It's day 4 post op and things are well. I'm allowed to weight bear as tolerated, no real restrictions, can use the stationary bike without resistance, and just need crutches for 4 weeks. I've cheated already and gone to 1 crutch short distances but I'm not ready to go without crutches yet. I have a limp. It doesn't hurt much to put weight down, but lifting my leg hurts. Sitting too long hurts. Actually sitting on my butt is what hurts. I think there's just a big bruise there though.
What's been most painful though is my back. I can't lay on my back or sit for long without it beginning to give me a piercing ache. I can't say what it's from, but I would imagine the traction while in the scope may have aggravated it. The pain is in the right SI to across my mid upper back. It really kind of overshadows the hip pain.
Besides that, a run down of how much easier this recovery has been for me over the SDD/PAOs:
Post op day 1: in hospital, d/c'd by 12-1 pm, home and able to stay awake til normal bedtime, not feeling horribly emotional. Pain is controlled.
Post op day 2: had mom stay the day with me since hubby had to go to work. I literally slept the entire day, didn't really do anything. Took dressings off and showered in the evening, and didn't need any help showering (getting in or out). Used the shower bench to reach lower extremeties but was able to stand majority of time. Hubby helped put on pants and socks because right hip/knee still so swollen from scope fluids.
Post op day 3: on my own majority of the day, taking care of the dogs myself (1 lab, 1 boston terrier). Hubby pre-planned day and made sure everything was out of my way so I could crutch safely and also set up my table with everything I'd need next to my chair. I did really well, tired and sore from more movement, but was able to go on first outing later in the afternoon too and then I came home and crashed.
Sleeping on back in CPM sooo uncomfortable that I finally gave it up at 4 am and turned on my side with pillows. Way better sleep.
Post op day 4 (today): again, alone, phone calls from mom to make sure I'm ok and I am. Really reflecting on things my husband discussed with me that Dr. Z brought up after surgery. I'll elaborate more after my 2 week check up, when I can understand it better.
Crutching is easy, showering is easy and the shower bench is just a comfort measure if I need it. I'm able to bend my leg easier now (still hurts) to put pants and socks on, but do need to sit to do that. My appetite is still poor, but the nauseated feeling has gone away, a lot faster than other times.
All in all I'm much more independent with this recovery. It helps that I'm experienced too, because I remember 3.5 years ago when I had my first surgery ever, a hip scope, which wasn't near as involved as this one, I was slow and cautious to a fault with recovery. Now it's second nature, and things are coming along so much better.
Plan is to send the CPM back this weekend and wait for the post op follow up to talk about the results and how I'm progressing. I also have my ear implant revision surgery coming up in 3.5 weeks to get ready for. I do need to set up my classes for my BSN as well while I'm off work. The great thing about this type of recovery is that I feel stronger both mentally and physically than I did with the SDD/PAOs and feel like I can probably accomplish this, and in a shorter time frame.
This week is about resting though and watching the presidential election unfold.
On a scale of 1-10 for discomfort for a hip scope over an open hip surgery, I'd say I'm at a 3-4, whereas I'd have been about a 6 with the opens. I think the only reason I'm even rating it as high as a 3 is because there is arthritis in my hip and because of my back.
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