Happy Labour Day Weekend, hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend.
Been a busy last few days since my last update.
Tuesday steps 2270, Wed 1962, Thurs 2770, Fri 2296, Sat 1071, Sun 2968.
Had a couple blood spots on my bandage last Sunday and Tuesday evening, so sent a picture to my surgeon on Wednesday. He asked me to come in on Thursday (13 day post op, instead of this week) to take the bandage off + make sure there was no infection.
So I went in to the hospital on Thursday they took x-rays + took the bandage off. X-rays look good, no movement of the stem. The incision was open superficially at the top and bottom a little bit, where the glue must not have been strong enough, but the internal stitches are holding so he wasn’t concerned. This coming Thursday I have to take the bandage off again and send him a picture to see if we need to do anything different. Outside of watching incision he said he doesn’t need anymore follow up appointments until 1 year, and to just continue walking around until week 6 when I can start playing sports again (but I’ll hold off a bit longer than that!).
Friday had my first physio session, where they took measurements and looked at my gait. The physio has had a few previous patients from my surgeon and said he was the best surgeon in the country - so makes me happy I picked him. See him again in 2 weeks where we’ll start doing some exercises. 30 degrees ROM when I slide the leg out, 91 degrees ROM when I do heel slide.
Saturday was a bit sore in my non-op leg + a bit of post op blues so didn’t do much and didn’t leave the house.
Sunday felt a bit better - went for a little walk around the block + went out to dinner with a couple of friends. Towards the end of dinner I was a little uncomfortable but not too bad.
Around the house I am using the cane less and less, but always use it outside. I can go up the stairs “normally”, but coming down I take it 1 stair at a time.
Only meds I am taking at this point are the 2x daily aspirin, 2x daily Celebrex, and 1x daily pantoprazole. The Celebrex + panto finish on Friday, then it’s another 2 weeks of aspirin. Haven’t had any pain in op leg since probably last Tuesday, every time I stand up I wince expecting a shot of pain but it fortunately doesn’t hit.
Fully sleeping on my non-op side and don’t wake up with any aches like I did the first couple of days. Going to start showering standing up this week as I’ve gotten comfortable getting in and out without my cane now... might help cut down how long I shower for! Have also started driving again in a mid-size SUV, so I step up into the vehicle - will hold off on the lower car until later this fall.
Fever has continued to stay away, measuring a couple times a day - it’s still normal no fever. So happy for that.
Average Heart rate was a little high the first bit (74-80 bpm), but this weekend it has climbed to 86-90 bpm so hopefully that comes back down to normal soon. Thinking it may be a combination of the meds + anxiety. Little anxious on my incision, wish they used staples so it would have healed quicker. Anyone see the elevated heart rate after surgery before?
Overall, progress trend continues to go up. Few little set backs as expected, but nothing to be concerned about.
Questions for the group:
1. Any way to improve healing on the incision?
2. Anyone see elevated heart rate like I have after surgery?