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Wednesday Surgery Day plus 14 - Sleep last night was
not very good. Inside of knee and groin both hurt at various
times. Started my day a little later than usual. After I got
ready to go on the walk I had no pain anywhere. I think it
must be the body still adjusting. There is still some
bruising on the inside of my thigh near the knee. Did a mile
walk, about 4/10 without the cane then came back to ice. All
feels good. Mom came by and took all the steri-strips off
today. Nice feeling. It sure was nice to not have any
staples or stitches to worry about. I'm a big fan of
surgical super glue! Walked another mile this afternoon.
Again used the cane as a precaution for most of the way, but
did the last 1/10 without it. Ice down again. So far the
worst thing is the boredom because I don't want to overdo it
on the therapy, and work is pretty slow right now.
Thursday Surgery Day plus 15 - Sleep was much better
last night. I felt really good laying in bed in the morning
and the new hip was feeling almost just like the good hip
lying in bed. I had stretched some during the night and it
really seemed to settle my hips on the same plane. That's
the good news. On the down side, The stretching may have
aggravated my original, untreated in jury - suspected to be
a sports hernia. Of course 11 years ago they didn't diagnose
those. Walked a mile this morning. Not especially well. If I
didn't walk just perfect, the groin hurt. Iced afterwards
but I still feel signs I overdid it. I try to walk in the
afternoon but turnaround after about 2/10 of a mile. More
ice at home and a thorough dose of "what was I thinking?”
Friday Surgery Day plus 16 - Best sleep since surgery
last night - 7 hours straight. No groin pain this morning so
I start the day slow in the house and don't walk until
10:30. The one mile walk was good. Used the cane the whole
time and had no groin pain. When I got home I tried
something different. I iced the groin while laying on my
stomach so I would be icing in an extended position instead
of in a semi-sitting position. Seemed to work well. Got in
to a bunch of work in the pm and decided to skip the walk
outside. Besides, it's snowing. Tomorrow I will start using
the treadmill for a while until the streets are OK. Overall
a good day with no pains. Maybe I did just overdo it and
that muscle isn't getting the strength back as fast as the
rest of the muscles.
Saturday Surgery Day plus 17 - What a beautiful day. We
got 6-8 inches of fresh snow last night and bright sunshine
today. I couldn't resist going out so I put on my boots and
grabbed my camera and out I went. Probably about ½ mile of
walking very slow and purposeful, but very relaxing. My
family is in Colorado skiing so my sister and my brother in
law came over and shoveled. Very nice of them. I had a
chance to ice between my walk and their visit. Same as
yesterday on my stomach. This afternoon a little walking and
doing the exercises. Trying to be sure I don't aggravate the
groin again. Everything feels great.
Sunday Surgery Day plus 18 - So far I have not
aggravated the groin, but for the morning walk I continued
to use the cane. I went to a Birthday party for my nephew in
the afternoon. Everyone is amazed at how well I am doing.
Used the treadmill for about 15 minutes in the evening. My
family came home prematurely from skiing. My son broke his
arm trying to land a jump. Not bad as breaks go. He's not in
pain, but I can tell he is frustrated. He is in a cast for 4
weeks and Tennis tryouts start in 6 weeks. Luckily it's his
left arm so he can still work on his serve, forehand and
maybe develop a one handed backhand.
Monday Surgery Day plus 19 - Walked about 20 minutes
on the treadmill in the morning. I don't really like the
treadmill. I am keeping hands on both handrails while I am
walking and I don't feel like I am working my core muscles
for balance. I need a solution. I went into the office in
the afternoon. IT was good to see a bunch of familiar faces.
I really don't like left foot breaking. I have driven a
stick for 30 of my 35 years of driving. This is awkward to
say the least. I did some extra sets of exercises in the
evening. The groin is still holding up but I am being very
cautious with it.
Tuesday Surgery Day plus 20 - Very windy outside
today. They say necessity is the mother of invention. Well
this is no invention, but I decided to layout a walking path
in the house to avoid both the wind and the treadmill.
Kitchen, dining room, living room, hallway, bedroom…. I
figured out a 200 ft route staying close to walls to
maximize the distance. A little over 13 laps and I've got ½
mile. Worked great, but I have to be careful on all the
turns. My dog thinks I am nuts, but who is he to judge - he
chases his tail! Leg and hip feel extra tired tonight and a
little sore. I decided to take some Advil before bed to be
sure I sleep a little better.
Wednesday Surgery Day plus 21 - Advil worked great. I
got 7 straight hours of sleep again. Today is not as windy
as yesterday but I have a conference call with work that I
mostly listen to so I decide I will use the portable phone
and an earpiece and walk my indoor path during the
conference call. 25 laps later the call is over and I am
done. I'm not sure I counted all the laps, but I know I am
at least only 280 feet short of a mile. It worked out well.
With all the turns in that walk I decided to do some extra
icing today. I first did the groin and thigh, then moved the
pad around to do the hip and butt. Everything feels great,
but I am still afraid to test the groin.
Thursday Surgery Day plus 22 - Not much new today,
but walked outside again. Still using the cane and no groin
pain. I am now doing 3 sets of exercises per day, morning,
mid-afternoon and before bed. I can feel parts of the leg
getting stronger.
Friday Surgery Day plus 23 - Walked to the drug store
today. About 1.2 miles round trip. Nothing makes you
appreciate the people who shovel their sidewalks like having
to navigate around the unshoveled ones with a cane. Iced
afterward, but everything OK. I am moving back to the pre-op
exercises because they had exercises for the inner
thigh/groin.
Saturday Surgery Day plus 24 - Decide to do some
light testing of the groin by not using the cane as I
prepare breakfast and walk to and from the table. After
being up for about 5 minutes, it starts to hurt again. This
is really making me believe I will need the additional groin
surgery, but I will continue to do the exercises as long as
they don't cause sharp pain. Maybe this is just the way
things progress. This is the most frustrating part of
recovery to date. As for the knee, it is clearly getting
stronger and though I am not running or jumping, I do feel
there is hope there. I'm sticking with the pre-op exercises
and they don't cause any pain but each time the leg feels
stronger.
The afternoon is completely different - not a hint of groin
pain. What a roller coaster ride this is.
Sunday Surgery Day plus 25 - Walked around the house
all morning without the cane and with no pain. In the
afternoon a walk with my son and the dog is also pain free,
though I used the cane for most of it. In the evening I took
a half mile walk, without the cane and no pain. Did
exercises immediately after each walk.
Monday Surgery Day plus 26 - Walked a mile in the
morning with the dog. Did a little without the cane but
since this was the first time out with me carrying the leash
for the dog (90 lbs of curly coated retriever) I wanted to
be sure I was at least a little cautious. In the afternoon,
Mom came over and I did another mile with her. I guess about
¾ of it without the cane. Again, exercises after each walk
and again at bed time. No pain at all.
Tuesday, Surgery Day plus 27 - Did a mile in the
morning with the dog again. This time about 9/10ths carrying
the cane. Feels great and the exercises after only make it
feel better.
Wednesday, Surgery Day plus 28 - 4 week milestone.
Walked ¾ mile early in the morning sans cane then spent the
day in an offsite meeting. Standing, sitting, getting
restless. Had to drive the stick because my son needed the
automatic after school. Actually went very well because the
brakes require so much less effort. Walked again in the
evening. No cane again. Everything is feeling very good.
Thursday, Surgery Day plus 29 - Again walked in the
morning with the dog - no cane. Went to meetings again, but
left the cane at home. Good day again followed by a mile
walk in the evening. Still doing the exercises 2x per day.
Friday, Surgery Day plus 30 - Rainy morning and I'm
staying home so I delay the walk. This time until 1:30, with
the dog again. Then the exercises. No other walk today, just
exercises before bed. No cane all day.
Saturday, Surgery Day plus 31 - Early morning walk
with the Dog. 1.3 miles. He is really loving this. No cane
again. Exercises, and a day around the house. The leg is
getting better and stronger every day.
Sunday, Surgery Day plus 32 - Another walk with the
dog today. This time 1.5 miles with no cane again. Exercises
today included many trips up and down the stairs as I had a
project in the basement. The leg is OK to go down stairs no
problem and I can go up stairs but the step with the right
leg has to be careful and slow, but I can do it. The muscles
there just aren't strong enough yet. Everything still feels
good,
Monday, Surgery Day plus 33 - Really overdid it
yesterday. The hip feels great, but my left side says "what
are you doing to me?” The exercises have been focused on the
new hip - right side for me. The left has just been going
along with it. Also, the weakness in the groin has shown up
again with minor pain. Only a short walk today of about ½
mile. Exercises at night again.
Tuesday, Surgery Day plus 34 - Better than yesterday,
but still sore in the groin. Backed off again today with
only a short walk and exercises. Also spent the morning in
the office. Not much new.
Wednesday, Surgery Day plus 35 - 5 week anniversary.
Better today and moved the walk back to a mile. This is two
weeks now without a cane. It's in the closet now. Decided to
ice the groin after the walk to keep it calmed down. It had
been a while and I had forgotten how great the ice works. I
should have used in Monday! Another project at home, re-do
the closet in the office. This one is not nearly as tough as
the basement project. No troubles.
Thursday, Surgery Day plus 36 - Met up with some friends to
solve the problems of the world this morning. Then came home
and did a 1.7 mile walk with the dog. Very good day.
Exercises in the evening. Counting down the days to the 6
week checkup.
Friday, Surgery Day plus 37 - Took number 2 son to
school today then went to pick up the tires number one son
ordered for his Jeep. At 85 lbs apiece, I decided I should
use the cane - for the sympathy factor. You have to know
your limits. They guys at the freight depot were great and
all I had to do at home was slide them out and roll them
into the garage. 1.3 mile walk with Mom and the dog in the
afternoon. Exercises in the evening. Hope I didn't overdo
it.
That's the end of the daily Journal Entries
At day 42, I went back to Dr Gross for a check-up.
Everything is looking great, I'm cleared for regular travel.
The down side of that is that vacation is over now. I have
been very lucky that I have been able to take a full 6 weeks
off work. It has made the recovery go very easy, though it
probably wasn't necessary. If my job didn't involve 75%
travel, I would have gone back after 3 weeks. As it was, I
was on conference calls and email the whole time anyway so
other than people missing my smiling face, I guess I was
doing a lot of the things I normally would do anyway.
A word on airport travel
My first time through the detectors I only had a pair of
seats on and the hip set off the alarm. So in my case there
is no way I am ever going through a detector again without
getting the "male assist” call for the wand. Typically it
adds about 1-2 minutes to my security check. The biggest
issue is the roll aboard, briefcase, computer and shoes are
sitting on a conveyor that is too small and doesn't
accumulate softly. It also backs up the people behind you
because there is no room for their bags to go. Other than
that, no big deal - just let your friends go first.
Almost ready
At nearly 5 months after surgery I am feeling very good. I
do get some stiffness when I first get up after sitting for
a long time, but no pain. I have found that starting about 4
months I found my self gradually doing things I hadn't in
the past, without thinking. I jumped into the bed of a
pickup (tail gate down) jumping with my normal leg and
landing with the surgical leg. I was fine, and after I did
it I realized it. It wasn't a conscious action so to me that
is a great sign that I am completely at ease with the new
hip. Jogging across the street with the dog without issue as
well. The groin pain is gone, the muscle pain is gone, and
life is so good compared to before. I am still waiting the
full 6 months to start doing any regular athletic activity.
I figure that after years of having to deal with the pain,
it is a small price to pay waiting a couple extra months for
the doctor recommended time to start.
You won't hear any more from me for a while again.
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