One Month Post Op

One month ago today, I embarked on a new journey into the hipster world.  I think things are moving in the right direction and I am making considerable progress with my rehabilitation.  Co-workers continue to encourage me, well, most of them (the ones who don't call me gimpy), when they see me crutchless and walking pretty normally.  What they don't see, however, is that I still have significant healing to do.  I have been struggling with hip problems for well over two years, so I've gotten skilled at hiding my pain and just trekking on.  I've had to.  Nobody wants to hear about my hip day in and day out, especially my husband.  Quite frankly, neither do I.

Remaining optimistic and hopeful for my active future has helped me to not dwell on the little aches and nagging sensations that are still present (at times) in the hip/groin area.  My physical therapist reminded me this week that medical professionals recommend giving the bone 12 weeks to properly heal.  So, in the next two months, the priority is on my healing and getting stronger and not worrying about the what-ifs.  Admittedly, it is kind of refreshing to not be on a training schedule and having to plan my weekends around when I'm getting my long run in!

Look at me, squatting down, pain free!

Each day my exercises get a little bit easier, even though my therapist continues to build on my routine.  Currently, I am using a lighter resistance band on my leg lifts in each direction, one of the weight machines for my squats, and the stability ball to practice seated leg raises while focusing on my core.  I am up to biking 20 minutes continuously with some resistance and for the purpose of getting a cardiovascular workout.

My workday usually starts painfree, but by lunch time, I notice some aches and try to sit down more.  I am still limiting my walking throughout the day, but have begun to  monitor the hallway with less fear of jostling the hip.  I really haven't iced much in the last week and have even caught myself joining in on some of the dance parties that periodically occur with my own children.

I think back to the first few days and even week or two after surgery and remember how I couldn't comprehend healing enough to be functional for work.  I'm happy to say that I'm on the road back to my normal self.  Slow and steady has often been my motto in races, so I'll use that to get me through the next few months.

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."

Surgery Day

To say I am a planner, is a bit of an understatement.  As a teacher, I plan every second of every part of my day.  I factor in all the what ifs and any possible blip that might take my lesson "off course."  When March 18th arrived, I had carefully calculated all of my moves and even the moves of my friends and family in order to adequately provide for my family.  It was a bit surreal when everything started happening and I was a bit emotional.  

I slept fairly well the night before and since we didn't have to be to Chicago until 11:30 or so, we had time to see both kiddos off to school, I swung by school to drop off one last bit of paperwork, and Tony even voted in the primaries.  We made it to the University of Chicago Medical Center with ease and were PLENTY early.  I had figured this would be the case (I am the planner afterall).  We parked and found our way while I carried my crutches in.  Instead of going directly to the waiting room, we attempted to relax in the nearby cafeteria and caught up on social medial  

Here I am pretending to be cool and collected while  Tony had something to eat.  Surprisingly, fasting since midnight didn't seem to be too difficult.  

I knew I wanted to check in around 11:30 as suggested, so we made our way to 2c Ambulatory Surgery.  I anticipated being called back around noon, but it seemed as if Dr. Ho was running behind schedule.  Every other person in the waiting room was called before me and finally around 1pm, they called me back to pre-op.

Immediately after entering the pre-op area, the nurse instructed me to pee in a cup.  I found this a bit ironic since I had been fasting and without liquids for over 13 hours at this point.  I thought to myself, there is no way I'll be able to make this happen, but sure enough, I produced.  I tried to make small talk with the nurse as she asked me a bunch of questions and took my vitals.  "Your blood pressure is a litlte high," she remarked.  I reminded, "I am about to have hip surgery.  I think that is to be expected!"  

Dr. Ho stopped by and initialed my right hip and asked if I had any questions, I didn't.  He told me it would still be at least an hour or so.  By about 1:45 they allowed Tony to join me and then the waiting game continued.  The anesthesiologist made her way in and went over everything.  Apparently I neglected to think through the breathing tube that would be placed in me during surgery and that new information started to worry me, but there was no turning back.  She also mentioned that the surgery could take between 2 and 5 hours...that was another surprise.  

We were waiting for Dr. Ho's fellow to go over paperwork for me to sign and finally around 3pm he arrived and was greeted by my, "Hallelujah!"  I thought it was funny, apparently he didn't.  I asked him how long he thought the procedure would be and he assured me it would be closer to 2 hours.

Pre-Op

Finally around 3:30, it was go time. They gave me a little bit of a sedative and said I could pretend it was a nice glass of wine. I recall being wheeled in and transferred to the operating table. There were about 5 people in there and they began prepping me. Before I knew it, I was out and in the recovery room. The surgery was complete by about 5:30 and Tony was back with me by around 6pm. I must be quick to come out because they said typically patients take closer to an hour. I was happy because I knew the delay would make it harder for us to return to Champaign the same night like we had wanted to. I wasn't in too much pain and I even was able to talk to Dr. Ho. He assured me everything went well and informed me that he was able to release the psoas and trim the bone, but was unable to repair the tear because it would have caused more damage.

I continued recovering well and the nurses were okay with us traveling back to Champaign.  They gave Tony the post-operative care guidelines and showed him how to use the ice machine.  I decided I had better try to go to the bathroom before leaving because doing it at the hospital would be  way better than doing it at a gas station.  I didn't really have to go, but was worried I would regret it a couple hours later.  In classic Jill form, the bathroom trip may have involved a fainting episode on the toilet accompanied by two nurses rushing to my assistance.  Other than that, we made it back home safe and sound by around 10:30.

Tony treated me to some Cheez-its, a Wendy's Frosty, and some french fries.  For the first time in my life, I didn't finish my fries.