Well, I made it to day 21 following my hip replacement surgery – Yahoo! Right now, I feel pretty darn good. After a rocky first 2 days post-op, here is a quick overview of my progress:
Days 3 – 9 – Physical therapy came to my home x 3/week and gave me a dozen exercises to do twice daily which were designed to strengthen my hips, bum, and legs. A few were tough to do but became easier with practice. I found I did not need the walker past day 2 and relied instead on my walking stick. Fortunately, I have a zero- clearance walk-in bathroom, so it was easy to shower each morning. Marty placed a chair nearby for safety, but thankfully, I did not need it. Stairs were easier to navigate than I thought, but I still needed to double-step going up. Pain was generally under good control but did tend to escalate in the evening. Sleep was a problem though. I could fall asleep, but often woke up due to pain in my back and hip, especially with re-positioning.
Days 10 – 17 – I continued to improve. My walking gait became smoother and more natural, and although I still needed the walking stick, I did not need to rely on it as much for weightbearing or support. I started to get cabin fever, so Marty and I went for frequent drives and short walks outside. I found I could walk for about 15-20 minutes without pain before hip fatigue set in. On day 14, I had my first post-op visit with my surgeon. He removed my dressing (thank you God!) and told me my recovery to date was ahead of schedule. He also gave me the okay to start to drive again – another Yahoo! Sleep is still hit and miss, but slightly better.
Day 18 – 21 – Wow, what a difference a few days make. I am now walking around the house pretty much all day without my walking stick. However, I do notice my hip and left leg tend to ache when I overdo it. Bedtime is still tricky, but thankfully, continues to improve. Last night, I only woke up once but easily fell back asleep. One of the most exciting things has been being able to drive again. Becoming more independent is an incredibly critical component of the healing process. Yesterday, I drove to our neighborhood Kroger Marketplace for groceries and left my walking stick in the car. I walked independently around the store for 30 minutes or so, but I did notice I needed to lean into the grocery cart slightly for support at the checkout. Ugh, I was hoping to say goodbye to my wooden friend, but my surgeon did tell me to expect to need the walking stick for another 3-6 weeks. No worries. I will just have to keep working at those physical therapy exercises to gain further strength. Back at home, I am now able to walk around the garden, feed the birds, and even do light weeding and yardwork. I can’t tell you how great it feels to be out in the garden again. Feeling the sun, listening to the birds, smelling the flowers, and watching all the activity going on in the pond brightens my day. It is the perfect place for prayer, gratitude, and healing.
I will update you in another week or two on my progress. In the meantime, I am heading out to the deck to have a cup of tea and a slice of homemade peach cobbler. And if I’m lucky, I will be joined by some gorgeous Monarch butterflies and Anna’s hummingbirds I saw fly past my bedroom window this morning.
Have a blessed day.
