THR Dogchick's Hippy Recovery Adventure

some things are looking up.
Up is good, although I wish it were more than just some. I'd love to hear more when you have a chance - as the Queen of Pupland, you should be preened and pampered at all times. If your retinue isn't coming through on their end, let us know and stern words will be spoken to those shirking their responsibilities!
 
Hi there - are you managing to walk without the cane yet. Our op dates were fairly near each other and, to be honest, I am only just now getting the confidence to walk distances (1 mile) without the cane although do carry my folding hiking stick just in case. Hope it is going well for you.. and nice to see you on here!
 
Good Morning Bone Smarties!
I'm so sorry I have not had the chance to get back here with a more detailed update until now. Life has been a blur of activity. Work has been physically and mentally draining so I didn't have a brain cell to spare to put together an update.

Here are a few updates:
1. I mentioned getting a cortisone shot for bursitis at my last appointment. I'm questioning the dx of bursitis because the shot didn't help at all. Have not been back because I don't trust the PA to really listen to me.
2. The upside is that included in the little advancements is the fact that I can sometimes put my sock on my left foot without help from the sock assistant. Not everytime, but I'm getting there. Yay! I'm celebrating all the little things. :yes!:
3. Another "milestone", is that I took my dog for a walk on a local trail a few days ago and was able to walk .75 of a mile. I would have been able to do the full mile, but part of the trail I took has a very steep hill, almost straight up, and that took a lot of energy and strength out of me, and I didn't eat lunch before going, so I was a little low on energy. I think this was a bigger accomplishment. Yay! :yes!:

4. I don't use my cane much at all. I would say probably 95% of the time I don't use it. The only time I do use it is when there are A LOT of people around, or lots of stairs. Since I still struggle going UP stairs. My left leg doesn't like to lift up easily.

So those are all good things that I am happy about. I still need to work on strengthening my left leg to go uphill or up stairs.

News:
1. It's possible that I may be able to go back to the high school in the fall with a student who needs a one-to-one. But even if I don't go, I think I will be ok where I'm at for another year.
2. I got a stomach bug on a Monday night that made me take 2 sick days. Then my youngest Pup Prince got it Wednesday night, and I was up all night with him, so I went to work just for the next morning and took a 1/2 sick day to take care of him, but honestly, I was still feeling kind of icky.
3. That same day I took the 1/2 day, my Mother-in-law passed away, so I ended up taking Friday off for that. Then my poor husband got sick Saturday night. It was a miserable week and I'm glad it's over. :holysheep:

4. I had a physical this past Friday. So getting some issues worked out. I am having a problem with my right thumb/wrist. Got an x-ray and I have very mild arthritis in the CMC joint, but my doctor said that doesn't explain the pain I am having which is affecting daily everyday activities like tieing my shoes, writing, brushing my teeth, etc. It's my dominant hand. We are thinking it could possibly be De Quervain's Tenosynovitis. Will be looking into that. I looked it up. Surgery is rarely needed, so that's great! In the meantime, I am using a brace to support my wrist and CMC joint for my thumb and icing it at night. If my doctor agrees that it might be this disorder, then I will be back to see Dr. Reagan, who did my hip surgery.

As regards my hip, I do still have pain and weakness in my left leg. It's all on the outside side of my leg, so that's why the PA thought it was bursitis, but I'm not so sure. I'm thinking it's just taking a while for that muscle etc to heal and stop being sore and painful all the time. I also think I could use a few sessions of PT to remind me which exercises help strengthen that part of my leg.

So...there's my update with details. Thanks for staying with me. :flwrysmile:
 
Nice to hear from you @dogchick.
Condolences on the loss of you MIL. I'm sorry you're struggling with the bursitis and found no relief through the injection. It's also too bad you're having an issue with your dominant hand. Hopefully the brace and icing bring you relief.

It sounds like you're increasing your walks and it's wonderful you're down to rarely using your cane.
I hope things continue to improve for you and that you have a lovely Spring and Summer.
Happy Nine Month Anniversary!
 
Nice to hear from you @dogchick.
Condolences on the loss of you MIL. I'm sorry you're struggling with the bursitis and found no relief through the injection. It's also too bad you're having an issue with your dominant hand. Hopefully the brace and icing bring you relief.

It sounds like you're increasing your walks and it's wonderful you're down to rarely using your cane.
I hope things continue to improve for you and that you have a lovely Spring and Summer.
Happy Nine Month Anniversary!
Oh!! I didn't even realize it was my 9 month anniversary! Thanks for the reminder! Whoop Whoop! :happydance:
 
It’s good to read your update @dogchick . Some very good progress there, though I’m sorry to hear of your other health issues and the loss of your MIL. With spring in the air and the days getting longer, I hope you will be feeling better and better.
 
Thanks for your comprehensive reply! I can just about cross my leg across other thigh to get a sock on now.

I had a course last week that involves walking up and down a small steep hill. I did it slowly and carefully without the cane. The hip complained and got a bit swollen but resting and icing sorted it and I think the exercise is going it could. I am in the habit of stretching for 5 mins when I get out of the car and that helps too. It is definitely a learning process! Glad you are making progress and hope you see the end of the tummy bugs :)
 
Thanks @Klassy and @SurreyGirl I've been able to consistently put my sock on my left foot without the sock assistant this week, so I'm happy about that. Next week is Spring Break and weather permitting, I'm planning to go on some walks with the dog to build up more strength. I haven't really had to ice my hip in a long time, I don't know how to describe what I feel, to be honest. It does get sore, but not swollen. And it's just the side of my leg, so whatever it is not happy when I walk. Also, the weakness in lifting my leg up to go up steep hills or upstairs, I have to work on strengthening that too. I think the trails I do with my dog should be helpful for that. Sounds like you are improving too, so glad to hear that.
 
Keep up the good work, @dogchick
Togo has been a good rehab partner for me as I regained strength and ROM. I can now walk him alone and to the park and endure the endless tugging to chase a squirrel!

I still have mild nerve pain (I guess that's what it is as my joint and mobility are fine) in the scar tissue area. If I bump my hip into something it stings for awhile! I occasionally ice it. I continue to massage it daily with oils and CBD cream. The flexiblity of the op hip is still less than the other but I keep gently working on it. I'm just so glad that I am out of the pain and limitations pre-op.

You are working on the walking slowly and gently as you should! Good to get your update.
 
Hey All,
I was just reading my last update, and all the replies to remind me what I have talked about, etc, and realized that I didn't acknowledge your lovely condolences for the loss of my Mother-in-Law. So Thank you all very much for your kind thoughts, I appreciated them.

@luvsibes I mentioned taking Chocolate Monster for a walk during Spring break. Well, I took her for a couple of them. One day I was with a friend and we did a trail we aren't familiar with and it had a bit of a steep upgrade at one point. I still feel a bit unsteady when I'm walking on uneven terrain, so I am walking slower, which drives the dog crazy, LOL! It ended up downpouring on us just as we got back to the car, but we had fun. A couple of days later we had BEAUTIFUL weather, and I took her to one of our favorite places to walk, but we took a different trail, on the other side of the stream, lots of rocks and tree roots and a VERY steep incline. I had a couple of little run-off streams we had to cross over, I swear she was determined to pull me down into the water...I maybe should have had someone with me because I was worried she was going to make me fall but, I'm stubborn, and refuse to let things like that hold me back....maybe to my own detriment. LOL! I do fine on walks that are more flat, and less rocky/rooty with her, even when she's pulling. I just love that I feel confident enough now to just go and do the walks I want to do, even if at certain moments I question myself. I have noticed since I did that walk, that most days the going upstairs or uphill is getting slightly easier. We just took that same trail with Dog Dude I think last week, and while there was one time that I almost landed on my face because I didn't pick my foot up high enough, it seemed a bit easier...so that's progress. Here's some pictures from that trail:

Waterfall_Cat Hollow.jpg

This picture was taken from the bridge that crosses over the stream. The next picture looks down to the stream from up above that waterfall.
downhill.jpg

Yep, we climbed all the way up this rocky, steep trail!
Kalia trail.jpg

Chocolate Monster next to the stream near the end of the trail before we had to turn around and go back.

Trailend.jpg

We walked a little further past this and then turned around to go back.

New News:
I do have some news to share, Pup Prince #1 is engaged! :loveshwr: The wedding will be mid-August! I am in full wedding mode for sure! I already bought my dress, it's so pretty! I'll be sure to share pictures. :yes:

The eighth-grade class that I work with will be going on a field trip on June 3rd to a place called Barn Island. I've never been there, but apparently, it is muddy, rocky, slippery rocks, etc. I'm a little nervous about going, but I think I will wear my waterproof hiking boots and bring my cane just to make sure I am steady. The teachers know that if it's a little too much for me, then I can stay back on dry land with anyone who either is misbehaving or having trouble navigating.

Oh, and my thumb issue, according to the PA at the OS office, is not De Quervains, but tendonitis? Anyway, so I'm starting OT for that, plus, I've been going to the chiropractor, getting readjusted, but she also works on my thumb/wrist/arm and pulls a lot of that soreness out with what she does. I'm able to do a lot more daily activities without using the brace, but I still have to wear it when I'm writing. That's improvement as well. So Life is going pretty well. :cheers: Oh, did I also mention that I no longer need to use the sock assistant to put my socks on? :egypdance: I don't have the same limberness on that side as on the right side, but I'm getting there. I hope all my bonesmart friends are doing well! :friends:
 
Great update and that trail is beautiful. I would find that a bit scary for my hip! Thrilled you can put your sock on now. Some things just take time don’t they! My op hip is less flexible than the right but is improving all the time.

And how lovely to have a wedding to look forward to... great to see the progress of the June/July/August Hippies.
 
So happy you are doing well!
What a great thing to go to your son's wedding and have a good hip to enjoy it.
I just attended my son's wedding a few weeks ago and my gratitude for hip surgery was reconstituted.
Still amazed!
 
Great to hear from you @dogchick
It's wonderful to see you and Chocolate Monster out hiking those beautiful trails! Togo is glad, too, to have his mom back walking with him! I can even be pulled for the daily squirrel chase in the park. I'm so grateful for my new hip!

Enjoy the upcoming wedding and dance away! We'll be waiting for the pics!

:flwrysmile:
 
Thanks for the update @dogchick
You seem to be doing well, things falling into place.
It's unbelievable you'll be one year post op in a little over a month.
It's nice you're back to living life...it's as it should be. After all, that's why we go through this.
I hope you have a lovely Spring and Summer.
 
Good morning Hippies! Just checking in before I head to summer school to work with the kiddos. Today is my 1 year anniversary!! :yahoo::loveshwr::happydance: I can't believe it's been a year already. Thank you to ALL my hippie friends who helped me and encouraged me along the healing process. I will come back later for a better update. I just wanted y'all to know how much I've appreciated this lovely community! :friends:
 
Happy One Year Anniversary!
I hope you're doing well @dogchick
A week of celebration for you, a short work week, a hippie Anniversary and the 4th of July!
I hope you have a great end to the week.
Best wishes for wonderful day and a happy 4th!
 
Happy one year!:yes!:
 
Happy One Year Anniversary!
I hope you're doing well @dogchick
A week of celebration for you, a short work week, a hippie Anniversary and the 4th of July!
I hope you have a great end to the week.
Best wishes for wonderful day and a happy 4th!
Thank you Layla, yes, it is a short work week. It's a nice way to start summer school. Enjoy your week/weekend as well!
 

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