Time flies

Its Friday, I had surgery on Tuesday, which means this is post op day 3. Seems like it has been forever and at the same time its flown by. This surgery has been much harder than the original hip surgery was. I remember that time, i was off pain killers by day 2 and feeling very mobile and good by day 3. Right now, there is no way i can imagine not being on pain killers - and have been taking them conisistently about every 4 hours. I am guessing this is because they did more work in the joint. I've also been told that revisions are usually harder recoveries than first surgeries.

Dr. Philippon used a graft from my IT band to reconstruct my labrum. It required 7 anchors - which is apparently a large reconstruction - it looked like it was about half of the circumference of my hip socket. Apparently, my joint capsule had scarred to my labrum which is part of what he thinks was causing me pain. He also did bit of cleaning up rough cartilidge and trimmed additional bone off the femur. He also tightened the illiofemoral ligament and did a plication on the joint capsule to try to get rid of the loose feeling I have. He said the cartilidge looked really good and he was pleased - and I didn't need microfracture - so that is good!

I expected to feel an immediate lack of looseness in my hip when I awoke from surgery - but the unfortunate truth is that my joint still feels very loose. It is a terrifying thought that this surgery may not solve that problem, but I'm trying not to worry and to give it time. I know that there is a lot of fluid in my hip and a lot of inflammation, and he did do things to tighten the joint - so hopefully once everything settles down a bit, it will be snug. I hope.

Here's how it went - Tuesday, we showed up at 12:30 pm at the hospital and got checked in for surgery. I got changed into the hospital gear, got the IV going, had blood taken to create PRP than would be re-injected, and got the epidural going to keep me feeling nothing from the hip down (creepy!). I don't even remember being put under by the anesthesiologist, but I woke up around 8:30 pm in recovery - feeling pretty good. No nausea and not much pain because of the epidural. I was already in the cpm maching (constant passive motion machine ) and a version of the game ready ice shorts around my operated hip. My parents came in and said hi and hung out til about 10:00. I had some gingerale and saltines, and texted with people - probably a little incoherently. That night i dozed in and out of sleep - with nurses coming in here and there to adjust this or that. At around 2 am, they took out the epidural and started me on regular oral pain killers - it was a pretty mellow transition. Then, to the bathroom by wheelchair to brush my teeth and rinse my face, and then down to physical therapy where they put me right onto a bike to pedal for 20 minutes. All of the previous day's surgery patients go to PT together early the following morning - so we all got a little class on how to use our own cpm machines, how to operate the game ready, and how to use all of the other random equipment I have to be using for several weeks. Then there was a bit of passive motion with my PT and back to the condo.

At the condo, I showered, got back into the equipment I have to be in (i.e. game ready, CPM, calf pumps) and then headed back to PT for a couple more hours. Craziness. Meanwhile, I should mention that once the epidural faded away completely, my hip began to hurt quite a bit. Worst thing is moving having to use my leg to step forward - it feels horrible. Its getting to be less and less bad though, so that is encouraging.

To give some idea of how labor intensive the equipment is - here is a list of all the equipment I have been instructed to use:

Crutches - with flat foot 20 lb weight bearing for the first 3 weeks and one additional week 50 lb weight bearing. Not a big deal really.

CPM machine for 4-6 hours per day, every day, for the first 3 weeks.

Game ready ice machine - as much as possible for the first 3 weeks. In the photo below, his compression ice pack is for a knee - mine is like a hockey short and fits around the hip. I think I mentioned at my last surgery - the gameready is awesome. Helps deal with pain and swelling - which there is a lot of. I do ususally find myself shivering with teeth chattering by the end, unless I'm in a down jacket, hat, and wool socks and covered with lots of blankets.



Calf pumps - for the first 3 weeks i'm supposed to use these any time i'm sitting around or lying down.

Bolster and foot holders - basically straps feet to this cylinder which prevents external rotation of the operated hip while sleeping. Means that I have to sleep flat on my back. I'm supposed to use this for the first 3 weeks. I couldn't find a picture of this one, but here is a photo of me wearing part of the bolster the morning after surgery. oh joy!

Hip brace - a large black contraption that straps around my waist and left thigh - which is supposed to prevent me from moving my hip in ways it shouldn't go. This I believe is every day all day (except when lying or sitting down) particularly when walking.

The hardest thing about this equipment is that all but the crutches and the brace, i need someone's help getting set up. Its very time consuming, and once you are set up, its an ordeal to get out of the contraptions to go to the bathroom, get something you forgot in the other room, reach the phone, or whatever. Thankfully I have both parents here doing all of this for me - including driving me back and forth to p.t. and various dr appts every day. And, bringing me food and drink while i'm strapped into my various equipment. It is really a 2 person job at this point. Only today did I start being able to do some basic things myself - like getting my operated leg up onto the bed, or off of the bed. Quite a feat.

On top of all that, there are medications to remember - all with their different schedules, the PT i'm supposed to be doing multiple times a day at home, and the 2 hours I'm supposed to be lying on my stomach. gaaah, it is overwhelming! My mom has put together a spreadsheet to keep track of all of that needs to get done. Thankfully I have my parents here to help me - or this whole system would have fallen apart.

Christie, my cousin who lives in Colorado Springs came up for a visit last night - so my entourage got even bigger for a minute! It was so nice to have some distraction and to chat with her in between all of the other stuff. Thanks Christie :)

P.s. my clavicle is holding up nicely, and has really been almost a non-issue. So, that has been a big relief.

Heading back to the clinic for more PT in about an hour and then back to my spot on the couch.


Thanks to everyone who sent me encouraging and thoughtful emails and texts and phone calls over the past few days. It means so much to me!! Made he whole thing a lot less scary too.

I'll update soon.