First Few Days of Recovery

I am not going to lie.  This is one of the hardest things I've had to do in my life.  While I am not in any significant pain, and even weaned myself off of the pain medication within 24 hours, it is difficult.  I find myself frustrated and emotional at times.  I think I'd pick to go through child labor or run another marathon instead of recovering from hip arthroscopy.  I tell myself that I should feel fortunate that this is what I have to experience.  There are many other people experiencing things that are way worse.  I realize I have a long road ahead of me and that scares me.  I wonder if I've made the right decision.  Will I be better off when everything is said and done?  I hope so.  Until then, I am taking one day at a time.

My days consist of lying on the couch, on the blow-up mattress, lying in the bed, and more recently sitting in a hard chair.  I consider myself a pretty coordinated and athletic girl, but it is taxing thinking through how to maneuver my body and my crutches and such.  I am very careful with my leg, but it seems you can not be too careful.

During the first day or so, I was awake for a few hours and then would sleep an hour or so.  I iced nearly all day and forced myself to pump my ankle, do my heel slides, and on occasion my pendulum swings.  Sleeping at night is the worst.  My back gets tired, I have to interrupt Tony to help me move or get up to go to the bathroom, I get hot, I get cold, etc.  I dread going to bed each night.

Thankfully, each day has gotten a little easier.  The stiffness is a little less, the tricky moves aren't so tricky, and I'm beginning to return to my old self.

Here are a few highlights:

Monday/Tuesday: Talking and texting with more people than I have the entire last year, knowing I'll be off of work for a little while, eating my Frosty

Wednesday: Seeing my kiddos, spending time with my Dad and husband, receiving even more texts and check-ins

Thursday: Easier movement; changed the dressing---wow, that thing weighed a ton!  Delicious food from Mom

Friday: Even easier to get around, less pain, SHOWER, warm weather which allowed us to take the kids to the park and my first outing, a visitor with a delicious quiche, spending time with my sister

Saturday: Less pain, able to sit in chair for awhile, less time icing, quality visit with a dear friend, who brought cookies, reading The Fault in Our Stars (which has been on my to do list for 2 years), sleeping in my son's bed while he (and sister) is away with my loving family



Sunday: Productive morning getting lesson plans done, less pain, SHOWER, outing with hubby, dinner out

Tomorrow I go for my first follow-up appointment.  I have MANY questions for Dr. Ho including how to change his conservative recovery plan to a more aggressive one and the ramifications of only addressing the impingement and psoas release but not repairing the labral tear.

Stay posted as I chronicle my progress..."I am not afraid. I was born to do this."