Things have been sort of up and down lately. The injection for the non op hip is fully in effect and that hip feels normal--no pain and it will finally handle exercises! At three months post op I had been told my op hip was now the good hip. However, once we finally got the non op hip calmed down with the injection, now the hips sort of seem to be taking turns with which one is best. The non op hip has fewer issues over all than the op hip, but the non op hip is still weaker than the op hip. It is amazing how fast strength is lost. There are also times that both hips feel "normal" (whatever that is), and I totally forget I even have hip issues!
I had been told to take a break from walking three months ago or so after the non op hip was being so recalcitrant and we could not get it to calm down no matter what we tried. I was then cleared to try walking again once the injection was taking effect, but then got hit with the adverse reaction to a new medication and that knocked things back another couple of weeks with rehab. This week I finally got to try walking for exercise again! I was told to start with only five minutes and if that went OK to increase to ten minutes. I did 1/4 mile on the track to start--it was actually almost 7 minutes, but went fine, tried again a couple of days later and down to 5.5 minutes so tried longer distance a couple of days later and managed 10.5 minutes and an entire half mile! And, neither hip hurt at all! First time since long before surgery! It is nowhere the pace or duration I could do prior to hip issues, but I am so grateful to finally get to try walking again other than just what was essential to get from place to place. Definitely progress!
Things have been slipping and more discouraging again on other fronts. I am choosing to focus and be grateful for what is going well and not worry about the rest.
Copied from what I wrote a few days ago:
The hip surgery is a long, long recovery. It is going well overall, but it can be hard to be patient. I keep reminding myself that this is not a race to see how fast I can recover but a journey to see how well I can recover. This reminds me of my walk with the Lord, as well. He is molding me more into His image in His way and His time. I need to be patient and not try to rush the process. If the process includes pain and illness, then I need to view these as His gift to me and be grateful for them. His grace is more than sufficient.
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
