Run, Forrest?

I have unexpectedly found a new love--the elliptical machine! All the bikes were taken at the gym, so I reluctantly got on an elliptical and much to my surprise it was awesome! It was the first time in a year that I've been able to use all my muscles at once; and the first time in much longer that I've been able to mimic anything close to running. I was so much in awe of my new found love that I ditched the rest of my workout and just "ran." I had visions of Forrest Gump playing in my head, I could have ran for a week. But I eventually had to return to reality and get on with my day, but got right back at it the next day. Even better is that I may not be doomed to just the bike, it gets SO VERY boring. On the flip side, I got in the pool today and there are just certain movements in the water that down right hurt. Don't get me wrong, water exercise is a great way to recover from any injury, but because the water resists in all directions and because of the weird angles you can move in, I find that I still need to be careful.

For your entertainment (it starts a little slow, but the best I could find):

She Did What?!

I got a little crazy today and laced up a pair of ice skates to hit the ice for the first time since January. The second I took to the ice I became a bundle of nerves, very aware of all the potential trip hazards that could cause a wipe out. As I was making my way around I couldn't help but think how ironic it is that last winter after surgery #1 I did everything possible to avoid ice, and here I was today voluntarily subjecting myself to slippery conditions. I took 4 laps around, with my right skate pressed firmly into the ice and letting my left (good) leg do the work. It felt good to do something normal, but it will be a while before I'm comfortable helping my 2 1/2 year old glide around on his skates (he's still a beginner.)

PT Graduation Day!!

Major accomplishment in my PAO world to report on--today I graduated from physical therapy. Or as they put it, I am now 'discharged'. I like to think of it as an honorable discharge seeing how much blood, sweat, and tears I devoted to the cause--literally. I have spent 10 MONTHS in PT this year over the course of my 2 hip surgeries. What a relief to give up my standing bi-weekly appointments. Nice people there, but I hope I never need their services again!

During my final evaluation I was tested on range of motion and strength, and had vast improvements in all areas. Although none of my levels were 'normal', they were 'functional'. So what does that mean? I have some more work to do on my own, and I do feel that my hip & leg still has room for advancement. It's now completely up to me to make sure that I reach optimal levels. More weights and more biking are in my future, probably for the rest of my life. At least I'll be able to enjoy it pain-free.

So given all that, and the fact that I bought gas for $1.54 today, I'd say I'm having a great day--what more could a girl ask for?

Planning for the Future

Does anyone know how many weeks post-PAO I am??!! Hold on, let me calculate . . .WOW, the answer is 20 weeks!! So I'm still not running any marathons--not that I ever did or ever intend to, but I can say that I'm hitting the gym hard, getting around just fine, and planning for the future. So what does that mean? It means that hip pain does not consume me anymore. It means that I'm preparing to return back to my job as a fitness instructor (hello to all my participants out there!) It also means that I'm going back to doing things that I use to do--this week I plan on hitting the ice as I just found skates small enough to fit my son. Ok, so maybe that's a bit aggressive, but it's not like anyone will be checking me into the boards or anything, and as long as I'm gliding across the ice there is no impact, right?!. I'll have to report on how that goes later in the week. . .

Still Making Little Improvements

At 4 1/4 months I find I'm still making little improvements. For instance today I found myself sitting in the floor Indian style. I couldn't believe that I was sitting with my legs cross, it's something I thought I would never do again. And it didn't hurt, just a little bit of a stretch is all I felt. This is all in addition to being able to sleep on my operated side more consistently. It's an amazing feeling to be able to do these little things that I use to take for granted.

On the flip side, I can say that the screws really bother me. They are tender, and wearing jeans is not very comfortable at times. I can't wait to get the screws removed, hopefully this spring. At least it's something to look forward to.

I just wanted to report on my new moves. Hopefully there's more to come!

Getting Past PAO Surgery

Here I am trying to figure out what week post-PAO I am at. Funny how things have changed, as there was a time I could tell you how many days, hours, minutes, & seconds had passed. That's not to say that I'm 100% completely recovered, it just means that life goes on and I don't have time to think about my hip all the time--this is a good thing, maybe just not so good for my blog.

If my math is right, then this is 16 weeks plus a couple days post surgery. I already wrote how I planned a vacation starting at week 14, well it's a bit longer than the typical vacation and I'm still running around enjoying the freedom of walking on my own. Mind you, I spent nearly 15 weeks on crutches this year due to 2 surgeries so I have a lot of making up to do!

To all of you researching this surgery, I can say that there is much hope that your hip pain will vanish. At least mine has. That constant deep, aching feeling is a thing of the past--thank God! At this stage though, I still have quite a bit of numbness in my thigh to the point I don't always know if I'm touching my leg (sometimes it startles me as I think it could be an insect or something!) I can also say that there is some soreness in the muscles, like when my 2 year-old thought it was a good idea to use my leg for a slide. Um, that didn't feel good at all. The screws are tender areas, and I have a slight bit of numbness in my foot that goes unnoticed most of the time. Running (as in chasing my kid around) does not feel good, but I can abuse a bike for a solid 30 minutes. I can also walk a mile without looking like I'm wearing cinderblocks for shoes, at least that's how I use to picture myself. My scar has healed nicely, I just wish it wasn't so big--it has to be a good 6 inches long, plus the 2 on my leg from the scopes. I'm hoping the purple color fades with time, and I'm praying I'll never get a matching one on the other side!

So at the stage I can tell you that yes, it's been worth it. No more limping, no more pain, and no more pain meds!

Ah, Relaxing At Last

Prior to surgery I planned a vacation starting week 14 post-op, and I am so glad I did for a number of reasons:
1) Motivation to walk on my own quicker
2) Motivation to be off the pain killers
3) Something to look forward to while I was cooped up in the house recovering
4) A way to get back some of the summer weeks/months I missed out on

So here I am, relaxing in beautiful sunny Florida with 80 degree weather and palm trees everywhere I look! Life is fabulous.

I can also tell you that I made it through a 1300 mile, 19 1/2 hour drive without an inkling of hip pain! Did I mention life is fabulous? Gotta run, so much to do . . .