Patience, Perspective, and Persistence

This is not really a progress report--it seems as if there is not much, if any, progress again right now.  This is more about the real keys to success in recovering from pretty much anything.  These are not new concepts for me after many years of dealing with chronic pain and various other medical conditions, and other surgeries/recoveries.  However, there have been some differences this time that caught me by surprise, so choosing to take a step back to regroup and intentionally refocus on the basics.

This is a long recovery and much comes down to patience, perspective, and persistence. It is worth taking the time to let the body heal, not to push things or try to make things go faster than the body is ready. Perspective--this is where I have been struggling. The op hip is doing well and I try to keep my focus on that, but non op hip is not. Thus every time op hip is ready to try something new, PT says not to even try because non op hip cannot handle it. This makes it difficult to see any progress through rehab because I am still incredibly restricted. I was prepared for things to be very limited and to have to regain ability slowly. I was not prepared for other hip to interfere to the extent that I am unable to regain ability at all with some things--at least not yet. It has been exciting to see how well op hip is doing but this has often been overshadowed by how poorly non op hip is doing. 

For example, I still cannot walk other than just what is essential to get around as non op hip gets mad. But, I can handle sitting longer, and I can stand longer, Yesterday, I did PT exercises and elliptical in the morning, walked in the pool and did other PT exercises in the pool after lunch, did my own grocery shopping in the evening, carried the groceries up the two flights of stairs to my apartment, etc. I can do things and have to focus on what I can do and not on what non op hip is limiting me from doing. 

I am confused. The right hip has always flared up when left hip flared even prior to surgery. We have always gotten it calmed down again once left was calmed (usually with an injection). The left hip is doing really well after surgery, is getting stronger, is doing its own work, carrying its own load, and even starting to compensate for right. However, right is not calming down, but rather getting worse. So, I really am not sure why we cannot get the right hip to calm down this time without high dose steroid. Puzzling. I keep wondering if I have just become too sensitive.  However, when providers can tell without me telling where the problem is that the hip is swollen, gait is off, etc., I do not think I am being hypersensitive or imagining things.  

This weeks has its highs and lows.  My hips and shoulder were letting me do more again in PT early in the week, only to end up on the strong pain killer just from walking to class the next day. Sigh.  It is the right hip that keeps throwing fits.  We are trying to find the balance between giving it a break to calm it down, but not let it get weak. It is thus far defying that such a balance exists. It is now weaker than left hip, but it is still not calming down.  Persistence is essential to keep up with daily rehab work even when it feels like it is not doing any good. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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