About 4 1/2 months post RPAO ... seeing the light

I regularly scan my Daily Digest email from the Hipwomen Yahoo group, and seeing a few questions breeze across the forum about women having some of the same pains I have had during recovery has reminded me I should probably post an update here, as I know some folks from that group visit this blog.

So I'm about 4.5 months post-op now. I'm walking on both legs, unassisted! There is still pain in my hipflexor area (center of the groin area) when I lift my leg up to a Captain Morgan position walking up stairs, or when I try to lift my leg to put pants on, and still cannot cross my right leg over my left by myself. I have to grab my thigh to help it get over with a manageable amount of pain. I have found through Physical Therapy that my hipflexors are still extremely weak. When sitting up and she tries to push my knee down while I try to hold it up, she can push it back down very easily ... and it's painful. One of those things I'm still hoping will fix itself in time.

I haven't walked with a cane in a few weeks now. The pain in my outer hip area that I used to have when putting full weight on it has completely subsided (thanks to my surgeon recommending me to take 800mg of ibuprofen 3x day!)!!! Now, I'm just a little wobbly still when I walk. It's interesting how you really do have to re-train yourself how to walk normally after you don't walk "normally" for 3 months or so. I find myself with tendancies to limp, as if my right leg is shorter than the left, and mentally have to tell myself to walk "tall" and try to NOT walk with a limp. I've found that doing this actually works other muscles in my leg that are still very weak (such as inner thigh, knee, and quads). I kinda thought "walking" on my leg would strengthen it, but I've found that I'm not seeing drastic improvements in a 1-2 week timeframe. I will be patient though - and reassess where I am in a month!! It's so easy to over-analyze daily progress ... it's dangerous!

The low back pain is still pretty bad. When I say "low back pain", I mean lowest lumbar pain. Mobic (anti-inflammatory) doesn't seem to be making a difference. I'm also working to make sure I have as good of posture as I can when walking and standing, but that doesn't seem to help either. I see Dr. Kregor on Monday and will mention this ... perhaps it's time to see someone about it and see if I have any further disk deterioration and if arthritis is setting in. I have lots of stiffening and soreness, which makes me wonder if it's arthritis.

As the holiday season approaches, I keep reminding myself that I am SOOOO thankful for so many things. My family and my husband - for standing by me through the surgery and recovery, and being patient with me. I'm thankful for being able to walk - considering there have been SOOO many times over the past few months where physical discouragement nearly tore me apart at the seams. I'm thankful for Connie Purdue, my physical therapist, who has been with me since day 1 (which was about 2 weeks after surgery) and encouraged me along the way - reminding me how far I've come and continuing to push my abilities. I'm thankful for Dr. Kregor for his passion in orthopaedic surgery (including the hip and osteotomies) and his skilled hand to perform such a tedius and precision-demanding procedure, and to do it so well (oh, and for being LOCAL!!). I'm thankful for all the friends and family who have provided meals, cards, phone calls, help around the house, and words of encouragement along the way ... it has made all the difference in the world.

While I may not physically feel 100%, I am thankful for being alive and being able to walk! Not everyone is this fortunate at this stage of PAO recovery.

Oh, and I'm also thankful for being able to do Christmas shopping online ... :-) My back can't tolerate standing in lines!! (lol)