I am still making progress every day. I see the surgeon in six days. This will be the first time I have seen him since the morning of surgery. I am so excited to see him and just talk about how great I feel!
Right now I can only have 20-30 pounds of left lower extremity touch down only on my left leg, no active hip exercises, no weight bearing for 10-12 weeks after surgery with evidence of bone healing, cpm machine for one month after surgery, and pool therapy 8 weeks after surgery. I'm now 22 days post surgery! It's gone by so quick!
This recovery has gone by quick but I've learned a lot on the way. One of the most significant things I've learned is to have more patience. Patience is so important right now. I started to get ahead of myself. I was feeling good and thought I was getting back to normal. What really showed me that I can't think this way was seeing my X-rays for the first time. Now I've seen plenty of X-rays of other people with this surgery but it was completely different looking at my own. It was a different feeling. I tried to see if I could feel where the bone was cut, where the screws were. And the scary thing was that I kind of could feel it!! I can feel the screws when I turn certain ways. Today I took my medicine late an could feel the part of the bone that was cut. I've always been very in-tune with my body but right now I wish I wasn't. It's so weird to feel it. Luckily, the pain is managed well and I even keep reducing my pain meds.
Along this recovery, I have had to answer so many questions. Repetitive questions. All the same. "What happened to you?" (hip dysplasia); "Isn't that only in dogs?" (No, it's common in adults and children); "You're too young for that" (No, actually it's very common in young females); "When can you walk again?" (a LONG time, don't remind me). It's always the same conversation. And it's amazing how nosy people that don't know you can be. People expect you to answer very personal questions. Just because I'm on crutches doesn't mean that I feel comfortable telling you my medical history! But I have come accustomed to that and the rude stares. It doesn't bother me like it used to. I've been on crutches/cane for a year now and I'm finally used to it! As used to it as one can be.
I had a weird dream the other night. I had a dream that I was walking UNASSISTED! I walked into a store and half way in, I noticed that I didn't have crutches! I got scared and thought I was going to screw up the surgery so I carefully walked back to my car and got them. Yes, I even have to be on crutches in my dream!!! I think right there shows how long I have been on them!
This journey has been long and there is still a long way to go. However, it is one that only I can experience and I can learn from. That is keeping me going. I can't wait to see what other things I learn along the way!
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