...have been moving around and getting back to normal life and thus have been posting less, but thought I would document my OS follow up appointment for anyone following post-op threads.
My 6 week follow-up appointment was supposed to be one week from today, but the OS called and needed to change the appointment due to a surgery schedule conflict, so I asked for an earlier appointment so I could get some answers and I went today (5 weeks + 1 day post-op).
I am FREEEEEE!!
I have been released to do most anything I want to do! Even drive! Which I proceeded to do as soon as we left the OS office building. It was no problem at all...felt so good!
I asked a ton of questions about restrictions on movement, and my OS said the "equipment" he installed was selected for its long lifespan, which he felt at my age (59 - "spring chicken")
would hopefully avoid having to replace it in my lifetime. He said some surgeons recommend against running/jogging and jumping to extend the life of the joint, but since I'm not a runner or jogger I didnt pursue that discussion. He has one patient who runs marathons with his new hip and that guy's X-rays show excellent bone growth around the implant and he doesn't want to discourage the guy from doing what he loves doing.
As for me, I'm free to swim, even in the ocean
(we discussed the potential bacterial risk and his advice was that he would swim in the ocean if it were him and that satisfied me). My x rays look good, my walk is getting closer to normal, but still have some work to do on that. I have scheduled twice per week PT sessions to focus on my gait and strengthening the leg and the thigh muscles. I figure if I do those and do some water classes that I will make some good progress in time for my May 28th trip. He gave me no restrictions on swim strokes or kicks...suggested fins and a vest in case I get tired in the ocean. (The only caution he gave was to avoid the leg press machines (lying or seated) in the gym and to avoid lifting anything very heavy for another few weeks.) I am SO gonna be snorkeling every day while I'm on vacation!
We talked about managing the remaining pain that is not predictable nor is there any particular trigger that causes it. It's not necessarily after I have walked a lot. If that were the case, covering 2 garden centers and walking 3 hours 2 days in a row this past weekend would have had me back in bed with ice, but it actually felt better to stretch and move. I did all that walking with no cane too, although I leaned on the shopping cart sometimes as I started to get tired. The OS says the pain is going to happen on and off for at least another 6-8 weeks, as I am still healing internally, and just to listen to the pain and stop and rest when needed. (Sound familiar?).
I asked him about the only spot I have left that still hurts to the touch (and keeps me from comfortably lying on my surg side) which is below and to the outside of my incision. There is an area that is alternately numb and painful to the touch...it swells in that area occasionally also. I asked him if he got a little carried away with the power tools in that area.
He said they are finding many anterior patients are having some pain in this same spot, and says it is from the trauma to the IT band from the clamping they have to do to gain access to the joint. Still a lot less invasive than other approaches but he and his colleagues are finding there is very commonly pain in that area but gave me assurance it would go away as the muscle heals.
All in all I am very happy that my OS is happy and feels everything is progressing nicely. I still feel if I'm being honest that I have not made progress as quickly as I wanted or expected, but I'm OK with where I am right now.
The next several weeks for me are going to be focused on rehabbing the thigh muscles and regaining a normal walking gait so I can hit the road again and get back to my job.
I see him again in 3 months just for a check-up...I expect to be back to normal by then.
I think I have survived this and don't regret it for a minute! I already walk much better than I did during the 6 months or more pre-op that I was in so much pain.
I hope everyone is recovering well and and feeling hopeful for an active and happy future!
Pam
United States
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