I am now three weeks post-op and I have been in the tedious phase of recovery. Overall, things are still going really well, but everything takes longer. It often feels like all I do is rehab exercises, rest, ice, self-care. But, this is laying the foundation to build on as my body heals and we start working on strengthening and advancing exercises. It is worth taking this stage seriously and supporting my body as it heals. I am intentionally not comparing recoveries between hips, but once I have gotten through each week and written the update, it has been interesting to look back and read my thoughts on things at the same stage last time. Here is three-week update last surgery.
I posted the two-week update early enough that I missed being able to mention that I went to a picnic that evening. It was so good to get out for something other than medical appointments, moving, or even the swimming, which is partly rehab oriented. This was fresh air, seeing people, an actual social function. I still do not do well with lots of sitting, so we (my sister, not me), hauled my zero gravity chair along. I still wore out--too much sitting--even with my own chair. But, overall, it was worth it.
There is much that is going well. I am sleeping through the night for the most part, most of the time. Both hips are totally pain-free! This has been amazing! After surgery a year ago, I was so excited when first hip was pain-free, but second was not....and when it hurt would remind myself at least the first did not hurt. So, now the novelty is neither hip hurts! I am also still adding in new things I can do.
Crutches. I think it took longer this time, but still ran into issues with the crutches flaring up shoulders, neck, back, wrists, hands, etc. All are tired by evening and all stiff/sore when I wake the next morning. I knew this was a possibility and tried to be careful and avoid it. I am still doing PT exercises for neck and shoulders, plus have already seen chiropractor to get things addressed. For now, choosing to rest and stay off crutches/feet as much as possible. This means going nowhere non-essential, doing nothing non-essential, hence things getting even more boring. PT and pool are considered essential as the outcomes are worth being up and on crutches to get there and back. I do have and use a walker as well, but the walker is harder to maintain as normal of gait, just as stressful to shoulders, wrists, hands, etc. It is also more awkward to maneuver. Lots of reading and crocheting are happening during this enforced downtime.
Brace. It has still never yet restricted my movement. It does throw off my walking with crutches and wear me out faster. I was supposed to wear it 2-3 weeks per discharge info, but surgeon had told me pre-op 2 weeks or until sick of it. It is not that bad, so not sick of it. However, not convinced it is actually helpful in my case and may actually be contributing to some issues. Not sure. Initially, I thought the more tiring days were from being up more; however, it seems both hips, but especially surgical side, are more tired/sore on days I wear the brace whether up more or not. I think it is the extra weight from the brace and that I have to be careful to avoid catching crutches on it, so gait is off even more than from just restrictions and crutches themselves. Anyway, I am now three weeks post-op, so can officially be done with it based on discharge info. I have not been wearing it the past few days already anyway and quite a bit of the stiffness/soreness calmed down again. Thoughts: I suspect the brace would have been more helpful if I had not already known how to stay within restrictions. I recall last time thinking early on maybe a brace would have been nice to prevent going outside of restrictions. However, I decided with time it was better not to have a brace as it forced me to be continually mindful of how I moved. Between that experience and that most of the restrictions are things that were painful pre-op, thus had been avoiding already anyway, I know how to stay within restrictions without a brace to remind me.
I have still not tried driving this time. I am a really weird mix of super cautious, with definite limit pusher. However, multiple surgeries and other experiences have helped teach me patience and when to be cautious versus when to push limits. Right after surgeries I tend to be more cautious, almost afraid to do anything. As I recover, curiosity starts to take over and I start testing things out of curiosity to see how I do. Being in the pool is something relatively safe to test and push. Driving is not. I had enough trouble driving pre-op that I am in no hurry to try too soon and risk a set back. I also still do not like sitting up fully, so prefer being reclined. I can sit better than pre-op, but still not really comfortable. I do not want to undermine recovery, so sort of waiting until sitting is more comfortable and hip feels stronger, less sensitive to little things.
Being in water remains my best help. It helps relieve the issues from crutches--neck, shoulders, back. I can swim full laps even though it is all only arms, no kicking yet. I can stand in neck deep water, do simple PT exercises in neck deep water. It feels so good to be in the water and able to move better. Came back from the pool at 2.5 weeks post-op after not wearing the brace or compression sock for the first time when out and both hips felt so good I stood at the bottom of the stairs trying to remember which hip I was supposed to be protecting.
PT with new therapist here is going well. I had been really apprehensive about this, but also really optimistic. I had been with my Iowa PT for 4.5 years and through multiple surgeries and other tough issues. I credit her as well as my surgeon with how well my left hip has done. It is scary starting over with someone new who does not know me or my body and whom I do not know. But, so far, going well. He seems to really know rehab, is open to what I know of my recovery last time as well as the input of both the MN and IA PTs, but also giving me new suggestions that are helping. Sort of funny incident during second appointment, I mentioned how tight my thigh on operative side was. He did some manual soft tissue work, commented I had some knots and that since I was not squirming at all with the pressure he was using, he was going to try something else, so then got out Astym tools telling me what they were. I'd had Astym and Graston before and they worked well. Anyway, hip and leg felt so much better after he worked on them!!!! Grateful and more hopeful again.
Today marks three weeks post-op and is a next step in rehab. I get to start adding more weight onto the surgical side, get to relax some of the restrictions, as mentioned above I get to be done with the brace, etc. I have already walked in the pool in neck deep water, but am now cleared to walk in chest deep water and to do PT exercises in chest deep water. I got to try the AlterG (anti gravity treadmill) at PT this afternoon and that was fascinating to experience and gave valuable feedback as there were cameras so I could watch and adjust my gait. More soft tissue work again, too. PT could tell things were less tense than last time, but still had knots that needed worked out. He is hoping that more weight bearing will help with that. He also agreed that my observation about the brace possibly having contributed to issues made sense and was probably part of what had been going on. Anyway, I am ending week three and entering week four far more optimistically than even just a few days ago.
So grateful for how well things are going overall, trying to keep my focus on the positive aspects, but it has been challenging and discouraging at times as well. My theme for recovery needs to be kept in mind: this is not a race to see how fast I can recover but a journey to see how well I can recover. It is worth taking the time needed to let my body heal at its own pace. I need to stay focused on the end goal--full recovery.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
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