. I'm still getting occasional sharp pains in the front of the hip, it gave out once recently, but right now it seems managable. The screws are not bothering me as much either. They will have to come out at some point, but I'm not in a rush like with the left side. The knees to my feet are progressively getting more and more painful. I'm told strengthening is key. I'm really trying and being faithful to my PT workouts.
Speaking of PT, I'm back in the pool. The incision looks good after a week of antibiotics. Pool therapy was nice. I do like it and am thankful for it. My PT measured my hip flexion ROM yesterday and it decreased by 23 degrees. So it went from about 100 degrees to about 77-80 degrees. That's not good and we'll be monitoring that as I progress. Part of the decrease was
pain related but part was also stiffness, as in I could not get it to go any farther no matter what. Hopefully this improves!
Yesterday Z called me to check up on how I was doing regarding the incision and the hips in general. We discussed them briefly and I also explained that I have a procedure coming up soon that will make MRI's no longer an option for me and would this be an issue regarding the right hip? He told me that an MRI would really not be sufficient for me anymore anyway and he would prefer to go in with a scope instead. So, there you have it. Looks like my MRI days are finally over! Thank goodness!
All in all, I think I'm doing relatively well considering the circumstances. It is do-able to have PAO's close together. Other than a little groin pain in the left hip, I'm not having many problems there. And the right hip is still in early stages so we'll just have to be patient and see.
So at this point in recovery I am no longer using the shower chair (actually wasn't using it since week 8, but kept it in the shower til now). I don't need a chair to sit in to dress now that I can put full weight on my hip. Driving is an independant activity with very little issue and I'm now walking around crutch free, even outside. I have brought a crutch with me if I know I'm going to be walking a lot, but otherwise am doing well enough without it!
As far as pain goes, I've been on Mobic (prescription NSAID) for 3 weeks now and it seems to take the edge off the aches I get in my lower body but it's not the miracle I was hoping for. It does work better than motrin at least. I'm still getting occasional sharp pains in the front of the hip, it gave out once recently, but right now it seems managable. The screws are not bothering me as much either. They will have to come out at some point, but I'm not in a rush like with the left side. The knees to my feet are progressively getting more and more painful. I'm told strengthening is key. I'm really trying and being faithful to my PT workouts.
Speaking of PT, I'm back in the pool. The incision looks good after a week of antibiotics. Pool therapy was nice. I do like it and am thankful for it. My PT measured my hip flexion ROM yesterday and it decreased by 23 degrees. So it went from about 100 degrees to about 77-80 degrees. That's not good and we'll be monitoring that as I progress. Part of the decrease was
pain related but part was also stiffness, as in I could not get it to go any farther no matter what. Hopefully this improves!
Yesterday Z called me to check up on how I was doing regarding the incision and the hips in general. We discussed them briefly and I also explained that I have a procedure coming up soon that will make MRI's no longer an option for me and would this be an issue regarding the right hip? He told me that an MRI would really not be sufficient for me anymore anyway and he would prefer to go in with a scope instead. So, there you have it. Looks like my MRI days are finally over! Thank goodness!
All in all, I think I'm doing relatively well considering the circumstances. It is do-able to have PAO's close together. Other than a little groin pain in the left hip, I'm not having many problems there. And the right hip is still in early stages so we'll just have to be patient and see.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Post op week 9 - incision infection
"You're enjoying your day, everything's going your way, then along comes Debbie Downer!"
This, fellow blog readers, is me, and I apologize because I have yet more bad news to share...
This weekend I began noticing my anterior scope incision to be puffy and way more tender than usual. I also noticed it looked a little red around the incision. I pushed at it and pus and blood came out, followed by a mix of serous (clear, blood tinged) drainage. I called the OS on call for my surgeon's practice and was placed on Keflex 500 mg 4 times a day for a week. I'm also to stop pool PT until next week. Today the site looks much better. Not red, no swelling, and no drainage. The OS thought the drainage might have been a suture that didn't dissolve and acted as a wick.
I did land PT today. We took it easy because Nicky would prefer I stick with water therapy but what can I do? It all worked out well regardless. So I'm a little sore in both hips. I've woken up muscles in the left that must have deactivated and the right hip is struggling with the hip flexor, but doing surprisingly well with the glutes/stabilizers.
I'm starting to try to walk in the house without my crutch and it goes well enough as long as I take my time getting up from sitting awhile. The most I've walked is only a minute or so though. I suppose I should try walking for timed intervals from the front of the house to the back. Work up some stamina. Driving has finally gotten easier! It's back to feeling like an automatic gesture again, although I occasionally still feel like I have to think about moving the foot forward from the thigh. Other things I've noticed is a lot of clicking and popping is going on inside the right hip when I'm in bed and rolling over or changing positions. It isn't painful, just annoying.
What I'm really ready for is going back to work. Not really physically ready, but I need the interaction with people again! Not to mention the checking account could use it too!
This, fellow blog readers, is me, and I apologize because I have yet more bad news to share...
This weekend I began noticing my anterior scope incision to be puffy and way more tender than usual. I also noticed it looked a little red around the incision. I pushed at it and pus and blood came out, followed by a mix of serous (clear, blood tinged) drainage. I called the OS on call for my surgeon's practice and was placed on Keflex 500 mg 4 times a day for a week. I'm also to stop pool PT until next week. Today the site looks much better. Not red, no swelling, and no drainage. The OS thought the drainage might have been a suture that didn't dissolve and acted as a wick.
I did land PT today. We took it easy because Nicky would prefer I stick with water therapy but what can I do? It all worked out well regardless. So I'm a little sore in both hips. I've woken up muscles in the left that must have deactivated and the right hip is struggling with the hip flexor, but doing surprisingly well with the glutes/stabilizers.
I'm starting to try to walk in the house without my crutch and it goes well enough as long as I take my time getting up from sitting awhile. The most I've walked is only a minute or so though. I suppose I should try walking for timed intervals from the front of the house to the back. Work up some stamina. Driving has finally gotten easier! It's back to feeling like an automatic gesture again, although I occasionally still feel like I have to think about moving the foot forward from the thigh. Other things I've noticed is a lot of clicking and popping is going on inside the right hip when I'm in bed and rolling over or changing positions. It isn't painful, just annoying.
What I'm really ready for is going back to work. Not really physically ready, but I need the interaction with people again! Not to mention the checking account could use it too!
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