Post-Surgery Update

How am I doing post-surgery? If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram then you probably have an idea of how I am doing almost 3 weeks post-surgery. If you don't have an idea, then that means you don't follow me- so why aren't you?

It's been almost 3 weeks since the surgery. I was so nervous a couple days before the surgery that I physically made myself sick. I had a temperature and everything. It wasn't until I went to church with a friend the weekend before that I fully gave my worries to God to carry for me. And honestly, I felt so much lighter after that.

I was not nervous when I was given the IV at 5am (I do not like needles at all, so this was a big deal.) Nor was I with the epidural (which if you had talked to me the week before, you'd know that that was the part I was most worried about). Chris (my husband) said good bye to me and 6 hours later, I woke up hooked to all these different contraptions.

I stayed overnight at Porter Adventist. Previously, I had never stayed in a hospital, but I had a really good experience. The nurses were mostly wonderful and the small amount of food that I ate was really good. Prior to being released I had to get out of bed and show I can walk on crutches to do some daily activities. I am only allowed to put 30% of my weight on my leg. I've never had to use crutches before. Being pretty drugged up and trying to walk with these crutches was quite the challenge. Thankfully they wheeled me out when I was released because it would probably have taken me 3 hours to leave the hospital had I used the crutches.

If you know me, then you know that I am not one to sit around. Some clients have told me that sitting around watching tv or reading sounds amazing to them. Not to me. The first week, I actually didn't mind all the rest. I wasn't really in much pain, but was pretty exhausted. I watched a lot of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman (I had bought the series right before surgery) and slept. I also had to be hooked to ice, compression cuffs, and a CPM machine for 8 hours a day, so I was pretty limited in my activities.

After that first week, though, I started getting more antsy. I can't drive (since it was my right hip) and I'm still on crutches (9 days left until I can try and start to walk again...but who's counting). For those who are lucky enough to have never been on crutches, let me tell you that they SUCK! It takes forever to get anywhere. I've tripped going both up and down the stairs more than a handful of times, which is really bad since instinct causes me to put weight on the right leg and that HURTS! Sometimes, just the thought that I have to go down or upstairs to get something I need is too much, so I find myself improvising with it. I've read a couple books, completed an ACE Weight Management Certification I had been meaning to do for a while, started doing some upper body exercises, crocheted a couple blankets. Can't you tell I like to be busy???

I think from the lack of Vitamin D and endorphins from all the exercise I'm used to doing, I've started to feel pretty down. Since I can't do all that much about the endorphins through strenuous exercise, I've started making sure I'm getting outside at least a little every day. And I started focusing my energy on really ramping up the online training side of my business.

I did start training a few clients at my home studio after the first week. I really struggled at first. I am so used to handing them the weights, showing them the exercise, and then taking the weights from them, but I can't do that now. I have to stay sitting on my bench and just tell them which weights to pick up and verbally explain the exercises. It works though. I love my clients, so it's actually been really good for my mood to see them.

Life got better last week when I got the okay to move my leg more and to bend down. I had taken for granted the acts of simple movement! I am occasionally in pain and tire out pretty quickly. I still have a long road ahead, but once I get off these dreadful crutches and can drive, life will start to become more "normal".

The doctors keep reiterating that this is a slow process. I will feel fine (which the majority of the time, unless I do something stupid, I don't feel much pain) but can't push myself to doing things. I have to follow my physical therapist exactly to what she prescribes and nothing more. They said on Tuesday that it won't be until 3 months post surgery that I can start doing "cool" exercises again. It'll be 6 months until I can run or jump again. So, I need patience. I am going to learn to love to take long, easy walks (once I can throw out these crutches) and bike rides until that day when I get the okay to run and hike again. I know I might go insane (winter is my favorite time to run), but it'll be worth it when next summer I can hike a 14er without pain or run up Green Mountain without having to stop and stretch out because my hip was screaming at me.

I don't want to bore you any longer with my story, but I have to give a shout out to Chris and all my friends, family and clients who have been there for us. Whether it was bringing over food, sitting with me, having my house cleaned, picking me up and taking me out, checking in with me, praying for me... it has meant the world to me! <3