Category Archives: Recovery

Pain

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I am 8 days post-op and to my surprise, the severe pain that lasted weeks after my last surgery is already gone. I stopped all narcotic and prescription pain medications today and am only taking Tylenol for the more manageable pains and aches. I don’t have any idea why the pain is so much less severe this time around.

Pain is really kinda great for someone like me because it’s my protection. My natural instinct is to push until I break — either do everything or do nothing. I feel guilty if I don’t throw myself into things 110%. Throughout my hip drama, pain has been a fluctuating roadblock – a limit to my activity and energy that can literally stop me in my tracks and knock me flat on my ass. It’s not always in the same place and can change from day to minute. Pain has stopped me from doing more than I could or should have done; unlike every other barrier I try to artificially manufacture for myself, I have no control over pain. I listen to it and I abide.

This recovery, without the pain I feel rudderless. I know that my body needs to heal A LOT more before I start trying to get back to a normal routine, that I need to rest all the time because I just went through really major surgery. I should be sleeping constantly, taking large doses of meds and yes, I should hurt. But this time my body just doesn’t hurt so much. I’m missing the limit that tells me to stop, so I don’t. I can’t seem to justify a need to sit on the couch and get better, as much as I genuinely wish I could. I sleep a normal amount each night and I wheel myself most of the way to the Target (which was exhausting but didn’t hurt) and I try to tidy up around the house. In other words, I fail to take care of myself because pain isn’t there to remind me.

And so I feel agitated and sad and exhausted and crappy almost all of the things you normally feel like when you’re 8 days post major surgery. But I also feel guilty because I can’t blame the pain for preventing me from getting back to my life. I’m really struggling with this and it’s upsetting me a great deal. I expected to feel terrible – after all, someone sliced me open, broke and shaved bone, took my leg out of the socket, and on and on. I didn’t expect to feel ok (or the feelings that are going along with it).

I don’t know. It’s late and I’m tired. I have no insight or solution. And I don’t have to because this is a blog and I say so. Hey, I’m allowed to be difficult and irrational darn it – I am recovering from surgery, after all.

Flew the coop

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I was released from the hospital on Saturday at 2pm and was home in Brooklyn by 3:15. I am allowed to put up to 30% of my body weight on my left leg and the balance on my right / crutches / walker. My stay at HSS was very successful and the pain seldom reached beyond a level 3 or 4 out of 10. However, even with the strong medications I was on, the pain did occasionally spike to an 8 or 9 out of 10.

My left hip and leg muscles feel very achy and sore, while at the incision site (which is approximately 9″ long and runs down the outside of my left thigh) I occasionally feel a stabbing, burning pain. The pain is also noticeable in my gluteus muscles, as spasms in my middle and lower back, and as a slow burn around the top of my knee. Not surprisingly, I continue to have some aches and spasms in my right (previously operated on) leg as it has become responsible for carrying the majority of my weight.

To minimize the pain and to keep my hip joint moving, I use my continuous passive motion (CPM) machine for 2 hour spurts, 4 times a day (I have no idea who the woman in this picture is but it gives you reference as to what a CPM looks like).

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Sometimes when I’m not looking, my cat Fawn Adelle uses it as a cat bed.

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While in the hospital and initially at home I was taking two pills of Hydrocodone and Tylenol every four hours plus Benadryl since the Hydrocodone made my tummy, back and arms very itchy. I also take aspirin (for blood thinning to prevent deep vein thrombosis), Protonx (which help prevents acid reflux as a result of all the medications), Valium (as needed, for muscle spasms), and a variety of other pills that I was taking prior to my surgery. Although many of the medications make me very sleepy I can’t seem to fall asleep and seem like a zombie a lot of the time. I get around 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Boris has been my constant recovery companion.

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I’m happy to report that pain is definitely not as bad as it was after the PAO. I spoke to my surgeon’s office today and told the PA as much. She confirmed that although the initial recovery pains following a PAO are much harder, the length of time and long-term pain associated with a SDD recovery is far more difficult. Fantastic!

One noticeable difference between this surgery and the last is that I have definitely felt more emotional. It may be the change in medication or the fact that this is my third surgery in a short time but I have definitely been more blue. Whatever the cause I am trying to maintain my positive attitude and believe that I may have (hopefully) turned a corner today.

I finally got it together and took a shower yesterday which was a welcome change since it had been 5 days since I’d been permitted to take a shower. Today I even went so far as to shower, put on blush and curl my hair – a look I call ‘recovery chic.’ For comparison, it took me weeks to get to this point following the PAO.

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Starting today I reduced my Hydrocodone/Tylenol to 1 pill every 6 hours as I try to eventually ween myself off the meds. So far so good but I would not be disappointed if I needed to up the dosage a bit if the pain became overwhelming. I seem to be a little less fuzzy-minded but that changes minute to minute.

In general, recovering from surgery in May is a VERY different experience from recovering in December when the weather is dark and gloomy. However, like after my first surgery, my mom and husband have been incredibly helpful and I can’t thank them enough for doing basically everything for me. My first follow-up with my surgeon is scheduled for May 21st. I am hoping my wheelchair is delivered soon so I can get outside and enjoy the beautiful spring day. I hope you are all doing the same.

Heading home mañana

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Significant improvements! Since yesterday’s post I have been moved to HSS’s 10th floor, and moved again once on the 10th. The numbness in my left (operated) leg is totally gone and 90% gone from my right leg. I have gotten up and walked down the hall with a walker and then crutches – both times incredibly slowly. I am able to get myself out of bed without too much difficulty and transitioned to a regular solid food diet. Best of all? Baring any traumas I get to go home tomorrow!

Unfortunately not all my news is quite so rosy. My pain continues to be well managed; however the drugs are making it difficult for me to focus and I notice that I’m easily distracted and frustrated (it has seriously taken me about 7 hours to write this little post). My right leg has started to spasm from lack of use. Historically, at about 3 days post-op (relative to when I receive anesthesia) I normally feel pretty depressed. This surgery is no exception and today I’ve been feeling quite blue. You’d think that with everything my body has gone thru in the last few days I would be asleep all the time but instead I can barely sleep an hour at a time and am not sleeping nearly enough – only a few hours a night. Also, I have apparently developed an allergy to the adhesive in medical tape + the oxygen that they put up your nose when you have an epidural makes my nose crazy itchy. Fun!

Guy is renting a car to pick me up at HSS and I hope to be home by 2 or 3pm on Saturday. I took a photo of my wrapped incision (with a pen for size reference) but won’t get to see its full gruesome beauty until they rewrap it tomorrow morning. I’m guessing that its about 10″ long but soon i’ll know for sure. I’m gonna try to get some shuteye. Hasta mañana!

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She’s Alive!!!

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20130509-104136.jpgI made it – alive on the 6th floor at Hospital for Special surgery and beginning what will likely be a sloooooowwwww recovery.

Yesterday was a little wacky and pretty exhausting. I arrived at the hospital by 10am as instructed. Once I was admitted I waited about an hour (until 11am) before being taken back to pre-op/holding. I was told that I could expect to be in holding until 1230 as my surgery was scheduled to begin at 1 PM. Unfortunately, my surgery was delayed and I was not taken back to the operating room until around 4 PM. Since I had not eaten since the night before and was sitting in a room lit solely by fluorescent lightbulbs, I had developed a blazing headache/migraine. I was relieved when the anesthesiologist gave me “a little something take the edge off” on my way to the OR.

Unlike with the PAO, this time I was not under general anesthesia but rather had an epidural and regional anesthesia. As a result, I have a vague recollection of them inserting the epidural and leaning against one at the doctors, chatting while they did so. It was very strange. My doctor’s portion of the surgery lasted 2.5 hours but I was in the OR getting prepped and eventually having the incision closed for a total of about 4.5 hours.

When I finally woke up I was in the PACU (think ICU). The pain was well-managed and never reached beyond a 5 out of 10 on the pain scale. Just like last time, I had no feeling in my operated (left) leg but unlike last time, I also no feeling in my unoperated leg. They were both totally numb and as unwieldy as dead fish. The recovery room dr. turned off and eventually repositioned the epidural and I eventually regained about 80% sensation in my legs. I was released from the PACU and taken to my room at 4am.

This recovery already feels a little different from the last. For one thing, I can actually move the leg that was operated on. I can lift it and stretch it and while it hurts, it goes (with the PAO I couldn’t move the operated leg for weeks). Also, this time I feel less groggy – at least right now but that can certainly change. Then there’s the fact that my right leg does not move – I didn’t realize it until just this moment but I can’t move my non-operated leg. I’m assuming that’s just the epidural…hopefully.

Physical Therapist is coming by today, as is my surgeon, my husband and mom. I’m gonna take a nap, but will update tomorrow. Signing off for now, overlooking the East River from the 6th floor at HSS.

The Final Countdown

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With approximately 36 hours until I have to be at Hospital for Special Surgery, I am truly in the final stretch leading up to my Open SDD surgery. I will receive final confirmation tomorrow on the time but am anticipating that the surgery will be at 2pm on Wednesday the 8th and I should be in until at the earliest the 10th and more likely the 11th.

I met with my surgeon today to discuss the results of last week’s MRI exam. As I had previously been told, I have tendonitis in my iliopsoas and abductor muscles/tendons and it’s likely a labral tear in my right side. I might eventually need an arthroscopic procedure on my right side to fix the labrum / shave down some more bone if the pain persists at 9-12 months post-op, but again, that’s all hypothetical and not the main attraction of this week.

Ideally, I would be pain free and fully healed before moving onto the left. Honestly, if time were not an issue, I might consider waiting to move forward with the SDD surgery (as was encouraged by my surgeon and his PA to consider doing). As my surgeon pointed out, at less than 5 months following my PAO my right hip is still in pain and although the pubis bone appears to actually be growing together (YEA!!), it’s not fused. While it is safe to do the left side and while it’s not clear what impact the left surgery will have on my right hip (good, bad, or indifferent), waiting would be the ideal course of action.

However, time is an issue because I have to get back to law school (I took the spring semester off expressly to focus on healing). As it stands, I am hopeful (though not totally confident) to be back for the fall semester, though only time — and my healing — will tell. I also believe (and my surgeon thinks it is possible) that my right hip will benefit from all of the rest I will get from sitting on my butt for 8+ weeks. In any event, I am in pain and my mobility is dramatically reduced so it doesn’t make much sense to wait.

One cool thing that did happen at today’s appointment is that my Dr. helped to set me up with a bone growth stimulator! It’s kinda crazy because it’s a little machine about 2/3 the size of an iPhone that you can clip onto your clothes, and that connects through two wires to electrodes that are stuck on either side of my (slowly healing) pubis bone. I wear it 24 hours/day, every day (except while i’m in the hospital), and the wires (though not the machine) stay on even when I take a shower. It feels like NOTHING — no buzzing, no electrical stim feeling. I have basically no idea what it’s doing but I really hope it works.

So that’s it until the big day. Tomorrow will be filled with a liquid diet and final preparations. I’m pleased to report that I am not a bit nervous (a pleasant surprise). I’ll be sure to update from the hospital as much as I can — as always, wish me luck!

Here we go again

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Nuts. I’m anxious. I’m also 9 days away from surgery which makes sense that I would be anxious but last time, I was utterly zen. Totally calm. You’d have thought I didn’t care that I was about to be broken and put back together. Admittedly, before my last surgery I only became zen in the final 2 weeks leading up to my surgery — prior to which time I was a paniced freak. This time, though, I have totally ignored the impending surgery so I never had a chance to panic. Apparently now’s the time.

As I type, I am at HSS in the midst of my surgical pre-clearance, including a physical exam, blood work, EKG, chest x-ray, and a meeting with the hospital GP that is assigned to me for the surgery. The day started at 9am and should be done by 2pm. I’ve been through this before so unlike last time, I knew what to expect (and to bring something to read – there’s a decent amount of down time between appointments).

Most importantly, I already had my appointment with my surgeon. We briefly discussed my impending surgery (the Open SDD) but the majority of the appointment focused on my (still crabby) right hip. I still have pain in the joint and around the greater trochanter but the majority of the pinchy pain is in the area between the hip and my groin – likely caused by the psoas tendon and break in the pubis. So, I am scheduled for an MRI tomorrow, an Active Release Therapy session on my tendon on Thursday, and a follow-up with my surgeon next Monday to see if the pain is caused by a torn labrum, nonunion or seething else. My surgeon has never had to go back in to repair a torn labrum after a PAO so, lucky me, i’d be the first. As of today, we are still moving forward with the left hip but the final decision will be made next Monday – 2 days before my surgery on my left. Apparently it is gonna be a busy week.

Photos from pre-surgical screening – I like to get dressed up for my HSS appointments!

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Hey May, whatduyasay?

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I canNOT believe that it’s almost May! OK, it’s 9 days until May, but those 9 days plus the following 7 days and suddenly it’s May 8th and my next surgery! Even before we get to May, I have my last sinus surgery follow-up on May 1st (10 days away), surgical pre-clearance day on April 30th (9 days away), and two medical massages.  Add that to all of the fun things that are upcoming — three (3!) Broadway opening nights; pre-surgery highlights + spa necessities; my dad coming to do the 5-Boro Bike Tour; last minute “see you after your surgery” lunches and dinners; bowling (hopefully); and, if the weather is accommodating, bike rides.

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20130421-143109.jpgIncredibly, bike riding is one of the few physical activities that I can do that doesn’t hurt my hip so last week I was able to go to two FANTASTIC 4-year-olds’ birthday party and a brunch (and wear as many patterns as I could find) — all on my coaster bike.

I am pleased to report that the cortisone injection into the psoas and rectus femoris tendons definitely helped a lot, and for the most part, the pain is significantly decreased.  However, it’s not gone.  I still have pain whenever I go up stairs, I cannot lift my right leg more than about 30 degrees without noticing pain in my joint, and the more I walk the more I hurt.  On Friday, I visited fellow Hip Chick Lauren (who just had a total knee replacement at HSS) and decided to really see what my hip could do.  I walked (with a cane) about the distance I used to walk before the surgeries — and since HSS is about a million blocks from the subway, it meant a lot of walking.  Anyway, I was a bit disappointed to realize that by the end of the night, the pain in my right hip (the hip that had the PAO) was definitely worse than the left, yet untreated hip.  I am positive that my right hip will need another surgery but for now, with rest and intensive massages, I am confident that I will make it through the May 8th surgery.

Not much else to report but here are a few cute photos I thought I’d share.  Hope all are well!

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Guy (my husband) and I, post Easter brunch.

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Bagels at the playground — Boris REALLY wants a bite

Thrill Rides

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Spring is officially sprung and in the spirit of renewed activity, my hips have been busy little bees the last week!

As I previously noted, I had been having an increased amount of pain in my right hip (really, the space between my right hip and groin) in the last few weeks. I was able to walk short distances but longer walks and lifting my leg definitely made things worse. Climbing stairs was mildly painful and I had been using my cane everyday for support but in general, the pain never exceeded a loud grumble…until this past Tuesday.

I felt fine at lunch but as I walked up several flights of stairs and out of the subway the pain in m right hip (the hip that had the PAO surgery) became utterly excruciating, like the most awful ache with moments of stabbing pain like mini ice picks! I only had my cane with me and nearly sat down on the sidewalk since I could barely drag myself the 1 block down the street to my office. I leaned on my cane, pain shooting into my hip with every step, and dragged myself back. By the time I made it I was in tears (this is only the third time I have cried since the PAO in December). I frantically called and e-mailed Dr. Sink who was able to get me in the next day (which I was so incredibly thankful for – he fit be in between surgeries). Luckily the pain mostly went away when I sat so I either sat or reclined the rest of the day. I started using crutches again that night, for the first time in 6 weeks. I started to worry that I would never actually get better, that I would always be in pain, that my next surgery would have to be postponed indefinitely.

At my appointment the following day, they took 4 x-rays and determined I did not have an new stress fractures. They also determined that the non-union of the pubis bone had not repaired itself (although a tiny bridge of bone, maybe 1/8th the width of the break, appeared to be growing). The pain was thought to be caused by one of the tendons (the rectus femoris or iliopsoas) — either that it was aggravated or that it had become stuck in the osteotomy site (basically, that the tendon rolled into the space where the bone was supposed to have grown and got stuck there). I was prescribed anti-inflammatories + the anti-inflammatory patch I have been wearing on my hip. I was sent for an ultrasound (with contrast) and injection of lidocaine and cortisone (into the sheath of both tendons). The ultrasound showed that although the tendons were not in the break that moment, they were each sitting right on either side of the break (and the pain could have been caused by the tendons rubbing on the edge of the break or they could have been stuck for a bit of time).

The cortisone injection took several hours to kick-in but by 10pm I noticed that my hip was feeling better. The next morning it was WAY better — honestly, it hadn’t felt so good since my surgery. For the first time in months I could put on my socks without pain. And walk? Back to normal – if not better! The pain had decreased about 90% and has since settled to a decrease of about 80%. I slept a ton and took it very easy the rest of the weekend – even let my sweet husband GK push me around in a wheelchair at the auto show. I was feeling so ‘normal’ today, though, that I let myself take a short bike ride today (bike riding is one of the few activities that doesn’t hurt if you have hip problems).

I have to be evaluated by Physical Therapy at HSS before I can get back to working with my physical therapist again. I may also need another cortisone injection before or after the surgery. It’s also possible/likely I will need another surgery on the right hip to fix the torn labrum (another pain) and non-union but not until the Open SDD is healed.

Oh! And on that note – the Open SDD is set for May 8th (1 month from today). My sinuses are healing wonderfully (follow-up with ENT this Wednesday) and my BIRTHDAY (my 36th) is this Thursday, April 11! Time to start revving up — it’s gonna be a busy busy spring!

(Mostly) Crutch Free + 12 week Status Update

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It’s been 11.5 weeks since my PAO and I am crutch free (mostly)! I say mostly because I am not willing to put away the crutches quite yet, and will definitely have them with me for longer trips (and I will absolutely continue to use the motorized scooter when I shop at Target). But this weekend, when I went out to dinner with my husband and when I walked 23 (23!) blocks over Sunday afternoon I did it only with a cane. I admit, by the end of the walk both of my legs were aching something fierce but I surprised myself by going as far as I did. I don’t seem to have a limp (as far as I can tell) and my surgery’d side hurts less than my yet-to-be-surgery’d side so I am really pleased.

Recovery was tough for the last week or two – I was doing more because of PT and my hips were not happy about it, very sore and achy and my muscles always quivering. But something seemed to turn a corner this Thursday because when I went to PT it was as if my muscles all decided to start trying to work again and I felt stronger and more capable. My therapist even approved my not using crutches. I’m know that the rest of PT will not be a cake walk and that I have a ways to go to be ‘normal’ but it was nice to feel like I was improving.

For reference, here are some answers about the status of my recovery to date (as of March 9th — 12 weeks and 1 day post-op):

  • When did I feel significantly better?  My pain was well managed but I was exhausted for the first 2 months. It literally took until 11 weeks until I felt significantly better.
  • How long was I on pain meds?  Narcotics (oxy) – 11 days following surgery; non-narcotic but strong – thru Jan 10th (about 1 month following surgery); Tylenol/Aleve – consistently thru 2 months post surgery; still occasionally
  • When was I able to completely take care of myself? My mom and husband were willing to help a lot so I let them. It was until mid Jan (about 1month post surgery) that I started to really take care of myself completely. If I had needed to I could have taken care of myself completely at between 2-3 weeks.
  • How long was I on crutches/walker? Non weight bearing crutches or walker – thru 5 weeks; weight bearing crutches – thru 10 weeks.  I continue to use a cane.
  • When was I able to wear anything but sweatpants? 2-3 weeks
  • When was I pain free? Too early to answer – still have some pain and lots of soreness
  • When was I able to lay on the operated side? 4 weeks
  • When was I able to drive? Don’t drive (live in NYC)
  • How long before I had a day that I didn’t need to lay in bed most of the day? I started working from home at 3 weeks – that was when I stopped laying in my recliner as much but I continue to rest and sleep a lot more than I used to.

I passed the half-way point between my 2 hip surgeries on February 24th and I am 9.5 weeks out from the SDD surgery. The 24th was an emotionally difficult day because I realized that I am actually going to have to go through this (or something like this) again and although I have handled the physical components of recovery well, the emotional has been harder than anticipated. I am scheduled for my next follow-up with my surgeon on March 15th so we will have lots to discuss. I’m really curious to hear if he thinks that I will need another scope on my right side (please, I really hope not). Also, following my unsuccessful balloon surgery attempt, I am scheduled for full sinus surgery (fix the deviated septum, turbinectomy, balloon sinuplasty, who knows what else but ALL performed under general anesthesia) on March 21st. Good news is that recovery for that should just be the weekend, plenty of time for the May 8th SDD.

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I think it’s working!

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Quick little report of positivity.

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This is the non-actually-waving cat family that came home with us and is currently staring out my front window.

My husband and I took a cab into the city and found ourselves with 3 hours of unanticipated free time between events in Chinatown — not enough time to really go to another neighborhood and find something to do but too much time to hang out in a tea house sipping bubble tea (almond milk with tapioca, my fave).

We decided to wander the streets, searching for glasses and waving cats. I was on crutches and since this was my first time to really walk around on the crutches for any long period of time, I was worried my right hip would start to really hurt or give out on me.

Whoa was I wrong! My right hip held up like a champ!! Pretty much no pain, and really no pain within the joint (a bit of muscle pain but that was just from my hip actually working). My right hip felt stable and I realized that I could not remember the last time my right hip did not hurt or ache after walking more than a block or two (probably years). Here was evidence that my reconfigured hip is really working!

My left hip, however, was a different story. The joint ached and felt weak and unstable, just as it always had. The more I walked, the worse the pain and instability. It was a significant and noticeable difference between the hip that was operated on and my left ‘virgin’ hip. It’s just as bad as before my right hip was operated on, possibly worse because the pain in my left hip started faster than before. In any event, I am really excited at the prospect of someday soon having 2 hips that feel good enough that I can wander hours through Chinatown, pain free.

Here are a few candid shots from the yummy dinner with my husband’s wonderful family!

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