4 Weeks Post Surgery Update

UPDATE

After I wrote this blog post last night, something terrible happen.  My hip popped out of place!  My hip has been popping and clicking a lot, but I have been mostly ignoring it because it hasn’t caused much pain.  Last night it clicked out of place and it hurt terribly bad.  It just didn’t feel right.  I got up on my crutches and hobbled around a bit hoping it would pop back into place.  My hip felt so funny and it hurt.  I almost doubted myself that it popped out of place because that just seems like such an odd thing to happen.  After hobbling around with no relief for awhile I laid back down in bed.  Then my hip reluctantly and painfully slid back into place.  It was the strangest and most painful feeling I had felt in awhile.  My hip hurt so badly after that.  I did not get a good nights sleep last night because of how badly my hip hurt.  This morning when I woke up my hip was swollen up again like it was one week post surgery.  This morning I took a hot shower and afterward put my Voltaren gel on my hip to bring down the swelling.  The gel did help a bit with the swelling and with the pain.  Today I have been trying to rest and elevate my leg.   I am about to put an ice pack on my hip.  I hope my hip feels better soon.

4 Weeks Since My Surgery

It has been four weeks since my surgery so I will give you an update on how I am doing.  I have to say that this recovery is going a 100 times better than my last recovery.  First of all, during my last surgery, my iliopsoas muscle was lengthened.  Basically it was cut.  The iliopsoas helps to lift your leg up.  Therefore, I couldn't left my leg to go up stairs, get in the shower, or to get in the car.  I literally had to pick up my leg to get in the car.  

 

Another thing that sets this surgery apart is my appetite.  I have not lost any weight since my surgery and I have a great appetite.  I actually have to watch what I eat now.  My stomach problems have gone away so I can eat spicy and greasy foods again.  Uh Oh.

I am walking!  Or should I say hobbling?  I can walk short distances around my house, like around my bedroom, or to the bathroom.  However, it is still painful to walk.  I can feel the pressure that my weight puts on my hip.  I can't walk too much or I will get a bad flare up.  At this point during my recovery from surgery last year, I was barely putting any weight on my hip so any walking is an improvement.

My hip is still popping a cracking a lot.  I don't know why but usually it is not painful.

My incisions are all healed and closed shut.  The incisions are still a red, purple color but that will fade.  I no putting on this scar reducing cream that Gavin gave me.  There are knots under my incisions from the scar tissue and it is painful to massage.  I have a hand held massage that I use on my incisions just because it is easier on my hands that have tendinitis.  Massaging the scar tissue will break it up so the skin doesnt pucker.  I will be back in bikini shape in no time.

Here is a picture of my scars.  The top one is the scar from m previous surgery.  The bottom one is my recent scar.  The scars are pretty small, less than half an inch.  Impressive for such a big surgery.  The gray skin is just bad lighting.

I have no idea what the outcome of this surgery will be.  I still feel pain in my hip, and I dont know what it is going to be like when I start walking again.  I know my hip will never be perfect, but my hope is that I will be able to walk around the grocery store, socialize at a cocktail party and go on vacation. That said, I am prepared for the worse.  I am prepared to order my power scooter and get permanent forearm crutches to be able to walk.  I prepared to wait it out until I am old enough to get a hip replacement.