A Looonnnggg Day

Today has been one of the longest days since I've been going out. Today I went to my great aunt's funeral (Catholic ceremony), then the graveside and then to eat. I then went to get my blood drawn in Wilson (which is about 20 min.) from my house and then to my house for my daily shower and to check on my pets (staying with the parents now during husband's shifts). I got back to my parent's about 5:30pm I sat for about an hour and then got up to go eat and sweet heavens!!!!! My hip/leg feels like it's back at week 2, not week 5. This is the first day that I have gotten up and stayed out and busy all day though. I'm exhausted and needless to say HURT!! I'm still making small improvements. I can now sleep comfortably on my non-operative side and some what comfortable on my stomach. I am more motivated to get things done. My head feels clear. I am 2 1/2 weeks out from my next post-op appointment. I can't wait to go and get started with physical therapy afterwards. I would love/can't wait to start using my crutches so I feel a little more free. I can't wait to progress. I'm doing well and although it's small steps I'm still quite proud of myself.

It's the small stuff

It's the small stuff that I can do each day that I stuff in my little pocket of accomplishments.
Today I went to Wal-Mart..........first store in one month. Rode the scooter around (realized that people don't really consider a young person with no obvious disability on a scooter a necessity to move out of the way)
I put my socks on with assistance from my grabber for the first time today too. Can put my shoes on if they are tied already.
Can shower alone.
Can shave my legs while sitting on my shower bench.
I only take one pain pill at night to help with slight pain and sleep.
I'm proud of myself for the small stuff. I never thought I would be so proud of leaning to shave my legs. People don't realize how fortunate they are to walk. Walking is a great blessing that we should all thank God for. I know I'm stared at when I'm on my walker and I stare just as hard back because I'm jealous they can walk with ease.
My fellow co-workers are chomping at the bit to get me back, but I can't until at least 2 weeks of PT after I can bear more weight. If I'd quit being lazy and reading and watching tv I need to call my physical therapist at Duke to try and get me on some crutches. I would love to have a little more freedom during the day and then go back to the walker at night when I wear down. Can't wait to see what small things I can accomplish in the next few weeks.

4 weeks post op

Well I'm exactly four weeks post op today. What a long 4 weeks it has been. I swear it feels like forever ago and forever to go. I don't have another post op appointment until August 21st. I'm still using my walker but feel pretty strong so I want to move to crutches, but my local physical therapy office states they need a specific prescription for teaching me to use crutches and come off the walker. I don't want to come off the walker completely but use the crutches during the day and walker at night when I start to wear down.
Cans:
1. Shower on my own.
2. Shave my legs
3. Put my pants on
4. Fix myself something to eat
5. Sleep on my non-operative side
(ALL THESE THINGS AREN'T DONE AS NORMAL, BUT DONE THE BEST WAY I KNOW HOW)

Can't:
1. Put socks on
2. Lift my leg straight up
3. Stand alone in the shower
4. Bear more than 30lbs on operative leg

I want everyone about to go through this to understand that to do everything takes forever! I still am very frustrated, sad, and so sore by 7-8pm every night. I can't wait to bear more weight and start to do things I use to! I am ready to start learning to drive again and would die to get in a pool and do some exercises without pressure/weight. This has been a trying experience in patientence and faith in others. I couldn't have made it this far without my mom, dad, and husband. They do everything I can't. I hate doing that too. I'm the nurse and I'm the one who is suppose to care for everyone else. I sit around and read, exercise my leg, play on my computer and wish my next 8 weeks away. I know you're not suppose to wish your life away, but it's hard to be so dependent and not able to move like you want. I'm doing okay though. I didn't have any complications thank God so far. Lots of prayers and thanks to the prayers of others. Well I just wanted everyone to know how my first 4 weeks have been.

Emotional/Physical Rollercoaster

I didn't know the recovery was the hardest part of this PAO experience. Everyday is an emotional & physical roller coaster. I feel okay in the mornings and get brave to start doing things. By evening, my left hip (normal side) hurts, my operative leg (Right leg) hurts and I have to debate whether to take pain meds or a sleeping pill. I want to sleep in my bed, but how can I when I can't even lay all the way back in the recliner (and it's not a 0 degree angle). I feel optimistic in the mornings and by the night, I'm usually crying because I realize I still can't turn on my left side and can't lift my right leg up like normal. I get frustrated with the walker, but I'm still on 30lbs wt. bearing and crutches aren't sturdy enough. I've read books, played on my computer, watched several Food Network marathons and am miserable by 7pm. I just want this whole thing to be over. I know that the Lord doesn't give us stuff we can't handle, but this is truly a test. I wonder if everyone else feels this way or is just me. I'm so ready to be back to semi-normal. I'm taking Coumadin now to keep the DVTs at bay and I'm averaging getting my blood drawn every 3rd or 4th day and that's tiring. It's just hard right now. I'm currently 23 days post op and feel like everything is moving in slow motion.

2 1/2 week Post Op Appointment

I went on Friday to Duke to my 2 1/2 week post op appointment...........and saw my OS's NP. She's AWESOME!!!!

1. Got my bandage and steri strips off..........don't have staples or stitches.........my skin is glued back together. My incision is about 7 inches long and looks real good. As soon as I get a pic I'll try and post it.
2. I can shower
3. I got a prescription for Ambien due to the fact I'm not sleeping but about 3 hours in 24 hours.
4. Still can't bear more than 30lbs. (just putting my foot flat on the floor) for 4 more weeks
5. Prescription for PT..............don't want to cash that ticket in until after I can bear more weight

Overall I had a good check up. She was impressed with the incision and how well I'm moving about. I'm not that impressed, but I guess it's because I'm ready to be back to normal though. I'm ready to be walking.............keep having dreams about walking..............but I guess it's good to dream!

I'm trying to think what has happened since my last entry. . . . . . . .

Going Out of the House.........Well, I had another outing to a cookout at my grandparents house/pool. I stayed about 1 1/2 hours. Can't tolerate being uncomfortable but for so long. It was so nice to get out. That was exactly a week ago. Since then I went back to Duke for my post-op appointment and went to the Olive Garden to eat and sat in a normal chair for about 1 hour. I also can now sit in my front porch swing and have sat out there about 2 hours total over the last 2 days.

Showering...........I have managed to start showering. They initially told me it was going to be 14 days, but I called begging and got in the shower about 5 days sooner. It was nice. First shower I had to have a lot of help. Second shower just a little help, and then yesterday I did it all on my own (except shave from my op leg) . Things seem to be moving a little faster.

Constipation..................DO NOT take Oxycontin without Colace on board. I was going regularly until I started taking my Oxycontin for about a week and then I was MISERABLE. There is no words to express how bad that feeling is. It's way worse than the surgery itself. I even went so far as to send my husband to the pharmacy for enema supplies. Didn't have to, but they are in my post-hip emergency kit. Now that I'm on Colace everyday and I feel much better, not to mention that I stopped the Oxycontin. The pain wasn't bad enough to warrant taking it and having the other issue.

Pain.............Pain isn't so bad now. I take about one Oxycodone (5mg) in 24 hours and nothing else for pain and I do okay. That's down from 2-3 Oxycodone every 4 hours and 1 Oxycontin every 12 hours the first week I was home and I'm 3 weeks post op. The only complaint I have is muscle like spasms/stretching. It feels like the nerves might be reaching certain areas of the muscles that haven't been stretched yet and stretching them is like they are stuck and it hurts, but I deal with it.

Sleep............until my post op appointment this past Friday, sleep was something I didn't ever think I'd do again. I've still been sleeping in the recliner. The bed is still just to flat for me. I can get in the bed ok, but the lying flat for so many hours is the issue. I was sleeping maybe, if I was lucky, 3-4 hours in 24 hours. It was miserable. I went to the post op appointment and was given Ambien 5 mg. I have taken it 2 nights now and slept about 8-10 hours a night without the ankle numbing, back hurting that was keeping me awake. It's been wonderful for my mindset. I actually want to get up and do something in the mornings.

Mindset............feel better and keep dreaming that I just have a limp and can walk normal. Well...........not quite. I'm still on 30lbs wt. bearing which isn't anything more than putting my foot down on the floor completely. I walk faster and am still on my walker. Not a fan of crutches. I do however feel more comfortable standing without the walker. I can stand and blow dry my hair and get real hugs from my husband now. I'm getting more confident. I am just so completely bored!!!! TV is okay for a few hours.........reading gets me sleepy and I can only play on my computer for so long a day. I have started getting up to do little things, like switching the laundry and loading and starting the dishwasher. Stuff like that keeps me going more than reading all the books in the world. I manage to pass the time and get through each day hoping that I can do more and more each day. It'll get here...........I'm just ready for it.....NOW!

Paying for my first outing

I wrote yesterday about my first outing. Boy am I paying for it today. I'm so sore!!!! So sore. My wrist are sore and I'm not even strong enough to bring the recliner up to straight back position. I don't regret it one bit though. I loved getting out yesterday. I'll just bump up the tylenol and maybe an extra Oxycodone, but I loved getting out yesterday.