Monday, October 26, 2015
Who cares about recovery when the Royals are being so awesome? (week 6)
BASEBALL! After the longest playoff drought in baseball, the Royals are back to back ALCS champions. As much as I love and miss Kansas City, if not living there means they go to the World Series every year, it's a sacrifice I'm willing to seriously consider. It just makes me so happy to see these guys succeed, because they still are seen as the underdog - no one even favors them against the Mets - and I always root for the underdog. Unless it's the Olympics.
The Good: Recovery is still going really well. I had my 6 week post op appointment with Dr. Genuario and he was really pleased with my range of motion - he said he was looking for an easy movement to 90* and I had 110*. I'm such an overachiever. He said it was normal to have pain and stiffness at the end range of motion, to have a hard time crossing my legs and to be sore and stiff after a long day of doing pretty much anything. I have the okay to start lap swimming (freestyle) and using the elliptical (start with 10 minutes and move up from there in 5 minute increments) and outdoor biking, although the potential for falls makes him a little nervous. He also suggested getting on a walking program, so I downloaded Hal's walk a 5k program.
I have to again say that, while there are a lot of things I am unhappy with in Colorado, and that my emotions leading up to and after surgery probably would have been a little better if I had been closer to my support network, I consider it a huge blessing that I found myself here and having this surgery with Dr. Genuario and Steadman Hawkins Clinic. They simply have a great plan of care that they clearly have refined over the years from the time that they developed this procedure (yes, SHC was the group that pioneered hip arthroscopy). I have full faith that, as long as I am a good and compliant patient, I will continue to have a smooth recovery and will be enjoying nearly a full year of running in 2016. I am just so excited and hopeful at the moment.
The Bad: Not necessarily bad, but I am noticing a lot more stiffness now that I am regularly back in the office, in my routine and not always getting up to move around every hour. I am trying to decide if I am ready to go back to a standing desk, what type of chair I should get (my cheap Wal-Mart stool is not going to cut it anymore) and if I need to buy new work shoes for the winter, as my go-to winter shoes all have baby heels.
Dr. Genuario reminded me of this when I saw him this week - although I feel pretty good most of the time, I am still healing. My scars reflect what is going on inside - right now they are red and stiff, so my hip is red and stiff. I can't be stupid. So, when I got invited to take a day trip to Breckenridge, as much as I wanted to say yes, I knew that 4 hours total in a car, plus whatever walking around we would do in Breckenridge, would just be plain stupid.
Don't be stupid.
The Ugly: The Blue Jay's loss Friday night. Hehe.
The WHAAAAT?: I was talking to one of my co-workers about surgery - he had his knee scoped years ago - and he mentioned to me that now, he can't even remember which knee he had done. He thinks it's his left, but he's not entirely sure. I cannot imagine a life in which I don't know my right hip gave me trouble. But, I also blog about it, so I'm not likely to forget.
Why my surgeon is awesome: my physical therapy and 6 week post-op appointments were back-to-back, so as I was finishing my final exercises, my therapist actually went over to the clinic side and checked me in so I could get in right away. She said that when she went over there, they couldn't find me by my first name, but as she was saying my name, Dr. Genuario walked by and said, "Walsh? Right hip?" So, the guy that operates on professional athletes can remember the name and the exact joint he fixed. I really like that about him.
Play by Day:
Sunday
40 minutes on ex bike at the gym, followed by PT exercises. 24 Hour Fitness is a ghost town at 3pm on a Sunday. It was awesome.
Monday
rest
Tuesday
Back, bis and tris and PT exercises - no cardio.
After the gym, was walking Jeff and felt a huge "pop" on my surgical leg and then it hurt. But I had to get back home so kept walking and the pain went away - likely some scar tissue breaking up, man was I worried for a few minutes!
Wednesday
6 week post op
Dr. Genuario: Brianna (my PT) tells me you're killing it.
Me: That's how I roll.
Things added to PT: lying leg raise, single leg bridge, lateral walks. Should be stretching every day, but doing pt exercises every other day.
Stretch quads/ hip flexor
Bird dog x15
single leg bridge 2x12
side lying abduction
plank 2x30s
hamstring curls on ex ball 2x15
slow step up & down on surgical leg 2x15
calf raises 2x15
standing adduction/abduction series with ex band 10 each direction
lateral walks with ex band 15 each direction
squats (deep as possible without pinching) 2x15
Thursday
10 minutes on elliptical - felt amazing! I could have sworn my hip was bionic.
20 minutes on exercise bike, followed by stretching of quad and hip flexor
Friday
Work potluck. Had chocolate cheesecake. and then my stomach got mad. One of these days, i'll actually stop trying to eat sugar.
Chest & shoulders and PT after work.
Saturday
1.4 mile walk with Jeff (in addition to our other walks. Had intended to do only 1.25, but I didn't bring Tjom and I figured the route I took was close to 1.25. Following the Hal Higdon walk a 5k program.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
The Calm after the Storm (Recovery, Week 5)
After the drama of last week, week 5 of recovery seemed like nothing at all. I was incredibly thankful for that, because multiple week 4's would have been really tough to get through without cracking like Gretchen Weiners again.
I realized I have been assuming I need to do my exercises every day, which I was told that specifically in the beginning, but now we are getting into more work and using tools I don't readily have available, like a balance mat. So, I need to remember to ask how often I should be doing my exercises. I'm perfectly happy to do them every day, but if they are more of a 3-4 times per week set, then I don't want to overdo it.
The Good: My physical therapist says I am continuing to improve at a good pace - she could definitely tell that I was a lot looser than the week before and she gave me more exercises to do. I am walking fairly normally (not much of a limp), although still walking a little more slowly than usual. I also worked up the courage to start taking the stairs one over the other! I started doing that with just going down at first and then one time I did it going up with out even thinking. I literally gasped when I realized I did it. So that's, exciting. There are so many stairs in my life!
I had two running friends visit! Who can complain about that? My friend MK came out Friday afternoon and left early Sunday morning. In her short time here, we checked out Cherry Cricket (famous for their burgers ... good but I wouldn't write home about it), got a few treats at VooDoo Doughnuts and ate them in City Park, drove part of the Peak to Peak scenic drive to check out the fall colors, had lunch in Boulder and dinner at Yaya's (I would write home about that!).
Another friend, Dave, was driving through Denver with one of his daughters, so we met up for root beer floats and some baseball talk. It was a short chat, but thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Bad: Nothing!
The Ugly: Really nothing!
The Random: A few posts ago, I mentioned that I felt like I was in a time warp. I still sort of feel like this. Or maybe it's more accurate to say I feel like I'm in an alternative universe. When I was still on crutches, strangers rushed to open doors for me. People saw me on an exercise bicycle, with my crutches nearby and gave me smiles of support. Now that I'm done with all my medical equipment, I'm pretty much "normal" by society's standards, but I don't feel normal. I have these two scars on my hip now, I still can't sit cross-legged or cross my right leg over my left. There's still a lot I can't do. And so when people look at me funny, I immediately get defensive in my head and want to shout "I just had surgery!" But I don't, because they are probably just looking at me the same way they look at every one else. I just interpret it differently.
In other news, Lolo Jones and I are surgery sisters now. She posted a video of her on an upright exercise bike 6 hours after hip surgery - she didn't say what kind of surgery, but I'd recognize that damn brace anywhere.
I have a feeling I'm going to be very jealous of her recovery, as it will surely be insanely quick, since being a runner is her job and all. Excuse, a hurdler. She's a hurdler, not a runner ;-).
The daily stuff
Friday
Took the afternoon off of work to pick up MK from the airport and showed her the parts of Denver I frequent.
Did PT exercises in evening, but forgot to do planks; 40 minute walk with Jeff
Saturday
Scenic drive along half of the Peak to Peak drive. I was pleasantly surprised with how well my hip did.
40 minute walk with Jeff and totally skipped PT.
Sunday
MK flew out early, did PT early, deep water walking for ~40 minutes (forward, backward, side to side) - got in almost 10,000 steps that day
Monday
Columbus Day - day off from work.
Rode bike for 30 minutes at the gym. PT after studying for GRE by the pool (life is so hard sometimes). I found this particular tip in the Princeton Review Guide rather entertaining:
Tuesday
I was curious as to how much time I actually spent walking Jeff - this had to be a significant amount of time, so I got out the old Timex. That day's total was 90 minutes. This is no wonder why my hip tends to get a little sore in the evenings - I'm really using that thing!
PT in evening. Root beer floats with Dave and his daughter.
Wednesday
PT appointment
exercises:
I realized I have been assuming I need to do my exercises every day, which I was told that specifically in the beginning, but now we are getting into more work and using tools I don't readily have available, like a balance mat. So, I need to remember to ask how often I should be doing my exercises. I'm perfectly happy to do them every day, but if they are more of a 3-4 times per week set, then I don't want to overdo it.
The Good: My physical therapist says I am continuing to improve at a good pace - she could definitely tell that I was a lot looser than the week before and she gave me more exercises to do. I am walking fairly normally (not much of a limp), although still walking a little more slowly than usual. I also worked up the courage to start taking the stairs one over the other! I started doing that with just going down at first and then one time I did it going up with out even thinking. I literally gasped when I realized I did it. So that's, exciting. There are so many stairs in my life!
I had two running friends visit! Who can complain about that? My friend MK came out Friday afternoon and left early Sunday morning. In her short time here, we checked out Cherry Cricket (famous for their burgers ... good but I wouldn't write home about it), got a few treats at VooDoo Doughnuts and ate them in City Park, drove part of the Peak to Peak scenic drive to check out the fall colors, had lunch in Boulder and dinner at Yaya's (I would write home about that!).
Another friend, Dave, was driving through Denver with one of his daughters, so we met up for root beer floats and some baseball talk. It was a short chat, but thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Bad: Nothing!
The Ugly: Really nothing!
The Random: A few posts ago, I mentioned that I felt like I was in a time warp. I still sort of feel like this. Or maybe it's more accurate to say I feel like I'm in an alternative universe. When I was still on crutches, strangers rushed to open doors for me. People saw me on an exercise bicycle, with my crutches nearby and gave me smiles of support. Now that I'm done with all my medical equipment, I'm pretty much "normal" by society's standards, but I don't feel normal. I have these two scars on my hip now, I still can't sit cross-legged or cross my right leg over my left. There's still a lot I can't do. And so when people look at me funny, I immediately get defensive in my head and want to shout "I just had surgery!" But I don't, because they are probably just looking at me the same way they look at every one else. I just interpret it differently.
In other news, Lolo Jones and I are surgery sisters now. She posted a video of her on an upright exercise bike 6 hours after hip surgery - she didn't say what kind of surgery, but I'd recognize that damn brace anywhere.
I have a feeling I'm going to be very jealous of her recovery, as it will surely be insanely quick, since being a runner is her job and all. Excuse, a hurdler. She's a hurdler, not a runner ;-).
The daily stuff
Friday
Took the afternoon off of work to pick up MK from the airport and showed her the parts of Denver I frequent.
Did PT exercises in evening, but forgot to do planks; 40 minute walk with Jeff
Saturday
Scenic drive along half of the Peak to Peak drive. I was pleasantly surprised with how well my hip did.
 |
| One of our many stops along the drive. I made the "photo op" excuse, but really it was to stretch the hip, ha! |
40 minute walk with Jeff and totally skipped PT.
Sunday
MK flew out early, did PT early, deep water walking for ~40 minutes (forward, backward, side to side) - got in almost 10,000 steps that day
Monday
Columbus Day - day off from work.
Rode bike for 30 minutes at the gym. PT after studying for GRE by the pool (life is so hard sometimes). I found this particular tip in the Princeton Review Guide rather entertaining:
 |
| DON'T END A RELATIONSHIP BEFORE TAKING THE GRE. Who cares if you know it's not right? |
Tuesday
I was curious as to how much time I actually spent walking Jeff - this had to be a significant amount of time, so I got out the old Timex. That day's total was 90 minutes. This is no wonder why my hip tends to get a little sore in the evenings - I'm really using that thing!
PT in evening. Root beer floats with Dave and his daughter.
Wednesday
PT appointment
exercises:
- planks 2x30s
- bird dogs 15
- bridges 2x15
- bridge ex ball roll in 2x12
- deeper squats (just so it doesn't pinch) 2x15
- leg repeats with band 4x15
- step up on surgical leg 2x15
- calf raises 2x15
- balance on surgical leg 3x30s
Thursday
I don't know what my deal was, I could not get enough complex carbohydrates that day. It was probably because I broke my fast with this zucchini lemon loaf one of my co-workers brought. Ya know, the "healthy" stuff that in no way, shape or form, is actually healthy. I made a mental note that is was time to break the sugar addiction again. I had lots of broccoli for lunch, so that's a start, right?
PT exercises in the afternoon, followed by 22 minutes on the bike at level 8. I finally got my heart rate up above 130 and was breathing heavy. Felt amazing.
PT exercises in the afternoon, followed by 22 minutes on the bike at level 8. I finally got my heart rate up above 130 and was breathing heavy. Felt amazing.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Must be feeling pretty damn good
There are signs that I am feeling pretty damn good at the moment.
These include:
These include:
- Searching for the perfect 5K in April or May
- Loading my virtual shopping cart at runningwarehouse.com (I finally found red shoes for the Wonder Woman runs!)
- Loading my virtual shopping cart at theclymb.com
- Thinking about whether or not I can get under 5 hours in the marathon, since I'll have a decent hip and all
- Wondering when I can start lifting heavy again
Here's hoping my patience can stay steady. I'm only a month out. 1 down, 5 more to go. Let's do this.
I can, I will.
Friday, October 9, 2015
The Hip Chronicles: Recovery, Week 4
This is the week that is supposed to mark the end of the "honeymoon phase", as I began weaning off of crutches, resulting in more use of my hip and more aches as a result.
It wasn't until Wednesday that I really felt that they were right. The "honeymoon" is definitely over.
The Good:
Things continued to improve. I went down to one crutch when venturing outside and not using anything when wandering around the apartment and then eventually no crutches at all. I also finished up my time using the CPM, and was so happy to unplug that thing and set it aside for pick up by the DME company. I also started back at work in the office and it was nice to be around people again - and have dual monitors.
The Bad:
Jeff got sick. Like, really sick. Like, throwing up and having diarrhea every two hours. For three days. When I finally took him to the vet, he seemed to be improving, but going up and down the stairs (44 of them one way) was taking it's toll on me and my hip, such that I went back to using both crutches a few times when I took him out and using one crutch around the apartment. I needed help that only the vet could give me. I took him in Wednesday morning and they kept him all day to make sure their plan of care would help and relieve me of the need to take him out all the time. It was a kind offer and I appreciated it immensely. I mean, I had to pay for it, but that was just fine with me. When I picked him up that afternoon, he was doing much better and they felt confident he would make it through the night. He did. And a weight lifted off of my shoulders.
The Ugly:
I have to admit, I had a breakdown in the middle of the day on Wednesday, just before I went to physical therapy. The past few days with Jeff had taken it's toll on me and, on top of that, my Internet was down while I was trying to work from home. All of the sudden, things just felt so hard. The thought of taking stairs seemed nearly impossible, both physically and mentally. The thought of driving on the Interstate to go to physical therapy seemed awful. Hell, I couldn't even work from home! In that moment, I realized the importance of having a support network and having one that was readily available. Yes, I had family and even co-workers that said to call if I needed anything, but I would never feel comfortable calling anytime after 8 PM to ask them to help with my dog or to take me to physical therapy because I was scared to drive that far. I mean, when I had my MRI and could barely walk, I paced in front of my neighbor's door for a solid minute before asking them to walk Jeff, because I just couldn't do it myself.
The Stuff No One Talks About:
One thing I haven't mentioned related to surgery is health insurance coverage. Prior to surgery, I was told that the CPM rental may or may not be covered by my health insurance. I tried to get a solid answer on whether or not this would be covered, by calling both my health insurance and again talking to the manager of medical equipment at the surgeon's office - never did get a straight answer. And, of course, my two claims that have yet to come through are for the surgery itself and for the CPM. So, I spent Sunday morning (after Jeff seemed to be a little better), trying to do some research to figure out how I could get this covered. I think I have a few solutions - we will have to see what happens when the claims come through, so hopefully I can get that covered in some way - and hopefully the doctor's office will wait patiently on payment if I need to argue. I hope I don't. I also still have no had the claim for the actual surgery come through. This is very odd to me, and sort of makes me paranoid. Physical therapy claims have come through, no problem. What gives??
Day 22 (10/2/15)
Started walking Jeff twice a day, while neighbors took him on longer walks. Movement felt good - had to concentrate on striding over and through my hip, rather than around it like I had been.
First day back in the office. Had to take a 30 minute nap at lunchtime and my standing desk is now a sitting desk again (temporarily) but otherwise, not too bad.
Physical therapy exercises once a day. Vimovo twice a day, with regular Tylenol as needed.
Day 23 (10/3/15)
I went on my first grocery shopping adventure (with a whole food menu in mind!), and fared pretty well. The cashier was very kind and asked if I needed help taking the groceries to the car, but I said I would be fine (and I was). A gentleman in the parking lot offered to take my cart to a corral for me, since he was parked right next to one, so I agreed to that.
I'm not so stubbornly independent that I won't accept some help :)
That evening, I noticed I was a little more achy than usual, but I figured as much with my grocery store trip. I also learned my neighbors were heading back to their cabin in North Carolina for 3 weeks, so that meant Jeff walking was all up to me. I took that as a sign that it was okay to start walking longer, ha!
This was my last day using the CPM. It was glorious to officially unplug that thing and put it aside for pick up the following Monday or Tuesday.
Physical therapy exercises once a day.
Day 24 (10/4/15)
I also realized this day I had been forgetting one PT exercise - baby squats. I was actually really scared to do them when I had been asked to by my therapist .... so I must've blocked that one out. So, I ended up adding 15 baby squats to my list.
Vimovo twice a day, with regular Tylenol as needed.
BCAAs in the morning.
Day 25 (10/5/15)
After another night of taking Jeff out way too, much, I was exhausted. Worked from home in the morning and still took my lunchtime nap.
30 minutes on the upright exercise bike, resistance level 6 for middle 26 minutes. I will be honest, I slacked on the PT exercises that night - only did about half of them.
Vimovo twice a day, with regular Tylenol as needed.
BCAAs in the morning.
Day 26 (10/6/15)
Since I slacked on PT the day before, I made sure to get it done this night. I didn't do the exercise bike because my hip was sore from all the stairs.
Worked from home in the afternoon.
PT exercises that evening. Vimovo twice a day, with regular Tylenol as needed.
BCAAs in the morning.
Day 27 (10/7/15)
Day of Jeff's vet appointment and break down.
Physical therapy itself went well. I got a "you're taking your time getting off the crutches" comment when she first saw me, but then understood when I told her what was going on. She did a lot of massage on the surgical area, took The Stick to my quads and IT band and massaged my glutes as well. I am still amazed at how sore they are.
Exercises:
Glute bridge 2x12
Glute bridge + hamstring curl on ex ball 2x12 -- this was tiring!
Plank 2x30s -- ugh, I hate planks
Calf raises 2x15
Baby squats
Standing hip extension with exercise band x10
Standing hip abduction with exercise band x10
Standing hip adduction with exercise band x10
Standing hip flexion with exercise band x10
--do the last 4 balancing on surgical leg with no resistance.
I got permission to do deep water walking, and she suggested even walking backwards and side to side. So, that will be something else to add. The trick is finding energy for it!
I also realized I have the perfect shirt for days I see my PT:
20 minute ride on the exercise bike after I got some work done at the office. The bike says I went 7 miles in 20:15. I'm not sure I believe that, but I have been increasing my cadence, so I'll pretend it's correct, even though I know if real life I wouldn't have gone that far on my road bike.
That night, I fell asleep on the couch at 8, woke up at 9:15, took Jeff for a walk and was back in bed by 10. Slept until 7 the next morning.
Day 28 (10/8/15)
Today, I mustered up the courage to leave the crutch at home. I was pleasantly surprised with how well I did. It's also almost comical how slow I walk. Those that know I've had surgery are all "Hey! No more crutches!" Those that don't give me weird looks that range from polite stranger concern to confusion about why I'm moving so slowly for a younger person.
Did my physical therapy workouts at the gym, rather than at home so I could use an exercise ball. Finished with a 15 minute ride on the exercise bike (4 miles? sure!) and then a long walk with Jeff.
Jeff says hi:
It wasn't until Wednesday that I really felt that they were right. The "honeymoon" is definitely over.
The Good:
Things continued to improve. I went down to one crutch when venturing outside and not using anything when wandering around the apartment and then eventually no crutches at all. I also finished up my time using the CPM, and was so happy to unplug that thing and set it aside for pick up by the DME company. I also started back at work in the office and it was nice to be around people again - and have dual monitors.
The Bad:
Jeff got sick. Like, really sick. Like, throwing up and having diarrhea every two hours. For three days. When I finally took him to the vet, he seemed to be improving, but going up and down the stairs (44 of them one way) was taking it's toll on me and my hip, such that I went back to using both crutches a few times when I took him out and using one crutch around the apartment. I needed help that only the vet could give me. I took him in Wednesday morning and they kept him all day to make sure their plan of care would help and relieve me of the need to take him out all the time. It was a kind offer and I appreciated it immensely. I mean, I had to pay for it, but that was just fine with me. When I picked him up that afternoon, he was doing much better and they felt confident he would make it through the night. He did. And a weight lifted off of my shoulders.
The Ugly:
I have to admit, I had a breakdown in the middle of the day on Wednesday, just before I went to physical therapy. The past few days with Jeff had taken it's toll on me and, on top of that, my Internet was down while I was trying to work from home. All of the sudden, things just felt so hard. The thought of taking stairs seemed nearly impossible, both physically and mentally. The thought of driving on the Interstate to go to physical therapy seemed awful. Hell, I couldn't even work from home! In that moment, I realized the importance of having a support network and having one that was readily available. Yes, I had family and even co-workers that said to call if I needed anything, but I would never feel comfortable calling anytime after 8 PM to ask them to help with my dog or to take me to physical therapy because I was scared to drive that far. I mean, when I had my MRI and could barely walk, I paced in front of my neighbor's door for a solid minute before asking them to walk Jeff, because I just couldn't do it myself.
The Stuff No One Talks About:
One thing I haven't mentioned related to surgery is health insurance coverage. Prior to surgery, I was told that the CPM rental may or may not be covered by my health insurance. I tried to get a solid answer on whether or not this would be covered, by calling both my health insurance and again talking to the manager of medical equipment at the surgeon's office - never did get a straight answer. And, of course, my two claims that have yet to come through are for the surgery itself and for the CPM. So, I spent Sunday morning (after Jeff seemed to be a little better), trying to do some research to figure out how I could get this covered. I think I have a few solutions - we will have to see what happens when the claims come through, so hopefully I can get that covered in some way - and hopefully the doctor's office will wait patiently on payment if I need to argue. I hope I don't. I also still have no had the claim for the actual surgery come through. This is very odd to me, and sort of makes me paranoid. Physical therapy claims have come through, no problem. What gives??
My daily surgery-related stuff:
Day 22 (10/2/15)
Started walking Jeff twice a day, while neighbors took him on longer walks. Movement felt good - had to concentrate on striding over and through my hip, rather than around it like I had been.
First day back in the office. Had to take a 30 minute nap at lunchtime and my standing desk is now a sitting desk again (temporarily) but otherwise, not too bad.
Physical therapy exercises once a day. Vimovo twice a day, with regular Tylenol as needed.
Day 23 (10/3/15)
I went on my first grocery shopping adventure (with a whole food menu in mind!), and fared pretty well. The cashier was very kind and asked if I needed help taking the groceries to the car, but I said I would be fine (and I was). A gentleman in the parking lot offered to take my cart to a corral for me, since he was parked right next to one, so I agreed to that.
I'm not so stubbornly independent that I won't accept some help :)
That evening, I noticed I was a little more achy than usual, but I figured as much with my grocery store trip. I also learned my neighbors were heading back to their cabin in North Carolina for 3 weeks, so that meant Jeff walking was all up to me. I took that as a sign that it was okay to start walking longer, ha!
This was my last day using the CPM. It was glorious to officially unplug that thing and put it aside for pick up the following Monday or Tuesday.
Physical therapy exercises once a day.
Day 24 (10/4/15)
I also realized this day I had been forgetting one PT exercise - baby squats. I was actually really scared to do them when I had been asked to by my therapist .... so I must've blocked that one out. So, I ended up adding 15 baby squats to my list.
Vimovo twice a day, with regular Tylenol as needed.
BCAAs in the morning.
Day 25 (10/5/15)
After another night of taking Jeff out way too, much, I was exhausted. Worked from home in the morning and still took my lunchtime nap.
30 minutes on the upright exercise bike, resistance level 6 for middle 26 minutes. I will be honest, I slacked on the PT exercises that night - only did about half of them.
Vimovo twice a day, with regular Tylenol as needed.
BCAAs in the morning.
Day 26 (10/6/15)
Since I slacked on PT the day before, I made sure to get it done this night. I didn't do the exercise bike because my hip was sore from all the stairs.
Worked from home in the afternoon.
PT exercises that evening. Vimovo twice a day, with regular Tylenol as needed.
BCAAs in the morning.
Day 27 (10/7/15)
Day of Jeff's vet appointment and break down.
Physical therapy itself went well. I got a "you're taking your time getting off the crutches" comment when she first saw me, but then understood when I told her what was going on. She did a lot of massage on the surgical area, took The Stick to my quads and IT band and massaged my glutes as well. I am still amazed at how sore they are.
Exercises:
Glute bridge 2x12
Glute bridge + hamstring curl on ex ball 2x12 -- this was tiring!
Plank 2x30s -- ugh, I hate planks
Calf raises 2x15
Baby squats
Standing hip extension with exercise band x10
Standing hip abduction with exercise band x10
Standing hip adduction with exercise band x10
Standing hip flexion with exercise band x10
--do the last 4 balancing on surgical leg with no resistance.
I got permission to do deep water walking, and she suggested even walking backwards and side to side. So, that will be something else to add. The trick is finding energy for it!
I also realized I have the perfect shirt for days I see my PT:
 |
| Truth. |
20 minute ride on the exercise bike after I got some work done at the office. The bike says I went 7 miles in 20:15. I'm not sure I believe that, but I have been increasing my cadence, so I'll pretend it's correct, even though I know if real life I wouldn't have gone that far on my road bike.
That night, I fell asleep on the couch at 8, woke up at 9:15, took Jeff for a walk and was back in bed by 10. Slept until 7 the next morning.
Day 28 (10/8/15)
Today, I mustered up the courage to leave the crutch at home. I was pleasantly surprised with how well I did. It's also almost comical how slow I walk. Those that know I've had surgery are all "Hey! No more crutches!" Those that don't give me weird looks that range from polite stranger concern to confusion about why I'm moving so slowly for a younger person.
Did my physical therapy workouts at the gym, rather than at home so I could use an exercise ball. Finished with a 15 minute ride on the exercise bike (4 miles? sure!) and then a long walk with Jeff.
Jeff says hi:
Friday, October 2, 2015
The Hip Chronicles: Recovery, Week 3
I sort of feel like I've been in a time warp, or some other alternative reality. Certainly, my daily routine had gotten to be quite different than what it was before surgery. I can see why, in one blogger's post about recovery, they said their life had become their hip. I am trying to make recovery my life, so that I take good care of not just the hip, but the rest of me, by eating healthier than I had been (seriously, I had ice cream nearly every day for two weeks) and by taking care of my mental and emotional state as well. It's all important, right?
Day 15 (9/25/15)
The second day back at work was okay - I lucked out in that a data request came through the day I started back to work, so this kept me busy. What I didn't realize is how tiring it would be to work 8 hours in a day, even from home.
As it was Momma's last night with me in Denver, I wanted to take her out as a thank you. We ended up going to a restaurant right down the street so we both could have a drink and not worry about the trip home. While we were eating, I looked up and saw some of our family sitting across the restaurant. It was serendipitous, and after we finished our meal, we joined them and chatted for quite awhile. We had planned on taking me to the gym so I could ride the bike, but I was tired by the end of out time in the restaurant so we just went home.
PT before bed and then a few hours in the CPM. I think I only got in 5 that day - it is impossible for me to sleep in it.
Drug List:
Vimovo, morning & evening
Regular Tylenol, as needed
Regular vitamins/supplements (multi-vitamin, magnesium, fish oil)
Zyrtec (for seasonal allergies)
Day 16 (9/26/15)
Momma left for the airport around 8 that morning, and I was surprised at how much I immediately missed her. I think Jeff also missed her.
For most of the day, I was in the CPM, except for when I ventured out around noon to let Jeffery do his business (the neighbors couldn't walk him for a few hours after that time). It was a slow, but successful outing! Then, I went to a family get together around 3; about 5 pm, I went from 100 all the way down to zero very quickly. Luckily, my ride was happy to leave and take me home. Great to see family, but I was exhausted. The rest of the night was in the CPM, watching NCIS and taking Jeff across the hall so the neighbors could walk him.
PT before bed.
Drug List: Same as day 15
Day 17 (9/27/15)
Literally spent all morning in the CPM. Family picked me up and took me, Jeff and all my crap to my cousin's house - I was going to stay with them until I was off of crutches to make life easier. If I wasn't a dog owner, probably would have been okay in my own apartment. But, this plan made Mom feel better so there's that.
PT before bed.
Drug list: Same as day 15
Day 18 (9/28/15)
The start of my first full week working again. Even though I'm working remotely, I was surprised at how tired I was at the end of the day. My Monday felt like a Friday after a long week of work.
On the upside, I managed to work while being in the CPM all day, so that was nice.
PT before bed - totally forgot about it until I was ready to collapse on the bed and pass out, then I sighed audibly and got the work done.
Drug list: Same as day 15
Day 19 (9/29/15)
If Monday felt long, Tuesday lasted an eon. I had to stop work 6 hours in, take a nap and then finish a few hours later. Tuesdays are also Chik-fil-a night at my cousins house, because kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal. Cousins kid wanted me to go, so I went, bought dinner as a thank you and enjoyed a grilled market salad. Pretty tasty. Of course, I paired that with a Diet Dr Pepper, because why not? After we got home, I made zucchini bread and muffins, which even the kiddo loved so I will call that my first baking success at altitude - previous attempts at sweet bread were not so successful.
PT before bed, drug list was the same.
Day 20 (9/30/15)
Got in 4 hours of work before headed to physical therapy. I had hoped for two things at this appointment - no more brace (as I've been sleeping horribly in it) and being able to wean off of crutches. I got my wish on both! Wa-hoo! I continue to have good range of motion, surgical incisions look nearly healed and I can put some resistance on the exercise bike.
My new daily exercise routine looks like this:
Massage surgical area to break up scar tissue
Pull knee towards chest x15
Foam roller squeezes 10x10s
Belt push-outs 10x10s
Bent knee push in 10x10s
Bent knee push out 10x10s
Quadriped rocking x15
Bird dog x15
Bridge 2x12
Calf raise 2x15
Leg back (right AND left) x10
Leg back at 45* (right AND left) x10
The last two were a little scary, because that was the first time balancing on my surgical leg. Definitely was holding onto the table a little tighter.
When I got home, I tried to do some more work, got in about two hours and had to throw in the towel. I could not get my brain into work mode anymore after that. I am still baffled at how quickly I can tire, but was told that my energy will increase as I get out more and that going into the office for work will be good for me.
Day 21 (10/1/15)
Walked around the house without crutches. Had to think about striding through my right hip, rather than swinging the rest of my body around it, like I had been doing for almost 3 weeks. Didn't do too bad with it. When I went outside, I used a crutch, though.
Taking Jeff on his shorter walks during the day, and my neighbors take him on longer walks. I'm so lucky to have really nice neighbors. After his second walk, they asked if they could play with him longer. I had wanted to run to Target so that worked out just fine.
Last day of working from home, and I figured out that if I take about a 30 minute nap around lunchtime, I can make it through the afternoon with no problem. So, when I'm back in the office, I will probably take longer lunches so I can get some napping in. I'm lucky that my office is really flexible.
Ended up eating an entire pizza that night. Oops.
Still did PT before bed.
Only one picture this week: Jeff and his cousin snoozing while I worked.
Day 15 (9/25/15)
The second day back at work was okay - I lucked out in that a data request came through the day I started back to work, so this kept me busy. What I didn't realize is how tiring it would be to work 8 hours in a day, even from home.
As it was Momma's last night with me in Denver, I wanted to take her out as a thank you. We ended up going to a restaurant right down the street so we both could have a drink and not worry about the trip home. While we were eating, I looked up and saw some of our family sitting across the restaurant. It was serendipitous, and after we finished our meal, we joined them and chatted for quite awhile. We had planned on taking me to the gym so I could ride the bike, but I was tired by the end of out time in the restaurant so we just went home.
PT before bed and then a few hours in the CPM. I think I only got in 5 that day - it is impossible for me to sleep in it.
Drug List:
Vimovo, morning & evening
Regular Tylenol, as needed
Regular vitamins/supplements (multi-vitamin, magnesium, fish oil)
Zyrtec (for seasonal allergies)
Day 16 (9/26/15)
Momma left for the airport around 8 that morning, and I was surprised at how much I immediately missed her. I think Jeff also missed her.
For most of the day, I was in the CPM, except for when I ventured out around noon to let Jeffery do his business (the neighbors couldn't walk him for a few hours after that time). It was a slow, but successful outing! Then, I went to a family get together around 3; about 5 pm, I went from 100 all the way down to zero very quickly. Luckily, my ride was happy to leave and take me home. Great to see family, but I was exhausted. The rest of the night was in the CPM, watching NCIS and taking Jeff across the hall so the neighbors could walk him.
PT before bed.
Drug List: Same as day 15
Day 17 (9/27/15)
Literally spent all morning in the CPM. Family picked me up and took me, Jeff and all my crap to my cousin's house - I was going to stay with them until I was off of crutches to make life easier. If I wasn't a dog owner, probably would have been okay in my own apartment. But, this plan made Mom feel better so there's that.
PT before bed.
Drug list: Same as day 15
Day 18 (9/28/15)
The start of my first full week working again. Even though I'm working remotely, I was surprised at how tired I was at the end of the day. My Monday felt like a Friday after a long week of work.
On the upside, I managed to work while being in the CPM all day, so that was nice.
PT before bed - totally forgot about it until I was ready to collapse on the bed and pass out, then I sighed audibly and got the work done.
Drug list: Same as day 15
Day 19 (9/29/15)
If Monday felt long, Tuesday lasted an eon. I had to stop work 6 hours in, take a nap and then finish a few hours later. Tuesdays are also Chik-fil-a night at my cousins house, because kids eat free with the purchase of an adult meal. Cousins kid wanted me to go, so I went, bought dinner as a thank you and enjoyed a grilled market salad. Pretty tasty. Of course, I paired that with a Diet Dr Pepper, because why not? After we got home, I made zucchini bread and muffins, which even the kiddo loved so I will call that my first baking success at altitude - previous attempts at sweet bread were not so successful.
PT before bed, drug list was the same.
Day 20 (9/30/15)
Got in 4 hours of work before headed to physical therapy. I had hoped for two things at this appointment - no more brace (as I've been sleeping horribly in it) and being able to wean off of crutches. I got my wish on both! Wa-hoo! I continue to have good range of motion, surgical incisions look nearly healed and I can put some resistance on the exercise bike.
My new daily exercise routine looks like this:
Massage surgical area to break up scar tissue
Pull knee towards chest x15
Foam roller squeezes 10x10s
Belt push-outs 10x10s
Bent knee push in 10x10s
Bent knee push out 10x10s
Quadriped rocking x15
Bird dog x15
Bridge 2x12
Calf raise 2x15
Leg back (right AND left) x10
Leg back at 45* (right AND left) x10
The last two were a little scary, because that was the first time balancing on my surgical leg. Definitely was holding onto the table a little tighter.
When I got home, I tried to do some more work, got in about two hours and had to throw in the towel. I could not get my brain into work mode anymore after that. I am still baffled at how quickly I can tire, but was told that my energy will increase as I get out more and that going into the office for work will be good for me.
Day 21 (10/1/15)
Walked around the house without crutches. Had to think about striding through my right hip, rather than swinging the rest of my body around it, like I had been doing for almost 3 weeks. Didn't do too bad with it. When I went outside, I used a crutch, though.
Taking Jeff on his shorter walks during the day, and my neighbors take him on longer walks. I'm so lucky to have really nice neighbors. After his second walk, they asked if they could play with him longer. I had wanted to run to Target so that worked out just fine.
Last day of working from home, and I figured out that if I take about a 30 minute nap around lunchtime, I can make it through the afternoon with no problem. So, when I'm back in the office, I will probably take longer lunches so I can get some napping in. I'm lucky that my office is really flexible.
Ended up eating an entire pizza that night. Oops.
Still did PT before bed.
Only one picture this week: Jeff and his cousin snoozing while I worked.
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