8 1/2 week Follow-Up results

Greetings everyone.

Yesterday I had my check-up with Dr. Kregor. The breaks in the hip bone are healing well, with the exception of one of the major breaks which "still has some healing to be done". He re-checked the swelling in my right leg (and I'm happy to report that the unbelievable swelling in my foot/ankle that I've been fighting with for the last month is 99% gone!), and he noticed I still have swelling around my calf. I went this morning back to Vanderbilt to have another dopplar ultrasound done on my right lower extremity to look for blood clots, and everything was free and clear.

I am allowed to progress from toe-touch weight bearing to 20%, and very gradually increase from there over the next 4 weeks until I see him again. I'm to continue PT 2x week as well, and can drive in 3 weeks.

I have to admit I was not in a good mood yesterday as I went into the office, as I was hoping (prematurely) to be permitted to do 50% PLUS weight bearing and perhaps only use 1 crutch or a cane. I knew deep down that the xrays would be the determining factor of how much weight I would be to bear, so knowing the bones still need to heal ... I have to suck it up and be patient while that happens. The last thing I want is for the healing to not happen the way it should, and possibly have problems later. I definitely don't want to go through that again!! :-)

So I will go back to PT starting this Thursday. I'm also going into the office pretty much every day, granted a little late on PT days, and was given the ok to return to a full work schedule. It's really good to be able to see the team on a daily basis now, and with all the work on my plate it's also been easier than I thought to cut way back on my pain meds (which I'm trying to ween off of). Once I'm down to only taking pain meds before bed, this will help clear me to drive. Pain wise I'm doing really well, just have muscle soreness in the hip flexors from time to time.

I've enjoyed watching the emails fly on the "hipwomen" Yahoo! group I'm now a member of. Lots of women who are just about to go through a PAO, and others who are recovering like I am. I've seen folks asking questions about the same things I'm going through, and I've also seen questions fly by about problems or issues that I (thankfully) am NOT experiencing. I wish I would have found this group earlier on - I think I may have been more emotionally prepared for the recovery ahead than I was.

So when I'm crutching around, I'm letting my foot touch the ground and letting my leg "go through the motions" of walking. I honestly can't tell what percentage of weight I'm putting on it yet, probably 5% or less, but I'm letting it go through the motions and will work with my physical therapist to ensure I'm using more weight, but just not too much to impede the healing of my hip bone. While at home, I will probably still use the wheelchair if I need both hands to do things in the kitchen like clean up. You can't do much of anything when you're on crutches.

John continues to chaperone both kids to school, me to work, and me to all my appointments. I can't wait to be able to drive again so I can help ease some of the load, and can actually feel like there is something I can do on my own ... without help.

Well, that's the latest.

A week from tomorrow - see Dr. Kregor again

One week from tomorrow I have my checkup with Dr. Kregor, whom I haven't really seen since my 2 week checkup. I have been going to PT twice a week, with orders for "making headway" towards a straight leg lift from the back, and a leg lift from the side. The good news is - I can actually do 2 sets of 5 leg lifts from the SIDE, however can barely get air under my heel when lying on my back. If my therapist gives me a little assistance, I can lift my leg farther. As mentioned in a previous post, I am anxious as all get out to begin weight bearing and weaning myself away from the wheelchair and start doing some actual walking with 2 legs.

My most successful exercises are when standing. Doing the "captain morgan" knee lift is going really well (can lift it to 90 degrees with very little discomfort), side/front/rear leg lifts are also pretty good and mobile. Lying on my side, the clam exercises are getting easier and they've even added a thera-band to apply resistance. Each time I go to therapy, I also spend now 8 minutes on a stationary bike (with no resistance) and can pedal in circles with no pain. Last Friday was the first time they increased the timer from 5 to 8 minutes and my legs were a little bit tired, but not too bad.

During the day pain is not bad at all, other than my hands, fingers, etc. who have been compensating for my leg/hip these past 7 weeks. My only complaint is my hip flexor - on the center/inside area of my groin when I do exercises lying down or sitting down. The rest of my muscles (quads, glutts, hamstrings) are still very weak, but improving a little week by week.

I have now joined a Yahoo group for "hipwomen". I for once feel not quite so alone in this journey, but have to admit I'm jealous of many women whose surgeons allow weight bearing right after surgery!! I trust Dr. Kregor though and his direction, but am really hoping for some relief from my lack of independence and isolation next time I see him. My kids really miss me going upstairs to tuck them in, they miss me going to the playground with them, pushing them on the swings, taking them to school ... and I miss most of all not sleeping in my own bed with my husband and having quiet un-interrupted nighttime conversations!!! He has truly been my rock and my stability since the surgery. I don't know how he has kept his sanity as well as he has, but I would be amiss to not mention that he is an absolute miracle and blessing in my life. I don't know WHAT I would do without him. I love you, John.

For those women who have already replied to my posts (either on the forum or on my blog), thank you soooooo much. I want to open up lines of communications in both directions, so I hope my experiences can help someone else who is beginning this journey!

Getting anxious ...

I have begun surfing the web and catching up on other PAO blogs. I'm nearly 2 weeks away from seeing Dr. Kregor again for my 8+ week checkup, so I'm getting anxious and I have a million things running through my head right now. Will he allow at least partial weight bearing? Will he allow me to drive (at least a LITTLE bit)? Will he be pleased with my physical therapy progress? Or, will he say my hip flexor muscles just aren't strong enough, stay as you are for another month??? I have no way of knowing what this appointment will have in store for me.

Just as a recap, here's where I am (and will continue to be for another 2 weeks):

• I still use a wheelchair at home and when I go to church
  
• I use crutches to get into the bathroom (I hope this won't cause controversy. Dr. Kregor never said I could use them, but honestly ... how am I supposed to get down the stairs in the garage in order to get to the car for PT and church??)
  
• I use the walker in the bathroom when I'm bathing/getting ready (it's more stable, if I loose my balance ... and it helps provide me with stability getting in and out of the tub)
  
• I use a shower bench in the tub with a wand to bathe
• Primarily sleep on the hospital bed downstairs (because it's closer to the bathroom, it's easier to get in and out of ... meaning closer to the ground, I can adjust the feet/head to help make me more comfortable, and it doesn't require me to crutch upstairs)
• Still taking Lortab every 4 hours, and HAVE to stay on a 4 hour schedule or I feel the pain setting in (I think the pain is more my hip flexors screaming at me, versus actual hip "joint" pain).
• Have to set the alarm on my iPhone to wake up every 4 hours during the night to take the Lortab. I have been slacking on this lately. I find it pointless to keep myself awake to take 2 huge horse pills only to go back to sleep. Well, if I don't ... I will wake up at 2:30am in writhing pain and won't be able to move to even get to the bathroom. So, I need to get better at this.
• I'm working via laptop (and on the couch) up to 5 hours per day (sometimes less, sometimes more). Good for the brain - I'm so glad I have an IT job and have a great team (and boss) to allow this flexibility.
• Physical Therapy: Still going 2x a week. I'm starting to question my decision to do 2x week versus 3x. Yesterday I started off my therapy on a stationary bike!! No resistance of course. I was able to do an easy 5 minutes of rotation without issue! The bottom line is, I'm still weak. While I'm making progress each time, my hip flexors are still weak and I'm worried sick that this will keep me confined. I should have told them 3x week. Inside I think I was trying to not burden my husband by taking me 3x week, since he has to take both kids to their separate schools, then pick me up, then take me to therapy, then back home, then have him head to work. I'm trying to not burden him more than I already am. I just hope I haven't shot myself in the foot (no pun intended) and delayed my recovery by not pushing my therapy sessions. This means I need to buckle down HARD at home and really stay on top of my exercises to make up for it.
• Incision has healed nicely, though it's big and ugly. I still have swelling in my right foot, ankle, and leg ... but I think it's a little better from where it was a month ago. I think I still have some swelling in my right hip, based on how a pair of jeans felt Wednesday when I went to church for children's choir!
  
• My foot still turns red when I'm standing. I guess this is still normal as everything heals, and the bloodflow returns to normal circulation.

I'm wondering if other PAO women have had the same strange dreams that I have. I've had dreams where I've tried to walk and couldn't. I had another dream that I was out somewhere and someone stole the crutches (that I'm not supposed to have), and I couldn't get home or walk! Then recently I had a dream that I got fed up and got in my car and drove off. Then, down the road, realized I didn't have the leg strength to use the brake pedal! I'm sure I will laugh at this in a year or so ...

My 5 and a half year old son has asked me several times lately when I'll be better again so I can go to the pool with him. I guess it's a good thing that our pool closes after this weekend. My 3 year old daughter also asks when I'm going to be better and walking, though she isn't old enough to articulate why. I get the impression she just doesn't like to see me like this, and doesn't like to see me cry. There were quite a few times over the past 2 weeks where I would break down and cry out of frustration because of the things I can't do, can't reach, or when I've forgotten to do things. One such event I had forgotten about was a banquet at church for those who were leaders in our choirs at church. It totally slipped my mind and when I realized it, John was at my son's school for a parent/teacher thing and even if I could have gotten ready in time, had no way to get downtown to church. I bursted out into tears when someone from church called me asking if I was coming - and I said I forgot - and had NO way of getting there. The kids were very concerned, and I honestly try NEVER to cry in front of them. My son said "will they have a banquet next year?". I said yes, but that this was my first invitation to this banquet since I just started as a leader for our 1st grade choir, and he said "well, then next year will be your 1st year to go then!". I told him that this was my fault and that I was just upset that I had let this slip my mind, and he so sweetly said "but mommy it's nobody's fault". I couldn't believe how sweet he was being and how he was trying to rationalize the situation. I love these kids ...

For anyone reading this, sorry for the long post. Hopefully you're still awake! :-) I'm going to look online for other PAO blogs and see if I can make some contacts with people. I'd love to understand the various ways people are being instructed in their recovery. The one thing I hope Dr. Kregor DOESN'T say in 2 weeks is that I'm clear to use crutches and come back in a month. I will have to politely spill the beans that I HAVE been using crutches a little, and to throw me a bone!!! I'd love NOTHING more than to at least do a little driving ... but I have to watch myself and not get my hopes up.

I just wish I knew what was going to happen ... what he is going to say ... what the rest of this recovery is going to look like ... I guess I can try to be thankful that my left hip is doing great and probably will never need a PAO. I doubt I could go through this again.