9 Week Post Op Check In

Its Been 9 Weeks Already

You probably didn't notice, but I didn't do a 8 week post op check in.  The reason I didn't do a check in blog last week was not only because I was busy, but I was also feeling really discouraged that I didn't have more positive results to blog about.  I felt like the first 4 weeks of surgery I was feeling great, now that I am suppose to be walking again, and I am still on crutches, I am not feeling so optimistic.  I am doubting whether the surgery was success.  It is also very discouraging reading about other people's recovery and they are walking pain free without their crutches at 9 weeks or using the elliptical.  

I will post some of the positives and negatives I am experiencing right now.

First the Negatives

• When I walk just around my house my hip pain flares up to pre-surgery levels
• I feel a lot of pain in my groin and in my external rotator muscles in my butt
• My hip still feels sore, like it is still recovery
• My upper thigh and hip still gets swollen, after I walk, exercise, and in the morning
• My hip pain flares up if I bend my leg more than 90 degrees
• Its still hard to wash my feet
• I'm still using ibuprofen and voltaren to control my pain and inflammation
• I still get incredibly tired out and need a lot of sleep.  I had to go home from work early yesterday to take a nap.

And here are some of the Positives

• I can now ride a bike without a flare up as long as my hip doesnt go past 90 degrees; I couldn't do this before surgery
• I can stand up in the shower for longer periods of time
• Before surgery I could only sleep comfortable with my thigh externally rotated, now I can just keep my leg straight.
• I can sometimes manage with just one crutch
• Most nights I can sleep through the night without waking up from pain

• 

  Her right leg is externally rotated

I hope that I am just recovering slower than average.  I lived with undiagnosed hip pain for 13 years, which is longer than most people.  Because of this, I might need more time to recover.  I am not giving up yet, but it is a difficult journey.  If I don't feel better by the 6 month mark, it may be time to consider another surgery.

Femoral Acetabular Impingement: The Mechanics of it

The Mechanics of Femoral Acetabular Impingement (FAI)

What is really going on inside my hip

Femoral Acetabular Impingement is a very painful condition.  Here is a cool video I grabbed off of youtube to show you what is (WAS) really going on inside my hip.  This video was posted by Medical Legal Art and can also be viewed here on youtube.

Check out this video to see the mechanics of a hip with FAI

Snap, Crackle, Pop

Why is my Hip Popping?

I told my surgeon about how my hip was popping and clicking and I also told him about the one time it slid out of place and swelled up really bad.

Dr. Sampson said that the popping and clicking is normal.  The reason it is popping so much is because the blood in my hip area is sticky and therefore my hip is sticking then clicking.  Dr. Sampson said that this should go away in a couple of months, but if it is still happening in a few months we will need to take another X-ray to see what is going on.

Another reason my hip may be popping is because of the lasticity in my hip.  There is a capsule around your hip socket.  My capsule was already very loose from my last surgery.  During this surgery my surgeon cut through the capsule again to perform the surgery.  He sewed it back up afterwards, but the capsule is still healing and growing back.  The capsule will grow back on its own.

Saw My Surgeon Today

6 Weeks Post-Op

I saw my surgeon today for the first time since my surgery.  We went over all the pictures from my surgery and he talked me through the whole procedure.  Dr. Sampson thoroughly explained everything that he did.   Dr. Sampson smoothed out the frayed tissue and made the inside of my hip look nice and clean like a cloud, instead of like the shredded paper it looked like before.  He also reshaped my femural head and took some bone off from my acetabulum (hip socket).

Before photos

my cartilage is very frayed and shredded

Almost After (middle of surgery)

looking a lot less frayed

Dr. Sampson said that everything looks good.  It is normal that I am still sore at 6 weeks post-op and the soreness should go away in a couple of months.  I can begin going off my crutches as slowly or as quickly as I feel comfortable.   When I see him again in just over 2 months I need to be off my crutches. 

Dr. Sampson said that it is going to be a long recovery process but assured me that everything should work out in the end.  My arthritis is not that bad and my avascular necrosis is not that bad.  He said just don't worry.  When my surgeon told me not to worry I felt a big weight lifted off my shoulders.

I am really happy I chose Dr. Sampson as my surgeon.  I don't think any other surgeon could had done a better job or could have been more caring.

Starting Physical Therapy

First Week of Physical Therapy and What My Therapist Said

I completed my first week of physical therapy and I have a few exercises to do.  Both days after doing my exercises I woke up with sore muscles.  I must be working hard.  My exercises focus a lot on my butt muscles that help to stabilize my hip.

I asked my physical therapist when I could return to sports and he reminded me that my prognosis is not good.  I will need a hip replacement younger than most people.  If I can hold off on a replacement until my 30s then that would be great.  The reason it patients need to wait as long as possible for a replacement is because an artificial hip will only last so long.  An artificial hip may only last 20 years or 40 if you are lucky, but  I plan to live 120 years and I will defiantly outlive my hip.  I dont want to be in a wheel chair when I am 70.  

My therapist said any high impact sports are out of the question.  That means no kickboxing, BJJ, mountain biking, zumba, dancing or even ballroom dancing.  Things I should be able to do in a few months are pilates, yoga, stationary biking, walking, and swimming.  All the things I have always thought were so boring!  But I can't complain at least I will be able to do those things.

I see my surgeon, Dr. Sampson, on Tuesday and I have plenty of questions to ask him.  I know Dr. Sampson is always hoping for the best case scenario so  I am interested to see what he thinks my prognosis will be.  After my surgery he told Gavin that my arthritis is not that bad.  Yay!  That is good news.

My Resolutions for 2012

2012 Resolutions

I have a few resolutions for 2012 pertaining to my fitness, finances, personal and relationship aspects of my life.  You can watch it all in my new vlog.  Now Lights, Camera, Action......

5 weeks post surgery check in

5 Weeks Post Surgery Check In

Today is a great day pain wise.  Today,  I am feeling better than I did before surgery.  I am walking a little bit which flares my hip up a little but I have been managing the pain today.

Yesterday was a different story.  I felt horrible yesterday and the day before.  

I am having good days and bad days but I hope the good days increase as time goes on.

I started my physical therapy yesterday.  My physical therapist is really nice and knowledgeable about my condition so I feel like I am in good hands.  He measured my flexibility and strength and I am not so flexible.  My strength is surprisingly okay, but I definitely need to get my butt in shape, literally my butt, so my muscles will support my hip and help with walking. 

I rode the bike yesterday for 8 minutes.  Before my surgery riding the bike was incredibly painful because of the impingement.  When I got on the bike yesterday I felt a lot of pain in my groin but as I rode my muscles loosened up and the pain actually decreased.  I look forward to riding the bike since it was something I couldn't do before.  Remember I said previously, if there is any improvement I will take it?  Being able to ride a bike is an improvement.  

Doing my floor exercises again felt really good.  It feels good to move my body.  My therapist calls them the Jane Fonda exercises.  By the way I saw Jane Fonda  on tv the other day and she is lookin good.  She was wearing her leotard and damn do I want her thighs!

Emotionally, I have my ups and downs.  It is important to stay positive not only for myself but for Gavin too.  Gavin has been such a huge support system I want to be happy and positive.  Who wants to live with a Debbie Downer?  With that said, I do get down sometimes.  I have such a long road ahead it can just get overwhelming.  I want to look ahead to the future but I don't know what the future holds which makes me really frustrated sometimes.

Therefore I just try to plan for things I know that I can do.  I am taking a mini vacation to Bellingham which I know I can handle.  My best friend and her boyfriend are coming to visit me in February for my birthday and I know that they will be understanding of my limitations.   I am so looking forward to spending my birthday weekend with my best friend and my best friend in-law.  As soon as the weather warms up I look forward to swimming like I did last spring.  I plan to get in shape by joining the gym.  Even though I have physical limitations, I can still find exercises to do.

These are my Confessions

If I lived somewhere hot and humid, which I don't, I would wear long, flowy, cotton, clothing in light colors and a hood to cover my face from the sun.
I don't like to have any skin exposed because I am sensitive to temperature change.  Chances are if it is too hot outside it is too cold inside the air conditioned buildings.

Demobaza $114

Complex Geometries

Complex Geometries

Etsy, $25

Complex Geometries

Complex Geometries, murmur $420

Complex Geometries, murmur $420

Complex Geometries, square hood gown $162

Etsy $60

Etsy $65