Post-surgery Week 5

For the complete process please review my previous blogs on this subject:

The Surgery
Post-surgery Week 1
Post-surgery Week 2
Post-surgery Week 3
Post-surgery Week 4

Week 5

Day 29 (Thur) – I realized this morning that I really feel heavy all the time; not weight gain heavy, but tired muscles heavy.  It’s to be expected since I’ve been so inactive the last 29 days but it drains me both mentally and physically.  I know that this all has been messing with my sleep patterns.  Relaxing the mind and body isn’t easy to do when you’re convalescing especially when simple things and simple movements are part of what drains you so. 

I had to take the trash out this morning, as well as the recycling.  This 2 minute task took almost 10 minutes with all of the pushing and pulling, crutching up and down my steep driveway, having to rest multiple times, and repeatedly having to catch my balance.  

Perhaps the oddest part of the day was the fact that going to work was actually relaxing.  

The prospect of starting PT in the morning feels like hitting the landing on the 40^th floor stairwell, sure I have 40 more to go but I can rest here and regain some strength and mental balance. 

Day 30 (Fri) – Physical therapy started off annoyingly this morning:  The packet of forms I was given to fill out was thicker than the ones I signed to buy my car, it took so long I was late starting PT.  I met with the Physical Therapist (after participating in the murder of an innocent tree) to tell him my story of running, core pain, the femur and labrum issues, the surgery, and finally about all I’ve done and not done during the last month.  I told him about the surgeon’s assistant telling us that I wouldn’t really need a transition period from using my crutches all of the time to not using them at all, the physical therapist agreed with Charlene and I that I would need a transition period but it wouldn’t have to be a long one.  He explained to me how he wanted me to walk with the crutches; putting more weight on the left leg but not total weight, how to heel strike and then roll through and off the toes, to lift the left foot above the ankle of the right one when stepping forward.  Because the forms took up so much time we didn’t spend a lot of time doing exercises but any start is a good start so I’ll take it.  

I practiced the method of crutch supported walking as much as possible throughout the day, trying hard to do it the way my PT explained.

Day 31 (Sat) – I crutch/walked a mile with Charlene this morning, at Mountain’s Edge Park.  I think I followed the new walking procedure pretty well, Lord knows it was tiring enough.  After we finished the walk we found some cool shade to rest in and to stretch.  Sis had to help me a little to get the stretching done, for balance and for a reminder, I wanted to perform the same stretches that I had routinely done after running.  All in all, my leg, hip, and knee felt good after the long walk even though it took quite a lot of time.   

We went to a new (to-me) restaurant for breakfast somewhat near the park, to kind of celebrate my first long walk and because we were both hungry.  I won’t be getting their pancakes again, assuming I every go there again and that I remember, but I’ll happily seek out their egg breakfasts.  

I ended up relaxing for the rest of the day, plus working on my recovery blog and icing.

Day 32 (Sun) – I ended up staying awake until sometime around 7 am to work on my blog, and because I couldn't get tired enough to go to sleep.  When I finally did get in a nap it didn’t last very long but it was good enough to reset my brain.  

On a whim I decided to try walking a few steps while heading into the shower: I quickly found out that my left leg doesn’t have a lot of strength in it and isn’t very useful for support. 

Later in the day Charlene and I went to a promising track club meeting; it was pretty interesting to see the “behind the scenes” stuff.   When Sis and I returned to her house a few hours later to drop her off I wanted to show Charlene that I was getting stronger so I walked around my car without crutches, keeping one hand on it at all times for support.  Thankfully I didn’t fall over or embarrass myself doing it.

Day 33 (Mon) – I tested myself at work today; to see if I can stand and sit without the aid of my crutches.  I had to brace myself on the arms of my chair but not a lot, I’m happy with that.  

Lately my knee hurts a lot when I straighten it with or without putting my weight on it, not under the knee cap but off to one side of the knee always in a particular spot.  I’ve also noticed that my left foot hurts as I move it and increase the weight I put on it.  I guess these are all of the little aches and pains that come along with using the leg again.  

I tried sidestepping tonight too, more tests to find out what I can do; it only worked a little better than walking forward which isn’t saying much.   

The first at-home PT session tonight went well though it took a little rooting around the house, I had to figure out a way to simulate the leg curl machine.

Day 34 (Tue) – Today at work was surprisingly good; I felt strong and well balanced.  I was able to move easier when I had to get up for ice or for nature brakes, I could even take several unsupported steps inside my office.  

I walked for my sister and brother in-law, crutch free, when they came over tonight for our special celebration and to watch the premier of “The Muppets”.  It was in no way graceful but it was under my own power, I’ll take that any day.

Day 35 (Wed) – 5 weeks down, 7 more to go.  

I was able to take 3 short walks at work today, from office to office.  I felt good enough doing them but my leg, hip, knee, and foot complain a lot during and after.  Thankfully icing makes quick work of the discomfort.  

I’ve been using a Patella strap on my knee when it starts to hurt:  The pressure pad can be placed right on the spot of pain and it seems to help a little.   

Tonight’s home physical therapy felt pretty good, it makes me feel  just a little closer to normal.  

I’m spending more and more time off the crutches when I’m at home, saving their use for when I’m very tired or when I’m going upstairs.  I worry about developing poor walking habits but every time I catch myself moving in awkward ways I stop, straighten up, think about my ChiWalking lessons, and then start moving again.

Post Surgery Week 4

For the complete process please review my previous blogs on this subject:

The Surgery
Recovery - Week 1
Recovery - Week 2
Recovery - Week 3

Week 4

Day 22 (Thur) – Charlene and I drove to Salt Lake City today.  It was longest drive I’ve had since the surgery, by far. 
We agreed when we planned for the race to share the driving duties, to split them between us so we both could get a little rest.  Sis started the trip since I’m typically at my worst (pain wise) in the morning.  By the 2 hour mark my left hamstring started to complain rather insistently but thankfully the hip and thigh felt good.  We switched somewhere around hour 3 while fueling and stretching our aching legs.  We switched again around hour 6; she wanted to handle city traffic just in case it was bad, and I was fidgeting a lot for sitting so long.  
Surprisingly enough, after a total of 7 hours traveling, the only real protesting at the end of the trip was from my right hamstring (which is normal for me). 
We arrived in Salt Lake City early enough to check into the hotel, unpack the car, and then go get a few groceries to carry us through the weekend.  It was nice to be able to settle in early enough to eat dinner and relax a bit before trying to sleep, that’s pretty unusual when traveling for a race.

Day 23 (Fri) – Charlene and I spend the majority of the day at the hotel, with only a quick trip to the expo to break up the afternoon, to be sure we were both rested up for our individual efforts tomorrow. 
I found myself wasting several minutes in the bathroom this morning staring at the bathtub/shower, dreading and planning on how to get in.  My shower at home is a standalone unit, not big tub with a rim to step over.  I ended up shaving in the sink rather than trying to get into that tub. 
Sis and I attended the BCW expo right after noon, at our leisure.  It was a nice little place; not too large so as to tire me and not too small which would have been pretty dull.  I asked Charlene to stop at the “Volunteers” desk when we entered, just so I could be sure I didn’t need to check in there before showing up the next morning.  I think my attempt to ensure I was ready for my shift(s) tomorrow confused the girl working the desk because she gave nonsensical answers to my questions and offered to give me something to do today (No thanks, pass).  We picked up Charlene’s race packet and then stopped to greet the Big Cottonwood Marathon Race Director, Anna.  She was pretty nice, and had helped to get Charlene her personalized race bib and had helped me get set up for Volunteer duty.  We also met with Nikki at the race info booth, Charlene wanted to talk to her for a little bit and give her a special “Thank You” gift.  Nikki stopped during the marathon last year (same race as this one) to help Charlene, after her two disastrous falls, to help her get medical attention.  She also stopped to see Charlene in the medical tent after the race to ensure she was being treated properly.  Charlene didn’t know her at the time; Nikki was just helping out of the kindness of her heart.  Charlene calls Nikki her “Course Angel”, I think it’s pretty fitting. 
We both originally intended to call it an early night since we’d have to be up very early in the morning but neither of us was very successful at doing so, just too much was going through our heads.  It was really an odd night though we didn’t really realize it at the time, in fact just about the whole day was a little odd:  Charlene hit two curbs between the time we drove to the expo and returned to the hotel, she also seemed a little unfocused when we were in the parking lot before and after the expo.  We didn’t know it at the time but these may have been clues to how the race would go on Saturday.

Day 24 (Sat) – The Big Cottonwood Marathon.  This was supposed to be a day of days for Charlene and for myself, and it was but not in a good way. 
We got out of the hotel in good time and headed to the marathon bus meeting area but once we got there road construction blocked our entry.  That was OK though, we followed traffic around to another area and then another area and then another area.  I needed a parking space near where I would be volunteering during the race unfortunately none of the volunteers directing traffic knew where I was supposed to go.  I felt my frustration levels building towards anger each time we were misdirected.  Sis did pretty well keeping her cool despite me and the others.  When we finally parked we tried to find the table/person I was supposed to check in with for the early shift; that just became case of chasing shadows in the dark, nothing was where it was supposed to be and no one seemed to even know what I was asking about.  I tired pretty quickly from crutching around for so long looking for information, if I hadn’t made a promise I’d have gone back to the hotel and said “Screw It”.  I tried to keep from giving Charlene my poor attitude; I really wanted her to have a great morning.  The longer it took to get me settled was that much more of a risk that she’d miss her ride to the start line, and once the buses were gone she’d have received a DNS (did not start) disqualification.  Fortunately we ended up finding the late arrival packet pick up table just a short distance from Sis’s bus, it wasn’t where I was supposed to be but at least it was someplace I could stay and help so Charlene could head to her bus. 
I wished Charlene a good race, told her that I was more than confident in her ability to do great on this course, and breathed a sigh of relief as she headed for what might have been the last bus.  Sadly it wasn’t the end of my morning travels, the volunteer at the packet pickup table used her radio to find out where I was supposed to check in at; the start line area which I’d already checked twice, so I went back and milled around until I could find someone.  I waited around for 30 to 45 minutes until a couple of other volunteers arrived to begin setting up the race merchandise sales area.  I helped them until the rest of the volunteers showed up to begin prepping the finish line. 
Later in the morning I found the person I needed to check in with and got my first assignment, to help with setting out the finisher’s medals.  They were kind enough to drum up a chair so I could sit and help unpack and then set them out on tables.  That task only lasted a short time before I was finally assigned to the runner’s results tent.  This was the highlight of my volunteer time, and such a great idea.  I love the idea of runner’s getting a print out of their timed results and BCW took it a step further by making it a souvenir card to boot. 
I wish the race staff would have made an announcement of some kind of big deal when the race started; personally I feel that a marathon should never start without fanfare on the course even if it’s a point to point and you’re at the far end. 
Less than an hour into the marathon Charlene sent a text which sent my stomach into my throat, she was having stomach issues just as I had done last year at the same point.  I held out hope though, she’d done very well at that stage of the race last year so she still had a good shot.  I tried to send her my support but words don’t mean much when your gut is doing flips inside you, especially with what I was to find out later.  Before she hit the midway point the race had taken a harsh toll on her, I so wanted to be out there with her or at least be there every step through text but I was swamped with half marathon runners and couldn’t even look at my phone.  My heart broke for her when she reached the location of last year’s first of two falls.  Almost 10 miles away and I can see her face, her eyes, and her thoughts.  I will never forget the crushing panic of facing driving in the snow for the first time after the accident that crushed my arm; I thought that wasn’t far from what she felt looking at that section of road which had left her bloody and almost abandoned 12 months ago.  I was supposed to be there with her, to protect my sister from that demon we all knew would be waiting for her, but I could only send her my support via text as time allowed. 
When my volunteer shift ended I milled around the results tent a little before heading out to where Sis and I planned on meeting, I had a ladybug sign to give her before she crossed the finish line.  I made several stops along the finisher’s chute, trying to find a good spot to meet my sister.  She kept me apprised of her progress but I continued to expect to see her any minute, even to the point that I made basic addition/subtraction errors at times when she told me what mile she was at.  Foolishly I spent about an hour and a half in the sun waiting for her.  I kept eyeing shady spots nearby but I knew that it would take me 5+ minutes to reach the closest one on my crutches which would mean I’d miss Charlene even if she warned me at mile 25 (which she did).  I ended up putting my jacket on and my spare shirt over my head and neck to give myself a little protection from the sun.  It caused my heat levels to climb but at least I didn’t burn. 
When Charlene made it to where I waited to give her the sign I handed it off and watched her push through to the finish line.  After that I slowly made my way back to the finish line to meet her.  I had to swing wide to get around the runners and spectators, which took a little extra time and effort but I was able to get to the medical tent to meet my sis without much hassle.  She told me about the terrible start of the race and much of what she went through on the way down, this damn race was nearly as bloody as last year. 
We made our way out of area after she finished with icing her foot/ankle and then trying to take a picture we had previously planned (epic failure).  In the end we just got out of there; with her heart and dreams broken and I being physically wiped out and partially sun sick we lost all interest in being around there more than necessary.  We returned to the hotel with far less effort and frustration than it took to get to the race, thankfully. 
Charlene and I nearly cancelled our post-race plans but I couldn’t let pass the possibility of her beloved Red Iguana Mexican Restaurant picking up her spirits, it was a long shot but it’s all I had.  We moved quickly at the hotel to freshen up, ditch her race gear and my volunteer pack, and then went out to lunch. 
That was the second time I’d been to the restaurant; it's a nice little “hole in the wall” type place though this time it was sort of a challenge thanks to being on crutches.  The server sat us in the very back of the building which wasn't a favor to either of us since we were so tired and it was so tight inside I had a little trouble maneuvering with my crutches, it was just that kind of day for us.  The food was good, though not as special as Charlene remembered it normally being.  The staff there couldn’t even get a simple mixed drink right; evidently their day wasn’t going a whole lot better than ours. 
After lunch we returned to the hotel for rest, icing, and to bid adieu to the balance of the day.  I think we both felt that it couldn’t end soon enough. 
While I was kicking back, and icing my hip I noticed that my left foot was very swollen, my toes looked like little purple sausages: unfortunately I hadn’t been able to elevate it at all while volunteering for BCW and we didn’t stay around the hotel long enough after the race to ice at all.  It took over an hour for the swelling to go down and for my foot to return to a normal(ish) color.
I finally finished my week 3 blog while Charlene slept; she crashed pretty hard shortly after getting back from lunch.  I also noticed during the late afternoon that my left calf was starting to cramp up, because of how I held my foot up while waiting for Sis to finish.

Day 25 (Sun) - Sis and I left Utah early, in hopes of getting back home at a decent time in the afternoon so we could have a little time to unwind. 
I took the first shift of driving and it felt pretty good except for my left calf still hurting from yesterday.  We naturally talked about the race yesterday but we also talked about things we missed by not growing up together.  It was hard to not dwell on the race; the wound just ached too much to not rub on it in the vain hope that would soothe it even a little.  We tried to troubleshoot her run; we noted the similarities to my own bad run last year, the differences of her good first ¾ of the marathon last year, and the belief that we both have now experienced altitude sickness at Big Cottonwood. 
Charlene and I switched as drivers about halfway through the drive.  I had to spend a few extra minutes upright at the gas station we had stopped at, both of my hamstrings were already getting very tight and I just couldn't sit any longer. 
Later we stopped in St. George, roughly 2 hours from home, to take care of necessities; get coffee for Sis, for both of us to stretch, maybe get a bite to eat, and to use the facilities.  As providence would have it, we missed the turn into Starbucks and found something far better.  We had to use an entrance a little further up the road to get into the shopping center with the coffee shop and ended up staring directly at a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store.  Both of us immediately scrapped the coffee idea:  We weren’t about to pass up a chance of getting ourselves caramel apples.  I'd definitely call that stop a highlight of our trip; we both got a nice emotional boost from an old favorite. 
Charlene was great enough to go with me to get groceries when we returned to Vegas, before either of us even went home.  She helped make sure I'd be set for work during the coming week; putting my luggage away, putting my groceries away, and helped me get my regular work gear ready.  After that we finally took her home so she could settle in for the night (plus the coming week) and be with her family.

Day 26 (Mon) - My left calf hurt like crazy this morning, it felt tight enough to bounce a quarter on it. 
I am looking forward to seeing the physical therapist Friday yet I'm also experiencing a little dread over it as well:  I haven't forgotten how much the first weeks of PT for my left arm hurt and though this isn’t as traumatic I can’t help but feel the expectations.
By the end of the night my left calf felt a little better.  I had iced it several times during the day while icing my hip; I also rubbed essential oils into my calf to help it relax. 
I’d talked to my sister about this before but I’ve fully decided not to not register for the Boston Marathon, it’s really hard to give it up after such a great marathon in Arizona at the beginning of the year.  I know I’ll be much better served to get my right hip fixed as soon as possible after the left one heals and to be honest I don’t want to go to Boston alone again.

Day 27 (Tue) - My calf was very tight again this morning but after icing several times at work it loosened up quite a bit by day’s end. 
I’ve noticed that I seem to be crutch-tripping a lot lately, where the rubber foot at the bottom catches something or it just plain bumps into hard air.  I don't know if I’m doing this from trying to hurry or if it's because my arms are just tired or what.  I do know that most often I'm tripping on the left side, my repaired arm, but not necessarily every time.

Day 28 (Wed) - It's officially 4 weeks now, since having surgery.  I've only a day and a half left of being restricted to crutch travel and zero weight on my left hip.  That is the same amount of time until my first physical therapy appointment too, it’s scheduled for Friday. 
I’m happy to say that I am feeling significantly better than 3 long weeks ago:  my hip is rarely sore these last few days (except for being on the crutches for an extended period of time), sneezing no longer hurts my core, even my wrists don't protest as much as they first did.  I am pretty tired most of the time now though, not sleepy tired so much but physically tired.  I’ve felt like this often the last couple of years as I moved from one marathon training period to the next almost seamlessly.  This really is like upper-body training every day this last month. 
I had my first experience with crutching in the wind today; it was interesting, much like running into the wind, you just lean into it.

Post-surgery Week 3

For the complete process please review my previous blogs on this subject:
The Surgery
Recovery - Week 1
Recovery - Week 2

Week 3

Day 15 (Thur) – I've noticed throughout the day that I’ve had some minor improvements during the last two weeks and a few drawbacks:  The discomfort I had while driving to and from work has almost faded completely, pain and pulling during big stretches in the hips and legs after long periods of sitting has also faded almost completely, my wrists are hurting a lot more now even when I’m not on the crutches, the heels of my palms continue to be tender to the touch and when under pressure, and my right foot tires quickly from being my primary means of support so often. 
I have a 4 day break starting tomorrow, I wish I could take a day or two off for complete rest but it’s just not possible:  I'm alone this weekend and then will be out of town the next. 
I discovered during the evening that my left knee hurts when it’s straightened and I flex my foot upwards.  I believe it’s happening because of my inactivity and the lack of use of the leg and foot itself.  I will periodically stretch it in hopes of getting rid of the pain.

Day 16 (Fri) – My first necessary adventure this weekend is to get an oil change, in preparation for next weekend.  I loaded up a backpack with some fruit, fluids, and a book in anticipation of spending a couple hours at the local garage.  It was pretty shocking when the store associate called me up to the counter shortly after I settled into a chair with the news that the car was complete and ready to go.  I was actually a little disappointed; the time outside of the house, out of the daily routine, was something I looked forward to.  I did end up treating myself to a nice breakfast out before going back home, to stay out another few minutes.  I just didn’t want to face an empty house when doing everything there takes a lot of effort, where the only sound is the rattling of the demons running around the inside of my head. 
I had my Blu-ray, a decent collection of DVDs and BRDs, and my icing schedule to keep me occupied for the evening.      

Day 17 (Sat) – I tried to spend as much time off my feet and off the crutches as possible today, just move about as necessary.  My sister Charlene and brother in-law Billy were in California, participating in the Disneyland 10k today so I got up early to with them both a good race.  I then ended up staying awake to keep tabs on my sister’s finish time: she earned herself a new PR and placed 4th in her AG (I was very proud of her).  I even spend a good hour or more keeping tabs on the results page as she fluctuated between 3rd and 4th place.  It felt just like last November (2014) after the Disneyland Avengers Half Marathon where she and I both placed in our age groups and we waited for the results to solidify.  After the excitement of her race and Billy’s finishing I began working on my weekly recovery blog posting.
Later in the afternoon I drove to a local grocery store to pick up a few necessities.  My palms definitely appreciated the break but it didn’t take long for my right foot to start complaining.

Day 18 (Sun) - I had originally intended to go see a movie, to get out of the house and allow my brain to turn off, but I decided to use my energy for something more productive:  I shopped for and bought a pair of fingerless weightlifting gloves with a little padding in the palms.  They feel great while crutching around (though my wrists still protest).  The gloves helped me get around more comfortably while shopping over the next couple hours.  I was trying to find some clever way to display a "winner's" shirt I had received earlier in the year, some older music that I’ve been thinking of lately, and a good movie.  I successfully found 2 out of 3 things (movie and music), that isn't bad.

Day 19 (Mon) – My sister spent most of the day with me today: I helped her return the rental car she and by brother in-law had gotten for the long weekend and then we went out for lunch at Jason’s Deli.  After lunch we swung into my standard grocery stores to stock up for the short week and the week following. 
Later in the evening Charlene washed my laundry while I iced.  I hate asking her to do it, to even help with laundry, but frankly I can’t get it up and down the stairs.  Even if I took small loads up and down using my race bag I couldn’t get it done just for the fact that multiple trips on the stairs wipes me out.  While the laundry did its thing she and I watched Wall-E on Blue-ray, we also talked about her races for the rest of the year, my new knee pain, and each of our future race plans.

Day 20 (Tue) – I slept on my right side for a little bit during the night.  It felt good until I had to roll over to turn off my alarm, which did not please my left hip at all. 
Stretching my hip and leg out at work is difficult but I’ve been able to arrange my office so that I can get as close to the set up I need.  My frustrations with the physical building that I work in continue to grow; each day the doors make me lose balance, opening the exterior doors even hurt my wrists because of the angle I have to position myself, even the men’s room adds to the stress levels because they are not set up for a handicapped person at all. 
To my delight I’ve been able to schedule my first physical therapy session for a week from the coming Friday: I get to shed my crutches, I get to do my first free walk in a month, and I get to start the process of becoming healthy again.
Day 21 (Wed) - 3 weeks done, one to go.  I am seeing improvement in my daily life, it feels so good:  My morning drives are becoming easier (nearly discomfort free both trips), the knee and foot stretching seems to be helping, and best of all I sneezed twice today and had no core pain at all.  The sneezing/core pain was one of my biggest indicators of trouble at the beginning of this whole thing.  I’d call that progress.

Post-surgery Week 2

For the complete process please review the previous blogs on this subject
The surgery
Recovery - Week 1

Week 2

Day 8 (Thur) – I Drove my car to work today, it was rather uncomfortable but not too horrible.  The hip naturally ached but the discomfort really felt as though it was coming from my left shin and ankle, I just couldn’t find a comfortable position for the leg/foot. 

I’m getting a little more confident with the office’s self-closing doors but they still take a moment’s consideration before trying to get through them.

 The drive home was actually pretty nice; I didn’t notice any discomfort during the trip at all.  I ended up having to stop at a grocery store on the way home.  Unfortunately I had to maneuver the store without the benefit of an electric cart, they were all in use.  All I had to get was some seltzer water but it was too much to get in the actual quantities I needed, as it was I almost lost balance several times with just two 1 liter bottles.  Even if I wore a backpack to do minor shopping it would be a major hassle. 

Day 9 (Fri) – Normally, packing for a race weekend or any short trip is almost a mindless activity but not when you’re mobility is limited.  I packed a few things to spend my 2 night/3 day weekend at Charlene and Billy’s house, it was exhausting (especially since I had to travel the stairs 3 times).  Having to move the few things out to my car after that was a chore and by the time I made my way to my sister’s house I ached.  I couldn’t wait to find a place to sit, stretch out, and ice.  I’m to the point where I crave my ice packs as a source of relief from the discomfort and pain of moving around.

I had 4 moments of near panic during the afternoon and evening:  2 in the living room when the love seat moved under me while I tried to sit down and 2 in the bedroom when an office chair and my borrowed bed moved under me just as the couch did earlier.  Hardwood (or slick laminate) floors are not my friend in this condition.

Day 10 (Sat) – It was an early start to the day: my sister and I drove up to Mt. Charleston at 5 am for her to get in a 16 mile downhill run.  I was her mobile aid station (so to speak), driving ahead to meet her at miles 4 and 8 and then returning her to the start for a repeat of the 8 mile route.  There were a lot of runners taking on the same downhill route, more than I’ve ever seen there before.  I speculated that they were training for an upcoming St. George Marathon but I didn’t ask any of them (that would have been rude).  I’ll admit that it’s difficult to be relegated to “observer” but what must be must be, and my future is worth more than immediate wants.  Besides, going out there with my sister wasn’t about me, it was for her and what she needed.  After she completed a good run (in my opinion) we stopped for breakfast at Denny’s, picked up a few groceries, and then chilled out at her house for the rest of the day icing and watching TV.  Her run and just the general feel of the morning made for a good day.

Day 11 (Sun) – I slept in a bit this time, got a whole 9 hours total.  It wasn’t uninterrupted; I did have to re-inflate the bed half way through the night as well as my normal nocturnal needs.  I finally posted the blog of my first week of post-surgery experiences.  Though it took 7 days to write and 3 more to edit, I felt a sense of accomplishment.  Charlene said I looked pale a little later during the morning though I didn’t feel ill or “off”.  I did have a few instances of balance issues after getting up but nothing concerning, I chalked it up to my tendency to move in ways I shouldn’t.  Still, it’s worth paying attention to just in case.

Charlene, Billy, and I went grocery shopping early in the afternoon, after they returned from running a couple personal errands.  I had a “head shaking” moment after we completed our first stop; some inconsiderate jerk not only parked his big SUV in front of the grocery story doorway (a no-parking-zone), he parked it right in front of me (on crutches) blocking Charlene who was trying to the car up to retrieve me.  People really disgust me sometimes; they are so self-absorbed that even common courtesy doesn’t matter to them. 

After shopping at various places we returned to my house to get ready for the coming work week: Charlene and I put the groceries away (she also gathered and then washed my laundry), Billy took care of a weed beside my house to keep the HOA off my back and also applied some bug spray to keep out some local ants (so many pests I need protection from).  I enjoyed sitting and watching a little football with them before they went home later in the afternoon, we don’t get many of those moments to just hang out.

Day 12 (Mon) – The drive to work was uncomfortable in the beginning but by the time I arrived at work everything felt reasonably fine.  A big stretch after the drive didn’t feel so well though, my hip protested being extended after being cramped so long.  I didn’t stay at work very long; my first post-surgery follow up appointment was just after lunch.  Thankfully the drive back to town was easy and reasonably comfortable for my leg and hip.

Charlene met me at my house and then drove us both to the doctor’s appointment.  We didn’t end up seeing my surgeon during the visit, his Physician’s Assistant (PA) met with us and quickly removed my sutures.  He showed us a series of pictures of the inside of my hip that the surgeon captured during my procedure:  The labrum both before and after being reattached to my hip (using two anchoring sutures), my torn and then trimmed cartilage, and my femur after being shaved to the proper shape.  The PA confirmed that I must continue to use the crutches for 30 days total after the surgery, though he did say that I can put a little more weight on my repaired hip/leg.  I can put light weight on the ball of my foot so long as I don’t touch my heel to the ground.  I asked him why my left foot turns purple when I am upright; he said that it is normal for that to happen since the foot and leg aren’t being used properly right now.  Once I begin putting weight on it again it should begin acting and looking normal.  Charlene asked about when I could start physical therapy; he said I could actually start now but I still cannot put any real weight on the foot meaning that physical therapy would be limited as far as the left leg would be concerned.  I’d rather wait, therapy isn’t free and I’d rather go for the full effect.   Charlene also asked if I would be limited to walking specific types of terrain, short distances, or short lengths of time; the PA said that I would only be limited by fitness and comfort levels.  We also discussed that I may have to relearn how to walk since the femur will move a little differently than I was used to.  We also asked him if I should expect more pain on my right side once I’m able to walk and run again, while I wait for the next surgery which will repair the right femur and labrum as well.  The PA didn’t think I would have extra difficulty with my right side between surgeries but he did encourage me to pay attention to how it feels. 

Day 13 (Tue) – The day started off rather poorly thanks to someone parking a company vehicle in my preferred space.  Normally I don’t have such a thing but while I’m on crutches there is literally only one good parking space at my building that is compatible with a handicapped driver’s needs.  There are no actual handicap parking spots in my parking area, I have to hope to get the one that is closest to my entrance, on level ground, and is wide enough for me to fully open the door enough to get my crutches and myself out of the car.  This time I had to park on the opposite side of the building from my door and then carry my lunch bag and my backpack with several bottles of water in it for a distance that is very tiring on crutches when carrying nothing.  Then add in the general difficulty in getting into the building while on crutches anyway; all of the exterior doors open out, they are excessively heavy, and they are self-closing fire doors.  Needless to say I was rather grumpy the first couple of hours. 

I’ve noticed that my left quad seems to ache a lot lately.  I have to assume that I keep it in one position too long sometimes so I must try to ensure to put it through range-of-motion exercises periodically.  I have no problem admitting to looking forward to walking and exercising again.  I know it’s going to be painful for a while but at least it’s a productive pain. 

Is it weird to admit that I enjoy icing my hip and thigh?  It’s such fast relief for the pesky aches I get routinely.  I haven’t taken any painkillers since waking up in the outpatient post-op waiting room: The icing routine has been my preferred method of taking care of the aches.

Day 14 (Wed) – I am two weeks into my recovery now and I’m really eager for some visible forward progress.  I know that the healing for this type of thing is all internal and can only be experienced by feel but I do wish I could see something being repaired (other than my 2 half-inch incisions).  These invisible hurts kind of mess with the mind and it’s difficult to express out loud how you feel when all anyone sees is a lean, able body.  There are too many people willing to doubt, willing to take a negative view of what others are going through.  I don't care what the doubters say, I don't allow those kinds of people to be in my small circle of loved ones, but when I'm already feeling down the negativity has an effect.  These invisible hurts already mess with your own mind after a while; is this going to last forever; the aches just keep coming back; is that a new pain; am I actually feeling pain now or am I just convincing myself that I am; am I making other things worse by babying this one part; I hate having to ask for help; if I move wrong am I going to ruin all the progress and have to start all over again?  When those normal, doubtful thoughts and feelings are compounded with external negativity  they increase the burden you already carry and they slow the healing process.  Think of it as a dark example of the connection between mind and body: A healthy mind leads to a healthy body also works as a sick mind leads to a sick body.  The trick is to not wallow in the negativity: You will feel it, it's in our flawed nature, but you don't have to hold onto it.  Allow it to leave you just as you allow your breath to leave you.

I refuse to allow my doubts and fears to define me, to define my life.  I’m not afraid to admit them to myself, turning away from your own truth is just another way of allowing fear to rule, but I won’t allow them to be in control.  As for this injury, I look at it like this:  It took me over two years of continual training to reach a single running goal, this goal is only going to take a few months and I can do that standing on my head (or on one foot as it were).  It still hurts the same but I know it is temporary.