9 Months: Thriving!

I am already 9 months post-op right hip scope, getting closer to a year. My left hip is approaching two years post-op. Both are doing well overall. I will not say 100%, but so much better than prior to surgeries. I can do pretty much everything I could before. I finally feel confident in the ability of my hips to handle normal load and work. I have been easily forgetting I had surgeries for quite some time, but would still favor one or both hips a tad, or move in a modified manner. I am now back to half running on the stairs, jogging across intersections when out walking in the neighborhood, doing 4.5-mile walks in just over an hour, averaging over 10,000 steps per day, with some days over 15,000 steps and 40 flights of stairs. Not too bad for being post-op both hips, multiple other issues! I am excited to be back to this level of consistent ability!

Walked total of 6.5 miles outside, 20,000+ steps!

Easy warm-up on elliptical

This makes it sound like life should be getting easier, ability back to normal. However, shoulders are both flared, had been on enforced break from shoulder PT exercises and swimming. Slowly allowed to add back exercises, then swimming. Adding back PT exercises has been surprisingly difficult. It is as if my shoulders forgot how to work completely, neck and back flared even worse from even more compensation. Back in turn flared up left hip--it still has strength and ability but is sore. Anyway, swimming is so far going well. And, feels amazing to be back in the water again!  I have had to start out slowly, but shoulders both handled it! This was swim a lap, walk a lap, repeat, but by doing this, I was to do a half mile (18 laps) of each! Most recent attempt, not so great and stopped earlier than planned as shoulder was just too sore and I was afraid of re-injury beyond current scenario. I had tried swimming two laps, then walking one lap, but after a few cycles of this and having to keep strokes more mixed up than usual, gave up and went back to swimming a lap, walking a lap. I was hoping to add a couple more laps of swimming, but had to stop at 18 laps. The water itself still felt great. The following day my shoulder/neck was sore, but eased up after a walk outside with shoulder braced with a Theraband. (I had discovered shoulder lacks strength to support itself, so my neck tries to support it. I have also discovered all sorts of options for make-shift braces, slings, supports for shoulders.)

The Ehlers-Danlos syndrome remains a challenge to learn how to manage. I feel as if the rest of my life is going to be a domino effect of joint after joint giving out. The partial answer to preventing this is strengthening the muscles to better protect the joints, but we have been doing this for years--even prior to diagnosis. I sometimes feels as if my body is 80, though I look 25 ish, but am in reality in between. Currently sleeping in a cervical collar at night to support neck, keep it from moving too much while sleeping. Using Therabands to support arms/shoulders to hold them in place, try to decrease incidence of my arms/hands going numb. Compression shirt to support shoulders, back, compression shorts/leggings to support low back, hips. Kinesiology tape to support shoulders, help retrain neck and back to stop compensating for shoulders. But, keep reacting to tape.

There is a lot to be grateful for and this is what I am choosing to focus on. There are a lot of gains in ability with respect to the hips. I am very grateful for this, especially in light of the difficulties I have encountered along this recovery. I am thriving with respect to how well my hips are doing, what they are capable of, my confidence in ability. I am grateful for all who have supported me in getting to this point. I am aware both hips still have some healing and recovery ahead, but feel hopeful.

9 months post-op left hip.

4/20/18 edit: added hyperlinks to post describing Theraband shoulder brace/support.

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