Two weeks post-op...

Update...

I am now 17 days out from my 3rd and hopefully final surgery on my right hip. As I stated in my last post, the doctor feels very confident in a full recovery now - as do I!! I haven't had a lot of pain with this surgery, which no pain is always a good thing. I have even been to the gym quite a bit. Last night I did 9.25 miles on the bike in 35 minutes with a resistance level of 7!! Not bad considering everything!! I can not wait to get back to running, mountain biking, and tennis again.

I had my 2 week post-op on Thursday, June 18th. The doctor is very pleased with my progress and could not believe that I was walking without a cane! He reiterated just how large the heterotopic bone growth was. He showed me on the x-rays that it was actually covering the head of my femur bone! Holy crap - no wonder I could hardly lift my leg without getting pain and the snapping feeling. He said he could not believe how fast my body grows and repairs bone. He had never told me this before - but he said that at my 6 weeks post-op for the PAO the bone fusion was further than normal. He said that if I were to ever break my femur bone, it would probably heal very, very quickly. When I told my mom this her response was, "Renee, this is not a challenge!!"

I asked the doctor when I could start running again. His eyes got really big and he said "Hmm, I have never had anyone ask me that at 2 weeks post-op." He said that I could start trying to do everything that I want to do. I have to "practice driving" for a little while though, as that movement from gas to brake is still pretty weak. As it is, my husband is being very protective and is refusing to let me drive to work yet, so he has been bringing me to and from work. I could get use to having a chauffeur!

The only thing I am "dealing" with now is tiredness (gotta get back into the routine) and itching. The itching is driving me crazy!!! The doc put me on Indomethacin after this surgery as a precautionary measure to heed off heterotopic bone growth again. I finished up the medicine on Saturday, but am still having problems itching. My body is starting to look like a scratching post for cats! I wake up in the middle of the night because I am so itchy. I am hoping that the medicine soon works out of my system and I stop looking like a dog with fleas.

I start back to PT tomorrow. I am looking forward to it since now with the extra bone removed, I should be able to lift my leg and do the exercises. Plus my physical therapist have become friends - it's hard not to when you see this person 2-3 times a week. Plus I think you should at least be nice with the person who has to touch your bum (to feel the muscles).

I feel a lot of hope from this surgery. I truly feel that this will be the last chapter in the right hip PAO!!!

New Surgery Date

I went to the surgeons last Thursday for my pre-op appointment. You know pre-op for the June 26th Surgery, right? Wrong! It turns out that my surgeon has to have hip surgery (ironic I know). His surgery is on June 20th. There is no way he would be able to perform my surgery just six days after his own! A lot of his surgeries are very time consuming, so they are all pushed back until July - September. My surgery is only three hours long and the doctor wants to get this hardware out because of the post-op infection I had so they wanted to squeeze me in before his surgery. My new surgery date is Friday, June 5th!!! AHHHH - that's right, this week!! I am freaking out a little. I had so many things planned between now and June 26th that I have had to cancel.

For this 3rd and hopefully final surgery on my right hip they are going to be removing the hardware, doing a scope to fix a possible labrum tear, and removing a heterotopic ossification.

Heterotopic ossification — Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a process by which the soft tissues around the hip harden into bone. This complication is more common in males than in females, and more often affects patients with other muscle or bone conditions. Patients with HO may experience hip stiffness, or may feel no discomfort at all. Patients who are known to be at high risk for HO may be given medications or radiation therapy after surgery to prevent HO from occurring. Borrowed from: http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=~l/K..Sw6LW_v63G

If you have read my previous posts, you know that the doctors thought that I had a snapping Psoas tendon. However, the ultrasound and x-rays reviled that the muscle and tendons are getting "caught" on this extra piece of bone. Boy, I'll tell you if it was going to go wrong - I think it has with this RPAO. I really hope that my LPAO won't have so many complications!!!

So these next four days are going to be pretty busy trying to to prepare for this surgery!!! Wish me luck!!!

Just when you think your out...they pull you back in!

I have been attending physical therapy twice a week since November. I had been making great strides and was getting very excited at the prospect of leaving that part of the recovery behind. But apparently my body has decided other wise.

Last Thursday, 3/26/09 I completely broke down at PT. I felt so discouraged. Here I am six months out from surgery and I have hit a wall! I read of my fellow PAO's being finished with their PT and here I am...still. My physical therapist, Paul saw the look on my face, that look of "I'm in pain, but dammit I am going to win this battle" and that is when the talk came. Paul called over another PT who is well versed in Strain / Counterstrain. I am still having problems with my muscles communicating properly with my brain. And with more probing, they are pretty positive that it is a labral tear in my hip. I am under strict orders not to do any more lower body work outs until advised. And Paul has limited my PT to one time a week to try and get me to rest more. I have a call into my surgeon to see if I can go in for surgery in May instead of June. June was the targeted month for my screw removal, but I am really hoping for May since a) don't want to be in pain anymore and b) don't want to be sedentary anymore. I am a very active person and this "resting" thing is killing me. I physically feel ill when I can't work out!

To add insult to injury on Friday I went to go down to the basement and get something when I fell down the steps!! I tried to throw my weight and managed to land much harder on my left side, but still hurt the op (right) side pretty good. I called the surgeon and he feels that I did not do any damage. I have had a clicking sensation when I walk ever since the fall. If that and the pain do not go away within the next week, I am to call them and get in to see them. UGH!!!

My main goal is to stay strong until the next surgery. I was so very close to having this all behind me and then WHAM!! I just want to be able to enjoy the things I did before. Positive thoughts!!!

Back to life...

I am getting back to life as it was prior to PAO surgery. Every day I am amazed at how I progress with my mobility and strength. I am "forgetting" my cane at home now; although I do need to still have it in the trunk of the car for backup. When I get tired my limp starts to come back.

PT - Yesterday I had PT in the pool. I really enjoyed that. The entire pool was a treadmill; it is a platform that is flush with the floor, then once you step onto it the therapist lowers you into the water...very cool. This was my only pool session at PT as I will use the exercises at the pool in the gym.

"Land" PT has been going great. My therapist, Paul, has been wonderful. He asked the other day if I felt he was doing all he could or if I had hit a plateau in my recovery. I promptly responded that if it wasn't for him I would not be where I am. I said that a week ago I was not able to jog on the treadmill, and that day I was able to. When I say "jog" it is only for a couple of minutes until I start wobbling, but hey it is start!! There was a time after the surgery and the complications that I thought I wouldn't be able to raise my leg up when laying down or return to my previous sports, but now I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

If anyone practices yoga, Pilate's, or good health they know that a persons "core" needs to be strong. Unfortunately, my core has become really weak from all the down time. Paul has been helping me to get this back. I had PT on Tuesday and I was in a full sweat by the time I was finished. I told Paul PT is starting to feel like training sessions. And I love every minute of it.

Gym - On top of have PT twice a week I have returned to the gym. I am able to do about 20 minutes on the bike and 15 minutes on the treadmill. I also am starting to get back to strength training. Wow!! I have gotten weak!! Although I am see things get toned again. So my typical day at the gym includes cardio, strength training (alternating between arms; chest, back, shoulders; and legs depending on the day). I think it will be a while until I am able to play racquetball again. It feels WONDERFUL to be back at the gym (my second home). I just can't wait for February when all the "New Year's Resolution" people disappear.

Work - I really missed my office. I designed my own office when my company bought our new building. I painted the walls in a vibrant two shade golden color. I have pictures, plants, and some other memorabilia so that I feel comfort in my office. I look at as I spend a majority of my day in it, so it needs to feel good and send good vibes. Not to mention I feel so much more productive in my office. Working from home is great - but I did not have access to all of my files making it harder and longer to get some things done. Plus interacting with people other than my mom (who played chauffeur) and my physical therapist makes me feel like the normalcy is being restored.

I am working shorter days (leaving at 3 instead of 5) until I can build my stamina back. I have been anemic since surgery and I have a really hard time getting through a full day. I just went to the doctor last Friday and my H & H levels were really low and my iron is low. I am now on an iron supplement to help that.

So that's that. I am getting better and stronger everyday. And looking forward to getting back to 100% and maybe even better than I was!

Thanks for reading!! See you next post!!