The surgery
Post-surgery Week 1
Post-surgery Week 2
Post-surgery Week 3
Post-surgery Week 4
Post-surgery Week 5
Post-surgery Week 6
Post-surgery Week 7
Post-surgery Week 8
Week 9
Day 57 (Thurs) – I’ve felt pretty good this week. I know the physical therapy is really helping
me get stronger but unfortunately I also know I’ve a long way to go. I’m looking forward to what tomorrow’s PT
session brings.
Day 58 (Fri) – Physical Therapy was pretty fun this time (a
little annoying too): We added two new
exercises and I had localized A.R.T. and massage session on my left IT
band. The physical therapist who worked
on my leg today actually surprised me by saying that my primary PT had
instructed her to work on the IT specifically because he’d noticed it being
very tight back in the beginning of the month.
I need to add some stretches and foam rolling to help get that IT to
relax.
I met Charlene after my PT session; to get to packet pick up
for the Danny Gans Memorial 5k race and to get our weekly grocery shopping trip
done. One of our local track club
members was at the store where packet pick up was being held: Seeing and talking to him reminded me to
appreciate my surgeon and my good fortune of the repairs he’s done for me on
this left hip. The track club member had
hip surgery quite a long time before I received mine and he’s still moving very
painfully and awkwardly. I wish him the
best and I hope my recovery continues to go well (and completely).
Day 59 (Sat) – My routine lately has been to get up early,
check my email, log into my ChiRunning lessons, watch the lesson and download
the audio lesson, and then head out for an running/walking even with my sister. I enjoy this routine; it engages my mind and
body, and it helps me focus my mental energies somewhere other than
inward. This morning’s ChiRunning class
was to teach us about stabilizing and relaxing our shoulders while walking and
running. Keeping your shoulders stable
keeps you from expending extra energy and it helps keep your balance control in
your hips (in your core). With my
walking and running style, the mental focus of “feeling” of being pulled from
my sternum is a great fit. I put it to practice
in today’s race; it felt perfect especially traversing the bridge over
Interstate 15.
This morning’s racing event was the Danny Gans Memorial 5k and
1 mile walk/run. I had my concerns about
the weather with all of the rain and cool temps but it turned out pretty darn
good. My sister Charlene, my nephew Eli,
and I arrived early so we didn’t have to stress over parking and so we had
plenty of time to get warmed up. I took
advantage of the shopping center’s open air layout to weave between buildings
as well as walk up and down stairs to the second story stores. I need this warm up time to ensure I don’t
strain my recovering hip and core muscles; it also lets me listen to my
ChiRunning/walking audio lesson (via the file I’d downloaded to my phone) and
practice the lesson I’d be applying. I’ve
run this particular route many times with other races so I knew what was coming
and could sink into my lesson and enjoy the activity. I set myself a stronger pace than at last
week’s Operation Jack walk, shooting for anything less than 15 minutes per mile
(I even passed a few people, whoohoo). I
did have a moment of concern when we came to a hairpin turn; my left thigh’s
abductor muscle spiked an instant of pain and felt very weak. Once I competed the turn and began a more
balanced straight walk the pain and weakness didn’t continue or return. I need to remember to tell the Physical
Therapist about that. My sister, who finished
long before me (and took 3rd place Female masters), met me at the 3
mile mark to complete the final .1 miles with me. I should have appreciated it more, we’ve done
as much for each other many times, but I was still very much focused on my
ChiWalking lessons and maintaining a good pace.
I ended up finishing with a 14:30 pace which was a full minute per mile
faster than my previous race, I’m cool with that.
After I took my family home and returned to mine I felt very
restless and a bit irritated. To expend
some of that extra energy I got back into my race clothes, strapped on a pair
of my retired Altras and headed out to the local mountains for a fast paced trail
walk. Applying ChiWalking disciplines to
rough trail walking is quite a challenge but fun too.
Day 60 (Sun) – The recovery period is nearly complete, just 30
more days to go. I feel that my patience
is being tested more by not being able to run in these races more than it is by
the various aches and pains I still have.
I try to put aside what I could do at the beginning of the year; I’m not
that runner anymore. This process, and
the one to come, has changed me in ways that I’ll have to learn. On the positive side I have a lot of training
to fall back on but I can’t ignore that my body has been irrevocably altered. What the future brings, who knows. I hope that I become a better runner from
this (and a faster one); it’s why I am going through all of this.
Day 61 (Mon) – The best part of a work day is when you’re so
busy you don’t notice the passage of time.
The worst part of a work day when you’re recovering from hip surgery is
when you get so busy that you can’t get up at least once an hour to walk around
and stretch cramped muscles out. Thank
goodness for home physical therapy.
Day 62 (Tue) – My left knee felt uncomfortable today, thanks
to the tight IT band. The inner part of
my knee has ached periodically through this recovery period but I hadn’t
mentally tied it in to the IT band. I’m
not running but I am learning. I had
another busy day at work so I didn’t get a lot of walking in again; the best
walking session was after work on the way to the bus stop.
Day 63 (Wed) – I had a follow up appointment with my company’s
medical facility, at the work site. They
wanted to know how my recovery was progressing, if they needed to advocate for
me with my boss in case I needed relief from work activities, and they wanted
to know if there was anything they could do for me to help in general. It’s nice to have that level of support at work,
especially so far from home. The company
doctor that visited with me did take the opportunity to tell me (again) how
much he loves having had his hip replaced and how good it feels for him now. I’m very happy for him but I’m hoping that
these surgeries I’m having will allow me to keep all of my original parts for
the balance of my life.
ChiRunning Online School
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